In August 2008, a biomedical intervention providing free drugs to school aged children to treat two endemic diseases –schistosomiasis haematobium and soil-transmitted helminths - in Morogoro region, Tanzania, was suspended after violent riots erupted. Parents and guardians rushed to schools to prevent their children taking the drugs when they heard reports of children dying in Morogoro town after receiving treatment. When pupils heard these reports, many of those who had swallowed the pills began to complain of dizziness and fainted. In Morogoro town hundreds of pupils were rushed to the Regional Hospital by their parents and other onlookers. News of these apparent fatalities spread throughout the region, including to Doma village where I was conducting fieldwork. Here, protesting villagers accused me of bringing the medicine into the village with which to “poison” the children and it was necessary for me to leave the village immediately under the protection of the Tanzanian police. This thesis, based on eleven months fieldwork between 2007 and 2010 in Doma village and parts of Morogoro town, asks why was this biomedical intervention so vehemently rejected? By analysing local understandings and responses to the mass distribution of drugs in relation to the specific historical, social, political, and economic context in which it occurred, it shows that there was a considerable disjuncture between biomedical understandings of these diseases, including the epidemiological rationale for the provision of preventive chemotherapy, and local perspectives. Such a disjuncture, fuelled by the reports of fatalities and the pupil’s fainting episodes brought about considerable conjecture both locally and nationally, that the drugs had been faulty, counterfeit, or hitherto untested on humans. Among many of the poorer inhabitants of Morogoro town, there was suspicion that this had been a covert sterilization campaign. From an official perspective, such conjecture was dismissed as mere rumour, proliferated by “ignorant” people. However, from an anthropological perspective, these ‘rumours’ reveal profound local anxieties including a pervasive fear that poor Africans are being targeted for covert eugenics projects by governments in the industrialized world. The thesis also shows that many of the assumptions embedded in global policies seeking to control neglected tropical diseases are mistaken. Indeed, it is suggested that it is unlikely that schistosomiasis haematobium and soil-transmitted helminths will be controlled so long as policy makers persist with the idea that one policy, designed by staff working for the World Health Organisation – with minor modifications added in Dar es Salaam - can be rolled out uniformly, irrespective of the political, social and economic context in which the programme occurs.

Previous studies have shown that the mitochondrial orf224/ atp6 gene region is correlated with the Polima (pol) cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of Brassica napus, and that the effects of nuclear fertility restoration on orf224/ atp6 transcripts co-segregate with the pol restorer gene Rfp in genetic crosses. Results presented in this thesis indicate that the pol CMS restorer gene Rfp acts in an organ-specific manner to promote the processing of primary, dicistronic orf224/atp6 transcripts into new restorer-specific, monocistronic transcripts. The single 1.1 kb atp6 transcript of nap cytoplasm and some orfB transcripts of nap and pol cytoplasm B. napus mitochondria are shown to arise by removal of sequences from the 5' end of a longer precursor. Specific endonucleolytic cleavage of a precursor RNA, followed by non-specific 3' to 5' exonuclease action, may thus represent a common mechanism for tailoring transcripts in plant mitochondria. Northern analysis of a segregating F2 population indicates that the recessive rfp allele at the restorer gene locus, or a very tightly linked gene, acts as a dominant gene designated Mmt (modifier of mitochondrial transcripts). Mmt controls the presence of additional, smaller transcripts of the nad4 and ccl1-like (ccl1-l) genes. These results suggest that Rfp/Mmt is a novel nuclear genetic locus that affects the expression of multiple mitochondrial gene regions, with different alleles or haplotypes exerting specific effects on different mitochondrial genes. One of these genes, ccl1-l, is split in the B. napus mitochondrial genome into two widely separated and independently transcribed parts, contrasting with the situation in other plants where this gene is present as an uninterrupted ORF. Although transcripts of both parts are edited, no "trans-spliced" transcripts spanning both parts of the split ORF, that could be translated into a full sized protein product, were detected. Moreover, an antiserum directed against the product of t

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a widespread, maternally inherited trait that results in an inability of plants to produce functional pollen. The Ogura CMS system originated in radish, but has since been transferred to, and confers male sterility on, plants in the related genus Brassica . A gene which restores male fertility is needed for the Ogura CMS system to be exploited commercially for hybrid seed production in oilseed species such as Brassica napus. The restorer gene Rfo is a dominant radish nuclear gene that restores the male fertility to plants with Ogura cytoplasm. This gene has been transferred into Brassica napus through intergeneric crosses; however the introgressed segment of radish DNA contains an unknown number of genes, some of which confer undesirable traits, such as an elevated content of seed glucosinolates, antinutritive compounds that render the seed meal unusable as animal feed. A fine scale linkage map of the region in radish containing Rfo was constructed, and a map-based cloning approach relying on synteny between radish and Arabidopsis was used to clone Rfo. A radish gene encoding a 687 amino acid protein with a predicted mitochondrial targeting presequence was found to confer male fertility upon transformation into Ogura CMS B. napus . This gene, codes for a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR)-containing protein with multiple, in this case 16, PPR domains. Two similar genes that do not appear to function as Rfo flank this gene. A transcript representing a non-functional allele (rfo) was detected in sterile radish plants. Comparison of the Rfo region with the syntenic Arabidopsis region indicates that a PPR gene is not present at the Rfo-equivalent site in Arabidopsis , although a smaller and related PPR gene is found about 40 kb from this site.

