Publications by authors named "Raquel Maia"

There is a growing demand for engineered bone tissues custom-designed to match the patient-specific defect size and in vitro models for studying bone diseases and/or drug screening. Herein, we propose a bioprinted bone tissue construct using SaOs-2 cells within alginate/gellan gum/hydroxyapatite inks. Different ink formulations were developed with varying hydroxyapatite content and then evaluated for viscoelasticity, printability, biomineralization properties, post-printing viability, proliferation, metabolic activity, and osteogenic phenotype of SaOs-2-encapsulated cells.

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Mechanical prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) and obstruction are rare and dangerous events often related to inappropriate anticoagulant therapy. High mortality rates occur because of delayed diagnosis, hemodynamic instability, multiple organ failure (MOF), and high perioperative risk. Surgical repair is a first-line treatment for obstructive PVT with hemodynamic instability but is often not readily available or safely performed.

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Hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides can have unique properties and be tailored for several applications, which may be mainly limited by the fragile structure and weak mechanical properties of this type of system. We successfully prepared cryogels made of newly synthesized kefiran exopolysaccharide-chondroitin sulfate (CS) conjugate via carbodiimide-mediated coupling to overcome these drawbacks. The freeze-thawing procedure of cryogel preparation followed by lyophilization is a promising route to fabricate polymer-based scaffolds with countless and valuable biomedical applications.

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Primary colorectal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is very rare colon malignancy. It is important to know the main demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 18 patients diagnosed with primary colorectal DLBCL during a 17-year period at the National Cancer Institute of Brazil (INCA) between 2000 and 2018.

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  • The study aimed to compare COVID-19 patient characteristics, clinical management, and outcomes during the peak (weeks 10-16) and plateau (weeks 17-34) phases of the first pandemic wave in Portugal.
  • A total of 541 adult patients, mostly male with a median age of 65, were analyzed, showing no significant differences in age, initial health scores, and 28-day mortality between the two periods.
  • Key findings indicated fewer comorbidities, higher use of certain treatments (like vasopressors and invasive ventilation) during the peak, whereas the plateau saw increased use of different therapies like remdesivir and corticosteroids and shorter ICU stays.
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  • Different solvent extracts from Aphanothece halophytica (A. halophytica) were tested for their cytotoxic effects on four human cancer cell lines, showing varying effectiveness.
  • Extracts with high concentrations of A. halophytica, particularly 100% and 90%, exhibited significant cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (MDA231) and caused cell cycle arrest in other cancer types like glioblastoma (T98G).
  • The diverse chemical compositions of the extracts, influenced by the amount of A. halophytica, suggested that specific compounds like fatty acids and hydrocarbons could be responsible for their anticancer properties, highlighting the potential of A. halophytica in cancer treatment research.
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(1) Background: Peripheral nerve injuries represent a major clinical challenge. If nerve ends retract, there is no spontaneous regeneration and grafts are required to proximate the nerve ends and give continuity to the nerve. (2) Methods: GDNF-loaded NPs were characterized physicochemically.

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Replicative immortality is a key feature of cancer cells and it is maintained by the expression of telomerase, a promising target of novel therapies. Long-term telomerase inhibition can induce resistance, but the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. The Sonic hedgehog pathway (SHH) is an embryogenic pathway involved in tumorigenesis and modulates the transcription of telomerase.

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DNA ligase IV deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder associated with impaired DNA repair mechanisms. Most patients with DNA repair defects present with neurologic deficits, combined immunodeficiency, bone marrow failure, and/or hematologic neoplasia. We present 3 unrelated cases of ligase IV deficiency with different clinical presentations.

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Objectives: Lymphomas represent around 10% of head and neck neoplasms, among which the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histologic subtype. In the present study, we characterized demographic parameters, anatomical sites, and survival rates of patients in a Brazilian cancer center.

Materials And Methods: Single-center retrospective epidemiological study of 243 head and neck DLBCL patients.

