Self-efficacy of medical students in a hybrid curriculum course (traditional and problem-based learning) and associated factors.

Self-efficacy consists of the judgment of one's abilities to perform actions required to achieve a given performance, which has been considered predictive of performance. In academics, it means personal convictions in accomplishing a task to a defined degree of quality. Numerous studies have investigated medical students' self-efficacy in traditional and PBL curricula. However, few studies have addressed the hybrid PBL scenario (Hpbl) that simultaneously contemplates PBL, traditional teaching, and practical activities. An even smaller number have evaluated the factors associated with this entity. With these considerations, we aimed to investigate the self-efficacy belief in the hPBL curriculum and the factors associated with this entity. This quantitative observational cross-sectional study was held between August 2022 and November 2022 in Fortaleza, a city in Northeast Brazil with almost 3 million inhabitants. The medical course has 12 semesters. The first two semesters use traditional teaching and cover the basic cycle, followed by the third to eighth semesters which correspond to the pre-clinical and clinical cycle. From the third semester onwards, traditional teaching and PBL are used simultaneously, which we call a hybrid model of PBL. The scale "Scale of Self-efficacy in Higher Education" was applied, a questionnaire validated for the Portuguese language consisting of 34 questions, with answers on a Likert-type scale with ten points, divided into five dimensions. To verify the association between sociodemographic factors and self-efficacy, simple and multiple linear models with robust errors were used. In total, 412 students participated in this study, most of them women (70.1%). The average age of students was 22.9 years. All domains had medians greater than 8, which means strong self-efficacy. The following factors were associated with higher self-efficacy scores in general after the multivariate analysis: female gender (8.6 vs. 8.3, p-value = 0.014), working (8.8 vs. 8.5, p-value = 0.019) and participating in extracurricular activities (8.7 vs. 8.1, p-value = 0.019). We conclude that medical students studying in hybrid learning models showed strong levels of self-efficacy. In addition, participating in extracurricular activities was associated with higher self-efficacy scores and males presented lower levels of self-efficacy.

Depression among Brazilian medical students exposed to remote learning and the role of scopophobia.

Medical education was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and remote teaching through lectures and classes through videoconferencing was heavily used. However, the need to use cameras led to scopophobia, which is the fear of being watched, which can lead to psychological symptoms. Despite the relevance and prevalence of depression and the increase in the use of cameras for learning, research evaluating the impact of scopophobia on students' mental health is surprisingly scarce. Hence, to fill up this gap, a cross-sectional study was carried out in medical schools in Brazil. To assess the presence of depressed mood, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was applied. We used logistic regression models to verify the associations. The overall prevalence of positive PHQ9 found in our study was 62%. By studying the factors associated with a high risk of scopophobia, we could identify that the PHQ was statistically associated with scopophobia (odds ratio 2.43 (confidence interval 1.11-5.26), adjusted p value = .0269). Also, a lower family income, a higher number of household inhabitants, and female gender were associated. These results suggest that scopophobia is associated with depression, leading us to believe that interventions to mitigate this risk in students are opportune, especially if targeted at lower-income students.

Association of scopophobia with online learning fatigue among medical students in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Scopophobia can be described in the medical field as the fear of being watched or stared at. Despite the relevance of scopophobia in remote learning scenarios, which have always existed and have been largely expanded during the pandemic in medical education, studies on this topic are exceedingly rare worldwide. Hence, to fill up this gap, a cross-sectional study of medical students was developed to assess the association of scopophobia with the prevalence of online learning fatigue. METHODS: A cross-sectional, quantitative, analytical study was carried out in Medical Schools of Brazil. To assess the risk of scopophobia, questions were developed, based on the literature on the topic. The Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale (ZEF) was used, and the questions have currently been validated for Brazilian Portuguese. Logistic regression models were also used to assess the relationship of scopophobia risk and ZEF scores. RESULTS: A total of 283 students from Brazil participated in the study. The median age was 23 years, and 64% of the participants were female. In total, 14.5% were considered to be at high risk for scopophobia. It was found that after adjusting for sex, income and number of residents in the household, scopophobia and the total zoom fatigue score remained associated. For the total score, each additional point on the scale increased the chance of scopophobia by 3%, and for the overall domain, 19% (p-values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study shows a relevant prevalence of students with scopophobia, which requires a differentiated approach on the part of teachers. The causes of scopophobia are often specific and have a psychological origin that goes beyond the usual pedagogical management. Therefore, motivation strategies are necessary in a general, as well as an individualized manner, aiming to favor the improvement of the online teaching and learning process.

