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Pediatric palliative care focuses on improving the quality-of-life in children with severe illnesses and their families, addressing relief of pain and other physical symptoms, as well as emotional, social and spiritual support. Its approach is comprehensive and multidisciplinary. Severe neurological diseases are life-limiting and threatening, significantly affecting the well-being of the child. The families of these children face significant stress and need support to make complex decisions about them. This includes advance care planning, setting therapeutic goals, and end-of-life decisions. Early intervention can improve quality-of-life, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, and provide emotional support for the family. Coordination between different health services is essential to ensure patient-centered care. Education and training of health professionals in this field are essential to improve the care of these children.

Los cuidados paliativos pediátricos se centran en mejorar la calidad de vida de niños con enfermedades graves y sus familias, abordando el alivio del dolor y otros síntomas físicos, así como brindar apoyo emocional, social y espiritual. Su enfoque es integral y multidisciplinario. Las enfermedades neurológicas graves pueden limitar y amenazar la vida, y afectan significativamente el bienestar del niño. Las familias de estos niños enfrentan un estrés significativo y necesitan apoyo para tomar decisiones complejas sobre el cuidado de su hijo. Esto incluye planificar anticipadamente la atención, establecer objetivos terapéuticos y, eventualmente, decisiones sobre el final de la vida. La intervención temprana puede mejorar la calidad de vida, reducir hospitalizaciones innecesarias y proporcionar un apoyo emocional crucial para la familia. La coordinación entre los diferentes servicios de salud es esencial para asegurar una atención centrada en el paciente. La formación de los profesionales de la salud en este campo es fundamental para mejorar la calidad de atención de estos niños.

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Age-related neurological disorders (ANDs), including neurodegenerative diseases, are complex illnesses with an increasing risk with advancing years. The central nervous system's neuropathological conditions, including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and protein misfolding, are what define ANDs. Due to the rise in age-dependent prevalence, efforts have been made to combat ANDs. Vitis viniferahas a long history of usageto treat a variety of illness symptoms. Because multiple ligand sites may be targeted, Vitis viniferacomponents can be employed to treat ANDs. This is demonstrated by the link between the structure and action of these compounds. This review demonstrates that Vitis viniferaand its constituents, including flavonoids, phenolic compounds, stilbenoidsandaromatic acids, are effective at reducing the neurological symptoms and pathological conditions of ANDs. This is done by acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. The active Vitis vinifera ingredients have therapeutic effects on ANDs, as this review explains.

Las enfermedades neurológicas asociadas a la edad (AND, por su sigla en inglés) incluyendo las enfermedades neurodegenerativas, son enfermedades complejas con un riesgo creciente con la edad. Las condiciones neuropatológicas del sistema nervioso central, que incluyen el estrés oxidativo, la neuro inflamación, y el plegado erróneo de proteínas, son lo que define las AND. Debido al aumento en la prevalencia dependiente de la edad, se han hecho esfuerzos para combatir las AND. Vitis vinifera tiene una larga historia de uso para el tratamiento de síntomas. Puesto que puede hacer objetivo a muchos sitios ligando, los componentes de Vitis viniferase pueden utilizar para tratar AND. Esto se demuestra por el vínculo entre la estructura y la acción de estos compuestos. Esta revisión demuestra que la Vitis viniferay sus constituyentes, incluídos los flavonoides, componentes fenólicos, estilbenoides, y ácidos aromáticos, son efectivos para reducir los síntomas neurológicos y las condiciones patológicas de AND. Esto se produce por su acción como antioxidante y antiinflamatorio. Los ingredientes activos de Vitis vinifera tienen efectos terapéuticos en AND, y esta revisión lo explica.

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Studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effect of cannabidiol (CBD) and other Cannabis sativa L. derivatives on diseases of the central nervous system caused by their direct or indirect interaction with endocannabinoid system-related receptors and other molecular targets, such as the 5-HT1A receptor, which is a potential pharmacological target of CBD. Interestingly, CBD binding with the 5-HT1A receptor may be suitable for the treatment of epilepsies, parkinsonian syndromes and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in which the 5-HT1A serotonergic receptor plays a key role. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of cannabinoid effects on neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's diseases, and discuss their possible mechanism of action, highlighting interactions with molecular targets and the potential neuroprotective effects of phytocannabinoids. CBD has been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, while nabiximols contribute to a reduction in spasticity and are a frequent option for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Although there are multiple theories on the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids for neurological disorders, substantially greater progress in the search for strong scientific evidence of their pharmacological effectiveness is needed.

