Case reports are valuable resources of unusual information that may lead to new research and advances in clinical practice. Many journals and medical databases recognize the time-honored importance of case reports as a valuable source of new ideas and information in clinical medicine. There are published editorials available on the continued importance of open-access case reports in our modern information-flowing world. Writing case reports is an academic duty with an artistic element. Unfortunately, few physicians-in-training receive formal education on what constitutes a publishable case report. This article emphasizes that the medical education community, specially the graduate medical education community, should be aware of the importance of writing and publishing good quality case reports.

The Matsigenka people living traditional lifestyles in remote areas of the Amazon rely on a fish-based diet that exposes them to methylmercury (MeHg) at levels that have been associated with decreased IQ scores. In this study, the association between Hg levels and working memory was explored using the framework of the Multicomponent Model. Working memory tasks were modified to fit the culture and language of the Matsigenka when needed and included measures for verbal storage (Word Span) visuospatial storage (Corsi Block Task) and a measure of executive functions, the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT). An innovation of the Trail Making Tests A & B (TMT A & B) was pilot tested as another potential measure of executive functions. The mean hair Hg levels of 30 participants, ages 12 to 55 years, from three different communities (Maizal, Cacaotal and Yomibato) was 7.0 ppm (sd = 2.40), well above the World Health Organization (WHO) limit for hair of 2.0 ppm and ranged from 1.8 to 14.2 ppm, with 98% of a broader sample of 152 individuals exceeding the WHO limit. Hair Hg levels showed significant associations with cognitive performance, but the degree varied in magnitude according to the type of task. Hg levels were negatively associated with executive functioning performance (SOPT errors), while Hg levels and years of education predicted visuospatial performance (Corsi Block accuracy). Education was the only predictor of Word Span accuracy. The results show that Hg exposure is negatively associated with working memory performance when there is an increased reliance on executive functioning. Based on our findings and the review of the experimental research, we suggest that the SOPT and the Corsi Block have the potential to be alternatives to general intelligence tests when studying remote groups with extensive cultural differences.

Background: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have undergone exponential growth over the past few years, offering free and worldwide access to high-quality education. We identified the characteristics of MOOCs in the health sciences offered by Latin American institutions (LAIs). Methods: We screened the eight leading MOOCs platforms to gather their list of offerings. The MOOCs were classified by region and subject. Then, we obtained the following information: Scopus H-index for each institution and course instructor, QS World University Ranking® 2015/16 of LAI, and official language of the course. Results: Our search identified 4170 MOOCs worldwide. From them, 205 MOOCs were offered by LAIs, and six MOOCs were health sciences related. Most of these courses (n = 115) were offered through Coursera. One health science MOOC was taught by three instructors, of which only one was registered in Scopus (H-index = 0). The remaining five health science MOOCs had solely one instructor (H-index = 4 [0–17]). The Latin American country with the highest participation was Brazil (n = 11). Conclusion: The contribution of LAI to MOOCs in the health sciences is low.

Given the emergence and reemergence of viral diseases, particularly in Latin America, we would like to provide an analysis of the patterns of research and publication on Oropouche virus (OROV). We also discuss the implications of recent epidemics in certain areas of South America, and how more clinical and epidemiological information regarding OROV is urgently needed.

Dengue fever is an acute viral disease transmitted by arthropods, which has become a major public health problem, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. We found 17 reported cases of dengue complicated with pancreatitis in the world literature, 13 cases were found in Asia, one in Europe, and two in Latin America. This is the first and an unusual case of dengue with hemorrhagic manifestations complicated with acute pancreatitis in Panama. A 37-year-old woman with an unknown past medical history presented to Santo Tomas Hospital (Panama City, Panama) with sudden abdominal pain in the epigastrium and left hypochondrium, described as a burning-like pain radiating towards the back. Five days before the admission, the patient had fever, chills, headache, retro-orbital pain, dizziness, arthralgia, loss of appetite, and fatigue. In the emergency room, a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was made and the patient was hospitalized. Physical examination showed bleeding gums, and laboratory tests show leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, which suggested an infection caused by the dengue virus. The dengue infection was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patient received supportive treatment and the symptoms resolved. She was discharged on the ninth day of hospitalization without any sequela. The final diagnosis was hemorrhagic dengue complicated by acute pancreatitis.