Cytoplasrnic male sterility (CMS) is a maternally inherited defect in the production of pollen, the male gamete of the flower. This sterility can be suppressed by nuclear Restorer of Fertility (Rf) genes that normally downregulate the expression of the CMS-associated novel mitochondrial gene. In Brassica napus, nap CMS and pol CMS are associated with related chimeric mitochondrial genes orf222 and orf224, respectively. CMS in both nap and pol is associated with a polar loss of locule development, loss of synchronous locule development and clumping of sporogenous tissue away from the tapetal cell layer, as well as secondary effects on petal and bud formation. In nap CMS, early accumulation of orf222 transcripts in the locule regions of developing anthers is associated with sterility, while the absence of orf222 transcripts from the locules is associated with fertility restoration. Accumulation of novel antisense transcripts of atp6 in a cell specific manner which matches that of sense transcripts of orf222 and atp6 in nap CMS anthers may be indicative of a post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism associated with CMS in flower buds. / Restoration of fertility in Brassica napus nap and pol CMS is associated with nuclearly encoded genes Rfn and Rfp, respectively. These restorers are very closely linked to one another, and may be allelic. Further efforts to isolate Rfp have narrowed the genomic region to approximately 105 kb of a syntenic region in Arabidopsis thaliana. Cosmid clones isolated from a library of Brassica rapa genomic DNA introgressed with Rfp have been successfully sorted into contigs through the application of the amplified fragment length polymorphism technique. The region to which Rfp is mapped is syntenic to a region of Arabidopsis DNA that is a duplication of a second location at the 23 megabase region of chromosome 1 of that genome. This region contains pentatricopeptide (PPR) motif-encoding genes that are highly related to other restorers of fertility of other species. By inference, Rfp from Brassica napus may encode PPR motifs. The PPR genes related to these previously characterized restorers of fertility are often found alongside the restorer genes existing as mini-clusters of several PPR-encoding genes. This is likely caused by selective pressure acting on PPR-encoding genes that resulted in diversification and multiplication of these genes. In addition, the PPR genes of this duplicated region are not syntenically located, whereas the non-PPR-encoding genes maintain their syntenic locations. The same is true for orthologous comparisons between Arabidopsis and other plant species. PPR genes are therefore malleable and capable of alteration in response to changing environmental pressures, such as the evolution of sterility inducing genes.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (MScAgric.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In cross pollinated crops, recurrent selection is used to increase the frequency of desirable alleles by breaking up existing linkage blocks and forming new gene combinations. Despite promising results from numerous feasibility studies, recurrent selection is seldom routinely used in wheat. A major obstacle has been the inability to readily achieve random interbreeding of large numbers of selected plants. In China the Taigu genetic male sterility gene, Ms2, has however been used to establish a recurrent selection programme in which field grown male sterile plants were pollinated by selected male fertile plants (Huang et al., 1988). Another dominant gene for male sterility, Ms3, was found after EMS treatment of the seeds of an alloplasmie common wheat with Triticum tauschii cytoplasm (Maan et al., 1984) and is located at 3 map units from the centromere on chromosome arm SAS (Maan et al., 1987). In a study done during 1999 at Welgevallen to determine the frequency of natural intererossing under field conditions, Ms3 showed incomplete penetrance and only about two thirds of the seed set on male sterile plants could be attributed to intercrossing. Ms3 has stable expression in plants grown within the normal range of greenhouse temperatures for wheat, 16 - 2SoC. Under warmer field conditions, 21 - 3SoC, its penetrance