Hipertensão renovascular levando à nefrectomia unilateral: relato de caso / Renovascular hypertension leading to unilateral nephrectomy: case report

Objetivo: Relatar o caso de uma paciente jovem portadora de Hipertensão Arterial Secundária à estenose da artéria renal, que evoluiu com perda renal em decorrência de necessidade de nefrectomia unilateral, enfatizado a importância do diagnóstico e da abordagem adequada desta patologia para o controle da pressão arterial e preservação da função renal. Método: Os dados foram obtidos através de entrevista com a paciente, análise de prontuário, laudos de técnicas diagnósticas, as quais a paciente foi submetida, entre julho e novembro de 2019, durante as consultas médicas e revisão bibliográfica. Conclusão: A nefrectomia unilateral mostrou-se eficaz no controle da hipertensão arterial, na melhora do desempenho renal, possibilitando a melhoria na qualidade de vida do indivíduo afetado

Objective: To report the case of a young patient with SAH secondary to renal artery stenosis, who developed renal loss due to the need for unilateral nephrectomy, emphasizing the importance of the diagnosis and the appropriate approach of this pathology for the control of blood pressure and preservation of renal function. Method: The data were obtained through interview with the patient, analysis of medical records, reports of diagnostic techniques, which the patient was submitted between July and November 2019, during medical consultations and literature review. Conclusion: Unilateral Nephrectomy proved to be effective in controlling arterial hypertension, improving renal performance and in the evolution of renal insufficiency that is difficult to control from the renovascular root, enabling improvement in the affected individual's quality of life

Padrão da disseminação regional linfática do carcinoma espinocelular da orofaringe / Pattern of distribution of cervical lymph node metastases in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Introdução: o desenvolvimento de metástases para os linfonodos cervicais é o fator de maior impacto no prognóstico do carcinoma da orofaringe. Durante quase toda a segunda metade do século 20, o planejamento terapêutico do carcinoma da orofaringe incluía o tratamento radical (cirúrgico ou radioterápico) dos territórios de drenagem regional. Atualmente, é crescente a tendência à redução da extensão do esvaziamento cervical (EC), mesmo nos casos de linfonodos clinicamente positivos. Objetivo: avaliar o padrão e distribuição de metástases para linfonodos cervicais no carcinoma espinocelular (CEC) de orofaringe na busca do fundamento histopatológico para os EC seletivos. Casuística e Método: noventa e dois pacientes com CEC de orofaringe, submetidos a EC, no Serviço de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço do Complexo Hospitalar Heliópolis, entre 1994 e 2004, foram estudados retrospectivamente. Os blocos parafinados foram recuperados e as lâminas revistas por duas patologistas. Todos os pacientes receberam tratamento cirúrgico no primário e no pescoço, com intenção curativa. Os sítios da lesão primária eram a loja tonsilar (65 casos ? 70,65%), base de língua (16 casos - 17,39%), valécula (6 casos - 6,52%) e palato mole (5 casos - 5,43%). Realizou-se um total de 114 EC. O EC foi ipsilateral ou bilateral, sendo terapêutico foi realizado em 63 e oito pescoços e eletivo em 29 e 12 pescoços, no lado, respectivamente. A radioterapia pós-operatória foi indicada em 65% dos pacientes. Resultados: dos 92 pacientes, 66 (71,7%) apresentaram metástase linfonodal comprovada pelo exame histopatológico (pN+). Em lesões da loja tonsilar houve comprometimento dos linfonodos em 70,8% dos casos (19/46), na base da língua 77,3% (17/22) e no palato mole 60% (3/5) dos casos. Houve uma taxa de metástase oculta de 46,7% e de falso-positivos de 22,9%. O nível II estava comprometido em 96% dos casos N positivos. Observamos o comprometimento do nível I em apenas seis casos, todos de loja tonsilar e, em quatro deles, a mucosa oral estava envolvida pela lesão. O nível IV estava comprometido em 12 casos e todos apresentaram comprometimento conjunto de outros níveis. Em casos clinicamente N0, a incidência de metástase linfonodal para o nível I foi de 10% e para o nível IV foi de 3,3%. Em casos clinicamente N+, a incidência de metástase linfonodal para o nível I foi de 4,8% e para o nível IV de 17,8%. Conclusão: nos pacientes com CEC de orofaringe, o tratamento do pescoço N0 deve incluir os níveis I a III. O nível IV deve ser incluído quando houver comprometimento linfonodal dos níveis II ou III.

