The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s lives deserve attention. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety among Brazilian children and its associated factors during social distancing during COVID-19. We used a cross-sectional design with an online survey from April to May 2020 in Brazil. We included children aged 6–12 years and their guardians. The Children’s Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ; scores 4–12) and the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS; scores 0–10) were used to measure anxiety. We enrolled 157 girls and 132 boys, with a mean age of 8.84 (±2.05) years; 88.9% of respondents were mothers. Based on CAQ ≥ 9, the prevalence of anxiety was 19.4% (n = 56), and higher among children with parents with essential jobs and those who were social distancing without parents. In logistic regression, the following variables were associated with higher CAQ scores: social distancing without parents; more persons living together in home; and education level of guardians. Based on NRS > 7, the prevalence of anxiety was 21.8% (n = 63); however, no associations with NRS scores were found with the investigated variables. These findings suggest the necessity of implementing public health actions targeting these parents and their children at the population level.

RESUMO O Teste de Progresso é uma ferramenta de avaliação longitudinal do ganho de conhecimento de estudantes que tem sido aplicada no Brasil há mais de dez anos. O teste situa o estudante em seu processo evolutivo de ensino-aprendizagem e permite à instituição realizar o diagnóstico de suas deficiências ao longo da estrutura curricular. Ele pode ser utilizado pelos colegiados competentes para avaliação de alterações curriculares e avaliações específicas de disciplinas ou módulos de ensino. Com base na experiência de um consórcio de escolas, a Associação Brasileira de Educação Médica (Abem) propôs um projeto que tinha como um de seus objetivos incentivar escolas de todo o País a adotarem o Teste de Progresso como uma de suas ferramentas de avaliação. Reportamos a estratégia adotada para constituir núcleos interinstitucionais de avaliação com Teste de Progresso, bem como os resultados da primeira prova nacional do Teste de Progresso, que contou com a participação de 58 escolas e 23.065 estudantes. A implantação de núcleos interinstitucionais de Teste do Progresso com processos colaborativos de realização da prova representou um avanço para as escolas envolvidas. As escolas iniciaram um processo de colaboração não apenas para o Teste de Progresso, mas também para o intercâmbio de informações e experiências que trocam com base no conhecimento de cada uma. O projeto funcionou como o início de um movimento para que escolas médicas de todas as regiões do País adotem o Teste de Progresso como uma ferramenta de avaliação com potencial para reorientar a formação médica, ao fornecer um diagnóstico de formação em nível individual e institucional.

Lung cancer is one of the most frequent tumors that metastasize to the brain. Brain metastasis (BM) is common in advanced cases, being the major cause of patient morbidity and mortality. BMs are thought to arise via the seeding of circulating tumor cells into the brain microvasculature. In brain tissue, the interaction with immune cells promotes a microenvironment favorable to the growth of cancer cells. Despite multimodal treatments and advances in systemic therapies, lung cancer patients still have poor prognoses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify the molecular drivers of BM and clinically applicable biomarkers in order to improve disease outcomes and patient survival. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the mechanisms of the metastatic spread of lung cancer to the brain and how the metastatic spread is influenced by the brain microenvironment, and to elucidate the molecular determinants of brain metastasis regarding the role of genomic and transcriptomic changes, including coding and non-coding RNAs. We also present an overview of the current therapeutics and novel treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with BM from NSCLC.

Extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis has an aggressive course because cysts in the cerebrospinal fluid compartments induce acute inflammatory reactions. The relationships between symptoms, imaging findings, lesion type and location remain poorly understood. In this retrospective clinical records-based study, we describe the clinical symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging features, and cyst distribution in the CSF compartments of 36 patients with extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis. Patients were recruited between 1995 and 2010 and median follow up was 38 months. During all the follow up time we found that 75% (27/36) of the patients had symptoms related to raised intracranial pressure sometime, 72.2% (26/36) cysticercotic meningitis, 61.1% (22/36) seizures, and 50.0% (18/36) headaches unrelated to intracranial pressure. Regarding lesion types, 77.8% (28/36) of patients presented with grape-like cysts, 22.2% (8/36) giant cysts, and 61.1% (22/36) contrast-enhancing lesions. Hydrocephalus occurred in 72.2% (26/36) of patients during the follow-up period. All patients had cysts in the subarachnoid space and 41.7% (15/36) had at least one cyst in some ventricle. Cysts were predominantly located in the posterior fossa (31 patients) and supratentorial basal cisterns (19 patients). The fourth ventricle was the main compromised ventricle (10 patients). Spinal cysts were more frequent than previously reported (11.1%, 4/36). Our findings are useful for both diagnosis and treatment selection in patients with neurocysticercosis. Neurocysticercosis is caused by the accidental ingestion of eggs from Taenia solium whose larvae lodge in the central nervous system. In this study we found that cysts within the cerebrospinal fluid leaded to high rates of raised intracranial pressure, meningitis, seizures and headache. Imaging studies such as magnetic resonance are useful for diagnosis, identification of the compromised sites of the central nervous system and, then, for treatment guidance. The pattern of lesions identified through magnetic resonance in our paper helps physicians on searching and analyzing some typical findings of extraparenchymal neurocysticercosis.

Background: Neurocysticercosis (NC) is one of the major parasitic diseases affecting the central nervous system and is endemic in much of Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Its epidemiology is difficult to assess, although official registries are available in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. Methodology/Principal findings: Using official statistics, we assessed trends in NC hospitalization rates during 1998–2019 in Brazil and Ecuador, during 2004–2019 in Mexico, and during 2009–2019 in Colombia. We also assessed the trend in NC mortality in Brazil (1998–2019), the trend in hospitalizations for NC in a Mexican tertiary-level hospital (Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía [INNN]; 1995–2019), and in Mexican primary care ambulatory clinics (1995–2019). Associations between NC hospitalization rates and the human development index (HDI) were also examined. In Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico, statistically significant decreases in NC hospitalization rates were observed. In Mexico, a significant increase in the age of patients at INNN was observed, suggesting a decreasing incidence of recent infection. Conversely, a significant increase in NC hospitalization rate was observed in Colombia. HDI was not significantly associated with NC hospitalization rates when adjusting for time. Conclusions: The downward trends in NC cases in Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico are encouraging, especially in the context of the PAHO/WHO plan of action to eliminate neglected tropical diseases from the region. On the other hand, in Colombia, the increased NC hospitalization rate is concerning and needs further evaluation so that the authorities can take specific measures. These results should encourage health authorities in other endemic countries to establish a system of official registries to identify where the need for a control program is most urgent. However, it is also important to remember that NC persists, although less frequently in some Latin American countries, and efforts to achieve its control must continue.

Neurocysticercosis, due to the localization of Taenia solium larvae in the Central Nervous System, is a neglected tropical disease still endemic in much of Latin America, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The therapeutic management of NC has gradually improved with the establishment of neuroimaging studies (CT and MRI) in endemic countries and with the demonstration of the efficacy of albendazole and praziquantel in the 1980s. But the morbidity and mortality of this preventable disease remain an unacceptable fact. In this scoping review, we will revise the different treatment options and their indications.