is, however, incomplete (Maan et al., 1984). The utility of Ms3 under field conditions is therefore unsatisfactory. An attempt to determine the location and origin of an unknown male sterility gene, found in cross 9SK3 of a routine breeding programme, showed that a single locus was not the cause of the male sterility. Chromosome abnormalities and gene imbalances were probably to blame. The male sterility probably relates to a T.urartu addition chromosome in the pedigree of cross 9SK3. To facilitate the production of large numbers of hybrid progeny, a simple hydroponic system was developed in which male sterile tillers cut at the flowering stage can be pollinated and maintained for about 8 weeks, long enough to produce viable seeds. For pollination, florets on male tillers are cut open and placed in a container with a similar number of pollen shedding male tillers. It was found that cut tillers could be maintained in the hydroponic system as long as certain precautions were met: (a) The tillers must be handled with care so as not to damage the flag leaf which must be maintained for as long as period possible. (b) The tillers have a nutrient requirement and a 20% solution showed the best results of the nutrient solutions tested. (c) The sterilizing effect of Jik at O.OS%gave excellent fungal control en helped to sustain the nutrient solution. (d) Although the treatment of tillers with hormones improved seed quality, it was not justified by the additional inputs required. Different selection strategies were used for male and female plants. At the onset of the recurrent selection programme in 1998, a total of 1881 plants were tested for seedling resistance and 597 plants were selected for use as parents and source material for 1999. In total 158 male sterile and 188 male fertile ears were used in the hydroponic pollination and a 63.47% seed set was obtained, resulting in 3410 seeds, forming the 1999 female component. One hundred and fifty seven F2:96K109plants were selected from a field grown population in 1998. These, together with 44 selections from a pedigree programme, formed the male component for 1999. In total 9564 plants were tested for seedling resistance during 1999. A total of 3230 resistant seedling were selected and planted. Again male fertile plants from the previous season were field planted and selected. The selected plants were subjected to mixograph testing. A total of 448 male sterile and 1020 male fertile ears were used for hydroponic pollination. Approximately 12000 seeds were harvested, the seed set being around 75%. The 157 F2:96K109 field selected plants (1999) and 64 selections from a pedigree programme formed the male component for 2000. Seedling resistance testing during 2000 included a total of 6465 plants and 2832 were selected and planted. The hydroponic system was improved during 2000 with new, larger capacity containers being used which improved cross pollination. In total 878 male sterile tillers and 1016 male fertile tillers were cut and intercrossed. In total 25380 seeds were harvested, the seed set being 81.7%. In an attempt to determine the amount of variation within the 157 F2-families selected during 1999, mixograph testing was performed. The data showed variation among families. Seedling resistance testing for leaf and stem rust was performed on the 1999 and 2000 FIs to determine the variation for resistance within the populations. Both populations showed high level of stem rust resistance but lower levels of leaf rust resistance (± 50%). Ms3 can thus be used in combination with hydroponic tiller culture to facilitate recurrent selection. Integration with an excisting pedigree selection programme is viable and requires little additional input. Some of the these results have already been published (Addendum D). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Herhalende seleksie word by kruisbestuiwers aangewend om die frekwensie voordelige allele te verhoog deur die opbreek van bestaande koppelingsblokke en vorming van nuwe geen-kombinasies. Hoewel uitstekende resultate m.b.V.herhalende seleksie reeds by koring verkry is, is die roetine aanwending egter beperk weens die gebrek aan effektiewe kruisbestuiwing van groot getalle plante. In China is "Taigu" genetiese manlike steriliteit, Ms2, egter met sukses aangewend vir die vestiging van 'n herhalende seleksieprogram vir landverboude koring. Die manlik-vrugbare plante word vir die bestuiwing van geselekteerde manlik-steriele plante aangewend (Huang et al., 1988). Nog 'n dominante manlike steriliteitsgeen, Ms3, is ontdek na EMS behandeling van sade afkomstig vanaf 'n alloplasmiese gewone koring met 'n Triticum tauschii sitoplasma (Maan et al., 1984) en is gesetelop chromosoom 5AS, 3 kaarteenhede vanaf die sentromeer (Maan et al., 1987). 'n Ondersoek na die frekwensie natuurlike kruisbestuiwing onder landtoestande (Welgevallen, 1999) het getoon dat onvolledige penetrasie van Ms3 lei tot ongeveer 5% selfbestuiwing en dat slegs twee-derdes van die saadset aan kruisbestuiwing toegeskryf kon word. Ms3 word wel stabiel uitgedruk onder normale glashuistemperature tydens blom nl. 16 - 25°C, maar onder warmer landtoestande, 21 - 35°C, is uitdrukking onstabiel met laer penetrasie van die geen (Maan et al., 1984). Die benutbaarheid van Ms3 onder landtoestande was dus onbevredigend. Die ondersoek na die oorsprong en ligging van 'n onbekende, manlike steriliteitsgeen (95K3) wat ontdek is in 'n roetine teelprogram het daarop gedui dat 'n enkellokus waarskynlik me ter sprake is nie, maar eerder chromosoom-abnormaliteite en geenwanbalanse. Die manlike steriliteit kan verband hou met 'n T urartu addisie chromosoom in die stamboom van hierdie bron. Ten einde kruisbestuiwing van 'n groot aantal plante te bewerkstellig, is 'n eenvoudige bestuiwersisteem ontwikkel gegrond op waterkultuurkweking van afgeknipte manlik-steriele (Ms3ms3), are. Manlik-steriele en manlik-vrugbare are is tydens blom geknip. Die manliksteriele are se blommetjies is oopgeknip en toegelaat om deur die manlik-vrugbare are bestuif te word. Die bestuifde manlik-steriele are (Ms3ms3) is hierna vir ongeveer 8 weke gelaat vir saadvorming. Afgeknipte are kan baie suksesvol in voedingsmedium onderhou word mits sekere eenvoudige voorsorgmaatreëls getref word, naamlik: (a) Die are moet met sorg hanteer word en die vlagblaar moet so lank as moontlik behou word. Are moet weekliks teruggeknip word ten einde verstopping en agteruitgang van vaatweefsel teen te werk. Die oorspronklik- afgeknipte halm is dus belangrik. (b) Die are toon 'n definitiewe voedingsbehoefte en 'n 20% voedingsoplossing was die beste van die oplossings wat getoets is. Die voedingsoplossing moet verkieslik weekliks vervang word wanneer are teruggeknip word. Op die tydstip behoort die houers met 'n steriliseringsmiddel gewas te word vir die verwydering van enige moontlike swamgroei aan die houers se wande. (c) Jik was die beter steriliseringsmiddel en het teen 0.05% toediening goeie swaminhibering bewerkstellig. (d) Hormone is nie in die roetinetoepassing gebruik nie aangesien die voordeel hiervan nie die ekstra insette regverdig nie. Verskillende strategieë is aangewend vir die seleksie van manlike en vroulike plante. Met die aanvang van die herhalende seleksieprogram in 1998 is 'n totaal van 1881 plante getoets vir roesweerstand en 597 geselekteer as bronmateriaal vir 1999. In totaal is 158 manliksteriele en 188 manlik-vrugbare are gebruik in die bestuiwersisteem vir die verkryging van die 1999 vroulike komponent. 'n Totaal van 3410 sade is verkry met 'n 63.47% saadset. Tesame met 157 F2:96KI09 landgeselekteerde plante is 44 seleksies vanuit 'n stamboom seleksieprogram gebruik as manlike komponent in 1999. Gedurende 1999 is 9564 plante getoets vir roesweerstand en 3230 geselekteer en geplant. Weereens het landseleksie plaasgevind. Die 157 seleksies is onderwerp aan miksograaf-toetsing. Vierhonderd agt- en - veertig manlik-steriele en 1020 manlik-vrugbare are is gebruik in die bestuiwersisteem. Ongeveer 12138 sade is geoes, teen 'n 75% saadset. Gedurende 2000 is die sade asook 64 seleksies uit 'n stamboom seleksieprogram aangewend as die manlike komponent. Roestoetsing is weereens in 2000 uitgevoer en 6465 plante is geïnokuleer waaruit 2832 plante geselekteer en geplant is. Die bestuiwersisteem is aangepas vir die hantering van groter aantalle are tydens 2000 en in totaal is 878 manlik-steriele are en 'n 1016 manlik-vrugbare are gebruik vir kruisbestuiwing. Die saadset is verhoog na 81.7% en 25380 sade is