Lower mean phosphate independently predicts mortality in critically ill patients: Results from a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: To evaluate lower mean phosphate as a prognostic tool in critically ill patients.

Methods: This is a prospective single-center cohort study including adult patients (> 18 years) with a length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay of at least 24 h. Phosphatemia was evaluated within 1 h of ICU admission and once daily.

Prevalence of hypoalbuminemia in outpatients with HIV/AIDS.

Introduction: Hypoalbuminemia may predict progression of disease and mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors associated with hypoalbuminemia in outpatients with HIV/AIDS.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 196 outpatients with HIV/AIDS.

The interplay between autophagy and tumorigenesis: exploiting autophagy as a means of anticancer therapy.

In wild-type cells, autophagy represents a tumour-suppressor mechanism, and dysfunction of the autophagy machinery increases genomic instability, DNA damage, oxidative stress and stem/progenitor expansion, which are events associated with cancer onset. Autophagy occurs at a basal level in all cells depending on cell type and cellular microenvironment. However, the role of autophagy in cancer is diverse and can promote different outcomes even in a single tumour.

Disruption of the ribosomal P complex leads to stress-induced autophagy.

The human ribosomal P complex, which consists of the acidic ribosomal P proteins RPLP0, RPLP1, and RPLP2 (RPLP proteins), recruits translational factors, facilitating protein synthesis. Recently, we showed that overexpression of RPLP1 immortalizes primary cells and contributes to transformation. Moreover, RPLP proteins are overexpressed in human cancer, with the highest incidence in breast carcinomas.

[Nutritional status of patients with breast cancer attended in the Mastology Service of Belo Horizonte's Hospital das Clínicas in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil].

The scope of this article is to evaluate the nutritional status, body composition and tumor characteristics of 31 patients with breast cancer attended at the Mastology Service of Hospital das Clínicas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Dietary data were obtained from the 24-hour dietary recall in the pre-operative state and analyzed by the DietWin Professional 2008 Nutrition Software. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Tissue oxygenation, strength and lactate response to different blood flow restrictive pressures.

This study aimed to determine whether changes in initial restrictive pressures (IRP, tightness of the cuff before inflation with air) affect tissue oxygenation, lactate production and leg strength before, during and after knee extension exercises. The cuff was positioned on the right thigh, and the IRP of either 40-45 or 60-65 mmHg were applied randomly prior to inflating the cuff to the final restrictive pressure (the pressure reached after inflating the cuff with air). Subjects performed four sets (30, 15, 15 and 15 reps) of isotonic knee extensions with 1-min rest between sets.

miR-125b acts as a tumor suppressor in breast tumorigenesis via its novel direct targets ENPEP, CK2-α, CCNJ, and MEGF9.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in diverse biological processes and are emerging as key regulators of tumorigenesis and tumor progression. To explore the dysregulation of miRNAs in breast cancer, a genome-wide expression profiling of 939 miRNAs was performed in 50 breast cancer patients. A total of 35 miRNAs were aberrantly expressed between breast cancer tissue and adjacent normal breast tissue and several novel miRNAs were identified as potential oncogenes or tumor suppressor miRNAs in breast tumorigenesis.

Stem cell microRNAs in senescence and immortalization: novel players in cancer therapy.

The molecular etiology of malignancy remains one of the most challenging disease processes under scientific investigation; therefore, improved approaches for their treatment are urgently needed. MicroRNAs are highly conserved nonprotein-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. They are involved in important homeostatic processes, such as cellular proliferation, cell death and development, and affect many diseases, including cancer.