The imbalance of TNF and IL-6 levels and FOXP3 expression at the maternal-fetal interface is involved in adverse pregnancy outcomes in a susceptible murine model of congenital toxoplasmosis.

Vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii leads to adverse pregnancy outcomes depending on the time at which the infection occurs and the immunological state of the mother. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice have been described as susceptible and resistant mouse lineages to congenital T. gondii infection, respectively. This study aimed to elucidate the systemic and local cytokine profile of pregnant mice infected with T. gondii and whether the expression of the transcription factor FOXP3, related to T regulatory cells, is associated with the resistance/susceptibility of these lineages of mice in the context of experimental congenital toxoplasmosis. For this purpose, C57BL/6 and BALB/c females were orally infected with the T. gondii ME-49 strain on the day of vaginal plug detection or day 14 of gestation, examined 7 or 5 days later, respectively, as models of early and late pregnancy. Cytokine levels were measured systemically and in the uterus/placenta. Additionally, the uterus/placenta were evaluated macroscopically for resorption rates and histologically for parasite and FOXP3 immunostaining. The FOXP3 protein expression was also evaluated by western blotting assay. It was found that, during early pregnancy, the infection leads to high IFN-γ, TNF and IL-6 levels systemically, with the TNF levels being higher in C57BL/6 mice. At the maternal-fetal interface, the infection induced high levels of IFN-γ in both mouse lineages; however, higher levels were observed in BALB/c, while high TNF and IL-6 levels were found in C57BL/6, but not in BALB/c mice. In contrast, in late gestation, T. gondii interfered less strongly with the cytokine profile. In early pregnancy, a reduction of FOXP3 expression at the maternal-fetal interface of infected mice was also observed, and the reduction was larger in C57BL/6 compared with BALB/c mice. Additionally, the parasite was seldom found in the uterus/placenta. Thus, the worse pregnancy outcomes observed in C57BL/6 mice were associated with higher TNF systemically, and TNF and IL-6 at the maternal-fetal interface, with lower FOXP3 expression.

"Programa universitário por um dia": ação de responsabilidade social e inclusão / "Programa universitario por un día": acción de responsabilidad social e inclusión / "University for a day program": action of social responsibility and inclusion

RESUMO Introdução: ações de aproximação de alunos de ensino médio público para universidades públicas são essenciais para facilitar a transição acadêmica e incentivar o ingresso e a permanência estudantil. Tais ações ainda apresentam aos alunos visitantes as possibilidades inerentes ao ambiente acadêmico qualificado e propiciam oportunidades e novo pensar sobre seu futuro pessoal e profissional. Objetivo: relatar as atividades do Programa Universitário por um Dia (EERP-USP), que se caracterizam como ações de responsabilidade social e de inclusão universitária. Método: estudo descritivo, tipo relato de experiência, de ações de extensão universitária para os alunos do ensino médio público, obtido a partir da análise de um banco de dados preexistente. Resultados: no período de março a novembro de 2019, o Programa Universitário por um Dia recebeu 426 alunos do ensino médio de escolas públicas de Ribeirão Preto-SP e região, sendo a maioria do sexo feminino (64%) e com idade média de 17 anos. Do total de participantes do projeto, seis obtiveram aprovação no processo seletivo da Fundação Universitária para o Vestibular (FUVEST) para ingresso na Universidade de São Paulo. Conclusão: os resultados revelam o caráter social de inclusão com impacto positivo como ação de extensão universitária.

RESUMEN Introducción: las acciones para acercar a los estudiantes de secundaria pública a las universidades públicas son fundamentales para facilitar la transición académica y fomentar la matrícula y permanencia de los estudiantes. Tales acciones aún presentan a los estudiantes visitantes las posibilidades inherentes al entorno académico calificado y brindan oportunidades y nuevas formas de pensar sobre su futuro personal y profesional. Objetivo: dar a conocer las actividades del Programa Universitario por un Día (EERP-USP), las cuales se caracterizan como acciones de responsabilidad social e inclusión universitaria. Método: estudio descriptivo, tipo de relato de experiencia, de acciones de extensión universitaria para estudiantes de secundaria pública, obtenido a partir del análisis de una base de datos preexistente. Resultados: en el período de marzo a noviembre de 2019, el Programa Universitario por un Día recibió a 426 estudiantes de secundaria de escuelas públicas de Ribeirão Preto-SP y región, la mayoría mujeres (64%) y con una edad promedio de 17 años. Del total de participantes en el proyecto, seis obtuvieron la aprobación en el proceso de selección de la Fundación Universitaria del Vestibular (FUVEST) para el ingreso a la Universidad de São Paulo. Conclusión: los resultados revelan el carácter social de la inclusión con impacto positivo como acción de extensión universitaria.

ABSTRACT Introduction: actions to bring public high school students closer to public universities are essential to facilitate the academic transition and encourage student enrollment and permanence. Such actions still present visiting students with the possibilities inherent in the qualified academic environment and provide opportunities and new thinking about their personal and professional future. Objective: to report the activities of the University for a Day Program (EERP-USP), which are characterized as actions of social responsibility and university inclusion. Method: descriptive study, type of experience report, of university extension actions for public high school students, obtained from the analysis of a pre-existing database. Results: in the period from March to November 2019, the University for a Day Program received 426 high school students from public schools in Ribeirão Preto-SP and region, the majority being female (64%) and with an average age of 17 years old. Of the total number of project participants, six obtained approvals in the selection process of the Fundação Universitária para o Vestibular (FUVEST) for admission to the University of São Paulo. Conclusion: the results reveal the social character of inclusion with a positive impact as a university extension action.