Publications by authors named "Antunes A"

Women's health is related to several factors that include physical, mental, and reproductive health. Additionally, the vaginal microbiota modulation performs a fundamental role in the regulation of physiological homeostasis and dysbiosis, which provides us a potential overview of the use of different biotic agents and their implications for female health. The objective of this work was propitiated insights and conception about the influence of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics as adjuvants for prevention/treatment on the main infections that can affect women's health.

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Background: Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels, has increased dramatically in recent years, prompting the need for more affordable diagnoses and treatments.

Objective: This study aimed to conduct a brief historical and theoretical review on the development of insulin.

Methods: Scientific and technological data have been retrieved and analyzed with a focus on the development of the active pharmaceutical ingredient insulin and insulin-based medicines.

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The growing consumer interest in functional foods and healthy eating can unfortunately lead to the spread of misinformation and the belief in food-related myths. This study analyzed Brazilian consumers' perceptions and beliefs about facts and myths regarding functional foods, focusing on attitudes, reference groups, and sociocultural factors affecting their perception. A theoretical model was developed, incorporating constructs such as attitudes (reward, trust, necessity, safety), beliefs, and reference groups.

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Objectives: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (>5 mUI/L) and normal total and free thyroxine levels (fT4). There is ongoing debate over whether mild SCH should be treated. This study aims to assess the clinical course of normoponderal pediatric patients with SCH.

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Background: Hospitalization for Transurethral Prostate Resection (TURP) involves circadian rhythm disturbance - a possible cause of Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorder (POCD) in elderly patients. This study investigated whether melatonin ameliorated this effect.

Methods: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial used a battery of neuropsychological tests to evaluate cognitive performance of 118 patients aged ≥ 60, before TURP with spinal anesthesia, and at 21- and 180-days PO.

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Article Synopsis
  • The inhalation-exhalation (I:E) ratio is a key indicator of respiratory health, and this study explores a non-contact method using a depth sensing camera to measure it.
  • Healthy volunteers produced a range of I:E ratios, and the data was collected and analyzed in real-time, leading to accurate measurements similar to traditional spirometry.
  • This non-contact approach could be a valuable tool for ongoing monitoring of respiratory conditions like COPD and asthma, allowing clinicians to track patient status without requiring physical devices.
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Considering the high consumption of coffee in Brazil, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and the intake of added sugar, non-caloric sweeteners, sugary beverages, and foods. A modified case-crossover study was conducted using data from the national "Household Budget Survey (POF)" which 38,854 participants. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-h recalls on two non-consecutive days.

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  • Breast cancer is the leading cancer-related cause of death in women, highlighting the urgent need for new treatment strategies.
  • Recent research suggests that reactivating Tumor Suppressor Genes (TSGs) could be a promising intervention by understanding their defects and identifying those under positive selection in mammalian genomes.
  • The study identified critical positively selected sites in TSGs like BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are vital for DNA repair, and has developed an automated tool to aid future research on these genetic targets.
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Background: Participation is considered a central outcome of rehabilitation and needs to be appropriately assessed from a perspective that values individual values and preferences. The Brazilian version of the Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA-Br4) is the only adequate instrument to assess participation from a subjective perspective in Brazil.

Objective: To investigate the test-retest reliability and internal structure (structural validity and internal consistency) of the digital version of IPA-Br4 for individuals with physical disabilities.

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Objective: We analyzed how anthropometric measures predict cardiometabolic health and how genetic and environmental factors contribute to these associations.

Methods: Data on 8 indicators of cardiometabolic health, 21 anthropometric measures, and 11 anthropometric indices were available for 216 twin pairs of individuals age 3 to 18 years living in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal (51% girls). Genetic twin modeling was used to estimate genetic and environmental correlations between the cardiometabolic and anthropometric indicators.

