bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Vénus Noire
Authors: Willis Deborah , Williams Carla
Published: July 2012

This essay surveys art, critical writings, and poetry on and around the subject of Sarah, or Saartjie, Baartman, a South African Khoi or San woman exhibited as the “Hottentot Venus” from 1810 to 1815 in Europe. The essay shares the authors’ research methods and ideas about how to contextualize Baartman within a discussion of images of women of African descent, particularly in Western culture.
“1 + 1 = 3” Joining Forces: Coreen Simpson’s Photographic Suite
Authors: Hassan Salah M.
Published: July 2012

In 1986 Gallery 1199 in New York and the Muse Community Museum in Brooklyn jointly organized a two-part exhibition for “Where We At” Black Women Artists, the collective of African American women artists. The exhibition was an initiative of “Where We At,” when its members decided to invite a number of African American male artists to create a collaborative installation exhibition. According to the exhibition organizers, African American artists Charles Abramson and Senga Nengudi, “1 + 1 = 3” is an erotic equation. Male and female work together to create a third thing that has qualities of both yet also has a life of its own. The most interesting aspect of this project was the photographs of couples by the well-known African American photographer and artist Coreen Simpson. Simpson was invited to photograph the couples and the final products of their collaboration. The process of photographing the project becomes a new artistic performance on its own right, a process in which the artists and the photographer entered into a separate dialogue and negotiation of their own. This article reproduces many of Simpson’s photographs, along with her accompanying text, “Spirits.”
AfriCOBRA and Transatlantic Connections
Authors: Donaldson Jeff R.
Published: July 2012

Since its beginning in 1969 in Chicago, AfriCOBRA has espoused an Afrocentric aesthetic vision. At the same time, it has deemed demeaning any art that posits African peoples as hapless victims, and therefore it has sought to produce a celebratory art—one that reflects cultural balance and aesthetic hegemony. This concept of art and imagery has resonated with many African and African-descent artists throughout the world, and that continuum has created an international concordance in contemporary art that Donaldson describes as a “trans-African” style or movement. This article outlines the development of that movement and AfriCOBRA’s connection to it, as well as the artists with whom its members have come into contact and enjoyed mutual inspiration and influence.
Morphological, electrical and optical properties of γ- copper (I) iodide thin films by mist atomization technique
Authors: Amalina M. , Rusop M.
Published: July 2012

This research focuses on the effect of molar concentration of CuI thin film deposited by mist atomization technique. The result shows the CuI thin film properties strongly depends on its precursor concentration. Thickness between 0.35 x 104 nm - 1.60 x 104 nm was obtained as the concentration increases. The increment of thickness affects the electrical properties which is the resistivity and conductivity of CuI thin film. The resistivity of about 101ω cm to 103ω cm was observed in those CuI thin films. For optical properties, the absorption coefficient and optical band gap of CuI was determined by using Tauc's plot. The high absorption coefficient of 106 m-1 is observed in those CuI thin films with bandgap between 2.84 to and 2.95eV obtained in this experiment.
The Size and Shape of "Idea Space"
Authors: Spencer Robin
Published: July 2012

In a large idea management system it is very useful to have a general purpose "ideas like this" capability. Such a tool can be used to define a distance between two ideas, and with a distance metric it is possible to explore the dimensionality and size of a space. Using feature-based Jaccard-Tanimoto similarity, we find that "idea space" is consistently about 14-dimensional regardless of the origin or specifics of the ideas, which has some practical consequences for the behavior and display of similarity search results. In addition, given a distance within which people judge ideas to be "practically identical", the size of the universe of ideas can (whimsically) be estimated at 6 billion ideas.
The box C/D sRNP dimeric architecture is conserved across domain Archaea
Authors: Bower-Phipps Kathleen R. , Taylor David W. , Wang Hong-Wei , Baserga Susan J.
Published: June 2012

Box C/D small (nucleolar) ribonucleoproteins [s(no)RNPs] catalyze RNA-guided 2′-O-ribose methylation in two of the three domains of life. Recent structural studies have led to a controversy over whether box C/D sRNPs functionally assemble as monomeric or dimeric macromolecules. The archaeal box C/D sRNP from Methanococcus jannaschii (Mj) has been shown by glycerol gradient sedimentation, gel filtration chromatography, native gel analysis, and single-particle electron microscopy (EM) to adopt a di-sRNP architecture, containing four copies of each box C/D core protein and two copies of the Mj sR8 sRNA. Subsequently, investigators used a two-stranded artificial guide sRNA, CD45, to assemble a box C/D sRNP from Sulfolobus solfataricus with a short RNA methylation substrate, yielding a crystal structure of a mono-sRNP. To more closely examine box C/D sRNP architecture, we investigate the role of the omnipresent sRNA loop as a structural determinant of sRNP assembly. We show through sRNA mutagenesis, native gel electrophoresis, and single-particle EM that a di-sRNP is the near exclusive architecture obtained when reconstituting box C/D sRNPs with natural or artificial sRNAs containing an internal loop. Our results span three distantly related archaeal species—Sulfolobus solfataricus, Pyrococcus abyssi, and Archaeoglobus fulgidus—indicating that the di-sRNP architecture is broadly conserved across the entire archaeal domain.
Grammar-Based Column Generation for Personalized Multi-Activity Shift Scheduling
Authors: Côté Marie-Claude , Gendron Bernard , Rousseau Louis-Martin
Published: June 2012

