Publications by authors named "Maria Nunes"

Early detection of renal deficient function is imperative for the success of treatments and determining prognosis. In horses, a renal ultrasound can be performed through the abdominal wall (TA) or transrectally (TR), being an important tool for the evaluation of the kidneys. Besides renal morphology, resistivity (RI) and pulsatility indexes (PI) may be early tools to detect renal injury as they reflect arterial compliance.

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Chagas disease (ChD) remains a significant public health concern in the Americas, with challenges to accurately assessing its mortality burden due to under-reporting and misclassification. This study aimed to analyze mortality patterns of two cohorts of individuals with ChD-one comprising asymptomatic individuals with positive serology (REDS) and another with patients showing Chagas cardiomyopathy (SaMi-Trop)-to propose a method for estimating the potential under-registration of Chagas-related deaths and to find the factors influencing the identification of ChD as the underlying cause of death. We carried out a retrospective analysis of mortality data from these cohorts together with data on the Brazilian Mortality Information System.

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Background: The compound eyes of insects exhibit extensive variation in ommatidia number and size, which affects how they see and underlies adaptations in their vision to different environments and lifestyles. However, very little is known about the genetic and developmental bases of differences in eye size. We previously showed that the larger eyes of Drosophila mauritiana compared to D.

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Objective: Considering that the αvβ3 integrin plays an important role in tumor metastasis, this study investigated the involvement of these pathways in mediating the triiodothyronine (T3) effects on amphiregulin () expression.

Materials And Methods: We treated MCF-7 cells with T3 (10 nM) for 1 hour in the presence or absence of inhibitors for αvβ3 integrin (RGD peptide), MAPK (PD98059), PI3K (LY294002), and protein synthesis (cycloheximide [CHX]). A control group (C) received no T3 or inhibitors.

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Tributyltin (TBT) is an organotin compound and a common persistent environmental pollutant with endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) actions. It can accumulate in the environment at various concentrations throughout the food chain in the ecosystem, posing a risk to human health, especially during critical periods such as gestation and fetal and offspring development. In this review, we report the results of studies describing the consequences of TBT exposure on placental and reproductive parameters in offspring of both sexes.

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This study investigated the fatty acids (FA) profile of 54 actinomycete strains isolated from marine sediments collected off the Portugal continental coast, specifically from the Estremadura Spur pockmarks field, by GC/MS. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were prepared from the ethyl acetate lipidic extracts of these strains and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), with FA identification performed using the NIST library. The identified FAs varied from C12:0 to C20:0, where 32 distinct FAs were identified, including 7 branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), 9 odd-chain fatty acids (OCFAs), 8 monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), 6 saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 1 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and 1 cyclic chain fatty acid (CCFA).

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Canning extends the shelf life of seafood products while preserving their quality. It is increasingly considered a more sustainable food processing method due to the primary fishing methods used for key species and the lower energy costs compared to the production of fresh and frozen fish. However, canning can change key components, allow some contaminants to persist, and generate undesirable compounds.

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Brewers' spent grain (BSG), the major by-product of the brewery industry, has high nutritional value, making it suitable for upcycling into products such as healthy, and sustainable cookies. Nonetheless, the incorporation of BSG in cookies can impact their quality, given the increased fiber and protein content. This work explored the effect of replacing wheat flour with BSG at 50% and 75% in cookie formulations, focusing on physical, chemical, and sensory properties.

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Games and analogies can significantly enrich the learning experience when integrated with traditional expository teaching methods. With this aim, we developed "The Mystery of the Cell Kingdom," an online game designed to enhance understanding of the physiology of thyroid hormones through a medieval analogy. In the game, students are challenged to apply their knowledge of endocrine physiology to solve a series of relevant questions on the topic.

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 To examine the association of evening eating clock time, its elapsed time to the midpoint of sleep (TEM), consumption of caffeine and sugary foods, and reporting dinner as the largest meal with sleep quality indicators and insomnia.  Participants (  = 2,050;18-65y) were part of population-based research, with virtual data collection. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess differences in the ORs(95%CI) of sleep duration < 7 hours, sleep latency > 30 minutes, poor sleep quality, and insomnia (outcomes) with the evening diet-related variables.

