Roberto José Vieira de Mello

HPV detection in oral carcinomas

The authors set out in this study to verify the presence of low- and high-risk DNA of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral cancer by means of the hybrid capture Digene® test (Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil) in smears from exfoliative cytology and also to compare the findings with those of conventional light microscopy (hematoxylin-eosin (HE)/Papanicolaou). Forty individuals gave their written informed consent to participate in the study and also had their clinical data analyzed. The 40 exfoliative cytology examinations performed to date produced the following results: 29 (72.5%) negative for low- and high-risk HPV-DNA; nine (22.5%) positive for low- and high-risk HPV-DNA; one (2.5%) positive for low-risk HPV-DNA; and one (2.5%) positive for high-risk HPV-DNA. There was agreement among the findings for the presence of DNA-HPV for both exfoliative cytology (smear to hybrid capture Digene® test and the cytological smear readings made by conventional light microscopy). It was therefore concluded that the HPV virus may be a cocarcinogen of the mouth cancer as it is in the cervix cancer.

Correlação entre o envelhecimento e as dimensões das pregas vocais

PURPOSE: to evaluate the dimensions of vocal folds in both genders and correlate them with aging. METHOD: we studied 30 cadavers (15 men and 15 women) from 60 to 102 year-old. For this purpose we followed four steps: 1st) History of the body; 2nd) Removal of the larynx, 3rd) Dissection of the larynx, 4th) Morphometry for the dimensions of the vocal folds. This is an experimental study. RESULTS: the length of the vocal male with an average of 15.90 mm was higher than the female with 10.39 mm. The width of the male vocal was higher with an average of 2.37 mm to 2.31 mm with a female. The overall average thickness was also higher in males with an average of 2.55 mm compared with women with 2.38 mm. No differences were found among age and the length, width and thickness of the vocal folds in both genders. CONCLUSION: the dimensions of length, width and thickness of the vocal folds were higher in males. But, there was no statistically significant difference among the three dimensions of the vocal folds during aging in both genders.

HPV and precancerous lesions of anal canal in women: systematic review.

ObjectiveThe infection caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in the anogenital area is considered the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Although anal cancer is relatively uncommon in the general population, there has been a significant increase in incidence in recent years. In this review, we focused on research on anal lesions in women.MethodResearch on HPV and precancerous lesions of the anal canal was examined by a systematic literature review in the Cochrane Centre of Brazil, where 1,734 publications were identified in the databases Scielo Brazil, Pubmed, Lilac, Medline, and Old Medline, for the period 1966 to 2010. We selected two papers, published in 1994 and 2009, based on the inclusion–exclusion criteria.ResultsThe first paper refers to the study of the anal canal in HIV-negative women with previous genital pathology and its relationship to the presence of HPV, and the other compares two groups of women who are HIV+ and HIV− and its relationship with anal disease and HPV.ConclusionThe existence of previous genital neoplasia associated with HPV promotes the development of anal lesions, especially in younger patients, and a poor immune status contributes to the appearance of this pathologic finding.

Estudo quantitativo das células de Langerhans em carcinomas basocelulares com maior e menor potencial de agressividade local

BACKGROUNDS - Basal cell carcinoma affects areas of the body that have been exposed to the sun, and this disorder has different clinical and histopathologic presentations. Some of these forms have a higher potential of local aggressiveness, while others have a lower potential. Langerhans cells actively participate in the skin immune system. OBJECTIVES - To quantitatively evaluate the number of Langerhans cells on the epidermis of basal cell carcinoma with lower and higher potential of local aggressiveness and on adjacent normal epidermis. METHODOLOGY - The authors divided the sample into two groups with 14 histological slides each: one with basal cell carcinoma with lower potential of local aggressiveness and the other with basal cell carcinoma with higher potential of local aggressiveness. Immunohistochemistry with S-100 protein was used in the identification of Langerhans Cells. Langerhans cells present in 7 microscopic fields were counted using optical microscopy (400X magnification) and Weibels morphometric grade. The mean for each lamina was obtained. Wilcoxons statistical test was employed. RESULTS - In the group with lower potential of local aggressiveness, there was a significant increase in the number of Langerhans cells in the adjacent normal epidermis, as compared with the number of cells in the epidermis superposed to the basal cell carcinoma (pd 0.05). There was no significant statistical difference in the group with higher potential of local aggressiveness (p >0.05). CONCLUSION - The higher number of Langerhans cells in the normal epidermis adjacent to the tumoral lesion with lower potential of local aggressiveness could indicate greater immunological resistance of the epidermis, thus limiting the aggressiveness of the neoplasm.

Estudo comparativo macroscópico dos defeitos osteocondrais produzidos em fêmures de coelhos preenchidos com gel de biopolímero da cana-de-açúcar

OBJECTIVE: To study the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing of osteochondral defects produced in the femoral condyles of rabbits and filled with sugar cane biopolymer gel (SCBG), after 90, 120 and 180 days, and in comparison with a control group. METHOD: Sixteen adult New Zealand white rabbits aged 6 to 7 months, weighing between 2 and 2.5 kg and without locomotor system abnormalities were studied. In all the animals, a defect was made in the femoral condyles of the right and left knees, measuring 3.2 mm in diameter and 4 mm in depth, using a trephine. The animals were divided into two groups: study group formed by the right knees, in which the medial and lateral condyles received implants of SCBG; and control group formed by the left knees, in which the medial and lateral condyles were allowed to heal naturally. The knees were assessed 90, 120 and 180 days after the operation. After the animals had been sacrificed, the anatomical specimens were resected and placed in Bouins solution. They were then photographed with a Nikon Coolpix 5400® coupled to a Nikon SM2800® stereoscopic loupe, to analyze the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing. RESULTS: The results were evaluated using the chi-square test. There were no significant differences in the macroscopic assessments of healing between the study and control groups. CONCLUSION: With regard to the surface, coloring, consistency, continuity and healing of the defects, the macroscopic appearance of the tissue repaired with SCBG was similar to that of the control group.

