Publications by authors named "Simo"

Early stages of diabetic retinopathy are currently considered an unmet medical need due to the lack of effective treatments beyond proper monitoring and control of glycemia and blood pressure. Sitagliptin eye drops have emerged as a new therapeutic approach against early stages of the disease, as they can prevent its main hallmarks, including both neurodegeneration and microvascular impairment. Interestingly, all of these effects occur without any glycemic systemic improvement.

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Despite significant advancements in achieving high recanalization rates (80%-90%) for large vessel occlusions through mechanical thrombectomy, the issue of "futile recanalization" remains a major clinical challenge. Futile recanalization occurs when over half of patients fail to experience expected symptom improvement after vessel recanalization, often resulting in severe functional impairment or death. Traditionally, this phenomenon has been attributed to inadequate blood flow and reperfusion injury.

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Background: The global incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is rapidly increasing, with retinopathy being its most common complication and a leading cause of preventable blindness. Although the precise mechanisms involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) are not fully understood, defective immunomodulation is a recognized key factor in its pathophysiology. Regulatory T cells (Treg) regulate inflammation and promote regeneration, and while they are known to have important anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective roles in other tissues, including central nervous system, their role in the diabetic retina remains largely unknown.

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Objective: Patients undergoing anterior/posterior lumbar fusion surgery can undergo either a single-stage or multistage operation, depending on surgeon preference. The goal of this study was to assess different patient outcomes between single-stage and multistage lumbar fusion procedures in a multicenter setting.

Methods: The Michigan Spine Surgery Improvement Collaborative database was queried for anterior/posterior lumbar fusion surgeries between July 2018 and January 2022.

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Introduction: Paediatric tuberculosis (TB) underdiagnosis is a critical concern. The INPUT stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial assessed the impact of integrating child TB services into child healthcare on TB case detection among children under age 5 years.

Methods: We compared the standard of care, providing TB care in specific TB clinics (control phase), with the Catalysing Paediatric TB Innovations (CaP-TB) intervention, integrating TB services across all child health services (intervention phase).

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Parasitic diseases pose a threat to fisheries, negatively affecting the livelihood and food security of billions of people worldwide. Among these, parasitic isopods of fish are not well documented and studied. Thus, we examined the buccal cavity of 385 randomly selected saltwater fishes sold in a fish market in Naic, Cavite, Philippines.

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Phloroglucinol is a key byproduct of gut microbial metabolism that has been widely used as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Here, we demonstrate that phloroglucinol tempers macrophage responses to pro-inflammatory pathogens and stimuli. , phloroglucinol administration decreases gut and extraintestinal inflammation in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease and systemic infection.

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Article Synopsis
  • Dubiaranea magatama is a newly described spider species found in Uruguay and southern Brazil, identified based on male and female specimens from native forests.
  • The potential distribution for this species is modeled to primarily encompass the Pampean province and southern Atlantic Forest biome, influenced positively by factors like spatial location, proximity to large rivers, and tree cover.
  • The researchers also updated records for Dubiaranea difficilis in Uruguay, creating a distribution model that indicates similar environmental influences, thus broadening its previously suggested distribution area.
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Impaired function of the retinal neurovascular unit (NVU) is an early event in diabetic retinopathy (DR). It has been previously shown that topical delivery of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor sitagliptin can protect against diabetes-mediated dysfunction of the retinal NVU in the db/db mouse. The aim of the present study was to examine whether sitagliptin could prevent the DR-like lesions within the NVU of the new non-diabetic model of DR, the Trpv2 knockout rat (Trpv2).

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Ocean-emitted dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is a major source of climate-cooling aerosols. However, most of the marine biogenic sulfur cycling is not routed to DMS but to methanethiol (MeSH), another volatile whose reactivity has hitherto hampered measurements. Therefore, the global emissions and climate impact of MeSH remain unexplored.

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Background: Intrathoracic goiters (ITGs) are usually managed by surgical excision, However, over recent years, non-surgical strategies are emerging as an alternatives for treating this condition.

Methods: A systematic review of research published since 2017 in the PubMed database was conducted and a total of 39 articles were retrieved, along with methodological issues and future directions in the research on ITGs.

Results: Several non-surgical treatments exist, including radio-iodine ablation (RIA) and mini-invasive approaches, such as transcervical microwave ablation (TcMA), transcervical radiofrequency ablation (TcRfA), or selective embolization of the thyroid arteries (SETA).

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imaging of dynamic sub-cellular brain structures in is key to understanding several phenomena in neuroscience. However, a trade-off between spatial resolution, speed, photodamage, and setup complexity limits its implementation. Here, we designed and built a single objective light sheet microscope, customized for imaging of adult flies and optimized for maximum resolution.

