Publications by authors named "Luz M"

In this contribution, we address quantum transport in long periodic arrays whose basic cells, localized potentials U(x), display certain particular features. We investigate under which conditions these "local" special characteristics can influence the tunneling behavior through the full structure. As the building blocks, we consider two types of U(x)s: combinations of either Pöschl-Teller, U0/cosh2[αx], potentials (for which the reflection and transmission coefficients are known analytically) or Gaussian-shaped potentials.

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Background: Despite numerous clinical studies on bruxism management, critical evaluation parameters, including the impact of bruxism pain on quality of life and secondary issues like changes in craniocervical posture, are often disregarded.

Research Question: Evaluate the effect of two treatments on the craniocervical posture of adult patients with myofascial pain.

Methods: This parallel randomized clinical trial included 60 patients with myofascial pain due to probable bruxism that fulfilled the study requirements.

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  • This study compared the effectiveness of occlusal splints (OS) and botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) in reducing jaw muscle pain in patients with probable sleep bruxism.
  • A total of 59 patients were assessed, showing both treatments significantly reduced pain over time, with no major differences in overall pain reduction between the two.
  • However, OS outperformed BTX-A in improving certain jaw mobility parameters and functional outcomes, suggesting possible advantages in specific aspects of treatment for bruxism-related pain.
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  • * Taurine (TAU), an essential amino acid with protective properties against tissue toxicity from chemotherapy, was hypothesized to mitigate the adverse effects of 5-FU, particularly in relation to colorectal cancer.
  • * In a study with rats, combinations of taurine and 5-FU showed promising results, reducing adenocarcinoma occurrence compared to 5-FU alone, suggesting that taurine may enhance the effectiveness of 5-FU
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Nanoemulsions are dispersions of oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O) immiscible liquids. Thus, our main goal was to formulate a nanoemulsion with low surfactant concentrations and outstanding stability using Copaiba balsam oil (Copaifera sp.).

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  • The evolving oncology treatment landscape shows a need for better administration options that enhance patient experiences and healthcare efficiency.
  • A phase III trial (CheckMate 67T) compared subcutaneous nivolumab to intravenous nivolumab in patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma, focusing on pharmacokinetics and objective response rates.
  • Results indicated that subcutaneous nivolumab was noninferior to the intravenous form, showing similar efficacy and safety profiles, with no new safety concerns emerging.
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Objective: To compare costs between treatment strategies employed prior to and after prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) via the Brazilian Unified Health Care System and their impact on the therapeutic management of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: The referring physicians were surveyed on their treatment intentions (strategies) at two different time points: prior to and after PSMA PET/CT. Cost comparison results are presented as median (IQR) for each of the two strategies.

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Introduction: Genetic variants may influence Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in the immune response to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and lead to cervical cancer. In this study, we investigated the pattern of TLR expression in the transcriptome of HPV-positive and HPV-negative cervical cancer samples and looked for variants potentially related to TLR gene alterations in exomes from different populations.

Materials And Methods: A cervical tissue sample from 28 women, which was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, was used to examine TLR gene expression.

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Background: Ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis is a common condition among invasively ventilated patients in intensive care units, for which the best treatment strategy is currently unknown. We designed the VATICAN (Ventilator-Associated Tracheobronchitis Initiative to Conduct Antibiotic Evaluation) trial to assess whether a watchful waiting antibiotic treatment strategy is noninferior to routine antibiotic treatment for ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis regarding days free of mechanical ventilation.

Methods: VATICAN is a randomized, controlled, open-label, multicenter noninferiority trial.

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Introduction: Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) mutations and fusions are relevant biomarkers in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, the prevalence of genomic alterations and their impact on clinical outcomes in a Latin American population remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of FGFR mutations and/or fusions in patients with mUC in Latin America (LATAM) and its association with clinicopathological characteristics, Bellmunt's prognostic model, and survival outcomes.

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Somatic variation is a major type of genetic variation contributing to human diseases including cancer. Of the vast quantities of somatic variants identified, the functional impact of many somatic variants, in particular the missense variants, remains unclear. Lack of the functional information prevents the translation of rich variation data into clinical applications.

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  • Occupational exposure to toxic elements (like lead and arsenic) was studied among informal jewelry welders and formal steel workers in Brazil, showing higher blood concentrations of these elements in informal workers.
  • The study found significant health implications, particularly in informal workers, with increased rates of neurological issues linked to higher lead levels in blood.
  • The research highlights the need for better monitoring and interventions to reduce toxic exposure in these occupational environments to protect workers' health.
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Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a non-protein β-amino acid essential for cellular homeostasis, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties that are crucial for life maintenance. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of taurine administration on hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal preservation, or reverse damage in rats exposed to forced ethanol consumption in an animal model. Wistar rats were treated with ethanol (EtOH) for a 28-day period (5% in the 1st week, 10% in the 2nd week, and 20% in the 3rd and 4th weeks).

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The identification and physical interpretation of arbitrary quantum correlations are not always effortless. Two features that can significantly influence the dispersion of the joint observable outcomes in a quantum bipartite system composed of systems I and II are: (a) All possible pairs of observables describing the composite are equally probable upon measurement, and (b) The absence of concurrence (positive reinforcement) between any of the observables within a particular system; implying that their associated operators do not commute. The so-called EPR states are known to observe (a).

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  • A new method for assessing horse personality was developed using five personality axes, which involved evaluations by four judges based on specific adjectives.
  • Four behavioral tests were conducted to validate the assessment method, showing consistent results with the questionnaire.
  • The proposed tool aims to enhance human-horse relationships by encouraging a more empathetic approach in daily interactions with the animals.
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This work evaluated if strategic control based on no more than three or four annual treatments is useful to control Rhipicephalus microplus infestations on cattle when it is applied to intensive rotational grazing and silvopastoral systems with high stocking rates in subtropical areas. In the intensive rotational grazing system, three annual treatments with chemical acaricides were applied on cattle in two different schemes: between spring and early summer and from late winter and late spring. Strategic control based on three treatments with chemical acaricides from late winter to late spring plus an additional fourth treatment in summer was tested in the silvopastoral system.

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Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heterogeneous disease defined by four Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) symptom clusters: reexperiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and hyperarousal. There are effective evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for PTSD. However, given the variety of PTSD clinical presentations, we conducted the first meta-analysis investigating whether DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters show different responses to EBPs.

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Reproductive control is one of the biggest challenges in tilapia production and triploidy was developed as an alternative to sterilization. In general, polyploids present chromosomal instability but for triploid Nile tilapia it has yet to be reported. This study evaluated the chromosomal instability from juveniles to adulthood, growth performance and gonadal status of tilapia hatched from eggs submitted or not to heat shock for triploid induction.

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