Danos mecânicos e qualidade fisiológica de semente de soja colhida pelo sistema convencional e axial

Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar dois tipos de colhedoras, a de sistema convencional ou de cilindro côncavo e a axial, quanto à qualidade fisiológica de sementes de duas cultivares de soja (Glycine max (L.)Merrill), colhidas em três períodos diferentes do dia. A colhedora de cilindro côncavo trabalhou, deslocando-se a 5,0km.h-1 e cilindro trilhador com 750 rotações por minuto (rpm). A colhedora de fluxo axial deslocou-se a 8,0km.h-1 e rotor com 650 rotações por minuto (rpm). As cultivares de soja utilizadas foram BRS 184 e BRS 133. Para a avaliação da qualidade de sementes foram conduzidos os testes de germinação, vigor, tetrazólio, danos mecânicos e a determinação do grau de umidade. Sementes provenientes de ambas as colhedoras apresentaram resultados estatisticamente similares em relação a danos mecânicos e qualidade fisiológica. Há variações no grau de umidade da semente de soja durante o dia, podendo, ao final da tarde (18 horas), apresentar-se inferior ao início da colheita (10 horas), em até 3 pontos percentuais. Tanto a colhedora de cilindro côncavo como a axial, desde que convenientemente utilizadas na colheita quanto às especificações de regulagem, não provocam diferenças na qualidade fisiológica da semente de soja.

Análise anátomo-radiográfica da persistência do Forame de Huschke

OBJETIVO: o objetivo neste trabalho é avaliar e localizar o Forame de Huschke. FORMA DE ESTUDO: anatômico. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: utilizando materiais de contraste como a Guta percha e o sulfato de bário, através de técnicas radiográficas extrabucais, como a panorâmica, submentovértex e a tomografia linear lateral corrigida para a Articulação Têmporo-mandibular, em quatro crânios, onde foi verificada clinicamente a presença do Forame de Huschke. RESULTADO: Os resultados obtidos mostraram que o Forame de Huschke pôde ser observado em crânios secos após a sua evidenciação por meio de material de contraste nestas técnicas radiográficas.

Aplicação da ressonância magnética no acompanhamento da cirurgia do colesteatoma

A tomografia computadorizada e ressonância magnética (RM) com seqüências convencionais têm baixa especificidade para a diferenciação entre tecido de granulação e recidiva de colesteatoma. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a aplicação da RM com sequência de difusão e pós-contraste T1 tardio na detecção de recidiva de colesteatoma. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Realizado estudo transversal prospectivo de dezessete pacientes estudados no pós-operatório de colesteatoma utilizando RM de 1.5 T com seqüência difusão, T1, T2 e pós-contraste T1 tardio nos planos coronal e axial. Dois radiologistas avaliaram e decidiram em consenso a presença de foco de hipersinal na difusão e T2, iso/hipossinal em T1 e ausência de impregnação pelo contraste como suspeitos de recidiva de colesteatoma. Os achados da revisão cirúrgica foram comparados com o resultado da RM. RESULTADOS: Onze dos doze casos de recidiva de colesteatoma apresentaram hipersinal na difusão. Todos os pacientes com tecido de granulação na cavidade cirúrgica não apresentaram alteração de sinal na difusão. Um paciente com abscesso no conduto auditivo interno também apresentou hipersinal na difusão. A sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo e negativo foram respectivamente 91,6%, 60%, 84,6% e 75%. CONCLUSÃO: A seqüência de difusão combinada com pós-contraste tardio pode ser útil na diferenciação entre tecido de granulação e recidiva de colesteatoma.

O triunfo e a dor da beleza: comparando as estéticas recursiva, contrapontística e celular do ser

O principal argumento desenvolvido neste ensaio é o de que, para os Waiwai, o privilégio conferido à visibilidade lateral sugere idéias sobre um indivíduo fractal, associado ao poder recursivo, enquanto, para as sociedades do litoral da Guiana e dos Estados Unidos, o privilégio conferido à visibilidade axial sugere concepções sobre um indivíduo autônomo, associado a relações de poder contrapontísticas e celulares, respectivamente. Será argumentado que, ao contrário da situação dos Waiwai, de acordo com o objetivo de atingir maior eficiência no funcionamento de suas relações políticas com os cidadãos, o desejo do Estado moderno, expresso por meio do uso privilegiado da visibilidade axial, reduz a importância das relações laterais e produz indivíduos categorialmente isolados e solitários.

