RESUMO
Lead is one of the most harmful toxic metals to humans. In Mexico, though most potters still use a lead-based glazing process, a new lead-free glaze has been introduced to the production of pottery. The Approved Pottery Program (APP) promotes the production of lead-free pottery. As a component of the APP, we aimed to document in this pilot study the blood lead levels (BLLs) of a sample of potters and the association with the type of glaze used. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on information from 46 potters grouped by 26 workshops. We measured general sociodemographic characteristics, capillary BLLs, and the lead levels of the dirt floors of the workshops. The evaluation of associations and comparisons between glaze types was performed based on a regression model clustered by workshop. The median BLL measured was 13.6 µg/dl (IQR: 7.8-20.4 µg/dl), and 70% of the BLLs were greater than 10 µg/dl. Workshop managers presented higher BLLs compared to others working in the same workshop (median of 14.1 µg/dl (IQR: 11.6-25.3 µg/dl) versus 10.1 µg/dl (IQR: 5.2-16.7 µg/dl), respectively). The median BLLs of potters who used lead-free glaze in at least 80% of production were 8.8 µg/dl (95% CI: -17.3 to -0.3 µg/dl) lower than the BLLs of those who used lead-free glaze in less than 30% of production, adjusted by workshop role. Additionally, the lead levels were significantly lower in workshop dirt floors where lead-free glaze was used in at least 80% of the production compared to those that use less than 30% (180 versus 916 mg/kg; p < 0.05). The use of lead-free glaze in the production of pottery was associated with both lower BLLs in potters and lower soil lead levels in the workshop area.
RESUMO
Black band disease (BBD) of corals is characterized as a pathogenic microbial consortium composed of a wide variety of microorganisms. Together, many of these microorganisms contribute to an active sulfur cycle that produces anoxia and high levels of sulfide adjacent to the coral surface, conditions that are lethal to coral tissue. Sulfate-reducing bacteria, as sulfide producers, are an important component of the sulfur cycle and the black band community. Previous molecular survey studies have shown multiple Desulfovibrio species present in BBD but with limited consistency between bacterial species and infections. In this study we compared 16S rRNA gene sequences of sulfate-reducing bacteria selectively cultured from 6 BBD bands on 4 coral species, Diploria clivosa, D. strigosa, D. labyrinthiformes, and Siderastrea siderea, in the Florida Keys and Dominica. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained through direct sequencing of PCR products or by cloning. A BLAST search revealed that 8 out of 10 cultures sequenced were highly homologous to Desulfovibrio sp. strain TBP-1, a strain originally isolated from marine sediment. Although the remaining 2 sequences were less homologous to Desulfovibrio sp. strain TBP-1, they did not match any other sulfate-reducing (or other) species in GenBank.
Assuntos
Antozoários/microbiologia , Desulfovibrio/classificação , Desulfovibrio/isolamento & purificação , Animais , Primers do DNA/química , DNA Bacteriano/química , Desulfovibrio/genética , Desulfovibrio/crescimento & desenvolvimento , República Dominicana , Florida , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , RNA Ribossômico 16S/genéticaRESUMO
The highest incidence rates of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean are recorded in heterosexual and youth populations. With sparse prevention and intervention programmes in place, there is a pressing need to address the HIV/AIDS risk of youth. The objective of this analysis was to describe the extent of youth risk behaviour in St. Maarten and explore the relationship between quality of parental-child relationship and adolescent HIV risk behaviours. The sample consisted of 1,078 students (age range 14-18, mean 15.6 (s.d. 1.7). The data were collected by self-report survey in the Spring of 2001 in the classrooms of all seven secondary schools in St. Maarten. The survey instrument included demographic information, and used questions derived from the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to assess health risk behaviour prevalence, including tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, and sexual activity. The survey also asked youth to rate their relationship with their parents. Analysis showed a relatively high rate of risk behaviour in this school population. Multi-variate analysis showed that a 'great' relationship with both parents, as perceived by the student, was significantly associated with lower rates of tobacco and alcohol use as well as lower rates of sexual activity.
