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La Pandemia de COVID-19 en Brasil: Serie de Proyecciones del Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation y la Evolución Observada, desde mayo hasta agosto, 2020
No full textObjetivo: Descrever as projeções do Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) para a COVID-19 no Brasil e seus estados, apresentar sua acurácia e discutir suas implicações. Métodos: As previsões do IHME de maio a agosto de 2020, para o Brasil e alguns estados, foram comparadas ao número de mortes cumulativas observadas. Resultados: A projeção prevê 182.809 mortes causadas pela pandemia até 1º de dezembro de 2020 no Brasil. O aumento no uso de máscara poderia poupar ~17 mil óbitos. O erro médio no número acumulado de óbitos em duas, quatro e seis semanas das projeções foi de 13%, 18% e 22% respectivamente. Conclusão: Projeções de curto e médio prazo dispõem dados importantes e acurácia suficiente para informar os gestores de saúde, autoridades eleitas e sociedade geral. Após trajeto difícil até agosto, a pandemia, conforme as projeções, terá declínio sustentado, embora demorado, causando em média 400 óbitos/dia no início de dezembro.Objective: To describe the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) projections for the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and the Brazilian states, present their accuracy and discuss their implications. Methods: The IHME projections from May to August 2020 for Brazil and selected states were compared with the ensuing reported number of cumulative deaths. Results: The pandemic was projected to cause 182,809 deaths by December 1, 2020 in Brazil. An increase in mask use could reduce the projected death toll by ~17,000. The mean error in the cumulative number of deaths at 2, 4 and 6 weeks after the projections were made was 13%, 18% and 22%, respectively. Conclusion: Short and medium-term projections provide important and sufficiently accurate data to inform health managers, elected officials, and society at large. After following an arduous course up until August, the pandemic is projected to decline steadily although slowly, with ~400 deaths/day still occurring in early December.Objetivo: Describir las proyecciones del Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation para COVID-19 en Brasil y sus estados, presentar su precisión y discutir sus implicaciones. Métodos: Las previsiones del IHME de mayo a agosto de 2020 para Brasil y algunos estados, se compararon con las muertes acumuladas observadas. Resultados: La proyección prevé 182.809 muertes por la pandemia hasta el 1º de diciembre de 2020 en Brasil. Un aumento en el uso de mascarillas podría evitar ~17.000 muertes. El error medio en el número acumulado de muertes en 2, 4 y 6 semanas de las proyecciones fue de 13%, 18% y 22%. Conclusión: Las proyecciones de corto y medio plazo proporcionan datos importantes y con suficiente precisión para informar a los administradores de salud, autoridades electas y a la sociedad. Después de un camino difícil hasta agosto, la pandemia, según las proyecciones, tendrá una disminución sostenida, pero lenta, y seguirá causando alrededor de 400 muertes/día a principios de diciembre
Leishmaniose visceral americana em estado do nordeste brasileiro: aspectos clínicos, epidemiológicos e laboratoriais
No full textIn Brazil, American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) has become a public health concern due to its high incidence and lethality. This study aimed to analyze the clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory aspects of AVL in a state of Brazil. This descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, and quantitative study of notified cases of AVL was carried out in Alagoas between 2008 and 2017 from data obtained from DATASUS/SINAN. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were analyzed. A descriptive analysis was performed using absolute values and valid percentages, using tables and/or graphs. Data processing was performed using Stata 12.0®. Results with P <0.05 were considered statistically significant. During the study period, 352 cases of AVL were reported, of which 6.82% died and 38.92% had met a cure criterion. Male patients were predominant (66.76%). Of the total infected patients, 16.76% had attended only the 1st to the 4th grades, with those most affected aged 1 to 4 years (28.69%). Laboratory diagnostic criteria were most commonly used to confirm the notified cases (76.42%), whereas 51.70% and 8.52% of the cases had positive parasitological and immunofluorescence diagnoses, respectively. Finally, the study showed a higher prevalence of the disease in children, men and in rural residents. Although with low lethality, the expressive frequency of AVL in the State of Alagoas was still verified, since there was an increase in the number of cases during the years of the study
Programa de Desenvolvimento Gerencial da Fiocruz: análise dos desdobramentos da educação corporativa no Brasil como um projeto educacional
