Evidence for a Pro-Inflammatory State of Macrophages from Non-Obese Type-2 Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats.

Obesity causes insulin resistance (IR) through systemic low-grade inflammation and can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanisms that cause IR and T2DM in non-obese individuals are unclear. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat develops IR spontaneously and is a model of non-obese T2DM. These rats exhibit hyperglycemia beginning at weaning and exhibit lower body mass than control Wistar rats. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that macrophages of GK rats are permanently in a pro-inflammatory state, which may be associated with a systemic inflammation condition that mimics the pathogenesis of obesity-induced T2DM. Using eighteen-week-old GK and control Wistar rats, we investigated the proportions of M1 (pro-inflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory) macrophages isolated from the peritoneal cavity. Additionally, the production of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cultured macrophages under basal and stimulated conditions was assessed. It was found that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation increased GK rat macrophage ROS production 90-fold compared to basal levels. This response was also three times more pronounced than in control cells (36-fold). The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), tended to be upregulated in cultured macrophages from GK rats under basal conditions. Macrophages from GK rats produced 1.6 times more granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), 1.5 times more monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and 3.3 times more TNF-α than control cells when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (p = 0.0033; p = 0.049; p = 0.002, respectively). Moreover, compared to control cells, GK rats had 60% more M1 (p = 0.0008) and 23% less M2 (p = 0.038) macrophages. This study is the first to report macrophage inflammatory reprogramming towards a pro-inflammatory state in GK rats.

Packet information encoding in a cerebellum-like circuit.

Packet information encoding of neural signals was proposed for vision about 50 years ago and has recently been revived as a plausible strategy generalizable to natural and artificial sensory systems. It involves discrete image segmentation controlled by feedback and the ability to store and compare packets of information. This article shows that neurons of the cerebellum-like electrosensory lobe (EL) of the electric fish Gymnotus omarorum use spike-count and spike-timing distribution as constitutive variables of packets of information that encode one-by-one the electrosensory images generated by a self-timed series of electric organ discharges (EODs). To evaluate this hypothesis, extracellular unitary activity was recorded from the centro-medial map of the EL. Units recorded in high-decerebrate preparations were classified into six types using hierarchical cluster analysis of post-EOD spiking histograms. Cross-correlation analysis indicated that each EOD strongly influences the unit firing probability within the next inter-EOD interval. Units of the same type were similarly located in the laminar organization of the EL and showed similar stimulus-specific changes in spike count and spike timing after the EOD when a metal object was moved close by, along the fish's body parallel to the skin, or when the longitudinal impedance of a static cylindrical probe placed at the center of the receptive field was incremented in a stepwise manner in repetitive trials. These last experiments showed that spike-counts and the relative entropy, expressing a comparative measure of information before and after the step, were systematically increased with respect to a control in all unit types. The post-EOD spike-timing probability distribution and the relatively independent contribution of spike-timing and number to the content of information in the transmitted packet suggest that these are the constitutive image-encoding variables of the packets. Comparative analysis suggests that packet information transmission is a general principle for processing superposition images in cerebellum-like networks.

Insulin resistance in nonobese type 2 diabetic Goto Kakizaki rats is associated with a proinflammatory T lymphocyte profile.

Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats develop a well-defined insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without presenting obesity. The lymphocyte profile in nonobese diabetic conditions is not yet characterized. Therefore, GK rats were chosen to explore T lymphocyte (TL) dynamics at various stages (21, 60, and 120 days) compared to Wistar rats. GK rats exhibit progressive disruption of glucose regulation, with early glucose intolerance at 21 days and reduced insulin sensitivity at 60 days, confirming IR. Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression was consistently elevated in GK rats, suggesting heightened TL activation. T-regulatory lymphocyte markers diminished at 21 days. However, GK rats showed increased Th1 markers and reduced Gata-3 expression (crucial for Th2 cell differentiation) at 120 days. These findings underscore an early breakdown of anti-inflammatory mechanisms in GK rats, indicating a proinflammatory TL profile that may worsen chronic inflammation in T2DM.