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SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) conjugation or SUMOylation, a post-translational modification, is a crucial regulator of protein function and cellular processes. In the context of neural stem cells (NSCs), SUMOylation has emerged as a key player, affecting their proliferation, differentiation, and survival. By modifying transcription factors, such as SOX1, SOX2, SOX3, SOX6, Bmi1, and Nanog, SUMOylation can either enhance or impair their transcriptional activity, thus impacting on NSCs self-renewal. Moreover, SUMOylation regulates neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation by modulating key proteins, such as Foxp1, Mecp2, MEF2A, and SOX10. SUMOylation is also crucial for the survival and proliferation of NSCs in both developing and adult brains. By regulating the activity of transcription factors, coactivators, and corepressors, SUMOylation acts as a molecular switch, inducing cofactor recruitment and function during development. Importantly, dysregulation of NSCs SUMOylation has been implicated in various disorders, including embryonic defects, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, glioma, and the harmful effects of benzophenone-3 exposure. Here we review the main findings on SUMOylation-mediated regulation of NSCs self-renewal, differentiation and survival. Better understanding NSCs SUMOylation mechanisms and its functional consequences might provide new strategies to promote neuronal differentiation that could contribute for the development of novel therapies targeting neurodegenerative diseases.

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Herpesvirus is associated with various neurological disorders and a specific diagnosis is associated with a better prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of neurological diseases triggered by herpetic infection. In this review, we discuss miRNAs that have been associated with neurological disorders related to the action of herpesviruses. Human miRNAs and herpesvirus-encoded miRNAs were listed and discussed. This review article will be valuable in stimulating the search for new diagnostic and prognosis alternatives and understanding the role of these miRNAs in neurological diseases triggered by herpesviruses.

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With the advancement of in vivo studies and clinical trials, the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases has been better understood. However, gaps still need to be better elucidated, which justifies the publication of reviews that explore the mechanisms related to the development of these diseases. Studies show that vitamin E supplementation can protect neurons from the damage caused by oxidative stress, with a positive impact on the prevention and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, this review aims to summarize the scientific evidence of the effects of vitamin E supplementation on neuroprotection and on neurodegeneration markers in experimental models. A search for studies published between 2000 and 2023 was carried out in the PubMed, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library (BVS), and Embase databases, in which the effects of vitamin E in experimental models of neurodegeneration were investigated. A total of 5669 potentially eligible studies were identified. After excluding the duplicates, 5373 remained, of which 5253 were excluded after checking the titles, 90 articles after reading the abstracts, and 11 after fully reviewing the manuscripts, leaving 19 publications to be included in this review. Experiments with in vivo models of neurodegenerative diseases demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation significantly improved memory, cognition, learning, motor function, and brain markers associated with neuroregeneration and neuroprotection. Vitamin E supplementation reduced beta-amyloid (Aß) deposition and toxicity in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, it decreased tau-protein hyperphosphorylation and increased superoxide dismutase and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in rodents, which seems to indicate the potential use of vitamin E in preventing and delaying the progress of degenerative lesions in the central nervous system.

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OBJECTIVE: This article proposes an engineering-economics model to determine the total cost of a neurological disease along its temporal progression. The objective was to develop a planning tool faithful to the reality of this type of ailment as well as to that of Puerto Rico (PR). METHODS: The proposed model organizes a given neurological disease into 3 progressive phases of deterioration; in each, the model collects the typical associated costs and adjusts them based on their value over time. This way, the total cost of the ailment is calculated and its present day dollar value expressed. Model verification was carried out using data from Puerto Rico related to Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. RESULTS: The method demonstrated here considered Parkinson's disease in PR. Our model calculated a total annual cost of $64,915 for a patient at the medium stage. This figure is larger than estimates from other authors, which fall between $41,689 and $51,600 for the USA. This difference is partially due to the proposed model considering the individual's opportunity cost of the loss of productive years, an original contribution of our work. CONCLUSION: A neurological disease is one in which an individual goes through progressive phases of deterioration that will require significant economic resources. The model proposed here is designed across the commonalities between Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases and illustrated using costs from PR. As an additional contribution, it allows the consideration of the opportunity cost of lost productivity, a characteristic that makes it more realistic.