verkry. Om die hoeveelheid variasie binne die populasie te bepaal, is miksograaftoetsing op die 1999 F2-populasie uitgevoer. Die data het aangetoon dat groot hoeveelhede genetiese variasie beskikbaar is binne die populasie. Roestoetsing van die 1999- en 2000-bestuiwerpopulasies is ook uitgevoer om 'n indikasie te verkry van die verspreiding van weerstand teen blaar- en starnroes. Die blaamoes het 'n relatief lae vlak van weerstand getoon (± 50%) terwyl die stamroesweerstand baie hoë vlakke gehandhaaf het. Ms3 kan dus gebruik word om in kombinasie met waterkultuurkweking van gesnyde halms, 'n herhalende seleksieprogram van stapel te stuur. Integrasie met 'n bestaande stamboom seleksieprogram is ook moontlik en sal relatief min addisionele insette vereis. 'n Gedeelte van die werk is reeds gepubliseer en word hierbyaangeheg as Aanhangsel D.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-02-15Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:43:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 abrao_f_me_botfm_prot.pdf: 3819021 bytes, checksum: 286b7ab59b9920e305887bd1c6365981 (MD5) / Fundação para o Desenvolvimento Médico e Hospitalar (Famesp) / Validar a polipectomia por vídeo-endoscopia como método terapêutico para pacientes com esterilidade, com sangramento uterino anormal e assintomáticas com pólipos endometriais. Pacientes e Métodos:Trabalho analítico e retrospectivo, cujos dados foram obtidos através de consultas aos prontuários de pacientes já submetidas a histeroscopias diagnósticas e cirúrgicas, no Setor de Endoscopia Ginecológica da Disciplina de Ginecologia da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (UNESP) e da Clínica de Ginecologia Dr. Feres Abrão de Marília, atendidas entre o período de 2004 a 2005. Foram estudadas 208 mulheres submetidas ao exame histeroscópico com diagnóstico de pólipo endometrial. As pacientes foram distribuídas em 3 grupos, assim denominados: Grupo I (n=54), pacientes com queixa de esterilidade, Grupo II (n=59), pacientes com queixa de sangramento uterino anormal, Grupo III (n=95), pacientes assintomáticas com ultrassom vaginal anormal. Resultados: Pacientes do grupo I (Esterilidade), a faixa etária situou-se com maior incidência entre 31 e 35 anos, o peso situou-se entre 66,0 e 70,0 kg, o IMC de 20-25 (normal) em 50% dos casos, predominou a raça branca em 88,88%, não fumantes em 98,10%, hipertensão arterial em 1,85%, gestação 0 (G0) em 77,77%, associação de pólipo cervical e endometrial em 40%. A localização dos pólipos endometriais foi em 61,10% na parede anterior e posterior do útero. A biópsia orientada encontrou 11,11% de pólipos endometriais, sendo 100% benignos e o anátomo patológico, após polipectomia, encontrou 98,14% de pólipo endometriais benignos e pólipos endometriais com atipias em 1,85%. A esterilidade (1ª) ocorreu em 77,77% e secundária (2ª) em 33,33%, a gravidez ocorreu em 31,4% das pacientes no primeiro ano após a polipectomia e o ultrassom vaginal apresentou normalidade em 24% dos casos... / To evaluate polypectomy by video-endoscopy as a method of treating patients with abnormal uterine bleeding and asymptomatic endometrial polyps. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of data obtained from medical records of patients who had already undergone diagnostic and surgical endoscopies at The Gynaecology Discipline of Botucatu Medical School (UNESP), Botucatu, and The Dr. Feres Abrão Gynaecology Clinic, Marilia, SP, Brazil in 2004 and 2005. We studied 208 women submitted to hysteroscopy exam with a diagnosis of endometrial polyp. They were distributed into three groups: Group I (n=54) sterility; Group II (n=59) abnormal uterine bleeding; and Group III (n=95) asymptomatic with abnormal vaginal ultrasound. Results: In Group I (sterility) the most common age group was 31-35 years and weight between 66.0 and 70.0kg; 50% had BMI of 20-25 (normal), 88.88% were white, 98.10% were non-smokers, and 1.85% had arterial hypertension. Number of gestations was zero (G0) in 77.77%, 40% had associated cervical and endometrial polyps. In 61.10% of cases endometrial polyps were on the anterior and posterior uterine walls; guided biopsy found 11.11% of endometrial polyps which were all benign, and after polypectomy, anatomic pathology found benign polyps in 98.14% and atypical polyps in 1.85%. Primary sterility occurred in 77.77% and secondary in 33.33%, pregnancy in the first year after polypectomy occurred in 31.4%, and ultrasound was normal in 24% of cases. In Group II (abnormal uterine bleeding) the most common age group was 41-45 years and weight between 66.0 and 70.0kg; 49.15% had BMI 26-30 (overweight), 88.19% were white, 91.52% were non-smokers, and 10.16% had systemic arterial hypertension...