Keeping medical science trustworthy: The threat by predatory journals.

Since most scientific journals tend to ask article processes costs from authors, a new category of journals has developed of which the business model is commonly exclusively based on financial contributions by authors. Such journals have become known as predatory journals. The financial contributions that they ask are not always lower than those asked by high-quality journals although they offer less: there is commonly no real review, texts are not edited, and there are commonly no printed editions. The lack of serious reviews makes predatory journals attractive, however, particularly for authors of low-quality (or even fraudulent) manuscripts. It is shown here that numerous - commonly fairly recent - journals, some of which may predatory, attract manuscripts by approaching authors of articles in high-quality journals like Complementary Therapies in Medicine. Publication of articles in such journals contaminates thorough literature and undermines the trustworthiness of the medical society. Any involvement in such journals (as an author, reviewer or editor) of such journals should therefore be discouraged.

[Adrian Aleksandrovich Kryukov (1849-1908)]. / Adrian Aleksandrovich Kryukov (1849­1908).

This article presents a creative biography of professor A.A. Kryukov - a prominent Russian ophthalmologist, compiled on the basis of previously unpublished archival information and analysis of literary sources. The work notes constant attention and trust of his teacher M.M. Voinov, associate professor of the Medical Faculty of Moscow University; describes the main directions of scientific research of A.A. Kryukov, emphasizes the social significance of his work, the long-lasting high demand for his «Textbook of Eye Diseases¼. A.A. Kryukov prioritized development and implementation of iridectomy through a scleral incision in the ophthalmic practice. He was interested in developing ties with European colleagues, constantly assisted with dissemination of scientific information, cooperated with domestic and foreign mass media. He had an initiative role in the establishment and development of the Moscow Ophthalmological Circle. The article also amends the mistake of modern researchers who present A.A. Kryukov as a pioneer of local anesthesia in ophthalmology.

Política interministerial para la investigación, transferencia y fortalecimiento de la salud en territorio, una experiencia federal / Interministerial Policy for Research, Transfer and Strengthening of Health in the Territory, a Federal Experience

RESUMEN INTRODUCCIÓN: En marzo de 2023, en el marco del "Convenio Marco de Cooperación y Asistencia Técnica Mutua - MSAL/MINCYT", se creó el "Proyecto Federal Interministerial de Investigación, Transferencia y Fortalecimiento para la Salud en Territorio". El objetivo fue presentar un proceso de trabajo innovador entre dos ministerios, que sienta las bases para configurar un modelo de gestión de las políticas de investigación en salud con asiento federal y tendiente a potenciar las funciones y capacidades institucionales de cada sector. MÉTODOS: La coordinación del Proyecto se encuentra a cargo de un Comité Interministerial. En 2023 se realizó la Convocatoria para la presentación de un proyecto anual, que consta de dos componentes: A) Línea de investigación y transferencia; y B) Plan de fortalecimiento de las capacidades institucionales de las áreas de investigación de los ministerios de salud jurisdiccionales agrupadas en la Red Ministerial de Áreas de Investigación en Salud de Argentina. RESULTADOS: Las 24 jurisdicciones presentaron sus proyectos, y todos ellos resultaron aprobados. La estrategia tuvo un impacto en el fortalecimiento de los mecanismos de trabajo conjunto de dos ministerios nacionales, que debieron armonizar modalidades de gestión entre las áreas de investigación en salud y las representaciones de CyT en el ámbito jurisdiccional y entre los decisores en materia sanitaria y los actores del sistema científico. DISCUSIÓN: Esta experiencia contribuye a fortalecer las capacidades estatales, a la vez que permite identificar aspectos que requieren continuar siendo trabajados para consolidar nuevas modalidades de gestión interministeriales.