The impact of a physical exercise program on quality of life, fatigue, physical performance, and level of physical activity in patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing evidence suggests that exercise programs are of great value in the rehabilitation and survivorship of patients with cancer. However, challenges remain regarding maintaining patients more physically active. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a supervised exercise program on quality of life, fatigue, physical performance, and levels of physical activity of patients with cancer. METHODS: An observational longitudinal study, with a 1-year prospective follow-up, was developed. SETTING: This is a university-based outpatient rehabilitation program in a high-complexity cancer care center in Sao Paulo. RESULTS: After the program, patients showed a significant gain in quality of life (p<0.0001), physical performance (p<0.0001), and improvement in fatigue (p<0.0001). After 12 months, 81.1% of the patients remained active, and only 4.5% declared themselves to be sedentary. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm that exercise programs are an important tool in the rehabilitation of patients with cancer and that an initial supervised exercise program, in combination with follow-ups, can help increase the levels of physical activity of this population. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: This study provides additional information on the outcomes that are expected with the provision of a supervised physical exercise program in the rehabilitation care of patients with cancer and that additional follow-ups could further benefit this population.

Itinerários terapêuticos de pessoas hospitalizadas por covid-19 no SUS: um estudo quantiqualitativo no Distrito Federal / Therapeutic itineraries of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the SUS: quantitative and qualitative study in the Federal District

RESUMO Os estudos sobre itinerários terapêuticos revelam modelos de cuidado e decisões tomadas pelas pessoas em situações de adoecimento e podem contribuir para o planejamento de políticas e serviços de saúde mais efetivos, especialmente em emergências como a pandemia de covid-19. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever os itinerários terapêuticos de pacientes hospitalizados por covid-19 em um hospital público do Distrito Federal e explorar associações com determinantes sociais da saúde. Trata-se de um estudo de caso integrado, com triangulação de evidências quantitativas e qualitativas obtidas a partir da análise do banco de dados de um estudo observacional transversal com 233 adultos internados entre maio/2020 e dezembro/2021. A maioria homens, idosos, pretos ou pardos, com baixo nível de renda e escolaridade e múltiplas comorbidades, que procuraram atendimento na atenção especializada e conseguiram acesso rápido ao sistema de saúde. Os fatores que influenciaram a escolha do primeiro serviço foram: ocupação, região de moradia, classe econômica e escolaridade. Já os determinantes da facilidade de acesso foram: tipo de serviço buscado primeiro, gravidade do caso e contexto socioeconômico. Os resultados confirmam a influência de determinantes sociais nas experiências de adoecimento e podem subsidiar reflexões relacionadas à organização do acesso ao SUS em emergências sanitárias.

ABSTRACT Studies on therapeutic itineraries reveal models of care and decisions taken by people in situations of illness and can contribute to the planning of effective health policies and services, especially in emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this research was to describe the itineraries of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a public hospital in the Federal District and explore associations with social determinants of health. This is an integrated case study, with triangulation of quantitative and qualitative evidence obtained from the analysis of raw data from a cross-sectional observational study with 233 adults hospitalized between May/2020 and December/2021. The majority were men, elderly, black or brown, with low income and education levels and multiple comorbidities, who sought care in specialized care and obtained quick access to the health system. The factors that influenced the choice of the first service sought were: occupation, region of residence, economic class and education. The determinants of ease of access were: type of service first sought, severity of the case and socioeconomic context. The results confirm the influence of social determinants on illness experiences and can support reflections related to the organization of access to the SUS in health emergencies.

Factors associated with the absence of postpartum consultations in a high-risk population.

Objective: To assess the rate of missed postpartum appointments at a referral center for high-risk pregnancy and compare puerperal women who did and did not attend these appointments to identify related factors. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with all women scheduled for postpartum consultations at a high-risk obstetrics service in 2018. The variables selected to compare women were personal, obstetric, and perinatal. The variables of interest were obtained from the hospital's electronic medical records. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney tests. For the variable of the interbirth interval, a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to best discriminate whether or not patients attended the postpartum consultation. The significance level for the statistical tests was 5%. Results: A total of 1,629 women scheduled for postpartum consultations in 2018 were included. The rate of missing the postpartum consultation was 34.8%. A shorter interbirth interval (p = 0.039), previous use of psychoactive substances (p = 0.027), current or former smoking (p = 0.003), and multiparity (p < 0.001) were associated with non-attendance. Conclusion: This study showed a high rate of postpartum appointment non-attendance. This is particularly relevant because it was demonstrated in a high-risk obstetric service linked to clinical severity or social vulnerability cases. This highlights the need for new approaches to puerperal women before hospital discharge and new tools to increase adherence to postpartum consultations, especially for multiparous women.

Costs of hospital admissions due to COVID-19 in the federal capital of Brazil: a study based on hospital admission authorizations.

