ABSTRACT Objective: Exposure to science education during college may affect a student’s profile, and research experience may be associated with better professional performance. We hypothesized that the impact of research experience obtained during graduate study differs among professional curricula and among graduate courses. Methods: A validated multiple-choice questionnaire concerning scientific concepts was given to students in the first and fourth years of medical and law school at a public Brazilian educational institution. Results: Medical students participated more frequently in introductory […]

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the effect of exercise on gait using two different programs: a group of aerobic exercises (Group A, n = 18) and a group of flexibility and balance exercises (Group B, n = 19). Methods: A casualized controlled study, in which each sample controlled itself, was undertaken. The sample comprised 37 male and female subjects, aged from 60 to 90 years, from the outpatient clinic of the Geriatrics Unit of Hospital das Clínicas of Faculdade de Medicina […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the knowledge of adolescents living in Vila Ana and Morada das Vinhas region, in the city of Jundiaí, State of São Paulo, Brazil, on prevention and diagnosis of the main sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and on cervical cancer, as well as the immediate impact of educational lectures. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed to assess the knowledge of a particular group of female adolescents about STDs and cervical cancer, by means of a questionnaire applied […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the performance of gene expression analysis in the peripheral blood of Parkinson disease patients with different genetic profiles using microarray as a tool to identify possible diseases related biomarkers which could contribute to the elucidation of the pathological process, as well as be useful in diagnosis. Methods: Global gene expression analysis by means of DNA microarrays was performed in peripheral blood of Parkinson disease patients with previously identified mutations in PARK2 or PARK8 genes, Parkinson disease […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the prescription in relation to the possible interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients in the diets of patients in the Hospital Regional Justino Luz in the municipality of Picos, Piauí, Brazil. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 medical records of patients admitted at the hospital. The records were analyzed according to the presence or absence of interactions between drugs and foods/nutrients of the prescribed diets. Results: Of the 82 drugs prescribed in all periods, there were 16 […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the quality of a multiprofessional healthcare model for in-hospital patients by means of two performance indicators (communication and knowledge about the case). Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge that professionals had about the clinical information of patients and the use of communication strategies by the team. Healthcare professionals were interviewed during their work period. Seven occupational categories were interviewed. A total of 199 medical charts were randomly selected for interviews, and 312 professionals of different […]

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of the modes of delivery on the health of newborns in a private maternity hospital in the city of São Paulo. Methods: Between January 1995 and December 1998, all patients consecutively admitted for deliveries were included in this cross-sectional retrospective study. A total of 8,457 medical records were analyzed, being excluded of the sample 460 multiple pregnancies and 517 pregnant women with obstetric and/or clinical disorders. The incidence […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the frequency of intracranial hemorrhage and its associated factors in premature newborns. Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a survey of medical records of premature neonates submitted to transfontanellar ultrasound at a hospital located in a southern neighborhood of the city of São Paulo, in 2007. Results: A 50% rate of intracranial hemorrhage was found among premature newborns submitted to transfontanellar ultrasound, and 15.35% among all premature babies born in this hospital in 2007. The statistically […]

ABSTRACT 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

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the impact of gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on urodynamic parameters of patients with neurogenic bladder. Methods: Eight male quadriplegic patients with complete cervical injury level ranging from C4 to C7 comprised the study population. They underwent treadmill gait training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation for six months, only after having their quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles stimulated for five months in order to support at least 50% of their body weight (pre-gait training). Urodynamic testing […]

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to develop an experimental model of inducing interstitial cystitis through intravesical instillation of a polymeric solution containing the NO donor S-nitrousglutathione (GSNO) and to compare it to the experimental interstitial cystitis induced by vesical instillation of protamine and potassium chloride. Methods: A total of 40 female Wistar rats were used and divided into four groups: 1 – ten rats treated with saline solution + GSNO; 2 – ten rats treated with saline […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the association of mitoxantrone and oral etoposide. Methods: Twelve consecutive patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer were treated with mitoxantrone and oral etoposide. Toxicity, response rate and response duration were assessed. Results: Partial response was observed in two patients (response duration of seven and four months) and one patient had stable disease (during four months). Mitoxantrone and oral Etoposide were well tolerated and did not affect tolerability to subsequent chemotherapy. Conclusion: […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze thoracic trauma assisted by the Emergency Service of Hospital da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo. Methods: One hundred patients with thoracic trauma were assisted throughout six months in 2006. Data from their records were collected and a protocol of thoracic trauma was fulfilled. The Revised Trauma Score was used to evaluate gravity of injury and to calculate the survival index. Results: Prevalence of trauma injury in male from 20 to 29 years […]

ABSTRACT Objective: Simple measures of gait for routine clinical use could be useful when the complex gait analysis systems are not available. The aim of this study was to quantify asymmetry in children with spastic hemiplegia using a two-dimensional gait analysis by videography and to relate the asymmetry to motor function. Methods: Twenty-four children with spastic hemiplegia (19 males, 5 females; mean age 49 months [SD 5 months], range from 39 to 60 months) were assessed with a two-dimensional gait […]

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the profile of patients undergoing hip and knee replacement during two years, and to compare the data obtained with the literature. Methods: A total of 323 medical records were reviewed to analyze the perioperative data of patients submitted to hip and knee replacement. Results: Osteoarthritis was the main indication for both procedures and male patients were heavier than females (p < 0.05). Hypertension was the prevalent disease among patients. Blood loss was more frequent in knee [...]

ABSTRACT Two cases of benign chondral tumors of the talar neck region (an osteoid osteoma and a chondroblastoma) were described. Because of their specific, unusual site they could be resected by arthroscopy. The imaging aspects, incidence in foot bones and possibilities of treatment were discussed, and a literature review is presented.

ABSTRACT This case report describes neurotoxicity in an older patient on cefepime 2 g twice a day. The 81-year-old male patient developed non-convulsive status epilepticus during cefepime treatment with 1 g twice a day. There was recovery 30 days after discontinuation of cefepime.

ABSTRACT Gliomas comprise a group of heterogeneous primary tumors of the central nervous system that originate from glial cells. Malignant gliomas account for the majority of primary malignant CNS tumors and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Glioblastoma is the most frequent malignant glioma, and despite recent advances in diagnosis and new treatment options, its prognosis remains dismal. New opportunities for the development of effective therapies for malignant gliomas are urgently needed. Magnetohyperthermia consists of heat generation in the […]

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article was to present a review of the effects of alcohol consumption by pregnant mothers on their newborn. Definitions, prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic criteria, follow-up, treatment and prevention were discussed. A search was performed in Medline, LILACS, and SciELO databases using the following terms: “fetus”, “newborn”, “pregnant woman”, “alcohol”, “alcoholism”, “fetal alcohol syndrome”, and “alcohol-related disorders”. Portuguese and English articles published from 2000 to 2009 were reviewed. The effects of alcohol consumed by pregnant […]

ABSTRACT Markov Chains provide support for problems involving decision on uncertainties through a continuous period of time. The greater availability and access to processing power through computers allow that these models can be used more often to represent clinical structures. Markov models consider the patients in a discrete state of health, and the events represent the transition from one state to another. The possibility of modeling repetitive events and time dependence of probabilities and utilities associated permits a more accurate […]