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: In March 2023, within the framework of the "Framework Agreement for Cooperation and Mutual Technical Assistance - MSAL/MINCYT", the "Federal Interministerial Project of Research, Transfer and Strengthening for Health in the Territory" was created. The objective was to present an innovative work process between the Ministry of Health (MSAL) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MINCYT), that lays the foundations for a management model of health research policies with a federal approach and aimed at enhancing the institutional functions and capacities of each sector. METHODS: The Project was coordinated by an Interministerial Committee. In 2023 there was a Call for the presentation of an annual project that consists of two components: A) Line of research and transfer; and B) Plan to strengthen the institutional capacities of the research areas of the jurisdictional health ministries grouped in REMINSA. RESULTS: The 24 jurisdictions presented their projects, and all of them were approved. The strategy strengthened the joint work mechanisms of two national ministries, that had to harmonize management patterns between health research areas and S&T representations at the jurisdictional level and between health decision-makers and the actors of the scientific system. DISCUSSION: This experience contributes to strengthening state capacities, while allowing to identify aspects that require continued work to reinforce new interministerial management patterns.

De la tecnocracia a la equidad y la sustentabilidad: por otra ciencia abierta / Da tecnocracia à equidade e à sustentabilidade: por uma outra ciência aberta / From technocracy to equity and sustainability: for another open science

Fue por medio de los estudios sobre softwares de periódicos científicos que Juan Pablo Alperin comenzó a desarrollar investigaciones sobre la comunicación científica, principalmente en relación a la temática de acceso abierto y su cuestión más amplia que envuelve la ciencia abierta. En entrevista con la Reciis, el profesor e investigador argumenta que es preciso pensar en cómo abrir el acceso al conocimiento y no apenas garantirlo. En ese sentido, la reflexión sobre cómo hacer ciencia abierta promueve discusiones para tornar el sistema de investigación científica con más equidad y más colaborativo. El profesor comenta sobre los efectos positivos y los desafíos que la pandemia de covid-19 promueve en relación a la comunicación científica. Alperin destaca iniciativas en la América Latina volcadas a una ciencia más democrática y reafirma la necesidad de defender una ciencia abierta que interrogue su modo de actuar, siendo con eso, menos tecnocrática. Juan Pablo Alperin es profesor asociado de la Simon Fraser University

Foi por meio dos estudos sobre softwares de periódicos científicos que Juan Pablo Alperin passou a desenvolver pesquisas sobre a comunicação científica, principalmente em relação à temática de acesso aberto e sua questão mais ampla que envolve a ciência aberta. Em entrevista à Reciis, o professor e pesquisador argumenta que é preciso pensar em como se abrir o acesso ao conhecimento e não apenas garanti-lo. Nesse sentido, a reflexão sobre como fazer ciência aberta promove discussões para tornar o sistema de pesquisa científica mais equânime e colaborativo. O professor comenta sobre os efeitos positivos e os desafios que a pandemia de covid-19 promoveu em relação à comunicação científica. Alperin destaca iniciativas na América Latina voltadas a uma ciência mais democrática e reafirma a necessidade de se defender uma ciência aberta que interrogue o seu modo de agir, sendo, com isso, menos tecnocrática. Juan Pablo Alperin é professor associado da Simon Fraser University.

Through studies on software for scientific journals, Juan Pablo Alperin began to develop research on scientific communication, mainly on the theme of open access and its broader issue that involves open science. in an interview with Reciis, the professor and researcher argues that it is necessary to think about how to open access to knowledge and not just guarantee it. In this sense, reflection on how to do open science promotes discussions to make the scientific research system more equitable and collaborative. The professor states the positive effects and challenges that the covid-19 pandemic has brought about for scientific communication. Alperin highlights initiatives in Latin America aimed at a more democratic science and reaffirms the need to defend an Open Science that questions its way of acting, being less technocratic. Juan Pablo Alperin is an associate professor at Simon Fraser University.

Using Normative Language When Describing Scientific Findings: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Effects on Trust and Credibility.