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Most non-muscle invasive bladder cancers have been treated by transurethral resection and following intravesical injection of immunotherapeutic agents. However, the delivery efficiency of therapeutic agents into bladder wall is low due to frequent urination, which leads to the failure of treatment with side effects. Here, we report a urease-powered nanomotor containing the agonist of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) for the efficient activation of immune cells in the bladder wall.

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Background: The findings of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) on a clinical genetic testing report pose a challenge for attending healthcare professionals (HCPs) in patient care. Here, we describe the outcomes of multidisciplinary VUS Rounds, implemented at a neurological disease tertiary care centre, which aid in interpreting and communicating VUS identified in our neurogenetics patient population.

Methods: VUS Rounds brought together genetic counsellors, molecular geneticists and scientists to evaluate VUS against genomic and phenotypic evidence and assign an internal temperature classification of 'VUS Hot', 'True VUS' or 'VUS Cold', corresponding to potential pathogenicity.

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This article presents a novel bioinspired technology for the cooperation and coordination of heterogeneous robot swarms in uncontrolled environments, utilizing an artificial pheromone composed of magnetized ferrofluids. Communication between different types of robots is achieved indirectly through stigmergy, where messages are inherently associated with specific locations. This approach is advantageous for swarm experimentation outside controlled laboratory spaces, where localization is typically managed through centralized camera systems (e.

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Although Amblyomma variegatum and Ehrlichia ruminantium infections have been reported in cattle from some agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Cameroon, the transmission patterns of this bacterium seem to vary according to endemic areas and its prevalence as well as that of Heartwater remains not well understood in most sub-Saharan African countries. This study was designed to detect E. ruminantium infections in cattle of four AEZs of Cameroon and to identify areas presenting enzootic stability and those with potentially high risk for Heartwater.

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Article Synopsis
  • Positron emission tomography (PET) can be a useful tool alongside biomarker analysis for monitoring HER2 levels in diverse tumors, especially those with high variability.
  • In the study, Zr-89 and Cu-64 labeled trastuzumab were used to track HER2 expression in tumors, showing that both methods effectively measure HER2 protein levels.
  • The research also indicates that lovastatin may enhance HER2 expression in tumors that have moderate to low HER2, potentially increasing the effectiveness of trastuzumab treatment.
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  • Probiotics have recently gained attention for their potential therapeutic effects, but their impact on reproductive health remains under-researched.
  • This study tested the effects of two probiotic mixtures on sperm quality in mice, comparing them to a control group that received physiological serum.
  • Results indicated that probiotic treatments resulted in a higher percentage of normal sperm and altered head shape, although they didn't significantly improve overall motility compared to controls, suggesting further research is needed.
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Article Synopsis
  • * A study conducted in six universities from June to October 2022 used antigen rapid diagnostic tests to identify SARS-CoV-2 cases and assess participants' knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19.
  • * Out of 7,006 participants, only 0.8% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, revealing gaps in COVID-19 precautions like mask-wearing and social distancing that could contribute to virus spread on campuses.
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Problem Addressed: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease with high fatality rates and an expansive geographic distribution, yet disease prevalence data in Cameroon is lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to determine CCHF virus (CCHFV) seroprevalence and tick distribution among cattle herders and febrile patients in West and Centre Cameroon.

Methods And Approach: Two cross-sectional serological studies of human and cattle were conducted from October to December 2021 and from June to July 2022, which included the collection of ticks.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the role of duplicated genes in human brain evolution, focusing on genes that are uniquely expanded in humans and their potential contributions to neurological traits like language and cognition.
  • - By analyzing a complete human genome and using advanced methods, the researchers identified 213 duplicated gene families and narrowed it down to 362 paralogs that are highly expressed in the brain and associated with autism-related genes.
  • - The research also utilized zebrafish models to "humanize" certain genes, revealing key insights into their roles in brain development, such as their impact on brain size and synaptic signaling.
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Background: Increased vascular Ca1.2 channel function causes enhanced arterial tone during hypertension. This is mediated by elevations in angiotensin II/protein kinase C signaling.

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Background: Nursing homes in the Caribbean are scarce and the characteristics of their residents have not been previously documented. This study aimed to describe the clinical profiles of residents living in nursing homes in Guadeloupe and Martinique (French West Indies).

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of the baseline screening data from the KASEHPAD (Karukera Study of Ageing in nursing homes) study.

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Main Aim: In July 2022, an extensive outbreak of Mpox (monkeypox) was considered by WHO as a Public Health Emergency. The objective of this study is to describe the obtained results from a Mpox case detection program in a semi-urban healthcare area where approximately 420 Primary Care physicians work.

Design: An observational prospective study performed between June 01, 2022 and December 31, 2023.

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