Background: Besides an established role for certain human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in the etiology of cervical cancer, little is known about the influence of multiple-type HPV infections on cervical lesion risk. We studied the association between multiple HPV types and cervical lesions among 2,462 Brazilian women participating in the LudwigMcGill study group investigation of the natural history of HPVs and cervical neoplasia. Methods: Cervical specimens were typed by a PCR protocol. The cohort's repeated-measurement design permitted the assessment of the relation between the cumulative and concurrent number of HPV types and any-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and high-grade SIL (HSIL). Result: At individual visits, 1.9% to 3.2% of the women were infected with multiple HPVs. Cumulatively during the first year and the first 4 years of follow-up, 12.3% and 22.3%

Aspectos históricos e evolução dos segmentos varietais de alface no BrasilO riginária da região do mediterrâ-neo, a alface (Lactuca sativa) é a hortaliça folhosa mais importante no mundo sendo consumida, principalmente, in natura na forma de saladas. Existem evidências de que sua domesticação se deu a partir da espécie selvagem L. serriola (Jagguer et al., 1941;Vries, 1997). Com a sua introdução na Europa Ocidental no início do século XV, alguns tipos de alface tais como lisa, batávia e romana já tinham sido descritas.Com as expedições de Cristóvão Colombo para o Novo Mundo, a alface, possivelmente, foi introduzida na América em 1494 (Ryder, 2002) RESUMOA alface é considerada a principal hortaliça folhosa no Brasil. Nas ultimas décadas, houve muitas mudanças quanto aos tipos varietais predominantes no país bem como para a preferência do uso de semente peletizada. O domínio do cultivo da alface lisa foi até a década de 90 com as cultivares do tipo 'manteiga' e 'Regina'. Posteriormente, houve uma mudança para o tipo crespa e que, atualmente, corresponde ao principal segmento cultivado no Brasil. A ausência de formação de cabeça aliada à presença de folhas flabeladas conferiram a esse tipo de alface uma melhor adaptação no cultivo de verão com altas temperaturas e índices de pluviosidade. A preferência brasileira pela alface crespa é um fato único na alfacicultura mundial. A alface americana vem apresentando maiores índices de crescimento e aceitação pelo mercado consumidor. Apesar de apresentar formação de cabeça e que tem limitado seu cultivo no verão, na ausência de cultivo protegido, suas folhas mais espessas têm conferido melhor sabor, crocância e durabilidade pós-colheita na alface americana. Alface com folha espessa é mandatória para o mercado de processamento que apresenta alta tendência de crescimento. Considerações sobre o melhoramento genético para contribuir, pelo menos em parte, com essa situação são discutidas com o surgimento de novos tipos varietais tropicalizados, com a tendência de segmentação de mercado e da necessidade de uma cadeia pós-colheita mais eficiente. Palavras-chave:Lactuca sativa, alface, tipos varietais, mercado sementeiro. ABSTRACT Retrospective and trends of Brazilian lettuce cropLettuce is considered the main leafy vegetable crop in Brazil. In recent decades, many changes occurred towards the varietal types as well as in the preference for pelleted seeds. Until mid 90 decade, the dominant varieties of looseleaf lettuce were the type 'White Boston' and 'Regina'. Later, there was a change toward the Grand Rapids type which represents the main varietal segment grown in Brazil. The non-head Grand Rapids type with its earliness performed better adaptation for hot and high rainfall summer season. Brazilian preference for the Grand Rapids type is a unique event in the world market of lettuce. Crisp head lettuce had increased its preference, but there are many limitations to grow this type outdoors in our rainy hot summer. Thicker leaves of iceberg have a better flavor, crispness and lon...

There is paucity of data on whether or not women can be re-infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) types to which they were exposed earlier in life and on the role of natural immunity. The observation of HPV infection at older ages may be explained by reactivation of a latent infection or new exposure from sexual activity. Our objective was to analyze the association between re-infection and sexual activity. We analyzed data from 2462 women enrolled in the Ludwig-McGill cohort and followed every 4-6 months for up to 10 years. We performed HPV typing and viral load measurements via polymerase chain reaction and determined HPV-16 seroreactivity at enrolment. Incidence of infection and re-infection were estimated for individual types. Adjusted relative risks (RR) for the association between infection/re-infection and new sexual partners were calculated using Cox regression. Rates of initial infection and re-infection post-clearance were statistically comparable. RRs of initial infection or re-infection were consistently associated with new sexual partners (2.4 [95%CI: 2.0-3.1] for first infection, 3.7 [1.1-13.8] for re-infection with the same type, and 2.3 [1.5-3.7] for re-infection with a different type). Re-infection in older women was also associated with new sexual partners (RR=2.8, 95%CI: 1.4-5.3) as were new infections with HPV-16 among women with serological evidence of prior HPV-16 exposure (RR=3.0, 95%CI: 1.6-5.3). Viral loads at initial infection and at re-infection were comparable. HPV infection and re-infection were strongly associated with sexual activity. This study suggests that natural immunity does not play a role in controlling the extent of re-infections.

Antibiotic and nonpreference mechanisms are related in cucumber through the action of the bi gene and the absence of cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins attract cucumber beetles and cause feeding whereas they have an antibiotic effect on two-spotted mites.

Our data indicate that monitored PP is inversely correlated with ACh-stimulated vasodilation. It is possible to hypothesize that elevation in PP reduces FBF by increasing oxidative stress and reducing production of nitric oxide caused by reduced shear stress. In addition, the present findings demonstrate the accuracy of ambulatory BP as a prognostic predictor of hypertension-associated endothelial dysfunction.

We have observed that occurrence of HPV coinfection was dependent both on age and on the presence of cytologic abnormalities. These results may have implications for vaccine development and for public health decisions about vaccination programs.

The high proportion of clustering cardiovascular risk factors in Salvador, with or without hypertension, especially in the population with little schooling and in black individuals, suggests the need for broad social strategies to reduce social inequality, promote health, and facilitate the treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.

BackgroundBehavioral risks such as age at first sexual intercourse, number of sexual partners and partner’s sexual behavior are associated with an increased risk of HPV infection, persistence of the infection and the development of neoplastic precursor lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with HPV positivity and with a diagnosis of cervical neoplasia in women referred with an abnormal cervical smear.MethodsThis study evaluated a series of 198 women referred with an abnormal cervical smear. Risk factors for HPV infection were investigated using a questionnaire. All cervical specimens were tested for 27 HPV genotypes using the Roche polymerase chain reaction reverse line blot assay.ResultsThe overall prevalence of HPV was 87 %. First sexual intercourse before 16 years of age was significantly associated with a positive HPV test (OR 4.41; 95 %CI: 1.20 − 19.33; p = 0.01). A significant association was also found between this risk factor and CIN 1 lesions or worse (OR 2.2; 95 %CI 0.94 − 5.08; p = 0.03).ConclusionsThe age at which a woman begins to be sexually active is associated with HPV infection and with a diagnosis of cervical neoplasia.