In Japan, humanoid robots has been introduced in the medical and elderly care environment. The application program of Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercises for Pepper (Pepper-CPGE) made by Xing Company, Japan is a body-brain gymnastics recreation program for 40 minutes tailored to the elderly's functional level. It consists of moving, watching/healing, and playing. “Move the body” exercise and other active range of motion activities are done according to the music. Pepper-CPGE was introduced as a clinical trial at the Mifune hospital, beginning in May 2018. At the units where clinical trials are done, 80% of the patients are with mental illness diagnosis with decreased physical functions often moving by wheelchair only. When Pepper-CPGE was introduced, the following changes were observed : (1) communication between patients and nurses during rehabilitation care using Pepper-CPGE was increased ; (2) patients wereinteractive, engaged, and actively participated in the Care Prevention Gymnastic Exercises using Pepper-CPGE ; (3) patients had fun and enjoyed talking to Pepper-CPGE. Interventions using Pepper-CPGE appear to be an effective rehabilitation strategy to increase engagement and participation of elderly patients who require long-term care and rehabilitation. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 50-53, February, 2019

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that targets epithelial tissues. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are related to HPV, emphasizing the importance of vaccines in prevention. Although >200 million doses have been administered worldwide, concerns persist about adverse reactions. This study evaluated the safety of the HPV vaccine and the main adverse effects. The study was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023365692). The systematic searches were conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases using the search strategy "HPV" AND "vaccine" AND "safety" NOT "COVID" from 01/01/2007 to 31/12/2022. Inclusion criteria were based on the PICOT strategy, focusing on studies with humans, vaccinated populations comprising children, adolescents, and adults, and Phase II/III randomized clinical trials. The PEDro scale was used to assess the quality of the studies. Eleven articles were qualified for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. The results indicated that HPV vaccination was associated with increased local reactions, fatigue, and myalgia compared to the placebo. However, there were no significant differences in serious adverse events, gastrointestinal reactions, cutaneous effects, headache, or fever between the vaccine and placebo groups. Local reactions, fatigue, and myalgia were more prevalent in the HPV vaccine group; the overall safety profile of the vaccine was favorable. The HPV vaccine was deemed safe, mirroring the profile of adverse reactions seen with other vaccines. With its potential to prevent cancer, the benefits of HPV vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the second most common congenital anomaly and have been widely associated with exposure to pesticides. This systematic review which analyzes the association between parental exposure to pesticides and NTDs was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The search strategy was designed considering the population, exposure, controls, outcomes, and study design (PECOS). The inclusion criteria were epidemiological studies involving pesticides exposure during embryonic development, written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, and performed in 12 databases. Based on the eligibility criteria, 16 articles were selected for analysis. The most frequently assessed NTDs were anencephaly and spina bifida, with 14 studies investigating each of these conditions. The assessment of pesticide exposure was based on parental occupation and residential proximity to agricultural fields. Studies differed regarding the pesticides assessed, exposure windows, and parents exposed. Regarding the outcomes, it was observed that geographic proximity to agricultural fields and a greater association with family members exposed to pesticides were found in mothers and neonates with NTDs. In relation to occupational exposure, some articles found an association with NTDs, while others did not. Therefore, an analysis of the available evidence suggests that pesticides are a risk factor in the development of NTDs.