Prospecting Local Treatments Used in Conjunction with Antivenom Administration Following Envenomation Caused by Animals: A Systematic Review.

Envenomation caused by venomous animals may trigger significant local complications such as pain, edema, localized hemorrhage, and tissue necrosis, in addition to complications such as dermonecrosis, myonecrosis, and even amputations. This systematic review aims to evaluate scientific evidence on therapies used to target local effects caused by envenomation. The PubMed, MEDLINE, and LILACS databases were used to perform a literature search on the topic. The review was based on studies that cited procedures performed on local injuries following envenomation with the aim of being an adjuvant therapeutic strategy. The literature regarding local treatments used following envenomation reports the use of several alternative methods and/or therapies. The venomous animals found in the search were snakes (82.05%), insects (2.56%), spiders (2.56%), scorpions (2.56%), and others (jellyfish, centipede, sea urchin-10.26%). In regard to the treatments, the use of tourniquets, corticosteroids, antihistamines, and cryotherapy is questionable, as well as the use of plants and oils. Low-intensity lasers stand out as a possible therapeutic tool for these injuries. Local complications can progress to serious conditions and may result in physical disabilities and sequelae. This study compiled information on adjuvant therapeutic measures and underscores the importance of more robust scientific evidence for recommendations that act on local effects together with the antivenom.

Genomic structure and marker-derived gene networks for growth and meat quality traits of Brazilian Nelore beef cattle.

BACKGROUND: Nelore is the major beef cattle breed in Brazil with more than 130 million heads. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are often used to associate markers and genomic regions to growth and meat quality traits that can be used to assist selection programs. An alternative methodology to traditional GWAS that involves the construction of gene network interactions, derived from results of several GWAS is the AWM (Association Weight Matrices)/PCIT (Partial Correlation and Information Theory). With the aim of evaluating the genetic architecture of Brazilian Nelore cattle, we used high-density SNP genotyping data (~770,000 SNP) from 780 Nelore animals comprising 34 half-sibling families derived from highly disseminated and unrelated sires from across Brazil. The AWM/PCIT methodology was employed to evaluate the genes that participate in a series of eight phenotypes related to growth and meat quality obtained from this Nelore sample. RESULTS: Our results indicate a lack of structuring between the individuals studied since principal component analyses were not able to differentiate families by its sires or by its ancestral lineages. The application of the AWM/PCIT methodology revealed a trio of transcription factors (comprising VDR, LHX9 and ZEB1) which in combination connected 66 genes through 359 edges and whose biological functions were inspected, some revealing to participate in biological growth processes in literature searches. CONCLUSIONS: The diversity of the Nelore sample studied is not high enough to differentiate among families neither by sires nor by using the available ancestral lineage information. The gene networks constructed from the AWM/PCIT methodology were a useful alternative in characterizing genes and gene networks that were allegedly influential in growth and meat quality traits in Nelore cattle.

Câncer gástrico: experiência de um hospital geral / Gastric cancer: experience of a general hospital

Foram revisados 115 prontuários de pacientes internados no Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, em um período de 2 anos, com diagnóstico de câncer gástrico confirmado histolopatologicamente. A incidência foi maior entre homens (2:1), sendo identificada relação entre câncer gástrico e tabagismo, presente em 58,2% dos pacientes. Não foi possível estabelecer relação etiológica com alcoolismo e com história pessoal ou familiar de outras neoplasias. A apresentação endoscópica mais freqüente foi tumor ulcerado (44,7% dos casos), sendo adenocarcinoma o tipo histopatológico mais prevalente. No estadiamento, 67% dos pacientes que realizaram ecografia ou tomografia abdominal apresentaram alterações que sugeriram a presença do tumor ou sua disseminação e 56,5% dos pacientes apresentavam neoplasia gástrica irressecável no momento do diagnóstico. Novos ensaios clínicos randomizados são necessários para o reconhecimento dos fatores de risco para esta neoplasia e possibilitar o estabelecimento de medidas de prevenção e detecção precoce do câncer gástrico em pacientes de alto risco (AU)

The registers of 115 patients with diagnosis of gastric cancer (histopathologically confirmed) from Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição in a 2 year period were studied. The incidence was larger among men (2:1), and a relationship between gastric cancer and tobacco smoking, present in 58,2% of the patients, was identified. It was not possible to establish etiological relationship with alcoholism and personal or family history of another neoplasm. The more frequent endoscopic presentation was ulcerated tumor (44,7% of the cases), being adenocarcinoma the more prevalent histopathologic type. Sixty seven percent of the patients that were submitted to abdominal ecography or tomography presented alterations that suggested the presence of the tumor or its dissemination, and 56,5% of the patients presented irresecable gastric cancer in the moment of the diagnosis. New randomized clinical trials are necessary for the recognition of the risk factors for this neoplasm and then establish prevention measures and early detection of gastric cancer in high risk patients (AU)