Oswaldo Cruz Foundation

About: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation is a facility organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Trypanosoma cruzi. The organization has 18673 authors who have published 36752 publications receiving 802378 citations. The organization is also known as: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz & FIOCRUZ.

AIDS e pauperização: principais conceitos e evidências empíricas

Abstract: O artigo discute as estrategias metodologicas que vem sendo usadas na analise das inter-relacoes entre a vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS e as desigualdades sociais, o preconceito e a marginalizacao, ressaltando-se as dificuldades metodologicas e as estrategias alternativas de investigacao encontradas. Os principais achados da literatura internacional e brasileira foram revistos, enfatizando-se os temas: dimensoes economicas e macropoliticas da difusao do HIV/ AIDS; papel do consumo e da politica de drogas; desigualdade e preconceito de genero; desigualdade e preconceito racial/origem etnica; interacao com as demais infeccoes sexualmente transmissiveis e sua relacao com a pobreza; padroes de assistencia a saude e HIV/AIDS, em especial, acesso a anti-retrovirais; e violacao dos direitos humanos. Apesar da restrita producao academica brasileira e dos dilemas metodologicos envolvidos no exame das inter-relacoes entre variaveis psicossociais, culturais, socio-politicas e vulnerabilidade ao HIV/AIDS, tais temas devem ser investigados em detalhe - considerando especificidades sociais e culturais do Brasil - e beneficiados pelas novas estrategias de pesquisa.

Mouse paw edema. A new model for inflammation

Abstract: 1 Injection of carrageenan into the mouse paw produced a biphasic edema During the first phase, which developed up to 24 h, edema was of low intensity and unrelated to the dose of carrageenan given During the second phase, after 24 h, edema was more pronounced, presented a clear dose-response relationship and peaked at 72 h after injection 2 Histological analysis of the subplantar area 4 h after carrageenan injection revealed a diffuse cellular infiltrate with predominance of polymorphonuclear neutrophils Between 48 and 72 h, an intense accumulation of macrophages, eosinophils and lymphocytes was observed, together with a great increase in the number of circulating leukocytes and platelets 3 Pretreatment with the anti-inflammatory drugs indomethacin and dexamethasone reduced both phases of edema in a dose-dependent fashion 4 The present study shows that carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema constitutes a new and interesting model for the study of the mediators of inflammation and for the screening of new anti-inflammatory drugs

T-cell release of granulysin contributes to host defense in leprosy.

Abstract: A novel mechanism by which T cells contribute to host defense against microbial pathogens is release of the antimicrobial protein granulysin. We investigated the role of granulysin in human infectious disease using leprosy as a model. Granulysin-expressing T cells were detected in cutaneous leprosy lesions at a six-fold greater frequency in patients with the localized tuberculoid as compared with the disseminated lepromatous form of the disease. In contrast, perforin, a cytolytic molecule that colocalizes with granulysin in cytotoxic granules, was expressed at similar levels across the spectrum of disease. Within leprosy lesions, granulysin colocalized in CD4+ T cells and was expressed in CD4+ T-cell lines derived from skin lesions. These CD4+ T-cell lines lysed targets by the granule exocytosis pathway and reduced the viability of mycobacteria in infected targets. Given the broad antimicrobial spectrum of granulysin, these data provide evidence that T-cell release of granulysin contributes to host defense in human infectious disease.

Disruption of Plasmodium falciparum development by antibodies against a conserved mosquito midgut antigen.

Abstract: Malaria parasites must undergo development within mosquitoes to be transmitted to a new host. Antivector transmission-blocking vaccines inhibit parasite development by preventing ookinete interaction with mosquito midgut ligands. Therefore, the discovery of novel midgut antigen targets is paramount. Jacalin (a lectin) inhibits ookinete attachment by masking glycan ligands on midgut epithelial surface glycoproteins. However, the identities of these midgut glycoproteins have remained unknown. Here we report on the molecular characterization of an Anopheles gambiae aminopeptidase N (AgAPN1) as the predominant jacalin target on the mosquito midgut luminal surface and provide evidence for its role in ookinete invasion. α-AgAPN1 IgG strongly inhibited both Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum development in different mosquito species, implying that AgAPN1 has a conserved role in ookinete invasion of the midgut. Molecules targeting single midgut antigens seldom achieve complete abrogation of parasite development. However, the combined blocking activity of α-AgAPN1 IgG and an unrelated inhibitory peptide, SM1, against P. berghei was incomplete. We also found that SM1 can block only P. berghei, whereas α-AgAPN1 IgG can block both parasite species significantly. Therefore, we hypothesize that ookinetes can evade inhibition by two potent transmission-blocking molecules, presumably through the use of other ligands, and that this process further partitions murine from human parasite midgut invasion models. These results advance our understanding of malaria parasite–mosquito host interactions and guide in the design of transmission-blocking vaccines.

Changes of Physical Activity and Ultra-Processed Food Consumption in Adolescents from Different Countries during Covid-19 Pandemic: An Observational Study.

Abstract: Aim: to describe physical activity and ultra-processed foods consumption, their changes and sociodemographic predictors among adolescents from countries in Europe (Italy and Spain) and Latin America (Brazil, Chile, and Colombia) during the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic period. Methods: Cross-sectional study via web survey. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and weekly ultra-processed food consumption data were used. To compare the frequencies of physical activity status with sociodemographic variables, a multinomial logistic and a multiple logistic regression for habitual ultra-processed foods was performed. In final models, p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Sample of 726 adolescents, mostly females (59.6%) aged 16–19 years old (54.3%). Adolescents from Latin America presented odds ratio (OR) 2.98 (CI 95% 1.80–4.94) of being inactive and those whose mothers had higher level of education were less active during lockdown [OR 0.40 (CI 95% 0.20–0.84)]. The habitual ultra-processed consumption was also high during this period in all countries, and more prevalent in Latin America. Conclusion: A higher prevalence of inactivity was observed in this population, but reductions of physical activity and habitual ultra-processed consumption during the pandemic were more pronounced in Latin America. Our findings reinforce the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle, i.e., exercise and diet, during periods of social isolation.