The protocols for the 10/66 dementia research group population-based research programme

BACKGROUND: Latin America, China and India are experiencing unprecedentedly rapid demographic ageing with an increasing number of people with dementia. The 10/66 Dementia Research Group's title refers to the 66% of people with dementia that live in developing countries and the less than one tenth of population-based research carried out in those settings. This paper describes the protocols for the 10/66 population-based and intervention studies that aim to redress this imbalance. METHODS/DESIGN: Cross-sectional comprehensive one phase surveys have been conducted of all residents aged 65 and over of geographically defined catchment areas in ten low and middle income countries (India, China, Nigeria, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina), with a sample size of between 1000 and 3000 (generally 2000). Each of the studies uses the same core minimum data set with cross-culturally validated assessments (dementia diagnosis and subtypes, mental disorders, physical health, anthropometry, demographics, extensive non communicable disease risk factor questionnaires, disability/functioning, health service utilisation, care arrangements and caregiver strain). Nested within the population based studies is a randomised controlled trial of a caregiver intervention for people with dementia and their families (ISRCTN41039907; ISRCTN41062011; ISRCTN95135433; ISRCTN66355402; ISRCTN93378627; ISRCTN94921815). A follow up of 2.5 to 3.5 years will be conducted in 7 countries (China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and Argentina) to assess risk factors for incident dementia, stroke and all cause and cause-specific mortality; verbal autopsy will be used to identify causes of death. DISCUSSION: The 10/66 DRG baseline population-based studies are nearly complete. The incidence phase will be completed in 2009. All investigators are committed to establish an anonymised file sharing archive with monitored public access. Our aim is to create an evidence base to empower advocacy, raise awareness about dementia, and ensure that the health and social care needs of older people are anticipated and met

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

Inibição da formação de abscesso abdominal em rato: mortalidade por sepse Inhibition of abdominal abscess formation in rat: Mortality by sepsis

RACIONAL: Atribui-se aos abscessos intra-abdominais e às aderências peritoniais a função de isolar os processos sépticos e proteger o organismo da bacteremia. Por outro lado, esses fenômenos também dificultam o afluxo de fatores imunitários e antibióticos para a região infectada. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito da prevenção de abscessos na sobrevida após peritonite bacteriana. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 30 ratos Wistar machos que receberam solução de fezes a 50% intra-abdominal e que foram distribuídos em três grupos (n = 10). Grupo 1: controle (solução de fezes); grupo 2: solução de fezes mais solução salina a 0,9%; grupo 3: solução de fezes mais carboximetilcelulose a 1%, para inibir a formação de aderências. Os três grupos foram divididos em dois subgrupos (n = 5): subgrupo A: nova laparotomia, após 4 dias, para inspeção da cavidade abdominal; e subgrupo B: acompanhamento durante 30 dias para avaliação da mortalidade e da causa de morte. A análise estatística utilizou o teste exato de Fisher. RESULTADOS: O acréscimo de solução salina a 0,9% não aumentou a mortalidade do grupo. Entretanto, no grupo em que se acrescentou a solução de carboximetilcelulose, houve menor formação de abscessos, que também foram mais tênues e a mortalidade aumentou em relação ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: A inibição na formação de aderências peritoniais e de abscessos acompanha-se de maior mortalidade decorrente do processo séptico intra-abdominal generalizado