Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that is often impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the large number of studies, there is considerable variation in PPI outcomes reported. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating PPI impairment in patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy control subjects, and examined possible explanations for the variation in results between studies. Major databases were screened for observational studies comparing healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia for the prepulse and pulse intervals of 60 and 120 ms as primary outcomes, ie, PPI-60 and PPI-120. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled using random effects models. We then estimated the mean effect size of these measures with random effects meta-analyses and evaluated potential PPI heterogeneity moderators, using sensitivity analysis and meta-regressions. Sixty-seven primary studies were identified, with 3685 healthy and 4290 patients with schizophrenia. The schizophrenia group showed reduction in sensorimotor gating for both PPI-60 (SMD = −0.50, 95% CI = [−0.61, −0.39]) and PPI-120 (SMD = −0.44, 95% CI = [−0.54, −0.33]). The sensitivity and meta-regression analysis showed that sample size, gender proportion, imbalance for gender, source of control group, and study continent were sources of heterogeneity (P < .05) for both PPI-60 and PPI-120 outcomes. Our findings confirm a global sensorimotor gating deficit in schizophrenia patients, with overall moderate effect size for PPI-60 and PPI-120. Methodological consistency should decrease the high level of heterogeneity of PPI results between studies.

Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, com população configurada como censitária. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o Inventário dos Sintomas de Estresse para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL), a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF), a Versão Brasileira do Questionário de Qualidade de Vida SF-36 e o Questionário de Avaliação da Sobrecarga do Cuidador Informal (QASCI). Possui o objetivo de avaliar a sobrecarga, a qualidade de vida e a presença de estresse em cuidadores das Estratégias de Saúde da Família (ESFs) de Criciúma, no Estado de Santa Catarina. A maior proporção dos cuidadores foram do gênero feminino (90,9%), com idade média de 51,7 (±11,0) Em relação ao grau de parentesco, 45,5% eram filhos(as), e a MIF Global dos sujeitos ao qual era dedicado o cuidado foi de 70,2 (±40,1). Entre os cuidadores, 81,8% apresentaram presença de estresse e evidenciaram sobrecarga elevada. Foi observada uma correlação positiva moderada (r_s=0,571) entre a MIF Global e Dor (SF-36), considerada estatisticamente significativa (p=0,001). Voltar à atenção aos cuidadores, entendendo as barreiras físicas, sociais e emocionais envolvidas no ato de cuidar, torna-se imprescindível no âmbito da saúde coletiva, tanto para proporcionar maior qualidade de vida e menor sobrecarga nos cuidadores quanto a quem é cuidado.

Objective: To explore the advantages of using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to recognize patterns in colposcopy to classify images in colposcopy. PURPOSE: Transversal, descriptive, and analytical study of a quantitative approach with an emphasis on diagnosis. The training test e validation set was composed of images collected from patients who underwent colposcopy. These images were provided by a gynecology clinic located in the city of Criciúma (Brazil). The image database ( n = 170) was divided; 48 images were used for the training process, 58 images were used for the tests, and 64 images were used for the validation. A hybrid neural network based on Kohonen self-organizing maps and multilayer perceptron (MLP) networks was used. Results: After 126 cycles, the validation was performed. The best results reached an accuracy of 72.15%, a sensibility of 69.78%, and a specificity of 68%. Conclusion: Although the preliminary results still exhibit an average efficiency, the present approach is an innovative and promising technique that should be deeply explored in the context of the present study.

Tendon injuries represent a clinical challenge in regenerative medicine because their natural repair process is complex and inefficient. The high incidence of tendon injuries is frequently associated with sports practice, aging, tendinopathies, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and the use of corticosteroids. The growing interest of scientists in using adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSC) in repair processes seems to be mostly due to their paracrine and immunomodulatory effects in stimulating specific cellular events. ADMSC activity can be influenced by GDF-5, which has been successfully used to drive tenogenic differentiation of ADMSC in vitro. Thus, we hypothesized that the application of ADMSC in isolation or in association with GDF-5 could improve Achilles tendon repair through the regulation of important remodeling genes expression. Lewis rats had tendons distributed in four groups: Transected (T), transected and treated with ADMSC (ASC) or GDF-5 (GDF5), or with both (ASC+GDF5). In the characterization of cells before application, ADMSC expressed the positive surface markers, CD90 (90%) and CD105 (95%), and the negative marker, CD45 (7%). ADMSC were also differentiated in chondrocytes, osteoblast, and adipocytes. On the 14th day after the tendon injury, GFP-ADMSC were observed in the transected region of tendons in the ASC and ASC+GDF5 groups, and exhibited and/or stimulated a similar genes expression profile when compared to the in vitro assay. ADMSC up-regulated Lox, Dcn, and Tgfb1 genes expression in comparison to T and ASC+GDF5 groups, which contributed to a lower proteoglycans arrangement, and to a higher collagen fiber organization and tendon biomechanics in the ASC group. The application of ADMSC in association with GDF-5 down-regulated Dcn, Gdf5, Lox, Tgfb1, Mmp2, and Timp2 genes expression, which contributed to a lower hydroxyproline concentration, lower collagen fiber organization, and to an improvement of the rats’ gait 24 h after the injury. In conclusion, although the literature describes the benefic effect of GDF-5 for the tendon healing process, our results show that its application, isolated or associated with ADMSC, cannot improve the repair process of partial transected tendons, indicating the higher effectiveness of the application of ADMSC in injured Achilles tendons. Our results show that the application of ADMSC in injured Achilles tendons was more effective in relation to its association with GDF-5.