Assuntos
Infecções por HIV/psicologia , Relações Pais-Filho , Adolescente , Feminino , Comportamentos Relacionados com a Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Assunção de Riscos , Estudantes/psicologia , Índias OcidentaisRESUMO
Allelic variation at a total of 20 nuclear-encoded microsatellites was examined among adult red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) sampled from 4 offshore localities in the Gulf of Mexico. The number of alleles at the 20 microsatellites ranged from 5 to 20; average (+/- SE) direct count heterozygosity values ranged from 0.148 +/- 0.025 to 0.902 +/- 0.008. No significant departures from expectations of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found for any locus within samples, and genotypes at pairs of microsatellites appeared to be randomly associated, i.e., in genotypic equilibrium. Tests of homogeneity in allele distributions among the 4 localities were nonsignificant for 19 of the microsatellites. Allele distribution at microsatellite Lca 43 was heterogeneous among localities before (but not after) Bonferroni corrections for multiple tests executed simultaneously. Tests of homogeneity in the distribution of individual alleles at Lca 43 gave similar results: one low frequency allele was distributed heterogeneously among samples before, but not after, Bonferroni correction. Molecular analysis of variance indicated that more than 99% of variation at each microsatellite was distributed within sample localities. These results generally are consistent with the hypothesis of a single population (stock) of red snapper in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
RESUMO
Multilocus genotyping of microbial pathogens has revealed a range of population structures, with some bacteria showing extensive recombination and others showing almost complete clonality. The population structure of the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been harder to evaluate, since most studies have used a limited number of antigen-encoding loci that are known to be under strong selection. We describe length variation at 12 microsatellite loci in 465 infections collected from 9 locations worldwide. These data reveal dramatic differences in parasite population structure in different locations. Strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) was observed in six of nine populations. Significant LD occurred in all locations with prevalence <1% and in only two of five of the populations from regions with higher transmission intensities. Where present, LD results largely from the presence of identical multilocus genotypes within populations, suggesting high levels of self-fertilization in populations with low levels of transmission. We also observed dramatic variation in diversity and geographical differentiation in different regions. Mean heterozygosities in South American countries (0.3-0.4) were less than half those observed in African locations (0. 76-0.8), with intermediate heterozygosities in the Southeast Asia/Pacific samples (0.51-0.65). Furthermore, variation was distributed among locations in South America (F:(ST) = 0.364) and within locations in Africa (F:(ST) = 0.007). The intraspecific patterns of diversity and genetic differentiation observed in P. falciparum are strikingly similar to those seen in interspecific comparisons of plants and animals with differing levels of outcrossing, suggesting that similar processes may be involved. The differences observed may also reflect the recent colonization of non-African populations from an African source, and the relative influences of epidemiology and population history are difficult to disentangle. These data reveal a range of population structures within a single pathogen species and suggest intimate links between patterns of epidemiology and genetic structure in this organism.
Assuntos
Evolução Molecular , Frequência do Gene , Malária Falciparum/epidemiologia , Repetições de Microssatélites , Plasmodium falciparum/genética , África/epidemiologia , Animais , Evolução Biológica , Variação Genética , Genótipo , Geografia , Humanos , Desequilíbrio de Ligação , Papua Nova Guiné/epidemiologia , Plasmodium falciparum/classificação , Probabilidade , América do SulRESUMO
Las adenopatías cervicales son manifestaciones de diversas patologías y la mayoría de las veces no se precisa su causa. Realizamos un estudio retrospectivo transversal revisando los resultados de 39 biopsias de adenopatías cervicales efectuadas pacientes adultos, en el Hospital Dr. Luis E. Aybar en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana, durante el período 1ro de julio 1990 al 30 de junio 1996. El diagnóstico más frecuente fue tuberculosis ganglionar con 10 casos (25.6//), luego siguieron Toxoplasmosis 6 casos (15.4//), Linfoma de Hodgkin 5 casos (12.8//), Linfoma No Hodgkin 3 casos (7.7//) y metastasis de Ca 3 casos (7.7//). Hubo 12 patologías diferentes con solo un caso (30.8//). La tuberculosis ganglionar es la patología más frecuente en nuestro medio en casos de adenopatías cervicales en adultos
