Comparison of the Role of Different Levels of Religiousness and Spirituality in Controversial Ethical Issues and Clinical Practice among Brazilian Resident Physicians: Results from the Multicenter SBRAMER Study.

This study compares clinical practice and objections to controversial ethical issues among 836 Brazilian resident physicians according to levels of religiousness/spirituality. Residents with low religiousness/spirituality (s/r) believed less in the influence of spirituality on clinical practice, were less comfortable addressing this issue, tended to listen less carefully and try to change the subject more than other groups. Residents with high spirituality and low religiousness (S/r) inquired more about religious/spiritual issues, while those with high religiousness/spirituality (S/R) were more supportive and reported fewer barriers to addressing these issues. Concerning ethical issues (e.g., physician-assisted suicide, withdrawal of life support, abortion), S/R had more objections than others.

Religiosity and Spirituality of Resident Physicians and Implications for Clinical Practice-the SBRAMER Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the attitudes, knowledge, and experiences of Brazilian resident physicians regarding religiosity/spirituality (R/S), factors associated with addressing this issue, and its influence on clinical practice. METHODS: We report results of the multicenter "Spirituality in Brazilian Medical Residents" (SBRAMER) study involving 7 Brazilian university centers. The Network for Research Spirituality and Health (NERSH) scale (collecting sociodemographic data, opinions about the R/S-health interface, and respondents' R/S characteristics) and the Duke Religion Index were self-administered. Logistic regression models were constructed to determine those factors associated with residents' opinions on spirituality in clinical practice. RESULTS: The sample comprised 879 resident physicians (53.5% of total) from all years of residency with 71.6% from clinical specialties. In general, the residents considered themselves spiritual and religious, despite not regularly attending religious services. Most participants believed R/S had an important influence on patient health (75.2%) and that it was appropriate to discuss these beliefs in clinical encounters with patients (77.1%), although this was not done in routine clinical practice (14.4%). The main barriers to discussing R/S were maintaining professional neutrality (31.4%), concern about offending patients (29.1%), and insufficient time (26.2%). Factors including female gender, clinical specialty (e.g., internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatry) as opposed to surgical specialty (e.g., surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics), having had formal training on R/S, and higher levels of R/S were associated with greater discussion of and more positive opinions about R/S. CONCLUSION: Brazilian resident physicians held that religious and spiritual beliefs can influence health, and deemed it appropriate for physicians to discuss this issue. However, lack of training was one of the main obstacles to addressing R/S issues in clinical practice. Educators should draw on these data to conduct interventions and produce content on the subject in residency programs.

Uso de práticas complementares na abordagem à mulher em situação de violência / Use of complementary practices in approaching women at situation of violence

