Human papillomavirus infection in Brazilian women with normal cervical cytology

We examined the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a sample of Brazilian women presenting normal cervical cytology. Possible interactions between patient characteristics and HPV infection were analyzed in order to provide background data to improve cervical cancer screening and prophylaxis. Cervical samples of 399 women, received for routine evaluation in the Health Department of Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil, were subjected to HPV-DNA testing by PCR with MY09/11 primers. HPV-positive specimens were typed by RFLP. A structured epidemiological questionnaire was administered to each woman. HPV prevalence among these cytologically normal women was 11%. Twelve viral types were detected, the most common being HPV-16, -6, -61, -83, and -66. HPV was more prevalent in younger women; high-risk viral types were detected in 61% of the infected women and 27% of the infected women had multiple HPV infections. Significant associations of HPV infection were found with age, literacy, residence, marital status, lifetime number of sexual partners, and parity. We detected a great diversity of HPV types in women with normal cytology. This kind of information about local populations is useful for HPV prevention and vaccination strategies.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FACEPE (PRONEX)Inst Butantan, Dept Genet, Genet Lab, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Escola Farm, Dept Anal Clin, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ginecol, Lab Tocoginecol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morfol & Genet, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco, Dept Bioquim, Lab Imunopatol Keizo Asami, Recife, PE, BrazilUniv Fed Integracao Latinoamer, Dept Ciencias Biol, Foz Do Iguacu, PR, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ginecol, Lab Tocoginecol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morfol & Genet, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Persistence or Clearance of Human Papillomavirus Infections in Women in Ouro Preto, Brazil

Persistent high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is necessary for development of precursor lesions and cervical cancer. We investigate persistence and clearance of HPV infections and cofactors in unvaccinated women. Cervical samples of 569 women (18-75 years), received for routine evaluation in the Health Department of Ouro Preto, Brazil, were collected and subjected to PCR (MY09/11 orGP5+/6+ primers), followed by RFLP or sequencing. All women were interviewed to collect sociodemographic and behavioral information. Viral infection persistence or clearance was reevaluated after 24 months and was observed in 59.6% and 40.4% of women, respectively. HPVs 16, 33, 59, 66, 69, and 83 (HR) were the most persistent types whereas HPVs 31, 45, and 58 were less persistent. Clearance or persistence did not differ between groups infected by HPVs 18, 53, and 67. in low-risk (LR) types, HPV 6 infected samples were associated with clearance, while HPV 11, 61, 72, or 81 infected samples were persistent in the follow-up. No statistically significant association was detected between persistent HPV infections and sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics analyzed. To study persistence or clearance in HPV infection allows the identification of risk groups, cofactors, and strategies for prevention of cervical cancer.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)PRONEX/FACEPEFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Fundação ButantanCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Inst Butantan, Genet Lab, BR-05503900 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Ouro Preto UFOP, Escola Farm, Dept Anal Clin, BR-35400000 Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ginecol, Lab Tocoginecol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Pernambuco UFPE, LIKA, BR-50670901 Recife, PE, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Programa Posgrad Interunidades Biotecnol, BR-05508900 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Integracao Latinoamer UNILA, Dept Biol, BR-85867970 Foz Do Iguacu, PR, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ginecol, Lab Tocoginecol, BR-04039032 São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 554816/2006-7PRONEX/FACEPE: APQ-0781-4.01/06FAPESP: 2006/02439-6Web of Scienc

