Publications by authors named "Francisco Ferreira"

Seizures may be one of the neurological consequences of COVID-19. The present study aims to review the prevalence of seizures in COVID-19 patients considering sex and geographical origin. A review protocol was submitted to the PROSPERO database (CRD42021281467).

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Highly selective and divergent syntheses, which are crucial in both organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, involve significant advancements in compound accessibility. By modifying α-cyano esters into α-cyano ketones, the synthesis pathway broadens to include a diverse range of 4-CN, 5-amino, and 5-arylamino derivatives of 1,2,3-triazoles, which are achieved notably through the Dimroth rearrangement. This versatility extends further with the potential for a triple cascade reaction, leading to the production of carboximidamide compounds, which are facilitated by the Cornforth rearrangement.

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Background/objectives: Swimming is a popular and cost-effective way to prevent sedentary behavior and improve physical conditioning and health during early adolescence. However, information on its impact and benefits on daily life activities is lacking. This systematic review aims to summarize the chronic effects of swimming on physical conditioning and physical health outcomes in early adolescents.

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This dataset includes spectra obtained through Raman spectroscopy of acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, and ibuprofen commercialized in San Lorenzo, Central Department of Paraguay. The pharmaceuticals were randomly purchased from pharmacies, official sales points, and street vendors, simulating purchases for self-consumption. These drugs were selected due to their high demand and consumption by the population, aiming to document and facilitate the identification of adulterations or alterations in their original structures caused by poor storage conditions.

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  • Fleas and ticks are carriers of pathogens like Rickettsia and Bartonella, which can cause diseases in humans and animals, yet little research exists on this in Guatemala.
  • The research involved collecting and analyzing fleas and ticks from dogs in rural Guatemala, revealing that a significant number of dogs were infested with these parasites.
  • The study identified new strains of Rickettsia and Bartonella in Guatemala, highlighting the potential zoonotic disease risk and demonstrating the importance of dogs in understanding human exposure to these pathogens.
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  • The study compares the effectiveness of inertial measurement units (IMUs) versus traditional speedometers in measuring swimming velocity, specifically during maximum speed breaststroke sprints.
  • Sixteen swimmers participated, with data collection involving an IMU attached to the sacrum and a speedometer fixed on the lumbar region while they swam 25-meter sprints.
  • Results indicate that IMUs and speedometers produce different velocity patterns, with IMUs measuring lower speeds, and suggest that these two methods should not be seen as interchangeable for analyzing intracycle velocity variations.
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Background: Fleas and ticks serve as vectors of multiple pathogens in the genera and cause diseases in humans and other animals. Although human rickettsiosis and bartonellosis have been reported in all countries in Central America, limited research has been conducted to investigate the natural cycles of flea- and tick-borne rickettsiosis and bartonellosis, especially in Guatemala.

Methods: We evaluated dog parasites as sentinels for zoonotic disease risk in rural Guatemala by sampling ticks and fleas from dogs, which were then identified and individually screened for and .

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According to the IPCC, by the year 2100, rises in global temperature could reach up to 5 °C above current averages. On a planet-wide scale, this is one of the effects of climate changes that could have repercussions on the biological cycle of Aedes aegypti, the main arbovirus vector in urban environments and a transmitter of the arboviruses that cause dengue, Zika, chikungunya and urban yellow fever. The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological changes in Ae.

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Proposing substitutes for Pyriproxyfen (PPF) in the auto-dissemination strategy is essential to ensure the continuity of the strategy in the field, especially in the case of the emergence of populations resistant to this larvicide. One possible substitute among the compounds already in use in Brazil is the larvicide Diflubenzuron (DFB). The equation that defines the proportion of oviposition sites (habitats) contaminated by the auto-dissemination strategy was modified to account for the number of visits required to reach the necessary concentration of DFB for contamination, considering scenarios with varying numbers of oviposition sites and mosquito densities.

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  • * The results showed no significant differences in the number of normal and developing follicles between the PAM treatments and control after both time periods, indicating that PAM did not harm reproductive health.
  • * However, after 90 days, only the 5% PAM treatment affected the ovarian stromal cell density, suggesting minor impacts at this concentration, but overall, the study concluded that PAM supplementation was safe for animal consumption.
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  • The study aimed to compare two underwater pullout breaststroke techniques (Fly-Kick first and Combined) among 16 swimmers.
  • Results indicated that female swimmers performed better using the Fly-Kick first technique, achieving higher mean velocities and greater underwater distances.
  • The findings suggest that different kinematic profiles exist for each technique, with the Fly-Kick first potentially enabling improved performance in breaststroke swimming.
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This study aimed to conduct a spatio-temporal analysis of tegumentary leishmaniasis occurrences in the Amazonas state, Brazil. An ecological study encompassing time series and spatial analysis was performed, exploring the geographic distribution and temporal trends of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) in Amazonas between 2011 and 2022. Secondary data extracted from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) were utilized for this analysis.

