Objectives: Gestational syphilis is a significant public health concern that receives free care under the Brazilian public health system. In recent years, there has been a reported increase in cases of gestational syphilis in several... more
Objectives: Gestational syphilis is a significant public health concern that receives free care under the Brazilian public health system. In recent years, there has been a reported increase in cases of gestational syphilis in several regions. The current study aimed to investigate all reported cases of gestational syphilis in the municipality of Caucaia to identify potential causes for this rise. Methods: The study employed a retrospective (2016-2020), quantitative, and documentary research design. Data were collected from the Information System of Diseases and Notification, as well as Excel spreadsheets, and analyzed using Oneway ANOVA. Results: The study demonstrated that the municipality had 361 reported cases, with continuous growth in the last five years. The profile of pregnant women was prevalent among young people, with emphasis on the age group of 18-25 years, of the predominant brown color, followed by the yellow race. Low levels of education (less than 8 years of study) w...
Aim: Knowing the use in the education of podcasts was occurring in some countries, the present work developed one in Portuguese. The aim was to promote health and combat disinformation in Brazil. Methods: Different categories of Podcasts... more
Aim: Knowing the use in the education of podcasts was occurring in some countries, the present work developed one in Portuguese. The aim was to promote health and combat disinformation in Brazil. Methods: Different categories of Podcasts were created: shorter/longer; with/without guests and disease-related issues or other topics about prevention/health education. After that, the audios were edited and submitted on platforms: Results: It was analyzed through the data generated by the published episodes. It was observed that duration vs several reproductions did not correlate with (p=0.2521). Then, the presence/absence of guests (p=0.1779). However, themes related to infectious and chronic diseases obtained more significant results (p=0.0466) when compared to the other topics. Also, we noticed that our listeners are primarily men aged between 18 and 27 years old and residing in Brazil. Conclusion: Podcasts may be able to disseminate knowledge, however, themes and the type of audience ...
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Research Interests: Genetics, Population Genetics, Biology, Brazil, Medicine, and 15 moreGene expression, Immunogenetics, Humans, Natural Killer cells, Haplotypes, Gene, European Continental Ancestry Group, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, Base Sequence, Allele, Perforin, Haplotype, Molecular Sequence Data, alleles, and Gene frequency
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<p>(A) Representative scattergraphs were used to establish the concept of low biomarker producers (white) and high biomarker producers (black). The results from all groups studied (non-infected donors, HACs and HAM/TSP patients)... more
<p>(A) Representative scattergraphs were used to establish the concept of low biomarker producers (white) and high biomarker producers (black). The results from all groups studied (non-infected donors, HACs and HAM/TSP patients) were assembled to calculate the global median for each biomarker. Low biomarker producers were defined as having values lower than the global median, whereas high biomarker producers were defined as having values greater than or equal to the global median cut-off. Data from 3 of 18 molecules analyzed are shown. (B–D) The diagrams were plotted using the global median index of plasma biomarkers (measured by ELISA) as the cut-off to identify each volunteer as a low (□) or high (▪) producer. The ascendant frequency of high producers found in the NI group was established as a reference curve (–□–) to identify changes in the overall biomarker signature of the other groups. Significant differences were defined as a shift to a distinct 25% quartile interval between the studied groups. *, significantly different values compared with NI donors; <sup>#</sup>, significantly different values compared with HACs. NI – non-infected healthy donors; HAC – HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers; HAM – HAM/TSP subjects.</p
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Purpose Knowing the use in the education of podcasts was occurring in some countries, the present work developed one in Portuguese. The aim was to promote health and combat disinformation in Brazil. Methods Different categories of... more
Purpose Knowing the use in the education of podcasts was occurring in some countries, the present work developed one in Portuguese. The aim was to promote health and combat disinformation in Brazil. Methods Different categories of Podcasts were created: shorter/longer; with/without guests and disease-related issues or other topics about prevention/health education. After that, the audios were edited and submitted on platforms: It was analyzed through the data generated by the published episodes. Results It was observed that duration vs several reproductions did not correlate with (p = 0.2521). Then, the presence/absence of guests (p = 0.1779). However, themes related to infectious and chronic diseases obtained more significant results (p = 0.0466) when compared to the other topics. Also, we noticed that our listeners are primarily men aged between 18 and 27 years old and residing in Brazil. Conclusion Podcasts may be able to disseminate knowledge, however, themes and the type of aud...
