Prevalência da infecção genital pelo vírus herpes simples tipo 1 e 2 em mulheres grávidas e não grávidas de Natal/RN

Herpes simplex is a virus that can be transmitted sexually and is potentially associated with vertical transmission. This study evaluated the prevalence of genital infection by herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2 in pregnant and nonpregnant care in the city of Natal / RN, including a total of 222 women, 92 pregnant and 130 nonpregnant. The participants answered a questionnaire to obtain data and socio-demographic characteristics, as well as potential risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases. After the interview, we collected two cervical specimens, one for the Pap test and the other for DNA extraction and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect both virus serotypes. Then the women underwent a clinical examination by colposcopy. For statistical analysis, we used the chi-square and logistic regression by SSPS 17.0 Statistic. Most women were up to 30 years of age, nonwhite ethnicity, married, elementary education, family income below the poverty level; initiated sexual activity with age up to 18 years; had more than one sexual partner lifelong and was not pregnant, but has had at least one child. The HSV-1 showed a prevalence of 26.1% among pregnant women and 30.0% in non-pregnant women. While HSV-2 prevalence was found with 10.9% and 19.2% in pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively. The largest proportion of morphological changes of the uterine cervix was detected among nonpregnant women, both in cytology and in colposcopy. The women were nonwhite ethnicity, married, became pregnant aged less than or equal to 18 years and who had one to two pregnancies had a lower risk of acquiring genital HSV infection. There was a high prevalence of genital HSV infection, HSV-1 is more prevalent than HSV-2. No association was found between morphological changes of the uterine cervix and the presence of the virus in pregnant and nonpregnant women, nor between genital HSV infection and the classic risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases

Correlação entre a infecção genital pelo vírus do papiloma humano, a resposta imune e os achados colpocitológicos em mulheres grávidas e não grávidas

The genital HPV infection is very common between men and women worldwide, affecting particularly young women, constituting a serious public health problem in less developed regions, favored by the poor living conditions of population. The cytology and colposcopy have notorious importance in the diagnosis of precursor lesions of cervical cancer and therefore its prevention. However, even with such diagnostic tools, the number of women who develop cervical cancer is still high. This study aims to assess the prevalence of genital tract infection by HPV in pregnant and nonpregnant women, evaluating the profile of the immune response presented by the women of these two groups in order to establish correlations among profile of immune response, presence of virus and occurrence of lesions of the uterine cervix. We analyzed specimens obtained from the cervix of 221 patients, 91 pregnant and 130 non-pregnant, aged 14-72 years. The women were subjected to colposcopic and cytologic evaluation detect possible changes in the cervix and then samples were collected in order to perform HPV detection by PCR and real-time PCR for detection of mRNA of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In the present study, the overall prevalence of HPV genital infection was 28.1%; of which 31.9% were pregnant patients and 25.4% in non-pregnant women. Young women under 30 years and those with low educational level education showed a higher risk of HPV infection. Colposcopy showed better correlation with detection of HPV DNA by PCR, when compared to cytology. Generally, HPV infected patients, pregnant or not, exhibited reduced mRNA expression of both pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ, TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL -10) cytokines, when compared to patients not infected by HPV. Nonpregnant patients infected presented increase mRNA expression of IL-17 in patients without injury, whereas those with lesion showed higher mRNA expression of TGF-β. Pregnant women without injury infected exhibited increased mRNA expression of TGF-β. There was no difference in HPV prevalence between pregnant and nonpregnant women. There was a reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, except IL-17, in all women infected by HPV. Moreover, we observed an increase of TGF-β in HPV-infected women who are pregnant or not. The results suggest that, in women in this study, HPV infection promoted changes in the profile of cytokines necessary for activation of effective immune response, possibly favoring viral persistence

Controle profissional de biofilme dentário como estratégia para manutenção da saúde periodontal de pacientes com aparelho ortodôntico fixo: análise comparativa entre diferentes períodos