This is a cost analysis study based on hospital admissions, conducted from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), carried out in a cohort of patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of Brasília (UHB) due to Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) caused by COVID-19, from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022. An approach based on macro-costing was used, considering the costs per patient identified in the Hospital Admission Authorizations (HAA). Were identified 1,015 HAA from 622 patients. The total cost of hospitalizations was R$ 2,875,867.18 for 2020 and 2021. Of this total, 86.41 % referred to hospital services and 13.59 % to professional services. The highest median cost per patient identified was for May 2020 (R$ 19,677.81 IQR [3,334.81-33,041.43]), while the lowest was in January 2021 (R$ 1,698.50 IQR [1,602.70-2,224.11]). The high cost of treating patients with COVID-19 resulted in a high economic burden of SARI due to COVID-19 for UHB and, consequently, for SUS.

Artesunate-mefloquine therapy for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and safety.

To provide a continuous update on the safety and efficacy of artesunate-mefloquine (ASMQ) compared with other artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) schemes used in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, this study updated and expanded the results of the systematic literature review published in 2016. Only randomised controlled clinical trials published from 1 January 2001 to 12 June 2023 from five databases were included in this study. The results related to efficacy, expressed through RR, were summarized in meta-analyses, performed according to the compared ACTs and with the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses. The results related to safety were synthesized in a descriptive manner. Thirty-two studies were included, of which 24 had been analysed in the 2016 review and eight new ones were added. Although the methodological quality of most studies was considered moderate, the body of evidence gathered indicates that ASMQ continues to be safe and effective for the treatment of uncomplicated infections caused by P. falciparum compared with other ACTs. However, the inclusion of two new studies, which identified failure rates exceeding 10%, suggests a possible reduction in the efficacy of ASMQ in the analysed locations. The incidence of serious adverse effects, such as seizure, encephalopathy and cardiac arrhythmia, was infrequent in both the ASMQ group and the comparison groups. After including new evidence, ASMQ is still recommended as a first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum, although local aspects need to be considered.

Percepção de acadêmicos de enfermagem sobre morte encefálica e doação de órgãos / Perception of nursing academics about brain death and organ donation / Percepción de los académicos de enfermería sobre la muerte encefálica y la donación de órganos

Objetivo: Conhecer as percepções de acadêmicos do curso de enfermagem acerca de morte encefálica e doação de órgãos. Método: Estudo descritivo, qualitativo, com acadêmicos de enfermagem de uma universidade pública do sul do país. As entrevistas aconteceram em 2019, foram transcritas e submetidas à análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Participaram trinta acadêmicos. Emergiram-se três categorias: "Conhecimento enquanto fator de (des)interesse", que demonstra a falta de abordagem do tema na graduação; "Doação como sinal de empatia com familiares e/ou pessoa que receberá o órgão" que versa sobre o interesse em ser doador e "Ansiedades enquanto (possível) profissional responsável pelos casos" que aponta insegurança pela falta de conhecimento. Conclusão: Os acadêmicos apresentam uma visão positiva em relação à doação de órgãos sem ressalvas em relação a ser doador, entretanto, quando colocados no âmbito de atuação como enfermeiros, a resposta é pautada na insegurança relacionada à falta de conhecimento (AU).

Objective: To know the action of organs of death in the course of. Method: Qualitative Nursing Study, Public Nursing Comments from a university in the south of the country. The interviews took place in 2019, were transcribed and revealed for analysis. Results: Bets participated. Three categories emerged: "Knowledge as a factor of (dis)interest"; which demonstrates the lack of approach to the subject in graduation; "Donation as a sign of empathy with family members and/or the person who will receive the organ" which deals with the interest in being a donor and "Anxieties as a (possible) professional responsible for the cases" which points to insecurity due to lack of knowledge. Conclusion: The answer is given by a positive relationship in relation to organs without respect to a knowledge of reference of acting as nurses, the answer is the donor in the relationship of involvement in reference (AU).

Objetivo: Conocer las percepciones de los estudiantes de enfermería sobre la muerte encefálica y la donación de órganos. Método: Estudio cualitativo descriptivo con estudiantes de enfermería de una universidad pública del sur del país. Las entrevistas se realizaron en 2019, fueron transcritas y sometidas a análisis de contenido. Resultados: Participaron 30 académicos. Emergieron tres categorías: "El conocimiento como factor de (des)interés" lo que demuestra la falta de abordaje del tema en la graduación; "La donación como muestra de empatía con los familiares y/o con la persona que va a recibir el órgano" que trata sobre el interés de ser donante y "Angustias como (posible) profesional responsable de los casos" que apunta a la inseguridad por falta de conocimiento. Conclusión: Los académicos tienen una visión positiva de la donación de órganos sin reservas sobre ser donante, sin embargo, cuando se ubican en el ámbito del trabajo como enfermeros, la respuesta se basa en la inseguridad relacionada con la falta de conocimiento (AU).

