Featured Issue: Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences Vol.12 No.3

The issue we are featuring today is no.3 from vol.12 of Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences.

This issue includes "Workers oral health: a cross-sectional study" by Batista et al. This study aims to explore the oral health of adult workers from ages 20 to 64 in the working environment of a supermarket chain in São Paulo. 386 workers took part in the study and were assessed based on World Health Organization (1997) guidelines. 

In order to accurately examine the data, workers were separated into different groups based on age. The results showed that younger adult workers had better oral conditions and less tooth loss than other groups. The article concludes with recommendations for dental health care practitioners to promote older populations of workers to lower oral conditions and tooth loss.

For this article and others from the issue, click here.

Featured Issue: Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.20 No.4

In 2012, Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences celebrated its 25th year as a journal. Bioline International would like to extend its congratulations on this important milestone! To read more about the history of the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, you can read the editorial from vol.20 no.4 here.

Vol.20 no.4 has recently been updated on Bioline. It includes "Drug Utilisation Review of Potassium Chloride Injection Formulations Available in a Private Hospital in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia" by Hirman & Sarriff. This article discusses a study done at a private hospital in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on how different potassium chloride formulations affect the clinical characteristics of patients, and the effectiveness and safety of pre-mixed formulations used to correct hypokalaemia, in which there is a low concentration of potassium in the blood.
The study observed 296 cases, in which 135 cases received concentrated potassium chloride and 161 cases received pre-mixed formulations.
The results showed that there was greater adverse effect in patients who received pre-mixed formulations than those who received concentrated potassium chloride.

Another article in vol.20 no.4, "Clinical Comparison of One Recovered Case and One Fatal Case of Human Infection with H7N9 Avian Influenza in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center in China" by Zheng et al., looks at how the H7N9 avian influenza has affected people in Shanghai as of April 2013. Two patients, admitted to the Shanghai Public Health Clinic Center at the beginning of April 2013 with the same estimated date of onset of disease, were examined. One patient recovered by April 18 2013 but the other patient died on April 11 2013. The paper examines the practices and characteristics of the hospital in order to learn more about the influenza.

For the complete results of this study and other articles from this issue, you can find Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences vol.20 no.4 here.

Featured Issues: Malawi Medical Journal Vol.21

Today we will be featuring articles from issues 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Malawi Medical Journal vol.21. This volume was published in 2009, but it has been available on Bioline since November 2013. Here are some of the highlights of each issue:

Issue no.1 includes the article, "Perceptions toward private medical practitioners' attachments for undergraduate medical students in Malawi" by Matchaya & Muula. This study, with the use of quantitative research conducted in Blantyre, Malawi in 2004, looked at the attachments and attitudes toward medical students by private medical practitioners. The results showed that while private medical practitioners were in favor of having medical students in their practices, graduate students and faculty were opposed to this notion. According to the article, most private medical practitioners lack formal post-graduate qualification. This, added to the lack of nationally-approved medical programs, contributed to the opposition by recent graduates and faculty. The study concluded that medical students, recent graduates and faculty of Malawi College of Medicine do not think that the use of private medical practitioners in education and training should be a tapped resource.
You can find this article and others from this issue here.

Issue no.2 includes "A pilot study to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of local terminology for malaria screening among children in rural Malawi" by Thomas Bisika. Malaria is one of Malawi's biggest health problems and requires early diagnosis and treatment to prevent mortality. However, in some communities, resources are limited. This study aims to assess the accuracy of local terminology in detecting parasitemia in children. Terms such as "malungo","kutsegula m'mimba" and "kukhosomola" are the official names for malaria, diarrhoea, and coughing respectively, and can be used by practitioners in local communities for early diagnosis, testing and treatment.
The complete study and more articles from this issue can be found here.

No.3 includes "Management issues in malnourished children with HIV and Tuberculosis (TB)" by Hayes et al. This study aims to identify the characteristics suggestive of HIV in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). 1024 children admitted to the Balntyre NRU between July 2006 and 2007 were examined for this study. Their demographic, anthropometric and clinical characteristics were collected upon admission to the hospital. The results showed that HIV status was known for 904 of the children. Features found in the children that are associated with HIV were chronic ear discharge, persistent fever and chronic respiratory infection.
For the results of this study and more articles from this issue, click here.

Issue no.4 includes "Open tibia fractures in HIV positive patients" by W.J. Harrison. Like the article mentioned in this post for the previous issue of vol.21, this study focuses on HIV. Complications from HIV on open tibia fractures is examined. The study suggests that HIV may delay bone union of an open tibia fracture. HIV may also increase the risk of infection if internal fixation techniques are used.
You can find the full article and others from this issue here.

Featured Issues: Ciência Florestal Vol.23 No.1 & 2

Ciência Florestal has recently been updated on Bioline. Today we will be featuring no.1 & 2 of vol.23.

Vol.23 no.1 includes "The Influence of Fire on the Soil Seed Bank in Semideciduous Forest" by Londe de Camargos et al. This article discusses a study that was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Viçosa in Brazil, in which 10 plots of semi-deciduous seedlings were subject to controlled burning to evaluate the effects of fire on population density and composition. Soil samplings from each plot were collected before and after the burnings. The results showed that less seedlings emerged from the soil after the plots underwent controlled burnings.

Find the complete results of the study as well as other articles from the issue here.

The second issue of vol.23 also includes articles pertaining to influence of fire on vegetation. No.2 includes "Damages Caused by Fire on the Natural Vegetation in a Primary Forest in Acre State, Brazilian Amazon" by Borges de Araujo et al., which looks at a study that evaluated the effects of forest fires that occurred in 2005 in the state of Acre, in the Brazilian Amazon region. The vegetation affected by a forest fire was evaluated based on three levels. The results showed that the smallest plants were the most impacted ones, and that based on the effects of a single forest fire, future forest fires could be detrimental to the lifespan of the forest.

