Use of psychoactive substances among university students from 2019 to 2020: A systematic review.

Psychoactive substances act on the central nervous system producing changes in mental processes, such as perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions. The present study aims to identify: (i) the most used psychoactive substances, (ii) how psychoactive substances are acquired, (iii) and possible reasons for the use of psychoactive substances amongst university students. A literature search was carried out without language restrictions and included articles published between 2019 and 2020 in journals indexed in the electronic databases of Pubmed and Scielo. The inclusion criteria considered were: (i) original articles, (ii) studies carried out with university students, (iii) providing data on the use of psychoactive substances. 15 studies were included in this review, of which: 4 studies addressed possible reasons that lead to use of psychoactive substances, 10 studies reported usage profile and demographic data, and 1 study addressed how students acquire psychoactive substances. Reasons that led to the consumption of psychoactive substances include: feelings of loneliness after moving away from family; difficulty making new friends; poor academic performance and susceptible environment to acquisition of these substances. In the selected studies, alcohol was identified as the main drug used. In light of the findings reported in this review, new prevention and harm reduction measures can be formulated, based mainly on the reasons that lead to the use of psychoactive drugs, consumption patterns and how the drugs were acquired by university students.

Memantine associated with ventricular-subcutaneous shunt promotes behavioral improvement, reduces reactive astrogliosis and cell death in juvenile hydrocephalic rats.

Hydrocephalus is defined as the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. The usual treatment of hydrocephalus is surgical (shunt), but not all patients can undergo treatment immediately after diagnosis. Thus, neuroprotective measures were tested to minimize the tissue damage involved. Memantine is a non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which has shown a neuroprotective action in neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective response of memantine in animals treated with or without a ventricular-subcutaneous shunt. Seven-day-old male Wistar rats induced by intracisternal injection of kaolin were used, divided into five groups: intact control (n = 10), hydrocephalic (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with memantine (20 mg/kg/day) (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with shunt (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with shunt and memantine (20 mg/kg/day) (n = 10). Memantine administration was started on the day after hydrocephalus induction and continued until the last day of the experimental period, totaling 21 consecutive days of drug application. The CSF shunt surgery was performed seven days after hydrocephalus induction. Behavioral tests (open field, and modified Morris water maze), histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed. Treatment with memantine resulted in significant improvement (p < 0.05) in sensorimotor development, preservation of spatial memory, reduction of astrocytic reaction in the corpus callosum, cortex, and germinal matrix. When associated with the shunt, it has also been shown to reduce the cell death cascade. It is concluded that memantine is a promising adjuvant drug with beneficial potential for the treatment of lesions secondary to hydrocephalus.

The association of Edaravone with shunt surgery improves behavioral performance, reduces astrocyte reaction and apoptosis, and promotes neuroprotection in young hydrocephalic rats.

The neuroprotective effect of Edaravone in young hydrocephalic rats associated with a CSF derivation system was evaluated. The drug has already been shown to be beneficial in experimental hydrocephalus, but the combination of this drug with shunt surgery has not yet been investigated. Fifty-seven-day-old Wistar rats submitted to hydrocephalus by injection of kaolin in the cisterna magna were used and divided into five groups: control (n = 10), hydrocephalic (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with Edaravone (20 mg/kg/day) (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with shunt (n = 10) and hydrocephalic treated with shunt and Edaravone (n = 10). Administration of the Edaravone was started 24 h after hydrocephalus induction (P1) and continued until the experimental endpoint (P21). The CSF shunt surgery was performed seven days after hydrocephalus induction (P7). Open-field tests, histological evaluation by hematoxylin and eosin, immunohistochemistry by Caspase-3 and GFAP, and ELISA biochemistry by GFAP were performed. Edaravone reduced reactive astrogliosis in the corpus callosum and germinal matrix (p < 0.05). When used alone or associated with CSF shunt surgery, the drug decreased the cell death process (p < 0.0001) and improved the morphological aspect of the astroglia (p < 0.05). The results showed that Edaravone associated with CSF bypass surgery promotes neuroprotection in young hydrocephalic rats by reducing reactive astrogliosis and decreasing cell death.

3D Reconstruction of Non-Rigid Plants and Sensor Data Fusion for Agriculture Phenotyping.

Technology has been promoting a great transformation in farming. The introduction of robotics; the use of sensors in the field; and the advances in computer vision; allow new systems to be developed to assist processes, such as phenotyping, of crop's life cycle monitoring. This work presents, which we believe to be the first time, a system capable of generating 3D models of non-rigid corn plants, which can be used as a tool in the phenotyping process. The system is composed by two modules: an terrestrial acquisition module and a processing module. The terrestrial acquisition module is composed by a robot, equipped with an RGB-D camera and three sets of temperature, humidity, and luminosity sensors, that collects data in the field. The processing module conducts the non-rigid 3D plants reconstruction and merges the sensor data into these models. The work presented here also shows a novel technique for background removal in depth images, as well as efficient techniques for processing these images and the sensor data. Experiments have shown that from the models generated and the data collected, plant structural measurements can be performed accurately and the plant's environment can be mapped, allowing the plant's health to be evaluated and providing greater crop efficiency.

