Editorial

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the personal
lives of the populations across the world, including
universities and research institutes. Unusual words have
been normally used, such as social distancing, isolation,
quarentine, and lockdown to try to avoid the spread of
the virus, and to minimize the undesirable conditions
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, universities
and research institutes are working very hard to find
out how the disease can be stopped and its effects
mitigated. Medications are under study and there are
efforts towards the prompt availability of vaccines to
the populations. At the same time, there is not a clear
strategy defined with medications and vaccines; the use
the facial masks and frequent washing hands have been
also stimulated.
There are ongoing researches related to the
COVID-19 in several topics, and there is a growing
number of publications in this topic. Several scientific
journals, in various countries, are publishing papers on
the COVID-19 outbreak and so is the Brazilian Journal
of Health and Biomedical Sciences (BJHBS).
The current issue (2020/1) has papers in various
subjects. In the originals section, the first is about the
COVID-19 and it shows the work process and mental
health care at the Psychosocial Care Center of the
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (CAPS
UERJ) in the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim was to
report and analyze the reorganization of CAPS UERJ’s
work processes, in view of the public political virtue
that determines social distance in the midst of the
COVID-19 pandemic, considering its specificities and
its commitment to territorial logic.
A Randomized Controlled Trial investigated the
acute musculoskeletal and cognitive effects of stochastic
resonance whole-body vibration (SR-WBV). The
individuals were allocated randomly in a verum (6 Hz,
SR-WBV) or sham (2 Hz, SR-WBV) condition. Inhibitory
control was measured with the Stroop Test before
and after the exercise. Also, muscle stiffness, muscle
relaxation, sense of balance and surefootedness were
assessed in a questionnaire before and after the exercise.
The findings indicated that S-WBV seems to be an
appropriate method to improve not only physiological
measurements but newly also cognition, i.e. inhibitory
control. SR-WBV exercise reduces interference and
increases inhibitory control in a young and healthy
sample.
An association between severe chronic periodontitis
(PD) and cutaneous microvascular reactivity in
hypertensive patients is presented. PD is characterized
as a destructive disease that affects the tissues that
support the teeth, reaching gums, periodontal ligaments,
cement and alveolar bone. It aimed to evaluate a possible
association between severe chronic periodontitis on
cutaneous microvascular reactivity in hypertensive
patients, as well as to verify relationship between body
adiposity and PD in a clinical study.
Venous ulcers (VU) is the subject of the next original
paper. The VU generate physical, emotional, social and
economic changes for patients, and the occurrence of
infection in these wounds aggravates this situation. The
article is entitled “Performance of Hidrofiber technology
and Ag+ EXTRA technology as a cover for infected
VU” and it aimed i) to identify the socioeconomic
characteristics of patients with infected venous ulcers
selected for the study; ii) to describe the intensity of
pain reported by patients, during the dressing removal
procedure; and iii) to analyze the evolution of clinical
signs of infection of infected VU during the treatment
of lesions with Hidrofiber technology and Ag + EXTRA
technology for five weeks.
Review articles cover various topics: the present
edition brings a narrative review about inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD) women’s sexual and reproductive
health. IBD is a chronic idiopathic condition involving
the gastrointestinal tract. The disease prevalence is
increasing worldwide, affecting women in childbearing
age. The aim was to present an approach of clinical
and practical review of the women´s sexual and
reproductive health in IFD with focus in gynaecological
and obstetrical management.
Empathy is defined as a psychological process
guided by mechanisms that encompass the affective,
cognitive and behavioral spheres regarding the
observation of the other’s experience, essential to the
medical field in establishing trust between doctor and
patient. The second review of the issue aimed to identify
the variables that can influence the levels of empathy
during medical graduation, such as gender, year of
graduation and choice of medical specialty.
Editorial
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The benefits of the hot tub in reducing pain in
preterm newborns (PTNB) is the subject of the last
paper, presented as an integrative review. PTNB is
the baby born after the termination of pregnancy
before completing 37 weeks of gestation. In view of
the numerous consequences of this early birth, the
sensation of pain is identified with greater intensity, as
its inhibitory pathways are not fully developed in the
PTNB. This integrative review concludes that, possibly,
hot tub is able to offer PTNB a humanized approach,
considered one of the most indicated techniques.
Finally, a case report involving a female patient
with psoriasis on irregular treatment with methotrexate,
folic acid, and cyclosporine presenting erythroderma
associated with epidermal desquamation, mucositis and
pancytopenia is discussed.
The COVID-19 has affected directly the professional
lives of the individuals, including those involved in
the preparation of the journals. In the case of BJHBS,
we take the opportunity to register our special thanks
for the actions of those responsible for sectors of the
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. In our case, we
mention: the Director of Hospital Universitário Pedro
Ernesto, the Director of Policlínica Piquet Carneiro,
and the Director of the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas.
Those actions have permitted the home office of the
professionals involved with the preparation of this
issue of BJHBS that is now available for you, reader of
the BJHBS.
Enjoy the reading and take care!