No full textEsta pesquisa tem como foco o Programa de Desenvolvimento Gerencial da Escola Corporativa da Fiocruz, implementado em 2014 a partir dos conceitos da Educação Corporativa e seguindo os princípios da chamada Nova Gestão Pública que, por sua vez, é oriunda da agenda neoliberal adotada pelos governos brasileiros no contexto pós Constituição Federal de 1988. Apoiando-se nos objetivos da Educação Profissional a partir de sua vertente crítica, este trabalho visa analisar as ideias e objetivos que nortearam a implementação da Educação Corporativa na Fiocruz, buscando compreender suas motivações e possíveis impactos para a Instituição. Tendo como premissa a percepção de uma sociedade cada vez mais complexa e, ao mesmo tempo, cada vez mais impregnada pela perspectiva neoliberal de relações cada vez mais individualizadas e precárias, faz-se necessário recuperar a sabedoria oriunda do contato humano direto e do conhecimento tácito, ora sonegados pela visão tecnicista do trabalho, pelas relações individualistas e pela coerção imposta a partir da nova legislação trabalhista.This research focused on the Management Development Program of the Fiocruz's Corporative School, implemented in 2014 and based on Corporative Education concepts, following the principles of the so-called "new public management" which, in turn, is connected to the Brazilian neoliberal agenda adopted by the Brazilian governments after the 1988's Constitution. Supported by the principles of the Professional Educational under Critical Theory, this work aims to analyze the main ideas and objectives that have been guiding Corporative Education within the Fiocruz, trying to understand its motivations and historical perspectives. Taking as a premise the perception of a society increasingly complex and, at the same time, increasingly submissive to a neoliberal vision of vertical, superficial, and impersonal work relations; it's necessary to retrieve the wisdom that comes from direct human contact and tacit knowledge, now denied by the technical vision of the work, by individualistic relationships and by the coercion imposed by the new labor legislation
Novel N,N-di-alkylnaphthoimidazolium derivative of β-lapachone impaired Trypanosoma cruzi mitochondrial electron transport system
No full textTrypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease that is endemic
in Latin America and spreading worldwide due to globalization. The current treatments are based on benzni dazole and nifurtimox; however, these drugs have important limitations and limited efficacy during the chronic
phase, reinforcing the necessity of an alternative chemotherapy. For the last 30 years, our group has been
evaluating the biological activity of naphthoquinones and derivatives on T. cruzi, and of the compounds tested,
N1, N2 and N3 were found to be the most active in vitro. Here, we show the synthesis of a novel β-lapachone derived naphthoimidazolium named N4 and assess its activity on T. cruzi stages and the mechanism of action.
The new compound was very active on all parasite stages (IC50/24 h in the range of 0.8–7.9 μM) and had a
selectivity index of 5.4. Mechanistic analyses reveal that mitochondrial ROS production begins after short
treatment starts and primarily affects the activity of complexes II-III. After 24 h treatment, a partial restoration of
mitochondrial physiology (normal complexes II-III and IV activities and controlled H2O2 release) was observed;
however, an extensive injury in its morphology was still detected. During treatment with N4, we also observed
that trypanothione reductase activity increased in a time-dependent manner and concomitant with increased
oxidative stress. Molecular docking calculations indicated the ubiquinone binding site of succinate dehydroge nase as an important interaction point with N4, as with the FMN binding site of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase.
The results presented here may be a good starting point for the development of alternative treatments for Chagas
disease and for understanding the mechanism of naphthoimidazoles in T. cruzi
Lo que la lactancia materna arrebata y el destete restaura: relatos maternos acerca de tensiones y discursos de salud y materiales educativos
No full textOs discursos pró-aleitamento materno contemporâneos reforçam certos sentidos acerca da amamentação, ao mesmo tempo que silenciam outros, afeitos à relação da mulher com seu corpo, sua sexualidade e seu trabalho, bem como o processo de desmame. Neste artigo, buscamos, à luz da análise de discursos de inspiração foucaultiana, da psicanálise e de estudos feministas, dar visibilidade aos sentidos atribuídos pelas mulheres à experiência de amamentação, em toda sua complexidade, incluindo o desmame. Entrevistamos 11 mulheres que haviam amamentado e vivenciado o último desmame havia, no máximo, dois anos. Encontramos similaridades entre relatos maternos e discursos oficiais, mas identificamos também tensionamentos, perdas e ressignificações que a mulher experimenta no período de amamentação. As falas sobre o desmame (e mudanças decorrentes dele) indicam que este se encontra associado ao sentido de liberdade, de restauração de aspectos da identidade feminina que haviam sido tomados da mulher durante a gravidez e o período de amamentação.Contemporary pro-breastfeeding speeches reinforce certain meanings about breastfeeding, while silencing
others, such as the woman’s relationship with her body, sexuality and work, as well as the weaning process.
