Use of Active Learning During Emergency Remote Teaching in COVID-19 Pandemic.

The mandatory isolation caused by COVID-19 required the adoption of emergency remote teaching, which caused difficulties for instructors, especially for those who use active learning that depends on student participation in class. This study aimed to investigate the ability of instructors to apply active learning effectively given the pandemic context. This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out in an undergraduate medical school.

Virtual Reality as a Complementary Learning Tool in Anatomy Education for Medical Students.

Virtual reality seems to be a promising tool to improve the study of anatomy; however, its efficacy compared to traditional methods remains unclear. This randomized experimental study included 42 first-semester medical students enrolled in a Morphology discipline, divided into two groups. Each group was interchangeably assigned to use virtual reality plus traditional methods or traditional methods alone in a four-section crossover design.

Chronic diseases, chest computed tomography, and laboratory tests as predictors of severe respiratory failure and death in elderly Brazilian patients hospitalized with COVID-19: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The primary risk factors for severe respiratory failure and death in the elderly hospitalized with COVID-19 remain unclear.

Objective: To determine the association of chronic diseases, chest computed tomography (CT), and laboratory tests with severe respiratory failure and mortality in older adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

Method: This was a prospective cohort with 201 hospitalized older adults with COVID-19.

The association between low lean mass and osteoporosis increases the risk of weakness, poor physical performance and frailty in Brazilian older adults: data from SARCOS study.

Purpose: To characterize the phenotypes of older adults with low lean mass and osteoporosis, concomitantly or isolated, in regards to poor physical performance and frailty status.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the SARCopenia and OSteoporosis in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Diseases Study (SARCOS).

Setting: Outpatient geriatric cardiology clinic.

Profile of medical students in the first group of the Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein.

Objective: To describe first medical students' profile of the Faculdade Israelita de Ciências da Saúde Albert Einstein.

Methods: Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire during the Biostatistics course in August of 2016. The students were inquired about demographic characteristics, data on their secondary education and college entrance exams, practice of physical exercise, leisure activities done, to have a physician in the family, and specialty that they intended to pursue as a career.

Effect of blood thiamine concentrations on mortality: Influence of nutritional status.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that low blood thiamine concentrations in malnourished critically ill children are associated with higher risk of 30-d mortality.

Methods: Prospective cohort study in 202 consecutively admitted children who had whole blood thiamine concentrations assessed on admission and on days 5 and 10 of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. The primary outcome variable was 30-d mortality.

First experience with multiple mini interview for medical school admission in Brazil: Does it work in a different cultural scenario?

Purpose: Evaluation of non-cognitive skills never has been used in Brazil. This study aims to evaluate Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) in the admission process of a School of Medicine in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: The population of the study comprised 240 applicants summoned for the interviews, and 96 raters.

Factors associated with the implementation of programs for drug abuse prevention in schools.

Objective: To analyze if characteristics of managers, schools, and curriculum are associated with the implementation of programs for drug abuse prevention in elementary and high schools.

Methods: Cross-sectional study, with random sample of 263 school managers. Data were collected between 2012 and 2013 by a program that sends forms via internet.

Micronutrient Deficiencies and Plasmodium vivax Malaria among Children in the Brazilian Amazon.

Background: There is a growing body of evidence linking micronutrient deficiencies and malaria incidence arising mostly from P. falciparum endemic areas. We assessed the impact of micronutrient deficiencies on malaria incidence and vice versa in the Brazilian state of Amazonas.

The impact of tibial torsion measurements on gait analysis kinematics.

Objective: To measure and compare tibial torsion values as assessed by goniometry and three-dimensional kinematics. In addition, the impact of each one of these measurements on kinematic and kinetic results for normal gait was determined.

Methods: Twenty-three healthy and fully ambulatory patients were assessed, 11 women and 12 men, from 20 to 40 years old.

Low plasma selenium concentrations in critically ill children: the interaction effect between inflammation and selenium deficiency.

Introduction: Low plasma selenium concentrations are frequent in critically ill patients. However, whether this is due to systemic inflammation, a deficient nutritional state or both is still not clear. We aimed to determine the factors associated with low plasma selenium in critically ill children while considering the inflammatory response and nutritional status.

Randomized comparison of distal and proximal cerebral protection during carotid artery stenting.

Objectives: This study sought to randomly compare cerebral protection with ANGIOGUARD (Cordis Corporation, Bridgewater, New Jersey) with Mo.Ma (Invatec/Medtronic Vascular Inc, Santa Rosa, California) during carotid artery stenting (CAS), using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to detect new ischemic cerebral lesions. The number, size, and location of lesions were analyzed.

