Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the static bending strength (fM) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) to static bending values of Eucalyptus grandis samples produced in different dimensions. It intended to identify samples that present similar mechanical properties to those recommended by other technical standards and those obtained according to NBR 7190. The samples were made in agreement with the dimensions of the following standards: IPT, AFNOR B51-016, ASTM D143, CEN-EN 408, COPANT 555, and NBR 7190. The strength was significantly reduced with the increase of the sample dimensions. The MOE was significantly influenced by the samples size with the values showing a parabolic trend. The samples produced according to COPANT 555 (5 x 5 x 75 cm) presented resistance values similar to the values obtained following NBR 7190 specifications, whereas for the MOE, the samples proposed according to the IPT presented the closest values of Brazilian technical standards (NBR 7190).

Abstract Human Papillomavirus (HPV) has considerable tropism for epithelial and mucosal tissues and can therefore be found in several anatomical sites, including the oral cavity. This study aimed to investigate the presence of HPV-DNA and the most frequent viral types in patients using full dentures, compare to patients not using full dentures and to associate its presence with socio-epidemiological and behavioral factors. The study consisted of 90 patients with or without full dentures at the time of collection, treated at a public dental clinic. The samples were obtained by exfoliating the oral cavity, and analyzed for HPV-DNA using the nested PCR with PGMY09/11 (450-bp), and general primers GP5+/GP6+ (150-bp). Genotyping was performed by specific-type PCR to HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, and 45; and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP). Pearson’s Chi-square test (x 2 ) or Fisher’s exact test were applied and significant variables in these tests were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratio (OR). HPV-DNA was detected in 27.7% of samples and, among those obtained from patients using full dentures, positivity for HPV-DNA was 41.9% (p = 0.025). The most frequent viral types were low-risk HPV 6 and 11, and high-risk HPV 31 and 45. Patients who used full dentures had an odds ratio of 2.1 to be positive for HPV DNA. Our results indicate the need for periodic dental follow-up of patients with full dentures in order to preserve the basic conditions of oral health, and also to monitor the appearance of lesions with malignant potential.

RESUMO O conhecimento da flora existente nas cidades é de grande importância do ponto de vista ecológico e sustentável, assim como ser premissa para ações que proporcionem maior segurança, conforto e bem-estar para população. O objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar uma análise da composição, diversidade e qualidade da flora arbórea (árvores e palmeiras) existente na Praça Rui Barbosa, de São José do Rio Preto, SP. Esta praça é considerada a principal pela localização, história e uso, e encontra-se na região central, ao lado da Catedral. Os indivíduos arbóreos presentes na praça foram inventariados, identificados e avaliados a altura e circunferência do tronco à altura do peito; foram determinados descritores fitossociológicos, índice de Shannon-Weaver e observados aspectos qualitativos (equilíbrio copa-tronco, estado geral do exemplar, fitossanidade e presença de associação com outros organismos: insetos, liquens, epífitas ou parasitas). A composição florística da Praça Rui Barbosa, de São José do Rio Preto, SP, constitui-se de 15 famílias botânicas, composta por 25 gêneros e 28 espécies, num total de 103 indivíduos, entre árvores e palmeiras. A espécie de maior representatividade foi Dypsis lutescens, com frequência de 20,39%. O índice de Shannon-Weaver, indicador de diversidade, foi de 2,77, mostrando que a praça apresenta grande diversidade florística. A maioria (72,8%) dos indivíduos encontra-se em estado regular ou péssimo; 66,02% apresentaram algum sintoma de fungo; 12,62% apresentam problemas decorrentes do ataque de cupins; musgos, liquens e epífitas estão presentes em 73,78 % dos indivíduos da praça.

ABSTRACT The knowledge of the flora existing in the cities is of great importance from the ecological and sustainable point of view, as well as being a premise for actions that provide greater safety, comfort and well-being for the population. The objective of this work was to perform an analysis of the composition, diversity and quality of the tree flora (trees and palms) existing in Rui Barbosa Square, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State. This square is considered the main place for its location, history and use, and is located in the central region, next to the Cathedral. The arboreal individuals present in the square were counted, identified and evaluated the height and circumference of the trunk at the height of the chest; were determined phytosociological descriptors, Shannon-Weaver index and observed qualitative aspects (stem-glass balance, general status of the specimen, phytosanity and presence of association with other organisms: insects, lichens, epiphytes or parasites). The floristic composition of Rui Barbosa Square, consisted of 15 botanical families, composed of 25 genera and 28 species, in a total of 103 individuals, among trees and palm trees. The most representative species was Dypsis lutescens, with a frequency of 20.39%. The Shannon-Weaver index, an indicator of diversity, was 2.77, showing that the square presents great floristic diversity. The majority (72.8%) of individuals is in a regular or poor state; 66.02% had some fungus symptoms; 12.62% present problems due to termite attack; mosses, lichens and epiphytes are present in 73.78% of the individuals in the square.

