Publications by authors named "Pais I"

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition, characterized by recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. While the primary focus of IBD management consists in controlling gastrointestinal symptoms, IBD also presents an increased risk of thromboembolic complications. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors, namely infliximab, have become increasingly common in the management of multiple chronic inflammatory diseases such as IBD.

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Objective: It is estimated that 2% of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented with increases in physical activity. However, there is little evidence of the association between vigorous physical activity (VPA) and cognitive performance. This study aimed to investigate the association of moderate physical activity (MPA) and VPA with cognitive performance in older adults from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brasil).

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Zinc enrichment of edible food products, through the soil and/or foliar application of fertilizers, is a strategy that can increase the contents of some nutrients, namely Zn. In this context, a workflow for agronomic enrichment with zinc was carried out on irrigated cv. Syrah, aiming to evaluate the mobilization of photoassimilates to the winegrapes and the consequences of this for winemaking.

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  • - Pyloric stenosis is a condition that typically affects infants but can occasionally occur in older children, leading to symptoms like vomiting and weight loss.
  • - An 11-year-old girl experienced post-meal vomiting and weight loss for two months and showed signs of abdominal swelling during examination.
  • - Medical imaging confirmed thickening of the pylorus, and the girl successfully underwent a surgical procedure called Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty, which resolved her symptoms.
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Climate changes boosted the frequency and severity of drought and heat events, with aggravated when these stresses occur simultaneously, turning crucial to unveil the plant response mechanisms to such harsh conditions. Therefore, plant responses/resilience to single and combined exposure to severe water deficit (SWD) and heat were assessed in two cultivars of the main coffee-producing species: cv. Icatu and cv.

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Upon exposure to a bacterial pore-forming toxin, enterocytes rapidly purge their apical cytoplasm into the gut lumen, resulting in a thin intestinal epithelium. The enterocytes regain their original shape and thickness within 16 h after the ingestion of the bacteria. Here, we show that the regrowth of enterocytes entails an inversion of metabolic fluxes from the organism back toward the intestine.

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  • Rice is a vital cereal crop, and this study focused on using selenium (Se) foliar applications to enhance its nutritional value in two rice varieties, Ariete and Ceres.
  • The treatments involved spraying sodium selenate and sodium selenite at different developmental stages, which resulted in greater Se content and positive changes in nutrients like potassium (K) and phosphorus (P).
  • The findings indicated that while Se enriched the rice grain with selenium, it also affected other nutrients differently, increasing protein content in the Ariete variety but not in Ceres, thus improving the overall nutritional profile of the rice without compromising quality.
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One-third of the world's population is suffering from "hidden hunger" due to micronutrient deficiency. Zinc is acquired through diet, leading its deficiency to the development of disorders such as retarded growth, anorexia, infections, and hypogeusia. Accordingly, this study aimed to develop an agronomic workflow for Zn biofortification on two red winegrapes varieties (cv.

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  • - The evaluation of moringa leaves and flowers indicates they are rich in important nutrients, including calcium, potassium, and manganese, as well as essential polyunsaturated fatty acids beneficial for human health.
  • - Moringa flowers are high in soluble sugars, which likely play a role in attracting insects for pollination.
  • - Essential oils from moringa leaves, flowers, and seeds were analyzed, showing a variety of alkanes and fatty acids; further research could help determine if these nutrients can help address dietary deficiencies and reduce risks of hypertension and diabetes in today's diet.
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Inundation, excessive precipitation, or inadequate field drainage can cause waterlogging of cultivated land. It is anticipated that climate change will increase the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of flooding events. This stress affects 10-15 million hectares of wheat every year, resulting in 20-50% yield losses.

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  • There’s rising concern about micronutrient deficits in food, and biofortification, specifically with zinc (Zn), is a strategy to address this.
  • A workflow was developed for enriching the Fernão Pires grape variety with Zn, assessing how it affects grape quality and winemaking after applying various Zn compounds during the growing season.
  • Results showed a significant increase in Zn levels in the grapes compared to untreated ones, especially in the skins and seeds, but overall grape quality and composition remained largely unchanged.
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  • This study investigates how two coffee plant varieties react to drought under different carbon dioxide levels.
  • It explores the expression of proteins related to stress defense, energy metabolism, and lipid processes in response to mild and severe water deficits.
  • Findings suggest that higher CO2 levels can enhance drought tolerance, particularly in the C. arabica variety, indicating potential benefits for coffee cultivation amidst climate change.
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As the productivity and quality of tomato fruits are responsive to Mg applications, without surpassing the threshold of toxicity, the assessment of potential levels of Mg accumulation in tissues, as well as the interactions with Ca and physicochemical properties, prompt this study. An agronomic workflow for Mg enrichment, consisting of six foliar applications of MgSO with four concentrations (0%, 0.25%, 1% and 4%), equivalent to 0, 43.