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Abstract Miguel de Cervantes had seasoned knowledge of medical care in his time. Here we provide evidence of his having read medical texts from his personal library and of his relationships with relatives and friends who were physicians. As an example of his knowledge, we analyze the references to palsy and other neurological diseases like epilepsy, tremors and head trauma, which are mentioned or described in his great literary masterpiece titled The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote. (Acta Med Colomb 2022; 48. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2023.2830).

Resumen Miguel de Cervantes tuvo un conocimiento avezado de la medicina de su época. Acá se demuestra la evidencia de sus lecturas de libros de medicina que poseyó en su biblioteca personal y de sus relaciones con familiares y amigos médicos. Se analiza como ejemplo de su saber las referencias a la perlesía y otras patologías neurológicas como la epilepsia, los temblores y los traumas craneanos, que son mencionadas o descritas en su gran obra maestra titulada El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote. (Acta Med Colomb 2022; 48. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2023.2830).

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Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a metabolite produced by the gut microbiota and has been mainly associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in humans. There are factors that affect one's TMAO level, such as diet, drugs, age, and hormones, among others. Gut dysbiosis in the host has been studied recently as a new approach to understanding chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and Alzheimer's disease. These disease types as well as COVID-19 are known to modulate host immunity. Diabetic and obese patients have been observed to have an increase in their level of TMAO, which has a direct correlation with CVDs. This metabolite is attributed to enhancing the inflammatory pathways through cholesterol and bile acid dysregulation, promoting foam cell formation. Additionally, TMAO activates the transcription factor NF-κB, which, in turn, triggers cytokine production. The result can be an exaggerated inflammatory response capable of inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress, which is responsible for various diseases. Due to the deleterious effects that this metabolite causes in its host, it is important to search for new therapeutic agents that allow a reduction in the TMAO levels of patients and that, thus, allow patients to be able to avoid a severe cardiovascular event. The present review discussed the synthesis of TMAO and its contribution to the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases.

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Abstract Neurological disorders in cattle comprise a group of economically relevant diseases with high occurrence and mortality. In this way, the objective was to carry out an epidemiological study of the diseases with neurological manifestations in cattle admitted (alive or dead) to the Garanhuns Bovine Clinic/Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (CBG/UFRPE) from January 2009 to December 2019. Epidemiological information was collected from the clinical records regarding the age group, rearing system, time of year, and area of origin of the animals. The diseases were grouped into categories according to their origin: toxic or toxi-infectious, viral, traumatic/physical, parasitic, metabolic degenerative, bacterial, neoplastic, and others. A total of 6103 cattle were treated during the study period, of which 604 (10.1%) were diagnosed with diseases that had neurological manifestations. Of these, 331 cases were of single occurrence, and 231 cases occurred as outbreaks in the herd. Death was the outcome in almost 80% of the cases (465/596). The frequencies of the different categories were toxic or toxi-infectious (25.2%), viral (21.5%), traumatic/physical (13.6%), parasitic (9.8%), metabolic (9.3%), degenerative (2.3%), bacterial (2.2%), neoplastic (1.2%), and others (1.2%). It was found that almost half of the animals were older than 24 months (229/475), almost 80% were females, more than 60% were submitted to a semi-intensive to intensive rearing system, and the occurrence of disease was higher during the dry period of the year (363/614). The three most frequent neurological diseases in this study were rabies, trauma, and botulism.

Resumo Os distúrbios neurológicos em bovinos abrangem um grupo de enfermidades economicamente relevantes de elevada ocorrência e mortalidade. Desta forma, objetivou-se realizar um estudo epidemiológico das enfermidades que cursaram com manifestações neurológicas que deram entrada (vivos ou mortos) na Clínica de Bovinos de Garanhuns/Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco no período de janeiro de 2009 a dezembro de 2019. Nos prontuários clínicos, foram coletadas informaçõe epidemiológicas referentes ao sexo; a faixa etária; ao sistema de criação, época do ano e a área de procedência dos animais. As doenças foram agrupadas em categorias de acordo com sua origem: tóxica ou toxi-infecciosa, viral, traumática, parasitária, degenerativa, metabólica, bacteriana, neoplásica e outras. Um total de 6103 bovinos foram atendidos no período estudado, dos quais 604 (10,1 %) foram diagnosticados com enfermidades que cursaram com manifestações neurológicas. Destes, 331 casos foram de ocorrência individual, 231 casos cursaram como surtos no rebanho. Quase 80% dos casos (465/596) teve o óbito como desfecho. As frequências das distintas categoria foram tóxica ou toxi-infecciosa (25,2%), viral (21,5%), traumática/física (13,6%), parasitária (9,8%), metabólica (9,3%, degenerativa (2,3%), bacteriana (2,2%), neoplásica (1,2%), outras (1,2%). Verificou-se que quase metade dos animais apresentavam idade superior a 24 meses (229/475), quase 80% eram fêmeas, mais de 60% eram submetidos a um sistema de criação de semi-intensivo a intensivo e a ocorrência foi maior durante o período seco do ano (363/614). As três enfermidades com manifestações neurológicas de maior ocorrência neste estudo foram a raiva, os traumatismos e o botulismo.