Objetivo: as vítimas de situações de violência experimentam vários sintomas relacionados ao trauma associado à violência, e os cuidados convencionais se concentram principalmente na assistência ou tratamento sem uma abordagem holística da saúde. Esse trabalho revisa a literatura médica científica relacionada à eficácia e viabilidade de algumas modalidades das terapias complementares (TC) aplicadas às vítimas de violência, especificamente a mulheres em situações de vulnerabilidade. Metodologia: as bases de dados eletrônicas (PubMed, PsychoInfo, Scopus, Web of Science e as bases nacionais do Portal Regional da BVS e do Portal de Periódicos da CAPES) foram pesquisadas para localizar artigos potencialmente relevantes, usando os termos terapias complementares, medicina alternativa, acupuntura, homeopatia, meditação, yoga, reiki, tai chi, lian gong, trauma, violência e saúde mental. Um total de 43 artigos com textos completos em inglês ou português, disponíveis no Portal de Periódicos da CAPES e no Portal Regional da BVS, foram encontrados e selecionados. Devido a escassez de estudos sobre a abordagem das TC especificamente às mulheres em situações de violência, foram examinados artigos que avaliaram a utilização dessas terapias em situações de vulnerabilidade, com foco especial na população feminina. Foram 271 Introdução Sobreviventes de trauma e violência apresentam sintomas emocionais e fisiológicos que impactam na saúde psíquica e física do paciente, além de afetar profundamente a sua qualidade de vida. Vários estudos evidenciam, por exemplo, que muitas expressões físicas da dor são, na verdade, resultados de estresse emocional advindos das situações de violência. A complexidade do diagnóstico resultante demanda do profissional da saúde uma abordagem integral ao paciente. E é nesse quadro que entram as terapias complementares (TC).1-3 Conforme a OMS, a eficácia das TCs e a alta porcentagem de utilização dessas terapias pela população mundial levaram os Institutos Nacionais da Saúde de países europeus, asiáticos e africanos, assim como a Austrália e os EUA, a criarem institutos de terapias complementares. Seu objetivo era fomentar a pesquisa e utilizar essas terapias em unidades hospitalares e clínicas de saúde e criar protocolos de segurança adequados para a prática dessas terapias. Como resultado, muitos países têm desenvolvido abordagens coesas e integradoras dos serviços da saúde que propiciam, a um custo-benefício eficaz, aos governos, aos profissionais de saúde e, principalmente, aos usuários dos serviços de saúde, o acesso seguro e de qualidade às TCs.4,5 No Brasil, dados do Ministério da Saúde revelam o crescimento do uso das mesmas nas unidades do Sistema Único de Saúde em todo o país.6 Para o National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), um dos institutos do National Institutes of Health (NIH) dos Estados Unidos da América (EUA), a maior autoridade em pesquisa sobre a prática baseada em evidência, as práticas complementares são definidas como um grupo de práticas e produtos que recebem essa denominação por agirem em conjunto com a Medicina convencional, não sendo, portanto, consideradas parte da abordagem convencional. 3,5,7 O NCCIH divide as terapias complementares em quatro domínios: práticas mente-corpo, produtos naturais, excluídos os ensaios clínicos estudados em revisões anteriormente publicadas. Resultado: apesar das controvérsias a respeito da eficácia das TC, muitas vezes questionadas pela falta de metodologia satisfatória, os estudos que atendem ao princípio da individualização do tratamento apresentam evidências sobre efeitos positivos das TC em vítimas de situações de trauma ou violência. Os resultados qualitativos incluíram efeitos psicoterapêuticos positivos das TC nos relatos clínicos de saúde mental. Conclusão: a integração de TC a assistência às mulheres em situações de violência podem melhorar qualidade de vida e melhorar os desafios de satisfação dos usuários do sistema de saúde atual que se apresenta como segmentado.(AU)

Tratamento do sangramento uterino anormal: uma análise sob a perspectiva dos custos no Sistema Único de Saúde e da medicina suplementar / Treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding: an analysis from the perspective of costs in the public health system and supplementary medicine

Objetivos: Comparar os custos diretos e indiretos do sistema intra‐uterino de liberação de levonorgestrel (SIU‐LNG), ablação endometrial com balão térmico (AEBT) e histerectomia no tratamento de mulheres com sangramento uterino anormal (SUA). Métodos: Foram avaliadas retrospectivamente 88 pacientes tratadas para SUA pelo SIU‐LNG (n = 30), AEBT (n = 28) e histerectomia (n = 30). Foram considerados todos os procedimentos, consultas e exames envolvidos no tratamento das pacientes por um período de 5 anos, assim como os custos resultantes das falhas dos tratamentos utilizados. Foram estimados os custos pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e sistema de saúde suplementar. As diferenças entre os grupos foram avaliadas pelo teste do t de Student ou ANOVA. Resultados:O custo do tratamento do SUA com AEBT foi significante mais elevado em comparação ao SIU‐LNG e histerectomia após um e cinco anos de seguimento, tanto no SUS quanto na medicina suplementar (p < 0,001). No SUS, o tratamento com o SIU‐LNG foi de 38,2% dos custos da histerectomia no primeiro ano (R$ 769,61 vs. R$ 2.012,21, p < 0,001) e de 45,2% após cinco anos (R$ 927,83 vs. R$ 2.052,21, p < 0,001). Na saúde suplementar essa diferença foi ainda mais expressiva. Nesse contexto, o custo do SIU‐LNG foi de 29,1% dos custos da histerectomia no primeiro ano (R$ 1.551,92 vs. R$5.324,74, p < 0,001) e de 37,4% após cinco anos (R$ 2.069,35 vs. R$ 5.538,74, p < 0,001). Conclusões: O uso do SIU‐LNG resulta em custos diretos e indiretos menores do que a AEBT e histerectomia no tratamento do SUA. A custo‐efetividade do SIU‐LNG aliado à reversibilidade e por ser um procedimento ambulatorial reforçam o seu papel no tratamento de mulheres com SUA tanto na perspectiva do SUS quanto na saúde suplementar.