Insulin resistance in nonobese type 2 diabetic GotoKakizaki rats is associated with a proinflammatoryT lymphocyte profile

Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats develop a well-defined insulin resistance (IR) andtype 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without presenting obesity. The lymphocyteprofile in nonobese diabetic conditions is not yet characterized. Therefore,GK rats were chosen to explore T lymphocyte (TL) dynamics at variousstages (21, 60, and 120 days) compared to Wistar rats. GK rats exhibit progressive disruption of glucose regulation, with early glucose intolerance at21 days and reduced insulin sensitivity at 60 days, confirming IR. Glucosetransporter 1 (GLUT1) expression was consistently elevated in GK rats, sug-gesting heightened TL activation. T-regulatory lymphocyte markers dimin-ished at 21 days. However, GK rats showed increased Th1 markers andreduced Gata-3 expression (crucial for Th2 cell differentiation) at 120 days.These findings underscore an early breakdown of anti-inflammatory mecha-nisms in GK rats, indicating a proinflammatory TL profile that may worsenchronic inflammation in T2DM.

The impact of a physical exercise program on quality of life, fatigue, physical performance, and level of physical activity in patients with cancer

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Increasing evidence suggests that exercise programs are of great value in the rehabilitation and survivorship of patients with cancer. However, challenges remain regarding maintaining patients more physically active. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a supervised exercise program on quality of life, fatigue, physical performance, and levels of physical activity of patients with cancer. METHODS: An observational longitudinal study, with a 1-year prospective follow-up, was developed. SETTING: This is a university-based outpatient rehabilitation program in a high-complexity cancer care center in Sao Paulo. RESULTS: After the program, patients showed a significant gain in quality of life (p<0.0001), physical performance (p<0.0001), and improvement in fatigue (p<0.0001). After 12 months, 81.1% of the patients remained active, and only 4.5% declared themselves to be sedentary. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm that exercise programs are an important tool in the rehabilitation of patients with cancer and that an initial supervised exercise program, in combination with follow-ups, can help increase the levels of physical activity of this population. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: This study provides additional information on the outcomes that are expected with the provision of a supervised physical exercise program in the rehabilitation care of patients with cancer and that additional follow-ups could further benefit this population.

Costs of hospital admissions due to COVID-19 in the federal capital of Brazil: a study based on hospital admission authorizations

ABSTRACT This is a cost analysis study based on hospital admissions, conducted from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), carried out in a cohort of patients hospitalized at the University Hospital of Brasília (UHB) due to Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) caused by COVID-19, from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022. An approach based on macro-costingwas used,considering thecosts perpatient identified in the Hospital Admission Authorizations (HAA). Were identified 1,015 HAA from 622 patients. The total cost of hospitalizations was R$ 2,875,867.18 for 2020 and 2021. Of this total, 86.41 % referred to hospital services and 13.59 % to professional services. The highest median cost per patient identified was for May 2020 (R$ 19,677.81 IQR [3,334.81-33,041.43]), while the lowest was in January 2021 (R$ 1,698.50 IQR [1,602.70-2,224.11]). The high cost of treating patients with COVID-19 resulted in a high economic burden of SARI due to COVID-19 for UHB and, consequently, for SUS.

Factors associated with the absence of postpartum consultations in a high-risk population

Abstract Objective: To assess the rate of missed postpartum appointments at a referral center for high-risk pregnancy and compare puerperal women who did and did not attend these appointments to identify related factors. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with all women scheduled for postpartum consultations at a high-risk obstetrics service in 2018. The variables selected to compare women were personal, obstetric, and perinatal. The variables of interest were obtained from the hospital's electronic medical records. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney tests. For the variable of the interbirth interval, a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to best discriminate whether or not patients attended the postpartum consultation. The significance level for the statistical tests was 5%. Results: A total of 1,629 women scheduled for postpartum consultations in 2018 were included. The rate of missing the postpartum consultation was 34.8%. A shorter interbirth interval (p = 0.039), previous use of psychoactive substances (p = 0.027), current or former smoking (p = 0.003), and multiparity (p < 0.001) were associated with non-attendance. Conclusion: This study showed a high rate of postpartum appointment non-attendance. This is particularly relevant because it was demonstrated in a high-risk obstetric service linked to clinical severity or social vulnerability cases. This highlights the need for new approaches to puerperal women before hospital discharge and new tools to increase adherence to postpartum consultations, especially for multiparous women.