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BACKGROUND: Non-ambulatory pigs, colloquially known as downers or downed pigs, are animals presented with limited to no mobility, usually as a result of pre-existing neurologic or musculoskeletal conditions. Impaired ambulation is a major cause of euthanasia in pigs, leading to economic losses and animal welfare concerns. Additionally, reaching the underlying diagnosis of impaired ambulation in pigs is commonly a challenging task for swine practitioners. The aim of this necropsy-based study was to report the clinical, etiological, and pathological findings of 76 non-ambulatory grower-finisher pigs, and to correlate tail-biting lesions with the causes of death/reason for euthanasia in non-ambulatory pigs. Necropsies of downed pigs were performed during on-site visits to two pig farms in southern Brazil. RESULTS: The diagnosis of the conditions was based on the clinical, macroscopic, histopathological, bacteriological, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings. The diseases diagnosed in non-ambulatory pigs in this study were suppurative arthritis (29/76), suppurative spondylitis (10/76), PVC-2 associated diseases (8/76), bone fracture (7/76), non-suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis (4/76), suppurative meningoencephalitis (6/76), fibrocartilaginous thromboembolism (3/76), epiphysiolysis (3/76), ascending bacterial myelitis (3/76), and other conditions (3/76). The frequency of suppurative arthritis, suppurative spondylitis, and ascending bacterial myelitis/meningitis was higher in pigs with tail biting lesions than controls (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Non-ambulatory pigs were observed during the entire rearing period, however, the occurrence of non-ambulatory pigs increased in animals aged ≥ 150 days. Infectious diseases were the most common cause of downed pigs, mainly associated with chronic bacterial infections. Tail biting lesions were an important predisposing factor to suppurative arthritis, suppurative spondylitis, and ascending bacterial myelitis/meningitis.

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RESUMEN Las enfermedades neurológicas se han convertido en una preocupación creciente, considerándose causa importante de morbimortalidad tanto en países desarrollados como en aquellos en desarrollo. Se realizó esta investigación con el objetivo de caracterizar la actividad asistencial del servicio de Neurología del Hospital Clínico-Quirúrgico Celia Sánchez Manduley. Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo en el servicio de Neurología del Hospital Clínico-Quirúrgico Celia Sánchez Manduley, en el periodo de enero a diciembre de 2019. El universo estuvo constituido por 3968 pacientes, atendidos en consulta externa y hospitalización. Los resultados obtenidos se distribuyeron en frecuencias absolutas y por cientos. Se tomaron en cuenta las siguientes variables: edad, sexo, municipio, grupo diagnóstico y origen de la interconsulta. Predominó el sexo femenino (57,7 %) y el grupo de edad de 60 años y más (37,2 %). La mayoría de los pacientes fueron manzanilleros (36,4 %). La cefalea fue el grupo diagnóstico más representativo (23,9 %), y la epilepsia fue el principal diagnóstico con que ingresaron los pacientes (32,8 %). El servicio que aportó mayores solicitudes de interconsultas para un 66,8 % fue Medicina Interna. Los motivos de consulta y las características de los pacientes hospitalizados no difieren en gran medida de los presentados por otros autores. Los motivos de consulta más frecuentes fueron la cefalea y la epilepsia. El grupo de edad con mayor demanda de asistencia neurológica fueron pacientes mayores de 60 años, con predominio del sexo femenino. El mayor número de hospitalizaciones correspondió a la epilepsia y la enfermedad de Parkinson.

