Publications by authors named "Michele Silva"

Public concerns over environmental protection have increased after Fukushima accident. The soil-plant transfer factor (Fv) is a critical parameter for environmental risk assessment. Cs Fv values determined in acid Brazilian soils could be two orders of magnitude higher than Fv values measured in soils affected by the Chernobyl accident.

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The development of a tailored filament is reported composed of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carbon black (CB) in a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix and its use in the production of electrochemical sensors. The electrodes containing rGO showed superior performance when compared with  those prepared in the absence of this material. Physicochemical and electrochemical characterizations of the electrodes showed the successful incorporation of both rGO and CB and an improved conductivity in the presence of rGO (lower resistance to charge transfer).

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Since May 2020, we have been conducting a comprehensive study to understand the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our focus has been on following families, systematically collecting respiratory tract swabs and blood samples, monitoring symptoms, and gathering data on vaccine status. This paper aims to describe the household cohort across five epidemic waves of SARS-CoV-2, providing an overview of the collected data and a description of the epidemiological, clinical, and immunological characteristics and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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causes the vast majority of malaria cases in Brazil. The lifecycle of this parasite includes a latent stage in the liver, the hypnozoite. Reactivation of hypnozoites induces repeated relapses.

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Background: There is interest in lingering non-specific symptoms after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, referred to as Long coronavirus disease 2019 (Long COVID-19). It remains unknown whether the risk of Long COVID-19 is associated with pre-existing comorbidities or initial COVID-19 severity, including infections due to new Omicron lineages which predominated in 2023.

Objectives: The aim of this case report was to characterize the clinical features of acute XBB.

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Background: During the hospitalization period, it is possible to observe considerable changes in the vital parameters of patients, which may require emergency interventions or intensive treatment. The alteration of signs and symptoms that lead to physiological instability that can worsen the clinical picture with progression to shock, respiratory failure, or cardiorespiratory arrest is currently defined as clinical deterioration. Identifying signs of clinical deterioration at an early stage can lead to substantial decreases in mortality rates, the need for emergency interventions, and unscheduled treatments in intensive care units.

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Background: Chikungunya can cause persistent chronic joint pain. Knowledge of the risk factors for disease progression is important for preventing and controlling complications. This study aimed to identify factors associated with chronic joint pain.

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Background: Malaria is endemic and represents an important public health issue in Brazil. Knowledge of risk factors for disease progression represents an important step in preventing and controlling malaria-related complications. Reports of severe forms of Plasmodium vivax malaria are now becoming a common place, but respiratory complications are described in less than 3% of global literature on severe vivax malaria.

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Capillaria Zeder, 1800, parasitizes the organs and tissues of several hosts, including the domestic duck Cairina moschata (Linnaeus). This article describes a new species of Capillaria in domestic ducks identified based on morphological studies and molecular analyses of the ribosomal RNA gene. Thirty-eight specimens of C.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study tracked people with COVID-19 and their household contacts in Rio de Janeiro from April 2020 to June 2022, focusing on reinfections.
  • Ninety-eight reinfections were noted, with a significant number confirmed through genomic analysis; vaccination was effective against reinfection before the Omicron variant, but not afterward.
  • The results indicate that while reinfections tended to be milder, vaccines may not effectively prevent all infections, emphasizing the need for updated vaccines and regular boosters like those used for flu.
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The genus Baruscapillaria Moravec, 1982 has six valid species recorded in birds Phalacrocoracidae, namely Baruscapillaria appendiculata Freitas, 1933, B. spiculata Freitas, 1933, B. carbonis (Dubinin & Dubinina, 1940), B.

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Objectives: to identify whether implementing a supplementary Primary Health Care (PHC) system makes it possible to reduce care costs for older adults with heart diseases.

Methods: a retrospective cohort of 223 patients with heart disease aged ≥ 60 years. Data were obtained from medical records and cost databases, assessed for a period of one year before and after PHC implementation.

