Association of breast cancer with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in Northeast Brazil: molecular evidence

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of human papillomavirus DNA and genotypes in breast cancer and normal breast tissue samples obtained from women from the northeast region of Brazil.

METHOD

One hundred three breast cancer samples and 95 normal breast samples, as the non-malignant controls, were studied. DNA extraction was verified by human beta-globin gene amplification, and polymerase chain reaction was conducted based on HPV L1-specific consensus primers MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+, followed by nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction with type-specific primers for the E6/E7 consensus region.

RESULTS

Human papillomavirus DNA was detected in 51 (49.5%) breast carcinoma samples and 15 (15.8%) normal breast samples (p<0.0001). Human papillomavirus genotypes 6 and 11 were identified in 15.2% of all samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The high frequency of human papillomavirus infection in breast cancer samples indicates a potential role of this virus in breast carcinogenesis in the studied participants.

Diallel analysis of corn for special use as corn grits: determining the main genetic effects for corn gritting ability

Corn grits are used for various purposes such as flakes, snacks, livestock feed, hominy, extruded products, beer, etc. The grit size proportion varies according to the hybrid, and thus, once the use of the grits is linked to the particle size, determining the genetic effects is essential to develop hybrids for any specific use. For this purpose a complete diallel series of crosses, involving eight parents, was performed near Maringá, PR, Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities of 28 progeny for selection of hybrids for breeding programs and extraction of inbred lines for hybrid development. The response variables, such as plant height, ear insertion height, crop stand, grain yield, and grits, small grits and bran production, were gauged and appraised for each of the 28 progeny. The trait effects and GCA were significant for all response variables, while for SCA, only grain yield and crop stand showed significance (P < 0.05), according to Griffing (1955) analysis. A significant weak negative partial correlation was found between grain yield and grits conversion. In relation to the hybrid selection for breeding programs, the parent IAC Nelore was highly recommended for recurrent selection and the hybrids IPR 119 x HT 392 and IAC Nelore x HD 332 for the extraction of pure lines for hybrid development.

Acanthosis nigricans as an indicator of insulin resistance in Chilean adult population

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with a higher risk of multiple diseases and its early detection would allow to minimize the associated risk; the presence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) it's associated to the presence of IR.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the sensibility and specificity of AN to diagnose IR in a group of Chilean patients.

METHODS

We designed a cross-sectional study and it was included subjects that were attended at the Center for the Attention of Metabolic Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile. Sixty subjects (18-60 years age) were included. It was determined BMI and diagnosed AN and skin phototype; blood samples were taken and calculated the HOMA-IR. The normality of the variables where analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. There were used χ² and the diagnostic concordance between AN and IR was determined using the Kappa index and Pearson's correlation. Sensibility, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were calculated and accepted p<0.05.

RESULTS

The IR diagnose was 67% and AN was 43%. The major proportion of subjects diagnosed as positive for IR were also positive for AN (84.6%). The sensibility of AN to find IR was an 84% and specificity was 100%. Positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 89% respectively. It was observed a positive association between BMI and HOMA-IR (r=0.674; r²=0.454; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

To detect acanthosis nigricans in Chilean population may be effective for the early diagnose of insulin resistance and, therefore, reduce the associated cost of the late treatment of glucose metabolic disturbances.

Indoor air quality in Portuguese archives: a snapshot on exposure levels

Indoor air quality recently entered legislation in Portugal. Several parameters must be evaluated and kept within limits in order to obtain a certification for air quality and energy consumption. Certification parameters were analyzed in two Portuguese archives in order to assess indoor air quality both for people attending or working on these premises and for maintenance of a written heritage that must be retained for future generations. Carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), formaldehyde, and fungal counts were kept within stipulated limits. Relative humidity (RH), volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter (PM₁₀), and ozone (O₃) showed values above legislated levels and justified the implementation of corrective measures. In terms of conservation, studies on the limit values are still needed, but according to the available international guidelines, some of the analyzed parameters such as PM₁₀, O₃, and RH were also above desirable values. Corrective measures were proposed to these institutions. Although this study was only of a short duration, it proved valuable in assessing potential eventual problems and constitutes the first Portuguese indoor air quality assessment taking into consideration both aspects of an archive such as human health and heritage safekeeping.