Resource utilization and costs related to the management of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy under the Brazilian supplementary healthcare system´s perspective: results from a modified Delphi panel / Utilização de recursos e custos relacionados ao manejo da cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva sob a perspectiva do sistema de saúde suplementar brasileiro: resultados de um painel Delphi modificado

Objective: To generate data on the costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive ypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) from the perspective of the private health system in Brazil. Methods: A modified Delphi panel including seven different specialists (three clinical cardiologists with experience in obstructive HCM, two hemodynamicists with experience in septal ablation and two cardiac surgeons with expertise in myectomy), from two Brazilian states (São Paulo and Pernambuco), was conducted between August and November 2022. Two rounds of questions about the use of healthcare resources according to the functional class (NYHA I-IV) and a panel in a virtual platform were conducted to obtain the final consensus. Micro-costing defined costs and unit values were determined based on official price lists. Results: The total diagnosis cost per patient was estimated at BRL 11,486.81. The obstructive HCM management costs analysis showed average annual costs per patient of BRL 17,026.74, BRL 19,401.46, BRL 73,310.07, and BRL 94,885.75 for the functional classes NYHA I, NYHA II, NYHA III, and NYHA IV, respectively. The average costs per patient related to procedures in a year were BRL 12,698.53, BRL 13,462.30, BRL 58,841.67, and BRL 75,595.90 for the functional classes NYHA I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Conclusions: The annual costs of HCM management increased according to the functional class, highlighting the need for safe and effective strategies to improve patient's NYHA functional class while promoting a decrease in the need for invasive therapies.

Objetivo: Gerar dados acerca dos custos associados ao diagnóstico e tratamento da cardiomiopatia hipertrófica (CMH) obstrutiva, sob a perspectiva do sistema de saúde privado no Brasil. Métodos: Um painel Delphi modificado incluindo sete especialistas (três cardiologistas clínicos com experiência em CMH obstrutiva, dois hemodinamicistas com experiência em ablação de septo e dois cirurgiões cardíacos com experiência em miectomia) de dois estados brasileiros (São Paulo e Pernambuco) foi conduzido entre agosto e novembro de 2022. Foram realizadas duas rodadas de perguntas acerca da utilização de recursos de acordo com a classe funcional (NYHA I-IV) e uma reunião virtual para obtenção do consenso final. Os custos foram definidos por meio de microcusteio, e os valores unitários foram definidos com base em listas de preço oficiais. Resultados: O custo total do diagnóstico por paciente foi estimado em R$ 11.486,81. A análise de custos de manejo da CMH obstrutiva mostrou custos médios anuais por paciente de R$ 17.026,74, R$ 19.401,46, R$ 73.310,07 e R$ 94.885,75 para as classes funcionais NYHA I, NYHA II, NYHA III e NYHA IV, respectivamente. Os custos médios por paciente relacionados a procedimentos em um ano foram de R$ 12.698,53, R$ 13.462,30, R$ 58.841,67 e R$ 75.595,90 para as classes NYHA I, II, III e IV, respectivamente. Conclusões: Os custos anuais com o manejo da CMH aumentam de acordo com a classe funcional, destacando a necessidade de estratégias seguras e eficazes capazes de melhorar a classe funcional NYHA do paciente, ao mesmo tempo que promove diminuição da necessidade de terapias invasivas.

Fatores de risco intrínsecos para quedas entre idosos institucionalizados / Intrinsic risk factors for falls among institutionalized older adults