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For the first time in Brazil, Contracaecum australe is recorded parasitizing Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Aves, Suliformes, Phalacrocoracidae) from the Marine Extractive Reserve of Soure on Marajó Island, Brazilian Amazon. Its morphology revealed a body with a transversally striated cuticle, smooth or slightly cleft interlabia, lips with auricles, labial papillae, and conspicuous amphids. In males, the presence of the median papilla on the upper lip of the cloaca and spicules that reach almost half of the body of the parasite.

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Objective: There is no consensus as to the best criterion for the evaluation of metabolic syndrome (MS), impairing the estimation of its prevalence. This study aims to compare MS estimates using three recommended definitions for adolescents based on a cross-sectional study nested in the Consortium of Brazilian Birth Cohorts in São Luís, Maranhão.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 2,515 adolescents aged between 18 and 19 years were evaluated.

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Brazilian spotted fever, a zoonotic disease transmitted by ticks, is caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. We report a fulminant case of this zoonosis in a healthy 46-year-old military man in the urban region of Rio de Janeiro city, in October, 2021. Ticks and capybaras (Amblyomma sculptum, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, respectively) were identified in the military fields, pointing to the participation of this large synanthropic rodent, recognized as an efficient amplifier host of Rickettsia rickettsii in Brazil.

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Background: Chikungunya is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is characterized by an acute onset of fever and severe arthralgia.

Methods: We describe six cases of acute and post-acute chikungunya in which viral RNA was detected in semen.

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Allied to the problem of gastrointestinal parasites, especially Haemochus contortus, the use of lectins of plant origin has contributed to the research of alternative anthelmintics. The nematicidal effect of a water soluble Moringa oleifera lectin (WSMoL) was investigated in an experimental model with H. contortus infected Wistar rodents.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro ovicidal activity, phytochemistry, and toxicity of a saline extract obtained from peel of L fruits. The ovicidal activity was evaluated by the hatching inhibition of eggs recovered from fecal samples of naturally infected goats; the phytochemical analysis was carried out using the fruit peel; and the toxicity was tested on , using saline extract. The results showed that the ovicidal effect of the tested extract was 99% (25 mg mL), 99% (12.

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Background: Chikungunya is a widely distributed, re-emerging tropical disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Little is known about the duration for which CHIK RNA are detectable in bodily fluids, especially genital secretions, and current evidence is based on small series or case reports. An understanding of viral dynamics across different body compartments can inform diagnostic testing algorithms and public health prevention interventions.

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Haemonchus contortus is a hematophagous parasite that causes damage to ruminant production worldwide. This study reported the in vitro nematicidal effect of a lectin preparation (LP) isolated from Artocarpus heterophyllus seeds on larvae and adults of H. contortus.

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The present study evaluated the importance of auxiliary traits of a principal trait based on phenotypic information and previously known genetic structure using computational intelligence and machine learning to develop predictive tools for plant breeding. Data of an F2 population represented by 500 individuals, obtained from a cross between contrasting homozygous parents, were simulated. Phenotypic traits were simulated based on previously established means and heritability estimates (30%, 50%, and 80%); traits were distributed in a genome with 10 linkage groups, considering two alleles per marker.

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We describe a case of prolonged COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Gamma variant in a fully vaccinated healthcare worker, 387 days after an infection caused by lineage B.1.1.

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Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with several chronic diseases, including erectile dysfunction (ED). The association of OSAS and ED is far more common than might be found by chance; the treatment of OSAS with non-invasive positive airway pressure therapy is associated with improvement of respiratory symptoms, and may contribute to the improvement of associated conditions, such as ED.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and acceptability of non-invasive positive airway pressure therapy for improving erectile dysfunction in OSAS.

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The scope of this article was to analyze the access of children with complex chronic health conditions to specialized care, identifying their strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of speech therapists. The selection of research subjects was made considering the participation in a virtual group whose dynamics signaled the difficulty of members, municipal civil servants, in the conduct of referring patients to health services. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 14 speech therapists from this group who work with children.

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