We present a branch-and-price algorithm to solve personalized multi-activity shift scheduling problems. The subproblems in the column generation method are formulated using grammars and solved with dynamic programming. The expressiveness of context-free grammars is exploited to easily model restrictions over shifts, allowing the branch-and-price algorithm to solve large-scale problem instances. We present computational experiments on two types of multi-activity shift scheduling problems and compare our approach with existing methods in the literature. These experiments show that our approach can efficiently solve large-scale instances and is flexible enough to model different classes of problems.
Combining Lift-and-Project and Reduce-and-Split
Authors: Balas Egon , Cornuéjols Gérard , Kis Tamás , Nannicini Giacomo
Published: June 2012

Split cuts constitute a class of cutting planes that has been successfully employed by the majority of branch-and-cut solvers for mixed-integer linear programs. Given a basis of the linear programming (LP) relaxation and a split disjunction, the corresponding split cut can be computed with a closed-form expression. In this paper, we use the lift-and-project framework introduced by Balas and Perregaard to provide the basis, and the reduce-and-split algorithm as described by Cornuéjols and Nannicini to compute the split disjunction. We propose a cut generation algorithm that starts from a Gomory mixed-integer cut and alternates between lift-and-project and reduce-and-split in order to strengthen it. This paper has two main contributions. First, we extend the Balas and Perregaard procedure for strengthening cuts arising from split disjunctions involving one variable to split disjunctions on multiple variables. Second, we apply the reduce-and-split algorithm to nonoptimal bases of the LP relaxation. We provide detailed computational testing of the proposed methods.
Self-Organized Formation and Evolution of Peer-to-Peer Networks
Authors: Li Yung-Ming , Tan Yong , De Prabuddha
Published: June 2012

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks are social networks for pooling network and information resources and are considered superior conduits for distributed computing and data management. In this paper, we utilize the theories of social networks and economic incentives to investigate the formation of P2P networks with rational participating agents (active peers). The paper proposes a framework for multilevel formation dynamics, including an individual level (content-sharing decision and group selection) and a group level (membership admission, splitting, and interconnection). It is found that if the network size (the number of peer nodes) is sufficiently large, the stable (self-selected equilibrium) free-riding ratio could be nonzero, contrary to the common belief that everybody should free ride. The efficient (welfare-maximizing) free-riding ratio is not necessarily zero; that is, a certain degree of free riding is beneficial and should be tolerated. The sharing level in a network increases (decreases) with the download (upload) capacities of its peer nodes. In addition, the heterogeneity of content availability and upload capacity discourages sharing activities. Although the sharing level of a stable group is typically lower than that of an efficient group, the self-formed network may have a larger or smaller group size than what is efficient, depending on the structure of the group admission decision process. It is also observed that self-organized interconnections among groups lead to network inefficiency because the network may be over- or underlinked. To recover the efficiency loss during the formation process, we propose internal transfer mechanisms to force stable networks to become efficient.
Why are the low-energy protein normal modes evolutionarily conserved?
Authors: Echave Julian
Published: June 2012

Proteins fluctuate, and such fluctuations are functionally important. As with any functionally relevant trait, it is interesting to study how fluctuations change during evolution. In contrast with sequence and structure, the study of the evolution of protein motions is much more recent. Yet, it has been shown that the overall fluctuation pattern is evolutionarily conserved. Moreover, the lowest-energy normal modes have been found to be the most conserved. The reasons behind such a differential conservation have not been explicitly studied. There are two limiting explanations. A “biological” explanation is that because such modes are functional, there is natural selection pressure against their variation. An alternative “physical” explanation is that the lowest-energy normal modes may be more conserved because they are just more robust with respect to random mutations. To investigate this issue, I studied a set of globin-like proteins using a perturbed elastic network model (ENM) of the effect of random mutations on normal modes. I show that the conservation predicted by the model is in excellent agreement with observations. These results support the physical explanation: the lowest normal modes are more conserved because they are more robust.
Paraspeckles: possible nuclear hubs by the RNA for the RNA
Authors: Hirose Tetsuro , Nakagawa Shinichi
Published: June 2012

