Redesignation of the porcellanid crab Pisidia brasiliensis (Rodrigues da Costa, 1968) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Porcellanidae)

The porcellanid crab, Pisidia brasiliensis (Rodrigues da Costa), reported from the Brazilian coast as a new species and attributed to Haig by Rodrigues da Costa (1968), is now transferred to the genus Porcellana Lamarck and a detailed description is provided for the first time

On zooplankton of the coastal waters of Rio Grande Do Norte sampled from oil producing platform

Lack of a comprehensive knowledge of zooplankton of the coastal waters of the northeast region of Brazil prompted the present study. Seasonal and diurnal collections were made from an oil producing platform located off Ouamari, Rio Grande do Norte, %azi! during the period of one year from March 1987 to February 1988. A pneliminary analysis of the samples showed a discernible seasonal fluctu* atioD and a clear pattern of diurnal changes in the composition of zooplankton

CIRURGIA BARIÁTRICA E APNÉIA DO SONO

Obesity is an important medical and social problem due to its severity and its already high and increasing prevalence. It has epidemic proportions and can cause or worsen arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, degenerative arthropathies, sleep apnea, as well as respiratory and cardiovascular dysfunctions. The impairment of the quality of life, reduction of life expectancy and the high failure rates of medical treatment are factors which reinforce the indication of surgical treatment for morbid obesity. The surgical indication is based on the analysis of multiple clinical aspects, including conservative treatment failure and psychological evaluation. Body mass index higher than 40 kg/m2 or over 35 kg/m2 with the presence of illness associated with obesity are important parameters to define the surgical indication. Surgical techniques involve modalities that are restrictives, malabsortives or a combination of both. As is the case for other comorbidities, an adequate pre and postoperative preparation of obese patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea is important. Besides special care concerning ventilation, it is recommended that the patient looses 10 to 15% of his original weight before the surgical operation. The preferencial surgical technique for morbid obesity in Brazil is the vertical gastroplasty with bandage and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (Fobi-Capella operation) as it obtains a long-term weight loss of 40% of the original body weight, without significant nutritional and metabolic alterations. Bariatric surgery cures or improves most of the obese patients suffering from sleep apnea.  A obesidade constitui um problema médico-social importante por sua prevalência alta e crescente e sua gravidade. Tem características epidêmicas e pode favorecer ou agravar hipertensão arterial, diabetes mellitus, artropatias degenerativas, apnéia do sono, e disfunções respiratórias e cardiovasculares. A piora da qualidade de vida, a redução da expectativa de vida e a alta taxa de fracasso dos tratamentos conservadores são fatores que reforçam a indicação de tratamento cirúrgico da obesidade mórbida. A indicação cirúrgica baseia-se na análise conjunta de múltiplos aspectos clínicos, incluindo a falha do tratamento conservador e a avaliação psicológica. São parâmetros importantes o índice de massa corpórea acima de 40 kg/m2 ou acima de 35 kg/m2 na presença de doença agravada ou causada pela obesidade. As modalidades cirúrgicas, de acordo com seu objetivo fundamental, são: restritivas, disabsortivas e mistas. Como para outras co-morbidades, é importante o preparo pré-e pós operatório adequado dos obesos com apnéia obstrutiva do sono (AOS) grave. Além de cuidados especiais relativos à ventilação é recomendado que o paciente perca de 10 a 15% de seu peso antes da intervenção cirúrgica. Redução de 10% do peso original corresponde geralmente à diminuição de cerca de 25% no índice de apnéia e hipopnéia. Os efeitos sobre a AOS são tanto melhores quanto maiores forem a redução do peso e a manutenção dessa perda. Resultados de meta-análise demonstram que a perda efetiva de peso após cirurgia bariátrica resolve as co-morbidades na maioria dos pacientes , com cura ou melhora da AOS em 86,3% dos pacientes. No Brasil dá-se preferência à gastroplastia vertical com bandagem e derivação gástrica em Y de Roux (técnica de Fobi-Capella) por conseguir perda de 40% do peso inicial, mantida a longo prazo e por não produzir alterações nutricionais e metabólicas importantes. 

