Publications by authors named "Borges P"

Background: The Japanese Beetle, Newman, 1838 (Coleoptera, Rutelidae), is a univoltine agricultural pest that poses a serious threat to various agricultural crops. For more than 16 years, the Azorean official authorities have implemented a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) programme that is crucial for understanding the dynamics of insect pests, such as the Japanese Beetle, and their impacts on agricultural ecosystems. The significance of this long-term monitoring extends beyond understanding the pest's life cycle.

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Human-driven changes in land cover and use can significantly impact species ants community structures, often leading to a decline in taxonomic diversity or species homogenization. Ant morphology, used as a proxy for ecological function, offers a valuable framework for understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on ant diversity. This study explored the morphological diversity of ant assemblages in agricultural ecosystems and secondary forests in Italy and the Brazilian Amazon, analyzing how these communities are structured and adapted to different environments.

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Purpose: The primary objective of this prospective, longitudinal, observational, single-centre study was to evaluate the association between ultrasound-assessed lesions of dactylitis and the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis (PsO) and hand arthralgia.

Methods: We included adult patients diagnosed with PsO with hand arthralgia, with or without other musculoskeletal complaints. They were clinically assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months by a rheumatologist blinded to the ultrasound findings.

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Background: Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) pose a risk of neurologic deterioration, particularly when located in eloquent areas. While awake surgery is well-established for treating low-grade gliomas near eloquent areas, its efficacy for AVMs is less conclusively reported.

Methods: This study conducted a systematic review and individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis following Cochrane Collaboration and PRISMA guidelines.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ependymomas are a type of brain tumor in children, making up 6-10% of such cases, and this study looks at the effectiveness of proton therapy for treatment.
  • A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, involving 908 patients from ten studies, focusing on survival rates and complications from the treatment.
  • The results indicate that while proton radiotherapy shows promising safety and efficacy with high overall survival rates, caution is advised due to variability in some adverse event outcomes indicated by wide confidence intervals.
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Background And Objectives: Scaphocephaly is a craniofacial deformity caused by the premature fusion of the sagittal suture, which can affect skull growth and shape. For decades, surgical treatment or craniosynostosis has involved open procedures, ranging from the removal of a single suture to complex cranial remodeling techniques with large skin incisions. Since the 1990s, endoscopic approaches have emerged as potentially less invasive options.

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Oral traditional knowledge disseminates the use of young leaves of (Asteraceae) as poultice in feverish cases among family farmers in Santa Catarina, Brazil, but there is a lack of phytochemistry and pharmacological studies on this species, especially those related to volatile organic compounds. In the present study, the dry leaves of were subjected to hydrodistillation for the extraction of essential oil. Sample characterization was conducted using GC-FID and GC-MS.

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Background: Remote assessments are promising for coping with adverse situations, such as those imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Measurement properties must be specific to the characteristics of the population and the context in which the instruments are used.

Purpose: s: 1) To evaluate the parallel reliability of the timed up and go (TUG) and 30-s chair-stand test (30CST) performed in-person and remotely and 2) to analyze the intra-rater, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability of these tests assessed remotely in older adults with different musculoskeletal conditions.

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Recent progress in cancer cell-based therapies has led to effective targeting and robust immune responses against cancer. However, the inherent safety risks of using live cancer cells necessitate the creation of an optimized safety switch without hindering the efficacy of immunotherapy. The existing safety switches typically induce tolerogenic cell death, potentially leading to an immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), which is counterproductive to the goals of immunotherapy.

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In complex systems, the system's self-regulation processes can transition between states of equilibrium and disequilibrium, leading to changes in the distribution of players within the playing space. Actions that are surprising, rare, or out of the ordinary tend to be valued for their potential to destabilize the opposing defensive structure, altering player dispersion, and creating fragile spaces for the attack. With advancements in understanding the influence of the environment on players' affordances, the tactical consequences from individuals' solutions to various scenarios and their impact on the game context becomes a rich area for investigation.

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The knowledge on taxonomic diversity of arthropods is key to better understanding the biodiversity patterns and processes and guiding sustainable conservation strategies and practices. In the Azores, terrestrial arthropods are relatively well-inventoried following the publication of comprehensive checklists that have been regularly updated. Nevertheless, every year, new species are found as a result of new arrivals to the Archipelago and from addressing specific taxonomic lacunae.

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: Symptoms and motivation may impact adherence to home-based exercise training programs (HETP) during cancer treatment (CT) for lung or head and neck cancer. This study aimed to identify self-reported symptoms and their frequency, as well as motivation towards an HETP during CT for primary lung or head and neck cancer. Associations between symptoms and motivation with HETP adherence were also investigated.

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Improper thermal cycles on duplex stainless steels can lead to the formation of detrimental phases or alter the proportion of ferrite and austenite phases, thus influencing the material's mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of aging (at 850 and 950 °C) and solubilization (at 1000 and 1150 °C) thermal treatments on microstructure, indentation hardness, elasticity modulus, and susceptibility to intergranular corrosion of UNS S32205 duplex stainless steel. The sigma phase (σ) formation in the aged samples, with hardness values between 8 and 10 GPa, was confirmed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Meta-analyses in medical science face challenges, particularly in neurosurgery, due to inconsistencies in defining and reporting complications, which limits their effectiveness.
  • A systematic review identified key limitations and created the NeuroComp Meta-Analysis Checklist to help standardize reporting and address common errors in such studies.
  • The checklist, comprising 23 items across 5 domains, aims to improve the reliability of future meta-analyses of neurosurgical complications, although it may not resolve all existing issues.
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This study investigates the impact of elevated temperatures on arthropod communities in intensively managed pastures on the volcanic island of Terceira, Azores (Portugal), using a functional trait approach. Open Top Chambers (OTCs) were employed to simulate increased temperatures, and the functional traits of ground dwelling arthropods were analyzed along a small elevation gradient (180-400 m) during winter and summer. Key findings include lower abundances of herbivores, coprophagous organisms, detritivores, and fungivores at high elevations in summer, with predators showing a peak at middle elevations.

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  • Tremor-dominant Parkinson's Disease (TDPD) has a slower progression and impacts daily life, making standard medications less effective; MRgFUS (Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound) could offer relief by targeting the thalamus.
  • A systematic review of 13 studies involving 211 patients showed significant improvements in tremor scores and neuropsychological outcomes after MRgFUS treatment, measured at 1, 6, and 12 months post-procedure.
  • Most adverse events were mild and temporary, with issues like gait instability being the most reported, making MRgFUS a promising option for TDPD patients.
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Tuberculosis (TB) remains an impactful infectious disease, leading to millions of deaths every year. causes the formation of granulomas, which will determine, through the host-pathogen relationship, if the infection will remain latent or evolve into active disease. Early TB diagnosis is life-saving, especially among immunocompromised individuals, and leads to proper treatment, preventing transmission.

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Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach in the development of renewable energy technologies, providing an alternative to fossil fuels. It has attracted considerable attention in recent years. The benchmark materials used in water splitting are precious metals that are expensive and scarce.

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To investigate sexual practices and HIV risk perception among MSM, identifying associated risk factors and determinants. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 144 MSM in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using the snowball sampling technique. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling and underwent rapid HIV testing, in addition to completing questionnaires on sexual practices, risk perception, and illicit drug use.

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Controlling the balance between strength and damage tolerance in high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is central to their application as structural materials. Materials discovery efforts for HEAs are therefore impeded by an incomplete understanding of the chemical factors governing this balance. Through first-principles calculations, this study explores factors governing intrinsic ductility of a crucial subset of HEAs-those with a body-centered cubic (bcc) crystal structure.

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Article Synopsis
  • A genomic database encompassing all eukaryotic species on Earth is crucial for scientific advancements, yet most species lack genomic data.
  • The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) was initiated in 2018 by global scientists to compile high-quality reference genomes for approximately 1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species.
  • The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) launched a Pilot Project to create a decentralized model for reference genome production by testing it on 98 species, providing valuable insights into scalability, equity, and inclusiveness for genomic projects.
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  • Portugal has a lot of different plants and animals because of its unique geography and history, but these species are in danger from things like climate change and over-exploitation.
  • Researchers in Portugal are working together through a project called Biogenome Portugal to study and document biodiversity, which means looking closely at the genes of different species.
  • The goal is to create a library of genetic information to help protect endangered species and promote conservation efforts in Portugal, especially for unique plants and animals found only there.
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Background: Systematic studies on the biodiversity of bryophytes along elevational gradients have been conductuted within the native vegetation of the Azores, using the MOVECLIM framework. The primary objective of this study was to inventory the bryophytes present within preserved areas of native vegetation in Terceira Island (Azores). From 25 to 28 September 2012, an inventory of the bryoflora was carried out along an elevational gradient, starting near Serreta lighthouse (38.

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