Objectives: To compare direct and indirect costs of the levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS), thermal balloon endometrial ablation (TBEA) and hysterectomy in the treatment of women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). Methods: 88 patients treated for AUB by LNG‐IUS (n = 30), TBEA (n = 28) and hysterectomy (n = 30) were retrospectively evaluated. All procedures, medical appointments and tests involved in the treatment of patients were considered for a period of five years, as well as all costs arising from failures of the treatments used. The costs for the Unified Health System (SUS) and the private health care system were estimated. Differences between groups were evaluated by the test t of Student or ANOVA. Results: The cost of the treatment of AUB with TBEA was significantly higher versus LNG‐IUS and hysterectomy after a five‐year follow‐up in both SUS and private health care system (p <0.001). In SUS, the treatment with the LNG‐IUS represented 38.2% of the hysterectomy cost in the first year (R$ 769.61 vs. R$ 2,012.21, p <0.001) and 45.2% after five years (R$ 927.83 vs. R$ 2,052.21, p <0.001). As for the private health care system, this difference was even more significant. In this context, the cost of LNG‐IUS represented 29.1% of the hysterectomy cost in the first year (R$ 1,551.92 vs. R$ 5,324.74, p <0.001) and 37.4% after five years (R$ 2,069.35 vs. R$ 5,538.74, p <0.001). Conclusions: The use of LNG‐IUS results in lower direct and indirect costs versus TBEA and hysterectomy in the treatment of women with AUB. The cost‐effectiveness of LNG‐IUS, together with the reversibility and also by this being an outpatient procedure, highlights its role in the treatment of women with AUB, both in SUS perspective as in private health care system's.

Variation in neuronal differentiation of a newly isolated mouse embryonic stem cell line: a detailed immunocytochemistry study.

Neural precursor differentiation from mouse ES (embryonic stem) cells have been demonstrated using EB (embryoid body), co-culture on stromal feeder layers, and in the absence of external inducing signals. Most of available mouse ES cell original research articles have worked with only six different cell lines. Our goals were to isolate one new mouse ES lineage, and perform a detailed immunocytochemistry study during neural differentiation, making use of an EB strategy protocol following the generation of neural progenitors, glial cells and postmitotic neurons. The dynamics of differentiation of ES cell derived neuronal precursors into differentiated glia cells and neurons were followed in vitro and correlated to exposure to specific elements of feeder medium. Morphological aspects of generated cellular types, including its immunocytochemical expression of differentiation markers were studied. Immuno-positivity against ß-III tubulin, PGP and TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) was observed from stage I. Approximately 80% of cells were positive for TH at stage I. The first glial cell type appears in stage III. TH, PGP or ß-III tubulin-positive cells with neuronal typical morphology only being seen in stage III when TH-positive cells corresponded to approximately 12% of total cells. Variations among other literature findings can be explained by the choice we made to use a newly isolated ES cell line. As colonies may behave differently during neuronal differentiation, it reinforces the necessity of studying original ES cell lines.

Evaluation of microsatellite instability in women with epithelial ovarian cancer.

