Publications by authors named "Alfaro A"

This study examined the dynamics of major elements and trace metals (TM) during litterfall decomposition in two mangrove forests-control and urban-along New Caledonia's coast. A litterbag experiment was carried out for 72 days for the two main species (Rhizophora stylosa, and Avicennia marina) of the island. Results showed that the urban runoff enhances the leaching of some major elements (K, Mg, Na) during litter decomposition.

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Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a severe myeloid malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Single-cell analysis of clonal architecture demonstrates early clonal dominance with few residual WT hematopoietic stem cells. Circulating myeloid cells of the leukemic clone and the cytokines they produce generate a deleterious inflammatory climate.

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Radiotherapy (RT) triggers an immune response that contributes to antitumor effects. Induction of IFNβ is a key event in this immunogenicity of RT. We have previously shown that TRIM33, a chromatin reader, restrains IFNβ expression in Toll-like receptor-activated myeloid cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at doctors who work in burn treatment units to understand their backgrounds, training, and the challenges they face.
  • It involved an online survey from 2020 to 2021, collecting information from plastic surgeons and specialists in Brazil.
  • The results showed that most burn centers are in the South and Southeast of Brazil, with doctors mostly aged 30 to 60, and common challenges include serious burns and infections.
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Medullary carcinoma of the breast (MedBC) is a rare histological type that accounts for less than 5% of all invasive breast cancers. Here, we performed an exploratory study aimed to determine whether imaging mass cytometry (IMC) can be used to characterize the immune infiltration and the spatial distribution heterogeneity in the rare subtype of MedBC compared to atypical MedBC and TNBC-TILS tumors. In both MedBC and TNBC-TILs, there was a notable enrichment of immune cells in the peripheral regions of the tumors, whereas in atypical MedBC, the immune cells exhibited a central enrichment pattern.

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Introduction: The expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) for adoptive cellular therapy is under investigation in many solid tumors of adulthood. Marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MIL) have demonstrated antitumor reactivity preclinically. Successful expansion of TIL/MIL has not been reported across pediatric solid tumor histologies.

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This case report aims to describe the clinical presentation, imaging findings, diagnostic challenges, and management of a patient with a cerebellopontine angle lesion. A 63-year-old woman presented with progressive headaches, tinnitus, right ear pressure, and dizziness. Initial imaging studies (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) suggested either a thrombosed aneurysm or a lipoma.

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We are Latinx immigrants and children of Latinx immigrants. We provided emergency volunteer services at the Mission Food Bank during the pandemic to provide food assistance to low-income families in the Mission District and the city of San Francisco. In March 2021, we were invited to lead a research project that we call "We are Essential".

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The genomic characteristics of Peruvian patients with gastric adenocarcinoma from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds were examined in consideration of the possibility that patients from different socioeconomic backgrounds may be exposed to different risk factors. We conducted a prospective pilot study in two Peruvian cities (Lima and Ica). This study enrolled 15 patients from low socioeconomic status (LSES) and 15 patients from medium/high socioeconomic status (MHSES).

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Electrospun nanocomposite scaffolds with improved bioactive and biological properties were fabricated from a blend of polycaprolactone (PCL) and starch, and then combined with 5 wt% of calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles sourced from eggshells. SEM analyses showed scaffolds with fibrillar morphology and a three-dimensional structure. The hydrophilicity of scaffolds was improved with starch and CaO nanoparticles, which was evidenced by enhanced water absorption (3500 %) for 7 days.

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Background: The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) conducted a comprehensive review in 2021 to identify opportunities for enhancing the care of adult and pediatric patients with spasticity. A technical expert panel (TEP) was convened to develop consensus-based practice recommendations aimed at addressing gaps in spasticity care.

Objective: To develop consensus-based practice recommendations to identify and address gaps in spasticity care.

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The New Zealand Greenshell™ mussel (Perna canaliculus) is an economically important aquaculture species. Prolonged increases in seawater temperature above mussel thermotolerance ranges pose a significant threat to mussel survival and health, potentially increasing susceptibility to bacterial infections. Using challenge experiments, this study examined the combined effects of increased seawater temperature and bacterial (Photobacterium swingsii) infection on animal survival, haemocyte and biochemical responses of adult mussels.

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Greenshell™ mussels (Perna canaliculus) are endemic to New Zealand and support the largest aquaculture industry in the country. Photobacterium swingsii was isolated and identified from moribund P. canaliculus mussels following a mass mortality event.

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Objectives: To examine baseline factors (i.e., age, gender, mobile device proficiency, sensory impairment) associated with app engagement in a 12-week mental health app intervention and to explore whether app engagement predicts changes in depression and anxiety symptoms among middle-aged and older adults.

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The black-foot abalone (pāua), Haliotis iris, is a unique and valuable species to New Zealand with cultural importance for Māori. Abalone are marine gastropods that can display a high level of phenotypic variation, including slow-growing or 'stunted' variants. This investigation focused on identifying factors that are associated with growth performance, with particular interest in the slow-growing variants.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent clinical trials of new immune checkpoint protein-targeted antibodies failed to show significant results, primarily because patients weren't screened for target expression prior to treatment.* -
  • The study utilized advanced methods like flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze immune checkpoint expression on T-cells from various primary tumors, revealing extensive variability among patients.* -
  • Results indicated that while CD4FoxP3 T-cells co-expressed both stimulatory and inhibitory checkpoints, the expression levels in CD8 T-cells were generally lower, suggesting a need for better-targeted therapies in future cancer immunotherapy trials.*
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The aquaculture industry has been criticised for the excessive use of fish meal (FM) in feeds due to the utilisation of wild fish in the formulation and the exacerbation of overfishing marine resources. Land-based abalone aquaculture mainly uses commercial feeds (CFs) to promote faster growth, which include FM as a primary protein component. Alternative ingredients, such as insect meal (IM) and grape marc (GM) are potential candidates for FM replacement due to their suitable nutritional profile and sustainable production.

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Shape is a primary determinant of consumer preference for many horticultural crops and it is also associated with many aspects of marketing, harvest mechanics, and postharvest handling. Perceptions of quality and preference often map to specific shapes of fruits, tubers, leaves, flowers, roots, and other plant organs. As a result, humans have greatly expanded the palette of shapes available for horticultural crops, in many cases creating a series of market classes where particular shapes predominate.

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Marine heatwaves (MHW) are projected for the foreseeable future, affecting aquaculture species, such as the New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus). Thermal stress alters mussel physiology highlighting the adaptive capacity that allows survival in the face of heatwaves. Within this study, adult mussels were subjected to three different seawater temperature regimes: 1) low (sustained 18 °C), 2) medium MHW (18-24 °C, using a +1 °C per week ramp) and 3) high MHW (18-24 °C, using a +2 °C per week ramp).

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Video-based telehealth may expand access to mental health services among older veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). We examined the modalities through which mental health services were rendered, and predictors of video visits before and after video-enabled tablet receipt from the Veterans Health Administration. 11,210 veterans aged 60 or older with a diagnosis of AUD who received a tablet between 1 April 2020 and 25 October 2021 were identified.

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Climate change associated temperature challenges pose a serious threat to the marine environment. Elevations in average sea surface temperatures are occurring and increasing frequency of marine heatwaves resulting in mortalities of organisms are being reported. In recent years, marine farmers have reported summer mass mortality events of the New Zealand Greenshell mussel, Perna canaliculus, during the summer months; however, the etiological agents have yet to be determined.

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