ISSN 1817-4620 printed version
ISSN 1812-9528 online version

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

• Scope and editorial policy
• Form and preparation of manuscripts
• Manuscript submission

The journal Memorias del IICS is the official publication of the Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (IICS), of the National University of Asunción. The magazine publishes original contributions from researchers from around the world in the field of health. As of the year 2023, it adopts the article publication system in continuous flow, without a pre-established periodicity.

a) ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Manuscript should have the following order: title in Spanish and English, author name, department or laboratory where the work has been performed, name and address of the institution, abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, acknowledgements (if they exist) and references. The sponsors should be mentioned as a footnote in the first page.

1) Abstract and keywords
The second page will include an abstract. It should have no more than 250 words and will be written as one paragraph only, in past tense. In the paragraph, the following will be indicated: title, introduction or backgrounds, study design, objectives of the study or research, material and methods (population, interventions, and statistical analysis), most important results, and main conclusions. The subtitles of these sections should not be written. The new and important aspects as well as the observations should be emphasized. Following the abstracts, 3 to 10 key words or short sentences that help indicators to classify the article should be added. For this purpose, use the terms of the “Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)” list from the “Index Medicus”. New terms can be also used. Include also an abstract in English with the corresponding keywords.

2) Introduction
Express the objective of the article. Summarize the logical foundation of the study or observation. Mention only strictly pertinent references without making a deep revision of the subject. Do not include either data or conclusions of the work you are presenting.

3) Material and methods
Clearly describe the way observed or participating subjects were selected. Identify the methods, devices, equipment and procedures with enough details so that other researchers can reproduce the results. Provide references of the accredited methods, including the statistical ones. Identify exactly the medicines and chemical products used, without forgetting generic names, doses and administrations vias. Do not use the name, initials or number of the clinical records of the patients especially in the illustrative material.
Describe the statistical methods with enough details so that the reader, knowledgeable in the subject and with access to the original data, could verify the informed results. If possible, quantify the results and present them with appropriate error indicators or measurement uncertainty (for example: confidence intervals). Do not exclusively depend on statistical hypothesis tests such as the use of ‘p’ valuesthat do not transmit important quantitative information. Provide the details of the subject randomization process. Specify the software used.

4) Results
Present results following a logic sequence using text, tables and figures. Do not repeat in the text the data of the tables or illustrations, emphasize or summarize only important observations.
Tables, figures and pictures should be presented vertically in separate sheets of paper and numbered consecutively, mention them in the text. Tables should adjust to the publication format and the editorial could modify them if they present technical difficulties.
The graphics (generally no more than 5) should be presented in a separate file with title and explicative note at the footnote. Describe what you obtained without bibliographic references.

5) Discussion
Emphasize the new and important aspects of the study and the originated conclusions. Do not repeat with details the data or other information already presented in the introduction or results.  
Explain in this section the meaning of the results and its limitations, including the consequences for future investigation. Relate the observations with other relevant studies. Establish the link between the conclusions with the study objectives but refrain from drawing conclusions that are not completely backed up by the data. Propose new hypotheses when there is justification for them but clearly identify them as such. When appropriate, you can include recommendations.

6) Bibliography
Follow Vancouver guidelines.

b) REVIEW ARTICLES
It is a document that results from an investigation where the results of published and unpublished works on a science or technology field are analyzed, systematized and integrated in order to report the advances and development trends. It is characterized by presenting a careful bibliographic review of at least 50 references. It should have: 1. Title in Spanish and English, 2. Abstract (no more than 250 words) and keywords in Spanish and English, 3. Subject development 4. Conclusion and 5. Bibliographic references. Tables and figures, five in total.

c) CURRENT TOPICS
They will be requested by the Editorial Board and like the review articles, they should contribute with real scientific interest but without the depth of the critical analysis required by a review article. It should have an unstructured abstract, introduction, text and conclusions. It could include no more than four graphics or figures. It should have: 1. Title in Spanish and English, 2. Abstract (no more than 250 words) and keywords in Spanish and English, 3. Subject development, 4. Conclusion, 5. Bibliographic references. Tables and figures, five in total.

d) CASE REPORTS
Clinical cases of one to three patients or a whole family are described. In this case, the text should have a maximum of 2,000 words without references. It should have the following points: 1. Title in Spanish and English 2. Abstract and keywords in Spanish and English 3. A brief introduction, 4. Case presentation, 5. Discussion based in literature and if possible, include the differential diagnosis 6. Bibliographic references (no more than 25) 7. Tables and figures, three in total.

e) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
These are short communications with several objectives: 1) Encourage the discussion of the articles published in the journal Memorias del IICS. The scientific community is invited to write constructive critiques no longer than two pages and, in a time, no longer than two months after the article in question is published.  2)  Communication of brief observations which the author considers does not require the space of an original article. In this case, a maximum of 3 pages will be allowed, 1 table or figure and 5 bibliographic references.  The number of authors should not exceed 3, having a corresponding author to whom the correspondence will be sent.

f) SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Communications that involve few results, in general preliminary, that are not enough for a full paper. These communications will be made following the items of a full paper but succinctly so that the whole work has 3 pages as maximum. The other items will be just like in a full paper (acknowledgement, bibliographic references, figures).

g) EDITORIAL
Document written by the editor, a member of the Editorial Board or a guest researcher about orientations in the theme domain of the journal.

h) OTHER SECTIONS:
Congress, seminars or scientific meetings abstracts, guidelines and technical specifications.

Acceptance of papers
An evaluation process is necessary for the acceptance or rejection of the articles including:

A first revision is carried out by the editors, which determines the importance, relevance and depth of the work, whether the manuscript follows the editorial line of the journal, it adjusts to the guidelines of Memorias del IICS and complies with the general criteria of publication.
Then, a second revision, assigned to at least two experts, takes place. In case their decisions are opposite, the manuscript is subjected to the consideration of the Editorial Board or a third evaluation is requested.
The decision can be acceptance, rejection or modifications according to the suggestions of the reviewers.
Any decision will be communicated in written to the author in a term of two to three months from the day of reception. If modifications of the manuscript have been requested, the new printed and digital versions should be submitted in the term indicated that could not exceed 30 days in any case. The journal accepts pre-published or pre-printed articles (preprint) on servers with this methodology.

Plagiarism detection
In the preliminary review process, technological tools will be used to detect plagiarism in the works sent to the journal (currently the PlagScan program https://www.plagscan.com/es/ is used). If plagiarism is found, the article will be rejected regardless of the editorial stage it is in.

I. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Checklist for articles preparation
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check that their submission meets all of the elements shown below. Submissions that do not meet these guidelines will be returned to authors.

a) TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. The articles should be sent to the Editorial’s e-mail (editorial@iics.una.py) or to the journal platform: https://revistascientificas.una.py/index.php/RIIC/login in a Microsoft Word file, A4 (212x297 mm) page size, no letterhead, with margins of at least 25 mm and size 12 Verdana font. In case they contain figures, these should be sent in editable jpg format. The figures should be numbered with Arabic numbers and tables with Roman numbers.
2. The work will be printed on only one side of the sheet of paper with double space. Each section will start on a new page. Pages should be numbered consecutively, starting with the title page, on the right-hand lower corner of each page.
3. It should also include a note addressed to the editor expressing the consent of all authors for the publication in the journal with the signatures of all of them.

Additionally, include a brief description of each author’s contribution to the work.

Example:
• Work conception/design.
• Collection of data/information.
• Data analysis/discussion.
• Bibliographic review.
• Preparation of the manuscript.
• Review of the final version

b) FIRST PAGE 

• Short, clear, concise and specific title of the paper in Spanish. It should contain the minimum number of words that adequately describe the article and allow its classification. Do not include abbreviations.
• Title in English, a faithful translation from the Spanish version.
• Names, family names and institutional affiliations of the authors as well as the ORCID
  identifier of each author
• Section name
• Name and e-mail address of the corresponding author
• Financial sources
• Declaration of conflict of interest

c) ETHICAL ASPECTS 
When papers include experiments with human beings, state whether the followed procedures comply with the ethical standards of the Council of International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) and the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, revised in 2000.
Do not use patient names or their initials or numbers in the hospital, especially in illustrative material. Descriptions, photos or other details that contributes to identify the patient cannot be published unless the information is indispensable for the publication. In such case, the patient, father/mother or legal responsible should provide his written consent.
In case of experiments with animals, indicate that the basic guiding international principles elaborated by CIOMS and the International Council of Laboratory Animals and Science (ICLAS) applicable to biomedical research with animals have been followed.
The papers, especially clinical trials and assays carried out in animals, should mention that the protocol was approved by an Ethical Committee of the institution where the study was carried out or a higher one indicating the approval code and that the informed consent was obtained from the study subjects or their guardians.

