Publications by authors named "Paulo de Oliveira"

Somatic mutations in individual cells lead to genomic mosaicism, contributing to the intricate regulatory landscape of genetic disorders and cancers. To evaluate and refine the detection of somatic mosaicism across different technologies with personalized donor-specific assembly (DSA), we obtained tissue from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of a post-mortem neurotypical 31-year-old individual. We sequenced bulk DLPFC tissue using Oxford Nanopore Technologies (∼60X), NovaSeq (∼30X), and linked-read sequencing (∼28X).

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Background: The use of ex vivo assays associated with biomaterials may allow the short-term visualization of a specific cell type response inserted in a local microenvironment. Blood is the first component to come into contact with biomaterials, providing blood clot formation, being substantial in new tissue formation. Thus, this research investigated the physiological blood clot (PhC) patterns formed in 3D scaffolds (SCAs), based on chitosan and 20% beta-tricalcium phosphate and its effect on osteogenesis.

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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) present unique properties, such as the induced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) provoked under illumination with a proper wavelength, allowing these nanomaterials to be applied in fields such as catalysis and biomedicine. The study of AgNPs is also highly relevant from the environmental pollution viewpoint due to their high production and application in commercial products. Consequently, AgNPs reach aquatic environments and can be plasmonically stimulated under natural light conditions.

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This review aims to provide an overview of sustainable approaches that can be incorporated into well-known procedures for the development of materials, pre- and post-treatments, modifications, and applications of 3D-printed objects, especially for fused filament fabrication (FFF). Different examples of conductive and non-conductive bespoke filaments using renewable biopolymers, bioplasticizers, and recycled materials are presented and discussed. The main final characteristics of the polymeric materials achieved according to the feedstock, preparation, extrusion, and treatments are also covered.

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Article Synopsis
  • Obesity rates have tripled in the last 45 years, prompting the need for new research methods to study its effects, particularly focusing on adipocytes, the fat cells involved in energy storage.
  • Traditional research methods, like animal models and 2D cell cultures, are limited in accurately simulating real-life physiology and raise ethical concerns, leading to the development of a new 3D in vitro model using 3T3-L1 cells.
  • This 3D model effectively mimics the metabolic characteristics of adipose tissue, particularly in relation to obesity, demonstrating simplicity and cost-effectiveness, and offering a promising tool for researching new treatments for metabolic syndrome and obesity.
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Background: Distillery vinasse is one of the promising bio-fertilizers, as it contains significant amounts of essential chemical elements, allied with sorghum that is widely used in the diet of ruminant animals and has been considered as an alternative to the production of other cereals or forages. This study aimed to evaluate saccharin sorghum silage from fertilization with vinasse.

Methods: The research was conducted using the BRS-511, CR-1339, and CR-1342 geno-types.

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Objectives: Evaluate, in vitro, the effect of incorporating nano-sized sodium trimetaphosphate (TMPnano) and phosphorylated chitosan (Chi-Ph) into resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) used for orthodontic bracket cementation, on mechanical, fluoride release, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties.

Methods: RMGIC was combined with Chi-Ph (0.25%/0.

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Due to the anthropogenic pressures of expansion areas for livestock and agricultural production in the Brazilian Cerrado, it is of paramount importance to understand the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) changes in this region. Thus, we investigated LULC changes in two sub-basins of the Tocantins-Araguaia River basin from 1997 to 2015 and consequently projected future changes for the timespan between 2030 and 2050. The Formoso sub-basin experienced significant expansion of agricultural and pasture areas, whereas the Sono sub-basin limited farmland expansion (more stable native vegetation) due to substantial protected areas, trends that were also observed for future projections (2030 and 2050).

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This work emphasizes the utilization of biochar, a renewable material, as an interesting platform for anchoring redox mediators and bioreceptors in the development of economic, environmentally friendly biosensors. In this context, Fe(III) ions were preconcentrated on highly functionalized activated biochar, allowing the stable synthesis of Prussian blue nanostructures with an average size of 58.3 nm.

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Cardiac function requires appropriate proteins in each chamber. Atria requires slow myosin to act as reservoirs, while ventricles demand fast myosin for swift pumping. Myosins are thus under chamber-biased cis-regulation, with myosin gene expression imbalances leading to congenital heart dysfunction.

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Bottom-up mechanochemical synthesis (BUMS) has been demonstrated to be an efficient approach for the preparation of metal nanoparticles (NPs), protected by surface agents or anchored on solid supports. However, there are limitations, such as precise size and morphological control, due to a lack of knowledge about the mechanically induced processes of NP formation under milling. In this article, we further investigate the BUMS of AuNPs.