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Biópsia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/etiologia , Tuberculose dos Linfonodos/epidemiologia , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
Antecedentes: Diversas técnicas efectuadas para provocar el aborto se asocian a complicaciones y a las posibilidades y alteraciones que inciden en la probabilidades de la mujer en este trance de morir y/o enfermar. Materiales y métodos: A 106 mujeres admitidas en la Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia en Santo Domingo, República Dominicana, con el diagnóstico de aborto incompleto le aplicamos un instrumento para la recolección de información respecto a edad, escolaridad, estado civil, ocupación, procedencia, mortalidad, morbilidad, método abortivo y complicaciones. Resultados: El 39.6// de las pacientes tenían de 15 a 20 años de edad y 32.1// de 21 a 25 años. El 56.6// vivían en unión libre y 30.2// eran solteras. Un 52.8// procedían de la zona urbana y 47.2// de la zona rural. El 82.0// eran estudiantes o se dedicaban a quehaceres domésticos. El 56.5// tenían estudios secundarios y/o universitarios, 36.8// alcanzaron estudios primarios o intermedios. En 76.4// la condiciones mórbidas eran sangrado y dolor y 23.6// presentaban ademas de estas condiciones fiebre, mareos e infección. Un 78.3// no presentó complicación alguna, 11.3// hemorragia y un 8.5// infección. Registramos un caso de perforación uterina y un caso de laceración del cervix. Un 63.2// habían usado anticonceptivos orales y en 29.3// el aborto era espontáneo
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Gravidez , Adolescente , Adulto , Aborto Espontâneo/mortalidade , Mortalidade Materna , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
Se reporta una paciente de 13 años de edad, quien es ingresada (1993) en la sala de Oncología Ginecología del Hospital Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, Santo Domingo, con historia de dolor en bajo vientre, crecimiento tumoral pélvico-abdominal, retención urinaria. Mediante estudios de laboratorio radiográficos y sonográficos se estirpa el tumor cuyo reporte histopatológico es tumor germinal maligno (disgerminoma) de alto grado de malignidad. Disgerminoma, histopatología, dolor pélvico
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Adolescente , DisgerminomaRESUMO
Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was examined among 86 red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) from three geographic localities in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). A total of 29 composite mtDNA genotypes (haplotypes) was found; one haplotype occurred in 39 of 86 (45.3%) individuals assayed, and 20 haplotypes occurred in only one individual each. Tests of heterogeneity in mtDNA haplotype frequencies among localities were not significant, and there was little evidence of phylogeographic structuring of mtDNA haplotypes. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that red snapper in the northern Gulf comprise a single, panmictic population. The observed genetic homogeneity also indicates considerable gene flow (migration) among red snapper in the northern Gulf. Significant differences in levels of intrapopulational mtDNA variation were found among localities. Levels of intrapopulational mtDNA diversity in red snapper are low relative to other marine fish species studied to date.
Assuntos
DNA Mitocondrial/química , Peixes/genética , Variação Genética , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Análise por Conglomerados , DNA Mitocondrial/isolamento & purificação , Florida , Frequência do Gene , Haplótipos , Louisiana , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Filogenia , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , Água do Mar , TexasRESUMO
The effect of heparin dose and infusion rate on plasma lipids, lipases, and unbound bilirubin was investigated in 22 premature infants with physiologic jaundice. Infants were randomly assigned to receive low or high intravenous doses (24 vs 137.3 U/day) of heparin. Each patient then received 2 g/kg/day of 10% Intralipid on 2 successive days: one day during a 15-hour period and the other day over 24 hours, with the order assigned randomly. The results demonstrate a significantly greater change in serum-free fatty acids in infants receiving the high heparin dose during the 15-hour lipid infusion period. Lipoprotein lipase activity rose more with the high heparin dose and equally at either infusion rate. We conclude that lipid infusions of 2 g/kg/day with low heparin dosage infused over 24 hours resulted in less elevation in serum-free fatty acids. There were no adverse effects on unbound bilirubin at either infusion rate or heparin dosage.