Determinants Of Blood Lead Levels In An Adult Population From A Mining Area In Brazil

During the last fifty years the Ribeira river valley, Brazil, had been under the influence of the full activity of a huge lead refinery and mining along the riverside. The plant completely stopped all kind of industrial activities at the end of 1995, and part of the worker population and their families still remain living nearby in small communities. The objective of the present study was to assess the determinants of blood lead levels (BLL) in these mining areas, where residual environmental contamination from the past industrial activity still remains. Blood samples of 350 adults aged 15 to 70, residing in areas around the mine and the refinery were collected. A questionnaire was given in order to gather information on food habits, current and former residential places, occupational activities, among other variables. Blood lead concentrations were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry using Zeeman background correction. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the independent contribution of selected variables in predicting BLL in those subjects. The following variables showed significant association with high BLL: residential area close to the lead refinery, former dwelling at the refinery village, male gender, smoking habits, and consume of fruits from home back yard.107I127130Berglund, M., Pedersen, N.L., Bjorkman, L., Vahter, M., (1999) Environ Res, 80, pp. 222-230Brody, D.J., Pirkle, J.L., Kramer, R.A., Flegal, K.M., Matte, T.D., Gunter, E.W., Paschal, D.C., (1994) JAMA, 27, pp. 277-283Hense, H.W., Filipiak, B., Novak, L., Stoeppler, M., (1992) Int J Epidem, 21Jakubowski, M., Trzcinka-Ochocka, M., Razniewska, G., Christensen, J.M., Starek, A., (1996) Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 68, pp. 193-198Kristal-Boneh, E., Froom, P., Yerushalmi, N., Ashkanazi, R., Pardo, A., Shine, R., Ribak, J., (1998) Am J Ind Med, 34, pp. 512-516Leroyer, A., Hemon, D., Nisse, C., Bazerques, J., Salomez, J.L., Haguenoer, (2001) Sci Total Environ, 267, pp. 87-99Liou, S.H., Wu, T.N., Chiang, H.C., Yang, G.Y., Yang, T., Wu, Y.Q., Lai, J.S., Chang, P.Y., (1996) Sci Total Environ, 180, pp. 211-219Mahaffey, K.R., (1995) Environ Health Perspect, 103, pp. 191-196Muldoon, S.B., Cauley, J.A., Kuller, L.H., Scott, S., Rohay, J., (1994) Am J Epidemiol, 139, pp. 599-608Ooi, P.L., Goh, K.T., Heng, B.H., Sam, C.T., Kong, K.H., Rajan, U., (1991) Rev Environ Health, 9, pp. 2017-2213Paoliello, M.M.B., Gutierrez, P.R., Turini, C.A., Matsuo, T., Mezzaroba, L., Barbosa, D.S., Alvarenga, A.L.P., Lobo, B., (2001) Pan Am J Public Health, 9, pp. 315-319Probst-Hensch, N., Braun-Fahrlaender, C., Bodenmann, A., Ackermann-Liebrich, U., (1993) Soz Praventivmed, 38, pp. 43-50Yang, J.S., Kang, S.K., Park, I.J., Rhee, K.Y., Moon, Y.H., Sohn, D.H., (1996) Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 68, pp. 199-20

Comportamento morfológico no período de crescimento de progênies de cupuaçuzeiro em resposta a restrição hídrica.

O trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar e selecionar, preliminarmente, progênies de cupuaçuzeiro em condições de restrição hídrica. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Belém-PA, utilizando delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, arranjados em esquema fatorial de 16 x 2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram 16 progênies de cupuaçuzeiro e os dois regimes hídricos (déficit hídrico e controle). Foram analisadas variáveis morfológicas durante 45 dias. O estudo identificou que a restrição hídrica provocou reduções nos materiais avaliados para a maioria das variáveis analisadas. Nessas condições, as melhores tolerâncias ao déficit hídrico para as variáveis analisadas foram obtidas pelas progênies 42, 48, 62, 64 e 1074, pelo fato desses materiais terem apresentado melhor comportamento morfológicos quando submetidos à deficiência hídrica. Portanto, devem ser indicados para cultivo em ambientes com baixa pluviosidade, e aproveitadas em trabalhos de melhoramento genético.Resumos expandidos do XIII Curso de Inverno de Genética

Efeito do alagamento do solo no crescimento inicial de progênies de meio-irmãos de cupuaçuzeiro.

Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar os efeitos do alagamento do solo no desenvolvimento de plantas jovens de 16 progênies de cupuaçuzeiro, para selecionar materiais com possíveis mecanismos de tolerância ao alagamento. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Belém-PA, utilizando delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, arranjados em esquema fatorial de 16 x 2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram 16 progênies de cupuaçuzeiro e os dois regimes hídricos (alagado e controle). Foram analisadas variáveis morfológicas durante 45 dias. O estudo identificou que os materiais avaliados foram beneficiados pelo alagamento em todas variáveis analisadas. Nessas condições, os melhores acréscimos médios para as variáveis analisadas foram obtidos pelas progênies 32, 42, 46, 57 e 215, pelo fato desses materiais terem apresentado os maiores valores médios para a maioria dos parâmetros morfológicos avaliados, indicando boa capacidade de sobrevivência em solos alagados ou de transiçãoResumos expandidos do XIII Curso de Inverno de Genética

Toothache and associated factors in Brazilian adults: a cross-sectional population-based study

Extent: 8p.Background: Toothache is a dental public health problem and one of the predictors of dental attendance and it is strongly associated with the life quality of individuals. In spite of this, there are few population-based epidemiological studies on this theme. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of toothache and associated factors in adults of Lages, Southern Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was carried out in a sample of 2,022 adults aged 20 to 59 years living in the urban area of a medium sized city in Southern Brazil. A questionnaire including socioeconomic, demographic, smoking, alcohol, and use of dental service variables was applied at adults household. Toothache occurred six months previous of the interview was considered the outcome. Poisson regression analyses were performed following a theoretical hierarchical framework. All analysis was adjusted by the sample design effect. Results: The response rate was 98.6%. The prevalence of toothache was 18.0% (95% CI 16.0; 20.1). The following variables were associated with toothache after adjustment: female (PR = 1.3 95% CI 1.3; 2.0), black skin colour vs. whites (PR = 1.5 95% CI 1.1, 1.9), low per capita income (PR = 1.7 95% CI 1.2, 2.3), smokers (PR = 1.5 95% CI 1.2, 1.9) and those who reported alcohol problems (PR = 1.4 95% CI 1.1; 1.9). To be 40 years of age (PR = 0.5 95% CI 0.4, 0.7) and use dental service in the last year (RR = 0.5 95% CI 0.4, 0.6) were protective factors for toothache. Conclusion: The prevalence of toothache in adults of Lages can be considered a major problem of dental public health.Mirian Kuhnen, Marco A Peres, Anelise V Masiero and Karen G Pere

Influence of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 Alleles on IgG Antibody Response to the P. vivax MSP-1, MSP-3α and MSP-9 in Individuals from Brazilian Endemic Area

Background: the antibody response generated during malaria infections is of particular interest, since the production of specific IgG antibodies is required for acquisition of clinical immunity. However, variations in antibody responses could result from genetic polymorphism of the HLA class II genes. Given the increasing focus on the development of subunit vaccines, studies of the influence of class II alleles on the immune response in ethnically diverse populations is important, prior to the implementation of vaccine trials.Methods and Findings: in this study, we evaluated the influence of HLA-DRB1* and -DQB1* allelic groups on the naturally acquired humoral response from Brazilian Amazon individuals (n = 276) against P. vivax Merozoite Surface Protein-1 (MSP-1), MSP-3 alpha and MSP-9 recombinant proteins. Our results provide information concerning these three P. vivax antigens, relevant for their role as immunogenic surface proteins and vaccine candidates. Firstly, the studied population was heterogeneous presenting 13 HLA-DRB1* and 5 DQB1* allelic groups with a higher frequency of HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQB1*03. the proteins studied were broadly immunogenic in a naturally exposed population with high frequency of IgG antibodies against PvMSP1-19 (86.7%), PvMSP-3 (77%) and PvMSP-9 (76%). Moreover, HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQB1*03 alleles were associated with a higher frequency of IgG immune responses against five out of nine antigens tested, while HLA-DRB1* 01 was associated with a high frequency of non-responders to repetitive regions of PvMSP-9, and the DRB1*16 allelic group with the low frequency of responders to PvMSP3 full length recombinant protein.Conclusions: HLA-DRB1*04 alleles were associated with high frequency of antibody responses to five out of nine recombinant proteins tested in Rondonia State, Brazil. These features could increase the success rate of future clinical trials based on these vaccine candidates.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Yerkes National Primate Research Center BaseNational Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of HealthNIHCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Immunoparasitol, BR-20001 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilOswaldo Cruz Fdn Fiocruz, Ctr Technol Dev Hlth CDTS, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Simulideos & Oncocercose, BR-20001 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilEmory Univ, Emory Vaccine Ctr, Atlanta, GA 30322 USAUniv Estado Rio de Janeiro, Histocompatibil & Cryopreservat Lab, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilEmory Univ, Sch Med, Div Infect Dis, Atlanta, GA USACDC Natl Ctr Infect Dis, Div Parasit Dis, Atlanta, GA USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2009/15132-4Yerkes National Primate Research Center Base: RR00165NIH: RO1 AI0555994Web of Scienc