Studies in search of a suitable experimental insect model for xenodiagnosis of hosts with Chagas' disease: 4 - The reflection of parasite stock in the responsiveness of different vector species to chronic infection with different Trypanosoma cruzi stocks

Previous studies (1982,1987) have emphasized the superiority of sylvatic vector species over domestic species as xenodiagnostic agents in testing hosts with acute or chronic infections by T. cruzi "Y" stock. The present study, which is unique in that it contains data on both infectivity rates produced by the same stock in 11 different vector species and also the reaction of the same vector species to seven different parasite stocks, establishes the general validity of linking efficiency of xenodiagnosis to the biotope of its agent. For example, infectivity rates produced by "São Felipe" stock varied from 82.5% to 98.3% in sylvatic vectors but decreased to 42.5% to 71.3% in domestic species. "Colombiana" stock produced in the same sylvatic vectors infectivity rates ranging from 12.5% to 45%. These shrank to 5%-22.5% in domestic bugs. The functional role of the biotope in the vector-parasite interaction has not been eluddated. But since this phenomenon has been observed to be stable and easy to reproduce, it leads us to believe that the results obtained are valid. Data presented also provide increasing evidence that the infectivity rates exhibited by bugs from xenodiagnosis in chronic hosts, are parasite stock specific. For example, infectivity rates produced by "Berenice", "Y", "FL" and "CL" varied in R. neglectus from 26.3% to 75%; in P. megistus from 56.3% to 83.8%; in T. sordida from 28.8% to 58.8% in T. pseudomaculata from 41.3% to 66.3% and in T. rubrovaria from 48.8% to 85%. Data from xenodiagnosis in the same hosts, carrying acute infections by the same parasite stocks, gave the five sylvatic vectors a positive rating of approximately 100%, thus suggesting that the heavy loads of parasites circulating in the acute hosts obscured the characteristic interspecific differences for the parasite stock. Nonetheless these latter were revealed in the same hosts with chronic infections stimulated by very low numbers of the same parasite stocks. Certain observations here described lead us to speculate as to the possibility of further results from other parasite stocks, allowing the association of the infectivity rates produced in bugs by different parasite stocks with the isoenzymic patterns revealed by these stocks.

Risk factors of HIV-related oral lesions in adults

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk factors in the occurrence of oral lesions in HIV-positive adults. METHODS: A retrospective analytical-descriptive survey was conducted using the medical/dental records of 534 patients with oral lesions associated with HIV. The data were collected from five referral centers for managing HIV and associated comorbidities in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, between 1996 and 2011. Using a standardized form, socio-demographic and clinical data were recorded. Exclusively and definitively diagnosed oral pathologies were included and classified according to ECC criteria on Oral Problems Related to HIV Infection. For data analysis cross-tabulations, Chi-squared tests and logistic regression models were used where appropriate. RESULTS: CD4+ counts lower than 350 cells/mm³ (p < 0.001), alcohol consumption (p = 0.011) and female gender (p = 0.031) were predisposing factors for oral candidiasis. The occurrence of hairy leukoplakia was independently associated with CD4+ counts below 500 cells/mm³, (p = 0.029) a viral load above 5,000 copies/mm³ (p = 0.003) and smoking (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate and severe degrees of immunodeficiency and detectable viral loads were risk factors for the onset of oral lesions. Smoking and alcohol consumption also increased susceptibility to the development of opportunistic infections in HIV-positive adults from Porto Alegre, irrespective of the use of antiretroviral therapy.