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  • Aniline and crude oil are significant environmental pollutants that harm both ecosystems and human health, necessitating effective bioremediation methods.
  • A bacterial strain, DH-2, was isolated from contaminated soil and can degrade aniline over 90% in 36 hours and also breaks down crude oil by 91% within four days under optimal conditions.
  • The strain thrives in challenging conditions, including the presence of heavy metals, highlighting its potential for cleaning contaminated environments.
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  • Contemporary children have limited free play time, with many engaging in organized sports.
  • A study assessed growth, motor skills, and physical fitness in 234 boys and 235 girls aged 7-10 to compare sport participants and non-participants.
  • Results showed that sport participants were generally more physically active, with boys exhibiting greater height and weight at ages 7-8, while girls demonstrated better motor skills in various tasks at different ages.
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Study Objectives: A non-intrusive sleep monitoring technology based on the data from a commercially available depth sensing camera has been utilized for respiratory monitoring and shown to have good performance in assessing respiratory rates across a range of rates. This non-contact, or , technology allows continuous respiratory monitoring without attaching probes to the patient. We have noticed a strikingly similar morphology between the touchless flow signal (NCM) and the flow signal derived using the chest and abdomen respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) bands.

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Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have potential against antimicrobial resistance and serve as templates for novel therapeutic agents. While most AMP databases focus on terrestrial eukaryotes, marine cephalopods represent a promising yet underexplored source. This study reveals the putative reservoir of AMPs encrypted within the proteomes of cephalopod salivary glands via in silico proteolysis.

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Background: The MDS-UPDRS has been available in English since 2008, showing satisfactory clinimetric results and being proposed as the new official benchmark scale for Parkinson's disease (PD), being cited as a core instrument for PD in the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Common Data Elements program. For this reason, the MDS created guidelines for development of MDS-UPDRS official, clinimetrically validated translations.

Objective: This study presents the formal process used to obtain the officially approved Portuguese version of the MDS-UPDRS.

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Introduction: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses point to the benefits of physical exercise for adolescents with cerebral palsy, improving physical conditioning, muscle strength, balance, and walking speed. However, given the high number of reviews that include randomized and non-randomized studies, it is increasingly necessary to assess the methodological quality of these reviews. This scoping review investigated the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the effects of physical exercise in adolescents with cerebral palsy to elucidate the methodological limitations of the research and the priorities to be observed in future research.

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The early components of the pupillary light reflex (PLR) are governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. The use of cheap, portable pupillometry devices may allow for the testing of parasympathetic-system health in field settings. We examined the reliability of two portable instruments for measuring the PLR and their sensitivity to individual differences known to modulate the PLR.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A case report details a 21-year-old woman with LEMS who initially improved with treatment but developed psychotic symptoms leading to steroid discontinuation and later experienced worsening health, including respiratory distress and difficulties with swallowing.
  • * After undergoing plasmapheresis and starting rituximab, her muscle strength partially improved, but her psychiatric symptoms remained, indicating a potential separate psychiatric issue alongside her neuromuscular condition.
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  • - The study investigates the role of PIEZO2, a mechanotransducer, in bladder function and its possible link to lower urinary tract dysfunction in men with bladder outlet obstruction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
  • - Researchers analyzed bladder wall samples from men undergoing prostate surgery and found that PIEZO2 expression was lower in those with BPH, especially in patients experiencing urinary retention.
  • - The results suggest that reduced PIEZO2 expression may contribute to bladder dysfunction in BPH patients, indicating a need for further research into its therapeutic potential.
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Soybean is a highly valuable commodity crop for Brazil's economy. However, it faces significant threats from the attack of a complex of lepidopteran pests, particularly Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) and Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E.

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Objective: To determine the correlation of conventional and diffusion-weighted imaging findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, based on Visually AcceSAble Rembrandt Images (VASARI) criteria, with the histopathological grading of gliomas: low-grade or high-grade.

Materials And Methods: Preoperative MRI scans of 178 patients with brain gliomas and pathological confirmation were rated by two neuroradiologists for tumor size, location, and tumor morphology, using a standardized imaging feature set based on the VASARI criteria.

Results: In the univariate analysis, more than half of the MRI characteristics evaluated showed a significant association with the tumor grade.

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