Genomics and epidemiology for gastric adenocarcinomas (GE4GAC): a Brazilian initiative to study gastric cancer

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of cancer worldwide with high incidences in Asia, Central, and South American countries. This patchy distribution means that GC studies are neglected by large research centers from developed countries. The need for further understanding of this complex disease, including the local importance of epidemiological factors and the rich ancestral admixture found in Brazil, stimulated the implementation of the GE4GAC project. GE4GAC aims to embrace epidemiological, clinical, molecular and microbiological data from Brazilian controls and patients with malignant and pre-malignant gastric disease. In this letter, we summarize the main goals of the project, including subject and sample accrual and current findings

Cuidados paliativos no paciente com HIV/AIDS internado na unidade de terapia intensiva

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever as características de pacientes com HIV/AIDS e comparar as medidas terapêuticas e cuidados de fim de vida, antes e após a avaliação da equipe de cuidados paliativos. Métodos: Trata-se de uma coorte retrospectiva, que incluiu todos os pacientes com HIV/AIDS internados na unidade de terapia intensiva do Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas e avaliados pela equipe de cuidados paliativos no período de janeiro de 2006 a dezembro de 2012. Resultados: Dos 109 pacientes avaliados, 89% tinham relato de doenças oportunistas, 70% apresentavam CD4 menor que 100cels/mm3 e apenas 19% aderiram ao tratamento. A mortalidade geral foi de 88%. Dentre os pacientes considerados em provável terminalidade (68%), observaram-se redução do uso da terapia antirretroviral altamente ativa (50,0% para 23,1%; p = 0,02), antibioticoterapia (100% para 63,6%; p < 0,001), drogas vasoativas (62,1% para 37,8%, p = 0,009), terapia de substituição renal (34,8% para 23%; p < 0,0001) e transfusão de hemoderivados (74,2% para 19,7%; p < 0,0001). Foi realizada reunião com a família em 48% dos casos, e 23% dos pacientes em provável terminalidade receberam alta da unidade de terapia intensiva. Conclusão: A equipe de cuidados paliativos foi acionada para pacientes com perfil de elevadas gravidade e mortalidade. Os pacientes acompanhados pela equipe de cuidados paliativos avaliados como provável terminalidade tiveram significativa redução de intervenções potencialmente inapropriadas, e 26% desses pacientes conseguiram receber alta da unidade de terapia intensiva

Evaluation of impacts of climate change and local stressors on the biotechnological potential of marine macroalgae - a brief theoretical discussion of likely scenarios

Climate change can be associated with variations in the frequency and intensity of extreme temperatures and precipitation events on the local and regional scales. Along coastal areas, flooding associated with increased occupation has seriously impacted products and services generated by marine life, in particular the biotechnological potential that macroalgae hold. Therefore, this paper analyzes the available information on the taxonomy, ecology and physiology of macroalgae and discusses the impacts of climate change and local stress on the biotechnological potential of Brazilian macroalgae. Based on data compiled from a series of floristic and ecological works, we note the disappearance in some Brazilian regions of major groups of biotechnological interest. In some cases, the introduction of exotic species has been documented, as well as expansion of the distribution range of economically important species. We also verify an increase in the similarities between the Brazilian phycogeographic provinces, although they still remain different. It is possible that these changes have resulted from the warming of South Atlantic water, as observed for its surface in southeastern Brazilian, mainly during the winter. However, unplanned urbanization of coastal areas can also produce similar biodiversity losses, which requires efforts to generate long-term temporal data on the composition, community structure and physiology of macroalga