Validation of an instrument to evaluate health promotion at schools

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To validate an instrument designed to assess health promotion in the school environment. METHODS A questionnaire, based on guidelines from the World Health Organization and in line with the Brazilian school health context, was developed to validate the research instrument. There were 60 items in the instrument that included 40 questions for the school manager and 20 items with direct observations made by the interviewer. The items’ content validation was performed using the Delphi technique, with the instrument being applied in 53 schools from two medium-sized cities in the South region of Brazil. Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha and split-half) and validity (principal component analysis) analyses were performed. RESULTS The final instrument remained composed of 28 items, distributed into three dimensions: pedagogical, structural and relational. The resulting components showed good factorial loads (> 0.4) and acceptable reliability (> 0.6) for most items. The pedagogical dimension identifies educational activities regarding drugs and sexuality, violence and prejudice, auto care and peace and quality of life. The structural dimension is comprised of access, sanitary structure, and conservation and equipment. The relational dimension includes relationships within the school and with the community. CONCLUSIONS The proposed instrument presents satisfactory validity and reliability values, which include aspects relevant to promote health in schools. Its use allows the description of the health promotion conditions to which students from each educational institution are exposed. Because this instrument includes items directly observed by the investigator, it should only be used during periods when there are full and regular activities at the school in question.

Detection of HIV and HCV RNA in semen from Brazilian coinfected men using multiplex PCR before and after semen washing

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged survival of patients under HAART has resulted in new demands for assisted reproductive technologies. HIV serodiscordant couples wish to make use of assisted reproduction techniques in order to avoid viral transmission to the partner or to the newborn. It is therefore essential to test the effectiveness of techniques aimed at reducing HIV and HCV loads in infected semen using molecular biology tests. METHODS: After seminal analysis, semen samples from 20 coinfected patients were submitted to cell fractioning and isolation of motile spermatozoa by density gradient centrifugation and swim-up. HIV and HCV RNA detection tests were performed with RNA obtained from sperm, seminal plasma and total semen. RESULTS: In pre-washing semen, HIV RNA was detected in 100% of total semen samples, whereas HCV RNA was concomitantly amplified in only one specimen. Neither HIV nor HCV were detected either in the swim-up or in the post-washing semen fractions. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction of HIV and/or HCV shedding in semen by density gradient centrifugation followed by swim-up is an efficient method. These findings lead us to believe that, although semen is rarely found to contain HCV, semen processing is highly beneficial for HIV/HCV coinfected individuals.

Prevalence of discordant immunologic and virologic responses in patients with AIDS under antiretroviral therapy in a specialized care center in Brazil

Some patients under antiretroviral therapy (ART) do not reach immune recovery when the viral load becomes undetectable. This is called discordant immunologic and virologic responses. Its prevalence varies between 8% and 24%. This study describes its prevalence and the characteristics of the affected subjects in the outpatient clinic of a Brazilian specialized-care center. Of 934 patients on ART, 536 had undetectable viral loads. Prevalence was 51/536 or 9% (95% confidence interval: 6.6% to 11.4%). Median age at the beginning of ART was 37 years (interquartile range - IQR: 31 to 45). Male gender and mixed race predominated (76.5% and 47.1% respectively). AIDS-defining illnesses were absent at the beginning of ART in 60.8%. Fifty-one percent were taking protease inhibitors, 43.2% Efavirenz and 5.8% both. Median time on ART was 36 months (IQR: 17-81 months). Irregular treatment was recorded for 21.6%. ART had been modified for 63% prior to the study, and 15.7% had used monotherapy or double therapy. Median CD4 count was 255 cells/mm³ (IQR: 200-284). Median viral load before ART was 4.7 log10 copies/mL (IQR: 4.5-5.2). Discordant responders were not different from AIDS patients in general, but there was a high frequency of multiple schedules of treatment.

Evaluation of GBV-C / HVG viremia in HIV-infected women

The present study aimed at standardizing a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay to evaluate the presence of GBV-C/HGV RNA. A "TaqMan" assay using primers and probe derived from the 5¢ NCR region was developed and validated. Two hundred and fifty-three plasma samples from HIV-infected women were tested for GBV-C viremia and antibody against the envelope protein 2. GBV-C RNA was detected in 22.5% of the patients whereas the antibody was identified in 25.3% of the cohort. Detection of viral RNA and of antibodies was mutually exclusive. Viral loads showed a mean of 1,777 arbitrary units / mL, being 1.1 and 13,625 arbitrary units / mL respectively the lowest and highest values measured. We conclude that the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method developed is appropriate for the investigation of GBV-C RNA since it was shown to be highly specific and sensitive, as well as requiring few steps, preventing contamination and providing additional information as to the relative viremia of carriers, a parameter that must be included in studies evaluating the co-factors influencing the clinical outcome of HIV/AIDS.