Publications by authors named "Santoro M"

We hypothesized that the heterogeneous architecture of biological neural networks provides a substrate to regulate the well-known tradeoff between robustness and efficiency, thereby allowing different subpopulations of the same network to optimize for different objectives. To distinguish between subpopulations, we developed a metric based on the mathematical theory of simplicial complexes that captures the complexity of their connectivity by contrasting its higher-order structure to a random control and confirmed its relevance in several openly available connectomes. Using a biologically detailed cortical model and an electron microscopic dataset, we showed that subpopulations with low simplicial complexity exhibit efficient activity.

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Objective: This article aims to systematically review the studies on schizophrenia in Brazil, addressing geographical coverage as an indicator of sampling representativeness, essential to infer results' generalization. It also highlights the variation in research funding across different regions.

Methods: We searched for studies carried out until July 2023.

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Aims: Knowledge of the effects of sex in cardio-oncology is limited, particularly in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). This study aims to evaluate the influence of gender differences on the incidence of cardiovascular toxicity in patients with CML.

Methods: The study population consisted of 148 patients (45% women, mean age: 58 ± 14.

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Background: Prior studies suggest that childhood maltreatment is associated with altered hippocampal volume. However, longitudinal studies are currently scarce, making it difficult to determine how alterations in hippocampal volume evolve over time. The current study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and hippocampal volumetric development across childhood and adolescence in a community sample.

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Dual therapies (DT) combining integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) with second-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (2nd-Gen-NNRTIs) offer new possibilities for HIV treatment to improve adherence. However, drug resistance associated mutations (RAMs) to prior antiretrovirals may jeopardize the efficacy of DT. We herein describe the predicted efficacy of DT combining INSTIs + 2nd-Gen-NNRTI following treatment failure among Cameroonian patients.

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In recent years, significant efforts have been made to improve methods for genomic studies of admixed populations using local ancestry inference (LAI). Accurate LAI is crucial to ensure that downstream analyses accurately reflect the genetic ancestry of research participants. Here, we test analytic strategies for LAI to provide guidelines for optimal accuracy, focusing on admixed populations reflective of Latin America's primary continental ancestries-African (AFR), Amerindigenous (AMR), and European (EUR).

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was o examine the optical coherence tomographic (OCT) characteristics of hyper-reflective foci (HRF) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and to assess the potential of HRF as a predictive factor for the development of macular atrophy following anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 61 treatment-naïve eyes diagnosed with exudative AMD and type 1 macular neovascularization (MNV). The HRF was identified in the inner retina and outer retina layers, and the treatment response of HRF was documented.

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Inoculation of Bothrops jararaca snake venom (BjV) induces thrombocytopenia in humans and various animal species. Although several BjV toxins acting on hemostasis have been well characterized in vitro, it is not known which one is responsible for inducing thrombocytopenia in vivo. In previous studies, we showed that BjV incubated with metalloproteinase or serine proteinase inhibitors and/or anti-botrocetin antibodies still induced thrombocytopenia in rats and mice.

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Objectives: HIV-1 infection continues to be a significant public health concern, notwithstanding the expanded utilization of antiretroviral treatment (ART), due to the emergence of drug resistance. The prevalence of transmitted drug resistance remains uncertain, particularly concerning integrase inhibitors. This study aimed to assess the extent of HIV resistance in both ART-naïve and experienced individuals living with HIV (PLHIV) at the University Hospital in Palermo, Italy.

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Interactions among proteins are fundamental in driving functions and activities that regulate cell biology, mechanotransduction, and cell-to-cell communication/recognition. Recently, cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool for interaction discovery and characterization, driving the enlightenment of novel binding partners otherwise undetected. Covalent linkages of two amino acid residues of proteins (or within complexes) in close proximity can be identified by MS, thus providing structural insights such as distance restraints or unraveling interaction dynamics.

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Introduction: In low-and-middle-income-countries (LMIC), viral suppression is defined as plasma viral load (PVL) below 1000 copies/mL (low-level viremia [LLV]) and threshold for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) testing. However, there is evidence that drug resistance mutations (DRMs) may emerge at LLV, thus compromising antiretroviral treatment (ART) response We evaluated sequencing success rates (SSR) at LLV, described HIVDR profiles and adequacy with potential efficacy of tenofovir-lamivudine-dolutegravir (TLD).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals with LLV at the Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon from January 2020 through August 2021.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed data from 2,511 children and adolescents in Brazil, comparing ADHD biomarkers like polygenic scores, subcortical volumes, and executive function among different risk groups.
  • * Findings showed that a risk-informed approach significantly highlighted differences in biomarkers, suggesting this method could improve evaluations for ADHD and potentially other mental disorders.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on the less-studied role of intestinal eukaryotes, specifically Blastocystis and Entamoeba hartmanni, in the gut health of asymptomatic individuals in Côte d'Ivoire, contrasting with previous research in symptomatic people from developed nations.
  • Analysis involved amplifying specific regions of bacterial DNA to examine gut microbiota composition, revealing that individuals with both protozoa showed greater microbial diversity and different bacterial compositions than those without.
  • Findings suggest that Blastocystis ST1 and ST2, when associated with E. hartmanni, may contribute positively to intestinal health, indicated by increased diversity and certain beneficial bacterial levels.
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(1) Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by the accumulation of an altered prion protein, which usually leads to death within one year after clinical onset. CJD patients usually present with rapid cognitive impairment associated with declines in cerebellar, motor, visual, behavioral, and swallowing functions. Moreover, CJD patients lose their ability to eat and take medications orally very early on in treatment; nevertheless, there are no specific nutritional guidelines for this disease shared worldwide.