The mammalian cell nucleus is a highly compartmentalized system in which multiple subnuclear structures, called nuclear bodies, exist in the nucleoplasmic spaces. Some of the nuclear bodies contain specific long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as their components, and may serve as sites for long ncRNA functions that remain largely enigmatic. A paraspeckle is a nuclear body that is almost ubiquitously observed in mammalian cultured cells but is cell population-specific in adult mouse tissue. The paraspeckle structure is RNase-sensitive. Long ncRNAs, termed MENε/β ncRNAs (also referred to as NEAT1 ncRNAs), have been identified as the RNA components of the paraspeckles. Specific elimination has revealed that MENε/β ncRNAs are essential components for the formation of the intact paraspeckle structure. Paraspeckle formation requires the continual MENε/β ncRNA biogenesis process, including ongoing transcription, alternative 3′-end processing, and stabilization. Some paraspeckle-localized RNA-binding proteins (p54/nrb and PSF) direct paraspeckle formation through the selective stabilization of MENβ ncRNA. Both MENε/β ncRNA expression and their subsequent interactions with paraspeckle proteins can be regulated under environmental and developmental conditions, which are reflected in the size and number of the paraspeckles. However, how paraspeckles function remains largely unsolved. Paraspeckles appear to serve as the site of nuclear retention of specific mRNAs that are selectively transported to the cytoplasm upon certain signals. Alternatively, MENε/β ncRNAs may sequester paraspeckle proteins that function outside the paraspeckles. This review focuses on known aspects of paraspeckles and provides a model of their structure and function.
Hyperhomocysteinemia in health and disease: where we are now, and where do we go from here?
Authors: Lippi Giuseppe , Plebani Mario
Published: June 2012

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid, which is synthesized from the precursor methionine through a multi-step process, and then reconverted to methionine or catabolyzed into cysteine. The presence of vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is essential in homocysteine metabolism, wherein deficiency of one or more of these nutrients is associated with various degree of hyperhomocysteinemia. There is little doubt that hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with several human disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, pregnancy complications and fractures, so that its measurement might be useful for risk assessment. Nevertheless, several randomized homocysteine-lowering therapy trials have failed to show that supplementation with vitamins B substantially modifies (and – more importantly – improves) the end points and the related outcomes. According to the current state of scientific knowledge, it seems thus reasonable to conclude that lowering homocysteine alone is probably insufficient to mitigate the risk of thromboembolic, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders inasmuch as this bizarre amino acid acts in strict synergy with other probably more powerful risk factors. Several lines of evidence suggest, however, that its measurement may be helpful for identifying subjects at greater risk of disease, who may thus benefit from a more aggressive treatment of other modifiable risk factors, as recently shown by result of the 5-year Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) trial.
Role of NMDA and opioid receptors in neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve in rats
Authors: Mehta Ashish K. , Halder Sumita , Khanna Naresh , Tandon Om P. , Singh Usha R. , Sharma Krishna K.
Published: June 2012

Background: The efficacy of opioids in neuropathic pain is still controversial. Earlier studies have suggested that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor binding can be affected by opioids and vice versa. The present study aims to explore the interactions between NMDA and opioid receptors using various combinations of drugs acting on these receptors.

Methods: We used an animal model of sciatic nerve ligation to induce neuropathic pain, and a hot-plate test was used to assess pain response.

Results: It was observed that NMDA and naloxone increased the pain response. Ketamine reduced the pain response, which was further reduced when ketamine was administered in combination with naloxone, but not with NMDA, thus highlighting the activity of the NMDA receptor system. In addition, morphine was also found to increase latency to hind-paw lick, which was further reduced when given in combination with naloxone. Furthermore, triple drug combinations using ketamine+morphine+naloxone and ketamine+NMDA+naloxone demonstrated some significant interactions at these receptors.

Conclusions: Thus, our study establishes that neuropathic pain can probably be overcome using higher doses of opioids, and there exists some intimate relationships between NMDA and opioid systems that lead to pain modulation.
Single fetal death in twin gestations
Authors: Blickstein Isaac , Perlman Sharon
Published: June 2012

Twin pregnancies are at higher risk for fetal mortality when compared with singleton pregnancies. Single fetal demise occurs in 3.7–6.8% of all twin pregnancies and considerably increases the complication rate in the co-twin including fetal loss, premature delivery, and end-organ damage. In this review, we summarize the current information on the etiology of single twin demise, the pathophysiology of injury to the surviving twin, and the preventive and secondary management strategies.
Anatomical basis for cell transplantation into mouse seminiferous tubules
Authors: Silván Unai , Aréchaga Juan
Published: June 2012

Cell transplantation into the seminiferous tubules is a useful technique for the study of physiological and pathological conditions affecting the testis. However, the precise three-dimensional organization and, particularly, the complex connectivity of the seminiferous network have not yet been thoroughly characterized. To date, the technical approaches to address these issues have included manual dissection under the stereomicroscope, reconstruction of histological serial sections, and injection of contrast dyes, but all of them have yielded only partial information. Here, using an approach based on the microinjection of a self-polymerizing resin followed by chemical digestion of the surrounding soft tissues, we reveal fine details of the seminiferous tubule scaffold and its connections. These replicas of the testis seminiferous network were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The present results not only establish a morphological basis for more precise microinjection into the mouse seminiferous tubules but also enable a more profound investigation of physiological and embryological features of the testis.
Artificial neural networks for the definition of kinetic subpopulations in electroejaculated and epididymal spermatozoa in the domestic cat
Authors: Contri Alberto , Zambelli Daniele , Faustini Massimo , Cunto Marco , Gloria Alessia , Carluccio Augusto
Published: June 2012