The presence of fixed orthodontics appliances interfere on sanitation, allowing periodontal diseases to appear, despite the fact patients keep on visiting the dentist every month. This research aims to determine a protocol for the mechanical control of the dental biofilm performed by the professional. A protocol that was able to maintain the periodontal health of the patients under orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, and in order to do so, it used a non-controlled, randomized and blind clinical essay. The sample involved 40 adolescents who were under the installation of fixed orthodontics appliances and it was divided in three groups, as follows: monthly controlled group (group 1) composed of 11 patients, the quarterly controlled group (group 2) with 16 patients and the semestrial controlled group (group 3) with 13 patients. For data collection, an interview and clinical exams with probing depth measurement, quantity of keratinized mucosa, Gingival Index and the Plaque Index were used. On the initial exam all patients received brushing guidelines as well as the professional control of dental biofilm, with periodontal scaler, Robinson s brush and prophylactic paste. However, Group 1 returned every month for control procedures; Group 2 every three months and Group 3 after six months. The intervention had a six-month duration (for all the three groups), when all the exams were repeated by another examiner who did not know which group each patient was inserted in. Finally, the research concluded that despite the fact there is no statistically significant difference among the three groups, clinically the patients from the monthly group presented a better response to professional control, with less accumulation of dental biofilm and less rate of gingival inflammation. Thus, the mechanical control of the dental biofilm performed by the professional could not avoid gingival increase, characterized by the raise of probing depth measurement, neither the quantity of keratinized mucosa

Efeito anticonvulsivante de frações isoladas da peçonha da formiga Dinoponera quadriceps (Formicidae: Ponerinae)

A epilepsia é uma patologia crônica do sistema nervoso central que afeta cerca de 65 milhões de indivíduos no mundo. Aproximadamente 30% desses indivíduos desenvolvem crises convulsivas que persistem apesar do tratamento monitorado com drogas antiepiléptica s. Assim, há uma evidente necessidade do desenvolvimento de novos fármacos antiepilépticos e as peçonhas podem ser uma excelente fonte de modelos. Nesse contexto, enquanto já vários estudos sobre peçonhas de serpentes, escorpiões e aranhas, pouco se sabe s obre as peçonhas de formigas. Estudos prévios do nosso laboratório demonstraram que a peçonha desnaturada da formiga Dinoponera quadríceps protegeu camundongos de crises convulsivas e morte induzidas por bicuculina (BIC). Nesse contexto, o objetivo desse t rabalho foi investigar o potencial anticonvulsivante de frações isoladas da peçonha de D. quadríceps em crises convulsivas induzidas pela BIC, bem como uma análise dos efeitos dessas frações no comportamento natural dos camundongos no campo aberto. Os anim ais foram divididos em grupos, os quais receberam injeções (1 mg/ml i.c.v.) de seis frações distintas e tiveram seu comportamento geral observado no campo aberto durante 3 0 min. No segundo experimento, o s animais receberam as mesmas frações 20 min antes da administração de bicuculina (10 mg/ml). Em seguida, foi analisado o comportamento motor convulsivo desses animais durante 30 minutos no campo aberto. No primeiro experimento, não foram observadas alterações comportamentais. Já no segundo experimento, a ad ministração prévia de DqTx1, DqTx3, DqTx4 e DqTx6 aumentou a latência para o desenvolvimento de crises tônico - clônicas. Além disso, todas as frações, exceto DqTx5, aumentaram a latência para a morte dos animais. Ainda, os melhores resultados foram obtidos com a fração DqTx6, que protegeu 62,5% dos animais testados contra o desenvolvimento de crises tônico - clônicas e 100% dos animais contra a morte.

Influência da adição de resíduo de caulim nas propriedades tecnológicas de uma massa padrão de porcelanato produzido em escala industrial

VARELA, M. L. et al. Influência da adição de resíduo de caulim nas propriedades tecnológicas de uma massa padrão de porcelanato produzido em escala industrial. Cerâmica, v.55, n.334 p.209-215. 2009.ISSN 0366-6913.Disponível em: -69132009000200015&script=sci_abstract&tlng=pt>. Acesso em: 06 out. 2010.