ABSTRACT Neurological diseases have become a growing concern, being considered a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. This research was carried out with the aim of characterizing the care activity of the Neurology service of the Celia Sánchez Manduley Clinical-Surgical Hospital. An observational, descriptive study was conducted in the Neurology service of the Celia Sánchez Manduley Clinical-Surgical Hospital, in the period from January to December 2019. The universe consisted of 3968 patients, treated in outpatient consultation and hospitalization. The results obtained were distributed in absolute frequencies and by hundreds. The following variables were taken into account: age, sex, municipality, diagnostic group and origin of the interconsultation. Female sex (57.7%) and the age group of 60 years and over (37.2%) predominated. The majority of patients were manzanilleros (36.4 %). Headache was the most representative diagnostic group (23.9%), and epilepsy was the main diagnosis with which patients were admitted (32.8%). The service that provided the highest requests for interconsultations for 66.8% was Internal Medicine. The reasons for consultation and the characteristics of hospitalized patients do not differ greatly from those presented by other authors. The most frequent reasons for consultation were headache and epilepsy. The age group with the highest demand for neurological assistance were patients over 60 years of age, with a predominance of the female sex. The highest number of hospitalizations corresponded to epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

RESUMO As doenças neurológicas tornaram-se uma preocupação crescente, sendo consideradas uma das principais causas de morbidade e mortalidade nos países desenvolvidos e em desenvolvimento. Esta pesquisa foi realizada como objetivo de caracterizar a atividade assistencial do serviço de Neurologia do Hospital Clínico-Cirúrgico Célia Sánchez Manduley. Um estudo observacional e descritivo foi realizado no serviço de Neurologia do Hospital Clínico-CirúrgicoCélia Sánchez Manduley, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2019. O universo era composto por 3.968 pacientes, tratados em consulta ambulatorial e internação. Os resultados obtidos foram distribuídos em frequências absolutas e por centenas. Foram levadas em consideração as seguintes variáveis: idade, sexo, município, grupo diagnóstico e origem da interconsulção. Predominaram o sexo feminino (57,7%) e a faixa etária de 60 anos ou mais (37,2%) predominaram. A maioria dos pacientes foi manzanilleros (36,4 %). A dor de cabeça foi o grupo diagnóstico mais representativo (23,9%), e a epilepsia foi o principal diagnóstico com o qual os pacientes foram internados (32,8%). O serviço que atendeu mais pedidos de interconsultações para 66,8% foi a Medicina Interna. As razões para a consulta e as características dos pacientes internados não diferem muito das apresentadas por outros autores. Os motivos mais frequentes para a consulta foramdor de cabeça e epilepsia. A faixa etária com maior demanda por assistência neurológica foram pacientes com mais de 60 anos de idade, com predominância do sexo feminino. O maior número de internações correspondeu à epilepsia e doença de Parkinson.

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Neurological disorders include a wide spectrum of clinical conditions affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. For these conditions, which affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, generally limited or no treatments are available, and cell-based therapies have been intensively investigated in preclinical and clinical studies. Among the available cell types, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have been widely studied but as yet no cell-based treatment exists for neurological disease. We review current knowledge of the therapeutic potential of MSC-based therapies for neurological diseases, as well as possible mechanisms of action that may be explored to hasten the development of new and effective treatments. We also discuss the challenges for culture conditions, quality control, and the development of potency tests, aiming to generate more efficient cell therapy products for neurological disorders.

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INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a useful intervention for patients with impaired swallowing and a functional gastrointestinal system. Neurological diseases that cause neuromotor dysphagia, brain tumors, and cerebrovascular disease are the most frequent indications; complications are rare, and morbidity and mortality rates are low. OBJECTIVE: To describe the usefulness of PEG in patients with neurological diseases, and its impact on care, survival, and costs and benefits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study, reviewing clinical files of patients hospitalised at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery (years 2015-2017) who underwent PEG placement. RESULTS: The sample included 51 patients: 62.7% were women and the mean (SD) age was 54.4 (18.6) years (range, 18-86). Diagnosis was tumor in 37.3% of cases and cerebrovascular disease in 33.3%. Sixteen patients (33.3%) died and 11 presented minor complications. The PEG tube remained in place for a mean of 9.14 months; in 52.9% of patients it was removed due to lack of improvement and/or tolerated oral intake, with removal occurring after a mean of 5.1 (4.4) months. Among patients' family members, 78.4% reported a great benefit, 43.1% reported difficulty caring for the PEG, and 45.1% reported complicated care in general. The monthly cost of maintaining the PEG was €175.78 on average (range, 38.38-293.45). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study reveals that PEG was well indicated in patients with neurological diseases, with survival rates similar to those reported in other studies with long follow-up periods. In patients with cerebrovascular disease, the PEG tube remained in place a mean of 9.14 months, during recovery of swallowing function; however, the cost is high for our population.

