Effects of N-acetylcysteine on the inflammatory response and bacterial translocation in a model of intestinal obstruction and ischemia in rats.

PURPOSE: To evaluate effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) associated with Ringer lactate or hypertonic saline in inflammation and bacterial translocation on experimental intestinal obstruction (IO). METHODS: Wistar rats was subjected to IO. Six or 24 hours after, rats were subjected to enterectomy and fluid resuscitation: IO, RL (subjected to the same procedures but with fluid resuscitation using Ringer's lactate solution); RLNAC (added NAC to Ringer's solution); and HSNAC (surgical procedure + fluid reposition with 7.5% hypertonic saline and NAC). After 24 h, tissues were collected to cytokines, bacterial translocation, and histological assessments. RESULTS: In kidney, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) was lower in the groups with fluid resuscitation compared to IO group. The RLNAC showed lower levels compared to the RL. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and (IFN-gamma) were lower in the treatment groups than in IO. In lung, IL-1beta and IL-6 were lower in RLNAC compared to IO. IL-10 was lower in RL, RLNAC and HSNAC compared to IO. TNF-alpha was higher in HSNAC compared to both RL and RLNAC. Bacterial translocation was observed in all animals of IO group. In kidneys, inflammation and congestion degrees were lower in HSNAC compared to RL. In lungs, inflammation levels were higher in RLNAC compared with the sham group. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicates that NAC associated with RL can promote a decrease in the inflammatory process in the kidneys and lungs in rats, following intestinal obstruction and ischemia in rats.

Abordagens de aprendizado e sua correlação com ambiente educacional e características individuais em escola médica / Learning approaches and their correlation with the teaching environment and individual characteristics in medical school

Resumo: Introdução: A qualidade de aprendizado de estudantes de escolas médicas tem sido tema recorrente da literatura mundial nas últimas décadas, mas há escassez de estudos nacionais acerca do assunto. O ambiente de ensino deve favorecer o aprendizado profundo, por estar intimamente relacionado com uma aprendizagem significativa. Metodologias ativas de aprendizagem são vinculadas a maior qualidade de aprendizado, por propiciarem ambiente favorável ao aprendizado profundo. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivos avaliar a qualidade do aprendizado de estudantes de Medicina de um curso que adota metodologias ativas de aprendizagem e correlacioná-la com as percepções dos alunos acerca do ambiente educacional e com dados sociodemográficos. Método: Trata-se de estudo descritivo transversal realizado com estudantes do curso de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), do primeiro ao sexto ano. Foram utilizados os instrumentos R-SPQ-2F, DREEM e questionário sociodemográfico. Realizou-se análise descritiva, e compararam-se as frequências por meio do teste do qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher. As diferenças entre médias foram avaliadas por meio de teste t de Student ou teste de Mann-Whitney, quando se compararam somente dois grupos, ou por meio de análise de variância (ANOVA) ou teste de Kruskal-Wallis, quando comparados mais de dois grupos. As associações entre as variáveis quantitativas foram verificadas por meio do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson ou de Spearman. A análise estatística foi realizada com auxílio do programa IBM SPSS Statistics versão 25.0, e adotou-se como parâmetro de significância um valor de p < 0,05. Resultado: Entrevistaram-se 226 alunos. A pontuação média para abordagem profunda foi de 33,52 e, para a abordagem superficial, 17,42. Em relação à percepção do ambiente educacional, a média foi de 129,77 pontos. As variáveis objetivas que demonstraram influência sobre o aprendizado foram: sexo, idade de início do curso, contato prévio com metodologias ativas, prática de idiomas, ter graduação ou pós-graduação prévia, receber auxílio financeiro de familiares e ano da graduação. Conclusão: As metodologias ativas de aprendizagem podem estimular a adoção de estratégias de aprendizado profundo. O estudo dos fatores que influenciam na abordagem de aprendizado é complexo e envolve questões individuais subjetivas.

Abstract: Introduction: The quality of learning of medical students has been a recurring subject of research in recent decades, but there are scarce national studies on it. The learning environment should encourage deep learning, as it is intimately related to meaningful learning. Active learning methods are linked to better quality of learning, since they provide a favorable environment for deep learning. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of learning of students at a medical school that adopts active learning methods for all course years and correlate it to students' views on educational environment and sociodemographic data. Method: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with 1st to 6th-year medical students from the Federal University of São Carlos. The R-SPQ-2f, DREEM and sociodemographic questionnaires were applied. Descriptive analysis was performed, and frequencies were compared using chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Differences between means were evaluated with either Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney's test, when comparing only two groups, and with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis' test, when comparing more than two groups. Associations between quantitative variables were verified with either Pearson's or Spearman's correlation coefficient. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0. For significance, p-value<0.05 was adopted. Result: 226 students were interviewed. The average deep learning score was 33.52 points, and, for superficial learning, 17.42 points. As for how the environment was perceived, the average score was 129.77. The objective variables that showed influence in learning were sex, course start age, previous contact with active learning methods, language study, previous undergraduate training, or post-graduate degree, receiving financial help from family and current course year. Conclusion: Active learning methods may stimulate the adoption of deep learning strategies. The evaluation of factors that influence study approaches is complex, involving subjective individual parameters.