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  • Bone tissue engineering has advanced to better replicate the natural structure and function of bone, utilizing various methods to combine scaffolds, cells, and biological signals.
  • Different strategies include biomimetic scaffold-based approaches that use innovative materials and fabrication techniques to create scaffolds that surpass traditional bone grafts, while scaffold-free methods focus on simulating the process of bone formation.
  • Recent research has also explored pre-vascularized scaffolds and cellular aggregates to address the highly vascularized nature of bone tissue, enhancing the effectiveness of tissue engineering strategies.
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In bone tissue engineering, the development of advanced biomimetic scaffolds has led to the quest for biomotifs in scaffold design that better recreate the bone matrix structure and composition and hierarchy at different length scales. In this study, an advanced hierarchical scaffold consisting of silk fibroin combined with a decellularized cell-derived extracellular matrix and reinforced with carbon nanotubes was developed. The goal of the carbon nanotube-reinforced cell-derived matrix-silk fibroin hierarchical scaffolds is to harvest the individual properties of their constituents to introduce hierarchical capacity in order to improve standard silk fibroin scaffolds.

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The collective dynamics of cells on surfaces and interfaces poses technological and theoretical challenges in the study of morphogenesis, tissue engineering, and cancer. Different mechanisms are at play, including, cell-cell adhesion, cell motility, and proliferation. However, the relative importance of each one is elusive.

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The scientific community has been doing significant efforts towards engineering new 3D bone models in recent years. Osteocytes are mechanosensitive cells that play significant roles in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. Currently, as far as we know, there are no 3D models that faithfully recapitulate a bone microenvironment capable of promoting the differentiation of osteoblasts towards osteocytes.

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The World Health Organization has raised concerns about the increasing number of Hansen disease (HD) relapses worldwide, especially in Brazil, India, and Indonesia that report the highest number of recurrent cases. Relapses are an indicator of MDT effectiveness and can reflect Mycobacterium leprae persistence or re-infection. Relapse is also a potential marker for the development or progression of disability.

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Reducing the respiratory rate during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) decreases the mechanical power, but it might induce alveolar de-recruitment. Dissecting de-recruitment due to lung edema vs. the fraction due to hypoventilation may be challenging in injured lungs.

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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a complex hematological disorder characterized by blockage of differentiation and high proliferation rates of myeloid progenitors. Anthracycline and cytarabine‑based therapy has remained the standard treatment for AML over the last four decades. Although this treatment strategy has increased survival rates, patients often develop resistance to these drugs.

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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common hematological neoplasia causing death worldwide. The long-term overall survival is unsatisfactory due to many factors including older age, genetic heterogeneity and molecular characteristics comprising additional mutations, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. The expression of ABCB1/P-glycoprotein, ABCC1/MRP1, ABCG2/BCRP and LRP transporter proteins is considered the major reason for multidrug resistance (MDR) in AML, however conflicting data have been reported.

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Osteopontin (OPN) is upregulated in several types of tumor and has been associated with chemoresistance. However, the contribution of OPN splicing isoforms (OPN‑SIs) to chemoresistance requires further investigation. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression patterns of each tested OPN‑SI in cisplatin (CDDP)‑resistant ovarian carcinoma cell lines, focusing on the role of the OPN‑c isoform (OPNc) in drug resistance.

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Detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is usually performed in cell cultured medium or body fluids via measurement of its soluble extracellular form. However, depending on cellular condition, TNF-α might be transported through extracellular vesicles (EV) from donor cells to recipient cells. EV are small membrane-delimited structures (∼50 nm to 10 μm) that are spontaneously released from multiple cell types.

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The prognosis of papillary muscle rupture (PMR) leading to acute mitral regurgitation, pulmonary oedema, and cardiogenic shock remains dismal, with survival dependent on prompt recognition and surgical intervention. The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for circulatory and/or respiratory support in critically ill patients failing conventional treatment has significantly increased in the past few years, mainly owing to technology improvements that have rendered the provision of this technique simpler and safer. In this report, four cases of refractory cardiopulmonary collapse complicating ischaemic and traumatic PMR successfully managed perioperatively with ECMO are presented.

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Objective: To determine the agreement between body self-image (based on the Stunkard figure rating scale) and nutritional status and to evaluate body satisfaction among the Khisêdjê indigenous people of Parque Indígena do Xingu (Xingu Indigenous Park).

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 131 natives aged 20 and older. Data on body image, body mass index and waist circumference were collected.

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Evasion from apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is known to modulate apoptosis by inhibiting caspases and ubiquitinating target proteins. XIAP is mainly found at the cytoplasm, but recent data link nuclear XIAP to poor prognosis in breast cancer.

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