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INTRODUÇÃO: Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) são ferramentas eficazes na divulgação de conteúdos educacionais possibilitando distribuir informações de qualidade embasados em conhecimentos científicos de forma rápida e fácil.... more
INTRODUÇÃO: Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) são ferramentas eficazes na divulgação de conteúdos educacionais possibilitando distribuir informações de qualidade embasados em conhecimentos científicos de forma rápida e fácil. Nesse cenário, o podcast destaca-se como um modelo de TIC com potencial ferramenta para divulgar informações em saúde de forma ampla, on-line e gratuita. OBJETIVO: Verificar a eficácia do podcast como uma ferramenta de educação em saúde para universitários, bem como analisar o perfil dos ouvintes. MÉTODO: Estudo exploratório, descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, oriundo do desenvolvimento de Podcast como uma TIC, para compartilhar educação em saúde sobre câncer de mama que afeta a população feminina nas mídias sociais durante a pandemia. O podcast foi desenvolvido a partir das seguintes etapas: 1- Busca na literatura científica; 2- Elaboração dos roteiros; 3- Gravação; 4- Edição; 5- Publicação; 6- Divulgação. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: O podcast alc...
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<p><b>Note.</b><sup>a</sup>M/F: male/female;</p>b<p>N/A: not applicable;</p>c<p>HAC: HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers;</p>d<p>HAM/TSP: HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical... more
<p><b>Note.</b><sup>a</sup>M/F: male/female;</p>b<p>N/A: not applicable;</p>c<p>HAC: HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers;</p>d<p>HAM/TSP: HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.</p
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Research Interests: Biology, Medicine, Gene expression, Cell Differentiation, Humans, and 14 moreFemale, Male, Osteoblast, Osteopontin, Alkaline phosphatase, microRNAs, Primary Cell Culture, Osteogenesis, Transfection, Osteoblasts, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells, Bone Marrow Cells, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and Medical and Health Sciences
<p>LTB<sub>4</sub> (A) and CysLTs (B) were measured by EIA after sample purifications on Waters C18 Sep-Pak cartridges. Plasma from non-infected healthy donors (NI), HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (HAC) and HAM/TSP... more
<p>LTB<sub>4</sub> (A) and CysLTs (B) were measured by EIA after sample purifications on Waters C18 Sep-Pak cartridges. Plasma from non-infected healthy donors (NI), HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (HAC) and HAM/TSP subjects (HAM) were used. (C, D) A correlation is shown between the plasma levels of LTB<sub>4</sub> (C), CysLTs (D) and the DNA proviral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HTLV-1-infected individuals (HAC and HAM/TSP) using Pearson rank correlation test. The data are presented as means ± SEM. *<i>p</i><0.05, compared with control; <sup>#</sup><i>p</i><0.05, compared with HAC (one-way ANOVA). Statistically significant correlations at <i>p</i><0.05 are displayed in the graphs along with Pearson’s coefficient (r).</p
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<p>Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed for BLT<sub>1</sub> (A, C) and CysLT<sub>1</sub> (B, D), and their relative expression levels were determined in CD4<sup>+</sup> (A, B) and... more
<p>Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed for BLT<sub>1</sub> (A, C) and CysLT<sub>1</sub> (B, D), and their relative expression levels were determined in CD4<sup>+</sup> (A, B) and CD8<sup>+</sup> (C, D) T cells from twenty non-infected healthy donors (NI), twenty asymptomatic carriers (HAC) and seventeen HAM/TSP patients (HAM). Gene expression levels were normalized to the gene expression levels of <i>ACTB, GAPDH, B2M</i> and <i>RPL13a</i> for CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells and of <i>ACTB</i> for CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells in the same real-time PCR reaction. The data are presented as means ± SEM. *<i>p</i><0.05, compared with NI donors; <sup>#</sup><i>p</i><0.05, compared with HACs (one-way ANOVA).</p
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This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo anti-Leishmania amazonensis activity of a Phospholipase A(Asp49-PLA), isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom, encapsulated in liposomes as a modified toxin release system. The activity of the... more
This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo anti-Leishmania amazonensis activity of a Phospholipase A(Asp49-PLA), isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom, encapsulated in liposomes as a modified toxin release system. The activity of the liposomes was evaluated in BALB/c mice, previously infected with 1×10of the parasite's promastigotes. The size of the paw lesion in Asp49-PLA-liposomal-treated animals, after 21days, was observed as decreasing by 16% relative to the untreated control group and 12% by the Glucantime®-treated animals, which was used as a reference drug. At the end of the treatment, the animals were sacrificed and the paw and lymph node tissues were collected. Part of the collection was used to recover amastigotes and another to quantify cytokines and nitrites. In the group treated with Asp49-PLA-liposomes the parasitic load was observed to be reduced by 73.5% in the macerated lymph node, compared to the control group. Comparatively, in the paw tissue was observed a r...
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INTRODUCTION: The cytolysis mediated by granules is one of the most important effector functions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Recently, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at exons 2, 3,... more
INTRODUCTION: The cytolysis mediated by granules is one of the most important effector functions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Recently, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at exons 2, 3, and 5 of the granzyme B gene, resulting in a haplotype in which three amino acids of mature protein Q48P88Y245 are changed to R48A88H245, which leads to loss of cytotoxic activity of the protein. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of these polymorphisms in Brazilian populations. METHODS: We evaluated the frequency of these polymorphisms in Brazilian ethnic groups (white, Afro-Brazilian, and Asian) by sequencing these regions. RESULTS: The allelic and genotypic frequencies of SNP 2364A/G at exon 2 in Afro-Brazilian individuals (42.3% and 17.3%) were significantly higher when compared with those in whites and Asians (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0007, respectively). The polymorphisms 2933C/G and 4243C/T also were more frequent in Afro-Brazilians but w...
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During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, uncoordinated national responses have been observed around the world which have contributed to the difficulties in controlling the spread of the virus. This lack of dialogue between... more
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, uncoordinated national responses have been observed around the world which have contributed to the difficulties in controlling the spread of the virus. This lack of dialogue between nations reflects several key determinants including the lack of platforms for non-English speaking researchers and healthcare professionals to engage with critical matters in their native languages. Here, we demonstrate how setting up a dedicated forum for Portuguese-speaking professionals from Brazil, Mozambique and Portugal facilitated the comparison of testing strategies undertaken by those countries during 2020. This working group was established in response to an open workshop conducted in Portuguese in March 2020, in which renowned scientists from lusophone countries were invited to share the COVID-19 responses in their respective countries. To date, the group has convened to address actions, in turn identifying the opportunity to publish the...
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: COVID-19 is an emerging outbreak similar to previous pandemics caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Till date, SARS-CoV-2 infection is still spreading, representing a major... more
: COVID-19 is an emerging outbreak similar to previous pandemics caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Till date, SARS-CoV-2 infection is still spreading, representing a major threat to public health, where several control measures are being practiced in order to culminate its spread. The research and development of new drugs require a lot of funding in addition to being a slow and costly process. As a result, new techniques have been proposed to streamline this process. The repositioning or repurposing of drugs represents an attractive strategy, presenting a promising way to introduce new drugs. Currently, numerous reused drugs are already available in the market and are in practice. In this review, it was observed that the antiviral drugs Entricitabine and Tenofovir display potential therapeutic efficacy in preclinical studies. Therefore, in silico analyses were considered a potential tool for predicting the effectiveness of drugs, mainly as an effective approach to encourage a complementary in vitro and in vivo antiviral evaluation.
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Research Interests: Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Prospective studies, Humans, and 14 moreFemale, Male, Young Adult, Aged, Middle Aged, Genotype, Adult, Combination drug therapy, Recombinant Proteins, Polyethylene Glycols, Hepatitis D, Antiviral Agents, Interferon Alpha, and Hepatitis Delta Virus
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INTRODUCTION: The cytolysis mediated by granules is one of the most important effector functions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Recently, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at exons 2, 3,... more
INTRODUCTION: The cytolysis mediated by granules is one of the most important effector functions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Recently, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at exons 2, 3, and 5 of the granzyme B gene, resulting in a haplotype in which three amino acids of mature protein Q48P88Y245 are changed to R48A88H245, which leads to loss of cytotoxic activity of the protein. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of these polymorphisms in Brazilian populations. METHODS: We evaluated the frequency of these polymorphisms in Brazilian ethnic groups (white, Afro-Brazilian, and Asian) by sequencing these regions. RESULTS: The allelic and genotypic frequencies of SNP 2364A/G at exon 2 in Afro-Brazilian individuals (42.3% and 17.3%) were significantly higher when compared with those in whites and Asians (p…