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Purpose: To identify clinical phenotypes and biomarkers for best mortality prediction considering age, symptoms and comorbidities in COVID-19 patients with chronic neurological diseases in intensive care units (ICUs). Subjects and Methods: Data included 1252 COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in Cuba between January and August 2021. A k-means algorithm based on unsupervised learning was used to identify clinical patterns related to symptoms, comorbidities and age. The Stable Sparse Classifiers procedure (SSC) was employed for predicting mortality. The classification performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). Results: Six phenotypes using a modified v-fold cross validation for the k-means algorithm were identified: phenotype class 1, mean age 72.3 years (ys)-hypertension and coronary artery disease, alongside typical COVID-19 symptoms; class 2, mean age 63 ys-asthma, cough and fever; class 3, mean age 74.5 ys-hypertension, diabetes and cough; class 4, mean age 67.8 ys-hypertension and no symptoms; class 5, mean age 53 ys-cough and no comorbidities; class 6, mean age 60 ys-without symptoms or comorbidities. The chronic neurological disease (CND) percentage was distributed in the six phenotypes, predominantly in phenotypes of classes 3 (24.72%) and 4 (35,39%); χ² (5) 11.0129 p = 0.051134. The cerebrovascular disease was concentrated in classes 3 and 4; χ² (5) = 36.63, p = 0.000001. The mortality rate totaled 325 (25.79%), of which 56 (17.23%) had chronic neurological diseases. The highest in-hospital mortality rates were found in phenotypes 1 (37.22%) and 3 (33.98%). The SSC revealed that a neurological symptom (ageusia), together with two neurological diseases (cerebrovascular disease and Parkinson's disease), and in addition to ICU days, age and specific symptoms (fever, cough, dyspnea and chilliness) as well as particular comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes and asthma) indicated the best prediction performance (AUC = 0.67). Conclusions: The identification of clinical phenotypes and mortality biomarkers using practical variables and robust statistical methodologies make several noteworthy contributions to basic and experimental investigations for distinguishing the COVID-19 clinical spectrum and predicting mortality.

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Abstract Background: Among the various pathologies that affect the elderly, Heart Failure (HF) stands out. Recently, an attempt has been made to verify the existence of cognitive impairment associated with HF. Objectives: To compare the cognitive performance of elderly people with heart failure with that of age-matched individuals without this pathology. Check the existence of marked impairment in some cognitive functions in the clinical group. Methods: The sample consisted of 78 elderly people, whose inclusion criterion was the presence of HF and no HF (control group); age over 60 years, both sexes, and any level of education. The control group consisted of 37 individuals (with a median age of 68 years - Interquartile range of 12) and the HF group, with 41 individuals (with a median age of 67 years - Interquartile range of 11). The subjects were matched in terms of education level, with a predominance of elderly people with 0 to 4 years of education (65.9% in the Clinical Group and 59.5% in the Control Group). Eleven neuropsychological tests covering cognitive functions were used: attention, language, memory, mood, and executive function. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 23, with a significance level of 5%. The Chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney test were applied. Results: The results showed significant differences between the groups, mainly in executive functions, which include the ability to plan, switch, and recall previously stored information. Conclusion: Our study showed differences between the cognitive performance of elderly people with HF and elderly people without HF. The main alteration was found in the so-called executive functions, attention, and memory.