Integrated genomic characterization of oesophageal carcinoma

Oesophageal cancers are prominent worldwide; however, there are few targeted therapies and survival rates for these cancers remain dismal. Here we performed a comprehensive molecular analysis of 164 carcinomas of the oesophagus derived from Western and Eastern populations. Beyond known histopathological and epidemiologic distinctions, molecular features differentiated oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas from oesophageal adenocarcinomas. Oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas resembled squamous carcinomas of other organs more than they did oesophageal adenocarcinomas. Our analyses identified three molecular subclasses of oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas, but none showed evidence for an aetiological role of human papillomavirus. Squamous cell carcinomas showed frequent genomic amplifications of CCND1 and SOX2 and/or TP63, whereas ERBB2, VEGFA and GATA4 and GATA6 were more commonly amplified in adenocarcinomas. Oesophageal adenocarcinomas strongly resembled the chromosomally unstable variant of gastric adenocarcinoma, suggesting that these cancers could be considered a single disease entity. However, some molecular features, including DNA hypermethylation, occurred disproportionally in oesophageal adenocarcinomas. These data provide a framework to facilitate more rational categorization of these tumours and a foundation for new therapies.ope

Integrated genomic characterization of oesophageal carcinoma

Oesophageal cancers are prominent worldwide; however, there are few targeted therapies and survival rates for these cancers remain dismal. Here we performed a comprehensive molecular analysis of 164 carcinomas of the oesophagus derived from Western and Eastern populations. Beyond known histopathological and epidemiologic distinctions, molecular features differentiated oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas from oesophageal adenocarcinomas. Oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas resembled squamous carcinomas of other organs more than they did oesophageal adenocarcinomas. Our analyses identified three molecular subclasses of oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas, but none showed evidence for an aetiological role of human papillomavirus. Squamous cell carcinomas showed frequent genomic amplifications of CCND1 and SOX2 and/or TP63, whereas ERBB2, VEGFA and GATA4 and GATA6 were more commonly amplified in adenocarcinomas. Oesophageal adenocarcinomas strongly resembled the chromosomally unstable variant of gastric adenocarcinoma, suggesting that these cancers could be considered a single disease entity. However, some molecular features, including DNA hypermethylation, occurred disproportionally in oesophageal adenocarcinomas. These data provide a framework to facilitate more rational categorization of these tumours and a foundation for new therapies

Population ecology of the planktonic shrimp Lucifer faxoni Borradaile, 1915 (Crustacea, Sergestoidea, Luciferidae) of the southeastern coast of Brazil

Luciferid shrimps have short life spans and a rapid turnover of generations, engage in sequential spawning, and protect their eggs during incubation. This study investigates the ecology of Lucifer faxoni Borradaile, 1915 in the littoral zone, Ubatuba region, São Paulo. Sampling was conducted monthly from July 2005 to December 2006 using a Renfro net trawled over a distance of 50 m for a total sampling effort of 50 m² at each station. Nine stations were sampled, ranging from 1 to 15 m deep. Three stations each were grouped into zones 1, 2 and 3 (Z1, Z2 and Z3). Monthly values of salinity, temperature and rainfall were recorded at each station. The pre-buccal somite length (SL) of each specimen was measured. The results showed that in shallower zones (Z1 and Z2), 6306 individuals were captured, whereas in the deeper zone (Z3), 3808 specimens were captured, but no significant differences in SL was detected between the specimens from Z1 and Z2 and those from Z3 (ANOVA, p=0.25). The abundance of shrimps did not differ significantly between seasons (Tukey's test, p=0.02) except in the spring. The sex ratio differed significantly over the seasons (&#967;², pEste estudo analisa a ecologia de Lucifer faxoni Borradaile, 1915 em Ubatuba, São Paulo. Os indivíduos foram coletados mensalmente de julho de 2005 a dezembro de 2006, com uma rede de Renfro, arrastada por uma distância de 50 m, totalizando um esforço amostral de 50 m² em cada ponto de coleta. Nove pontos foram amostrados, variando de 1 a 15 m de profundidade. Cada 3 pontos foram agrupados em 3 zonas (Z1, Z2 e Z3). Os valores de salinidade, temperatura e pluviosidade foram registrados mensalmente em cada transecto. Os espécimes foram medidos quanto ao comprimento do somito pré-bucal (SL). Os resultados mostram que nas zonas mais rasas (Z1 e Z2) foram coletados 6306 indivíduos, enquanto que na mais profunda (Z3) obteve-se 3808 espécimes, não havendo diferença estatística entre as zonas (ANOVA, p=0.25). A abundância não diferiu estatisticamente entre as estações do ano (Tukey, p=0.02), exceto para a primavera. Em todas as estações amostradas, o sex ratio diferiu estatisticamente (&#967;², p< 0.05). Os fatores ambientais aqui analisados apresentaram relação estreita com a distribuição espaço-temporal de L. faxoni. A pluviosidade influenciou diretamente a salinidade, que provocou o deslocamento dos camarões L. faxoni para áreas mais profundas