In this article, based on the discourse analysis by Foucault, on psychoanalysis and on feminist studies, we seek to reveal the meanings attribute by women who breastfeed to their experience while breastfeeding in all its complexity, including weaning. We interviewed 11 women who had breastfed and waned their babies up to two years ago. We found similarities between maternal narratives and official speeches, but we also identified tensions, losses and resignificances that women went through during breastfeeding. Their answers about weaning (and its consequences) indicate its association with the sense of freedom, and with the restoration of aspects of the female identity that had been taken away from the woman during pregnancy and the breastfeeding period.Los discursos contemporáneos en favor de la lactancia refuerzan ciertos significados sobre esa experiencia, mientras silencian otros, como la relación de la mujer con su cuerpo, sexualidad y trabajo, así como el proceso de destete. En este artículo buscamos, a la luz del análisis de discursos inspirado por Foucault, del psicoanálisis y de estudios feministas, dar visibilidade a los significados que las mujeres atribuyen a la experiencia de la lactancia, en toda su complejidad, incluido el destete. Entrevistamos 11 mujeres que habían amamantado y experimentado el último destete en el plazo máximo de dos años atrás. Encontramos similitudes entre los informes maternos y los discursos oficiales, pero también identificamos tensiones, pérdidas y nuevas significaciones que las mujeres experimentan durante la lactancia. Las respuestas sobre el destete (y los cambios que se derivan de él) demuestran que éste está asociado a la sensación de libertad, de restaurar aspectos de la identidad femenina que habían sido arrebatados de la mujer durante el embarazo y en el periodo de la lactancia
Lutzomyia longipalpis: an update on this sand fly vector
No full textLutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of Leishmania infantum, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the New World. It is a permissive vector susceptible to infection with several Leishmania species. One of the advantages that favors the study of this sand fly is the possibility of colonization in the laboratory. For this reason, several researchers around the world use this species as a model for different subjects including biology, insecticides testing, host-parasite interaction, physiology, genetics, proteomics, molecular biology, and saliva among others. In 2003, we published our first review (Soares & Turco 2003) on this vector covering several aspects of Lu. longipalpis. This current review summarizes what has been published between 2003-2020. During this period, modern approaches were incorporated following the development of more advanced and sensitive techniques to assess this sand fly
Association of Polymorphisms in the Glutathione S-Transferase Theta-1 Gene with Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Brazilian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C
No full textAbstract: Oxidative stress contributes to hepatitis C virus (HCV)–induced liver damage. Host genetic
factors may be involved in progression of HCV infection. The present study was conducted to
determine the influence of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-M1 and T1 gene polymorphisms during
different stages of HCV infection, including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC). The study population comprised 190 patients (47 with chronic hepatitis, 83 with cirrhosis
(without HCC), and 60 with HCC). GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene polymorphisms were analyzed via
multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The GSTT1-null genotype was more commonly detected in
patients with cirrhosis (n = 17; 20.5%) and HCC (n = 13; 21.7%) than those with chronic hepatitis (n = 3;
6.4%). The differences in GSTT1-null genotype frequencies were significant for cirrhosis vs. chronic
hepatitis (odds ratio, OR, 3.778 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.045–13.659); p = 0.043) and HCC vs.
chronic hepatitis (OR, 4.057 (95% CI, 1.083–15.201); p = 0.038) groups. However, the incidence of
individual GSTM1-null or combined GSTM1/GSTT1 double-null genotypes did not vary significantly
between the groups. Our collective findings support the utility of the GSTT1-null genotype as a
useful biomarker for liver disease progression in Brazilian patients with chronic hepatitis C
Science and Covid-19 in Brazil: the repercussion of WHO decisions in Twitter
No full textLicença atribuída ao artigo pela revista: CC BY-NC-ND.O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a discussão sobre a ciência, seu papel e funcionamento, no contexto da pandemia de Covid-19 no Brasil. Foi realizado um estudo da repercussão no Twitter das decisões da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) sobre os testes com a cloroquina e/ou hidroxicloroquina para o tratamento da Covid-19 em três momentos: (i) suspensão temporária; (ii) retomada; e (iii) interrupção. Foram analisados 501.123 tweets. Os resultados indicam uma incompreensão quanto ao funcionamento da pesquisa científica e a presença de discursos politicamente interessados contrários à ciência.This work objective is to analyze the discussion on science, its role and functioning, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. A study of the repercussion on Twitter of the decisions of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the tests of chloroquine and/or hydroxychloroquine for the Covid-19 treatment was carried out in three moments: (i) temporary suspension, (ii) resumption, and (iii) interruption. 501,123 tweets were analyzed. The results indicate an incomprehension about scientific research functioning and the presence of politically interested discourses against science.El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la discusión sobre la ciencia, su rol y su funcionamiento, en el contexto de la pandemia Covid 19 en Brasil. Se realizó un estudio de la repercusión en Twitter de las decisiones de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) sobre las pruebas de cloroquina y/o hidroxicloroquina para el tratamiento de Covid-19 en tres momentos: (i) suspensión temporal, (ii) reanudación, y (iii) interrupción. Se analizaron 501,123 tweets. Los resultados indican una incomprensión sobre el funcionamiento de la investigación científica y la presencia de discursos contra la ciencia políticamente interesados
The paradoxical and still obscure properties of fungal extracellular vesicles
No full textEarly compositional studies of fungal EVs revealed a complex combination of biomolecules, including proteins, lipids, glycans, polysaccharides, nucleic acid and pigments, indicating that these compartments could be involved with multiple functions. Curiously, some of the activities attributed to fungal EVs were already attested experimentally and are implicated with contrasting effects in vitro and in vivo. For instance, the presence of virulence factors is correlated with increased pathogenic potential. Indeed, the administration to hosts of EVs along with some fungal pathogens seems to help the disease development. However, it has been clearly shown that immunization of insects and mice with fungal EVs can protect these animals against a subsequent infection. Fungal EVs not only influence the host response, as concluded from the observation that these compartments also work as messengers between fungal organisms. In this context, despite their size characterization, other physical properties of EVs are poorly known. For instance, their stability and half-life under physiological conditions can be a crucial parameter determining their long-distance effects. In this review, we will discuss the paradoxical and still unexploited functions and properties of fungal EVs that could be determinant for their biological functions.2030-12-3
Neurotransmitters Modulate Intrathymic T-cell Development
No full textThe existence of a crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems is well
established. Neurotransmitters can be produced by immune cells, whereas cytokines
can be secreted by cells of nervous tissues. Additionally, cells of both systems express
the corresponding receptors. Herein, we discuss the thymus as a paradigm for studies
on the neuroimmune network. The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ responsible for
the maturation of T lymphocytes. Intrathymic T-cell development is mostly controlled by
the thymic microenvironment, formed by thymic epithelial cells (TEC), dendritic cells,
macrophages, and fibroblasts. Developing thymocytes and microenvironmental cells
can be influenced by exogenous and endogenous stimuli; neurotransmitters are among
the endogenous molecules. Norepinephrine is secreted at nerve endings in the thymus,
but are also produced by thymic cells, being involved in controlling thymocyte death.
Thymocytes and TEC express acetylcholine receptors, but the cognate neurotransmitter
seems to be produced and released by lymphoid and microenvironmental cells, not by
nerve endings. Evidence indicates that, among others, TECs also produce serotonin and
dopamine, as well as somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and
the typical pituitary neurohormones, oxytocin and arg-vasopressin. Although functional
data of these molecules in the thymus are scarce, they are likely involved in intrathymic T
cell development, as exemplified by somatostatin, which inhibits thymocyte proliferation,
differentiation, migration and cytokine production. Overall, intrathymic neuroimmune
interactions include various neurotransmitters, most of them of non-neuronal origin,
and that should be placed as further physiological players in the general process of
T-cell development