Introduction: the development of lymph node metastases is the most important prognostic factor in oropharyngeal carcinoma. During the second half of 20th Century the management of oropharyngeal carcinoma always included the radical treatment (by surgery or radiation therapy) of the neck. Nowadays there is a tendency to reduce the extension of the neck dissection even in cases with clinically positive lymph nodes. Objective: to evaluate the pattern of distribution of lymph node metastases in oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to justify the indication of selective neck dissection (ND). Materials and methods: data of 92 patients with oropharyngeal SCC who underwent ND, treated at the Head and Neck Surgery Service, Heliópolis Hospital, between 1994 and 2004 were retrospectively studied. The histological slides were reviewed by two pathologists. All patients underwent curative intent surgery on the primary site and neck. The primary sites were tonsilar fossa (65 cases - 70.65%), base of tongue (16 cases ? 17.39%), valeculla (6 cases - 6.52%) and soft palate (5 cases - 5.43%). A total of 114 ND were performed. Therapeutic ND (ipsilateral and contralateral, respectively) was performed in 63 and 8 necks, and elective ND in 29 and 12 necks. Postoperative radiation therapy was indicated in 65% of the cases. Results: Sixty-six patients (71.7%) had histological proven lymph node metastases (pN+). In the tonsilar fossa tumors, there were lymph node metastases in 70.8% of the cases (19/46), in base of tongue 77.3% (17/22) and in soft palate, 60% (3/5). There were occult metastases in 46.7% and 22.9% of false-positives. Level II was compromised in 96% of cases. Involvement of level I was observed in only 6 cases, all with primary tumor in tonsilar fossa and in 4, oral mucosa was involved by the tumor. Level IV was compromised in 12 cases and all of them had simultaneous involvement of other levels. In N0 cases the incidence of lymph node metastases to level I was 10% and to level IV was 3.3%. In N+ cases these incidences were 4.8% and 17.8% respectively. Conclusion: the treatment of N0 neck in oropharyngeal carcinoma should include levels I to III. Level IV have to be included when levels II or III are compromised.

Bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent man.

Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease that is endemic in Brazil. It may present as chronic pulmonary infection or in disseminated form. Disseminated histoplasmosis frequently affects the adrenal gland; however, unilateral involvement in immunosuppressed patients is the usual presentation. We report a case of an elderly immunocompetent male with history of weight loss, fever and bilateral adrenal mass who was successfully treated with itraconazole.

Bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent man

Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease that is endemic in Brazil. It may present as chronic pulmonary infection or in disseminated form. Disseminated histoplasmosis frequently affects the adrenal gland; however, unilateral involvement in immunosuppressed patients is the usual presentation. We report a case of an elderly immunocompetent male with history of weight loss, fever and bilateral adrenal mass who was successfully treated with itraconazole.

Histoplasmose é uma doença fúngica endêmica no Brasil que pode se apresentar como infecção pulmonar crônica ou na forma disseminada. A histoplasmose disseminada freqüentemente acomete a glândula adrenal; entretanto, ocorre mais em pacientes imunossuprimidos e de forma unilateral. Relatamos um caso de um homem idoso imunocompetente com história de perda de peso, febre e massa adrenal bilateral que foi tratada com itraconazol, com sucesso.