Ethics and Spanish journals of communication, education, and psychology: the publishers’ perception

El incremento de actividad en la publicación científica y su globalización están ocasionando una problemática relacionada con la ética de los procesos editoriales. Paralelamente, la presión que sufren los editores de revistas, motivada por los procesos de promoción académica y el contexto internacional de los autores, requieren una labor de aproximación consensuada en las formas de actuación ante los casos recurrentes de conductas poco éticas que se producen en la práctica. Este estudio tiene por objeto conocer la opinión de editores de revistas españolas de los ámbitos de Comunicación, Educación y Psicología sobre 16 tipos de mala praxis. Un 39,9% de los 203 editores encuestados respondieron al cuestionario online. Los datos permiten conocer el nivel de preocupación de los editores por aspectos éticos de la publicación científica: la frecuencia de cada mala praxis, la facilidad en su identificación, la gravedad percibida y su posible tendencia futura.The increased activity in scientific publishing and its globalization have led to a complex problem related to the ethics of the publishing process. At the same time, the pressure on journal publishers, due to academic promotion processes and the international background of authors, requires agreement on how to act against the recurrent cases of ethical misconduct that occur in practice. The aim of this study was to discover the opinion of Spanish journal publishers in the fields of Communication, Education and Psychology regarding 16 types of improper conduct. Of the 203 publishers surveyed, 39.9% answered the online survey. The quantitative data obtained provide an understanding of the publishers’ level of concern regarding ethical aspects of scientific publication: the frequency of misconduct, the ease of identifying it, its perceived gravity and possible future trends.Este estudio ha sido financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España, dentro del Plan Nacional de I+D+i (EDU2011-13034-E), acción complementaria: Observatorio de revistas científicas de ciencias sociales

Ethical principles of publishers in the Spanish scientific journals on Communication, Education and Psychology

La responsabilidad ética de los editores de las revistas científicas se alza como asunto capital que, sobre todo, se hace visible en los casos de publicaciones fraudulentas. Se presenta un estudio exploratorio sobre la opinión que los editores de revistas científicas españolas de Comunicación, Educación y Psicología tienen sobre estas cuestiones. Se aplicó una metodología cuantitativa con un cuestionario electrónico enviado a 203 editores, compuesto de 19 items. Se observa que los editores dan una importancia esencial al rigor de la tarea de revisión, sustentado por pares ciegos. La mayoría de editores se consideran autodidactas y plantean la necesidad de profesionalizar el proceso editorial.The ethical responsibility of the editors of scientific journals is a cardinal issue, particularly following a series of fraudulent publications. This article presents the results of an exploratory study on the opinion of editors of Spanish scientific journals in the fields of Communication, Education and Psychology on these matters. The design of this research stems from a quantitative methodology and uses an electronic questionnaire that was submitted to 203 editors and had 19 items. The editors attach a great importance to the rigor of the reviewing process, carried out by blind peers. Most of the editors label themselves as autodidacts and raise the need to professionalize the editorial process.Estudio financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España, dentro del Plan Nacional de I+D+i (EDU2011-13034-E), acción complementaria: Observatorio de revistas científicas de ciencias sociales

Changes in P2Y Purinergic Receptor Expression in the Ciliary Body in a Murine Model of Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a neuropathology, often accompanied by an elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which can lead to blindness. Since DBA/2J mice develop glaucoma, several studies of the physiopathology of glaucoma have been reported in this animal model. It is also known that purinergic receptors are involved in the pathology of glaucoma by controlling aqueous humor production and drainage and therefore controlling IOP. There are no studies on purinergic receptors in the DBA/2J model of glaucoma and their relation to the development of the pathology, so the aim of this study was to make an approach to the purinergic mechanisms involved in glaucoma. All the experiments were performed using DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice and investigating P2Y1, P2Y2, and P2Y6 receptors. IOP measurements were made with a non-invasive rebound tonometer, and animals were instilled with diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) and the corresponding purinergic antagonists in order to see their effects on IOP. The expression of mRNA for P2Y1, P2Y2, and P2Y6 purinergic receptors was carried out by quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, P2Y-receptor expression was performed by immunohistochemical techniques carried out on the ciliary processes. The results showed that IOP decreases when Ap4A was instilled and that the expressions of the analyzed purinergic receptors were stable throughout all the ages under study in the C57BL/6J mice (control mice). On the other hand, there were significant changes in the purinergic receptor expression in DBA/2J suggesting that elevated IOP in these animals could be related to an increase of P2Y2 expression and a decrease in P2Y1 receptors