This study was designed for the identification of different sperm kinetic subpopulations in feline semen using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and for the evaluation of the effect of ejaculation on motility patterns of these subpopulations. Seven tomcats presented for routine orchiectomy were electroejaculated, and after 5 days, orchiectomized and epididymal tail sperms were collected. Sperm motility characteristics were evaluated using a computer-assisted sperm analyzer that provided individual kinetic characteristics of each spermatozoon. A total of 23 400 spermatozoa for electroejaculated and 9200 for epididymal tail samples were evaluated using a multivariate approach, comprising principal component analysis and ANN classification. The multivariate approach allowed the identification and characterization of three different and well-defined sperm subpopulations. There were significant differences before (epididymal tail spermatozoa) and after (electroejaculated sperm) ejaculation in sperm kinetic subpopulation characteristics. In both epididymal and ejaculated samples, the majority of subpopulation was characterized by high velocity and progressiveness; however, the electroejaculated samples showed significantly higher values, suggesting that the microenvironment of the epididymal tail could affect the sperm motility or, alternatively, seminal plasma could increase the kinetic characteristics of the spermatozoa, indicating that only after ejaculation, the spermatozoa express their motility potential. Nevertheless, further studies are required to clarify the functional significance of each kinetic subpopulation.
Genotype by Environment Interaction of Quantitative Traits: A Case Study in Barley
Authors: Zhao Fuping , Xu Shizhong
Published: July 2012

Genotype by environment interaction is a phenomenon that a better genotype in one environment may perform poorly in another environment. When the genotype refers to a quantitative trait locus (QTL), this phenomenon is called QTL by environment interaction, denoted by Q×E. Using a recently developed new Bayesian method and genome-wide marker information, we estimated and tested QTL main effects and Q×E interactions for a well-known barley dataset produced by the North American Barley Genome Mapping Project. This dataset contained seven quantitative traits collected from 145 doubled-haploid (DH) lines evaluated in multiple environments, which derived from a cross between two Canadian two-row barley lines, Harrington and TR306. Numerous main effects and Q×E interaction effects have been detected for all seven quantitative traits. However, main effects seem to be more important than the Q×E interaction effects for all seven traits examined. The number of main effects detected varied from 26 for the maturity trait to 75 for the heading trait, with an average of 61.86. The heading trait has the most detected effects, with a total of 98 (75 main, 29 Q×E). Among the 98 effects, 6 loci had both the main and Q×E effects. Among the total number of detected loci, on average, 78.5% of the loci show the main effects whereas 34.9% of the loci show Q×E interactions. Overall, we detected many loci with either the main or the Q×E effects, and the main effects appear to be more important than the Q×E interaction effects for all the seven traits. This means that most detected loci have a constant effect across environments. Another discovery from this analysis is that Q×E interaction occurs independently, regardless whether the locus has main effects.
Common Diuretics Used in the Preterm and Term Infant
Authors: Bestic Michelle L. , Reed Michael D.
Published: July 2012

Diuretics are administered routinely to sick neonates for the treatment of multiple clinical disorders, including edema, hypertension, congestive heart failure/cardiovascular disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and renal dysfunction. Choosing the safest and most effective regimen of diuretic therapy for both the term and preterm neonate requires thoughtful consideration of several factors. Such factors include an understanding of each drug’s pharmacologic principles and safety and efficacy profiles as well as outside considerations such as clinically relevant drug interactions and available formulations, among others. This article focuses on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of each of the most commonly employed diuretics in the neonatal population and the factors that may influence the infant’s overall response to therapy.
Enterococcus in wound infections: Virulence and antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Dworniczek Ewa , Piwowarczyk Justyna , Bania Jacek , Kowalska-Krochmal Beata , Wałecka Ewa , Seniuk Alicja , Dolna Izabela , Gościniak Grażyna
Published: July 2012

Enterococci, a complex group of facultative pathogens have become increasingly isolated in various hospital settings. They are considerable frequently cultured from traumatic and surgical wounds. We investigated 57 strains of the species E. faecalis, E. faecium and E. casseliflavus isolated from infected wounds. Their ability to produce virulence factors and their sensitivity to antibiotics were evaluated using phenotypic and genotyping methods. In the phenotype studies, significant portion of the isolates produced biofilm (66.7%) and gelatinase (36.8%). Nearly 30% of the strains expressed hemolytic properties. Only a few produced DNAse (15.8%) and lipase (7.0%). The genes esp, gelE, cylA, cylB, cylM and agg were detected in most of the isolates (38.6–87.7%). All the isolated enterococci were susceptible to vancomycin and were characterized by their low resistance to antibiotics, except aminoglycosides (HLR).
Antimicrobial resistance markers as a monitoring index of gonorrhoea in Thailand
Authors: Lawung Ratana , Cherdtrakulkiat Rungrot , Charoenwatanachokchai Angkana , Nabu Sunanta , Lokpichart Somchai , Prachayasittikul Virapong
Published: July 2012