Physicians' attitude towards tobacco dependence in a private hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

Objective: To investigate how often physicians identify and treat tobacco dependence and whether characteristics as gender, age, marital status, medical specialty and smoking status can influence their attitude towards this question.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 515 physicians working in a private hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, using a confidential voluntary questionnaire sent and answered electronically.

Results: We found that 89% of physicians who answered the research questionnaire often or always asked their patients about smoking habits, but only 39% often or always treated patients' tobacco dependence.

Clinical and economic impact of procalcitonin to shorten antimicrobial therapy in septic patients with proven bacterial infection in an intensive care setting.

Biomarkers such as procalcitonin (PCT) have been studied to guide duration of antibiotic therapy. We aimed to assess whether a decrease in PCT levels could be used to reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with a proven infection without risking a worse outcome. We assessed 265 patients with suspected sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock in our ICU.

Liver transplant outcome: a comparison between high and low MELD score recipients.

Objective: To compare low and high MELD scores and investigate whether existing renal dysfunction has an effect on transplant outcome.

Methods: Data was prospectively collected among 237 liver transplants (216 patients) between March 2003 and March 2009. Patients with cirrhotic disease submitted to transplantation were divided into three groups: MELD > or = 30, MELD < 30, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The potential neuroprotective effects of weekly treatment with glatiramer acetate in diabetic patients after panretinal photocoagulation.

Purpose: Evaluation of the neuroprotective effect of weekly glatiramer acetate (GA) on retinal structure and function in diabetic patients who underwent panretinal photocoagulation (PRP).

Patients And Methods: patients with severe nonproliferative or early diabetic proliferative retinopathy and no previous laser treatment were randomly divided into two groups: (1) those who received four GA treatments and (2) those who received placebo treatment. The subcutaneous injections were administered 1 week prior to laser and weekly in the subsequent three sessions of PRP in both groups.

Successful prevention of tracheostomy associated pneumonia in step-down units.

Background: Prevention of health care-associated infections is well described in critical care. However, surveillance in step-down unit (SDU) patients who need intermediate care with bilevel mechanical ventilation pressure through tracheotomy needs to be better understood. We evaluated the implementation of preventive measures in SDU over 2 different periods on device (bilevel mechanical ventilation)-associated pneumonia.

Silicone Ahmed glaucoma valve with and without intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for neovascular glaucoma: randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: To compare the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) of the silicone Ahmed glaucoma valve with and without an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide.

Patients And Methods: Forty-nine patients with clinically uncontrolled neovascular glaucoma were included in the study; 22 were randomly assigned to the study group (silicone Ahmed glaucoma valve implant with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide) and 27 to the control group (silicone Ahmed glaucoma valve). IOP was the primary outcome measure in this study.

Timing of initial surfactant treatment in very low birth weight newborns.

Objective: To correlate the timing of treatment using exogenous surfactant with the main variables related to respiratory distress syndrome or prematurity.

Methods: A historic cohort study between January 1, 2004 and June 30, 2007, including very low birth weight newborns (birth weight <1,500 g) admitted to the hospital and who required surfactant therapy. Newborns were divided into three study groups: early (treatment during the first two hours); intermediate (treatment between two and six hours) and late (treatment after six hours).

Measuring rates of hand hygiene adherence in the intensive care setting: a comparative study of direct observation, product usage, and electronic counting devices.

Objective: To compare 3 measures of hand hygiene adherence-direct observation, product usage, and electronic counting devices-in an intensive care unit.

Design: A 12-week observational study.

Setting: A 40-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit at a private tertiary care hospital.

Inappropriate medications using the Beers criteria in Brazilian hospitalized elderly patients.

Objective: To study the prevalence and to identify risk factors of using potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in hospitalized elderly patients.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. For identification of PIM, modified 2003 Beers criteria were used.

Positive deviance: a new strategy for improving hand hygiene compliance.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a positive deviance strategy for the improvement of hand hygiene compliance in 2 adult step-down units.

Design: A 9-month, controlled trial comparing the effect of positive deviance on compliance with hand hygiene.

Setting: Two 20-bed step-down units at a tertiary care private hospital.

Alterations in cytokine profile and dendritic cells subsets in peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients before and after biologic therapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic joint inflammation and continuous immune cell infiltration in the synovium. These changes are linked to inflammatory cytokine release, leading to eventual destruction of cartilage and bone. During the last decade new therapeutic modalities have improved the prognosis, with the introduction of novel biological response modifiers including anti-TNFalpha CTLA4Ig and, more recently, anti-IL6.

Successful prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in an intensive care setting.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common health care-associated infections (HAIs) in critical care settings.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the effect of a series of interventions, implemented in 3 different periods to reduce the incidence of VAP in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A quasiexperimental study was conducted in a medical-surgical ICU.