BACKGROUND: Trust in science and scientists has received renewed attention because of the "infodemic" occurring alongside COVID-19. A robust evidence basis shows that such trust is associated with belief in misinformation and willingness to engage in public and personal health behaviors. At the same time, trust and the associated construct of credibility are complex meta-cognitive concepts that often are oversimplified in quantitative research. The discussion of research often includes both normative language (what one ought to do based on a study's findings) and cognitive language (what a study found), but these types of claims are very different, since normative claims make assumptions about people's interests. Thus, this paper presents a protocol for a large randomized controlled trial to experimentally test whether some of the variability in trust in science and scientists and perceived message credibility is attributable to the use of normative language when sharing study findings in contrast to the use of cognitive language alone. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this trial will be to examine if reading normative and cognitive claims about a scientific study, compared to cognitive claims alone, results in lower trust in science and scientists as well as lower perceived credibility of the scientist who conducted the study, perceived credibility of the research, trust in the scientific information on the post, and trust in scientific information coming from the author of the post. METHODS: We will conduct a randomized controlled trial consisting of 2 parallel groups and a 1:1 allocation ratio. A sample of 1500 adults aged ≥18 years who represent the overall US population distribution by gender, race/ethnicity, and age will randomly be assigned to either an "intervention" arm (normative and cognitive claims) or a control arm (cognitive claims alone). In each arm, participants will view and verify their understanding of an ecologically valid claim or set of claims (ie, from a highly cited, published research study) designed to look like a social media post. Outcomes will be trust in science and scientists, the perceived credibility of the scientist who conducted the study, the perceived credibility of the research, trust in the scientific information on the post, and trust in scientific information coming from the author of the post. Analyses will incorporate 9 covariates. RESULTS: This study will be conducted without using any external funding mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: If there is a measurable effect attributable to the inclusion of normative language when writing about scientific findings, it should generate discussion about how such findings are presented and disseminated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework n7yfc; https://osf.io/n7yfc. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/41747.

Los estudios métricos de información en el contexto de la pandemia por covid-19 / Information metric studies in the context of the covid-19 pandemic / Os estudos métricos da informação no contexto da pandemia por covid-19

Esta nota expone un breve análisis coyuntural de la emergencia de salud pública por covid-19 y algunos de los temas más relevantes relacionados con la información y comunicación en salud. De esta manera, se pretende contextualizar la aplicación de los estudios métricos de información como herramientas de análisis de realidades complejas y multidimensionales.

Esta nota de conjuntura apresenta uma breve análise da emergência de saúde pública devido à covid-19 e algumas das questões mais relevantes relacionadas à informação e comunicação em saúde. Desta forma, pretende-se contextualizar a aplicação de estudos métricos de informação como ferramentas de análise de realidades complexas e multidimensionais.

This conjuncture note presents a brief analysis of the public health emergency due to covid-19 and some of the most relevant issues related to health information and communication. In this way, it intends to contextualize the application of information metric studies as tools for the analysis of complex and multidimensional realities.

"You Are Not Alone"-Opportunities and Challenges for University Students' Collaborative Engagement When Dealing With Online Information About COVID-19.

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to cope with the challenging situation of handling a vast amount of potentially conflicting online information while staying informed. Reading conflicting scientific information has been shown to require cognitive effort for one to integrate it successfully, but reading such information during a crisis-such as the COVID-19 pandemic-may cause additional emotional stress, as students also had to cope with critical aspects of the pandemic (e.g., physical distancing and uncertainty). Different studies have indicated that in crises, stress can be relieved by seeking online social support (as a coping strategy). Similarly, working together (as collaborative learning) can also help people more critically discuss information on a cognitive level. Based on the approaches of online collaborative learning and online social support seeking, we were interested in whether an individual vs. collaborative communication setting would lead to any differences in students' cognitive as well as emotional engagement with conflicting information about COVID-19. In a 2 × 2 mixed design, N = 109 education science students were exposed to two conflicting texts regarding COVID-19 testing that contained current scientific information. The online experiment was conducted in Germany in April 2020, which was the beginning of lockdown in that country. After reading the two texts, participants were asked to reflect on their engagement with the conflicting information either individually (individual group, n = 49) or via chat collaboratively (collaboration group, n = 60 in 30 dyads). With respect to participants' written reflections (content-analyzed regarding cognitive as well as emotional engagement), participants in the collaborative group, compared to those in the individual group, more often discussed the pandemic in general and less often engaged emotionally when discussing the evidence from texts. All participants reported higher perceived information overload, lower self-efficacy in sourcing information about COVID-19, and higher active coping strategies after the reflection task compared to before reading the information, with no significant differences between the collaborative and individual groups. We discuss these findings regarding any opportunities and challenges that arise in online collaboration between students for cognitive and emotional engagement when handling conflicting information about COVID-19.

[Social media for continuing education in nephrology. Myth or reality?]

About 60% of the world population has access to the Internet in 2021, making it the main tool in fostering communication between people. Lately, digital information and communication have especially taken place on platforms known as Social Media (SoMe) or Social Networks. In the last decade the usefulness of these tools in carrying information aimed at updating professionals in Medicine and Nephrology has become evident. There are several examples of SoMe utilization in Nephrology, as demonstrated by the existing accounts or Pages operated by the main international nephrological Scientific Societies, or the most renowned specialized medical journals. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are the most versatile SoMe for these objectives; however, other platforms such as Tik Tok, Linkedin, Instagram, and WhatsApp may serve the same purpose. This digital revolution in disseminating information has proved very useful during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, even though some inappropriate uses have emerged, such as the diffusion of fake news, which has favored the emergence of "adverse effects" or a surge of antiscientific positions. In this review, we examine how physicians and nephrologists can take advantage of digital information for their continuing education. We quote the main resources in the international scenario and illustrate some specific national examples, such as the Journal Club of the Nephrology post-graduate program of the University of Milan and the Facebook group "Medical and Nephrology Community".

Letter to the Editor: publish, publish cursed!

This paper comments on the phenomenon of "publish or perish" associated with the current information explosion and its awful consequence: the curse that hangs over academia which dooms it to publish incessantly irrelevant and pointless documents. The overabundance of publications is not justified and is not even necessary in many contexts for personal promotion, and even less for the advancement of science. Therefore, the current role of scientific journals is highly questionable that its aim could be misleading. Huge numbers of articles are published, but they are not read because the aim is principally "publish for publish," or publication for its own sake. The standard corrective tool for improving scientific communication-peer review-cannot function adequately, and biases and perversions are introduced which undermine society's confidence in the scientific enterprise. A dark landscape unfurls itself across the world of scientific information, forcing us to question and improve its current state. Methodologically this paper goes halfway between the essay and the review trying to provoke engaged and useful controversy.

Constraints and Affordances of Online Engagement With Scientific Information-A Literature Review.

Many urgent problems that societies currently face-from climate change to a global pandemic-require citizens to engage with scientific information as members of democratic societies as well as to solve problems in their personal lives. Most often, to solve their epistemic aims (aims directed at achieving knowledge and understanding) regarding such socio-scientific issues, individuals search for information online, where there exists a multitude of possibly relevant and highly interconnected sources of different perspectives, sometimes providing conflicting information. The paper provides a review of the literature aimed at identifying (a) constraints and affordances that scientific knowledge and the online information environment entail and (b) individuals' cognitive and motivational processes that have been found to hinder, or conversely, support practices of engagement (such as critical information evaluation or two-sided dialogue). Doing this, a conceptual framework for understanding and fostering what we call online engagement with scientific information is introduced, which is conceived as consisting of individual engagement (engaging on one's own in the search, selection, evaluation, and integration of information) and dialogic engagement (engaging in discourse with others to interpret, articulate and critically examine scientific information). In turn, this paper identifies individual and contextual conditions for individuals' goal-directed and effortful online engagement with scientific information.