Avaliação da potencialidade de uso do resíduo proveniente da indústria de beneficiamento do caulim na produção de piso cerâmico

FORMIGA, Felipe Lira et al. Avaliação da Potencialidade de Uso do Resíduo Proveniente da Indústria de Beneficiamento do Caulim na Produção de Piso Cerâmico. Cerâmica Industrial, v. 14, p. 41-45, 2009.

Comparison of prophylactic and therapeutic use of short-chain fatty acid enemas in diversion colitis: a study in Wistar rats

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of short-chain fatty-acids on atrophy and inflammation of excluded colonic segments before and after the development of diversion colitis. INTRODUCTION: Diversion colitis is a chronic inflammatory process affecting the dysfunctional colon, possibly evolving with mucous and blood discharge. The most favored hypotheses to explain its development is short-chain fatty-acid deficiency in the colon lumen. METHODS: Wistar rats were submitted to colostomy with distal colon exclusion. Two control groups (A1 and B1) received rectally administered physiological saline, whereas two experimental groups (A2 and B2) received rectally administered short-chain fatty-acids. The A groups were prophylactically treated (5th to 40th days postoperatively), whereas the B groups were therapeutically treated (after post-operative day 40). The mucosal thickness of the excluded colon was measured histologically. The inflammatory reaction of the mucosal lamina propria and the lymphoid tissue response were quantified through established scores. RESULTS: There was a significant thickness recovery of the colonic mucosa in group B2 animals (p = 0.0001), which also exhibited a significant reduction in the number of eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria (p = 0.0126) and in the intestinal lumen (p = 0.0256). Group A2 showed no mucosal thickness recovery and significant increases in the numbers of lymphocytes (p = 0.0006) and eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria of the mucosa (p = 0.0022). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic use of short-chain fatty-acids significantly reduced eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cell numbers in the intestinal wall and in the colonic lumen; it also reversed the atrophy of the colonic mucosa. Prophylactic use did not impede the development of mucosal atrophy

Os efeitos das reclamações online na lealdade dos consumidores: um estudo experimental

In an environment of constant change, technological developments, market competition and more informed consumers, the search for a lasting relationship through the conquest of loyalty has become the objective of companies. However, several authors suggest that this loyalty can be affected by negative comments available on the internet. Therefore, this dissertation has as objective to examine if the complaints are available on the internet impact the loyalty to a brand of mobile phone. The research used as the basis the Expanded NCSB model suggest by Johnson et al. (2001), studying five prominent drives of loyalty: image/brand reputation, affective commitment, calculative commitment, perceived value and trust, beyond the satisfaction construct as moderator variable. The research method adopted was the experimental design which included 285 undergraduate students, with the trial which included 285 undergraduate students, with the field study of the mobile industry, specifically, the brands of cell phones. The research approach was quantitative and methods were descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, linear regression and non-parametric test of Wilcoxon for data analysis. Of the 16 hypothesis stemmed from the research model proposed, 12 were confirmed. The results showed that the complaint available on the internet, here represented by the available on the site Reclame Aqui, may impact consumer perceptions about brand loyalty, as well as its antecedents, being that these complaints can affect all the consumers, regardless of historical satisfaction with the brand. It also noted the positive relationship between the independent variables trust, image/brand reputation, perceived value, affective commitment and calculative commitment and the dependent variable - loyalty, even when considering the data obtained after exposure to the complaint. However, no unanimous conclusion that the relationship between these variables was strongest in the group with satisfactory experience. At the first moment of the research, the trust was the most important variable for the formation of loyalty. However, after exposure to treatment, the image/brand reputation, was more relevant. Contributions of the study, limitations and recommendations for future researches are approached in the present investigation

Percepções de maturidade em gerenciamento de projetos à luz da nova gestão pública: uma investigação com gestores das secretarias estaduais do Rio Grande do Norte

