Publications by authors named "Pessoa A"

This mini-review explores the potential of precision medicine and personalized nutrition in addressing health challenges faced by perimenopausal women, focusing on the role of genetic polymorphisms in key metabolic pathways. Specifically focus on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the COMT, FUT2, and MTHFR genes, which influence neurotransmitter metabolism, gut microbiota composition, and folate homeostasis, respectively. These polymorphisms are critical in modulating hormonal fluctuations, metabolic imbalances, and nutrient absorption during perimenopause.

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Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare metabolic disorder caused by mutations in the gene, leading to cholestanol accumulation in various tissues, including peripheral nerves. Polyneuropathy is an underrecognized feature with considerable variability in clinical presentation and neurophysiological findings in CTX. This review assesses the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic methodologies of polyneuropathy in CTX, exploring its underlying mechanisms and potential treatment outcomes.

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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of tumor that tends to recur in women. It is characterized by the absence of hormonal receptors, making it challenging to diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor effects of a pro-oxidant naphthoquinone derivative called bromo-naphthoquinone (BrNQ) isolated and combined with the antioxidant tannic acid (TA) in order to improve treatment.

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  • Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare genetic disorder causing various neurological issues, including balance problems and sleep disturbances.
  • A recent study examined sleep patterns in four CTX patients, revealing significant issues like insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness.
  • This study is the first to consider sleep assessments in CTX management, highlighting the need for more research on how cholestanol deposits may affect sleep-related brain functions.
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  • Salt stress negatively impacts plant growth, prompting researchers to explore Ca-complex sources as a way to mitigate these effects in sour passion fruit seedlings.
  • The study involved a randomized block design with different cultivars, salinity levels, and Ca-complex sources to assess their impact on various physiological traits over 60 days.
  • Results indicated that using Ca-complex sources, particularly those with amino acids, significantly improved water use efficiency and reduced cell membrane damage, suggesting their effectiveness in supporting plant health under moderate salinity stress.
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Background: Oropouche fever, an orthobunyavirus disease endemic in Brazilian Amazon, has caused many febrile epidemics. In 2024, an epidemic of Oropouche fever spread in Brazil, with more than 7930 cases reported between Jan 1 and Aug 31. Infections in pregnant people have suggested the possibility of negative fetal consequences, therefore we tested newborns with microcephaly for known congenital pathogens and Oropouche virus (OROV).

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  • The study reports on nine new cases of Ceroid lipofuscinosis type 11 (CLN11) from Latin American families, a rare disease with previously limited documentation.
  • Patients showed slow disease progression, with symptoms including visual impairment, seizures, and cognitive decline, starting between ages 3 and 17.
  • The findings highlight a potential diagnostic clue for CLN11 and include two specific genetic variants associated with the condition.
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Stress, unhealthy lifestyle, and sleep disturbance worsen cognitive function in mood disorders, prompting a rise in the development of integrative health approaches. The recent investigations in the gut-brain axis field highlight the strong interplay among microbiota, inflammation, and mental health. Thus, this study aimed to investigate a new nutraceutical formulation comprising prebiotics, minerals, and silymarin's impact on microbiota, inflammation, mood, and sleep quality.

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Pathogenic SOX11 variants have been associated with intellectual developmental disorder with microcephaly, and with or without ocular malformations or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) (IDDMOH, OMIM # 615866). In this article, we report seven new patients with de novo SOX11 variants. Five of the variants are missense, one nonsense, and one whole-gene deletion, most of them are novel variants.

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The present work investigated the anxiolytic effect of the alkaloid fraction (AF II) from the root bark of . Female Swiss mice of 6 weeks old were used in this study. The animals were divided into three groups: 0.

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Biallelic pathogenic variants cause maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) in one of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex genes (BCKDHA, BCKDHB, DBT, DLD, and PPM1K) leading to the accumulation of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. This study aimed to perform a molecular diagnosis of Brazilian patients with MSUD using gene panels and massive parallel sequencing. Eighteen Brazilian patients with a biochemical diagnosis of MSUD were analyzed by massive parallel sequencing in the Ion PGM Torrent Server using a gene panel with the BCKDHA, BCKDHB, and DBT genes.

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  • Lifelong management of phenylketonuria (PKU) involves medical nutrition therapy, where patients have to restrict dietary phenylalanine (Phe) and often use Phe-free or low-Phe protein substitutes, which may lead to low bone mineral density (BMD). !* -
  • A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate BMD specifically in adults with PKU, analyzing data from 4097 individuals across 10 studies to assess BMD Z-scores and the prevalence of low BMD. !* -
  • Results indicated that adults with PKU had significantly lower mean BMD Z-scores compared to age-matched controls, although still within acceptable ranges, with about 8% of individuals
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the antitumor properties of vanillin and divanillin in murine bone tumour cells. The action of the compounds on the cell viability of the normal (MC3T3-E1) and the tumour cell line (UMR-106) was evaluated. Action of the compounds in colony formation, migration, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumour cells were evaluated along with proteomic analysis.