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Polystyrene (PS) is one of the main synthetic polymers produced around the world, and it is present in the composition of a wide variety of single-use objects. When released into the environment, these materials are degraded by environmental factors, resulting in microplastics. We investigated the ability of (Diptera, Chironomidae) to promote the fragmentation of PS microspheres (24.

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  • Plasmonic photocatalysis traditionally relies on expensive materials like silver (Ag) and gold (Au), which limits its widespread use.
  • Researchers developed a new method using affordable materials, specifically HMoO and palladium (Pd), through a solventless mechanochemical synthesis, enhancing photocatalytic activity in the visible spectrum.
  • By studying the effects of different light excitation wavelengths on photocatalytic reactions, they found that combining two specific wavelengths led to a 110% improvement in efficiency, demonstrating the potential for creating cost-effective visible-light photocatalysts with readily available materials.
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The presence of Andean plant genera in moist forests of the Brazilian Atlantic Coast has been historically hypothesized as the result of cross-continental migrations starting at the eastern Andean flanks. Here we test hypotheses of former connections between the Atlantic and Andean forests by examining distribution patterns of selected cool and moist-adapted plant arboreal taxa present in 54 South American pollen records of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ca. 19-23 cal ka, known to occur in both plant domains.

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Article Synopsis
  • (R,S)-methadone consists of two enantiomers, (R)-MTD and (S)-MTD, both of which interact with µ-opioid receptors (MORs) to provide pain relief but have different effects on the brain's reward system.
  • (S)-MTD is being researched as an antidepressant due to its unique properties; it does not increase dopamine levels or cause locomotor stimulation like (R)-MTD, and it weakly reinforces reward pathways.
  • Additionally, (S)-MTD acts as a partial agonist at MORs and specifically inhibits the MOR-GalR heteromer, which may lower the risk of dependence compared to traditional opioids.
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Background: Scaffold (SCA) functionalization with aptamers (APT) provides adsorption of specific bioactive molecules on biomaterial surfaces. The aim of this study was to observe if SCA enriched with anti-fibronectin APT can favor coagulum (PhC) and osteoblasts (OSB) differentiation.

Methods: 20 μg of APT was functionalized on SCA by simple adsorption.

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We recorded 14 pollen types belonging to 12 families of angiosperms. Pera (Peraceae) pollen type was found in all genera and was the most abundant. Our results suggest low specificity in the choice of flowers; thus, Sphingids with either short or long proboscises visited flowers of the same species.

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Although bat guano deposits have been proven to be excellent environmental archives for paleoecological and paleoclimate studies, the development of a standardized method specially catering to pollen extraction has received no attention so far. In general, the processing procedure is quite similar among published studies, but adjustments must be made regarding the proportion of organic and particulate matter in the guano deposit. In this study, we present step-by-step optimized sample processing methods for pollen analysis.

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The α7 subtype of nicotinic receptors (α7 nAChRs) is one of the most abundant nicotinic receptor subtypes in the central nervous system (CNS) and both neurons and nonneuronal cells express α7 nAChRs. When activated, α7 nAChRs become permeable to cations and promote cellular responses such as anti-apoptotic signaling by modulating the caspases and proteins of the Bcl-2 family. Neuroprotection is an important function of these receptors, promoting neuronal survival under pathological conditions, including situations of stress and neuronal degeneration.

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The performance of mechanochemically synthesized supported bimetallic AgAu nanoalloy catalysts was evaluated in the oxidative cleavage of methyl oleate, a commonly available unsaturated bio-derived raw material. An extensive screening of supports (SiO , C, ZrO , Al O ), metallic ratios (Ag : Au), reaction times, temperatures, and use of solvents was carried out. The performance was optimized towards productivity and selectivity for the primary cleavage products (aldehydes and oxoesters).

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Article Synopsis
  • (R,S)-methadone (MTD) is a combination of two enantiomers, (R)-MTD and (S)-MTD, used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and pain, with (R)-MTD being the effective treatment for OUD.
  • Research showed that (S)-MTD, while developing as an antidepressant, does not act on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) as previously thought but instead shows similar efficacy to (R)-MTD at mu-opioid receptors (MORs).
  • (S)-MTD has a lower potential for abuse, does not self-administer, and uniquely interacts with receptors, providing insights into its distinct
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Titanium (Ti) nanotopography modulates the osteogenic response to exogenous bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) in vitro, supporting enhanced alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression and activity, as well as higher osteopontin (OPN) mRNA and protein levels. As the biological effects of OPN protein are modulated by its proteolytic cleavage by serum proteases, this in vitro study evaluated the effects on osteogenic cells in the presence of a physiological blood clot previously formed on a BMP-7-coated nanostructured Ti surface obtained by chemical etching (Nano-Ti). Pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured during 5 days on recombinant mouse (rm) BMP-7-coated Nano-Ti after it was implanted in adult female C57BI/6 mouse dorsal dermal tissue for 18 h.

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