Principios éticos de los editores en las revistas científicas españolas de Comunicación, Educación y Psicología.

The ethical responsibility of the editors of scientific journals is a cardinal issue, particularly following a series of fraudulent publications. This article presents the results of an exploratory study on the opinion of editors of Spanish scientific journals in the fields of Communication, Education and Psychology on these matters. The design of this research stems from a quantitative methodology and uses an electronic questionnaire that was submitted to 203 editors and had 19 items. The editors attach a great importance to the rigor of the reviewing process, carried out by blind peers. Most of the editors label themselves as autodidacts and raise the need to professionalize the editorial process.La responsabilidad ética de los editores de las revistas científicas se alza como asunto capital que, sobre todo, se hace visible en los casos de publicaciones fraudulentas. Se presenta un estudio exploratorio sobre la opinión que los editores de revistas científicas españolas de Comunicación, Educación y Psicología tienen sobre estas cuestiones. Se aplicó una metodología cuantitativa con un cuestionario electrónico enviado a 203 editores, compuesto de 19 items. Se observa que los editores dan una importancia esencial al rigor de la tarea de revisión, sustentado por pares ciegos. La mayoría de editores se consideran autodidactas y plantean la necesidad de profesionalizar el proceso editorial

Changes in melatonin receptor expression in a murine model of glaucoma

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the melatoninergic receptors of DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice with the development of glaucoma. DBA/2J mice are widely used to study the physiopathology of glaucoma due to the similarities of their eyes to human eyes and the resulting similarity in the development of their pathology. In addition, melatoninergic receptors are known for their control of intraocular pressure (IOP), reducing the production of aqueous humor; however, little is known about their relationship with the development of this pathology. Methods: mRNA expression of MT1, MT2, and GPR50 melatoninergic receptors was performed with quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, receptor expression was performed with immunohistochemical techniques on the ciliary processes. To further investigate the effect of melatonin and its analog 5-methoxycarbonylamino-N-acetyltryptamine (5-MCA-NAT) on IOP, animals were instilled with these compounds and the corresponding melatoninergic antagonists to assess their effect on IOP. Results: All melatoninergic receptor expression decayed with the development of the glaucomatous pathology in the DBA/2J mice, and was especially visible for the MT2 receptor. However, receptor expression was consistent in the C57BL/6J control mice across all ages investigated. Furthermore, IOP blockage was stronger with 4PPDOT (MT2 antagonist) only in the DBA/2J mice which suggests a correlation of this receptor with the development of the glaucomatous pathology in DBA/2J animals. Conclusions: Melatonin receptor expression decays with the development of the glaucomatous pathology. This implies that the physiologic hypotensive effect of endogenous melatonin reducing IOP is not possible. A solution for such changes in receptor expression is the exogenous application of melatonin or any of its analogs that permit the activation of the remaining melatonin receptors

Plasma Concentrations of Neurofilament Light Chain Protein and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as Consistent Biomarkers of Cognitive Impairment in Alcohol Use Disorder