TRATAMENTO DE RESÍDUO CONTENDO COBRE POR ELETROFOCULAÇÃO E GRAVIMETRIA POR PRECIPITAÇÃO QUÍMICA

Duas técnicas existentes há mais de um século para a recuperação do resíduo de cobre, a eletrofloculação e gravimetria por precipitação química foram utilizadas para o tratamento do resíduo contendo cobre. A eletrofloculação, uma alternativa entre as técnicas não convencionais para o tratamento de resíduos, consiste no uso de corrente elétrica contínua para a condição necessária, a fim que aconteça uma reação de oxidação e redução através de eletrodos metálicos, o que promove a formação de hidróxidos metálicos gelatinosos, que concentram as impurezas a serem recuperadas. Com testes realizados definiu-se 5 V como o menor potencial a ser aplicado para que combinado à adição de hidróxido de sódio obtenha-se resultados satisfatórios de recuperação. Com a metodologia gravimétrica por precipitação química definiu-se a concentração a ser adotada para o tratamento de 0,1 mol.L-1 de NaOH, evitando desperdícios e obtendo melhor recuperação do cobre.  AbstractTwo existing techniques for over a century to recover copper residues, the electroflocculation and gravimetric analysis by chemical precipitation were used in the treatment containing copper. The electroflocculation, which is an alternative among many unconventional techniques focuses on using continue electric current to provide the necessary condition for oxidation and reduction reactions to happen by using metal electrodes, thus promoting the formation of gelatinous metal hydroxides which concentrates the impurities to be recovered. By testing, it was defined 5V as the lowest potential to be used, simultaneously to the addition of Sodium hydroxide, in order to obtain satisfactory results of residue recovery. With the gravimetric method by chemical precipitation, it is set the concentration to be adopted for the treatment of 0,1 mol.L-1, avoiding waste and obtaining better copper recovery

Biodiversity of rhizobia microsymbiont of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in producing regions of Santa Catarina State

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) occupies a major position in Brazilian agriculture, as the grains represent an important source of proteins and minerals for the population. Common bean may establish a symbiotic relation with bacteria capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N2), the majority classified into the genus Rhizobium. In general the Brazilian soils show an abundant population of rhizobial bacteria capable of nodulating and fixing N2 with common bean, however, their diversity is still poorly known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of common bean rhizobia in three regions of the State of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, where there is a predominance of familiar agriculture performed in small properties. A total of 117 isolates were obtained from 23 areas of the extreme-west, middle-west and southern plateau of Santa Catarina. Based on morphophysiological properties, the isolates were classified into nine groups. The DNA analysis, after the amplification with the BOX primer, which encodes for conserved and repetitive 8 regions of the genome, detected a high level of genetic diversity, with 107 different profiles. Furthermore, the rhizobial population differed in each of the three regions of Santa Catarina. When the DNA of the isolates was amplified with primers encoding for the ribosomal 16S gene, followed by the digestion with three restriction enzymes, 13 groups were obtained that could be related to different species or genera. Although there was a predominance of R. etli in all three regions, the results indicate that new and still undescribed species must be present in the soils of Santa Catarina. The study and detection of rhizobial diversity is fundamental not only for increasing the scientific knowledge, but also to enable the establishment of new strategies towards increasing the contribution of the biological N2 fixation process to the common bean nutritionNo Brasil, o feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) ocupa um lugar de destaque na agricultura, pois os grãos representam uma fonte importante de proteínas e minerais para a população. Como ocorre com outras leguminosas, o feijoeiro apresenta a capacidade de se associar simbioticamente com bactérias fixadoras de nitrogênio atmosférico (N2), a maioria classificada no gênero Rhizobium. Em geral, os solos brasileiros apresentam uma população abundante de rizóbios capazes de nodular e fixar N2 quando em simbiose com o feijoeiro, contudo, a diversidade dessas bactérias ainda é pouco conhecida. Este trabalho teve, por objetivo, avaliar a diversidade de rizóbios associados ao feijoeiro em três regiões do Estado de Santa Catarina, onde predomina a agricultura familiar, praticada em pequenas propriedades. Foram obtidos 117 isolados, provenientes de 23 áreas do extremo-oeste, do meio-oeste e do planalto sul de Santa Catarina. Com base nas propriedades morfo-fisiológicas, os isolados foram classificados em nove grupos. Pela análise do DNA dos isolados após a amplificação com um "primer" (BOX) que codifica regiões conservadas e repetidas do genoma, foi possível constatar um grau elevado de diversidade genética, com a obtenção de 107 perfis distintos; além disso, as populações de rizóbios diferiram em cada uma das três regiões de Santa Catarina. Pela técnica de PCR-RFLP do gene ribossomal 16S, seguida pela digestão com três enzimas de restrição, foram obtidos 13 agrupamentos, que poderiam indicar a ocorrência de espécies distintas ou até gêneros distintos. Embora tenha ocorrido a predominância da espécie R. etli, os resultados indicam que novas espécies ainda não 6 descritas devem estar presentes nos solos de Santa Catarina. O conhecimento dessa diversidade é fundamental, não só para o avanço no conhecimento, como também para delinear estratégias visando incrementar a contribuição do processo biológico para a nutrição nitrogenada do feijoeiroConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

