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Analysis of the Epidemiological Impact of a Public Health Policy against Meningococcal Meningitis in Children in Maranhão, Brazil
No full textAims: Over the years, Meningococcal Disease (MD), an acute infection characterized by inflammation of the meninges in response to the agent N. meningitidis, has been affecting different regions of Brazil in different ways. Therefore, the meningococcal C vaccine (MeCV) was introduced to the Brazilian vaccination schedule in 2010, following the increase in lethality associated with meningitis in the country. The state of Maranhão, in Brazil, has challenging socioeconomic characteristics, such as low coverage of basic sanitation and high prevalence of poverty, which are factors that may favor the spread of MD. Thus, this article aimed to analyze the epidemiological data of meningitis in children up to 9 years old, in the state of Maranhão, before and after the implementation of the Meningococcal C vaccine in the vaccination schedule in Brazil.
Study Design: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative epidemiological study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, using data from 2001 to 2020.
Methodology: The study used data from the SINAN/DATASUS and SIH/DATASUS databases, between 2001–2020, in children aged 0 to 9 years.
Results: Our results pointed to a reduction in the incidence of MD in children aged 0 to 9 years, especially after the implementation of MeCV, suggesting the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing the disease. In addition, especially after the introduction of MeCV, the data show a decrease in the number of notifications of meningitis (of etiological agents in general) and in the number of hospitalizations due to bacterial meningitis. However, paradoxically, there was an increase in lethality.
Conclusion: These results reinforce that the introduction of the Meningococcal C vaccine (MeCV) into the Brazilian immunization program was a preventive strategy in vulnerable populations. However, the observed paradoxical increase in lethality highlights the need for further investigation into factors influencing disease outcomes, such as delays in diagnosis, access to health services, and the presence of coexisting conditions
Impact of Immediate Treatment on Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Patients with Hemodynamic Instability
No full textAims: This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes, mortality, and safety profile of immediate therapeutic interventions—including systemic thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy, and catheter-directed therapies—for acute pulmonary embolism (APE) in adult patients presenting with hemodynamic instability. It also assesses the timing of interventions and outcomes across specific subgroups, such as elderly and comorbid patients.
Study Design: Systematic literature review.
Place and Duration of Study: Databases searched (PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BVS, MEDLINE) between January 2014 and April 2024.
Methodology: The review followed PRISMA guidelines. Studies published from 2014 to 2024 were included if they evaluated immediate treatment strategies in adult patients with high-risk APE and hemodynamic instability. Eligible study designs included randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and multicenter analyses. Data extraction and quality assessment (using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool) were performed independently by two reviewers.
Results: Of 487 studies identified, 32 met all inclusion criteria, encompassing 2,761 patients. Systemic thrombolysis showed a significant reduction in mortality and faster hemodynamic stabilization compared to anticoagulation alone, but with an increased risk of major bleeding, particularly intracranial hemorrhage. Surgical and catheter-directed embolectomy demonstrated similar efficacy to thrombolysis, with potentially fewer bleeding complications in high-risk subgroups. Early intervention (within 2 hours of diagnosis) was consistently associated with better outcomes.