For a long time, Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) were not considered a component in the etiology of dementia. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders introduced substance-induced neurocognitive disorders, incorporating this notion to clinical practice. However, detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative processes in SUD patients remain a major clinical challenge, especially when early diagnosis is required. In the present study, we aimed to investigate new potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration that could predict cognitive impairment in SUD patients: the circulating concentrations of Neurofilament Light chain protein (NfL) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Sixty SUD patients were compared with twenty-seven dementia patients and forty healthy controls. SUD patients were recruited and assessed using the Psychiatric Research Interview for Substance and Mental (PRISM) and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test for evaluation of cognitive impairment. When compared to healthy control subjects, SUD patients showed increases in plasma NfL concentrations and NfL/BDNF ratio, as well as reduced plasma BDNF levels. These changes were remarkable in SUD patients with moderate–severe cognitive impairment, being comparable to those observed in dementia patients. NfL concentrations correlated with executive function and memory cognition in SUD patients. The parameters “age”, “NfL/BDNF ratio”, “first time alcohol use”, “age of onset of alcohol use disorder”, and “length of alcohol use disorder diagnosis” were able to stratify our SUD sample into patients with cognitive impairment from those without cognitive dysfunction with great specificity and sensibility. In conclusion, we propose the combined use of NfL and BDNF (NfL/BDNF ratio) to monitor substance-induced neurocognitive disorder.Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII], Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and European Regional Development Funds-European Union (ERDF-EU] grants “Proyectos de Investigación en Salud” PI19/01577, PI19/00886, PI20/01399 and PI22/00427; Grants Programa RICORS RIAPAD (Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria en Adicciones), Programa RETICS Red de Trastornos Adictivos, (RD16/0017/000); Ministerio de Sanidad, Delegación de Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (PND 2022I020, PND2020/048, PND 2019/040]; Consejería de Salud y Familia, Junta de Andalucía (Neuro-RECA, RIC-0111-2019]. FJP (CPII19/00022] and AS (CPII19/00031] hold “Miguel Servet II” research contracts from the National System of Health, ISCIII, ERDF-EU. FJP also holds a “Nicolas Monardes” contract from Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Consejería de Salud y Familia, Junta de Andalucía (C1-0049-2019]. PA has a research contract (UMA-FEDERJA-076) funded by the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge—Regional Government of Andalucía and ERDF-EU. The funding sources had no further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication

Molecular Detection and Distribution of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals in Portugal

Enteric protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and, to a lesser extent, the ciliate Balantioides coli are responsible for severe human and animal intestinal disorders globally. However, limited information is available on the occurrence and epidemiology of these parasites in domestic, but especially wild species in Portugal. To fill this gap of knowledge, we have investigated G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and B. coli occurrence, distribution, genetic diversity, and zoonotic potential by analyzing 756 fecal samples from several wild carnivores (n=288), wild ungulates (n=242), and domestic species (n=226) collected across different areas of mainland Portugal. Overall, infection rates were 16.1% (122/756; 95% CI: 13.59–18.96) for G. duodenalis and 2.7% (20/756; CI: 1.62–4.06) for Cryptosporidium spp., while no ungulate sample analyzed yielded positive results for B. coli. Giardia duodenalis was found across a wide range of hosts and sampling areas, being most prevalent in the Iberian lynx (26.7%), the Iberian wolf (24.0%), and the domestic dog (23.9%). Cryptosporidium spp. was only identified in wild boar (8.4%), red fox (3.4%), Iberian lynx (3.3%), red deer (3.1%), and Iberian wolf (2.5%). Sequence analysis of G. duodenalis determined zoonotic assemblage A (subassemblage AI) in one roe deer sample, canine-specific assemblages C and D in Iberian wolf, red fox, and domestic dog, and ungulate-specific assemblage E in wild boar, sheep, cattle, and horse. Six Cryptosporidium species were identified: C. scrofarum in wild boar, C. canis in the Iberian wolf and red fox, C. ubiquitum in red deer and wild boar, C. felis in the Iberian lynx, and both C. ryanae and C. occultus in red deer. Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. coinfections were observed in 0.7% (5/756) of the samples. This is the first, most comprehensive, and largest molecular-based epidemiology study of its kind carried out in Portugal, covering a wide range of wild and domestic hosts and sampling areas. The detection of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis subassemblage AI demonstrates the role of wild and domestic host species in the transmission of these agents while representing a potential source of environmental contamination for other animals and humans.A. M. Figueiredo, D. Hipólito, and J. Fernandes were supported by a PhD grant from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/144582/2019, FRH/BD/144437/2019, PD/BD/150645/2020, respectively), cofinanced by the European Social Fund POPH-QREN program. A. Dashti is the recipient of a PFIS contract (FI20CIII/00002) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and Universities. R. T. Torres and J. Carvalho were supported by a research contract (2021.00690.CEECIND and CEECIND/01428/2018, respectively) from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. Eduardo Ferreira is funded by national funds (OE) through FCT in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in article 23, Decree-Law 57/2016. This work was supported by Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) through FCT/MCTES (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020+LA/P/0094/2020), and national funds, Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitive ness, under project PI19CIII/00029, EcoARUn (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030310) and WildForests (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028204) projects, funded by FEDER, through COM PETE2020-Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI), and by national funds (OE), through FCT/MCTES, project rWILD-COA: Ecological challenges and opportunities of trophic rewilding in Côa Valley—COA/BRB/0063/2019, funded by national funds (OE), through FCT/MCTES, LIFE WolFlux (LIFE17 NAT/PT/000554), Life + Project Iberlince (LIFE10NAT/ES/570), and Life Nature and Biodiversity Lynxconnect (LIFE 19NAT/ES/001055), funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union, the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. Additional funding was obtained by “Plano de Monitorização do Lobo Ibérico PMLDS-O–ACHLI.”S

