Publications by authors named "Alves N"

Purpose: To compare changes in angle morphology, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and refractive prediction error (PE) after phacoemulsification between pseudoexfoliative (PEX) and non-PEX eyes.

Methods: Prospective case-control study of eyes submitted to cataract surgery. Biometric data and angle parameters - Anterior Chamber Angle (ACA), Angle Opening Distance (AOD), Scleral Spur Angles (SSA) and Trabecular Iris Space Area (TISA) - were measured preoperatively and 1-month postoperatively through swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

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Purpose: To report a rare case of Multicentric Castleman's Disease presenting with bilateral panuveitis.

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 65-years-old caucasian man presented with progressive blurred vision in both eyes for two weeks, along with weight loss, polyarthralgias and reduced muscle strength persisting for about a year.

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Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can lead to congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and may result in neurodevelopmental alterations in exposed children, with and without CZS. This study aimed to evaluate ZIKV infection during pregnancy as a risk factor for early and long-term adverse outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective-prospective, matched cohort study was conducted in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

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Aquatic and palustrine plants are a group of plants that have morphological and anatomical adaptations to occupy permanent or temporary aquatic environments. In this study, we carried out the first floristic survey of aquatic and palustrine plants in restingas (restinga swamps and swamp forests) of a Ramsar site in the municipality of Guimarães, western coast of Maranhão State and easternmost Amazon, Brazil. In total, 52 species of 43 genera and 28 families were collected between July 2022 and October 2023, during the dry and rainy seasons.

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Stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into various specialized cells, making them a potential therapeutic option in regenerative medicine. This study establishes a comprehensive methodology for isolating, culturing, and characterizing rat hair follicle stem cells. Hair follicles were harvested from Sprague-Dawley rats and subjected to two different isolation techniques.

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Nervous system disorders are characterized by a progressive loss of function and structure of neurons that ultimately leads to a decline in cognitive and motor functions. In this study, we used interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation (IPC) to produce fibers for neural tissue regeneration. IPC is a processing method that allows spinning of sensitive biopolymers.

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Aims: The development and selection of T cells occur within the thymus. This organ involutes throughout life, compromising the generation of T cells and, consequently, the efficacy of the immune system. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have beneficial effects on the immune system.

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Electronics based on natural or degradable materials are a key requirement for next-generation devices, where sustainability, biodegradability, and resource efficiency are essential. In this context, optimizing the molecular chemical structure of organic semiconductor compounds (OSCs) used as active layers is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of these devices, making them competitive with conventional electronics. In this work, honey-gated organic field-effect transistors (HGOFETs) were fabricated using four different perylene derivative films as OSCs, and the impact of the chemical structure of these perylene derivatives on the performance of HGOFETs was investigated.

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Three-dimensional (3D) models with improved biomimicry are essential to reduce animal experimentation and drive innovation in tissue engineering. In this study, we investigate the use of alginate-based materials as polymeric inks for 3D bioprinting of osteogenic models using human bone marrow stem/stromal cells (hBMSCs). A composite bioink incorporating alginate, nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA), type I collagen (Col) and hBMSCs was developed and for extrusion-based printing.

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Background & Aims: Mood disorders and disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are highly prevalent, commonly comorbid, and lack fully effective therapies. Although selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line pharmacological treatments for these disorders, they may impart adverse effects, including anxiety, anhedonia, dysmotility, and, in children exposed in utero, an increased risk of cognitive, mood, and gastrointestinal disorders. SSRIs act systemically to block the serotonin reuptake transporter and enhance serotonergic signaling in the brain, intestinal epithelium, and enteric neurons.

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Introduction: It is unclear the number of times a screwdriver may be reused without loosening its efficacy or inducing damage to implant screws while keeping appropriate torque values.

Objective: Evaluate the effect of the screwdriver and internal threads on the tightening efficacy by assessing the reverse torque value (RTV).

Methods: The efficacy was tested with four groups of screws: two titanium groups and two gold-platted (n=5).

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Extreme myopic laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) poses challenges regarding future intraocular lens (IOL) power selection. A male patient in his 40s complained of progressive right eye (OD) diminished visual acuity. He had a history of myopic LASIK in both eyes (OU) 20 years before, and implantable collamer lens (ICL) implant in OU 8 years before.

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Objective: To identify the occurrence of presenteeism in healthcare professionals and its association with socio-occupational and health factors.

Method: Cross-sectional study, carried out from July to October 2022 with 152 healthcare professionals from a reference hospital for COVID-19. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied for socio-occupational and health characterization, and the Stanford Presenteeism Scale.