Classic Pick's disease type with ubiquitin-positive and tau-negative inclusions: case report.

We report on a patient presenting Picks disease similar to the one reported by Pick in 1892, with ubiquitin-positive and tau-negative inclusions. His diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical (language disturbance and behavioural disorders), neuropsychological (progressive aphasia of the expression type and late mutism), neuroimaging with magnetic resonance (bilateral frontal and temporal lobes atrophy) and brain single photon emission computed tomography (frontal and temporal lobes hypoperfusion) studies. Macroscopic examination showed atrophy on the frontal and temporal lobes. The left hippocampus displayed a major circumscribed atrophy. The diagnostic confirmation was made by the neuropathological findings of the autopsy that showed neuronal loss with gliosis of the adjacent white matter and apearance of status spongiosus in the middle frontal and especially in the upper temporal lobes. There were also neuronal swelling (ballooned cell) and argyrophilic inclusions (Picks bodies) in the left and right hippocampi. Anti-ubiquitin reaction tested positive and anti-tau tested negative.

Follow-up brain imaging of 37 children with congenital Zika syndrome: case series study

Objective To compare initial brain computed tomography (CT) scans with follow-up CT scans at one year in children with congenital Zika syndrome, focusing on cerebral calcifications. Design Case series study. Setting Barão de Lucena Hospital, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Participants 37 children with probable or confirmed congenital Zika syndrome during the microcephaly outbreak in 2015 who underwent brain CT shortly after birth and at one year follow-up. Main outcome measure Differences in cerebral calcification patterns between initial and follow-up scans. Results 37 children were evaluated. All presented cerebral calcifications on the initial scan, predominantly at cortical-white matter junction. At follow-up the calcifications had diminished in number, size, or density, or a combination in 34 of the children (92%, 95% confidence interval 79% to 97%), were no longer visible in one child, and remained unchanged in two children. No child showed an increase in calcifications. The calcifications at the cortical-white matter junction which were no longer visible at follow-up occurred predominately in the parietal and occipital lobes. These imaging changes were not associated with any clear clinical improvements. Conclusion The detection of cerebral calcifications should not be considered a major criterion for late diagnosis of congenital Zika syndrome, nor should the absence of calcifications be used to exclude the diagnosis.

Hipertrofia cardíaca esquerda e direita em necropsias de hipertensos

OBJECTIVE: To measure the right and left ventricular thickness in deceased individuals with a history of hypertension submitted to clinical autopsies. METHODS: We selected 90 cases from the Death Verification Service of the city of Recife, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, of both sexes, with a history of essential arterial hypertension related to heart wall thickness, in addition to correlation with autopsy findings and other clinical reports. RESULTS: There was a significant association between the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and between severe hypertensive cardiomyopathy and RVH. There was a predominance of RVH and LVH in men aged 60-79 years and a higher prevalence in the Brazilian mulatto and Black ethnic groups and in those with adequate nutritional status or overweight and obese individuals. CONCLUSION: It was observed that the presence of RVH was related to LVH, suggesting that there are similar pathogenic factors involved in the development of bilateral hypertrophy. The RVH seems to be associated with more severe heart disease and may, based on other studies, be considered as a new prognostic factor in the evaluation of hypertensive patients.

Left and right ventricular hypertrophy at autopsy of hypertensive individuals

OBJECTIVE To measure the right and left ventricular thickness in deceased individuals with a history of hypertension submitted to clinical autopsies. METHODS We selected 90 cases from the Death Verification Service of the city of Recife, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, of both sexes, with a history of essential arterial hypertension related to heart wall thickness, in addition to correlation with autopsy findings and other clinical reports. RESULTS There was a significant association between the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and between severe hypertensive cardiomyopathy and RVH. There was a predominance of RVH and LVH in men aged 60-79 years and a higher prevalence in the Brazilian mulatto and Black ethnic groups and in those with adequate nutritional status or overweight and obese individuals. CONCLUSION It was observed that the presence of RVH was related to LVH, suggesting that there are similar pathogenic factors involved in the development of bilateral hypertrophy. The RVH seems to be associated with more severe heart disease and may, based on other studies, be considered as a new prognostic factor in the evaluation of hypertensive patients.

Comparative study of the areas of osteochondral defects produced in the femoral condyles of rabbits treated with gel of sugarcane biopolymer

PURPOSE To measure the healed areas of osteochondral defects produced in femoral condyles of rabbits filled with biopolymer sugar cane gel and to compare these with those of the control group at 90, 120 and 180 days. METHODS A study was made of 16 New Zealand rabbits, 6 and 7 months old, weighing between 2 and 2.5 kg. Defects of 3.2 x 4 mm were made, with trephine, in the femoral condyles of the right and left knees. As to the study group defects of the medial and lateral condyles of the right knee were used which were filled with Biopolymer Sugar Cane Gel; as to the Control Group defects of the medial and lateral condyles of the left t knees were used which were left open for natural healing. The defects were analyzed at 90, 120 and 180 days after surgery. After euthanasia, the knees were removed and fixed in Bouins solution for later digital photographic documentation with a digital camera. The areas healed were measured in both the study and control groups using the images obtained from an Image-J(®) program. Statistical analysis was conducted using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the means of the healed areas in the study and control groups at 90, 120 and 180 days after surgery. CONCLUSION The dimension of the healed areas of the defects treated with the biopolymer sugar-cane gel in the study group was similar to those of the control group, which healed naturally.