Mortality Profile of Deaths Related to Infective Endocarditis in Brazil and Regions: A Population-Based Analysis of Death Records.

Background: Studies of infective endocarditis (IE) are generally limited to institutions, underlining the need for more comprehensive epidemiological research.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the mortality profile of IE-related deaths and related causes in Brazil at the national level and across regions.

Method: We conducted a population-based study using data from the country's mortality information system for the period 2000 to 2019.

Neurological Manifestation Associated with Chikungunya Infection in a Pediatric Patient from Itacoatiara, Brazilian Amazon: A Case Report.

A 9-year-old male with autism and a history of well-controlled epilepsy presented with acute headache, fever, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Initial diagnostics, including imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, were inconclusive. However, further serological testing suggested the presence of the chikungunya virus, establishing a diagnosis of chikungunya-associated neurological manifestation.

Spontaneous Epidural Hematomas in a Patient With Sickle Cell Anemia: A Case Report.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a systemic organ disease with acute and chronic complications. Neurological complications of SCD include cerebral ischemia, moyamoya syndrome, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, cerebral fat embolism, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Although less frequent, rare hemorrhagic manifestations, such as spontaneous epidural hematoma (EDH), can occur and are associated with increased mortality and morbidity.

High removal of volatile organic compounds on hierarchical carbons prepared from agro-industrial waste of banana fruit production for air decontamination.

Activated carbons were prepared from residues from agro-industrial banana production (banana pseudostem) and evaluated in the capture of five different volatile organic compounds (VOCs): dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, hexane, and cyclohexane. The biomass was first submitted to a hydrothermal treatment in the presence of KOH or ZnCl as activating agents, followed by a dry pyrolysis. This new advance in methodology contributes to producing activated carbons with hierarchical porosity and high surface areas (701-1312 m g), promoting increased interest in managing waste from banana fruit agricultural production.

The delicate nature of a constructive peer review: pearls from the editorial board.

Peer review stands as a cornerstone of academic publishing, especially in the era of evidence-based neurosurgery - the scientific literature relies on proficient peer reviewers. Providing a constructive peer review is an art and learned skill that requires knowledge of study design and expertise in the neurosurgical subspeciality. Peer reviewers guard against arbitrary decision-making and are essential in ensuring that published manuscripts are of the highest quality.

Cognitive dysfunction following brain trauma results from sex-specific reactivation of the developmental pruning processes.

Cognitive losses resulting from severe brain trauma have long been associated with the focal region of tissue damage, leading to devastating functional impairment. For decades, researchers have focused on the sequelae of cellular alterations that exist within the perilesional tissues; however, few clinical trials have been successful. Here, we employed a mouse brain injury model that resulted in expansive synaptic damage to regions outside the focal injury.

High-intensity interval training improves cardiomyocyte contractile function and myofilament sensitivity to intracellular Ca in obese rats.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has shown significant results in addressing adiposity and risk factors associated with obesity. However, there are no studies that investigate the effects of HIIT on contractility and intracellular Ca handling. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of HIIT on cardiomyocyte contractile function and intracellular Ca handling in rats in which obesity was induced by a saturated high-fat diet (HFD).

Comparative analysis of upfront stereotactic radiosurgery and watchful waiting in the management of newly diagnosed vestibular schwannomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign intracranial tumors posing significant management challenges. This study aims to compare the outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and watchful waiting (WW) in the management of newly diagnosed VS, integrating findings from both retrospective and the pioneering V-REX prospective trial. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases.

Same-day discharge in craniotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Traditionally, patients undergoing craniotomy were subject to extended hospital stays for intensive monitoring and management of potential complications. However, with the evolution of surgical methods, anesthesia, and postoperative protocols, the feasibility and interest in same-day discharge (SDD) are growing. This study aimed to evaluate whether same-day discharge is a safe and feasible approach in craniotomy through a meta-analysis of the available literature.

Implementing a social prescribing program in primary care units in Portugal: A qualitative study exploring enablers, barriers and lessons learned from the perspectives of stakeholders involved in the program implementation.

Social prescribing (SP) is a promising intersectoral strategy of integrated and person-centered care that can improve individual health and well-being by going beyond medical treatment, potentially reducing overall disease burden on health system. SP addresses health and social determinants of health by linking patients to community responses, i.e.

Resting-State EEG Signature of Early Consciousness Recovery in Comatose Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG) is usually obtained to assess seizures in comatose patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). We aim to investigate rsEEG measures and their prediction of early recovery of consciousness in patients with TBI.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of comatose patients with TBI who were admitted to a trauma center (October 2013 to January 2022).

Child health nursing consultation and competencies for Advanced Practice Nurses.

Objective: To analyze nurses' practice in child health nursing consultations and the presence of care management competencies proposed for Advanced Practice Nurses (APN).

Method: Multicenter, exploratory sequential mixed methods research, carried out in 17 Basic Health Units in four Brazilian cities. Collection was carried out from May to July 2022 through filming of consultation and analysis of medical records.

Synergistic neuromodulation therapy for persistent spinal pain: a proof-of-concept trial on the use of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion stimulation.

Purpose: Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome type 2 (PSPS-T2) poses a significant clinical challenge, demanding innovative therapeutic interventions. The integration of Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) and Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation (DRG-S) is emerging as a potent synergistic strategy for comprehensive pain management. This single patient-blind proof of concept (POC) trial explores the efficacy and synergistic potential of combined SCS and DRG-S in a patient with refractory PSPS-T2.

Magnetic resonance imaging for jawbone assessment: a systematic review.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for jawbone assessment compared to reference-standard measurements in the literature.

Materials And Methods: An electronic database search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library in June 2022, and updated in August 2023. Studies evaluating the accuracy of MRI for jawbone assessment compared with reference-standard measurements (histology, physical measurements, or computed tomography) were included.

Trustworthy Evidence to Support Quality Digital Healthcare Policy for Underserved Communities: What Needs to Happen to Translate Evidence into Policy?

In this paper, we explore what is needed to generate quality research to guide evidence-informed digital health policy and call the Canadian community of patients, clinicians, policy (decision) makers and researchers to action in setting digital health research priorities for supporting underserved communities. Using specific examples, we describe how evidence is produced and implemented to guide digital health policy. We study how research environments must change to reflect and include the communities for whom the policy is intended.

Enabling Connected Care with a Person-Centred Data Foundation.

Having the right information at the right time and at the fingertips of the right individuals is not just a necessity for a well-functioning healthcare system but it is also the difference between life and death for Canadians. It is particularly critical to enable improved access to and quality of care for equity-deserving individuals because these data eliminate blind spots for clinicians, policy makers and system planners. The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the health data challenges that exist across Canada and the tangible impact those have on the healthcare system's ability to meet the needs of underserved populations.