La habilidad para el manejo de la información científica en estudiantes de estomatología. Curso 2018-2019 / The ability for managing scientific information in Dentistry students. 2018-2019 school year

RESUMEN Introducción: las habilidades investigativas constituyen un aspecto esencial durante el proceso de formación del profesional de la Estomatología. Objetivo: diagnosticar el desarrollo de la habilidad para el manejo de la información científica en estudiantes de ciclo básico de la carrera de Estomatología. Materiales y Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte trasversal en el que participaron 43 estudiantes de primer y segundo año de la carrera de Estomatología curso (2018-2019) seleccionados a través de un muestreo intencional. Se empleó la revisión de documentos y un cuestionario sobre la percepción del dominio de la habilidad. Se evaluaron tres dimensiones fundamentales: cognitiva, valorativa y ejecutiva. Resultados: los estudiantes perciben tener mayor dominio de las acciones: consultar de fuentes de información, resumir, exponer ideas esenciales y emplear recursos informáticos. Las acciones menos dominadas resultaron ser el empleo de citas y referencias de acuerdo a las normas de Vancouver, la confección del informe final de revisión bibliográfica y la identificación de fuentes de información científica. Existe diversidad temática en las revisiones bibliográficas realizadas por los estudiantes y las principales vías de divulgación de la información son el trabajo de curso y las jornadas científicas estudiantiles, aunque menos de la mitad de los estudiantes valora de forma positiva la experiencia en la realización de investigaciones. Conclusión: se evidencia un adecuado dominio de la habilidad en correspondencia con los objetivos declarados en el Plan de estudio. No obstante, resulta necesario generar acciones educativas que contribuyan a satisfacer las necesidades de aprendizaje que persisten y a enriquecer las experiencias investigativas estudiantiles (AU).

SUMMARY Introduction: research abilities are an essential aspect during the training of the Dentistry professional. Objective: to diagnose the development of the ability to handle scientific information in students of the basic cycle of the Dentistry specialty. Materials and method: a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out with the participation of 43 first and second year students of the Dentistry specialty in the 2018-2019 school year, chosen through an intentional sampling. Document reviewing and a questionnaire on the perception of the ability domain. Three main dimensions were assessed: cognitive, evaluative and executive. Results: the students perceive to have bigger mastery of the actions: consulting information sources, summarizing; presenting essential ideas and using computing resources. The less mastered actions turned out to be the use of citations and references according to Vancouver standards, writing the final bibliographic review report up and the identification of scientific information sources. There is thematic diversity in the bibliographic reviews carried out by students and the main ways of disseminating information are course work and student scientific conferences, although less than half of the students positively values the experience in conducting research. Conclusions: An adequate mastery of the ability is evidenced in correspondence with the objectives stated in the curriculum. However, it is necessary to generate educational actions contributing to satisfying the persisting learning needs and increasing the students' research experiences (AU).

Testosterone boosters: a report of a supplement's misleading labelling claims.

This paper illustrates how labelling claims of a testosterone booster supplement mislead consumers. The labelling claims misappropriate scientific terminology, exaggerate and misrepresent research as evidence for the product's purported efficacy.

[Content of official addressed to women informative documents about breast cancer screening in Spain]. / Contenido de los documentos informativos dirigidos a las mujeres sobre el cribado de cáncer de mama en España.