Conflict of interest. When there is a relationship between the authors of an article and any public or private institution that could generate a conflict of interest, it should be communicated in a separate letter to the Editor, who will guarantee its confidentiality. If the article is accepted for publication, the authors and the Editor will agree the most convenient form to communicate this information to the readers.

d) CITATIONS IN VANCOUVER STYLE

The Citation is a paragraph or idea extracted from a work to support, corroborate or contrast the opinion. Quotes can be direct or indirect.

Direct quotation is the one that is transcribed verbatim. It must be brief, of less than five lines, it is inserted within the text between quotation marks, and the corresponding number is placed at the end, after the quotation marks and before the punctuation mark.
Example: "The gluten-free diet should be established only after confirming the diagnosis, since it can alter the serological and histological results"⁽²⁾.

Indirect quotation is the mention of the ideas of an author with the words of the writer. It is included within the text without quotation marks, and the reference number is written after the author's last name and before citing his idea.
Example: As Vitoria⁽²⁾ says, a gluten-free diet can alter serological and histological results.
Example: The gluten-free diet can alter the serological and histological results, so it should be established after confirming the diagnosis⁽²⁾.
The editorial coordination and/or the scientific committee reserve the right to make the editorial adjustments they deem pertinent.
In case of a work carried out by more than two authors, the first of them is cited followed by the abbreviation “et al.” and its reference number.
If the author is not named, the number will appear at the end of the sentence.

Citing more than one source at the same time
If more than one source in the same sentence will be cited, it must include a number for each source cited. If consecutive numbers are entered, they must be joined by a hyphen; if they are non-consecutive, the numbers must be separated by commas.
Example: In the following example, sources numbered 6, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 15 are cited in the same sentence: Several studies ^(6-9,13,15) have analyzed the effect of alcohol on driving.

e) BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Follow Vancouver guidelines.
Number the references consecutively following the order in which they are mentioned for the first time in the text. In the text, tables and figures, references should be identified by Arabic numbers, superscript and between brackets.
Use the style of the following examples.
Refrain from using abstract as references. Either, do not use “unpublished observations' and 'personal communications' as references. You may include articles accepted for publication even though they are not published yet, in this case indicate the journal title and add "In press".

SOME EXAMPLES OF BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

 A) Articles from scientific journals

(1) Standard article
Author/s*. Title of article. International abbreviation of the journal**. year; volume (number***): initial page-end page.

Medrano MJ, Cerrato E, Boix R, Delgado-Rodríguez M. Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en la población española: metaanálisis de estudios transversales. Med Clin (Barc). 2005; 124(16): 606-12.

*If there are more than six authors, mention the first six followed by et al. (Note: the National Library of Medicine in the Medline database includes all authors).
**You can consult international abbreviations at “Journals Database” from PubMed.
*** The number and moth are optional if the journal has a continuous pagination in the volume.

(2) Organization or team as author
Grupo de Trabajo de la SEPAR. Normativa sobre el manejo de la hepmotisis amenazante. Arch Bronconeumol 1997; 33: 31-40.

(3) Authorship shared between authors and a team
Jiménez Hernández MD, Torrecillas Narváez MD, Friera Acebal G.  Grupo Andaluz para el Estudio de Gabapentina y Profilaxis Migrañosa. Eficacia y seguridad de la gabapentina en el tratamiento preventivo de la migraña. Rev Neurol. 2002; 35: 603-6.

(4) No author indicated
21st century heart solution may have a sting in the tail. BMJ. 2002; 325(7357): 184

(5) Supplement of a volume
Plaza Moral V, Álvarez Gutiérrez FJ, Casan Clará P, Cobos Barroso N, López Viña A, Llauger Rosselló MA et al. Comité Ejecutivo de la GEMA. Guía Española para el Manejo del Asma (GEMA). Arch Bronconeumol. 2003; 39 Supl 5: 1-42.

(6) Supplement of a number
Glauser TA. Integrating clinical trial data into clinical practice. Neurology. 2002; 58 (12 Suppl 7): S6-12.