Multiplex PCR was applied to explore the antimicrobial-resistance profiles of 145 gonococci isolated from Bangrak Hospital, Thailand in 2007. All isolates were clearly identified for the plasmid-mediated resistant types of penicillin (Asia, Africa and Toronto) and tetracycline (American and Dutch). This method can also predict the decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin by detection of Ser-91 mutation. Prevalence rates of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and high-level tetracycline-resistance N. gonorrhoeae (TRNG) were shown to be high as 82.1% and 84.1%, respectively. Most PPNG carried the Africa-type (78.2%) while the American-type (61.8%) was harboured in most TRNG. Mono- and triple-resistance patterns were presented in 2.6% and 79.5% of male, 20.7% and 62.1% of men who have sex with men (MSM), 0% and 75.0% of female, and 10% and 70% of female sex workers (FSW). Additionally, the rate of the Dutch type was high in patients among the age of 35–44 years (57.1%) and female patients (43.8%). The changing types of plasmids have been noticed during the time period of study. The multi-resistance patterns of the gonococcal isolates can be used as an epidemiological index of gonorrhoea and human sexual behaviours. This information will support the management of individual patients as well as the public health surveillance.
Durable effect of heat-stress on the hormone production of Tetrahymena. Effect of insulin on the consequences of stress
Authors: Lajkó Eszter , Pállinger Éva , Csaba György
Published: July 2012

The unicellularTetrahymena pyriformiswas stressed by 37°C heat for 1 h and its hormone (serotonin, histamine, triiodothyronine) content was measured by immunocytochemical flow cytometry in different time points (immediately after treatment and after 1, 2, 8, 16 weeks). The treatment increased each hormone level for two weeks, however, after 8 weeks the hormone concentration inside the cells decreased and in case of serotonin this was similar in the 16th week, while the other two hormones’ level was similar to the control. Insulin further increased the hormone production during treatment, but this effect was not durable. After one week the cells behave similar to those, subjected to heath shock only. The results show that a single stress causes deep and durable changes in the hormone household ofTetrahymenawhich is influenced by exogenously given insulin only in the acute phase.
Strong approximation of two-dimensional Walsh-Fourier series
Authors: Goginava Ushangi , Gogoladze Larry
Published: July 2012

In this paper we study the exponential uniform strong approximation of two-dimensional Walsh-Fourier series. In particular, it is proved that the two-dimensional Walsh-Fourier series of the continuous functionfis uniformly strong summable to the functionfexponentially in the power 1/2. Moreover, it is proved that this result is best possible.
w-overrings of w-Noetherian rings
Authors: Yin Huayu , Chen Youhua
Published: July 2012

In this paper, we concern the w-analogue of Matijevic’s result. We show that if R is a w-Noetherian ring and T a w-overring of R such that T ⊆ Rwg. Then T has ACC on regular w-ideals.
Approximation of functions of bounded variation by integrated Meyer-König and Zeller operators of finite type
Authors: Trif Tiberiu
Published: July 2012

I. Gavrea and T. Trif [Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo (2) Suppl.76(2005), 375–394] introduced a class of Meyer-König-Zeller-Durrmeyer operators “of finite type” and investigated the rate of convergence of these operators for continuous functions. In the present paper we study the approximation of functions of bounded variation by means of these operators.
Chagas disease: What is known and what should be improved: a systemic review
Authors: Coura José Rodrigues , Borges-Pereira José
Published: June 2012