Objetivo: Investigar os fatores de risco intrínsecos para queda entre idosos de duas Instituições de Longa Permanência (ILP) no interior de Minas Gerais/Brasil. Métodos: Foram avaliados 20 idosos com idade média de 79 anos (entre 60-100 anos). Foram aplicadas as escalas de Tinetti e Barthel para avaliação do equilíbrio corporal e independência funcional, respectivamente. A escala de Downton para análise do risco de quedas; a estesiometria, a dinamometria e o teste manual de força muscular para estimar respectivamente, a sensibilidade das mãos e pés, a força de preensão palmar e a força dos músculos de membros inferiores. A análise estatística utilizada foi o teste t-student, o teste de correlação de Pearson, a análise de variância (ANOVA-one way), considerando nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: A média geral do escore da escala de Dowton foi de 4,68 (p<0,05); a do equilíbrio corporal foi de 14,57 pontos (p<0,05), a escala de Barthel foi de 72,36 pontos (p<0,05); a força de preensão palmar foi de 2,73 kg/m² (±3,64) e a média de força em membros inferiores foi de 3,7 kg/m2 (p<0,05). Conclusão: Conclui-se que os idosos avaliados apresentam alto risco de quedas sendo os parâmetros mais comprometidos e responsáveis por este risco, a polifarmácia, desequilíbrio, fraqueza muscular, perda de sensibilidade e dependência funcional.

Objective: The objective of the study is to investigate the intrinsic risk factors for falls among elderly people from two Long Stay Institutions (ILP) in the countryside of Minas Gerais/Brazil. Methods: Twenty elderly people with a mean age of 79 years (between 60-100 years) were evaluated. Tinetti and Barthel scales were applied to assess body balance and functional independence, respectively. The Downton scale for the analysis of the risk of falls; esthesiometry, dynamometry and manual muscle strength test to estimate, respectively, the sensitivity of the hands and feet, the hand grip strength and the strength of the muscles of the lower limbs. The statistical analysis used was the t-student test, Pearson's correlation test, analysis of variance (ANOVA-one way), considering a significance level of 5%. Results: The general mean score on the Dowton scale was 4.68 (p<0.05); that of body balance was 14.57 points (p<0.05), the Barthel scale was 72.36 points (p<0.05); the handgrip strength was 2.73 kg/m² (±3.64) and the mean strength in the lower limbs was 3.7 kg/m2 (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is concluded that the evaluated elderly have a high risk of falls and the parameters most compromised and responsible for this risk are polypharmacy, imbalance, muscle weakness, loss of sensitivity and functional dependence.

Getting the news in milliseconds: The role of early novelty detection in active electrosensory exploration.

The pulse emitting weakly electric fish Gymnotus omarorum shows stereotyped "novelty responses" consisting of a transient acceleration of the rhythm of a self-emitted electric organ discharge that carries electrosensory signals. Here we show that rapid increases in electric image amplitude cause a "novelty detection potential" in the first electrosensory relay. This sign precedes and its amplitude predicts, the amplitude of the subsequent behavioral novelty response. Current source density analyses indicates its origin ar the layers of the electrosensory lobe where the main output neurons occur. Two types of units, referred to as "ON" and "OFF". Were recorded there in decerebrated fish. Firing probability of "OFF" units drastically decreased after a stepwise increase in electric image. By contrast, the very first novel stimuli after the increase evoked a sharp peak in firing rate of "ON" units followed by a very fast adaptation phase that contrasted with the slow adaptation observed in previous recordings of primary afferents. The amplitudes of this peak, the novelty detection potential, and the behavioral novelty responses, show the same dependence on the departure of the newest stimulus intensity from the weighted average of preceding ones suggesting that the signals encoded by "ON" neurons underlay the novelty detection potential, propagates through the hierarchical organization of the electromotor control, and finally contribute to accelerate the electric organ discharge rate. This suggests that detecting novelty at the very early processing stage of electrosensory signals is essential to adapt the electrosensory sampling rate to exploration requirements as they change dynamically.

Características associadas ao conhecimento sobre as vias de parto em gestantes / Characteristics associated with knowledge about birth pathways in pregnant women / Características relacionadas con el conocimiento de vías de crianza en gestantes

Objetivo: identificar as características associadas ao conhecimento sobre as vias de parto em gestantes. Método: estudo epidemiológico, exploratório, de corte transversal. A amostra foi compreendida por gestantes adultas residentes em Paranavaí, Paraná. A amostra foi constituída por 384 gestantes e a coleta de dados foi realizada no período de 22 de dezembro de 2020 a 19 de abril de 2021 por meio de um questionário que abordou sobre características sociodemográficas, pré concepcionais e da gestação atual bem como sobre o conhecimento da gestante sobre as vias de parto. Os dados coletados foram organizados e tabulados em uma planilha Excel® e posteriormente, analisados, utilizando-se os softwares Epi Info® onde foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: as características sociodemográficas apresentaram impacto no conhecimento apenas sobre o parto normal, sendo que ter menos de 8 anos de estudo e estar desempregada foram significativas para a falta de conhecimento sobre esta via de parto. Os dados relacionados à gestação atual não apresentaram impacto significativo no conhecimento da gestante sobre as vias de parto. Em relação às características da gestação anterior, as mulheres que não tiveram parto cesáreo anterior e as que tiveram parto normal anteriormente não sabiam sobre parto cesáreo, e as que fizeram parto cesáreo anteriormente desconheciam sobre o parto normal. Conclusões: de modo geral, as características sociodemográficas e as experiências gestacionais impactam no conhecimento sobre as vias de parto.