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BACKGROUND: Psychological stress may be a risk factor for dementia, but the association between exposure to stressful life events and the development of cognitive dysfunction has not been conclusively demonstrated. We hypothesize that if a stressful event has an impact on the subjects, its effects would be different in the three diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the effects of stressful events in senior patients who later developed ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Together with demographic variables (age, sex, race, socioeconomic and cultural levels), five types of past stressful events, such as death or serious illness of close relatives, job dismissal, change of financial status, retirement, and change of residence, were recorded in 1024 patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and ischemic stroke. Time-todiagnosis (months from the event to the first symptoms: retrospective study) and evolution time (years of follow-up of each patient: prospective study) were recorded. The variance and nonparametric methods were analyzed to the variables time-to-diagnosis and evolution time to analyze differences between these diseases. RESULTS: The demographic variables, such as age, sex, race, economic and cultural levels, were found to be statistically non-significant; differences in the economic level were significant (P<0.05). Significant differences (P<0.001) were found in the mean time-to-diagnosis between diseases (Alzheimer's disease>Parkinson's disease >Stroke), and minor differences (P<0.05) in evolution time. CONCLUSION: Differences in time-to-diagnosis between the diseases indicate that the stressful effect of having experienced the death or serious illness of a close relative has an impact on their emergence. The measurement of time-to-diagnosis and evolution time proves useful in detecting differences between diseases.

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Neurological disorders are frequent in small animal veterinary clinics and studies giving regional justification for such disorders are essential so that veterinarians can be better prepared. The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of dogs with neurological disorders treated at the Veterinary Hospital of Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, between August 2017 and April 2018. The study describes the location of the lesions and their etiology according to the acronym VITAMIN-D, as well as the distribution of cases according to sex, breed and age. One hundred and twenty-two (122) dogs were included, of which 58% (n=71) were males and 42% (n=51) females. The age distribution ranged from two months to 18 years old; 16% were less than two years old, 50% between two and seven years old and 34% were more than seven years old. The most affected breeds were Mixed Breed dogs (43%), Poodles (9%) and Dachshunds (7%). The diagnoses were confirmed in 54 animals (44%) and in 68 (56%) remained presumptive. The most common location was the spinal cord (61%), where the T3-L3 region was the most affected (35%), followed by multifocal (20%) and forebrain (10%). The most frequent categories were degenerative (24%), inflammatory/infectious (23%) and traumatic (20%) diseases. Intervertebral disc disease was the most observed, corresponding to 21.3% of all cases. The results showed that the neurological diseases in this Veterinary Hospital were more prevalent in young male adults with spinal cord diseases of degenerative nature.(AU)

Desordens neurológicas são frequentes na clínica de pequenos animais. Estudos caracterizando a casuística regio-nal são fundamentais para melhor instrução e preparo técnico do médico veterinário. O objetivo deste trabalho retrospectivo foi descrever os aspectos clínicos e epidemiológicos de cães com distúrbios neurológicos atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, entre agosto de 2017 e abril de 2018, caracterizando a localização da lesão e etiologia de acordo com o acrônimo VITAMINA-D, bem como a distribuição dos casos em relação ao sexo, raça e faixa etária. Foram incluídos 122 cães, com 58% (n=71) dos casos em machos e 42% (n=51) em fêmeas. A distribuição etária variou de dois meses a 18 anos, sendo 16% dos animais menores de dois anos, 50% entre dois e sete anos e 34% maiores de sete anos. As raças mais observadas foram SRD (43%), Poodle (9%) e Dachshund (7%). O diagnóstico etiológico foi confirmado em 54 animais (44%) e em 68 (56%) permaneceu como presuntivo. A localização mais comum foi na medula espinhal (61%), sendo a região entre T3-L3 a mais acometida (35%), seguida por multifocal (20%) e prosencéfalo (10%). As categorias mais frequentes foram de doenças degenerativas (24%), inflamatórias/infecciosas (23%) e traumáticas (20%). Dos cães com doenças degenerativas, a doença do disco intervertebral foi mais observada (21,3% do total dos casos). Com base nos resultados obti-dos, pode-se concluir que, na casuística regional deste Hospital, as doenças neurológicas foram mais prevalentes em machos, adultos jovens e com localização medular de origem degenerativa.(AU)

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The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In addition to pneumonia, individuals affected by the disease have neurological symptoms. Indeed, SARS-CoV-2 has a neuroinvasive capacity. It is known that the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 leads to a cytokine storm. An exacerbated inflammatory state can lead to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage as well as to intestinal dysbiosis. These changes, in turn, are associated with microglial activation and reactivity of astrocytes that can promote the degeneration of neurons and be associated with the development of psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Studies also have been shown that SARS-CoV-2 alters the composition and functional activity of the gut microbiota. The microbiota-gut-brain axis provides a bidirectional homeostatic communication pathway. Thus, this review focuses on studies that show the relationship between inflammation and the gut microbiota-brain axis in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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