Desenvolvimento de um questionário quantitativo de freqüência alimentar em imigrantes japoneses e seus descendentes residentes em São Paulo, Brasil Development of a dietary assessment method for people of Japanese descent living in São Paulo, Brazil

Descreve-se o desenvolvimento de um questionário para avaliação da freqüência habitual e da quantidade de alimentos e nutrientes consumidos por indivíduos de etnia japonesa residentes em São Paulo. A lista de alimentos e preparações do Questionário Quantitativo de Freqüência Alimentar (QQFA) foi elaborada a partir de inquérito com registro de consumo alimentar de três dias em amostra aleatória de japoneses de primeira e segunda geração da cidade de São Paulo (n = 166; faixa etária 45 a 70 anos). Os alimentos foram agrupados segundo valor nutricional por porção alimentar e fontes de nutrientes de particular interesse (por exemplo, alimentos e preparações de origem japonesa). O tamanho das porções de cada item alimentar foi classificado em pequeno, médio, grande e extra grande de acordo com a distribuição percentual dos pesos correspondentes às medidas caseiras referidas nos registros alimentares. O QQFA foi elaborado com 129 itens alimentares e com perguntas a respeito de práticas e preferências alimentares usuais. O QQFA poderá ser auto-administrado em indivíduos de escolaridade de nível médio ou superior. O tempo médio de preenchimento é de 45 minutos, dependendo da variabilidade da dieta habitual, faixa etária e motivação do participante.<br>The present study describes the development of a questionnaire to assess usual frequency and quantity of food and nutrient intake by people of Japanese descent living in São Paulo, Brazil. Both the food list and appropriate serving sizes for food items from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) were selected from a cross-sectional assessment of diet in a random sample of Japanese immigrants living in the city of São Paulo (first- and second-generations, n = 166), aged 45-70 years, using self-administered three-day food records. We used the food records to select food items on the basis of their contribution to total population intake of relevant foods and nutrients. Criteria for grouping separate foods included similarity in nutrient content per usual serving and the importance of a particular food (e.g., typical Japanese foods). Four portion sizes were presented: small, medium, large, and extra-large. We examined the frequency distribution of equivalent-gram weights of each selected food and identified the four serving sizes in the distribution. The quantitative FFQ was designed with 129 food groups and exact frequencies of intake. Instructions for self-reporting and applications of the method for epidemiological use are discussed

Avaliação da biodiversidade de rizóbios simbiontes do feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) em Santa Catarina Assessment of biodiversity in rhizobia symbionts of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Os solos brasileiros, em geral, apresentam uma população abundante de rizóbios capazes de nodular e fixar N2 em simbiose com o feijoeiro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.); contudo, a diversidade dessas bactérias ainda é pouco conhecida. Este estudo teve por objetivo conhecer a biodiversidade de microssimbiontes do feijoeiro em Santa Catarina e, para isso, foram obtidos 117 isolados de nódulos de plantas coletadas em campo, em 23 áreas do extremo oeste, do meio oeste e do planalto sul catarinense. Com base nos atributos morfofisiológicos, os isolados foram classificados em nove grupos. Pela análise dos perfis de DNA após a amplificação (PCR) com o "primer" BOX, que codifica regiões conservadas e repetidas do genoma, 107 perfis distintos foram agrupados em um nível final de similaridade de apenas 26,9 %. Os perfis obtidos pela amplificação do gene 16S ribossômico - referência na taxonomia atual de procariotos - seguida pela digestão com três enzimas de restrição (técnica de RFLP-PCR), resultaram em seis agrupamentos principais e cinco bactérias isoladas. As populações consistiram de 17,1 % de Rhizobium tropici, 35,9 % de R. etli, 32,5 % de R. leguminosarum, 1,7 % de R. giardinii e 12,8 % com perfis distintos das espécies descritas de rizóbios de feijoeiro. R. tropici predominou em solos ácidos do meio oeste e do planalto sul, R. leguminosarum não foi detectado no extremo oeste e R. etli ocorreu nas três regiões, essas duas últimas espécies em solos menos ácidos. Os resultados enfatizam a diversidade genética elevada de rizóbios, inter e intra-específica, nos solos catarinenses, inclusive com a indicação de novas espécies.Brazilian soils usually present a great number of populations of rhizobial bacteria capable of nodulating and fixing N2 in symbiosis with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), but the diversity of these bacteria is still poorly known. This study aimed to assess the biodiversity of micro-symbionts of common bean in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. One-hundred and seventeen isolates were obtained from field-grown plants in 23 areas of the far west, midwest and southern plateau of Santa Catarina. Based on morpho-physiological properties, the isolates were classified in nine groups. The DNA analysis by BOX-PCR, with the amplification of conserved and repetitive genome regions, detected 107 different profiles joined at a final similarity level of only 26.9 %, i.e., a high level of genetic diversity. The profiles obtained by the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by the digestion with three restriction enzymes (RFLP-PCR technique) defined six main groups and five isolated bacteria. The population consisted of 17.1 % Rhizobium tropici, 35.9 % R. etli, 32.5 % R. leguminosarum, 1.7 % R. giardinii and 12.8 % yet undocumented profiles of the common bean rhizobial species. R. tropici predominated in the acid soils of the midwest and southern plateau, R. leguminosarum was not detected in the far west and R. etli occurred in all three regions, while the last two species predominated in less acid soils. The results demonstrate the high inter- and intra-specific rhizobial diversity in the soils of Santa Catarina, besides indicating new species

