Publications by authors named "Ana-Paula Lima"

Sulfide anion is a highly toxic and corrosive compound and its presence above the threshold concentrations (i.e. μmol L) in freshwaters may indicate environmental pollution.

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Background: Peripheral pump dysfunction is important in identifying manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency. The association with disease severity may define better treatment strategies.

Objective: To evaluate the association between peripheral muscular pump performance by heel-rise test, age, physical activity, use of compression stockings, and chronic venous insufficiency clinical severity.

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Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is among the main causes of hospitalization and death worldwide, therefore, the implementation of programs to reduce its impact is necessary. Supervised cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to have positive effects on CAD control. However, there are barriers to patient participation in the traditional, face-to-face cardiac rehabilitation programs, mainly in low-resource environments.

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Objective: to identify damages resulting from incidents with the Hickman® catheter.

Method: descriptive, retrospective, qualitative approach. The source of data were the notifications of incidents that occurred between January 2012 and May 2015, as well as the information available on the medical records of patients involved in incidents with the Hickman® catheter.

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Several studies indicate that the activity of cruzipain, the main lysosomal cysteine peptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi, contributes to parasite infectivity. In addition, the parasitic invasion process of mammalian host cells is described to be dependent on the activation of the host TGF-β signaling pathway by T. cruzi.

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Background: This study focused on the distribution and abundance of the eggs of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

Methods: Eighty ovitraps were exposed for four days of each month in peri- and intradomiciliary environments of 40 urban residences on 20 street blocks that were drawn monthly in Sebastião, SP, between February 2011 and February 2012. The monthly distribution of positive ovitrap indices (POI) and mean egg counts per trap (MET) of Ae.

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Article Synopsis
  • Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a crucial role in cell survival and host defense by activating the transcription factor STAT3 via the receptor gp130, particularly highlighted during Trypanosoma cruzi infection in cardiac cells.
  • The parasite secretes cruzipain, which can trigger IL-6 release and increase anti-apoptotic factors like Bcl-2, providing protection against cell death in cardiomyocytes.
  • However, active cruzipain inhibits the phosphorylation and nuclear activity of STAT3, suggesting that the parasite's protease activity could interfere with IL-6 signaling, indicating potential therapeutic avenues through specific protease inhibitors to enhance immune responses.
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Background: Odontogenic tumors are lesions that are derived from remnants of the components of the developing tooth germ. The calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor or calcifying odontogenic cyst is a benign cystic neoplasm of odontogenic origin that is characterized by an ameloblastoma-like epithelium and ghost cells. Calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor may be centrally or peripherally located, and its ghost cells may exhibit calcification, as first described by Gorlin in 1962.

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Local innate immunity plays a key role in initiating and coordinating homeostatic and defense responses in the heart. We have previously reported that the cardiotropic parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, protects cardiomyocytes against growth factor deprivation-induced apoptosis. In this study, we investigated cardiomyocyte innate immune response to T.

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We review Clan CA Family C1 peptidases of kinetoplastid parasites (Trypanosoma and Leishmania) with respect to biochemical and genetic diversity, genomic organization and stage-specificity and control of expression. We discuss their contributions to parasite metabolism, virulence and pathogenesis and modulation of the host's immune response. Their applications as vaccine candidates and diagnostic markers as well as their chemical and genetic validation as drug targets are also summarized.

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The inelastic bandage is an adaptation of the manual lymphatic drainage, which substitutes the circular movements of the fingers. A patient with lymphoedema underwent 20 sessions using the modified lymphatic drainage technique. Perimetric measurements were taken before and after each session, and volumetric measurements at the first, 10th, and 20th sessions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Local anesthetics (LA), traditionally known as Na+-channel blockers, also inhibit the fusion of endocytic/exocytic pathways in certain organisms, as demonstrated with Trypanosoma cruzi.
  • Dibucaine specifically reduced the uptake rates of proteins like bovine serum albumin and delayed exocytosis, while not affecting fusion among endocytic compartments.
  • The decreased degradation of gold-labeled BSA in reservosomes suggests that dibucaine interferes with the normal transport of proteases, without broadly inhibiting their activity or reducing essential protein expression levels.
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Objective: To describe clinical and laboratory data of infective endocarditis (IE) in 28 children from Vitória, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 28 children aged 18 years and under admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit of Nossa Senhora da Glória Children's Hospital with a diagnosis of IE from January 1993 to December 2001. The diagnosis of IE was based on the criteria established by the Duke Endocarditis Service (Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA): positive blood cultures and echocardiogram (primary criteria); and fever, history of heart disease, recent heart murmur, and vascular and immunological phenomena (secondary criteria).

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