HLA-G alleles and their impacts on placental HSV-1 infection in women from southern Brazil.

The Human Leukocyte Antigen G (HLA-G) is an immunoregulatory molecule with a critical role in pregnancy success. HLA-G alleles are associated with differential susceptibility to multiple conditions, including gestational problems, infectious diseases, and viral persistence. Of note, both herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) can impair HLA-G expression, interfering with HLA-G-associated immunoregulation.

Impact of TLR7 and TLR9 polymorphisms on susceptibility to placental infections and pregnancy complications.

This study evaluated the impact of the TLR7 Gln11Leu (rs179008) and TLR9 -1237 T/C (rs5743836) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on susceptibility to placental infections and pregnancy complications in 455 Brazilian women. Demographic, socioeconomic, gynecological, and clinical characteristics of the women were collected. Placental tissues were sampled from pregnant women and human and viral DNA was extracted.

Dynamic secret-key provisioning in quantum-secured passive optical networks (PONs).

Quantum cryptography (QC) is currently under investigation to build highly secure optical communication networks. QC requires distribution of quantum keys (also called "secret" keys) on separate wavelength channels than those used to transmit the encrypted data. Hence, we propose a quantum-secured passive optical network (QS-PON) that supports both i) the traditional wavelength channels for secured data transmission, and ii) a quantum key distribution network (QKDN) running on separate dedicated wavelengths.

Co-infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in pregnant women from southern Brazil: high rate of intraepithelial cervical lesions.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-positive) pregnant women require specific prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. The efficacy of established approaches is further challenged by co-infection with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of co-infections in pregnant women infected with different HIV-1 subtypes and to relate these findings, together with additional demographic and clinical parameters, to maternal and infant outcomes.

Primary HIV-1 drug resistance in the C-terminal domains of viral reverse transcriptase among drug-naïve patients from Southern Brazil.

Background: Major and accessory drug resistance mutations have been recently characterized in the C-terminal RT subdomains of HIV-1, connection and RNase H. However, their presence in treatment-naïve patients infected with HIV-1 non-B subtypes remains largely unknown.

Objectives: To characterize the patterns of primary resistance at the C-terminal RT subdomains of HIV-1 infecting subjects in the southern region of Brazil, where HIV-1 subtypes B and C co-circulate.

HIV-1 vertical transmission in Rio Grande, Southern Brazil.

The aim of this study was to determine the rate and risk factors of HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), the timing of transmission and the transmitted subtype in a population where subtypes B and C co-circulate. One hundred and forty-four babies born to HIV-1-infected mothers were studied. Subtype and timing of transmission were determined by a nested polymerase chain reaction of the gp41 gene.

Thirteen-year evolution of azole resistance in yeast isolates and prevalence of resistant strains carried by cancer patients at a large medical center.

Drug resistance is emerging in many important microbial pathogens, including Candida albicans. We performed fungal susceptibility tests with archived isolates obtained from 1984 through 1993 and fresh clinical isolates obtained from 1994 through 1997 by testing their susceptibilities to fluconazole, ketoconazole, and miconazole and compared the results to the rate of fluconazole use. All isolates recovered prior to 1993 were susceptible to fluconazole.

Effects of incubation time and buffer concentration on in vitro activities of antifungal agents against Candida albicans.

Nine selected isolates of Candida albicans were tested for their susceptibilities to amphotericin B and fluconazole by using three methods to assess the effect of incubation time and buffer concentration. By using a microdilution method with 0.0165 M 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid (MOPS) and a 24-h incubation time, all of the isolates were found to be susceptible to amphotericin B and fluconazole.