You can find the full article and other articles from this issue here.

Spotlight On: Professor Jesús Natera

Photo: Prof. Jesus Rafael

This month we have had the pleasure of interviewing Editor-in-Chief of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola, Professor Jesús Rafael Méndez Natera. 
Bioline has added articles of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola to its database since 2005. The journal includes articles on agronomy, botony, ecology, biotechnology and related fields. It is published by Escuela de Ingeniería Agronómica of Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela.

Bioline: What is the history of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola?
Jesús Natera: The creation of the Revista Científica UDO Agrícola (Scientific Journal UDO Agrícola) was approved by the Consejo de Escuela (School Board) in meeting No. 09 on December 14 2000. Its team was composed of Editors-in-Chief Profs. Jesús Méndez and Víctor Otahola and an Editorial Committee composed of Prof. Vicente Arturo Michelena Alegría (Agronomy Department), José Alexander Gil Narín (Agricultural Engineering Department) and Jesus Rodriguez (Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences Department). The journal got its Legal Deposit (Depósito Legal) and ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) in 2001. 

You can find more details of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola's history here: http://udoagricola.udo.edu.ve/V11UDOAg/V11Mendez1.pdf

Bioline: How has Bioline contributed to Revista Científica UDO Agrícola's visibility?
Jesús Natera: The inclusion of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola in the Bioline International database has allowed the dissemination of articles and other contents of the journal. Usage statistics on this server indicate a continuous increase over time in the number of visits to the journal's homepage (www.bioline.org.br/cg/). Requests to view particular abstracts, full-text articles, journal information; number of users viewing issues available on Bioline International, number of times this journal appeared in search results and total hits (including and excluding abstracts in the server Bioline International). Extensive research on Revista Científica UDO Agrícola's work with Bioline International can be found here: http://udoagricola.udo.edu.ve/V11UDOAg/V11Mendez30.pdf

Bioline: What has your experience been like working with Bioline?
Jesús Natera: My experience has been very satisfying and rewarding. Bioline has been very responsible and consistent with the Journal UDO Agrícola and myself. Its work has been excellent and selfless.

Bioline: Why is open access important for journals like Revista Científica UDO Agrícola?
Jesús Natera: Open access is very important for UDO Agrícola because it brings many benefits that include lower costs, greater accessibility, and better prospects for long-term preservation of scholarly works. Also, open access allows UDO Agrícola to disseminate their contents around the world, especially the poorest nations where researchers and university teachers cannot afford the price of a scientific paper.

Bioline: Has the open access environment changed for Revista Científica UDO Agrícola? If so, how?
Jesús Natera: Udo Agrícola has been open access from its creation.

Bioline: What kinds of open access developments do you see in the future for Revista Científica UDO Agrícola?
Jesús Natera: I think the open access developments of UDO Agricola will remain similar in the future.

For more information on Revista Científica UDO Agrícola, as well as issues from 2001 and beyond, go to: http://udoagricola.udo.edu.ve/

Featured Issue: International Journal of Environment Science and Technology Vol.10 No.5 & 6

Today we will be featuring vol.10 issues 5 & 6 of the International Journal of Environment Science and Technology. 

No.5 includes "Lung cancer risk associated with residential proximity to industrial installations: a spatial analysis" by López-Cima et al. This study was done to evaluate the role that industrial pollution plays in lung cancer frequency among residents of Asturias, Spain. The area studied was assessed by the type of industrial activity and the carcinogenic substances released. 700 lung cancer patients in a hospital in Asturias were examined, with 700 controls based on ethnicity, hospital, age and sex. The results showed that there is excess risk of lung cancer for residents living near industrial installations.
You can find this article and others from this issue here.

Issue 6 also includes an article in relation to use of land and pollution. The article, "Correlation between land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas" by Liao et al., looks at the study conducted in Xinzhuang near Taipei, Taiwan, in which the correlation of land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions were examined. The results suggest that land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions are heavily influenced by increases in population and urbanization levels.
For the complete study and other articles from vol.10 no.6, click here.

Featured Issues: Revista Científica UDO Agrícola Vol.12 No.2 & 3

Today we will be featuring a new issue from Revista Científica UDO Agrícola! Next week we will be featuring an interview with Revista Científica UDO Agrícola Editor-in-Chief Professor Jesús Natera. Stay tuned!

Vol.12 no.2 of Revista Científica UDO Agrícola includes "Fruit quality parameters of 19 passion fruit (Passiflora sp.) cultivars, at Southern Anzoátegui State, Venezuela" by Vielma et al. This study examines different cultivars of passion fruit to determine the potential of each cultivar to profit in both domestic and foreign markets. 19 cultivars were examined, with five plants chosen from each cultivar at maximum growth and maturity based on likeness of size, colour, and absence of damage. The fruits were evaluated based on weight, length, width, thickness of shell and number of seeds of the fruits. You can find the complete study and other articles from this issue here.

Vol.12 no.3 includes "Growth, development and quality of fruit of 'Tahiti' lime (Citrus latifolia) in the Monagas State, Venezuela" by Canizares et al., which also examines the growth and quality of a fruit, this time the Tahiti lime, which is an important crop in Venezuela. Instead of looking at different varieties of the lime, one crop was examined in Monagas state. Among the parametres examined were fresh and dry weight, fruit diametre, juice volume. You can find the results of the study and other articles from vol.12 no.3 here.