This study consists of a broad review on what is known and what should be improved regarding knowledge of Chagas disease, not only through analysis on the main studies published on the topics discussed, but to a large extent based on experience of this subject, acquired over the past 50 years (1961-2011). Among the subjects covered, we highlight the pathogenesis and evolution of infection by Trypanosoma cruzi, drugs in use and new strategies for treating Chagas disease; the serological tests for the diagnosis and the controls of cure the infection; the regional variations in prevalence, morbidity and response to treatment of the disease; the importance of metacyclogenesis of T. cruzi in different species of triatomines and its capacity to transmit Chagas infection; the risks of adaptation of wild triatomines to human dwellings; the morbidity and need for a surveillance and control program for Chagas disease in the Amazon region and the need to prioritize initiatives for controlling Chagas disease in Latin America and Mexico and in non-endemic countries, which is today a major international dilemma. Finally, we raise the need for to create a new initiative for controlling Chagas disease in the Gran Chaco, which involves parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Genetic diversity of dengue virus serotypes 1 and 2 in the State of Paraná, Brazil, based on a fragment of the capsid/premembrane junction region
Authors: Bona Ana Caroline Dalla , Twerdochlib Adriana Lacerda , Navarro-Silva Mário Antônio
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: The precise identification of the genetic variants of the dengue virus is important to understand its dispersion and virulence patterns and to identify the strains responsible for epidemic outbreaks. This study investigated the genetic variants of the capsid-premembrane junction region fragment in the dengue virus serotypes 1 and 2 (DENV1-2). METHODS: Samples from 11 municipalities in the State of Paraná, Brazil, were provided by the Central Laboratory of Paraná. They were isolated from the cell culture line C6/36 (Aedes albopictus) and were positive for indirect immunofluorescence. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) extracted from these samples was submitted to the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR. RESULTS: RT-PCR revealed that 4 of the samples were co-infected with both serotypes. The isolated DENV-1 sequences were 95-100% similar to the sequences of other serotype 1 strains deposited in GenBank. Similarly, the isolated DENV-2 sequences were 98-100% similar to other serotype 2 sequences in GenBank. According to our neighbor-joining tree, all strains obtained in this study belonged to genotype V of DENV-1. The DENV-2 strains, by contrast, belonged to the American/Asian genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring of circulating strains is an important tool to detect the migration of virus subtypes involved in dengue epidemics.
Hepatitis B virus infection in children, adolescents, and their relatives: genotype distribution and precore and core gene mutations
Authors: Compri Adriana Parise , Miura Irene , Porta Gilda , Lemos Marcilio Figueiredo , Saraceni Cláudia Patara , Moreira Regina Célia
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION:The objectives of this study were evaluate hepatitis B virus (HBV) serological markers in children and adolescents followed up at the Child Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo; identify chronic HBV carriers and susceptible individuals in the intrafamilial environment; characterize HBV genotypes; and identify mutations in the patients and household contacts. METHODS: Ninety-five hepatitis B surface antigen-positive children aged <19 years and 118 household contacts were enrolled in this study. Commercial kits were used for the detection of serological markers, and PCR was used for genotyping. RESULTS: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) was detected in 66.3% (63/95) of cases. Three of the 30 HBeAg-negative and anti-HBeAg-positive patients presented with precore mutations and 11 presented with mutations in the basal core promoter (BCP). Genotype A was identified in 39 (43.8%) patients, genotype D in 45 (50.6%), and genotype C in 5 (5.6%). Of the 118 relatives, 40 were chronic HBV carriers, 52 presented with the anti-HBc marker, 19 were vaccinated, and 7 were susceptible. Among the relatives, genotypes A, D, and C were the most frequent. One parent presented with a precore mutation and 4 presented with BCP mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Genotypes A and D were the most frequent among children, adolescents, and their relatives. The high prevalence of HBV in the families showed the possibility of its intrafamilial transmission.
Evidence of a higher prevalence of HPV infection in HTLV-1-infected women: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Lôpo Sônia Sampaio , Oliveira Paula Matos , Santana Iuri Usêda , Pena Geisa Barbosa , Torrales Maria Betânia , Mascarenhas Rita Elizabeth , Galvão-Castro Bernardo , Grassi Maria Fernanda Rios
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION:HTLV-1 infection increases susceptibility to other infections. Few studies have addressed the co-infection between HPV and HTLV-1 and the immune response involved in this interaction. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in HTLV-1-infected women and to establish the risk factors involved in this co-infection. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Salvador, Brazil, between September 2005 and December 2008, involving 50 HTLV-1-infected women from the HTLV Reference Center and 40 uninfected patients from gynecological clinic, both at the Bahiana School of Medicine. HPV infection was assessed using hybrid capture. HTLV-1 proviral load was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: The mean age of HTLV-1-infected women (38 ± 10 years) was similar to that of the control group (36 ± 13 years). The prevalence of HPV infection was 44% in the HTLV-1-infected group and 22.5% in uninfected women (p = 0.03). HTLV-1-infected women had lower mean age at onset of sexual life (17 ± 3 years versus 19 ± 3 years; p = 0.03) and greater number of lifetime partners compared with the control group (4 ± 3 versus 2 ± 1; p < 0.01). In the group of HTLV-1-infected patients, there was neither difference in HTLV-1 proviral load between HPV-infected women and the uninfected. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HPV infection was higher in HTLV-1-infected women. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the progression of this co-infection.
