Shared Molecular Signatures Across Zika Virus Infection and Multiple Sclerosis Highlight AP-1 Transcription Factor as a Potential Player in Post-ZIKV MS-Like Phenotypes.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus of the Flaviviridae genus that has rapidly disseminated from across the Pacific to the Americas. Robust evidence has indicated a crucial role of ZIKV in congenital virus syndrome, including neonatal microcephaly. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests an association between ZIKV infection and the development of an extensive spectrum of central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases (CNS IDD), such as multiple sclerosis-like clinical phenotypes. However, the underlying mechanisms of host-pathogen neuro-immune interactions remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to identify common transcriptional signatures between multiple sclerosis (MS) and ZIKV infection to generate molecular interaction networks, thereby leading to the identification of deregulated processes and pathways, which could give an insight of these underlying molecular mechanisms. Our investigation included publicly available transcriptomic data from MS patients in either relapse or remission (RR-MS) and datasets of subjects acutely infected by ZIKV for both immune peripheral cells and central nervous system cells. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis showed upregulated AP-1 transcription factors (JUN and FOS) among the top hub and bottleneck genes in RR-MS and ZIKV data. Gene enrichment analysis retrieved a remarkable presence of ontologies and pathways linked to oxidative stress responses, immune cell function, inflammation, interleukin signaling, cell division, and transcriptional regulation commonly enriched in both scenarios. Considering the recent findings concerning AP-1 function in immunological tolerance breakdown, regulation of inflammation, and its function as an oxidative stress sensor, we postulate that the ZIKV trigger may contribute as a boost for the activation of such AP-1-regulated mechanisms that could favor the development of MS-like phenotypes following ZIKV infection in a genetically susceptible individual.

Parestesia após a exodôntica do terceiro molar: protocolo proposto / Paresthesia after third molar surgery: proposed protocol

Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de parestesia do nervo alveolar inferior em exodontias dos terceiros molares mandibulares realizadas por estudantes de Odontologia. Material e métodos: O presente estudo retrospectivo incluiu os prontuários de 226 pacientes submetidos à exodontia dos terceiros molares mandibulares durante o período de julho de 2015 a agosto de 2017 por estudantes de Odontologia da Liga Acadêmica de Cirurgia da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus-Patos, Paraíba, Brasil. Resultados: Foram removidos 238 terceiros molares mandibulares de pacientes com faixa etária entre 16 a 42 anos, sendo a maioria dos pacientes do gênero feminino (71,68%). Nove dos pacientes (3,9%) relataram algum grau de comprometimento no território de inervação do nervo alveolar inferior com remissão total do sintoma no período de 3,7 meses. A prevalência da parestesia em relação ao número de terceiros molares inferiores extraídos foi de 1:25. Conclusão: A prevalência de parestesia decorrente da exodontia de terceiros molares mandibulares realizadas por estudantes de Odontologia é de 3,9%... (AU)

Objective: To define the prevalence of inferior alveolar nerve damage in mandibular third molar extractions performed by dentistry students. Materials and methods: The present retrospective study included the medical records of 226 patients submitted to mandibular third molar extraction during the period from July 2015 to August 2017 by students of Dentistry of the Academic League of Surgery of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus- Patos, Paraíba, Brazil. Results: 238 mandibular third molars were extracted from patients aged 16 to 42 years, with the majority of patients being females (71.68%). Nine of the patients (3.9%) reported some degree of involvement in the territory of innervation of the inferior alveolar nerve with total suspension of the symptom in the period of 3.7 months. The prevalence of damage in relation to the number of lower third molars extracted was 1:25. Conclusion: The prevalence of damage resulting from mandibular third molar extraction performed by dentistry students is 3.9%... (AU)

Comunicação entre agentes de software especialistas em doenças cardíacas / Comunicación entre agentes de software especializados en enfermedades del corazón / Communication between software agents specializing in heart diseases

Objetivos: Este artigo relata a construção de um Sistema Multiagente para a tomada de decisão sobre o estado cardíaco de pacientes, usando uma base de dados real. Métodos: O sistema foi implementado com dois cardiologistas principais (Médico e Doutor) e um especialista (Especialista), onde, se houver discordância entre os dois primeiros, o Especialista é chamado para ser feito o desempate. Foi utilizado o framework Jason (que une AgentSpeak-L e Java) para o sistema e o software Weka para a criação da árvore de decisão do agente Especialista. Resultados: Como resultado, o agente Médico (com 72% de acerto) obteve melhores resultados que o agente Doutor, onde o Especialista foi utilizado como o validador. Conclusão: O uso de Sistemas Multiagentes pode auxiliar no processo de tomada de decisão em sistemas de área da saúde.

Objectives: This paper presents a Multiagent System to assist decision making on patients' heart state, using a real dataset. Methods: The system has two cardiologists (Physician and Doctor) and one expert (Specialist). If the Physician and Doctor Agents do not agree with each other, the Specialist agent is called to give a third opinion. We have used the Jason platform (which merge AgentSpeak-L and Java) for the system and the software Weka to generate the decision tree used by the Specialist. Results: As a result, the Physician (with 72% of accuracy) obtained better results than the Doctor. The Specialist was used as the validator. Conclusion: The use of Multiagent Systems can help in the decision-making process in healthcare systems.

Objetivos: Este artículo informa sobre la construcción de un Sistema Multiagente para la toma de decisiones sobre el estado cardíaco de los pacientes, utilizando una base de datos real. Métodos: El sistema se implementa de tal manera que hay dos cardiólogos principales (Médico y Doctor) y un especialista (Especialista), donde, si hay desacuerdo entre los dos primeros, el Especialista es llamado para que sea el desempate. Utilizamos la plataforma Jason (que une AgentSpeak-L y Java) para el sistema y el software Weka para crear el árbol de decisión del agente experto. Resultados: Como resultado, el Agente Médico (con 72% correcto) obtuvo los mejores resultados entre los dos y el Experto fue validado como experto para la base. Conclusión: El uso de sistemas multiagente puede ayudar en el proceso de toma de decisiones en los sistemas de salud.

Pain assessment during blood collection from sedated and mechanically ventilated children.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed pain and observed physiological parameters in sedated and mechanically ventilated children during a routine procedure. METHODS: This observational study was performed in a pediatric intensive care unit. Thirty-five children between 1 month and 12 years of age were assessed before, during, and five minutes after an arterial blood collection for gas analysis (painful procedure). Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability scale was used to assess pain. In addition, patients' heart rate, respiratory rate, peripheral saturation of oxygen and blood pressure (diastolic and systolic) were recorded. COMFORT-B scale was applied before the pain and physiological parameter assessments to verify sedation level of the subjects. RESULTS: There was an increase in Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability score (p = 0.0001) during painful stimuli. There was an increase in heart rate (p = 0.03), respiratory rate (p = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.006) due to pain caused by the routine procedure. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that assessments of pain using standard scales, such as Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability score, and other physiological parameters should be consistently executed to optimize pain management in pediatric intensive care units.

Avaliação da dor durante coleta de sangue em crianças sedadas e submetidas à ventilação mecânica / Pain assessment during blood collection from sedated and mechanically ventilated children

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a dor e observar parâmetros fisiológicos em crianças sedadas e submetidas à ventilação mecânica durante um procedimento de rotina. Métodos: Estudo observacional realizado em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Foram avaliadas 35 crianças, com idades entre 1 mês e 12 anos, em três momentos distintos: antes, durante e 5 minutos após coleta de sangue arterial para análise gasométrica (procedimento doloroso). Utilizou-se a Escala Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability para avaliação da dor e foram registradas a frequência cardíaca, frequência respiratória, saturação periférica de oxigênio e pressão arterial (sistólica e diastólica). O nível de sedação dos participantes foi verificado utilizando-se a escala Comfort-B, aplicada antes da mensuração da dor e da avaliação dos parâmetros fisiológicos. Resultados: Durante os estímulos dolorosos, ocorreu aumento do escore da Escala Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (p = 0,0001). Houve também aumento da frequência cardíaca (p = 0,03), da frequência respiratória (p = 0,001) e da pressão arterial diastólica (p = 0,006) em razão da dor causada pelo procedimento de rotina. Conclusões: Avaliação da dor com uso de escalas padrão, como a Escala Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability, e observação de parâmetros fisiológicos, deve ser realizada rotineiramente para melhorar o manejo da dor nas unidades de terapia intensiva pediátricas.

ABSTRACT Objective: This study assessed pain and observed physiological parameters in sedated and mechanically ventilated children during a routine procedure. Methods: This observational study was performed in a pediatric intensive care unit. Thirty-five children between 1 month and 12 years of age were assessed before, during, and five minutes after an arterial blood collection for gas analysis (painful procedure). Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability scale was used to assess pain. In addition, patients' heart rate, respiratory rate, peripheral saturation of oxygen and blood pressure (diastolic and systolic) were recorded. COMFORT-B scale was applied before the pain and physiological parameter assessments to verify sedation level of the subjects. Results: There was an increase in Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability score (p = 0.0001) during painful stimuli. There was an increase in heart rate (p = 0.03), respiratory rate (p = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.006) due to pain caused by the routine procedure. Conclusions: This study suggests that assessments of pain using standard scales, such as Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability score, and other physiological parameters should be consistently executed to optimize pain management in pediatric intensive care units.

Sexual function in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis.

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a benign condition that causes pain and infertility. Sexual dysfunction, particularly deep dyspareunia, is common in patients with endometriosis and interferes with quality of life and conjugal satisfaction. AIM: The study aims to assess sexual function in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis. METHOD: Fifty-seven women diagnosed with deep infiltrating endometriosis were recruited from Hospital Universitário Pedro Ernesto (HUPE) between July and December 2011. The control group comprised 38 healthy women recruited at the HUPE family planning clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcomes are full-scale and individual domain scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a validated questionnaire for functional assessment of sexual function in women. RESULTS: Patients with endometriosis had more pain in intercourse than controls, which correlates with lower scores in the FSFI pain domain. However, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in overall (full-scale) FSFI scores. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis exhibit significant dysfunction in the pain domain of the FSFI questionnaire, but this finding was not sufficient to affect the overall sexual function.