This study aimed to measure the perception of maturity project management of state boards of Rio Grande do Norte by the perception of its managers. Argues that project management has been highlighted as a critical factor for the success of any organization, because the projects are directly related to the set of activities that result in organizational innovation as products, services and processes and the improvement of project management is directly aligned with the main pillars of the New Public Management. Methodologically, this is a quantitative research of a descriptive nature in which 161 forms were applied with coordinators and subcoordinators of state departments of Rio Grande do Norte, culminating in a sampling error of less than 6% to 95% confidence according to the procedures finite sampling. The process of tabulation and analysis was done using the package Statistical Package for Social Sciences - SPSS 18.0 and worked with techniques such as mean, standard deviation, frequency distributions, cluster analysis and factor analysis. The results indicate that the levels of maturity in project management in state departments of Rio Grande do Norte is below the national average and that behavioral skills are the main problem for improving management in these departments. It was possible to detect the existence of two groups of different perceptions about the management of projects, indicating, according to the managers, there are islands of excellence in project management in some sectors of the state departments. It was also observed that there are eight factors that affect maturity in project management: Planning and Control , Development of Management Skills , Project Management Environment , Acceptance of the Subject Project Management , Stimulus to Performance , Project Evaluation and Learning , Project Management Office and Visibility of Project Managers . It concludes that the project management in state departments of Rio Grande do Norte has no satisfactory levels of maturity in project management, affecting the levels of efficiency and effectiveness of the state apparatus, which shows that some of the assumptions that guide the New Public Management are not getting the levels of excellence nailed by this management model

Análise do desempenho de um queimador infravermelho funcionando com gás liquefeito de petróleo e glicerina

The use of infrared burners in industrial applications has many advantages in terms of technical-operational, for example, uniformity in the heat supply in the form of radiation and convection, with greater control of emissions due to the passage of exhaust gases through a macro-porous ceramic bed. This paper presents an infrared burner commercial, which was adapted an experimental ejector, capable of promoting a mixture of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and glycerin. By varying the percentage of dual-fuel, it was evaluated the performance of the infrared burner by performing an energy balance and atmospheric emissions. It was introduced a temperature controller with thermocouple modulating two-stage (low heat / high heat), using solenoid valves for each fuel. The infrared burner has been tested and tests by varying the amount of glycerin inserted by a gravity feed system. The method of thermodynamic analysis to estimate the load was used an aluminum plate located at the exit of combustion gases and the distribution of temperatures measured by a data acquisition system which recorded real-time measurements of the thermocouples attached. The burner had a stable combustion at levels of 15, 20 and 25% of adding glycerin in mass ratio of LPG gas, increasing the supply of heat to the plate. According to data obtained showed that there was an improvement in the efficiency of the 1st Law of infrared burner with increasing addition of glycerin. The emission levels of greenhouse gases produced by combustion (CO, NOx, SO2 and HC) met the environmental limits set by resolution No. 382/2006 of CONAMA

Análise de um queimador infravermelho funcionando com combustível híbrido : GLP/Bio-óleo

Biomass is considered the largest renewable energy source that can be used in an environmentally sustainable. From the pyrolysis of biomass is possible to obtain products with higher energy density and better use properties. The liquid resultant of this process is traditionally called bio-oil. The use of infrared burners in industrial applications has many advantages in terms of technical-operational, for example, uniformity in the heat supply in the form of radiation and convection, with a greater control of emissions due to the passage of exhaust gases through a macroporous ceramic bed. This paper presents a commercial infrared burner adapted with an ejector proposed able to burn a hybrid configuration of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and bio-oil diluted. The dilution of bio-oil with absolute ethanol aimed to decrease the viscosity of the fluid, and improving the stability and atomization. It was introduced a temperature controller with thermocouple modulating two stages (low heat / high heat), and solenoid valves for fuels supply. The infrared burner has been tested, being the diluted bio-oil atomized, and evaluated its performance by conducting energy balance. The method of thermodynamic analysis to estimate the load was used an aluminum plate located at the exit of combustion gases and the distribution of temperatures measured by thermocouples. The dilution reduced the viscosity of the bio-oil in 75.4% and increased by 11% the lower heating value (LHV) of the same, providing a stable combustion to the burner through the atomizing with compressed air and burns combined with LPG. Injecting the hybrid fuel there was increase in the heat transfer from the plate to the environment in 21.6% and gain useful benefit of 26.7%, due to the improved in the efficiency of the 1st Law of Thermodynamics of infrared burner