Variability in symbiotic effectiveness of N 2 fixing bacteria in Mimosa scabrella

A B S T R A C T Bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Benth.) is a leguminous tree native to southern Brazil with high economic potential as a source of timber and biomass. Little is known about the diversity of bacteria in the root nodules of this species and how this diversity is associated with N 2 fixation efficiency. We isolated 288 bacterial colonies from root nodules collected from M. scabrella in 61 locations across its native range. Strains were first characterized according to morphological traits and 16S rRNA sequencing and we then selected twenty-eight belonging to known nodulating genera for testing N 2 fixation effectiveness. We found that M. scabrella associated with several N 2 fixing and endophytic bacteria. Strains closely related to Burkholderia nodosa were the most common N 2 fixing bacteria and were capable of providing all N required by the host. Cupriavidus was found nodulating M. scabrella, however, only forming non-fixing nodules. Endophytic bacteria detected in the nodules corresponded to the genera Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and, for the first time we found Paenibacillus, Brevibacillus, Serratia and Arthrobacter. Our study shows both high bacterial diversity and variability in N 2 fixing effectiveness even between closely related Burkholderia strains, indicating that careful consideration of N 2 fixing bacterial diversity is important to maximize the use of M. scabrella as a natural resource

Morphometric evaluation and nonclassical criteria for the diagnosis of HPV infection and cytological atypia in cervical samples

Herein, we evaluated cervical samples from normal tissue or HPV-infected tissue, to determine if the relative nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio (NA/CA) and the presence of nonclassical cytological criteria are a novel cytological criterion for the diagnosis of HPV. Significantly, larger NA/CA ratios were found for the HPV-ATYPIA+ and HPV+ATYPIA+ groups compared with HPV-ATYPIA- group, regardless of collection method. for the samples collected with a spatula, only three samples from the HPV-ATIPIA- group showed four or more nonclassical parameters (i.e., were positive), while a larger number of the samples in the HPV-ATYPIA+, HPV+ATYPIA-, and HPV+ATYPIA+ groups were positive (13, 4, and 13 samples, respectively). Among those collected with a brush, no sample showed four or more nonclassical criteria in the HPV-ATYPIA- group, while a number of samples were positive in the HPV-ATYPIA+, HPV+ATYPIA-, and HPV+ATYPIA+ groups (4, 3, and 4 samples, respectively). HPV infection was associated with significant morphometrical changes; no increase in the NA/CA ratio was found in the HPV+ATYPIA- samples, compared with the HPV-ATIPIA- samples collected with either a spatula or a brush. in conclusion, by including nonclassical cytological criteria into the patient diagnosis, we were able to reduce the number of false negative and false positive HPV diagnoses made using conventional cytology alone. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:785-792. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Dept Anal Clin, Escola Farm, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilInst Butantan, Genet Lab, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ginecol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Lab Imunopatol, Nucleo Pesquisas Ciencias Biol, ICEB 2, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Ouro Preto, Lab Pesquisas Clin, CiPharma Programa Posgrad Ciencias Farmaceut, Escola Farm, Ouro Preto, MG, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Ginecol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc