Publications by authors named "Carlos Costa"

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  • The study investigates how genetic variations in the TLR7 gene impact responses to HTLV-1 infection, focusing on cytokine production and disease symptoms.
  • Researchers analyzed blood samples from HTLV-1 infected individuals, including those with inflammatory diseases and asymptomatic cases, alongside controls, using techniques like PCR and ELISA.
  • Findings indicated that specific genetic variations (polymorphisms) affect levels of immune responses, with some variants linked to higher levels of antiviral activity, though they did not correlate with disease symptoms.
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  • Physical cues, such as piezoelectric stimulation, can effectively promote the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), mimicking the natural electroactive properties of bone.
  • The study involved creating poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) films, with and without cobalt ferrite oxide (CFO), using a specific ionic liquid to enhance their electroactive properties, which can stimulate MSCs when subjected to a magnetic field.
  • Initial results showed that these PVDF films are biocompatible, and the stimulated MSCs exhibited signs of early differentiation, such as increased focal adhesions and changes in cytoskeletal structure and energy metabolism after 3 to 7 days of stimulation.
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  • Mitochondria generate ATP, the cellular energy currency, and their dysfunction due to mitochondrial DNA alterations can lead to diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, making early detection vital.
  • Recent advances in imaging techniques allow for fast data capture of large organelles, but the manual segmentation of this data is time-consuming, indicating a need for automated tools.
  • The proposed article introduces a novel ensemble of two automatic segmentation pipelines that enhance mitochondria segmentation accuracy through a fusion method, achieving impressive results across multiple datasets with minimal error rates and high reliability metrics.
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Resveratrol is an antioxidant abundant in plants like grapes and peanuts and has garnered significant attention for its potential therapeutic applications. This review explores its chemical attributes, stability, and solubility, influencing its diverse applications and bioavailability. Resveratrol's multifaceted therapeutic roles encompass: antioxidant, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-aging, and anticancer properties.

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Synthetic polymers are resistant to biological attack, resulting in their long-term accumulation in landfills and in natural aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are enzymes which oxidatively cleave the polysaccharide chains in recalcitrant polysaccharides such as cellulose. It has been widely hypothesised that LPMOs could be used to aid in the enzymatic breakdown of synthetic polymers.

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Novel battery separators based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene)- P(VDF-TrFE-CFE)- were produced by different processing techniques (non-solvent and thermally induced phase separation, salt leaching and electrospinning), in order to evaluate their effect on separator morphology, degree of porosity and pore size, electrochemical parameters and battery cycling behavior. It has been demonstrated that the different processing techniques have a significant influence on the morphology and mechanical properties of membranes. The degree of porosity varies between 23 % and 66 %, for membranes obtained by salt leaching and thermally induced phase separation, respectively.

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The microbial biosynthesis of the antioxidant compound resveratrol offers an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to chemical synthesis or plant extraction. Here, we showed that Kluyveromyces marxianus strains produce p-coumaric acid, a key precursor of resveratrol, with higher titres achieved under increased agitation conditions. Through further strain engineering, resveratrol production was achieved using glucose, xylose, and/or ethanol as substrates.

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Objective: Based on a review of the literature, to create a map of the available evidence on the treatment methods for chikungunya.

Method: In May 2022, a literature search on chikungunya was conducted using the PubMed and Virtual Health Library platforms. To create the evidence map, studies that mentioned chikungunya fever were selected and characterized based on the type of intervention, outcome, and direction of the effect (positive, negative, potentially positive or potentially negative, inconclusive, or no effect), following the methodology recommended by the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME).

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Background: Leadership is recognized as an essential competency in health care and science, being central for professionals to face health challenges. Few physicians feel prepared to serve as leaders in the health care environment, and few receive training in the leadership skills needed to be successful. Teaching leadership skills together with extensive, longitudinal, clinical education in an authentic and nurturing environment can effectively develop students for leadership in medicine.

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  • The study focuses on understanding how different learning styles impact medical education, particularly in surgical training, and aims to map existing research on this topic.
  • It will review studies on various groups involved in medical education, including medical students, surgical residents, and educators, considering a wide range of sources and methodologies.
  • As of September 25, 2023, the initial search yielded 213 articles, with 135 duplicates removed, and the remaining 78 articles are set for further analysis by the research team.
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Objective: This study investigated the bioactive effects of retinoic acid and ascorbic acid on hSCAPs in vitro.