Conclusion: Immediate reperfusion therapy is essential for improving survival and reducing complications in high-risk APE patients with hemodynamic instability. While thrombolysis remains the first-line treatment, embolectomy represents a safe and effective alternative when thrombolysis is contraindicated. Further randomized, multicenter trials are needed to optimize patient stratification and refine therapeutic algorithms tailored to comorbid and elderly populations
Human vs. Machine: Assessing Translation Quality of Four-character Terms in the Classical Chinese Medical Text Huangdi Neijing
No full textWith the rapid advancement of technology, machine translation has been increasingly applied in the field of medical translation. As the foundational text of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Huangdi Neijing plays a critical role in shaping TCM theory and clinical practice. This study focuses on the translation of four-character terms in the Huangdi Neijing and compares the translation quality between human and machine translation. A mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analysis, was employed. A total of 463 samples were selected, and four mainstream machine translation systems—Youdao, DeepL, ChatGPT-4o, and DeepSeek were utilized.By analyzing BLEU and TER scores to evaluate the outputs against human translations, it was found that ChatGPT-4o achieved the highest BLEU score of 0.60, indicating the greatest lexical similarity to human translation, and the lowest TER score of 0.99, suggesting the fewest required edits. These results suggest that ChatGPT-4o is currently the most effective among the tested systems in handling this specialized translation task. Despite these advancements, machine translation still exhibits notable limitations when applied to TCM texts. Human translation still outperforms machine-generated outputs, particularly in conveying semantic precision and preserving the cultural and conceptual subtleties embedded in medical discourse. This study contributes to the field by providing empirical evidence on the performance of large language models in translating culturally and linguistically complex four-character expressions from classical TCM texts
Progress in Research and Development of Storm Water Management Model: Applications from China and Abroad
No full textThe Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the 1970s, is a widely used hydrological and hydraulic modeling tool for simulating urban stormwater quantity and quality. It enables the comprehensive simulation of rainfall-runoff processes, including precipitation events, surface runoff generation, infiltration, and pollutant transport, as well as flow routing through drainage networks, storage units, and treatment facilities. SWMM has been extensively applied in urban flood risk assessment, rainwater harvesting system design, low-impact development (LID) evaluation, and the analysis of complex hydrogeological conditions, such as karst terrains. This paper presents a systematic review of the historical development, technical improvements, and derivative models of SWMM. It further examines current limitations in model performance and application scope, and proposes future research directions aimed at enhancing its accuracy, adaptability, and integration with real-time monitoring and climate change scenarios
Bilateral Supernumerary Roots in the Maxillary Third Premolars of a Dog: A Case Report
No full textAnatomical variations in canine dentition, including supernumerary roots, are uncommon but clinically significant, since, among other issues, these structures can accelerate the process of alveolar bone resorption or require a more complex extraction procedure to prevent root fracture. This report describes a rare bilateral occurrence of supernumerary roots in the maxillary third premolars (107 and 207) of a 15-year-old female dog. Radiographic evaluation confirmed three distinct roots per tooth. The teeth were extracted due to severe periodontal disease affecting the supporting structures. This case emphasizes the importance of routine intraoral radiographs in veterinary dentistry for detecting anatomical anomalies and contributes to the understanding of dental variations in dogs
Effect of Breadfruit Seeds (Artocarpus altilis) on Male Reproductive Characteristics of Adult Male Wistar Rat
No full textMale reproductive characteristics, such as sperm quality, quantity and motility, are important factors in male fertility. Low sperm count, poor sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology are all associated with reduced fertility. Other factors that can affect male reproductive characteristics and fertility include genetics, lifestyle factors, age and exposure to environmental toxins. This study seeks to investigate the effect of breadfruit seed (artocarpusaltilis)on Male Reproductive Parameters in Adult Male Wistar Rat. Twelve (12) male rats were used for the present study. Animals were grouped into control, low (500 mg/kg) and high (1500 mg/kg) dose ethanolic extract garden eggs. The extract was administered orally for duration of 21 days. Twenty four (24) hours after the last day administration, animals were sacrificed. The testes and epididymis were harvested and used for histological studies; semen was collected for semen analysis. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM. The mean difference between the tested groups and the control was tested using a one-way ANOVA. Values were considered statistically significant when P is ≤ 0.05. Sperm count values (control: 483.33 ± 90.83; low dose: 500 ± 57.74; high dose: 583.33 ± 50), sperm viability (control: 80 ± 2.89; low dose: 83.33 ± 1.58; high dose: 85 ± 2.89) and testosterone levels (control: 1.157 ± 0.60; low dose: 0.630 ± 0.283; high dose: 1.410 ± 0.283) improved in the treatment groups. Breadfruit seed may improve the chances of fertility because it increased testosterone level, sperm count, viability in experimental animals
