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The distribution of polymorphisms related to glutathione S-transferases (GST) has been described in different populations, mainly for white individuals. We evaluated the distribution of GST mu (GSTM1) and theta (GSTT1) genotypes in 594 individuals, by multiplex PCRbased methods, using amplification of the exon 7 of CYP1A1 gene as an internal control. In São Paulo, 233 whites, 87 mulattos, and 137 blacks, all healthy blood-donor volunteers, were tested. In Bahia, where black and mulatto populations are more numerous, 137 subjects were evaluated. The frequency of the GSTM1 null genotype was significantly higher among whites (55.4%) than among mulattos (41.4%; P = 0.03) and blacks (32.8%; P < 0.0001) from São Paulo, or Bahian subjects in general (35.7%; P = 0.0003). There was no statistically different distribution among any non-white groups. The distribution of GSTT1 null genotype among groups did not differ significantly. The agreement between self-reported and interviewer classification of skin color in the Bahian group was low. The interviewer classification indicated a gradient of distribution of the GSTM1 null genotype from whites (55.6%) to light mulattos (40.4%), dark mulattos (32.0%) and blacks (28.6%). However, any information about race or ethnicity should be considered with caution regarding the bias introduced by different data collection techniques, specially in countries where racial admixture is intense, and ethnic definition boundaries are loose. Because homozygous deletions of GST gene might be associated with cancer risk, a better understanding of chemical metabolizing gene distribution can contribute to risk assessment of humans exposed to environmental carcinogens.

Charcoal is an important source of energy for domestic and industrial use in many countries. Brazil is the largest producer of charcoal in the world, with ∼350,000 workers linked to the production and transportation of charcoal. To evaluate the occupational exposure to wood smoke and potential genotoxic effects on workers in charcoal production, we studied urinary mutagenicity in Salmonella YG1041 +S9 and urinary levels of 2-naphthol and 1-pyrenol in 154 workers of northeastern Bahia. Workers were classified into three categories according to their working location, and information about socio-demographic data, diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Spot urine samples were collected to evaluate urinary mutagenicity and urinary metabolites. Urinary mutagenicity increased significantly with exposure to wood smoke and was modified by smoking. The prevalence odds ratio was 5.31, and the 95% confidence interval was 1.85; 15.27 for urinary mutagenicity in the highly exposed group relative to the nonexposed group. The levels of urinary metabolites increased monotonically with wood smoke exposure and were associated with the GSTM1 null genotype, which was determined previously. The prevalence odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for higher levels of 2-naphtol among the highly exposed was 17.13 (6.91; 42.44) and for 1-hydroxyprene 11.55 (5.32; 25.08) when compared with nonexposed workers. Urinary 2-naphthol was the most sensitive indicator of wood smoke exposure. This is the first reported measurement of internal exposure to wood smoke among charcoal workers, and the results showed that these workers receive a systemic exposure to genotoxic compounds.

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Objective:to perform the cultural adaptation and validation of the Diabetes Management Self-efficacy Scale for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a Brazilian population sample. Method:cross-sectional methodological study in which the adaptation and validation process included the stages recommended in the literature. Construct validity and reliability were assessed with 200 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results:the items indicated by the panel of judges and by the target population were adjusted in the cultural adaptation to improve clarity and understanding. The instrument's four factors remained in the confirmatory factor analysis with factor loadings of items greater than 0.30, except for factor 4; convergent validity, verified by the multitrait-multimethod analysis, presented inter-item correlations from 0.37 to 0.92, while for discriminant validity, 100% of the items presented greater correlation in their own factors. Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the total scale was 0.78, ranging from 0.57 to 0.86 among factors. Conclusion:semantic, cultural, conceptual and idiomatic equivalences were achieved and the instrument's Brazilian version also presented psychometric properties that showed evidence of reliability and validity. Thus, it can be applied both in clinical practice and research. Self-efficacy is useful for planning and assessing educational interventions, as well as predicting behavior modification in self-care.