The mortality rate associated with oral cancer is estimated at approximately 12,300 deaths per year, and the survival rate is only 40% to 50% for diagnosed patients and is closely related to the duration of time between disease perception and its diagnosis and treatment. Socioeconomic risk factors are determinants of the incidence and mortality related to oral cancer. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study of 573 records of patients with oral cancer at Haroldo Juaçaba Hospital - Cancer Institute of Ceará from 2000 to 2009 to evaluate the influence of socioeconomic factors on survival and epidemiological behavior of this neoplasia in a Brazilian population. In this study, patients with oral cancer were males greater than 60 years of age, presented squamous cell carcinoma in the floor of mouth and were characterized by low education levels. A total of 573 lesions were found in oral cavities. Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that the histological type, tumor stage, and low degree of education significantly influenced survival. A lower patient survival rate was correlated with a more advanced stage of disease and a worse prognosis. Squamous cell carcinoma is associated with a higher mortality when compared with other histological types of malign neoplasia.

Introduction: As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the adoption of technology remains one of the defining factors of human progress. Nomophobia (NO MObile PHOne PhoBIA) represents a mental condition caused by the fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity. Such condition is directly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Moreover, nomophobia can lead to structural brain damage. Objective: The present study aims to assess the effect of nomophobia on medical students at a private institution and its association with depression, anxiety, stress and academic performance. Method: This is a cross-sectional observational study carried out in medical students at Centro Universitário Christus. Nomophobia was measured using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). The NMP-Q has 20 questions, which are asked on a 7-point Likert scale. This scale has been validated for the Brazilian Portuguese language. Depression, anxiety and stress were measured by the DASS-21, a simplified version of the DASS instrument. The DASS-21 questionnaire was also validated for the Brazilian Portuguese language. Academic performance was measured through API, the product of a complex mathematical operation that results in the student’s average grade in the semester and functions as a reference index for pedagogical follow-up in the assessed institution. In addition, the device use habits were assessed. Descriptive results were presented, and bivariate analyses of association and correlation were performed. This study was approved by the research ethics committee. Result: A sample of 292 students was assessed. Virtually all students (99.7%) had some degree of nomophobia, and 64.5% had a moderate or severe level of nomophobia. More than 50% of the students had higher than mild degrees of stress, and 19.5% and 11.2% of the students had severe or very severe levels of anxiety and depression, respectively. When analyzing the correlation of NMP-Q with DASS-21 scores, it was observed that increases in NMP-Q lead to increases in the overall DASS score (p < 0.001), and that worse results in DASS-21 are associated with worse API. Conclusion: Our study suggests that nomophobia is likely to increase anxiety, stress and depression and, as a result, leads to a decrease in academic performance.

To evaluate the influence of Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and apoptosis in rats with DM treated with chamomile extract or triamcinolone. Wistar male rats (210.0±4.2 g) were divided into five groups: negative control group (NCG) without diabetes; positive control group (PCG) with DM (alloxan, 45 mg/kg); and groups treated with chamomile extract (normoglycemic= NCG group and diabetic= DCG group) and with triamcinolone (TG). Traumatic ulcers were performed on all animals that received topical triamcinolone, chamomile extract or saline 12/12 hours for ten days. On days five and ten the animals were euthanized and the ulcers were analyzed by light microscopy, TUNEL assay, and immunohistochemically (TNF-α). The NCG (p=0.0062), PCG (p=0.0285), NCG (p=0.0041), and DCG (p<0.0001) groups were completely healed on the 10th day, however, there was no healing on the TG (p=0.5127) group. The TNF-α expression showed a significant reduction from the 5th to the 10th day in NCG (p=0.0266) and DCG (p=0.0062). In connective tissue, the TUNEL assay showed a significant reduction in the number of positive cells in NCG (p=0.0273) and CNG (p=0.0469) and in the epithelium only in CDG (p=0.0320). Chamomile extract can optimize the healing of traumatic oral ulcers in diabetic rats through the reduction of apoptosis in the epithelium and TNF-α expression.

Background: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into health sciences students’ education holds significant importance. The rapid advancement of AI has opened new horizons in scientific writing and has the potential to reshape human-technology interactions. AI in education may impact critical thinking, leading to unintended consequences that need to be addressed. Understanding the implications of AI adoption in education is essential for ensuring its responsible and effective use, empowering health sciences students to navigate AI-driven technologies’ evolving field with essential knowledge and skills. Objective: This study aims to provide details on the study protocol and the methods used to investigate the usability and efficacy of ChatGPT, a large language model. The primary focus is on assessing its role as a supplementary learning tool for improving learning processes and outcomes among undergraduate health sciences students, with a specific emphasis on chronic diseases. Methods: This single-blinded, crossover, randomized, controlled trial is part of a broader mixed methods study, and the primary emphasis of this paper is on the quantitative component of the overall research. A total of 50 students will be recruited for this study. The alternative hypothesis posits that there will be a significant difference in learning outcomes and technology usability between students using ChatGPT (group A) and those using standard web-based tools (group B) to access resources and complete assignments. Participants will be allocated to sequence AB or BA in a 1:1 ratio using computer-generated randomization. Both arms include students’ participation in a writing assignment intervention, with a washout period of 21 days between interventions. The primary outcome is the measure of the technology usability and effectiveness of ChatGPT, whereas the secondary outcome is the measure of students’ perceptions and experiences with ChatGPT as a learning tool. Outcome data will be collected up to 24 hours after the interventions. Results: This study aims to understand the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating AI as an educational tool, particularly in the context of student learning. The findings are expected to identify critical areas that need attention and help educators develop a deeper understanding of AI’s impact on the educational field. By exploring the differences in the usability and efficacy between ChatGPT and conventional web-based tools, this study seeks to inform educators and students on the responsible integration of AI into academic settings, with a specific focus on health sciences education. Conclusions: By exploring the usability and efficacy of ChatGPT compared with conventional web-based tools, this study seeks to inform educators and students about the responsible integration of AI into academic settings. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrails.gov NCT05963802; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05963802 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/51873