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Cancer treatment remains a significant challenge, with chemotherapy still being one of the most common therapeutic approaches. Based on our initial studies of symmetric monomethine cyanine dyes, which showed potential against colorectal cancer, this study explored several asymmetric cyanines, aiming to develop more potent and selective antitumor agents, particularly against colorectal cancer. In pursuit of this goal, we have designed, synthesized, and structurally characterized twelve new cyanine dyes.

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Background: Accounting for dementia risk factors is essential in identifying people who would benefit most from intervention programs. The CAIDE dementia risk score is commonly applied, but its link to brain function remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether the variation in this score is associated with neurophysiological changes and cognitive measures in normative individuals.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The research highlights the nutritional profile of minced salmon heads, revealing they are rich in lipids, particularly oleic acid, and identifies key lipid classes like triglycerides and phospholipids.
  • * Despite limited findings on antioxidant properties, the high triglyceride content suggests potential industrial applications, including fish oil production, biodiesel, and cosmetic ingredients.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Insect male genitalia are evolving rapidly, making them prime subjects for studying developmental processes and genetic mechanisms in evolution.
  • - Recent research on Drosophila and other insects has shed light on how genital structures develop, change in size, and form new shapes through modifications in gene expression and regulatory networks.
  • - Future research on genital evolution in a variety of insects could provide deeper insights into how organs are specified, differentiated, and diversified in general.
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Background: Chagas disease cardiomyopathy is characterized by intense immune activation, with double-negative (DN) T cells as key producers of inflammatory cytokines. CD1d is an antigen-presenting molecule involved in the activation of DN T cells.

Methods: We characterized CD1d+ monocytes from patients with cardiac (CARD) and indeterminate (IND) disease using flow cytometry.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) leads to serious long-term health issues, particularly chronic rheumatic heart disease, which affects heart valves.
  • The majority of ARF cases (over 80%) occur in low- and middle-income countries, indicating a strong link between this disease and socioeconomic factors.
  • Understanding the clinical, genetic, and sociodemographic risk factors of ARF can help healthcare providers identify those at high risk and implement better management and screening strategies to improve patient outcomes.
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A 28-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 1, with previously unknown severe rheumatic mitral stenosis presented with progressive dyspnea at 26 weeks of gestation. Percutaneous commissurotomy was considered but was deferred after symptom improvement with beta-blockers and diuretics. Pregnancy complications ensued, requiring preterm delivery.

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Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in the development of the central nervous system and are considered pivotal to cognitive functions in the adult brain. Recently, thyroid dysfunction has been associated with Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to assess the neuroprotective effects of triiodothyronine (T3) on insulin signaling, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, and cognitive function in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced sporadic Alzheimer's disease-like model.

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Chagas disease, the most common form of nonischaemic cardiomyopathy globally, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Latin America. Chagas cardiomyopathy has a wide clinical spectrum and prognosis, which is primarily determined by the severity of left ventricular dysfunction. Chagas disease also affects the brain, particularly manifesting as cardioembolic strokes and cognitive impairments.

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Background: Flaxseeds are functional foods popular in current diets. Cold-pressing is a solvent-free method to extract flaxseed oil, resulting in a by-product-defatted flour.

Objectives/methods: This study compared whole flaxseeds and defatted flour (proximate composition, fatty acids, vitamin E, total phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant activity, amino acids, and protein quality) and updated the composition of cold-pressed oil (oxidative stability, peroxide value, UV absorbance, colour, fatty acids, vitamin E, total phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant activity) to assess the nutritional relevance and potential for food applications of these samples.

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Objective: This observational study aims to evaluate the efficacy of type III thyroplasty (TP3) in achieving vocal masculinization in transgender men who have not obtained satisfactory results from testosterone therapy alone. Specifically, it aims to determine the change in the fundamental frequency (F0) of the voice before and after surgery and compare the results with previous studies.

Study Design: A retrospective observational study.

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Objectives: To evaluate a postpartum telephone-based lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes in high-risk women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Design: Multicentre parallel randomised clinical trial.

Setting: Specialised antenatal clinics in the Brazilian National System.

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Article Synopsis
  • * From 517 enrolled patients, stroke incidence was measured at 3.0 per 100 patient-years, with factors like age, left atrial volume, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) identified as key predictors.
  • * The study noted a complex relationship between stroke risk and heart function, particularly a threshold LVEF of 45%, leading to improved prediction models for stroke risk in this patient group.
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