Análise das emissões gasosas de um veículo flex funcionando com diferentes combustíveis

Efforts in research and development of new technologies to reduce emission levels of pollutant gases in the atmosphere has intensified in the last decades. In this context, it can be highlighted the modern systems of electronic engine management, new automotive catalysts and the use of renewable fuels which contributes to reduce the environmental impact. The purpose of this study was a comparative analysis of gas emissions from a automotive vehicle, operating with different fuels: natural gas, AEHC or gasoline. To execute the experimental tests, a flex vehicle was installed on a chassis dynamometer equipped with a gas analyzer and other complementary accessories according to the standard guidelines of emission and security procedures. Tests were performed according to NBR 6601 and NBR 7024, which define the urban and road driving cycle, respectively. Besides the analysis of exhaust gases in the discharge tube, before and after the catalyst, using the suction probe of the gas analyzer to simulate the vehicle in urban and road traffic, were performed tests of fuel characterization. Final results were conclusive in indicating leaded gasoline as the fuel which most contributed with pollutant emissions in atmosphere and the usual gasoline being the fuel which less contributed with pollutant emissions in atmosphere

Desenvolvimento de uma unidade pirolítica com reator de cilindro rotativo: obtenção de bio-óleo

The demand for alternative sources of energy drives the technological development so that many fuels and energy conversion processes before judged as inadequate or even non-viable, are now competing fuels and so-called traditional processes. Thus, biomass plays an important role and is considered one of the sources of renewable energy most important of our planet. Biomass accounts for 29.2% of all renewable energy sources. The share of biomass energy from Brazil in the OIE is 13.6%, well above the world average of participation. Various types of pyrolysis processes have been studied in recent years, highlighting the process of fast pyrolysis of biomass to obtain bio-oil. The continuous fast pyrolysis, the most investigated and improved are the fluidized bed and ablative, but is being studied and developed other types in order to obtain Bio-oil a better quality, higher productivity, lower energy consumption, increased stability and process reliability and lower production cost. The stability of the product bio-oil is fundamental to designing consumer devices such as burners, engines and turbines. This study was motivated to produce Bio-oil, through the conversion of plant biomass or the use of its industrial and agricultural waste, presenting an alternative proposal for thermochemical pyrolysis process, taking advantage of particle dynamics in the rotating bed that favors the right gas-solid contact and heat transfer and mass. The pyrolyser designed to operate in a continuous process, a feeder containing two stages, a divisive system of biomass integrated with a tab of coal fines and a system of condensing steam pyrolytic. The prototype has been tested with sawdust, using a complete experimental design on two levels to investigate the sensitivity of factors: the process temperature, gas flow drag and spin speed compared to the mass yield of bio-oil. The best result was obtained in the condition of 570 oC, 25 Hz and 200 cm3/min, temperature being the parameter of greatest significance. The mass balance of the elementary stages presented in the order of 20% and 37% liquid pyrolytic carbon. We determined the properties of liquid and solid products of pyrolysis as density, viscosity, pH, PCI, and the composition characterized by chemical analysis, revealing the composition and properties of a Bio-oil.

Avaliação do potencial de formigas (Hymenoptera: formicidae) como vetores mecânicos de bactérias do gêneroSstaphylococcus no ambiente hospitalar.