(7) Article published electronically before the printed version
Sait KH, Ashour A, Rajabi M. Pregnancy outcome in non-gynecologic cancer. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2004 Jun 2 [Epub ahead of print].
Sait KH, Ashour A, Rajabi M. Pregnancy outcome in non-gynecologic cancer. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2005 Apr; 271(4): 346-9. Epub 2004 Jun 2.
Note: The quote Epub ahead of print is a reference sent to PubMed by the editors of journals that are first published on-line, going ahead of the printed version. Later, when the article is published in printed form, the reference is modified appearing the data of the printed version followed by the Epub. Example of a reference in PubMed published in electronic version and then when it is printed.

B) Books and other monographs

(8) Individual authors
Author/s. Book title. Edition. Place of publication: Editorial; year.
Jiménez Murillo L, Montero Pérez FJ. Compendio de Medicina de Urgencias: guía terapéutica. 2ª ed. Madrid: Elsevier; 2005.
Note: It is not necessary to state the first edition. Edition is always in Arabic numbers and abbreviated: 2nd ed. If the work is formed by more than one volume, it should be stated after the book title: Vol. 3.

(9) Director(s) or compilator(s) as authors
Espinás  Boquet   J.  coordinator.  Guía de actuación en Atención Primaria.  2ª ed. Barcelona: Sociedad Española de Medicina; 2002.
Teresa E de, editor. Cardiología en Atención Primaria. Madrid: Biblioteca Aula Médica;
2003.

Note:  In the original edition, “Editor” appears, which is an English word that refers to the Literary Editor. In Spanish, this word should be translated into Director (of a journal) or Director, Compilator or Coordinator (of a book). In Spanish, it is frequent to misuse (anglicism) the English word “Editor” as synonymous of Director or Coordinator. If this word appears, we will keep it.

(10) Author(s) and editor(s)
Breedlove GK, Schorfheide AM. Adolescent pregnancy.  2nd ed. Wieczorek RR, editor. White Plains (NY): March of Dimes Education Services; 2001.

(11)  Organization (s) as author
Royal Adelaide Hospital; University   of Adelaide, Department   of Clinical   Nursing. Compendium of nursing research and practice development, 1999-2000. Adelaide (Australia): Adelaide University; 2001.

(12) Book chapter
Author/s of the chapter. Title of the chapter. In: Director/Coordinator/Editor of the book. Book title. Edition. Place of publication: Editorial; year. Initial page-end of chapter.

Mehta SJ.  Dolor abdominal.  In:  Friedman HH, coordinator. Manual de Diagnóstico Médico. 5ª ed. Barcelona: Masson; 2004. p.183-90.

Note: If the book is in English: use the word in.

(13) Congress act
Segundo Congreso Nacional de la Asociación Española de Vacunología.  Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; 13-15 de Noviembre 2003. Madrid: Asociación Española de Vacunología; 2003.
(14) Conference article
Christensen S, Oppacher F. An analysis of Koza's computational effort statistic for genetic programming. In: Foster JA, Lutton E, Miller J, Ryan C, Tettamanzi AG, editors. Genetic programming.  EuroGP 2002: Proceedings of the 5th European Conference on Genetic Programming; 2002 Apr 3-5; Kinsdale, Ireland. Berlin: Springer; 2002. p. 182-91.

(15) Dissertation
Borkowski MM.  Infant sleep and feeding:  a telephone survey of Hispanic Americans [dissertation]. Mount Pleasant (MI): Central Michigan University; 2002.

(16) Patent
Pagedas AC, inventor; Ancel Surgical R&D Inc., assignee. Flexible endoscopic grasping and cutting device and positioning tool assembly. United States patent US 20020103498. 2002 Aug 1.

C) Other published materials

(17) Newspaper article
Article author*. Article title. Newspaper’s name**. Day month year; Section***:
page (column) ****.
* Article author (if appears).
** Newspapers’ names are not abbreviated.
*** If it is identified as such.
**** If it is identified as such.

Carrasco D. Avalado el plazo de cinco años para destruir parte de la HC. Diario Médico. Viernes 23 de julio de 2004; Normativa: 8.

Espiño I. ¿Le va mejor al paciente que participa en un ensayo clínico?. El Mundo sábado 31 de enero de 2004. Salud: S6 (Oncología).

D) Not published material

(18) In press

Note: NLM prefers "forthcoming” because not all journals publish in printed versions.

Leshner AI. Molecular mechanisms of cocaine addiction. N Engl J Med. In press 1997.

E) Electronic Material

(19) CD-ROM
Author/s. Title [CD-ROM]. Edition. Place: Editorial; year.
Best CH. Bases fisiológicas de la práctica médica [CD-ROM].  13ª ed. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana; 2003.