Clinical characteristics and outcome of Spanish patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides Impact of the vasculitis type, ANCA specificity, and treatment on mortality and morbidity

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV) at presentation, in a wide cohort of Spanish patients, and to analyze the impact of the vasculitis type, ANCA specificity, prognostic factors, and treatments administered at diagnosis, in the outcome. A total of 450 patients diagnosed between January 1990 and January 2014 in 20 Hospitals from Spain were included. Altogether, 40.9% had granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 37.1% microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and 22% eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). The mean age at diagnosis was 55.6±17.3 years, patients with MPA being significantly older (P<0.001). Fever, arthralgia, weight loss, respiratory, and ear-nose-throat (ENT) symptoms, were the most common at disease onset. ANCAs tested positive in 86.4% of cases: 36.2% C-ANCA-PR3 and 50.2% P-ANCA-MPO. P-ANCA-MPO was significantly associated with an increased risk for renal disease (OR 2.6, P<0.001) and alveolar hemorrhage (OR 2, P=0.010), while C-ANCA-PR3 was significantly associated with an increased risk for ENT (OR 3.4, P<0.001) and ocular involvement (OR 2.3, P=0.002). All patients received corticosteroids (CS) and 74.9% cyclophosphamide (CYC). The median follow-up was 82 months (IQR 100.4). Over this period 39.9% of patients suffered bacterial infections and 14.6% opportunistic infections, both being most prevalent in patients with highcumulated doses of CYC and CS (P<0.001). Relapses were recorded in 36.4% of cases with a mean rate of 2.5±2.3, and were more frequent in patients with C-ANCA-PR3 (P=0.012). The initial disease severity was significantly associated with mortality but not with the occurrence of relapses. One hundred twenty-nine (28.7%) patients (74 MPA, 41 GPA, 14 EGPA) died. The mean survival was 58 months (IQR 105) and was significantly lower for patients with MPA (P<0.001). Factors independently related to death were renal involvement (P=0.010), cardiac failure (P=0.029) and age over 65 years old (P<0.001) at disease onset, and bacterial infections (P<0.001). An improved outcome with significant decrease in mortality and treatment-related morbidity was observed in patients diagnosed after 2000, and was related to the implementation of less toxic regimens adapted to the disease activity and stage, and a drastic reduction in the cumulated CYC and CS dose

Japan’s whaling is unscientific

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