Comparison between the spastic paraplegia rating scale, Kurtzke scale, and Osame scale in the tropical spastic paraparesis/myelopathy associated with HTLV
Authors: Adry Rodrigo Antonio Rocha da Cruz , Lins Catarina Cöuras , Kruschewsky Ramon de Almeida , Castro Filho Bernardo Galvão
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION:The objective of this study was to compare Osame's scale of motor incapacity and the expanded scale of the state of incapacity of Kurtzke with the spastic paraplegia rating scale for the clinical evaluation of patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). METHODS: Patients with the diagnosis of infection by HTLV-I/HTLV-II and with the clinical suspicion of HAM/TSP were included in the study. RESULTS: There were 45 patients who were evaluated. When analyzing the results of the scales, the researchers found the following averages of 21.08 points for the spastic paraplegia rating scale, 4.35 points for Osame's scale, and 4.77 points for Kurtzke's scale. The relation between the scale of paraplegia with Osame's was very significant with p < 0.0001, and regarding Kurtzke's scale, there was a similar result of p < 0.0001. When comparing Osame's, Kurtze's, and the spastic paraplegia rating scale with the time of disease, the researchers found a significant result of p = 0.0004 for the scale of spastic paraplegia, p = 0.0018 for Osame's scale, and p < 0.0001 for Kurtzke's scale. CONCLUSION: The spastic paraplegia rating scale has a good relation with Osame's and Kurtzke's scales showing a p index that is very significant that indicates that, although the scale was not initially made to be applied to patients with HAM/TSP because of the infection by HLTV, it showed to be as efficient as Osame's and Kurtzke's scales in evaluating the patients' neurological conditions.
Analysis of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Barra do Garças, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, and the influence of environmental variables on the vector density of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912)
Authors: Queiroz Mirian Francisca Martins , Varjão Jane Ramos , Moraes Sinara Cristina de , Salcedo Gladys Elena
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: Leishmaniasis is an infectious and parasitic zoonotic, non-contagious, vector-borne disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. In Brazil, the major vector of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi (Cunha & Chagas, 1934) is Lutzomyia longipalpis. Barra do Garças, State of Mato Grosso, was designated as a priority area by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for american visceral leishmaniasis, and it is important to identify the vector species present in this municipality. Our objective was to raise sandflies and study the influence of environmental variables on the vector density of Lutzomyia longipalpis. METHODS: We performed entomological monitoring in 3 districts using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps and recorded human cases of american visceral leishmaniasis in the city. We calculated the relative frequency and richness of sandflies and applied a transfer function model to the vector density correlate with relative humidity. RESULTS: The sandfly population was composed of 2 genera and 27 species, totaling 8,097 individuals. Monitoring identified Lutzomyia longipalpis (44%), followed by Lutzomyia lenti (18.9%), Lutzomyia whitmani (13.9%), Lutzomyia carmelinoi (9.1%), Lutzomyia evandroi (5.1%), Lutzomyia termitophila (3.3%), Lutzomyia sordellii (1.9%), and 20 other species (<4%). The male:female ratio was 3.5:1. We observed high species diversity (Dα = 6.65). Lutzomyia longipalpis showed occurrence peaks during the rainy season; there was a temporal correlation with humidity, but not with frequency or temperature. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis in the urban area of Barra do Garças underscores the changing disease profile, which was previously restricted to the wild environment.
Sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil
Authors: Jeraldo Verónica de Lourdes Sierpe , Góes Marco Aurélio de Oliveira , Casanova Claudio , Melo Claudia Moura de , Araújo Edilson Divino de , Filho Sinval Pinto Brandão , Cruz Danilo Esdras Rocha , Pinto Mara Cristina
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of Brazil, including Aracaju, the capital of the State of Sergipe. However, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year. METHODS: Phlebotomine sandflies were collected from a rural area of Aracaju from September 2007 to July 2009. Modified CDC ultra-violet (UV) light traps were used to evaluate sandfly monthly distribution and their presence in the domestic and peridomestic environments. RESULTS: The most abundant species was Lutzomyia longipalpis (90.4%) followed by Evandromyia lenti (9.6%). A chicken shed trap site had the highest proportion of L. longipalpis (51.1%) and large numbers of L. longipalpis were also collected in the houses closest to the chicken shed. There was a positive correlation between monthly rainfall and L. longipalpis abundance. CONCLUSIONS: Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most abundant species and is probably the main vector of the visceral leishmaniasis agent in the rural area of Aracaju. An increase in L. longipalpis frequency was observed during the rainy season. The peridomicile-intradomicile observations corroborate the importance of chicken sheds for the presence of L. longipalpis in the peridomestic environment. The great numbers of L. longipalpis inside the houses confirm the endophilic behaviour of this species and the possibility of visceral transmission in the intradomicile.
Bacterial meningitis and living conditions
Authors: Souza Shirley Fonseca de , Costa Maria da Conceição Nascimento , Paim Jairnilson Silva , Natividade Marcio Santos da , Pereira Susan Martins , Andrade Alcina Marta de Souza , Teixeira Maria Glória
