The A allele of the rs759853 single nucleotide polymorphism in the AKR1B1 gene confers risk for diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes from a Brazilian population

Objective: The AKR1B1 gene encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of glucose into sorbitol. Chronic hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to increased AKR1B1 affinity for glucose and, consequently, sorbitol accumulation. Elevated sorbitol increases oxidative stress, which is one of the main pathways related to chronic complications of diabetes, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Accordingly, some studies have suggested the rs759853 polymorphism in the AKR1B1 gene is associated with DKD; however, findings are still contradictory. The aim was to investigate the association of the rs759853 polymorphism in the AKR1B1 gene and DKD. Materials and methods: The sample comprised 695 patients with type 2 DM (T2DM) and DKD (cases) and 310 patients with T2DM of more than 10 years’ duration, but no DKD (controls). The polymorphism was genotyped by real-time PCR. Results: Allelic and genotype frequencies of this polymorphism did not differ significantly between groups. However, the A/A genotype was associated with risk for DKD after adjustment for gender, triglycerides, BMI, presence of hypertension and diabetic retinopathy, and duration of DM, under both recessive (P = 0.048) and additive (P = 0.037) inheritance models. Conclusion: Our data suggest an association between the AKR1B1 rs759853A/A genotype and risk for DKD in Brazilians T2DM patients

Avanços da cirurgia robotica no tratamento do Câncer

A cirurgia robótica tem sido almejada por profissionais cirurgiões, visto que, é um procedimento considerado de alta eficácia, assim como, apresenta reduzidos níveis de riscos ao paciente, o que configura significativamente a qualidade elevada do procedimento médico. Logo, tem sido utilizada no tratamento cirúrgico de diversos tipos de câncer, o qual tem demonstrado melhores resultados quando comparados com procedimentos mais invasivas ou tradicionais O principal objetivo do é discutir por meio de uma revisão sistematizada da literatura acerca dos avanços da cirurgia robótica no tratamento dos demais tipos de cânceres. O presente estudo trata-se de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, de modo que, realizou-se buscas de na Scielo, Periódico Capes e na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), através de termos específicos do Decs, o qual resultou-se em: “Neoplasias” AND “Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Robóticos” AND “Terapêutica”. Foram elegíveis um total de 8 estudos na presente revisão sistemática. Este procedimento é devidamente realizado com menores danos de incisão possível no paciente, de modo que, possibilitou a diminuição de dores pós-operatórios, além da redução de sangramentos, traumas, respostas inflamatórias, tempo de internação e até mesmo melhores resultados estéticos nos pacientes, quando comparados com os métodos mais tradicionais e invasivos

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