Causalidade e epidemiologia Causality and epidemiology

Este texto trata da questão da causalidade em epidemiologia. Começa com um breve retrospecto histórico para recuperar os diversos sentidos dados ao conceito pelos principais filósofos ocidentais. Em seguida, considera as raízes históricas da epidemiologia enquanto disciplina científica e as transformações que o conceito de causa sofreu em seu âmbito. Estabelecidas essas premissas, analisa-se o desenvolvimento da epidemiologia no século XX e a crise de paradigma que enfrenta na atualidade. Como saídas para a crise, no que se refere à questão da causalidade, examina três alternativas: a epidemiologia social, a crítica popperiana a os aportes da biologia molecular. Finalmente, comenta a necessiclade de uma nova teoria epidemiológica construída a partir da teoria da complexidade.<br>In examining the issue of causality whithin epidemiology, the text begins with a brief historical overview that reclaims the different meanings which the West's main philosophers have lent to this concept. It next delves into the historical roots of epidemiology as a scientific discipline and the transformations the concept of cause has undergone to within this realm. With these presuppositions in place, the text goes on to analyse the 20th century development of epidemiology and the crisis ít currently faces in terms of paradigm. Three alternatives are explored as ways out of this crisis: social epidemiology, Popperian criticism and the contributions of molecular biology. Lastly, the tent discusses the need for a new epidemiological theory grounded on the theory of complexity

Os objetos epistêmicos das toxoplasmoses e suas reapresentações em um congresso científico internacional The epistemic objects of toxoplasmoses and their re-presentation in an international scientific conference

O artigo investiga os objetos epistêmicos do Toxoplasma gondii e a correlação de forças de grupos de pesquisa empenhados em reconfigurar a toxoplasmose. A pesquisa de dados e a análise foram conduzidas à luz dos conceitos de 'manipulação' e 'reeencenação', com base na ideia de 'dramatização' proposta por Mol em estudo de filosofia empírica. Constatou-se que os objetos foram reapresentados a partir de matizes diversificados e com forte vinculação ao complexo industrial. Por sua projeção nos rumos da economia mundial no século XXI, a genética foi importante protagonista dos debates sobre causalidade única, uma das convicções da ciência ocidental.<br>The paper investigates the epistemic objects of Toxoplasma gondii and the correlation of forces of research groups committed to redefine or reconfigure toxoplasmosis. The data research and this analysis were conducted in a scientific congress, according to the concepts of 'manipulation' and 'reenactment,' based on the idea of 'dramatization' proposed by Mol in a study of empirical philosophy. It was found that the objects were represented from diversified hues and with strong ties to the industrial complex. For its projection in the trends of the global economy in the twenty-first century, genetics was a major protagonist in the debates on sole causality, one of the convictions of Western science

The major genetic determinants of HIV-1 control affect HLA class I peptide presentation.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases have repeatedly shown strong genetic associations within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC); however, the basis for these associations remains elusive. To define host genetic effects on the outcome of a chronic viral infection, we performed genome-wide association analysis in a multiethnic cohort of HIV-1 controllers and progressors, and we analyzed the effects of individual amino acids within the classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins. We identified &gt;300 genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the MHC and none elsewhere. Specific amino acids in the HLA-B peptide binding groove, as well as an independent HLA-C effect, explain the SNP associations and reconcile both protective and risk HLA alleles. These results implicate the nature of the HLA-viral peptide interaction as the major factor modulating durable control of HIV infection