Neuropsychiatric feature profiles of patients with Lewy body dementia.

OBJECTIVE: Differential diagnosis between Parkinson's disease (PD) dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is difficult due to common features, whereas management decisions and research endpoints depend upon knowledge of dementia severity. We aimed to assess risk factors for age at dementia onset, as well as which neuropsychiatric features are associated with pharmacotherapy and signs and symptoms of Lewy body dementia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with PD dementia or DLB were evaluated for age at disease onset, education, sanitation, anthropometric measures, alcohol use, smoking, history of infections or head trauma with unconsciousness, family history of neurodegenerative diseases, functional independence, cognition, behavior, motor features, caregiver burden and pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were recruited (37 with DLB, 14 with PD dementia). Cumulative alcohol use and married status were associated with earlier dementia onset, whereas history of treated systemic infections and cumulative family history of primary neurodegenerative diseases led to later dementia onset. The length of dementia was shorter only for severely impaired patients who used anti-depressants, but not for users of cholinesterase inhibitors, while no behavioral symptom was associated with dopaminergic therapy. Night-time behavior disturbances were inversely associated with sleep satisfaction, while caregiver burden was more affected by depression and motor features. Non-motor symptoms were more burdensome for patients with DLB, while in PD dementia anxiety and dysphoria occurred when motor features were less burdensome. CONCLUSIONS: PD dementia and DLB are two phenotypes of the same pathological entity, differing mostly by the occurrence of parkinsonian signs. Predictors of dementia onset differ from other neurodegenerative diseases.

Prediction of Motor Failure Time Using An Artificial Neural Network.

Industry is constantly seeking ways to avoid corrective maintenance so as to reduce costs. Performing regular scheduled maintenance can help to mitigate this problem, but not necessarily in the most efficient way. In the context of condition-based maintenance, the main contributions of this work were to propose a methodology to treat and transform the collected data from a vibration system that simulated a motor and to build a dataset to train and test an Artificial Neural Network capable of predicting the future condition of the equipment, pointing out when a failure can happen. To achieve this goal, a device model was built to simulate typical motor vibrations, consisting of a computer cooler fan and several magnets. Measurements were made using an accelerometer, and the data were collected and processed to produce a structured dataset. The neural network training with this dataset converged quickly and stably, while the tests performed, k-fold cross-validation and model generalization, presented excellent performance. The same tests were performed with other machine learning techniques, to demonstrate the effectiveness of neural networks mainly in their generalizability. The results of the work confirm that it is possible to use neural networks to perform predictive tasks in relation to the conditions of industrial equipment. This is an important area of study that helps to support the growth of smart industries.

Contrasts Between Patients With Lewy Body Dementia Syndromes and APOE-ε3/ε3 Patients With Late-onset Alzheimer Disease Dementia.

INTRODUCTION: Neuropsychiatric and epidemiological patterns may compensate for insufficient specificity of diagnostic criteria of Lewy body dementia (LBD) syndromes in differential analysis with Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia. We aimed to compare and distinguish demographic and neuropsychiatric features between LBD and APOE-ε3/ε3 late-onset AD. METHODS: A total of 39 consecutive patients with Parkinson disease dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies were matched with 39 APOE-ε3/ε3 patients with late-onset AD according to sex and Mini-Mental State Examination scores, and evaluated for education, age at disease onset, lifetime sanitary conditions, anthropometric measures, alcohol use, smoking, history of head trauma or bacterial infections, family history of neurodegenerative diseases, caregiver burden, functional independence, cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and pharmacological treatment. RESULTS: Family history of parkinsonism and worse motor performance were more prevalent in Parkinson disease dementia, also impacting sleep satisfaction and physical self-maintenance. Patients with AD had higher systolic blood pressure, were more independent, and had better performance in visuospatial tasks and calculations, whereas patients with LBD were more oriented and previously lived longer in rural areas without sanitation. Among neuropsychiatric symptoms, hallucinations, apathy, dysphoria, anxiety, and aberrant motor behavior were the most significant for discrimination amidst dementia diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Functional performance, visuospatial skills, and behavioral symptoms are helpful for differential diagnoses between LBD and AD. Cerebrovascular risk might be more important for AD pathogenesis, whereas environmental factors might impact development of LBD.

