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.

Role of Tumor Necrosis Factor–α and Interleukin-10 Promoter Gene Polymorphisms in Leprosy

Abstract: Single-nucleotide polymorphismswithin thegenescodingfortumornecrosisfactor(TNF)‐a and interleukin (IL)‐10 have been associated with several infectious diseases. To determine whether such polymorphisms are associated with leprosy, genotyping was performed at the 308 and 238 positions of the promoter of the TNF-a gene in 210 and 191 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy, respectively; 90 and 79 patients with paucibacillary (PB) leprosy; and 92 control subjects. For the 592 and 819 positions within the promoter of the IL-10 gene, 143 patients with MB leprosy, 79 patients with PB leprosy, and 62 control subjects were included in the analysis. TNF2 allele frequency was significantly higheramong controlsubjects than among all patients with leprosy or in the MB group ( and ). For the ILP ! .05 P ! .01 10 gene, the frequency of the homozygous 819TT genotype was significantly higher among patients than among control subjects. These data indicate that a relationship exists between TNF-a and IL-10 promoter polymorphisms and the development of PB leprosy. The more benign paucibacillary (PB) forms of leprosy— borderline tuberculoid (BT) and tuberculoid tuberculoid (TT) leprosy—are characterized by the predominance of a Th1-type immune response, the presence of well-formed granulomas at the site of the lesion, and control of mycobacterial replication. In contrast, in the multibacillary (MB) forms—borderline borderline (BB) and borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy and lepromatous leprosy (LL)—no granuloma is seen, and high bacterial load and antibody levels are detected. Cytokines evidently play a critical role in triggering host-pathogen interactions. On one hand, greater tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–a production,

Association of subgingival colonization of Candida albicans and other yeasts with severity of chronic periodontitis.

Abstract: Background and Objective The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between the subgingival colonization by Candida albicans and other yeasts with the severity of chronic periodontitis (CP). Material and Methods After sample size calculation, 40 patients with CP and 20 healthy subjects (HS) were included in the study. Cases of slight-moderate (MCP, n = 23) and severe CP (SCP, n = 17) were defined according to the Centers for Disease Control/American Association of Periodontology classification. Subgingival samples were acquired using sterile paper-points from the sulcus or the deepest periodontal pocket of each healthy and subject with CP, respectively, and were cultured aerobically on three selective media. Yeast colonies that grew on the surface of plates were later identified by biochemical reactions. Statistical tests were used to analyze the association between subgingival yeast colonization (number of yeast-positive individuals and colony forming units (CFU) per subject) and periodontal disease status, considering statistical significance when P < 0.05. Results Although several yeast species were found (C. parapisilosis, Rhodotorula sp., C. dubliniensis and C. tropicalis), only C. albicans was present in all the patients with yeast-positive CP. Twelve patients (30%) with CP presented yeasts in the subgingival biofilm while only three patients (15%) in the HS group were positive for these microorganisms. No statistical difference was found between the CP and HS groups (P = 0.084). However, when the CP group was divided on the basis of severity, statistical differences were observed between the SCP and MCP groups (47% vs. 17%, P = 0.043), and between the SCP and HS groups (47% vs. 15%, P = 0.033). No statistical difference was observed between the MCP and HS groups (17% vs. 15%, P = 0.832). High densities of yeasts were found only in patients with MCP and SCP (mean and range 61.25 (0–100) CFU/plate and mean and range 51 (0–101) CFU/plate, respectively). Conclusion In this group of patients, subgingival colonization of some yeasts, especially C. albicans, was associated with the severity of CP.

Synergy in plant medicines.

Abstract: The notion that medicines derived from plants depend for their action on active principles present has to be modified in view of the findings that there are, in many cases, adjuvant substances in the plant which enhance the activity of the components actually responsible for the effect. This synergy may involve protection of an active substance from degradation by enzymes; it may facilitate transport across barriers such as cell and organelle walls, it may overcome multi-drug resistance mechanisms or provide other signals to the host's cells that result in higher efficacy of the crude drug when compared with isolated components. The many plant substances that stimulate the immune system, often at very low doses, have not been reviewed as this is not strictly speaking synergy. Some of the evidence for the phenomena described is reviewed and its bearing on phytotherapy commented.