Publications by authors named "A M C Martins"

Background: Yellow fever (YF) is an acute hemorrhagic disease endemic to Africa and Latin America; however, no cases have been reported in Asian regions with high infestation. Factors such as environmental conditions and genetic variations in the yellow fever virus (YFV) strains and mosquito populations may explain this absence. Mosquito populations have undergone strong selective pressure owing to the excessive use of insecticides.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Undernutrition has increased worldwide in recent years and it is known that environmental factors to which individuals are exposed in early life can result in metabolic and reproductive changes that remain in adult life. In this context, the litter size expansion is a classic model used to induce undernutrition early in development. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of neonatal undernutrition induced by the litter size expansion on metabolic and reproductive parameters of female rats.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Understanding owners' realities and perceptions may be crucial to helping veterinarians be more effective in their daily work. Noticing the lack of publications in this area, specifically on exotic pets, prompted us to gather insights into non-traditional companion animal owners. A survey was conducted, resulting in 541 respondents from Portugal and Spain.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The detection of low-molecular-weight biomarkers is essential for diagnosing and managing various diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. A biomarker's low molecular weight is a challenge for label-free optical modalities, as the phase change they detect is directly proportional to the mass bound on the sensor's surface. To address this challenge, we used a resonant Young's slit interferometer geometry and implemented several innovations, such as phase noise matching and optimisation of the fringe spacing, to maximise the signal-to-noise ratio.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) is a neurodegenerative condition caused by a dominant expansion of a CAG repeat (CAGexp). Most of the variability in the age at onset of symptoms (AO) remains unexplained, and environmental influences were scarcely studied.

Objective: The objective was to test if AO of SCA3/MJD carriers can be associated with markers of the rural environment, such as demographic density (DeD), proportion of rural population (PRP), and the consumption of untreated well water (CWW).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF