Variability of the conserved V3 loop tip motif in HIV-1 subtype B isolates collected from Brazilian and French patients

The diversity of the V3 loop tip motif sequences of HIV-1 subtype B was analyzed in patients from Botucatu (Brazil) and Montpellier (France). Overall, 37 tetrameric tip motifs were identified, 28 and 17 of them being recognized in Brazilian and French patients, respectively. The GPGR (P) motif was predominant in French but not in Brazilian patients (53.5% vs 31.0%), whereas the GWGR (W) motif was frequent in Brazilian patients (23.0%) and absent in French patients. Three tip motif groups were considered: P, W, and non-P non-W groups. The distribution of HIV-1 isolates into the three groups was significantly different between isolates from Botucatu and from Montpellier (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of CXCR4-using HIV-1 (X4 variants) was observed in the non-P non-W group as compared with the P group (37.5% vs 19.1%), and no X4 variant was identified in the W group (P < 0.001). The higher proportion of X4 variants in the non-P non-W group was essentially observed among the patients from Montpellier, who have been infected with HIV-1 for a longer period of time than those from Botucatu. Among patients from Montpellier, CD4+ cell counts were lower in patients belonging to the non-P non-W group than in those belonging to the P group (24 cells/µL vs 197 cells/µL; P = 0.005). Taken together, the results suggest that variability of the V3 loop tip motif may be related to HIV-1 coreceptor usage and to disease progression. However, as analyzed by a bioinformatic method, the substitution of the V3 loop tip motif of the subtype B consensus sequence with the different tip motifs identified in the present study was not sufficient to induce a change in HIV-1 coreceptor usage.

Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus A Multinational Multicenter Study of Thirty-Eight Patients

Objective. To describe the clinical and laboratory features of macrophage activation syndrome as a complication of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods. Cases of juvenile SLE-associated macrophage activation syndrome were provided by investigators belonging to 3 pediatric rheumatology networks or were found in the literature. Patients who had evidence of macrophage hemophagocytosis on bone marrow aspiration were considered to have definite macrophage activation syndrome, and those who did not have such evidence were considered to have probable macrophage activation syndrome. Clinical and laboratory findings in patients with macrophage activation syndrome were contrasted with those of 2 control groups composed of patients with active juvenile SLE without macrophage activation syndrome. The ability of each feature to discriminate macrophage activation syndrome from active disease was evaluated by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.Results. The study included 38 patients (20 with definite macrophage activation syndrome and 18 with probable macrophage activation syndrome). Patients with definite and probable macrophage activation syndrome were comparable with regard to all clinical and laboratory features of the syndrome, except for a greater frequency of lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia in patients with definite macrophage activation syndrome. Overall, clinical features had better specificity than sensitivity, except for fever, which was highly sensitive but had low specificity. Among laboratory features, the best sensitivity and specificity was achieved using hyperferritinemia, followed by increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypofibrinogenemia. Based on the results of statistical analysis, preliminary diagnostic guidelines for macrophage activation syndrome in juvenile SLE were developed.Conclusion. Our findings indicate that the occurrence of unexplained fever and cytopenia, when associated with hyperferritinemia, in a patient with juvenile SLE should raise the suspicion of macrophage activation syndrome. We propose preliminary guidelines for this syndrome in juvenile SLE to facilitate timely diagnosis and correct classification of patients.

Ampliando o repertório do coro infanto-juvenil: um estudo de repertório inserido numa nova estética

Pós-graduação em Música - IA

Apontamentos acerca das vicissitudes da subjetividade no mito de Don Juan

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

As Cartas De Guy de Maupassant

Esse trabalho tem como objetivo tecer algumas considerações acerca de uma crônica de Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), intitulada Le style épistolaire. Publicado no jornal Le Gaulois, no dia 11 de junho de 1888, o texto aborda alguns aspectos importantes do gênero em questão, entre outros, o missivista, tanto o remetente quanto o destinatário, ou ainda, o teor e o estilo das cartas. Revela como Maupassant concebia a arte de escrever cartas, e entender sua visão é um passo importante para adentrar a produção epistolar do próprio autor que, entre 1862 e 1891, escreveu mais de 750 cartas.

Georges Gusdorf e a autobiografia

Considering the premise that there are few theoretical reflections in the Portuguese language, concerning the autobiography as a genre, we propose to present a work addressing this issue by discussing the writings of George Gusdorf (1912-2000). One of the most expressive French scholars on this field, alongside Philippe Lejeune and Jean George May, and Starobinsky, Gusdorf stands out for his vast production centered on theoretical issues concerning the writings of the self. The study presented here aims at disseminating Gusdorf writings in Brazil, as well as presenting a critical analysis of the most pertinent issues related to the autobiographical genre, including aspects such as its origins, the blurred boundaries of genre, truth and sincerity, the relations between time and memory, self-knowledge and knowledge of the world.

A mentora literária de Guy de Maupassant

Laure Le Poittevin, Guy de Maupassant’s mother (1850-1893), had from his early childhood, a key role in the literary education of her son. This intelligent and sensitive woman, who was always passionate about arts, especially literature, to whom Maupasssant entrusted his projects and literary adventures, was his fi rst and eternal critic. In the letters he writes her, most of the time he takes the opportunity to plan and discuss his future projects; he presents a text in progress, he draws its guiding lines, he foreshadows its structures and points out some procedures based on a series of principles and recommendations of personal and universal values. Therefore, by reading again these letters, the readers nowadays can follow the writer’s daily life, the progression of his ideas and his literary development, the editing process of his book and his moments of sorrow and joy, anger and affection.

De Flaubert para Maupassant

This article aims to present some reflections about a selection of letters that Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) wrote to Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), between September 23, 1872 and May 3, 1880. For eight years, Flaubert was Maupassant’s friend and a literary master and his letters, marked by a multiple and disordered discourse, reveal a path to friendship and the passionate dedication of the master regarding the intellectual and artistic development of the young writer. It is intended here, to draw some considerations to the moments when Flaubert’s speech assumes, directly or indirectly, a pedagogical role and the letter becomes a way to literary teaching.