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Interactions among pathogen genotypes that vary in host specificity may affect overall transmission dynamics in multi-host systems. , a bacterium that causes Lyme disease, is typically transmitted among wildlife by ticks. Despite the existence of many alleles of 's outer surface protein C () gene, most human infections are caused by a small number of alleles ["human infectious alleles" (HIAs)], suggesting variation in host specificity associated with .

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Plasmodium parasites infect thousands of species and provide an exceptional system for studying host-pathogen dynamics, especially for multi-host pathogens. However, understanding these interactions requires an accurate assay of infection. Assessing Plasmodium infections using microscopy on blood smears often misses infections with low parasitemias (the fractions of cells infected), and biases in malaria prevalence estimates will differ among hosts that differ in mean parasitemias.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate ecological aspects of species before the construction of hydroelectric plants on the Madeira River, and thus enable the assessment of the impact of these projects on mosquitoes. A total of 199 samplings were carried out between November 2003 and August 2004, using the technique of attraction with protection. Temporal distribution was evaluated from monthly incidence values obtained from the bite index per man/hour.

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  • The study aims to assess how effective tranexamic acid is in decreasing blood loss and surgical time in nasal surgeries.
  • It included 16 randomized clinical trials with a total of 1,108 patients and found that tranexamic acid significantly reduced both intraoperative blood loss and the duration of surgery.
  • The findings indicate that tranexamic acid plays a critical role in these procedures, though the research is somewhat limited by the small number of available studies.
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  • Piroplasms are significant blood parasites that affect cattle, humans, and dogs, with the Asian longhorned tick acting as a known vector in various regions including the USA.
  • A study conducted in New Jersey tested 667 ticks for piroplasms, yielding a variety of species including type F and an unidentified one, which are linked to health issues in cattle.
  • The findings suggest a diverse range of piroplasms in the tick population, highlighting potential risks of transmitting veterinary pathogens to livestock and possibly spilling over to humans from wildlife.
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The distribution of avian haemosporidians of the genus in the Neotropics remains poorly understood. Recent studies confirmed their presence in the region using molecular techniques alone, but evidence for gametocytes and data on putative competent hosts for are still lacking outside highland areas. We combined morphological and molecular data to characterize a new species infecting a non-migratory red-legged seriema (), the first report of a competent host for in Brazil.

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The northeastern United States (US) is a hotspot for tick-borne diseases. Adding to an already complex vector landscape, in 2017 large populations of the invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis, the Asian longhorned tick, were detected in New Jersey (NJ) and later found to be widespread from Connecticut to Georgia. In its native range in northeastern Asia, H.

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The present study aimed to analyse the associations between force production and 100 m front crawl inter-lap pacing and kinematics. Eleven elite male swimmers performed a 100 m front crawl maximal effort to collect 50 m lap time (T, s) and velocity (v, m·s) for pacing, stroke rate (SR), stroke length (SL) and stroke index (SI) as kinematic variables. A 30 s tethered effort allowed to determine the peak (F) and mean force (F) as force production variables.

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The relationships between host phylogenetics, functional traits and parasites in wildlife remain poorly understood in the Neotropics, especially in habitats with marked seasonal variation. Here, we examined the effect of seasonality and host functional traits on the prevalence of avian haemosporidians ( and ) in the Brazilian Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest. 933 birds were evaluated for haemosporidian infections.

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To further knowledge of the biological activity of native neotropical fungal species, this study aimed to determine the chemical composition and microbiological activity of Hornodermoporus martius. Ethanol, hexane, diethyl ether, and ethyl acetate fractions and the water residue were analyzed and resulted in a total phenolic compound content between 13 and 63 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram of crude extract. The total antioxidants ranged between 3 and 19 mg of ascorbic acid equivalents per gram of crude extract, and the percentage of antioxidant activity was determined to be between 6 and 25%.

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Acrolein is the main toxic metabolite of ifosfamide (IFO) that causes urothelial damage by oxidative stress and inflammation. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanism of action of gingerols, Zingiber officinale bioactive molecules, as an alternative treatment for ifosfamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. Female Swiss mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: control; IFO; IFO + Mesna; and IFO + [8]- or [10]-gingerol.

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COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) hit Europe in January 2020. By March, Europe was the active centre of the pandemic. As a result, widespread "lockdown" measures were enforced across the various European countries, even if to a different extent.

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