O custo da neurocirurgia no Sistema Único de Saúde no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto / The cost of neurosurgery in Public Health System in Hospital Base of São Jose do Rio Preto

Objetivo: Estudar a gestão financeira da neurocirurgia no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) brasileiro no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto. Métodos: Foram avaliados 246 AIH (Autorizações de Internações Hospitalares) dos pacientes internados no Hospital de base no período de dezembro de 2012 a junho de 2013, sendo catalogados o gasto total do paciente durante a internação, idade, dias de internação, local de origem, nome completo e registro hospitalar, e comparados os valores com os valores pagos pelo SUS de acordo com a legislação em atividade. Resultados: O total de gasto do hospital nas cirurgias eletivas foi de R$ 718.036,70, e o valor pago pelo SUS foi de R$ 321.607,45, evidenciando um déficit de R$ 395.329,17. Em contrapartida, o gasto pelo hospital nas cirurgias de urgência foi de R$ 707.698,28 e o valor pago pelo SUS, de R$ 199.599,94, evidenciando um déficit de R$ 508.098,34. Conclusão: A tabela de distribuição financeira de acordo com os procedimentos do SUS encontra-se desatualizada, principalmente nas subespecialidades que utilizam materiais, por exemplo, a neurocirurgia vascular e de coluna. Além disso, o valor pago pelo SUS nas cirurgias de trauma encontra-se, sobremaneira, inferior ao valor gasto pela instituição, necessitando, assim, de revisão dos gastos e reestudo dos valores pagos pelos procedimentos.

Objective: Study the financial management of neurosurgery in the Brazilian Unified Health System in Base Hospital of São Jose do Rio Preto. Methods: 246 AIH (Permits to Hospitalization) of patients at the Hospital of the base in a period of December 2012 to June 2013, being cataloged the total expense of the patient during hospitalization, age, length of stay, place of origin, full name and hospital and compared the values with the amounts paid by SUS according to the legislation in activity. Results: The total expense for the Hospital in elective surgery was R$ 718,036.70 and the amount paid by SUS was R$ 321,607.45 showing a deficit of R$ 395,329.17. In return for spending hospital in emergency surgery was R$ 707,698.28 and the amount paid by SUS R$ 199,599.94, showing a deficit of R$ 508,098.34. Conclusion: The financial distribution table according to the procedures SUS is outdated, particularly in sub-specialties that use materials such as neurosurgery and vascular column furthermore sustained by the amount paid in surgical trauma is, greatly lower than the amount spent by the institution, thus requiring spending review and restudy of the amounts paid by the procedures.

Contralateral extradural hematoma following decompressive craniectomy for acute subdural hematoma (the value of intracranial pressure monitoring): a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Decompressive surgery for acute subdural hematoma leading to contralateral extradural hematoma is an uncommon event with only few cases previously reported in the English medical literature. CASE PRESENTATION: The present study describes the case of a 39-year-old White Brazilian man who had a motorcycle accident; he underwent decompressive craniectomy for the treatment of acute subdural hematoma and evolved contralateral extradural hematoma following surgery. CONCLUSION: The present case highlights the importance of close monitoring of the intracranial pressure of severe traumatic brain injury, even after decompressive procedures, because of the possible development of contralateral extradural hematoma.

Formação de avaliadores na modalidade educação a distância: necessidade transformada em realidade / The training of evaluators in the Distance-Learning Module: a need becomes a reality

Será apresentada neste artigo a proposta do Curso Básico de Avaliação em Saúde do Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira - IMIP - voltada ao ensino dos principais conceitos e abordagens nesse campo de atuação, com o uso de fundamentos e da tecnologia de Educação à Distância. Este curso é parte integrante da Política Nacional de Institucionalização da Avaliação em Saúde, com vistas à formação de profissionais situados em posições estratégicas nas três instâncias gestoras do Sistema Único de Saúde, nas diversas regiões brasileiras. Considerando o perfil esperado para o avaliador em saúde foram estabelecidas as competências para este profissional e uma proposta pedagógica centrada no aprendizado crítico, reflexivo, autônomo e com base no dialogo entre a teoria e a vivência prática do aluno. Para a elaboração deste curso foi conformada uma equipe multiprofissional (avaliadores, consultores pedagógicos, técnicos de informática e diagramação), sendo realizadas as seguintes etapas: elaboração do material didático, desenvolvimento da página na rede, capacitação de tutores e seleção dos alunos.

This article presents the proposal for the Basic Course in Health Evaluation of the Instituto Materno Infantil Prof. Fernando Figueira - IMIP - which aims to teach the main concepts and approaches adopted in this field of work, the use of distance learning principles and technology. The course forms an integral part of the National Policy for Institutionalization of Health Evaluation, with a view to training professionals occupying strategic positions in the three management levels of the Brazilian National Health Service, in various parts of the country. Given the expected profile of the health evaluator, the necessary qualifications for this professional were established and a teaching proposal centered on critical, reflective, autonomous learning and based on a dialogue between theory and the practical work of the student. To design the course, a multi-professional team was set up (including evaluators, teaching consultants, computer technicians and designers). The work was divided into the following stages: design and production of teaching materials, development of the website, training of tutors, and selection of students.