2035年中国入围科技期刊“世界第一方阵”:基础、差距与推进思路

【目的】 在“中国科技期刊卓越行动计划”实施三周年之际,有必要对我国科技期刊2035年迈入“世界第一方阵”目标的具体任务进行重新审视和预判,以进一步明确发展方向,动态调整推进思路。【方法】 采用国内外科技期刊、科技论文、科技期刊评价成果的系统性发展数据对科技期刊“世界第一方阵” 国家(或地区)在高水平科技期刊数量与质量层面的入围标准进行界定,在深入总结现有基础和优势的同时,对我国科技期刊综合实力与“世界第一方阵”国家(或地区)的现实差距进行逐一梳理和剖析,并对实现目标的可行性和推进思路进行研判和设计。【结果】 必须继续加强高水平英文科技期刊创办和培育力度、持续加大优秀中文科技期刊的建设强度、快速推进国内外科技期刊论文等质同效评价制度的建设与引导,并积极探索建立科学家和科研机构办好一流科技期刊的责任制度和贡献激励机制、创新发展编辑人才队伍培养与激励管理思路、深入实践灵活多样的期刊出版市场资本运作模式、稳步推进期刊出版市场机制和管理制度改革,为我国科技期刊事业的高质量发展提速增效。【结论】 虽然当前阶段目标任务艰巨,但迈入“世界第一方阵”未来可期。     

Contribution of different somatosensory afferent input to subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials in humans

ObjectivesTo investigate the subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to electrical stimulation of either muscle or cutaneous afferents.MethodsSEPs were recorded in 6 patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD) who underwent electrode implantation in the pedunculopontine (PPTg) nucleus area. We compared SEPs recorded from the scalp and from the intracranial electrode contacts to electrical stimuli applied to: 1) median nerve at the wrist, 2) abductor pollicis brevis motor point, and 3) distal phalanx of the thumb. Also the high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) were analysed.ResultsAfter median nerve and pure cutaneous (distant phalanx of the thumb) stimulation, a P1-N1 complex was recorded by the intracranial lead, while the scalp electrodes recorded the short-latency far-field responses (P14 and N18). On the contrary, motor point stimulation did not evoke any low-frequency component in the PPTg traces, nor the N18 potential on the scalp. HFOs were recorded to stimulation of all modalities by the PPTg electrode contacts.ConclusionsStimulus processing within the cuneate nucleus depends on modality, since only the cutaneous input activates the complex intranuclear network possibly generating the scalp N18 potential.SignificanceOur results shed light on the subcortical processing of the somatosensory input of different modalities.     

The Bachelor’s thesis in nursing: Characteristics and students’ approach and satisfaction

AimThe aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of the Bachelor’s thesis of fourth-year nursing students at a Spanish public university, the criteria that students used to choose a topic and students’ degree of satisfaction after completing the Bachelor’s thesis.DesignQuantitative study.MethodsWe examined 420 Bachelor’s theses carried out from 2013 to 2018 and conducted an online survey among fourth-year students in the 2017–18 and 2018–19 academic years (81 completed questionnaires).ResultsThe Bachelor’s thesis took the form of a research proposal. The most frequent proposal type was a qualitative hospital-based study whose objective was to understand the experiences of adult or adolescent patients, close family members, or nurses. Students chose topics for personal reasons. Most participants reported feeling satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired.ConclusionsStudents completing a Bachelor’s thesis in the form of a research proposal have the potential to transfer their research skills to their nursing practice.     

Indeterminate pulmonary nodules are not associated with worse overall survival in Ewing Sarcoma

AimLung metastases are a negative prognostic factor in Ewing sarcoma, however, the incidence and significance of sub-centimetre pulmonary nodules at diagnosis is unclear. The aims of this study were to (1): determine the incidence of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPNs) in patients diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma (2); establish the impact of IPNs on overall and metastasis-free survival and (3) identify patient, oncological and radiological factors that correlate with poorer prognosis in patients that present with IPNs on their staging chest CT.Materials & methodsBetween 2008 and 2016, 173 patients with a first presentation of Ewing sarcoma of bone were retrospectively identified from an institutional database. Staging and follow-up chest CTs for all patients with IPN were reviewed by a senior radiologist. Clinical and radiologic course were examined to determine overall- and metastasis-free survival for IPN patients and to identify demographic, oncological or nodule-specific features that predict which IPN represent true lung metastases.ResultsFollowing radiologic re-review, IPN were found in 8.7% of patients. Overall survival for IPN patients was comparable to those with a normal staging chest CT (2-year overall survival of 73.3% [95% CI 43.6–89] and 89.4% [95% CI 81.6–94], respectively; p = 0.34) and was significantly better than for patients with clear metastases (46.0% [95% CI 31.9–59]; p < 0.0001). Similarly, there was no difference in metastasis-free survival between ‘No Metastases’ and ‘IPN’ patients (p = 0.16). Lung metastases developed in 40% of IPN patients at a median 9.6 months. Reduction of nodule size on neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with worse overall survival in IPN patients (p = 0.0084).ConclusionIPN are not uncommon in patients diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma. In this study, we were unable to detect a difference in overall- or metastasis-free survival between patients with IPN at diagnosis and patients with normal staging chest CTs.     

Emerging therapeutic options in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease that requires chronic treatment throughout the evolution of the disease, with a complex physiopathology that entails great challenges for the development of new and specific treatments for ulcerative colitis and Crohn´s disease. The anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy has impacted the clinical course of IBD in those patients who do not respond to conventional treatment, so there is a need to develop new therapies and markers of treatment response. Various pathways involved in the development of the disease are known and the new therapies have focused on blocking the inflammatory process at the gastrointestinal level by oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, and topical route. All these new therapies can lead to more personalized treatments with higher success rates and fewer relapses. These treatments have not only focused on clinical remission, but also on achieving macroscopic changes at the endoscopic level and microscopic changes by achieving mucosal healing. These treatments are mainly based on modifying signaling pathways, by blocking receptors or ligands, reducing cell migration and maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier. Therefore, this review presents the efficacy and safety of the new treatments that are currently under study and the advances that have been made in this area in recent years.