Publications by authors named "Ana C Silva"

As life expectancy rises and modern lifestyles improve, there is an increasing focus on health, disease prevention, and enhancing physical appearance. Consumers are more aware of the benefits of natural ingredients in healthcare products while also being mindful of sustainability challenges. Consequently, marine bioactive compounds have gained popularity as ingredients in cosmetics and food supplements due to their diverse beneficial properties.

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is a vector responsible for the transmission of various arboviruses and is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the main public health problems in the world. This study evaluated the larvicidal and oviposition activity of essential oils from , and and their formulations. Chromatographic analysis by GCMS identified a total of 28, 52 and 18 compounds for the oils of the species , and , respectively.

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This study aimed to develop, characterize, and validate an encapsulant based on beeswax (BW) for rumen-protected fat (RPF) using the melting emulsification technique. Buriti oil (BO) was used as the core material, and BW was used as the encapsulating material at three different proportions of BW:BO (9:1, 4:1, and 2:1 g/g ratio respectively). RPF microspheres (BWBO9:1, BWBO4:1, and BWBO2:1) were characterized and tested in six 3-year-old castrated male Santa Ines sheep (average body weight of 56.

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This study evaluated the effect of different occlusal surface finishes (glaze and silica glass infiltration) on surface characteristics and fatigue behavior of partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) plates adhesively bonded onto epoxy resin discs. PSZ disc specimens (n = 15; Katana blocks STML, Kuraray Noritake Dental) were produced (Ø = 10 mm; thickness = 1.2 mm) and allocated into 3 groups: As sintered (S), silica glass infiltration (SGI), and glaze application (G).

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Migraine has a high prevalence worldwide and is one of the main disabling neurological diseases in individuals under the age of 50. In general, treatment includes the use of oral analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for mild attacks, and, for moderate or severe attacks, triptans or 5-HT receptor agonists. However, the administration of antimigraine drugs in conventional oral pharmaceutical dosage forms is a challenge, since many molecules have difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach the brain, which leads to bioavailability problems.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Analysis of data from over 1 million forest plots and thousands of tree species shows that wood density varies significantly by latitude, being up to 30% denser in tropical forests compared to boreal forests, and is influenced mainly by temperature and soil moisture.
  • * The research also finds that disturbances like human activity and fire alter wood density at local levels, affecting forest carbon stock estimates by up to 21%, emphasizing the importance of understanding environmental impacts on forest ecosystems.
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It is normally supposed that populations of the same species should evolve shared mechanisms of adaptation to common stressors due to evolutionary constraint. Here, we describe a system of within-species local adaptation to coastal habitats, and detail surprising strategic variability in adaptive responses to high salinity. These different adaptive responses in neighboring populations are evidenced by transcriptomes, diverse physiological outputs, and distinct genomic selective landscapes.

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Borosilicate glass was developed to enhance the mechanical behavior and smoothness of dental zirconia as an alternative to conventional glaze. This study assessed the mechanical and optical properties of 3 mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) coated with borosilicate glass or a commercial glaze fired for an extended period of time. Disc-shaped 3Y-TZP zirconia specimens (Zpex, Tosoh) were sintered at 1550°C for 2 hours.

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The increasing frequency and duration of marine heatwaves (MHWs) due to climate change pose severe threats to aquaculture, causing drastic physiological and growth impairments in farmed fish, undermining their resilience against additional environmental pressures. To ensure sustainable production that meets the global seafood demand and animal welfare standards, cost-effective and eco-friendly strategies are urgently needed. This study explored the efficacy of the red macroalga on juvenile white seabream reared under optimal conditions and upon exposure to a MHW.

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Background: Multidrug-resistant bacteria in humans have prompted the search for alternative solutions derived from herbal medicines that can substitute antibiotics in livestock production. Thus, the goal of this study was to evaluate the phytogenic properties of Marrubium vulgare infusion (MVI) on weaned pigs. Thirty animals were randomly divided into five groups of six animals, each receiving a physiological solution, clenbuterol and the infusion extract at doses of 0.

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Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders are monogenic neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, no therapies are available for this complex group of disorders. Here, we aim to provide an overview of recent promising preclinical studies and the ongoing clinical trials focusing on molecular therapies for polyQ disorders.