OBJECTIVE: There are several methods to promote informed decision making before undergoing a screening program. This research aimed to analyze the contents of official documents about breast cancer screening programs. METHODS: A descriptive research was performed. After a literature review an agreed checklist was performed with the information needed to make decisions about participation in mammography screening programs. Informative documents about mammography screening valid in Spain in 2016 were analyzed by two independent researchers. The inter-rater agreement was verified and the discrepancies were solved by consensus. Absolute and relative frequencies of each item were calculated. RESULTS: 8 invitations and 14 citation letters, 12 leaflets, 8 brochures and 14 websites, from 18 screening programs, were reviewed. The information turned out to be very different according to each program. Only a third warned that participation is voluntary. 8 programs (44.4%) offered information on what is breast cancer and 7 (38.9%) on the cumulative risk of developing the disease. 15 (83.3%) explained the objectives of the program and 14 (77.8%) explained what mammography is. 14 programs (77.8%) presented as screening benefits the least invasive treatments, 12 the increase in survival (66.7%) and 10 the decrease in specific mortality (55.6%). Most of the programs did not report the possibility of false positives (27.8%) or false negatives (38.9%). Only 7 (38.9%) mentioned the possibility of overdiagnosis and 6 (33.3%) of overtreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The information provided by the different breast cancer screening programs is variable and does not contain sufficient information for informed decision-making.

OBJETIVO: Existen diversos métodos para facilitar la toma de decisiones informada antes de acudir a un programa de cribado. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la información de los documentos oficiales sobre los programas de cribado de cáncer de mama (PCCM). METODOS: Estudio descriptivo. Análisis del contenido de los documentos informativos de los PCCM vigentes en España en 2016. Se elaboró una lista de comprobación con la información necesaria para la toma de decisiones. Dos investigadores revisaron independientemente los documentos. Se comprobó la concordancia interinvestigador y se resolvieron por consenso las discrepancias. Se calcularon las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de cada ítem. RESULTADOS: Se revisaron 8 cartas de invitación a participar y 14 de citación, 12 dípticos o trípticos, 8 folletos y 14 webs, procedentes de 18 PCCM. La información resultó ser muy dispar según cada programa. 8 programas (44,4%) informaban sobre qué es el cáncer de mama y 7 (38,9%) sobre el riesgo acumulado de desarrollarlo. 15 (83,3%) explicaban los objetivos del PCCM y 14 (77,8%) en qué consiste una mamografía. 14 programas (77,8%) presentaban como beneficios el cribado los tratamientos menos invasivos, 12 el aumento de la supervivencia (66,7%) y 10 la disminución de la mortalidad específica (55,6%). La mayoría de los programas no informaban sobre la posibilidad de falsos positivos (27,8%) o falsos negativos (38,9%). Sólo 7 (38,9%) mencionaban la posibilidad de sobrediagnóstico y 6 (33,3%) de sobretratamiento. CONCLUSIONES: La información que facilitan los diferentes PCCM es variable y no contiene información suficiente para la toma de decisiones informada.

A targeted strategy for analyzing untargeted mass spectral data to identify lanostane-type triterpene acids in Poria cocos by integrating a scientific information system and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with ion mobility spectrometry.

Rapid structural identification of natural compounds in the crude extract of traditional Chinese medicine by conventional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is complex and challenging. In particular, it is difficult to distinguish and identify structural isomers. In this work, we proposed a novel strategy that combines a typical ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-multidimensional mass spectrometry approach and the post-processing UNIFI scientific information system to rapidly identify lanostane analogs and isomers in Poria cocos. First, this strategy requires setting up a high-resolution key MS database and an in-house compound library. Then, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem data-independent mass spectrometry and ion mobility mass spectrometry was used to acquire untargeted multidimensional mass spectral data. Finally, a new and reliable multidimensional MS analytical workflow was developed to targeted filter the acquired data based on an in-house compound library via the UNIFI™ software. As result, a total of 121 lanostane-type triterpene acids were identified by high-resolution molecular mass, fragment ions, and collision cross-section values. Eight triterpene acids were unambiguously identified by comparing the retention time and MS/MS data with those of reference compounds. Three compounds were detected and reported for the first time based on their neutral losses, characteristic ions, and fragmentation pathways compared with those of known compounds. We anticipate that such an analytical approach can be extended to rapidly screen and characterize other herbal medicine compounds with multiple isomers.