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Background: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism that, if untreated, causes Phe accumulation in the brain leading to neurophysiologic alterations and poor outcomes. Lifelong management centers on dietary Phe restriction, yet long-term complete metabolic control is unachievable for many adults. High blood Phe levels or chronic Phe and intact protein restriction in the diet may lead to somatic comorbidities.

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L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) is an enzyme that shows targeted activity against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and similar lymphoid neoplasms by facilitating the breakdown of asparagine into L-aspartic acid, thereby reducing L-asparagine levels in leukemic cells. However, its therapeutic potential is hindered by its associated toxicity, leading to complications, such as thrombosis, hemorrhage, thrombocytopenia, fibrinolysis, hypersensitivity reactions, and the development of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES). This review compiles documented cases of PRES linked to treating B and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children using L-ASNase.

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Background & Aims: The search for integrative and natural therapies that favor homeostasis to boost sleep and diet quality took place for young adult populations as a non-pharmacological strategy for long-term good quality of life. Thus, the present pilot study aims to investigate the effects of 90-day consumption of a nutraceutical composition on the neuro-immune-endocrine axis, providing better sleep quality and health improvement.

Methods: For this, from March 2021 to June 2021, twenty-two Brazilian young adult volunteers (women and men) with BMI between 18.

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Background:  Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) are a group of autosomal recessive, inherited, lysosomal, and neurodegenerative diseases that causes progressive dementia, seizures, movement disorders, language delay/regression, progressive visual failure, and early death. Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2), caused by biallelic pathogenic variants of the gene, is the only NCL with an approved targeted therapy. The laboratory diagnosis of CLN2 is established through highly specific tests, leading to diagnostic delays and eventually hampering the provision of specific treatment for patients with CLN2.

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Nutraceutical interventions supporting microbiota and eliciting clinical improvements in metabolic diseases have grown significantly. Chronic stress, gut dysbiosis, and metainflammation have emerged as key factors intertwined with sleep disorders, consequently exacerbating the decline in quality of life. This study aimed to assess the effects of two nutraceutical formulations containing prebiotics (fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), yeast β-glucans), minerals (Mg, Se, Zn), and the herbal medicine Silybum marianum L.

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Article Synopsis
  • LAMA2-related dystrophies (LAMA2-RD) are rare neuromuscular disorders with varying severity, and current understanding of their genetic and clinical traits is limited.
  • A retrospective study reviewed data from 114 patients in Brazil, discovering 58 different pathogenic variants, including 21 that were novel, with six variants noted as being highly prevalent among affected individuals.
  • The findings suggest specific genetic variants correlate with ambulatory abilities, revealing that certain mutations might impede walking, while others allow for unassisted movement, contributing to important insights in understanding this condition.
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L-asparaginase is an essential drug used to treat acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), a cancer of high prevalence in children. Several adverse reactions associated with L-asparaginase have been observed, mainly caused by immunogenicity and allergenicity. Some strategies have been adopted, such as searching for new microorganisms that produce the enzyme and applying protein engineering.

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  • Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, is a treatable infectious disease, with a study comparing the relapse rates between patients treated with 6-months uniform multidrug therapy (U-MDT) and 12-months regular multidrug therapy (R-MDT).
  • The 10-year relapse rate was found to be 4.08% overall, with slightly higher relapses in the U-MDT group (4.95%) compared to the R-MDT group (3.10%), though the difference was not statistically significant.
  • The findings suggest that 6-month U-MDT is an acceptable treatment option, comparable to the standard 12-month regimen, encouraging its use in leprosy-endemic countries.
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Overweight and obesity are closely linked to gut dysbiosis/dysmetabolism and disrupted De-Ritis ratio [aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio], which may contribute to chronic noncommunicable diseases onset. Concurrently, extensive research explores nutraceuticals, and health-enhancing supplements, for disease prevention or treatment. Thus, sedentary overweight volunteers were double-blind randomized into two groups: Novel Nutraceutical_(S) (without silymarin) and Novel Nutraceutical (with silymarin).

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Introduction: Late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2), is a neurodegenerative autosomal recessive disease caused by gene variants with a spectrum of classic and atypical phenotypes. The aim of treatment is to slow functional decline as early as possible in an attempt to improve quality of life and survival. This study describes the clinical characteristics as well as the response to treatment with cerliponase alfa.

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Spinal muscular atrophy linked to chromosome 5 (SMA-5q) is an autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the . SMA-5q is characterized by progressive degeneration of the spinal cord and bulbar motor neurons, causing severe motor and respiratory impairment with reduced survival, especially in its more severe clinical forms. In recent years, highly effective disease-modifying therapies have emerged, either acting by regulating the splicing of exon 7 of the gene or adding a copy of the gene through gene therapy, providing a drastic change in the natural history of the disease.

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An ideal blood biomarker for stroke should provide reliable results, enable fast diagnosis, and be readily accessible for practical use. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), an enzyme released after neuronal damage, has been studied as a marker for brain injury, including cerebral infarction. However, different methodologies and limited sample sizes have restricted the applicability of any potential findings.

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