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Background: Patients with Down syndrome (DS) have a unique genetic and clinical profile that may increase the risk of cancer.

Methods: A literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane databases was conducted, focusing on studies to investigate the prevalence of solid and hematologic tumors in DS.

Results: Fifteen studies were included, encompassing 62,121 individuals with Down syndrome (DS).

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Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are regarded as a promising alternative to conventional electrolytes, combining the advantages of solid and liquid electrolytes. Leveraging the abundance and eco-friendliness of cellulose-based materials, GPEs were produced using methyl cellulose and incorporating various doping agents, either an ionic liquid (1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Pyr14][TFSI]), its polymeric ionic liquid analogue (Poly(diallyldimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) [PDADMA][TFSI]), or an anionically charged backbone polymeric ionic liquid (lithium poly[(4-styrenesulfonyl)(trifluoromethyl(S-trifluoromethylsulfonylimino) sulfonyl) imide] LiP[STFSI]). The ion dynamics and molecular interactions within the GPEs were thoroughly analyzed using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Heteronuclear Overhauser Enhancement Spectroscopy (HOESY), and Pulsed-Field Gradient Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Diffusion (PFG-NMR).

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Article Synopsis
  • Injured spinal cords struggle to regenerate due to a harmful environment that inhibits nerve regrowth and maintaining stable contact in lesions is a major challenge.
  • Researchers developed a new injectable adhesive hydrogel made from modified chitosan that can adhere well to biological tissues and has adjustable mechanical properties, making it suitable for minimally invasive procedures.
  • This hydrogel not only supports cellular attachment and growth but also enhances neuronal marker expression in neuroblastoma cells, showing promise for use in therapies aimed at repairing damaged nerve tissue.
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Deep learning has shown great potential to automate abdominal organ segmentation and quantification. However, most existing algorithms rely on expert annotations and do not have comprehensive evaluations in real-world multinational settings. To address these limitations, we organised the FLARE 2022 challenge to benchmark fast, low-resource, and accurate abdominal organ segmentation algorithms.

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The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen (NPX) is among the most consumed pharmaceuticals worldwide, being detected in surface waters within the ng to μg/L range. Considering the limited chronic ecotoxicity data available for NPX in aquatic ecosystems, the present study aimed at evaluating its impact in the model organism , following a full life-cycle exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1 to 5.

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Article Synopsis
  • Purine nucleotides and nucleosides are crucial in various diseases, especially in tumor growth, with ATP promoting tumor receptor activation and adenosine acting as an immunosuppressant.
  • This study explores how ATP and its metabolites, along with specific receptors, impact primary central nervous system tumors and their progression.
  • The results suggest that the purinergic system's role in tumors can vary, acting as either a promoter or inhibitor of tumor growth, depending on receptor density and the surrounding environment, highlighting ATP's significance in cancer development.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers investigated how to improve serious illness conversations between clinicians and cancer patients at high risk of short-term mortality by using a machine learning model and trained care coaches.
  • In a study involving oncologists, patients with less than two years of predicted survival were prioritized for discussions, and automated reminders were sent to providers to document prognosis.
  • Results showed a significant increase in both prognosis and advance care planning documentation in visits where the intervention was applied compared to control visits, highlighting the effectiveness of the approach.
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Orthoses are commonly used for treating injuries to improve the quality of life of patients, with customized orthoses offering significant benefits. Additive manufacturing, especially fused deposition modelling, enhances these benefits by providing faster, more precise, and more comfortable orthoses. The present study evaluates nine polymeric materials printed in horizontal and vertical directions by assessing their performance through compressive, flexural, and tensile tests.

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Ocean acidification (OA) is expected to decrease the strength of bivalves' shells, especially during the early stages of development, with negative consequences to the resilience of natural populations and the economy. The objectives of the present study were to assess the long-term effect of increasing pCO after 217 days of exposure under controlled conditions of pH of ∼8.2, 8.

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Bone tissue regeneration remains a significant challenge in clinical settings due to the complexity of replicating the mechanical and biological properties of bone environment. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a hybrid scaffold designed to enhance both bioactivity and physical stability for bone tissue regeneration. This research is the fisrt to develop a rigid 3D structure composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHA) integrated with a bioink containing human dental pulp stem/stromal cells (hDPSCs), alginate, nHA and collagen (Col).

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Background: Self-perception of oral health is a recognized indicator, based on a single question. Association among oral health and socioeconomic status has been well established, however in Brazil, no results were found on the relation with type of insertion in labor market.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of negative self-perception of oral health and associated factors, according to gender among Brazilian workers population, in 2019.

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