Papillomaviruses in ruminants: An update.

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are complex viruses which infect the skin or mucosae of a broad range of amniotes worldwide. They cause benign or malignant lesions depending on environmental factors, virus oncogenicity and the location of infection. Bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) are the second most studied PVs beyond human PVs. In the past few years, genetic characterization of animal PVs has increased due to the availability of new techniques, which simplified the sequencing of entire genomes. Therefore, this review aims to provide an update of the current epidemiology, classification and genome features of ruminant PVs (mainly BPVs) affecting animals worldwide. The review also aimed to clarify the key differences between the high-risk Delta papillomaviruses and the seemingly low-risk Xi, Epsilon, Dyoxi and Dyokappapillomavirus as well as the recently described PVs BPV18, 19, 21 and PpuPV1 that belongs to an unclassified genus.

Diet shifts related to body size of the pirambeba Serrasalmus brandtii Lütken, 1875 (Osteichthyes, Serrasalminae) in the Cajuru Reservoir, São Francisco River Basin, Brazil.

This study aimed to identify shifts in the Serrasalmus brandtii Lütken, 1875 diet related to body size. Specimens were collected from April 1992 to January 1993 at the Cajuru Reservoir, in the Pará River, São Francisco River Basin, by seining the shore with nets of nylon, 1 mm opening, and with gill nets. Stomach contents of 152 individuals measuring 15-192 mm SL were examined. Food items were identified and weighed separately. For qualitative analysis, the frequency of occurrence method was used. The relative importance of each food component was determined based on the alimentary index (IAi). The frequencies of occurrence data were subjected to cluster analysis using the Canberra coefficient of dissimilarity and UPGMA as the cluster method. Distinctive gradual changes in food habits, associated with body size, were identified in this species. The smaller individuals fed predominantly on microcrustaceans and insect larvae. The intermediate size classes ingested insects, fish fins, fish scales, and chunks of fish flesh, in this order of importance. For the larger pirambebas, fish was the most abundant food category identified, followed by insects.

Diet shifts related to body size of the pirambeba Serrasalmus brandtii Lütken, 1875 (Osteichthyes, Serrasalminae) in the Cajuru Reservoir, São Francisco River Basin, Brazil

Este estudo teve por objetivo identificar mudanças na dieta de Serrasalmus brandtii Lütken, 1875, em função do tamanho corporal. Os peixes foram coletados no reservatório Cajuru, rio Pará, bacia do rio São Francisco, por meio de arrastos na região litorânea e de redes de emalhar, entre abril de 1992 e janeiro de 1993. Foram analisados os conteúdos estomacais de 152 indivíduos, medindo 15-192 mm CP. Os itens alimentares foram identificados e pesados separadamente. Para análise qualitativa aplicou-se o método de freqüência de ocorrência e para análise da importância relativa das categorias alimentares na dieta, o índice alimentar (IAi). Os dados de freqüência de ocorrência dos itens foram submetidos à análise de agrupamento, utilizando coeficiente de dissimilaridade de Canberra e UPGMA como forma de agrupamento. Evidenciaram-se modificações graduais e marcantes na dieta em função do tamanho corporal dessa espécie. Os indivíduos menores alimentaram-se predominantemente de microcrustáceos e larvas de insetos; as classes intermediárias ingeriram insetos, nadadeiras, escamas e pedaços da musculatura de peixes; já as pirambebas maiores, peixes e insetos, respectivamente, foram as categorias alimentares mais abundantes.

The perceived risk of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and the effect of additional delay in tonsillectomy: a questionnaire based parents perspective.

OBJECTIVES: In February 2001 the United Kingdom Department of Health in conjunction with the British Association of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeons decreed that all non-emergency tonsillectomies should be performed using disposable instruments because of the theoretical risk of transmission of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD). There was an understandable delay in the provision of these instruments by the various manufacturers, leading to an increase in waiting time for surgery. It was decided to assess parental attitudes to the risk of vCJD, and assess the effect the additional delay had on their child. METHOD: A questionnaire was sent to the parents of all 249 children on the waiting list for tonsillectomy. RESULTS: Seventy percent replied, and of these, 37% felt there was a risk of reusing instruments, only 10% felt there was no risk, and the remaining 53% did not know if there was any risk. Nevertheless 41% of parents would have gone ahead using old instruments if allowed. All parents of the 73 children waiting greater than 6 months were questioned on the effect of the additional delay. Only 7% reported improvement in symptoms, and 68% felt the additional delay had badly affected their child's health and wellbeing. Ninety percent of parents felt their child's symptoms still warranted tonsillectomy. CONCLUSION: There is an awareness of risk of vCJD among parents whose children await tonsillectomy, although understandably the level of risk they feel is hard to quantify. The rate of symptom resolution whilst on the waiting list was very low.

Bioplastique medialization therapy improves the quality of life in terminally ill patients with vocal cord palsy.

Unilateral vocal cord palsy can result in a weak breathy voice and an inability to communicate effectively. This study was designed to assess prospectively the efficacy of polymethylsiloxane elastomer (Bioplastique) medialization injection therapy in patients with vocal cord palsy and terminal disease with particular regard to quality of life issues. Patients with unilateral vocal cord palsy secondary to malignant disease were offered Bioplastique injection. A digital voice recording was taken preoperatively and at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. Maximum phonation time (MPT) was recorded at the same intervals, and patients completed two questionnaires: the voice handicap index (VHI) and SF 36 general health questionnaire. Sixteen patients were entered into the study. There was a significant improvement in voice score, MPT, VHI and in three subgroups of the SF 36 at 1 month postoperatively, and the improvement was maintained in the small number who survived to 3 and 6 months. Bioplastique injection for unilateral vocal cord palsy produces a significant improvement in quality of life in addition to measured voice quality in patients with terminal disease. It should be recommended in patients even when the life expectancy is short.

Avaliaçäo da maturaçäo gonadal e induçäo da reproduçäo de peixes coletados no Rio Grande, a jusante da UHE Itutinga, MG / Evaluation of gonadal maturation and reproductive induction of fish harvest in the River Grande downstream the Itutinga dam, Brazil

Säo apresentados os resultados de pesca e induçäo da reproduçäo de peixes coletados a jusante da UHE Itutinga (CEMIG), no Rio Grande. Foi realizada avaliaçäo da condiçäo reprodutiva dos peixes que alcançavam aquela parte do Rio, baseada na identificaçäo macroscópica do sexo e estádio de maturaçäo gonadal (EMG) e do cálculo do índice gonadossomático (IGS). Exemplares de curimbatá (Prochilodus scrofa), piapara (Leporinus elongatus) e piau (Leporinus friderici) foram submetidos à reproduçäo induzida. Tanto piaparas quanto piaus responderam positivamente à induçäo da reproduçäo. Ficou comprovada a viabilidade técnica e econômica desta técnica de manejo para a propagaçäo de espécies de peixes impossibilitadas de migrarem rio acima

Genetic heterogeneity of the V3 region of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein in Brazil. Brazilian Collaborative AIDS Research Group.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the genetic heterogeneity of the V3 region of HIV-1 gp120 from 22 Brazilian HIV-1 specimens. DESIGN: Genetic heterogeneity was examined by DNA sequencing of the C2 V3 region of the HIV-1 envelope (env) gene from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified HIV-1 DNA. Deduced amino-acid sequences were compared to determine the extent of amino-acid conservation among the Brazilian specimens. Genetic similarity among and between the Brazilian specimens and other previously published HIV-1 isolates was analyzed by principal co-ordinate and DNA parsimony methods. METHODS: A 282 base pair (bp) region of a 1.5 kilo (k) bp PCR-amplified HIV-1 env fragment was sequenced by a Taq dye-labeled primer cycle sequencing reaction. Nucleotide sequences were used to analyze inter-specimen relationships based on overall nucleotide sequence similarity and DNA parsimony principles. RESULTS: Amino-acid comparison showed that 15 of the 35 (43%) residues of the V3 loop were conserved among the Brazilian specimens. Nine of the 22 (40%) Brazilian specimens contained the North American-European GPGR tetrapeptide motif, while eight (36%) contained the GWGR motif, previously reported in Japanese isolates. Principal co-ordinate analysis demonstrated that 19 of the 20 examined Brazilian HIV-1 specimens were more similar to North American and Haitian isolates than to African isolates. Similar results were also obtained by DNA parsimony analysis. CONCLUSION: The majority of the Brazilian specimens examined are more genetically related to North American and Haitian HIV-1 isolates than to African isolates. This finding and the presence of a GWGR V3 loop motif in some Brazilian isolates may be important for vaccine development.