Publications by authors named "Mariana Souza"

Brazil is an influential and successful food-producing country, where we can highlight artisanal cheeses gaining visibility in foreign markets. Some of these cheeses are made from raw milk, making them susceptible to contamination by microorganisms, including fungi, which can produce harmful mycotoxins. Feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1, when consumed by dairy animals, is metabolized and transformed into aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which is excreted in milk.

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This case report refers to a 1-year-old Guinea pig showing signs of anorexia and antipain posture. On abdominal radiography, five rounded mineral opaque structures were evident in the mid-caudal abdomen. On ultrasound, a right seminal vesicle with a reduction in diameter was observed, containing less echogenic material than the contralateral one, with five oval structures with a hyperechogenic contour and a central hypoechogenic area, forming acoustic shadowing.

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Introduction: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is commonly treated with intravenous (IV) regular insulin. However, patients with less severe DKA may benefit from a subcutaneous (SC) scheme.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SC rapid-acting insulin analogue (RAIAs) with IV regular insulin.

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Introduction: In-hospital falls represent significant health and economic concerns, but previous studies regarding the economic cost of falls do not account for other cofounders (comorbidities and clinical aspects) in this cost evaluation.

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the cost of in-hospital falls comparing those who had falls to nonfalls patients while accounting for several risk factors associated with falls.

Methods: Data were collected from January 2020 to December 2022, in a private hospital in Brazil.

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The precise mode of action of ganaplacide (KAF156), a phase III antimalarial candidate, remains elusive. Here we employ omics-based methods with the closely related chemical analog, GNF179, to search for potential targets. Ranking potential targets derived from chemical genetics and proteomic affinity chromatography methodologies identifies , or Synthetic Enhancement of YOP1, which is predicted to encode an essential dynamin-like GTPase implicated in homotypic fusion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes.

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Article Synopsis
  • β-Galactosidase and lipase were co-immobilized in gelatin (GEL) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends with varying ratios, impacting the films' mechanical properties and structure.
  • CMC enhanced the films' mechanical resistance, with the highest tensile strength recorded at 35.04 MPa for the CMC-dominant film, while the addition of enzymes influenced thermal stability and crystallinity.
  • The film with a 25% GEL and 75% CMC ratio demonstrated optimal enzyme interaction, better hydrolysis rates for lactose and triglycerides, and improved transparency compared to other blends.
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Dynamics of epigenetic modifications such as acetylation and deacetylation of histone proteins have been shown to be crucial for the life cycle development and survival of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite. In this study, we present a novel series of peptoid-based histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors incorporating nitrogen-containing bicyclic heteroaryl residues as a new generation of antiplasmodial peptoid-based HDAC inhibitors. We synthesized the HDAC inhibitors by an efficient multicomponent protocol based on the Ugi four-component reaction.

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The aim of this study was to develop a novel surgical technique for stifle arthrodesis in dogs using a semicircular saw for tibial and femoral ostectomies through a medial approach. Ten pelvic limbs from five canine cadavers underwent stifle arthrodesis. Prior to the surgical procedure, the limbs were radiographed to rule out musculoskeletal abnormalities.

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Introduction: Although a well-established component of bone metabolism, the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of fractures in elderly healthy individuals is still unclear.

Purpose: To perform a meta-analysis comparing vitamin D supplementation with placebo and its contributions on fracture incidence.

Methods: This meta-analysis was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), under protocol CRD42023484979.

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  • Resistance training with instability (REI) was tested against traditional resistance exercise (RE) to see which might better enhance muscle strength in older adults with cognitive impairment over 12 weeks.
  • Both training methods led to similar improvements in isometric handgrip strength and isokinetic performance, indicating that instability devices don't negatively affect strength gains.
  • The total training volume (TTV) between the two groups was also similar, suggesting that REI can be an effective option for older adults without compromising training intensity or effectiveness.*
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Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxin produced by several Aspergillus species, mainly those belonging to section Circumdati and section Nigri. The presence of OTA in cheese has been reported recently in cave cheese in Italy. As artisanal cheese production in Brazil has increased, the aim of this study was to investigate the presence of ochratoxin A and related fungi in artisanal cheese consumed in Brazil.

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Glycemia is an important factor among critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). There is conflicting evidence on the preferred strategy of blood glucose control among patients with diabetes in the ICU. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis comparing tight with liberal blood glucose in critically ill patients with diabetes in the ICU.

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Introduction: Benznidazole, the drug of choice for treating Chagas Disease (CD), has significant limitations, such as poor cure efficacy, mainly in the chronic phase of CD, association with side effects, and parasite resistance. Understanding parasite resistance to benznidazole is crucial for developing new drugs to treat CD.

Areas Covered: Here, the authors review the current understanding of the molecular basis of benznidazole resistance.

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  • * Microplastics (MPs), such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microparticles, are prevalent contaminants in water and can influence the efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) treatments.
  • * The study shows that while PVC microparticles do not prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species, their concentration can affect the ability to inactivate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using curcumin as a photosensitizer under blue light.
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Bacterial meningitis is still a significant public health concern, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite this, it is still a rare event that requires the bacterial invasion of the meninges. However, some predisposing factors can trigger recurrent episodes of meningitis.

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Controlling malaria requires new drugs against . The cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PfPKG) is a validated target whose inhibitors could block multiple steps of the parasite's life cycle. We defined the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a pyrrole series for PfPKG inhibition.

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The occurrence and severity of osteonecrosis in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) vary due to risk factors, including genetic modifiers. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), particularly BMP6, and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) play key roles in cartilage and bone metabolism, making them potential contributors to orthopaedic outcomes in SCA. Here, we evaluated the association of polymorphisms in BMP6 (rs3812163, rs270393 and rs449853) and VDR (FokI rs2228570 and Cdx2 rs11568820) genes with osteonecrosis risk in a Brazilian SCA cohort.

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Malaria poses an enormous threat to human health. With ever increasing resistance to currently deployed drugs, breakthrough compounds with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. Here, we explore pyrimidine-based sulfonamides as a new low molecular weight inhibitor class with drug-like physical parameters and a synthetically accessible scaffold.

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To reduce the speed of selection of populations resistant to chemical insecticides, photodynamic inactivation (PDI) against Aedes aegypti is a hot-topic and promising alternative technique to vector control. Temperature is an important factor in the survival of Ae. aegypti larvae and mosquitoes as it influences physiology, behavior, and ecology.

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Chagas disease is caused by the parasite , and the lack of effective and safe treatments makes identifying new classes of compounds with anti- activity of paramount importance. Hit-to-lead exploration of a metabolically stable -imidazoylpiperazine was performed. Compound , a piperazine derivative active against , was selected to perform the hit-to-lead exploration, which involved the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 39 new derivatives.

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Background: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most incident types of cancer among women in the world. Although chemotherapy is an effective way to treat several types of cancer, it may also cause serious complications, including cardiotoxicity. This study aimed to identify the impact of chemotherapy on functional capacity, muscle strength and autonomic function.

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