Design: Cells were obtained from human third molars (n=4) and characterized for mesenchymal stem cell markers by flow cytometry. The experimental groups: control (α-MEM); vehicle control group (α-MEM + 0.

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The absence or decrease in sleep time can affect different mechanisms associated with changes in body composition and physical exercise performance. However, it is unclear in the literature how chronically sleep-restricted individuals respond to strength training. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of reducing between one and two hours of recommended sleep time (7 hours) on the response to resistance training.

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  • - The study aimed to identify factors that predict the occurrence of myositis in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) using a large, multicenter analysis of adult-onset cases.
  • - Out of 98 patients studied, nearly 44% had myositis, with a significant portion experiencing it at onset, and common symptoms included proximal muscle weakness and gastrointestinal/respiratory involvement.
  • - Independent predictors for myositis included fever, African ancestry, leukopenia at onset, and younger age at diagnosis, suggesting these should be considered in clinical evaluations for myositis in MCTD patients.
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  • Feedback is crucial for learning and enhancing performance in medical education, particularly for surgical residents, as their perceptions of feedback significantly impact their learning and patient care.
  • * The study seeks to gather and clarify existing research on how surgical residents perceive feedback throughout their training.
  • * A systematic review will analyze data from various studies published since 2017, covering multiple languages and residency years, with findings expected to be presented in a comprehensive format.
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Taking into account that natural polymers are renewable and biodegradable, hybrid materials based on natural polymers are required for advanced technological applications with reduced environmental footprint. In this work, sustainable composites have been developed based on collagen as a polymeric matrix and different magnetic fillers, in order to tailor magnetic response. The composites were prepared by solution casting with 30 wt% of magnetite nanoparticles (FeO NPs), magnetite nanorods (FeO NRs) or cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFeO NPs).

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Indomethacin (INDO) has a mechanism of action based on inhibiting fatty acids cyclooxygenase activity within the inflammation process. The action mechanism could be correlated with possible anticancer activity, but its high toxicity in normal tissues has made therapy difficult. By the coprecipitation method, the drug carried in a layered double hydroxides (LDH) hybrid matrix would reduce its undesired effects by promoting chemotherapeutic redirection.

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Considered the symbol fruit of the Brazilian Cerrado, pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) is an exotic and much-appreciated fruit with an internal mesocarp (edible part) with an eye-catching golden yellow color. In an unprecedented way, this study characterized the proteome throughout pequi development.

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Background: Household transmission studies seek to understand the transmission dynamics of a pathogen by estimating the risk of infection from household contacts and community exposures. We estimated within/extra-household SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and associated factors in a household cohort study in one of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro city.

Methods: Individuals ≥1 years-old with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in the past 30 days (index cases) and household members aged ≥1 year were enrolled and followed at 14 and 28 days (study period November/2020-December/2021).

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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) results from protozoa and infection. This study investigated whether host factors would explain the relapses. First, susceptibility to amphotericin B of isolates was evaluated in vitro.

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The spleen plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of visceral leishmaniasis. In severe forms of the disease, the spleen undergoes changes that can compromise its function in surveilling blood-circulating pathogens. In this study, we present an integrated analysis of the structural and gene expression alterations in the spleens of three patients with relapsing visceral leishmaniasis, two of whom were coinfected with HIV.

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Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), or kala-azar, is a common comorbidity in patients with AIDS in endemic areas. Many patients continue to experiences relapses of VL despite virological control, but with immunological failure. These patients remain chronically symptomatic with hypersplenism, for example with anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, and are at risk of severe co-infection due to low CD4+ count.

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The impact of ambulatory resistant hypertension (ARH) on the occurrence of heart failure (HF) is not yet completely known. We performed for the first time a meta-analysis, by using published data or available data from published databases, on the risk of HF in ARH. Patients with ARH (24-h BP ≥ 130/80 mmHg during treatment with ≥3 drugs) were compared with those with controlled hypertension (CH, clinic BP < 140/90 mmHg and 24-h BP < 130/80 mmHg regardless of the number of drugs used), white coat uncontrolled resistant hypertension (WCURH, clinic BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg and 24-h BP < 130/80 mmHg in treated patients) and ambulatory nonresistant hypertension (ANRH, 24-h BP ≥ 130/80 mmHg during therapy with ≤2 drugs).

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