Organization and relative content of smooth muscle cells, collagen and elastic fibers in the corpus cavernosum of rat penis

PURPOSE

The corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and extracellular matrix are essential for normal penile erection and are implicated in erectile dysfunction. Although investigations of these issues have used the rat corpus cavernosum, organization of its components is to date not well known. We characterized and quantified the smooth muscle cells and the main extracellular matrix components of the rat corpus cavernosum.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Collagen, elastic fibers and smooth muscle cells were stained on paraffin sections of rat penises using sirius red and Gomori's reticulin, Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin and an anti-smooth muscle cells alpha-actin antibody, respectively. Stained components were then quantified by computer aided morphometry.

RESULTS

Smooth muscle cells were restricted to the subendothelial space of corpus cavernosum and had a volumetric density of 9.1%. Collagen was thick, usually in transversely oriented bundles and was the most abundant component of the trabeculae with a volumetric density of 62.7%. Gomori's reticulin disclosed a meshwork of fibrils also in the subendothelial space but did not stain the thicker bundles. Volumetric density of elastic fibers was 4.9%, and at the periphery of the corpus cavernosum the fibers were parallel to the long axis of the penis, while in deeper regions most of them were transversely oriented and at different directions from those of collagen.

CONCLUSIONS

Rat corpus cavernosum differs from that of humans by lesser amounts of smooth muscle cells, greater amounts of collagen and the presence of fibrillar collagen and smooth muscle cell subendothelial layers. Therefore, these differences should be considered when using the rat penis for studies on erection.

[Prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity in very low birth weight infants]

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the prevalence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in very low birthweight infants (birthweight<1500 g).

METHOD

A prospective examination was conducted on 102 neonates with very low birthweight admitted to the BAM-HC (FMUSP) between 01/01/92 and 12/31/93. The mapping of the retina with scleral depression was first conducted between 3rd and the 8th weeks of life, and it was repeated every 1 to 4 weeks until the vascularization of the retina was complete or the ROP was present. To classify the ROP the International Classification of ROP was used. For the purposes of statistical analysis, the most serious phase of ROP presented by the neonate was considered.

RESULTS

In this study retinopathy of prematurity was present in 29.09% of the neonates, in 78.5% of those under 1,000 g of birthweight, and 72.73% of those with less than 30 weeks of gestational age. Among the newborns with ROP, 77.05% were in phase 1, 13.11% in phase 2, and 9.84% in phase 3. Oxygen in mechanical ventilation and "CPAP" were statistically significant factors for the development the ROP.

CONCLUSION

The ophthalmologic examination between the 3rd and 4th weeks of life was an important instrument for the detection of RP and should be done in all very low birth weight infants (weight<1,500 g), especially in neonates with less than 1,250 g and/or gestational age under 34 weeks.

[Evolution of systemic arterial blood pressure during neonatal period in term newborns adequate for gestacional age]

The authors studied the levels and evolution of systolic, mean and diastolic arterial blood pressure in term newborns adequate for gestacional age during the first month of life. The applied technique was oscillometric, using a non-invasive monitor. The study was prospective, including newborns who had received first minute Apgar score above 6, with no clinical disturbances or use of any drug with possible arterial blood pressure side effects. The measurements of systolic, mean and diastolic arterial blood pressure were taken at 12 hours of life and 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th days of life. The authors observed an increase in arterial blood pressure mean values from the 1st to the 7th day of life and that there was no significant changes on the same measurements from the 1st to the 4th week of life.

The prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in nematode parasites of sheep in southern Latin America: Brazil

This survey was conducted in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and involved 182 farms located in 26 counties. In addition to the three major broad-spectrum anthelmintic groups (viz. benzimidazole, levamisole and ivermectin) the combination benzimidazole and levamisole and the H. contortus specific anthelmintic, closantel, were tested by the faecal egg count reduction method for the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance. Resistance was found to be 90%, 84%, 13%, 73% and 20%, respectively. This is a crisis situation. Immediate, drastic action needs to be implemented, otherwise the sheep industry in this region (approx. 10 million head) will soon face a lack of any effective anthelmintics with the inevitable consequences of major restructuring or abandonment.

Use of reseeded pastures as an aid in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes

The degree of nematode infectivity of a previously contaminated pasture which was reseeded after harvesting of a soya bean crop was determined by use of four tracer lambs and four tracer calves. The eight tracers were put to graze for 14 days and housed for another 14 days before being slaughtered, when faeces and the intestinal tracts were examined for worm eggs and parasites. With the exception of one animal, which was found to be harbouring 20 Cooperia punctata, the tracers had no adult or immature nematodes. The implications of the use of such pastures are discussed in relation to their possible role in parasite control and anthelmintic resistance in Brazil.