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Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The control of the infection depends of the innate and acquired immune response of host. Moreover, CD plays a significant role in the immune response, and, in this context, microalgae can be an interesting alternative due to its immunomodulatory and trypanocidal effects.

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Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has become an increasingly valuable vector for in vivo gene delivery and is currently undergoing human clinical trials. However, the commonly used methods to purify AAVs make use of cesium chloride or iodixanol density gradient ultracentrifugation. Despite their advantages, these methods are time-consuming, have limited scalability, and often result in vectors with low purity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Trypanosoma cruzi is a highly adaptable parasite that can infect various tissues, including adipose tissue (AT), and its interaction with immune cells may influence gene expression related to lipid metabolism.
  • Treatment with Benzonidazole (Bz) did not effectively reduce T. cruzi infection levels in adipocytes, regardless of the presence of immune cells, suggesting treatment limitations.
  • Despite not decreasing the infection, Bz treatment was found to alter gene expression in AT, particularly increasing levels of PNPLA2 and influencing fatty acid synthesis pathways, indicating potential impacts on lipid metabolism during parasite infection.
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Background/introduction: Adipose tissue (AT) has been highlighted as a promising reservoir of infection for viruses, bacteria and parasites. Among them is , which causes Chagas disease. The recommended treatment for the disease in Brazil is Benznidazole (BZ).

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Currently, there is an increasing presence of heavy metals and metalloids in soils and water due to anthropogenic activities. However, the biggest problem caused by this increase is the difficulty in recycling these elements and their high permanence in soils. There are plants with great capacity to assimilate these elements or make them less accessible to other organisms.

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Polyglutamine disorders are a complex group of incurable neurodegenerative disorders caused by an abnormal expansion in the trinucleotide cytosine-adenine-guanine tract of the affected gene. To better understand these disorders, our dependence on animal models persists, primarily relying on transgenic models. In an effort to complement and deepen our knowledge, researchers have also developed animal models of polyglutamine disorders employing viral vectors.

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Objective: This study evaluated the effect of an experimental borosilicate glass on the mechanical and optical behavior of 5Y-PSZ zirconia and comparing it to commercial glaze and as-sintered.

Methods: Disc-shaped specimens of a 5Y-PSZ (Zpex Smile) were prepared and sintered (1550 °C, 2 h). The zirconia discs were randomly divided according to the surface treatment: as-sintered (C), commercial glaze (G), and experimental borosilicate glass (SL).

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Among the different types of nanosystems that have been investigated for therapeutic use, lipid-based ones are the most explored, as they have advantages over non-lipid nanosystems, especially for improving the transport and efficacy of drugs through different routes of administration, such as ocular, cutaneous, intranasal, and intravenous [...

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the mechanical strength and antimicrobial effectiveness of boron-containing coatings on translucent zirconia (5Y-PSZ) compared to other coatings like silver and glaze.
  • Results showed that boron-containing coatings significantly reduced biofilm formation and metabolic activity of S. mutans, displaying improved antimicrobial properties over the other coatings.
  • The boron coating also exhibited the highest flexural strength and mechanical reliability, while maintaining similar cytocompatibility to other coatings, making it a promising option for enhancing zirconia's performance.
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Background: Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease (CD), is a versatile haemoparasite that uses several strategies to evade the host's immune response, including adipose tissue (AT), used as a reservoir of infection. As it is an effective barrier to parasite evasion, the effectiveness of the drug recommended for treating CD, Benznidazole (BZ), may be questionable.

Objective: To this end, we evaluated the parasite load and immunomodulation caused by BZ treatment in the culture of adipocytes differentiated from human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSC) infected with T.

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Steroids play a crucial role in modulating brain and behavior. While traditionally it is thought that the brain is a target of sex steroids produced in endocrine glands (e.g.

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This study aimed to evaluate the concomitant use of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and its protease-rich crude extract for the in vitro control of Panagrellus sp., Haemonchus spp., and Trichostrongylus spp.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) with progressive intensity on factors associated with sarcopenia in older individuals.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 74 participants (64.27 ± 7.

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