Publications by authors named "L O B Afonso"

Heart failure (HF) poses a significant medical challenge, affecting millions of adults in the United States. High-output heart failure (HOHF) is a distinct subtype characterized by elevated cardiac output exceeding 8 L/min or a cardiac index >4 L/min/m². Patients with HOHF often present similarly to those with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

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Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome marked by excessive immune activation. It can be triggered by various factors, including infections, malignancies, and autoimmune diseases, making the diagnosis challenging due to its overlap with other severe conditions.

Case Reports: We discuss two intensive care unit (ICU) cases illustrating the diverse manifestations of HLH and the critical importance of early recognition and treatment.

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In the past several years, children and adolescents have increasingly been enticed into playing dangerous and challenging games, particularly through social networks. Epidemiological data regarding this phenomenon are particularly difficult to come by, as is information regarding the somatic and psychological consequences of these activities, which can end up having fatal outcomes. We here report the case of a suspicion of child abuse that turned out to be due to participation in a challenge game known as "The Deodorant Challenge" by a 10-year-old child who presented with burn-like lesions.

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Heavy metal contamination is an urgent environmental issue that poses a significant threat to human health and the ecosystem. To mitigate the adverse impacts of heavy metal pollution, the aim of this research was to develop genetically engineered zebrafish as biosensors, which offer a promising alternative for detecting heavy metal exposure, specifically Cd⁺ and Zn⁺. A novel heavy metal-sensitive gene construct metallothionine 2 promoter with DsRed reporter gene (mt2-DsRed2) was synthesized and integrated into zebrafish embryos using a Tol2 transposon transposase system with the transgenic zebrafish line subjected to biosensing applications for Cd and Zn.

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spp. commonly infects phagocytic cells of the immune system, particularly macrophages, employing various immune evasion strategies that enable their survival by altering the intracellular environment. In mammals, these parasites establish persistent infections by modulating gene expression in macrophages, thus interfering with immune signaling and response pathways, ultimately creating a favorable environment for the parasite's survival and reproduction.

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