A (in)formação científica e humanizada dos profissionais da área de saúde: a literatura nas humanidades médicas / The scientific and humanized information for training of health professionals: literature in the medical humanities / La (in)formación científica y humanizada de los profesionales de la salud: la literatura en las humanidades médicas

Literatura e medicina convivem harmoniosamente, sendo trivial afirmar que ler faz bem à saúde. Todavia, o diálogo entre literatura e ciência nem sempre é assumido em benefício mútuo. A literatura faz bem à medicina e mostra-se útil à (in)formação dos profissionais de saúde? Com o objetivo de refletir sobre este assunto, efetuou-se uma auscultação da literatura científica recente sobre essa temática. Como resultado, enumeraram-se os trabalhos considerados mais relevantes, com contributos concretos da literatura para a medicina e das humanidades para a educação em ciências médicas. Conclui-se que os profissionais de saúde valorizam a literatura na prática clínica e que a neurologia e a psiquiatria são as áreas que mais reconhecem o potencial literário. Reconhece-se uma tendência à inclusão das humanidades médicas nos currículos dos cursos das ciências da saúde. Assim, será benéfica a inclusão da literatura nas humanidades médicas e na formação dos profissionais de saúde.(AU)

Literature and medicine coexist harmoniously, being trivial to say that reading is good for health. However, the dialogue between literature and science is not always assumed for their mutual benefit. Is literature good for medicine and useful for training of health professionals? Aiming to reflect on this subject, a study of recent scientific literature on this subject was carried out. As a result, we have listed the works considered most relevant, with concrete contributions from the literature for the medicine and from the humanities for the education in medical sciences. We concluded that the health professionals value the literature in clinical practice and that the neurology and the psychiatry are the areas that most recognize the literary potential. A trend towards the inclusion of medical humanities in the curricula of health science courses is acknowledged. Thus, it will be beneficial to include literature in the medical humanities and in the training of health professionals.

La literatura y la medicina conviven armoniosamente, siendo trivial afirmar que leer hace bien a la salud. Sin embargo, el diálogo entre literatura y ciencia no siempre es asumido en beneficio mutuo. ¿La literatura hace bien a la medicina y se muestra útil a la (in)formación de los profesionales de salud? Con el objetivo de reflexionar sobre este asunto, ha se efectuado una auscultación de la literatura científica reciente sobre esta temática. Como resultado, se han enumerado los trabajos considerados más relevantes, con contribuciones concretas de la literatura para la medicina y de las humanidades para la educación en ciencias médicas. Se concluye que los profesionales de salud valoran la literatura en la práctica clínica y que la neurología y la psiquiatría son las áreas que más reconocen el potencial literario. Se reconoce una tendencia a la inclusión de las humanidades médicas en los currículos de los cursos de las ciencias de la salud. Así, será benéfica la inclusión de la literatura en las humanidades médicas y en la formación de los profesionales de la salud.

Are there ways to improve the citations of a scientific paper?

BACKGROUND: The expansion of scientific publications makes more difficult the mining of relevant information necessary for a productive appraisal of authors' work, scientific interaction and exchange. Papers over-citation is unproductive, under-citation of innovative research generates delay and inefficiency. The extraction of information from the literature is mostly based on keywords (KWs). METHODS: I computed the chances of citation of one paper as 1/number of papers retrieved by the KWs published in that paper, and compared them with the chances obtained by selecting different KWs. RESULTS: Using generic KWs the chances are smaller, at times practically nil, as compared to those calculated with more specific KWs and their association. CONCLUSIONS: Selecting scientifically-analyzed KWs, specific for the message conveyed by a paper and computing beforehand the theoretical chances of citation, might increase the citations obtained, the retrieval of important scientific and innovative information, optimize scientific exchange and qualitative productivity. LEARNING POINTS.