Objective: To identify the characteristics associated with knowledge about the birth pathways in pregnant women. Method: epidemiological, exploratory, cross- sectional study. The sample was understood by adult pregnant women living in Paranavaí, Paraná. The sample consisted of 384 pregnant women and the data collection was carried out in the period from December 22, 2020 to April 19, 2021 through a questionnaire that addressed sociodemographic, preconceptional and current pregnancy characteristics as well as the pregnant woman's knowledge about the delivery routes. The collected data was organized and tabulated into an Excel® spreadsheet and subsequently analyzed using the Epi Info® software where it was analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: the sociodemographic characteristics had an impact on the knowledge only about the normal birth, and having less than 8 years of study and being unemployed were significant for the lack of knowledge about this birth pathway. The data related to the current pregnancy did not have a significant impact on the pregnant woman's knowledge about the birth pathways. With respect to the characteristics of the previous pregnancy, women who did not have previous cesarean delivery and those who had previously had normal delivery did not know about cesarean delivery, and those who had previously had cesarean delivery did not know about normal delivery. Conclusions: overall, sociodemographic characteristics and gestational experiences impact on knowledge about the delivery pathways.

Propósito: identificar las características asociadas al conocimiento de las vías de nacimiento en mujeres embarazadas. Método: estudio epidemiológico, exploratorio, transversal. La muestra estuvo compuesta por mujeres embarazadas adultas residentes en Paranavaí, Paraná. La muestra consistió en 384 mujeres embarazadas y se recopilaron datos en el período comprendido entre el 22 de diciembre de 2020 y el 19 de abril de 2021 mediante un cuestionario en el que se abordaron las características sociodemográficas, preconceptuales y actuales del embarazo, así como los conocimientos de la mujer embarazada sobre las vías de nacimiento. Los datos recopilados se organizaron y tabularon en una hoja de cálculo Excel® y luego se analizaron mediante el software Epi Info®, donde se analizaron mediante estadísticas descriptivas e inferenciales. Resultados: las características sociodemográficas tuvieron un impacto en el conocimiento sólo para el parto normal, de los cuales el hecho de tener menos de 8 años de estudio y estar desempleado fue significativo por la falta de conocimiento sobre esta vía de parto. Los datos relativos al embarazo actual no tuvieron un impacto significativo en el conocimiento de las vías de nacimiento por parte del embarazo. En relación con las características del embarazo anterior, las mujeres que no habían tenido un parto previo cesárea y las que habían tenido un parto normal anteriormente no sabían del parto cesárea, y las que habían tenido un parto cesárea no sabían del parto normal. Conclusiones: en general, las características sociodemográficas y las experiencias gestacionales influyen en el conocimiento de las vías de nacimiento.

Coletivos organizados, ativismo social e narrativas da pandemia em territórios vulneráveis na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Organised groups, social activism and narratives of the pandemic in vulnerable territories in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Resumo A pandemia de COVID-19 no Brasil atingiu níveis alarmantes. Na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, ela encontrou um cenário de desmonte da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) em meio à uma crise política, o que teve grande impacto nos territórios de maior vulnerabilidade. O objetivo desse estudo é analisar de que forma as favelas e equipes da APS organizaram-se para desenvolver ações comunitárias, ocupando espaços deixados pela falta de outras políticas públicas. Os resultados fazem parte da pesquisa qualitativa multicêntrica "Estratégias de abordagem dos aspectos subjetivos e sociais na Atenção Primária no contexto da pandemia", onde foram analisados documentos orientadores públicos e 36 entrevistas em profundidade com trabalhadores e usuários da APS, organizadas em grades interpretativas. Como resultado, observou-se que houve iniciativas cogestoras dos trabalhadores e usuários da APS, a partir do surgimento de coletivos organizados e ativismo social, para o enfrentamento da pandemia, independente das normativas da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e demais instâncias governamentais. A APS se apresentou como único equipamento público nos territórios de alta vulnerabilidade, onde a violência armada esteve presente mesmo durante a pandemia.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has reached alarming levels in Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro city, it arrived in a scenario in which Primary Health Care (PHC) was being dismantled in the midst of a political crisis, which had major impact on the most vulnerable territories. This study examined how favelas and PHC teams organised community-based action and occupy the vacuum left by the lack of public policies. The results form part of the multi-centre qualitative study "Strategies for approaching subjective and social aspects of Primary Care in the pandemic context", using public guidance documents and 36 in-depth interviews of PHC workers and users, which were categorised into interpretive grids. Co-management initiatives by PHC workers and users were found to have arisen out of organised groups and social activism, to face the pandemic, independently of regulations from the Municipal Health Department and other government bodies. PHC figured as the only public facility in highly vulnerable territories, where armed violence was ongoing even during the pandemic.