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Poultry litter (PL) hydrochars obtained at different temperatures and charring times were characterized by solid-state H, C and P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. C NMR spectra obtained with cross polarization (CP) and magic-angle spinning evidenced the chemical and structural changes suffered by PL during its transformation into hydrochar; these changes were particularly dependent on the production temperature rather than the residence time. The hydrochars were essentially composed of aromatic and alkyl domains at the temperature of 250 °C.

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Due to a limited range of effective treatment options, highly treatment-experienced (HTE) people with HIV (PWH) still struggle to maintain virological suppression and obtain an adequate immunological recovery. To increase the likelihood of virologic success, HTE PWH require an individualized treatment regimen based on cumulative genotypic resistance testing (GRT) data, potential drug-drug interactions, and adherence. From the PRESTIGIO Registry, we present a case of a 28-year-old man with vertically transmitted HIV-1 infection, on therapy with an ibalizumab-including regimen and desiring a treatment simplification.

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A new species of bothriocephalid cestode in the genus is described from the intestine of the shorthead lizardfish from the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The new species is described based on an integrative taxonomic approach that includes the use of light and scanning electron microscopy, 28S rDNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. sp.

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Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is the most common inherited ataxia, primarily impacting the nervous system and the heart. It is characterized by GAA repeat expansion in the FXN gene, leading to reduced mitochondrial frataxin levels. Previously, we described a family displaying two expanded GAA alleles, not only in the proband affected by late-onset FRDA but also in the younger asymptomatic sister.

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Heterozygous mutations or genetic variants in the gene, which encodes for the β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase), a lysosomal hydrolase enzyme, may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) onset. The heterozygous E326K form is one of the most common genetic risk factors for PD worldwide, but, to date, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigate the effect of the E326K on the structure, stability, dimerization process, and interaction mode with some proteins of the interactome of GCase using multiple molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at pH 5.

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Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) significantly increases the risk of major adverse limb events (MALE) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after lower extremity revascularization (LER). This study aims to identify novel biomarkers that help to further reduce the risk of postoperative cardiovascular complications. In this prospective, nonrandomized, observational study, baseline serum levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were assessed in 147 diabetic patients scheduled for LER due to CLTI, and participants were followed for the occurrence of MALE and MACE over 12 months.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The PUMAS project aims to address the lack of representation of African and Latin American populations in psychiatric genetics studies by analyzing genetic data from individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), including disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, using data from 89,320 participants across four different cohorts.
  • - The research involves harmonizing data from various clinical assessments to create standardized measures of mental health symptoms, which allows for more accurate genetic analyses across different diagnoses and symptoms.
  • - The findings show that schizophrenia and severe bipolar disorder are the most common diagnoses among participants, and a set of 19 key symptoms has been identified, which may be useful for cross-diagnosis genetic studies.
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Efforts to develop disease-modifying treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) have been hindered by the lack of animal models replicating all hallmarks of PD and the insufficient attention to extra-nigrostriatal regions pathologically critical for the prodromal appearance of non-motor symptoms. Among PD models, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infusion in mice has gained prominence since 2012, primarily focusing on the nigrostriatal region. This study characterized widespread tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neuron and fiber loss across the brain following a unilateral 6-OHDA (20 μg) infusion into the dorsal striatum.

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The rearranged during transfection (RET) receptor tyrosine kinase is physiologically stimulated by growth factors belonging to the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family and by the growth differentiation factor-15 cytokine. RET plays a critical role in normal development as well as in various human tumors and developmental disorders. This review focuses on mechanisms of RET signaling and their alterations in human diseases.

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Aboveground biomass density (AGBD) estimates from Earth Observation (EO) can be presented with the consistency standards mandated by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This article delivers AGBD estimates, in the format of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 1 values for natural forests, sourced from National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) and Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2), and European Space Agency's (ESA's) Climate Change Initiative (CCI). It also provides the underlying classification used by the IPCC as geospatial layers, delineating global forests by ecozones, continents and status (primary, young (≤20 years) and old secondary (>20 years)).

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Coronaviruses (CoV), zoonotic viruses periodically emerging worldwide, represent a constant potential threat to humans. To date, seven human coronaviruses (HCoV) have been identified: HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1, globally circulating in the human population (seasonal coronaviruses, sHCoV), and three highly-pathogenic coronaviruses, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Although sHCoV generally cause only mild respiratory diseases, severe complications may occur in specific populations, highlighting the need for broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus drugs.

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