Risk factors for human papillomavirus infection among women in Portugal: the CLEOPATRE Portugal Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and medical factors that might predispose women to cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. METHOD: A cross-sectional population-based study was performed. Women aged 18-64 years who attended selected obstetrics and gynecology or sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in mainland Portugal between February 2008 and March 2009 were recruited, according to an age-stratified sampling strategy. Liquid-based cytology samples were analyzed centrally for HPV genotype and for cytologic features. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified risk factors for HPV infection. RESULTS: Among the 2326 women evaluated, the crude prevalence of HPV infection was 19.4%. Lifetime number of sexual partners was a strong predictor of HPV infection (odds ratio 5.44 for 5-10 partners versus 1 partner; P<0.001). Other risk factors were young age (particularly among women aged 20-24 years; P<0.001); country of birth other than mainland Portugal (P=0.002); education up to secondary school level (P=0.010); smoking history (≤ 10 years; P=0.004); and any STD in the past 12 months (P=0.052). CONCLUSION: Data from the present study may aid identification of women at increased risk of HPV infection and target prevention strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: National Commission of Data Protection (CNPD) registration number 5346/2007; Sanofi Pasteur MSD study number HPV-E05.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peripheral Blood Leukocytes And Serum Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction Are Complementary Methods For Monitoring Active Cytomegalovirus Infection In Transplant Patients.

Human cytomegalovirus is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Qualitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has proven to be a sensitive and effective technique in defining active cytomegalovirus infection, in addition to having low cost and being a useful test for situations in which there is no need for quantification. Real-time PCR has the advantage of quantification; however, the high cost of this methodology makes it impractical for routine use. To apply a nested PCR assay to serum (sPCR) and to evaluate its efficiency to diagnose active cytomegalovirus infection compared with PCR of peripheral blood leukocytes (L-PCR). Samples of 37 patients were prospectively evaluated. An internal control was created and applied to sPCR to exclude false-negative results. In total, 21 patients (57%) developed active cytomegalovirus infection. After analyzing the two methods for the diagnosis of active infection, higher sensitivity and negative predictive value of the L-PCR versus sPCR (100% versus 62%), and higher specificity and positive predictive value of sPCR versus L-PCR (81% versus 50% and 72%, respectively) were observed. Discordant results were observed in 11 patients who were L-PCR-positive but sPCR-negative for active cytomegalovirus infection, five of whom developed clinical symptoms of cytomegalovirus. Clinical symptoms were observed in 14 patients, 12 of whom were diagnosed with active infection by nested L-PCR (P=0.007) and seven by nested sPCR (P=0.02). Higher specificity and a positive predictive value for sPCR were observed. Nested L-PCR and sPCR were considered to be complementary methods for the diagnosis and management of symptomatic cytomegalovirus infection.24e69-7

In vitro evaluation of copaiba oil as a kojic acid skin enhancer

The capacity or copaiba oil to act as a skin penetration enhancer for the depigmenting agent kojic acid was evaluated using an in vitro diffusion system with static flux and shed rattlesnake skin membrane, Crotalus durissus terrificus, in saline solution at 34 +/- 2 degrees C as the fluid receptor. The quantities of kojic acid liberated into the fluid receptor were determined by spectrophotometry at 268 nin with intervals of one and a half hours. The membranes, pretreated with copaiba oil at 25% and 50% v/v, gave flux values of 8.0 and 12.7 mu g/cm(2)/h, permeability values of 2.0 and 3.3 cmx10(-4)/h, and promotion factors of 4.1 and 3.7, respectively. These results indicate that copaiba oil, at the two concentrations studied, has the capacity to promote penetration of kojic acid.46236337

Effect of adhesive system and application strategy on reduction of dentin permeability

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)This study evaluated the effect of adhesive systems and application strategies on dentin hydraulic conductance (HC). The buccal enamel was removed from bovine incisors to simulate laminate cavity preparations. After removing the roots and the coronal pulp, the buccal dentin was treated with EDTA solution (0.5 M) for 5 minutes, rinsed, ultrasonicated for 12 minutes and connected to a permeability device. HC of the specimens was measured at 10 psi (n = 5). Permeability was measured before and after bonding procedures using G-Bond (GB), Clearfil Tri-S Bond (CTS), Hybrid Coat (HY), Bond Force (BF), Adper Easy Bond (AEB) Silorane (SI), Clearfil SE Bond (CSE) and Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (SMP) adhesives systems, which were applied following three strategies: 1) according to the manufacturers' instructions; 2) two coats of all-in-one self-etching adhesives (GB, CTS, HY, BF, AEB) or priming step plus two coats of bonding resin for the other systems (SI, CSE and SMP); and 3) a thin layer of a flowable composite applied over one coat of all-in-one self-etching adhesives or primed surface for SI, CSE and SMP adhesives. No significant difference was observed among the application modes concerning their ability to reduce HC. None of the adhesives showed complete sealing (100%) of the bovine tooth dentin. SI exhibited lower HC than SMP, however, they were not significantly different from the other systems. The results suggest that all systems tested result in an HC reduction of more than 90%. The wet bonding technique seemed to be more sensitive for dentin sealing.265397403Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNPq [303587/2007-5

Proposal of a Brazilian database government open linked data - DBgoldbr invited paper