In a hospital environment, these bacteria can be spread by insects such as ants, which are characterized by high adaptability to the urban environment. Staphylococcus is a leading cause of hospital infection. In Europe, Latin America, USA and Canada, the group of coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) is the second leading cause of these infections, according to SENTRY (antimicrobial surveillance program- EUA). In this study, we investigated the potential of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as vehicle mechanics of Staphylococcus bacteria in a public hospital, in Natal-RN. The ants were collected, day and night, from June 2007 to may 2008, in the following sectors: hospitals, laundry, kitchen, blood bank. The ants were identified according to the identification key of Bolton, 1997. For the analysis of staphylococci, the ants were incubated in broth Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) for 24 hours at 35 º C and then incubated on Mannitol Salt Agar. The typical colonies of staphylococci incubated for 24 hours at 35 ° C in Tryptic Soy Agar for the characterization tests (Gram stain, catalase, susceptibility to bacitracin and free coagulase). The identification of CoNS was performed through biochemical tests: susceptibility to novobiocin, growth under anaerobic conditions, presence of urease, the ornithine decarboxylation and acid production from the sugars mannose, maltose, trehalose, mannitol and xylose. The antimicrobial susceptibility examined by disk-diffusion technique. The technique of Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to confirm the presence of mecA gene and the ability to produce biofilm was verified by testing in vitro using polystyrene inert surface, in samples of resistant staphylococci. Among 440 ants, 85 (19.1%) were carrying coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) of the species Staphylococcus saprophyticus (17), Staphylococcus epidermidis (15), Staphylococcus xylosus (13), Staphylococcus hominis hominis (10), Staphylococcus lugdunensis (10), Staphylococcus warneri (6), Staphylococcus cohnii urealyticum (5), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (3), Staphylococcus simulans (3), Staphylococcus cohnii cohnii (2), and Staphylococcus capitis (1). No Staphylococcus aureus was found. Among the isolates, 30.58% showed resistance to erythromycin. Two samples of CoNS (2.35%), obtained from the ant Tapinoma melanocephalum collected in the post-surgical female ward, S. Hominis hominis and S. lugdunensis harbored the mecA gene and were resistant to multiple antibiotics, and the specie S. hominis hominis even showed to be a biofilm producer. This study proves that ants act as carriers of multidrug-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci and biofilm producers and points to the risk of the spreading of pathogenic microorganisms by this insect in the hospital environment

Prevalência da infecção por papilomavírus humano, herpes simplex tipo 1 e 2 e Chlamydia trachomatis em um segmento da população feminina da grande Natal/RN

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the largest public health problems, especially in developing countries. The acquisition of these infections during early sexual activity is common and many infections have a benign course. However, in some pathogens remain in the state of latency can be reactivated and cause productive infection that may progress to severe forms. In addition, some of them are transmitted vertically resulting in congenital infection, causing immediate damage or long-term child. The classic risk factors for sexually transmitted agents are: early onset of sexual and reproductive health, multiple sexual partners throughout life, use of oral contraceptives and co-infections with different pathogens. We present the results of a cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of genital infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in a segment of the female population of the metropolitan area Christmas, among those who enrolled voluntarily sought, Basic Health Units for the examination of cancer screening cervix in the period 2008 to 2010. All participants, a total of 261 women answered a standard questionnaire by which identified the socio-demographic characteristics, classical risk factors for STDs, reproductive and sexual activity and smoking. Of each patient were obtained two samples, one for the completion of the Pap test for detection of cellular changes and the other processed for DNA extraction and analyzed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to detect the three pathogens studied. The population of the study was composed of sexually active women aged between 13 and 79 years, mean 38.7 years, most of them being married, low education levels and low incomes. The majority (87%) had normal results on cytology and only 2.7% had low-grade cytological abnormalities. Prevalence rates were 37.9% for HPV, 4.6% for CT and 26% for HSV. HPV prevalence was higher in women under 25, unmarried and in those who had multiple sexual partners. Women with simultaneous infection by HSV-1 and 2 had higher prevalence of HPV infection. The prevalence of HSV infection showed no association whatsoever with the risk factors analyzed and HSV-1 was the predominant type among the cases of genital HSV infection. The overall prevalence of C. Trachomatis was relatively low, thus providing greater value in younger women aged less than or equal to 20 years