BACKGROUND The infection led by Trypanosoma cruzi persists in mammalian tissues causing an inflammatory imbalance. Carvedilol (Cv), a non-selective beta blocker drug indicated to treat heart failure and antihypertensive has shown to promote antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties which might improve the inflammation induced by T. cruzi. OBJECTIVES Evaluate the role of Cv on the inflammatory response of C57BL/6 mice acutely infected with the Colombian strain of T. cruzi. METHODS Animals were infected with the Colombian strain of T. cruzi and treated with Cv (25 mg/kg/day), benznidazole (Bz) (100 mg/kg/day) or their combination. On the 28th day of infection and 23 days of treatment, the euthanasia occurred, and the heart preserved for histopathological, oxidative stress (SOD, catalase, TBARs, carbonylated proteins) and plasma (CCL2, CCL5, TNF, IL-10) analyses. Parasitaemia and survival were assessed along the infection. FINDINGS Cv decreased TBARs, but increased the mortality rate, the parasitaemia and the levels of CCL2, CCL5, catalase and the inflammatory infiltrate in the cardiac tissue. Bz led the reduction of the inflammatory infiltrate and circulating levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in the infected mice. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that Cv, in this experimental model using the Colombian strain of T. cruzi, caused damage to the host.

Women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) are at a higher risk of developing cervical lesions. In the current study, self and clinician-collected vaginal and cervical samples from women were processed to detect HPV DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with PGMY09/11 primers. HPV genotypes were determined using type-specific PCR. HPV DNA detection showed good concordance between self and clinician-collected samples (84.6%; kappa = 0.72). HPV infection was found in 30% women and genotyping was more concordant among high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) than low-risk HPV (HR-HPV). HPV16 was the most frequently detected among the HR-HPV types. LR-HPV was detected at a higher frequency in self-collected; however, HR-HPV types were more frequently identified in clinician-collected samples than in self-collected samples. HPV infections of multiple types were detected in 20.5% of clinician-collected samples and 15.5% of self-collected samples. In this study, we demonstrated that the HPV DNA detection rate in self-collected samples has good agreement with that of clinician-collected samples. Self-collected sampling, as a primary prevention strategy in countries with few resources, could be effective for identifying cases of HR-HPV, being more acceptable. The use of this method would enhance the coverage of screening programs for cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify highly oncogenic forms of human papillomavirus in the oral mucosa of asymptomatic men.METHODS: In this study, we analyzed samples of exfoliated cells from the oral cavity of 559 asymptomatic men. DNA-human papillomavirus was detected using the consensus primers PGMY09/11; viral genotyping was performed using type-specific PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism.RESULTS: DNA-human papillomavirus was detected in 1.3% of the study participants and of those 42.8% were infected by more than one type of virus. Viral types included HPV6, 11, 89 (low oncogenic risk), and HPV52, 53 (high oncogenic risk). Increased vulnerability to human papillomavirus infection was observed in individuals aged over 26 years, among those who reported oral sex practices, and in those who have had more than 16 sexual partners since first engaging in sexual intercourse.CONCLUSIONS: There was a low prevalence of human papillomavirus detection in the oral mucosa of asymptomatic men. Highly oncogenic human papillomavirus types and infection by more than one viral type was observed. Oral sex practices and a large number of sexual partners may increase the risk of acquiring human papillomavirus infection.

Introduction The progression of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the anogenital tract has been associated with the involvement of cells with regulatory properties. Evidence has shown that glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) is an important surface molecule for the characterization of these cells and proposes that GITR ligand may constitute a rational treatment for many cancer types. We aimed to detect the presence of GITR and CD25 in cervical stroma cells with and without pathological changes or HPV infection to better understand the immune response in the infected tissue microenvironment. Methods We subjected 49 paraffin-embedded cervical tissue samples to HPV DNA detection and histopathological analysis, and subsequently immunohistochemistry to detect GITR and CD25 in lymphocytes. Results We observed that 76.9% of all samples with high GITR expression were HPV-positive regardless of histopathological findings. High GITR expression (77.8%) was predominant in samples with ≥1,000 RLU/PCB. Of the HPV-positive samples negative for intraepithelial lesion and malignancy, 62.5% had high GITR expression. High GITR expression was observed in both carcinoma and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) samples (p = 0.16). CD25 was present in great quantities in all samples. Conclusions The predominance of high GITR expression in samples with high viral load that were classified as HSIL and carcinoma suggests that GITR+ cells can exhibit regulatory properties and may contribute to the progression of HPV-induced cervical neoplasia, emphasizing the importance of GITR as a potential target for immune therapy of cervical cancer and as a disease evolution biomarker.