The function of microsatellite instability (MSI) and the optimal panel of markers for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are not well established. This study aimed to use the National Cancer Institute (NCI) markers BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250 to evaluate MSI in patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, compared with ovarian serous cystadenoma and normal ovaries. A total of 37 patients were divided into three groups, as follows: cystadenocarcinoma (n=13), cystadenoma (n=10) and normal ovaries (n=14). DNA was extracted with TRIzol and quantified by spectrophotometry. MSI was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and classified as high (MSI-H), low (MSI-L) or stable (MSS). FIGO staging was I/II in 23.1% and III/IV in 76.9% of the cystadenocarcinoma group. Polymorphisms were found using at least one marker in 32 women, and were observed with D2S123 (83.7%), D17S250 (81.1%), D5S346 (72.9%), BAT25 (21.6%) and BAT26 (16.2%) markers. In the cystadenocarcinoma group, BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346 and D17S250 markers were positive in 30.8, 76.9, 53.8, 69.2 and 69.2% of patients, respectively. The same markers were positive in 30, 50, 40, 60 and 30% of the cystadenoma group, and 50, 71.4, 71.4, 64.3 and 63.3% in the normal ovary group, respectively. MSI-H was present in 84.6, 60 and 78.6% of the cystadenocarcinoma, cystadenoma and normal patients, respectively. MSI-L was detected in 0, 30 and 7.1%, and MSS was identified in 15.4, 10 and 14.3% of the cystadenocarcinoma, cystadenoma and normal patients, respectively. The frequency of MSI in both benign epithelial ovarian neoplasms and in normal ovaries was high, as well as in EOC, with no statistically significant difference between the groups. This suggests that MSI may arise as a consequence of the ovulatory process, and not solely as a feature of malignant ovarian tumors.

Telomerase activity alterations in sequential passages of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Telomerase is associated with cell proliferation capacity, protection and stabilization of chromosomes. TA (telomerase activity) can be detected in highly replicative cells, e.g. stem and cancer cells. Most available mESC (mouse embryonic stem cell) research is done with a few cell lines. The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the TA in different passages of newly isolated mESC. TRAP (Telomeric Repeat Amplification Protocol)-ELISA method was used in a semi-quantitative evaluation of TA. Three mESC lineages were investigated (CT2, CT3 and CT4) at three different passages (P13, P15 and P19). In contrast with previous studies, these mESC lines did not show the same TA throughout their passages, having initially low TA values, followed by a subsequent rise and stabilization.

Avaliação da aplicabilidade da técnica de maturaçäo in vitro de oócitos humanos e posterior fertilização / Evaluation of the usefulness of the in vitro maturation technique of human oocyte and subsequent fertilization

OBJETIVO: avaliar a aplicabilidade da técnica de maturaçäo in vitro de oócitos humanos e posterior fertilizaçäo. MÉTODOS: estudo prospectivo näo randomizado descritivo realizado no período de novembro de 1999 a março de 2001 no qual foram incluídas 15 pacientes com infertilidade tubária e 20 ciclos de fertilizaçäo in vitro. Todas assinaram o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido antes de iniciar o estudo. As pacientes tinham idade entre 18 e 32 anos incompletos, obstruçäo tubária como causa exclusiva de infertilidade e índice de massa corporal inferior a 25 kg/m². As pacientes receberam 300 UI de hormônio folículo estimulante (FSH) recombinante por via intramuscular no segundo dia do ciclo e doses adicionais de 150 UI no quarto e no sexto dia do ciclo. A coleta ovular foi realizada no sétimo dia do ciclo. Os oócitos foram colocados em meio TCM 199 acrescido de antibióticos, piruvato, FSH, gonadotrofina coriônica humana e soro (Serum Substitute Supplement - Irvine Scientific®). Após 48 h de cultivo, os oócitos que atingiram o estágio de metáfase II foram inseminados e os fertilizados foram transferidos. RESULTADOS: foram puncionados 144 folículos com a coleta de 67 oócitos imaturos (46,5 por cento). Quarenta e três oócitos atingiram o estágio de metáfase II (64,2 por cento) e foram inseminados. Destes, 30 fertilizaram e 25 embriöes foram transferidos para 10 pacientes. Houve uma gravidez com nascimento de um bebê. CONCLUSÄO: concluiu-se que a técnica de maturar oócitos humanos in vitro previamente à fertilizaçäo in vitro é técnica exeqüível, capaz de gerar gravidez