© 2017 Copyright is held by the owner/author(s). The Brazilian Government has made available on the Web a massive volume of public data. This data may be structured, semistructured or non-structured in order to turn the administration as transparent as possible. Thus, we notice the great challenge in providing applications capable enough to handle this Big Data environment, and to make information available for decision making. In this environment, data processing is done via new approaches from Information Science and Computer Science areas, by involving Technologies and processes for collecting, representing, storing and disseminating information. This paper presents a conceptual model, the technical architecture and the prototype implementation of a tool DBgoldbr, designed to classify government public information with the help of ontologies, by transforming open data into open linked data. To fulfill the purpose of the solution, we used Soft System Methodology to identify problems, to collect users needs and to design solutions that fit the purpose of specific groups. The DBgoldbr tool was designed to ease up the search for open data made available by many Brazilian Government institutions, so that this data can be reused to support the evaluation and monitoring of social programs, in order to support the design and management of public policies

Dynamics of early establishment of SARS-CoV-2 VOC Omicron lineages in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Brazil is one of the nations most affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The introduction and establishment of new virus variants can be related to an increase in cases and fatalities. The emergence of Omicron, the most modified SARS-CoV-2 variant, caused alarm for the public health of Brazil. In this study, we examined the effects of the Omicron introduction in Minas Gerais (MG), the second-most populous state of Brazil. A total of 430 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) samples from November 2021 to June 2022 from Belo Horizonte (BH) city were sequenced. These newly sequenced genomes comprise 72% of all previously available SARS-CoV-2 genomes for the city. Evolutionary analysis of novel viral genomes reveals that a great diversity of Omicron sublineages have circulated in BH, a pattern in-keeping with observations across Brazil more generally. Bayesian phylogeographic reconstructions indicate that this diversity is a product of a large number of international and national importations. As observed previously, São Paulo state is shown as a significant hub for viral spread throughout the country, contributing to around 70% of all viral Omicron introductions detected in MG

Spanish version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-Sp)

BACKGROUND: The need for appraisal of oral health-related quality of life has been increasingly recognized over the last decades. The aims of this study were to develop a Spanish version (OHIP-Sp) of the Oral Health Impact Profile and to evaluate its convergent and discriminative validity, and its internal consistency. METHODS: The original 49-items OHIP was translated to Spanish, revised for understanding and semantics by two independent dentists, and then translated back to English by an independent bilingual dentist. The data originated in a cross sectional study conducted among high school students from the Province of Santiago, Chile. The study group was sampled using a multistage random cluster procedure yielding 9,203 students aged 12–21 years. All selected students were invited to participate and all filled a questionnaire with information on socio-demographic factors; oral health related behaviors; and self-reported oral health status (good, fair or poor). From this group, 9,163 students also accepted to fill a detailed questionnaire on socio-economic indicators and to receive a clinical examination comprising direct recordings of clinical attachment levels (CAL) in molars and incisors, tooth loss, and the presence of necrotizing ulcerative gingival lesions. RESULTS: The participation rate and the questionnaire completeness were high with OHIP-Sp total scores being computed for 9,133 subjects. Self-perceived oral health status was associated with the total OHIP-Sp score and all its domains (Spearman rank correlation). The OHIP-Sp total score was also directly associated with the 4 dental outcomes investigated (Mann-Whitney test) and the largest impact was found for the outcomes, 'tooth loss' with a mean OHIP-Sp score = 13.5 and 'CAL >= 3 mm' with a mean OHIP-Sp score = 13.0. CONCLUSION: The OHIP-Sp revealed suitable convergent and discriminative validity and appropriate internal consistency (Cronbach's α). Further studies on OHIP-Sp warrant the inclusion of populations with a higher disease burden; and the use of test-retest reliability exercises to evaluate the stability of the test

Primary healthcare and the construction of thematic health networks: what role can they play?

The enhancement of primary healthcare has been a core strategy for the empowerment of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Recent guidelines issued by OPAS and the Ministry of Health highlight the role it has played as a thematic communication network center, a regulating agent for the access and use of services required for comprehensive healthcare. Sponsored by PPSUS/Fapesp, this study examines the possibilities of the primary healthcare network exercising such a strategic function. Life narratives involving 15 regular users were produced in two cities of ABC Paulista, which have adopted the Family Health Strategy for the organization of their primary healthcare networks. The study presents three main findings: the primary healthcare network serves as an outpost of SUS by producing user values even for high complexity service users; the primary network is perceived is a place for simple care needs; there is shared impotence between users and teams when it comes to the network functioning as the coordinator of care, indicating that it does not possess the technological, operational and organizational material conditions or symbolic conditions (values, meanings, and representations) to be in a central position in the coordination of thematic healthcare networks.O fortalecimento da atenção básica tem sido valorizado como estratégia central para a construção do SUS. Diretrizes recentes emanadas pela OPAS e pelo MS destacam seu papel como centro de comunicação de redes temáticas, como reguladora do acesso e utilização dos serviços necessários para a integralidade do cuidado. O presente estudo, financiado com recursos PPSUS/Fapesp, problematiza as possibilidades da rede básica exercer tal função estratégica. Foram produzidas narrativas de vida de 15 usuários altamente utilizadores de serviços de saúde em dois municípios do ABC paulista, que adotaram a Estratégia de Saúde da Família para organização de suas redes básicas. O estudo apresenta três achados principais: a rede básica funciona como posto avançado do SUS, produzindo valores de uso mesmo para os pacientes utilizadores de serviços de alta complexidade; a rede básica é vista como lugar de coisas simples; há uma impotência compartilhada entre usuários e equipes quando se trata da rede básica funcionar como coordenadora do cuidado, indicando como ela não reúne condições materiais (tecnológicas, operacionais, organizacionais) e simbólicas (valores, significados e representações) de deter a posição central da coordenação das redes temáticas de saúde.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de Medicina PreventivaInstituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa Instituto Universitário de Lisboa Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Departamento de Saúde ColetivaUniversidade Estadual de Campinas Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Departamento de Saúde ColetivaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de Medicina PreventivaSciEL