A Comprehensive Review on Cucurbit Grafting: A Sustainable Approach to Boost Crop Performance
No full textGrafting, which unites the rootstock and scion of a plant, is crucial for combating soil-borne diseases in cucurbitaceous crops such as watermelon, melon, bitter gourd, summer squash and cucumber. Essential due to limited arable land and off-season demand, this technique enhances plant vigour by improving nutrient uptake and providing resistance to soil pathogens, salinity, drought and temperature variations, thereby improving overall yield and fruit quality. Initially implemented in Japan in the late 1990s, grafting significantly affects fruit pH, flavour, sugar content, carotenoids, and texture. Globally, it has been adopted to prevent diseases like fusarium wilt and root-knot nematode. This practice mitigates production losses under adverse conditions and promotes organic, safer vegetables by reducing pesticide residues. Recent advancements in grafting methods and versatile rootstocks further support its widespread use
Exploring the Role of ChatGPT in Transforming the Education Ecosystem
No full textSince its emergence, ChatGPT has emerged as a transformative technology with significant implications for the education ecosystem. This paper discusses the author\u27s attitude towards ChatGPT through three aspects: assessing the potential it brings to the educational ecosystem (including its impact on learners, educators, and the educational system), how educational focus will adapt to the times, and by examining the reasons for the integration of ChatGPT into educational applications through the context of early childhood education, which is the starting point of school education. The challenge of how education adapts to and leads the development of the times is always a difficult issue. The focus of this paper is still centered around the "essence of education". Regardless of the emergence of new methods, the ultimate goal of education is to cultivate individuals with sound physical and mental developmen
Comparative Nutritional and Antinutritional Qualities of Local and Breeder Tomato Improved Varieties
No full textTomatoes are a globally consumed fruit valued for their rich nutrients and dietary versatility. This study compared the nutritional and antinutritional properties of three breeder-improved tomato varieties and one local variety using standard AOAC methods. Results indicated that breeder varieties had higher moisture (86.32–90.83%) than the local variety (85.50%), along with superior protein (0.85–2.40% to 1.60%), potassium (47.10–53.20 ppm to 45.00 ppm), and magnesium (5.99–21.56 ppm to 18.50 ppm). Conversely, the local variety exhibited higher carbohydrates (7.10% to 2.70–6.70%). Breeder varieties also demonstrated lower oxalate levels (0.36–1.53 mg/g to 1.90 mg/g) and higher vitamin C content (119.14–194.00 mg/100g to 110.00 mg/100g). Significant differences (α=0.05) were found across most parameters except for ash, moisture, carbohydrates, sodium, and phytic acid. Overall, breeder tomatoes offer enhanced nutritional benefits and reduced antinutritional factors, making them more suitable for dietary and agricultural use compared to local varieties
Healthcare Professionals\u27 User Perceptions of Electronic Health Records (EHRS) in Brazilian Primary Health Care
No full textObjective: To analyze the perception of Primary Health Care (PHC) professionals about the process of implementation and use of the Electronic Citizen Record (ECR).
Methods: This is an exploratory and longitudinal survey study, with PHC professionals from the city of Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, as participants. An adapted questionnaire (Likert) was used for data collection. The data obtained were entered and tabulated in the SPSS 26.0 software and analyzed based on descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using Pearson\u27s chi-square test (x²), assuming a significance of 5% (p≤0.05).
Results: Most interviewees were female (76.6%), aged between 31 and 50 years (61.7%). Of the interviewees, 67% agreed that the ECR is easy to use, 75% agreed that the ECR allows them to complete tasks faster, and 75% stated that the ECR ensures better work performance. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of improving work performance and ease of use of the system.
Conclusion: Therefore, it can be inferred that the use of the PEC was well accepted by professionals, bringing greater agility and efficiency to work in PHC. It is important to continue training these professionals with this system, favoring efficiency in serving users