Note: This example is applicable to other supports: DVD. It can be added the document type [Monograph in CD-ROM], [Journal in CD-ROM].

(20) Journal article in internet
Article author/s. Article title. Journal name [journal in Internet]* year
[consultation date]**; volume (number): [Extension/pages***]. Electronic address.

- Francés I, Barandiarán M, Marcellán T, Moreno L. Estimulación psicocognoscitiva en las demencias.  An Sist Sanit Navar [Internet journal]* 2003 September-December. [access: October 19, 2005]; 26(3). Available in: http://www.cfnavarra.es/salud/anales/textos/vol26/n3/revis2a.html
* It can be replaced by: [On-line journal], [Internet], [On-line journal]
**    [access….],    [consulted…],    [cited…]
*** If existent.

(21) Monograph in Internet
Author/s or Director/Coordinator/Editor.  Title [monograph in the Internet]*. Edition. Place of publication: Editor; year [consultation date]. Electronic address.

- Moraga Llop FA. Protocolos diagnósticos y terapéuticos en Dermatología Pediátrica. [monograph in Internet] *. Madrid: Asociación Española de Pediatría; 2003 [access: December 19, 2005].
Available in: http://www.aeped.es/protocolos/dermatologia/index.htm

(22) Website or Starting main page in a website
Note: An starting page is defined as the first page of a website.
Author/s. Títle [Website]*. Place of publication: Editor; Publication date [update date; access date]. Electronic address.

- Fisterra.com, Atención Primaria en la Red [sede Web]. La Coruña: Fisterra.com; 1990- [updated January 3, 2006; access January 12, 2006]. Available in: http://www.fisterra.com

*It can be replaced by: [Main page in Internet], [Internet], [Starting page in Internet], [Homepage], [Website].

(23) Part of a page of a website
Page title [Website]*.  Publication place: Editor; Publication date [update/revision date; access date]. Section title [page or screen number]. Electronic address.

- Medicina Interna de Galicia [Website]*. Lugo: Sociedad Gallega de Medicina Interna; 2005 [access: December 19, 2005]. De Pablo Casas M, Pena Río JL. Guía para la prevención de complicaciones   infecciosas   relacionadas con catéteres intravenosos. Available in: http://www.meiga.info/guias/cateteres.asp.

- American Medical Association [Website]*. Chicago: The Association; c1995-2002 [updated; December 5, 2005; access December 19, 2005]. AMA Office of Group Practice Liaison; [approximately two screens]. Available in: http://www.ama- assn.org/ama/pub/category/1736.html.

(24) Internet database
Institution/Author. Title [Internet database]*. Place of publication: Editor; Creation date, [update date; consultation date]. Electronic address.
* It can be replaced by: [On line database], [Internet], [Recovery system in Internet].

- Open database (active):
·   Cuiden [Internet database]. Granada: Fundación Index [updated in April 2004; access December 19, 2005]. Available in: http://www.doc6.es/index/

PubMed [Internet database]. Bethesda: National Library of Medicine; 1966- [Access date: December 19, 2005].
Available in: http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/

Cancelled database:
Jablonski S.   Online   Multiple   Congenital   Anomaly/Mental   Retardation (MCA/MR) Syndromes [Internet database].  Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). c1999 [updated November 20, 2001; access December 19, 2005]. Available in: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/jablonski/syndrome_title.html

(25) Part of an Internet database
MeSH Browser [Internet database]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2002-[access December 19, 2005]. Meta-analysis; unique ID D015201 [approximately 3 screens]. Available in: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html.   Files updated weekly.

The Cochrane Database, Issue 3, 2004. [Internet database].  Oxford: Update Software Ltd; 1998- [consultation date August 17, 2005]. Cranney A, Welch V, Adachi JD, Guyatt G, Krolicki N, Griffith L, Shea B, Tugwell P, Wells G. Etidronate for treating  and  preventing  postmenopausal  osteoporosis  (Cochrane  Review) [approximately 2 screens]. Available in: http://www.update-software.com/cochrane/.

In case you have doubts about how to cite your references, you can enter into this electronic address: www.ICMJE.org (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).

e) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Include this section in the text appendix. Specify:
- contributions that need acknowledgement but do not justify authorship such as the general support of the department head;
-  technical help received;
-  acknowledgement for the financial and material support, specifying its nature
-  financial relationships that could generate a conflict of interests.