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial meningitis has great social relevance due to its ability to produce sequelae and cause death. It is most frequently found in developing countries, especially among children. Meningococcal meningitis occurs at a high frequency in populations with poor living conditions. This study describes the temporal evolution of bacterial meningitis in Salvador, Brazil, 1995-2009, and verifies the association between its spatial variation and the living conditions of the population. METHODS: This was an ecological study in which the areas of information were classified by an index of living conditions. It examined fluctuations using a trend curve, and the relationship between this index and the spatial distribution of meningitis was verified using simple linear regression. RESULTS: From 1995-2009, there were 3,456 confirmed cases of bacterial meningitis in Salvador. We observed a downward trend during this period, with a yearly incidence of 9.1 cases/100,000 population and fatality of 16.7%. Children aged <5 years old and male were more affected. There was no significant spatial autocorrelation or pattern in the spatial distribution of the disease. The areas with the worst living conditions had higher fatality from meningococcal disease (β = 0.0078117, p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial meningitis reaches all social strata; however, areas with poor living conditions have a greater proportion of cases that progress to death. This finding reflects the difficulties for ready access and poor quality of medical care faced by these populations.
Molecular characterization of Salmonella strains in individuals with acute diarrhea syndrome in the State of Sucre, Venezuela
Authors: Rodulfo Hectorina , Donato Marcos De , Luiggi Jesús , Michelli Elvia , Millán Adriana , Michelli Miriam
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION:In Venezuela, acute diarrheic syndrome (ADS) is a primary cause of morbi-mortality, often involving the Salmonella genus. Salmonella infections are associated with acute gastroenteritis, one of the most common alimentary intoxications, and caused by the consumption of contaminated water and food, especially meat. METHODS: Conventional and molecular methods were used to detect Salmonella strains from 330 fecal samples from individuals of different ages and both sexes with ADS. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the molecular characterization of Salmonella, using invA, sefA, and fliC genes for the identification of this genus and the serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium, respectively. RESULTS: The highest frequency of individuals with ADS was found in children 0-2 years old (39.4%), and the overall frequency of positive coprocultures was 76.9%. A total of 14 (4.2%) strains were biochemically and immunologically identified as Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, of which 7 were classified as belonging to the Enteritidis serotype, 4 to the Typhimurium serotype, and 3 to other serotypes. The S. enterica strains were distributed more frequently in the age groups 3-4 and 9-10 years old. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular characterization method used proved to be highly specific for the typing of S. enterica strains using DNA extracted from both the isolated colonies and selective enrichment broths directly inoculated with fecal samples, thus representing a complementary tool for the detection and identification of ADS-causing bacteria.
Epidemiological profile of meningococcal disease in the State of Minas Gerais and in the Central, North, and Triângulo Mineiro regions, Brazil, during 2000-2009
Authors: Nascimento Karynne Alves do , Miranzi Sybelle de Souza Castro , Scatena Lúcia Marina
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: Infection by Neisseria meningitidis, termed as meningococcal disease, can cause meningococcal meningitis and septicemia with or without meningitis. Meningococcal disease is endemic in Brazil and has a high potential to cause large-scale epidemics; therefore, it requires the immediate notification of cases to the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) in Brazil. The aim of this study was to describe an epidemiological profile using data from notified and confirmed cases in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from January 2000 to December 2009, obtained from the investigation records of individuals with meningitis registered with SINAN. METHODS: This was a retrospective, population-based study. Descriptive analysis of the data was made using the simple and relative frequencies of the categorical variables in the investigation records. RESULTS: There were 1,688 confirmed patients in Minas Gerais of which 45.5% lived in the Central, North, and Triângulo Mineiro regions. The highest frequencies of cases were in the 1-4-years age group (26.3%), males (54.7%), caucasian (36.4%), and lived in an urban area (80%). In the patients with specified education, 650 (60.9%) patients had secondary education. Serogrouping of meningococci had been performed in 500 (29.6%) patients by age and gender; 285 (57%) belonged to serogroup C, 67 (13.4%) were in the 1-to 4-years age group, and 168 (33.6%) were male. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiological profiles of patients in the Central, North, and Triângulo Mineiro regions were not significantly different from the profile of patients in Minas Gerais.
Seroepidemiology of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the semiarid rural zone of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Authors: Brito Carlos Ramon do Nascimento , Sampaio George Harisson Felinto , Câmara Antonia Cláudia Jácome da , Nunes Daniela Ferreira , Azevedo Paulo Roberto Medeiros de , Chiari Egler , Galvão Lúcia Maria da Cunha
Published: June 2012

INTRODUCTION: A seroepidemiological survey was carried out to evaluate Trypanosoma cruzi infection in an endemic area of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, involving rural residents. METHODS: Sixteen municipalities were randomly selected, 15 from the west mesoregion and one from the central, with an estimated population of 83,852 individuals. A total of 1,950 blood samples were collected in the west mesoregion and 390 in Caicó. Anti-T. cruzi antibodies were detected using the Chagatest® ELISA HAI-hemagglutination kits and indirect immunofluorescence. As sera presented indeterminate results, TESAcruzi® western blot was performed to confirm reactivity. RESULTS: An estimated seroprevalence of 6.5% was determined for the west mesoregion and 3.3% for Caicó. Seropositivity rises progressively with the age of individuals, up to 40 years in Caicó and up to 50 years in the west mesoregion. Only educational level and knowledge regarding the triatomine were associated with seropositivity. No seroreactive individuals under 18 years of age were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Infection by T. cruzi remains high and is concentrated in municipalities in the central western area of the west mesoregion; however, evidence suggests a decline in vector transmission in this mesoregion and in Caicó. Epidemiological variables appear not to influence seropositivity, with the exception of education and knowledge concerning the triatomine, among seroreactive individuals from the west mesoregion.