Ensino de segurança do paciente na pandemia da covid-19: percepção de estudantes de enfermagem / Enseñanza de la seguridad del paciente en la pandemia de COVID-19: percepción de los estudiantes de enfermería / Teaching patient safety in the COVID-19 pandemic: perception of nursing students

Resumo Objetivo Apreender a percepção de discentes de curso técnico e superior de Enfermagem sobre o ensino das competências de segurança do paciente na pandemia da COVID-19. Método Estudo qualitativo, realizado em 2021, com estudantes de Enfermagem de nível técnico e superior do Paraná, por meio de entrevistas individuais. Utilizou-se técnica de análise de conteúdo. Resultados Emergiram as categorias: Compreensão do conceito segurança do paciente potencializada pela prática clínica; Atitudes e sentimentos frente ao near miss, evento adverso e prática insegura e; Reflexos negativos da pandemia da COVID-19 no ensino da segurança do paciente. Conclusão e implicações para a prática O ensino das competências de segurança do paciente foi apreendido pelos estudantes com sentimentos negativos pela vivência de near miss, eventos adversos e práticas inseguras. Devido à pandemia da COVID-19, referiram fragmentação no ensino do tema em estudo, distanciamento da prática e; consequentemente, insegurança acadêmica e profissional. O aprofundamento da discussão do ensino das competências de segurança do paciente durante a pandemia é indispensável à qualidade de formação e atuação profissional.

Resumen Objetivo Aprehender la percepción de los estudiantes de curso técnico y superior de enfermería sobre la enseñanza de competencias en seguridad del paciente en la pandemia del COVID-19. Método Estudio cualitativo, realizado en 2021, con estudiantes de Enfermería de nivel técnico y superior en Paraná, mediante entrevistas individuales. Se utilizó la técnica del análisis de contenido. Resultados Surgieron las siguientes categorías: Comprensión del concepto de seguridad del paciente, reforzada por la práctica clínica; Actitudes y sentimientos hacia los cuasi accidentes, los acontecimientos adversos y la práctica insegura y; Reflejos negativos de la pandemia del COVID-19 sobre la educación en seguridad del paciente. Conclusión e implicaciones para la práctica La enseñanza de competencias en seguridad del paciente fue percibida por los estudiantes con sentimientos negativos debido a la experiencia de cuasi accidentes, eventos adversos y prácticas inseguras. Debido a la pandemia del COVID-19, denunciaron fragmentación en la enseñanza de la materia objeto de estudio, alejamiento de la práctica y, en consecuencia, inseguridad académica y profesional. La profundización del debate sobre la enseñanza de competencias en materia de seguridad del paciente durante la pandemia es esencial para la calidad de la formación y el desempeño profesional.

Abstract Objective To apprehend the perception of technical and undergraduate nursing students about the teaching of patient safety competencies in the pandemic of COVID-19. Method Qualitative study, conducted in 2021, with technical and undergraduate nursing students from Paraná, through individual interviews. The content analysis technique was used. Results The following categories emerged: Understanding of the concept of patient safety enhanced by clinical practice; Attitudes and feelings towards near miss, adverse events and unsafe practice and; Negative reflexes of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient safety teaching. Conclusion and implications for practice The teaching of patient safety competencies was perceived by students with negative feelings due to the experience of near misses, adverse events and unsafe practices. Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, they reported fragmentation in the teaching of the subject under study, distance from practice and, consequently, academic and professional insecurity. Further discussion of the teaching of patient safety competencies during the pandemic is indispensable to the quality of training and professional performance.