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Rogério Dias / Banca: Jorge Nahas / Banca: Reginaldo Guedes / Resumo: Validar a polipectomia por vídeo-endoscopia como método terapêutico para pacientes com esterilidade, com sangramento uterino anormal e assintomáticas com pólipos endometriais. Pacientes e Métodos:Trabalho analítico e retrospectivo, cujos dados foram obtidos através de consultas aos prontuários de pacientes já submetidas a histeroscopias diagnósticas e cirúrgicas, no Setor de Endoscopia Ginecológica da Disciplina de Ginecologia da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (UNESP) e da Clínica de Ginecologia Dr. Feres Abrão de Marília, atendidas entre o período de 2004 a 2005. Foram estudadas 208 mulheres submetidas ao exame histeroscópico com diagnóstico de pólipo endometrial. As pacientes foram distribuídas em 3 grupos, assim denominados: Grupo I (n=54), pacientes com queixa de esterilidade, Grupo II (n=59), pacientes com queixa de sangramento uterino anormal, Grupo III (n=95), pacientes assintomáticas com ultrassom vaginal anormal. Resultados: Pacientes do grupo I (Esterilidade), a faixa etária situou-se com maior incidência entre 31 e 35 anos, o peso situou-se entre 66,0 e 70,0 kg, o IMC de 20-25 (normal) em 50% dos casos, predominou a raça branca em 88,88%, não fumantes em 98,10%, hipertensão arterial em 1,85%, gestação 0 (G0) em 77,77%, associação de pólipo cervical e endometrial em 40%. A localização dos pólipos endometriais foi em 61,10% na parede anterior e posterior do útero. A biópsia orientada encontrou 11,11% de pólipos endometriais, sendo 100% benignos e o anátomo patológico, após polipectomia, encontrou 98,14% de pólipo endometriais benignos e pólipos endometriais com atipias em 1,85%. A esterilidade (1ª) ocorreu em 77,77% e secundária (2ª) em 33,33%, a gravidez ocorreu em 31,4% das pacientes no primeiro ano após a polipectomia e o ultrassom vaginal apresentou normalidade em 24% dos casos...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: To evaluate polypectomy by video-endoscopy as a method of treating patients with abnormal uterine bleeding and asymptomatic endometrial polyps. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of data obtained from medical records of patients who had already undergone diagnostic and surgical endoscopies at The Gynaecology Discipline of Botucatu Medical School (UNESP), Botucatu, and The Dr. Feres Abrão Gynaecology Clinic, Marilia, SP, Brazil in 2004 and 2005. We studied 208 women submitted to hysteroscopy exam with a diagnosis of endometrial polyp. They were distributed into three groups: Group I (n=54) sterility; Group II (n=59) abnormal uterine bleeding; and Group III (n=95) asymptomatic with abnormal vaginal ultrasound. Results: In Group I (sterility) the most common age group was 31-35 years and weight between 66.0 and 70.0kg; 50% had BMI of 20-25 (normal), 88.88% were white, 98.10% were non-smokers, and 1.85% had arterial hypertension. Number of gestations was zero (G0) in 77.77%, 40% had associated cervical and endometrial polyps. In 61.10% of cases endometrial polyps were on the anterior and posterior uterine walls; guided biopsy found 11.11% of endometrial polyps which were all benign, and after polypectomy, anatomic pathology found benign polyps in 98.14% and atypical polyps in 1.85%. Primary sterility occurred in 77.77% and secondary in 33.33%, pregnancy in the first year after polypectomy occurred in 31.4%, and ultrasound was normal in 24% of cases. In Group II (abnormal uterine bleeding) the most common age group was 41-45 years and weight between 66.0 and 70.0kg; 49.15% had BMI 26-30 (overweight), 88.19% were white, 91.52% were non-smokers, and 10.16% had systemic arterial hypertension...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre