Fundação Oswaldo Cruz

Horizontal mitochondrial transfer and mitochondrial transplantation in skin: protection against UVR-induced ROS damage and enhancement of cell proliferation and wound healing

Skin homeostasis, protection against ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and wound repair depend on coordinated interactions among melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts. Horizontal mitochondrial transfer (HMT) is a naturally occurring form of intercellular communication in which m...

Discovery of Novel Peptides as DPP-IV Inhibitors: In Silico Screening, Molecular Dynamics Simulations, and Preliminary In Vitro Evaluation

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common metabolic disorder characterized by impaired insulin secretion, which leads to obesity. The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has a significant role in glucose homeostasis, but its native form in the human...

Floral dynamics in the protandrous flowers of Bauhinia variegata (Fabaceae): phase-specific morphology, scent, and nectar production

Abstract Main conclusion Protandry in Bauhinia variegata is expressed through coordinated changes in floral morphology, scent composition, secretory activity, and nectar presentation, whereas petal reflectance remains stable; molecular docking further indicates that key phase-ass...

Burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations among adults aged 60 years or more in Brazil: A retrospective surveillance database analysis (2013–2024)

Background Globally, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness in adults aged ≥60 years. Risk increases with advancing age and comorbidities, particularly cardiopulmonary disease and diabetes. RSV disease burden in adults is often underest...

Phytotelm and anthropogenic mosquitoes: community structure in natural and artificial habitats in an Atlantic Forest agroforestry system, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract Agroforestry systems (AFSs) combine agricultural crops with native or exotic trees to promote sustainable production while creating heterogeneous landscapes with diverse fauna microhabitats. In the Atlantic Forest biome, how these systems shape immature mosquito (Culicid...

A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to determine the effect of primaquine dose on efficacy, tolerability and safety in uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria in Latin America

Background Primaquine is widely used to prevent relapses of Plasmodium vivax malaria, but the optimal dose in Latin America is unknown. We undertook a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of different pri...

From Nova food classification to policy implementation: Latin American lessons for the sustainable diets agenda

Latin America has become a major source of conceptual and evidence-informed policy innovation in response to the expansion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).1–3 Although much of this processing-based policy architecture emerged through public health and food and nutrition security...

Arbovirus co-circulation and epidemiological convergence in a changing climate: challenges for surveillance, diagnosis and public health preparedness

Abstract Arboviral diseases are undergoing substantial epidemiological changes driven by climate change, urbanization, global mobility, vector expansion, and evolving ecological conditions. These processes increasingly favor the geographic overlap and co-circulation of multiple a...

Sexual Dimorphism and Intraspecific Toxin Variation in Crotalus durissus terrificus Venom: Insights from Proteomics, Peptidomics, and Structural Modeling

Abstract The venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt) is renowned for its minimalist yet highly toxic arsenal. Intraspecific variability in expressed proteoforms and toxin content has been previously observed in Cdt venom, resulting in heterogene...

O-Glycosylated Oncofetal Fibronectin Expression in Lesions of Human Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Novel Finding in Infectious Diseases

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a chronic infectious disease characterized by extensive tissue destruction and profound extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. This study provides the first evidence of O-glycosylated oncofetal fibronectin (onf-FN) expression in human CL lesions. I...

Sentinel-Augmented Reinforcement Learning with One-Step Ahead Predictive Safety Filtering

Reinforcement learning (RL) consists of a general trial-and-error learning structure in which an agent, based on observations, receives rewards or punishments according to the action taken. This approach has proven to be efficient in many fields of application, such as video game...

Sentinel-Augmented Reinforcement Learning with One-Step Ahead Predictive Safety Filtering

Reinforcement learning (RL) consists of a general trial-and-error learning structure in which an agent, based on observations, receives rewards or punishments according to the action taken. This approach has proven to be efficient in many fields of application, such as video game...

Context-dependent leadership in global health science: Brazil's role across North–South, South–South, and triangular collaboration models (2010–2019)

Abstract Brazil plays an important role in global scientific collaboration in health and life sciences (HLS), yet systematic analysis of how patterns differ across North–South, South–South, and Triangular partnerships remains limited. This study examines Brazil's international HL...

Perceived difficulty accessing primary health care in a violence-affected community in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, by sociodemographic characteristics and mental health status, 2024

Abstract Background: Barriers to access in Primary Health Care (PHC) can be exacerbated by contexts of social vulnerability and armed violence. This study analyzed perceived difficulty in accessing PHC according to sociodemographic characteristics and mental health conditions. Me...

HTLV infection among pregnant women attending a viral hepatitis referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) remains a neglected infection worldwide, despite its potential for severe disease and vertical transmission. In Brazil, the burden of HTLV infection among pregnant remains poorly understood, underscoring the need for updated epidemiological...

Antimicrobial resistance in Ecuador: A One Health situational analysis of governance, infrastructure, and equity gaps

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a growing global public health threat, undermining therapeutic efficacy and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. In Ecuador, the situation is exacerbated by weak surveillance systems and fragmentation among the hu...

Optimizing culture-free approaches to recover high-quality Mycobacterium tuberculosis genomic variation

Background. Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) genomic epidemiology often relies on culturing patient sputum, a time- and labour-intensive process. Hybrid capture approaches have been successfully used to enrich Mtb DNA from complex clinical samples, yet the accuracy of variant i...

Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferons underlie a third of cases of Chikungunya virus encephalitis or myelitis

Abstract Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection is typically not life-threatening but may, in rare cases, affect the central nervous system (CNS). In three cohorts of confirmed CHIKV cases from Martinique (French overseas territory) and Brazil (patients aged 0–89 years, n = 245), 20...

Assessment of the Performance of Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay for Chagas Disease in Dogs Using a Reference Panel of Four Chimeric Proteins

ABSTRACT Background Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas (genus Trypanosoma , family Trypanosomatidae, order Kinetoplastida), that is widespread in Latin America. The main hosts are humans and other domestic mammals, including dogs and cats. Studies have iden...

Phenotypic Analysis of the Anti-T. cruzi Activity of Natural Products Obtained from Brazilian Botanical Sources

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), affects more than 6 million people worldwide, predominantly in Latin America. Current chemotherapy relies on Benznidazole (Bz) and Nifurtimox, which are associated with adverse effects and limited efficacy during chronic inf...