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Calcium is essential for plants, yet as its mobility is limited, the understanding of the rate of Ca accumulation and deposition in tissues of tubers, as well as the interactions with other critical nutrients prompted this study. To assess the interactions and differential accumulation of micro and macronutrients in the tissues of tubers, L. varieties Agria and Rossi were cultivated and, after the beginning of tuberization, four foliar sprayings (at 8-10 day intervals) with CaCl (3 and 6 kg ha) or Ca(NO) (2 and 4 kg ha) solutions were performed.

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  • The mineral composition of grapes and wine can be affected by soil minerals, farming practices, and the environment, with zinc (Zn) being particularly important for human health.
  • Experiments using foliar fertilizers containing zinc revealed that both Moscatel and Castelão grape varieties experienced decreased photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, indicating potential toxicity from zinc without visible symptoms.
  • Zinc content significantly increased in Castelão grapes after treatment, but less so in Moscatel, and both varieties showed enhanced zinc levels post-winemaking, emphasizing the potential for nutrient enrichment in wine production.
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  • * A study compared four Portuguese cowpea landraces with a commercial variety to assess their responses to drought under controlled conditions, revealing unique physiological traits among them.
  • * Although minimal differences in water control mechanisms were noted, significant variations in productivity highlighted the potential of breeding strategies focused on stomatal responses and water-saving traits for improved drought adaptation.
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Bread wheat () is a major crop worldwide, and it is highly susceptible to heat. In this work, grain production and composition were evaluated in Portuguese germplasm (landraces and commercial varieties), which was subjected to heat after anthesis (grain filling stage). Heat increased the test weight (TW) in Nabão, Grécia and Restauração, indicating an improved flour-yield potential.

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Actinorhizal plants have been regarded as promising species in the current climate change context due to their high tolerance to a multitude of abiotic stresses. While combined salt-heat stress effects have been studied in crop species, their impact on the model actinorhizal plant, , has not yet been fully addressed. The effect of single salt (400 mM NaCl) and heat (control at 26/22 °C, supra optimal temperatures at 35/22 °C and 45/22 °C day/night) conditions on branchlets was characterised at the physiological level, and stress-induced metabolite changes were characterised by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics.

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Metamitron (MET) is a fruitlet thinning compound for apple trees, needing better understanding of its action on leaf energy metabolism, depending on nighttime temperature. A trial under environmental controlled conditions was set with 'Golden Reinders' potted trees, under 25/7.5 and 25/15 °C (diurnal/nighttime temperature), with (MET, 247.

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An agronomic itinerary for Se biofortification of two rice cultivars (Ariete and Ceres) through foliar fertilization with sodium selenate and sodium selenite with different concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 100 g Se.ha), was implemented in experimental fields. The selenium toxicity threshold was not exceeded, as shown by the eco-physiological data obtained through leaf gas exchanges.

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This study aimed to assess the efficiency of Ca enrichment in tubers of three genotypes of L., through foliar spraying with CaCl and Ca(NO) solutions. In this context, soil heterogeneity of three potato-growing fields, as well as the implications of Ca accumulation among tissues and some quality parameters were assessed.

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This study aimed to assess the implications of Zn enrichment in wheat grains as a function of contrasting genotypes, edaphic conditions and foliar fertilizers. L. varieties Roxo and Paiva were grown in four production fields, and sprayed with ZnSO (0, 16.

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  • Rice is the second-most-produced crop globally and can potentially reduce nutrient deficiencies through selenium (Se) biofortification.
  • Researchers conducted trials on two rice genotypes (OP1505 and OP1509) using different foliar fertilizers (sodium selenate and sodium selenite) applied at various stages of growth.
  • Results showed significant increases in Se levels and total protein content in the rice grains, indicating that agronomic biofortification can enhance rice's nutritional value without compromising its quality.
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