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We investigated the relation between swimming exercise and fear memory extinction. Rats that performed regular swimming exercise over six weeks underwent a fear conditioning. Twenty-eight days later, they were submitted to extinction tests. Swimming rats had enhanced extinction process throughout the 5 days of the extinction test when compared to sedentary ones (Exercise vs. Fear Conditioning vs. Test days interaction effect. This suggests that the swimming exercise accelerated the process of aversive memory extinction, reducing the expression of conditioned fear behavior. These results encourage further studies addressing the anxiolytic effects of exercise, with potential implications for anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

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COVID-19 is associated with acute and lethal pneumonia, causing the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which is not confined to the respiratory tract, as demonstrated by clinical evidence of the involvement of multiple organs, including the central nervous system (CNS). In this context, we hypothesized that both oligosymptomatic and symptomatic patients present an imbalance in the microbiota-gut (immune system) and nervous system axis, worsening the clinical picture. The brain constantly receives a direct and indirect influence from the intestine, more specifically from the immune system and intestinal microbiota. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the intestine and CNS, can contribute to both neurological disorders and gut immune system imbalance, events potentialized by an intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, aggravating the patient’s condition and causing more prolonged harmful effects.

Objetivo: associar os fatores de risco e a presença da doença arterial coronariana em pacientes submetidos à cintilografia de perfusão de miocárdio. A doença arterial coronariana é uma das principais causas de morte no Brasil e no mundo por isso, detectá-la anteriormente às manifestações clínicas ou complicações é crucial para evitar a progressão da doença. Materiais e Métodos: foi realizado um estudo observacional, transversal e retrospectivo a partir da análise aleatória de 226 prontuários de pacientes submetidos a cintilografia de perfusão do miocárdio entre agosto de 2010 e agosto de 2015. Avaliou-se a razão de chances (Odds Ratio) dos seguintes fatores de risco: tabagismo, diabetes mellitus tipo II, hipertensão arterial sistêmica, dislipidemia, obesidade, sobrepeso, sedentarismo, estresse e antecedentes familiares. Foram calculados riscos atribuíveis ao Intervalo de Confiança 95%. Resultados: dentre os fatores analisados, o diabetes aparece como o principal fator de risco não evitável para a doença com razão de chances ajustada de 3,45 (Intervalo de confiança 95%). A dislipidemia com Odds Ratio ajustada de 2,45 (Intervalo de confiança 95%) e hipertensão com Odds Ratio ajustada de 1,97 (Intervalo de confiança 95%). Conclusões: o presente estudo permitiu associar os fatores de risco e a presença da doença arterial coronariana em pacientes submetidos à cintilografia de perfusão de miocárdio, sendo o diabetes o principal fator de risco não evitável para a doença.  Dentre os fatores de risco evitáveis (tabagismo, sedentarismo, estresse, sobrepeso/obesidade e sobrepeso) nenhum apresentou associação significativa com a doença.

Background: There is solid evidence that spirituality and religiousness may reduce the suicidal ideation of individuals. However, studies are scarce on medical students. Aims: To investigate the relationship between spirituality, religiousness, and suicidal ideation among Brazilian medical students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including Brazilian medical students. Sociodemographic and health variables, suicidal ideation (item 9 of the Beck Depression Inventory – BDI), spiritual and religious Coping (Brief SRC), religiousness (Duke Religion Index), spiritual well-being – Meaning, Peace and Faith (FACIT SP-12), and depressive (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms were assessed. Results: A total of 353 medical students were included, 62.0% presented significant depressive symptoms, 44.2% presented significant anxiety symptoms, and 14.2% presented suicidal ideation. In the adjusted Logistic Regression models, meaning ( OR = 0.90, p = .035) and faith ( OR = 0.91, p = .042) were associated with lower suicidal ideation, while negative spiritual and religious coping was associated with greater suicidal ideation ( OR = 1.08; p = .006). Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of suicidal ideation among Brazilian medical students. Spirituality and religiousness were associated with suicidal ideation in two different directions. These findings could help educators and health professionals to understand suicidal ideation among medical students, helping in the development of preventive strategies to mitigate such problem.

Introduction: The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome remains a health challenge in Brazil. Therapeutic failures, characterized by detectable viral load, must have their causes evaluated. Among the most relevant reasons is the lack of adherence to treatment. Objective: To evaluate factors associated with inadequate control of viral load in individuals with HIV in the CAP of Itajubá (MG). Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional and documentary study with 261 medical records. The variables analyzed were gender, age, education, residence, sexual orientation, first and last test results of tests for viral load and CD4+ T lymphocytes, history of poor adherence, use of current antiretroviral therapy (ART), duration of ART use, depression and/or anxiety, use of illicit drugs, follow-up time at the CAP. Results: Of the patients, 90.42% had an undetectable viral load and 64.37% had a CD4+ T count ≥500 in the last available test. Some characteristics were related to detectable viral load in the last exam: history of poor adherence during treatment (p<0,0001), inconsistent use of ART (p<0,0001) and use of illicit drugs (p=0,0155). Anxiety and/or depression was not statistically significant (p=0,3321). Conclusion: History of poor adherence, inconsistent use of ART and use of illicit drugs were associated with an increased risk ok virological failure. The identification of groups at risk of poor adherence to treatment can support the development of intervention strategies in an early and transdisciplinary way to improve adherence and generate better results in the control of HIV infection.

Objetivo: Investigar a relação entre o estresse crônico e a memória espacial em ratos. Metodologia:Utilizaram-se 20 ratos, machos, com 45 dias de vida, linhagem Wistar, divididos em 2 grupos: Estresse Choque (n = 10), onde foram alocados em uma caixa onde receberam um choque elétrico nas patas traseiras de 0,5 mA, por 2 s, a cada 30 s, por 5 min/dia, por 49 dias consecutivos; e Controle (n = 10), alocados na mesma caixa, porém sem receber estímulo, por 5 min, durante 49 dias. Posteriormente, iniciaram-se os procedimentos comportamentais, que consistiram na Habituação na Arena, Teste de Campo Aberto, Treino de Reconhecimento de Objetos, Teste de Memória de Curto Prazo (TMCP) e Teste de Memória de Longo Prazo (TMLP). Foram obtidas as taxas de duração de preferência exploratória. Os dados foram apresentados como média ± EPM. Resultados: No TMCP, o grupo Estresse Choque apresentou um aumento significativo da taxa de exploração (75,75 ± 4,77% vs 58,49 ± 4,83%; p = 0,023), demonstrando um efeito positivo do estresse crônico sobre a memória de curto prazo. No TMCP, não houve diferença significativa do grupo Estresse Choque (55,23 ± 8,33%) em relação ao Controle (71,61 ± 4,76%; p = 0,146). Conclusão: o estresse crônico revelou efeitos positivos sobre a memória de curto prazo no Teste de Reconhecimento de Objetos, quando comparado ao grupo de controle, porém não obteve efeitos significativos sobre a memória de longo prazo.