Publications by authors named "Tavares A"

Dormancy is an adaptation in which cells reduce their metabolism, transcription, and translation to stay alive under stressful conditions, preserving the capacity to reactivate once the environment reverts to favorable conditions. Dormancy and reactivation of () are closely linked to intracellular residency within macrophages. Our previous work showed that murine macrophages rely on the viable but not cultivable (VBNC-a dormancy phenotype) fungus from active , with striking differences in immunometabolic gene expression.

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Background: About 36.5% of premature deaths in European Union countries could have been avoided through prompt and effective medical treatment. This treatable mortality is even a priority established in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.

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Natural conception in women after the age of 45 years is rare. The probability of successful pregnancy in this specific group of women after IVF and embryo transfer with autologous oocytes is also reduced. In addition, advanced maternal age is associated with an increased risk of aneuploidies and other associated complications during pregnancy.

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In the scope of the European Union (EU) human biomonitoring initiative, a multicentric study on different occupational settings from several European countries was performed, to provide information on occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)], a known lung carcinogen. Biomonitoring approaches were used to obtain exposure data to support the implementation of new risk management measures and policy actions at the national and European levels. This work describes the Portuguese contribution to the study, which aimed to assess workers' exposure to Cr, by using exposure biomarkers (urinary chromium [U-Cr]), and industrial hygiene samples (air and hand wipes) and to link exposure to potential long-term health effects by using effect biomarkers.

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Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disorder causing pain and stiffness, with limited effective treatment options. Methotrexate, known for its anti-inflammatory properties in rheumatoid arthritis, is being explored as a treatment for OA. This study evaluates Methotrexate's efficacy compared to placebo in reducing OA symptoms, such as stiffness in the knee and hand, and its impact on pain, physical function.

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This work presents an innovative approach for tuning the Kalman filter in INS/GNSS integration, combining states from the inertial navigation system (INS) and data from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to enhance navigation accuracy. The INS uses measurements from accelerometers and gyroscopes, which are subject to uncertainties in scale factor, misalignment, non-orthogonality, and bias, as well as temporal, thermal, and vibration variations. The GNSS receiver faces challenges such as multipath, temporary signal loss, and susceptibility to high-frequency noise.

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Recent discoveries demonstrated the skeleton's role as an endocrine organ regulating whole-body glucose homeostasis. Glucose metabolism is critical for rapid cell proliferation and tumour growth through increasing glucose uptake and fermentation of glucose to lactate despite being in an aerobic environment. This hypothesis paper discusses emerging evidence on how bones can regulate whole-body glucose homeostasis with potential to impact on tumour growth and proliferation.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the impact of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) on cardiovascular health, amid rising concerns regarding their safety despite regulatory approval.
  • - A meta-analysis of 12 cohort studies involving over 1.2 million patients reveals that high consumption of ASBs is linked to increased risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and stroke.
  • - The findings suggest that regularly consuming ASBs may have negative long-term effects on cardiovascular health, warranting caution for consumers.
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Objective: To access to reproductive health information on the Internet helps patients understand their infertility journey and make decisions about their treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of fertility clinic websites accredited by the Latin American Network for Assisted Reproduction (REDLARA) using the QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST).

Methods: This observational, cross-sectional, and online study evaluated the clinic websites registered as accredited centers on the REDLARA website.

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F-GP1 is a novel highly specific radiotracer that binds to activated platelets and thrombus. We aimed to establish the observer repeatability of coronary, carotid and cerebral F-GP1 uptake in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction or ischaemic stroke. Forty-three patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction or ischaemic stroke underwent hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) angiography.

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Background: Total-body positron emission tomography (PET), already well-established in the pre-clinical setting, makes it possible to study multi-parameters in biological systems as a whole, rather than focusing on single tissues analysis. Simultaneous kinetic analysis of multiple organs poses some daunting new challenges.

Purpose: To explore quantifying the pharmacokinetics of Na[F]F in multiple dissimilar murine organs simultaneously in vivo with total-body PET imaging using different compartmental models for each organ and a shared cardiovascular system.

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Purpose: In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), ectopic fat accumulation remains debatable. Therefore, intra-abdominal, hepatic, and epicardial fat were compared between PCOS women and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls and their associations with metabolic and hormonal parameters were explored. Furthermore, the performance of echocardiographic epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATT) and hepatic steatosis measurement using transient elastography-based controlled attenuation parameter (TE-CAP) in screening abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was originally evaluated.

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Objective: This systematic review aimed to understand the role of emotion regulation (ER) across the spectrum of disordered eating behaviors and attitudes in adolescents.

Method: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, and 8381 articles were extracted. After removing duplicates and screening, data from 50 articles involving 31,591 participants from 18 countries were included.

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Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death in Europe and prevention measures, like screening, are therefore becoming increasingly important. Although European countries provide universal health coverage, including cancer screenings, many people also have private health insurance.

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between Voluntary private health insurance (VPHI) and cancer screening, specifically breast and colorectal cancer screening.

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Article Synopsis
  • Globally, while people are living longer, many experience a decline in health due to age-related diseases, highlighting the need for better classification systems to address these issues.
  • A consensus meeting with 150 experts established criteria for identifying ageing-related pathologies, requiring a 70% agreement for approval among participants.
  • The agreed criteria focus on conditions that progress with age, contribute to functional decline, and are backed by human studies, setting a foundation for future classification and staging efforts.
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The ongoing combination of global warming and increased anthropogenic pressure is causing latitudinal shifts in marine species, potentially impacting community composition, local richness, and marine trophic webs. This study investigates the factors influencing the distribution and diversity of intertidal seaweed and associated peracarid communities, including their functional traits, and explores various facets of beta diversity (taxonomic and functional). We hypothesize that: 1) abiotic factors such as temperature and anthropogenic pressure significantly influence seaweed distribution and diversity shifts, and 2) changes in seaweed functional diversity have an impact on the diversity and functioning of its associated peracarid communities.

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The high cardiometabolic risk associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may be linked to central fat accumulation. This study compared fat distribution between women with PCOS and controls matched by body mass index. It also sought to determine if insulin resistance (IR), androgens, or inflammatory markers correlate with body composition parameters in PCOS patients.

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Laccases hold great potential for biotechnological applications, particularly in environmental pollutant remediation. Laccase activity is governed by the solvent environment, and ionic liquids (ILs) emerge as a versatile solvent for activation or stabilization of enzymes. Herein, effects of cholinium-based ILs formulated with carboxylic acids, inorganic acid, and amino acids as anionic species, on the catalytic activity of laccase from Trametes versicolor were investigated by experimental and computational approaches.

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Background: Patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs) have been prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination to mitigate the infection severity risks. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at a high risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, especially those under immunosuppression or with associated comorbidities. However, few studies have assessed the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with RA.

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The aim of this guideline is to provide recommendations for the implementation of an effective and efficient quality control (QC) programme for SPECT and PET systems in a preclinical imaging lab. These recommendations aim to strengthen the translational power of preclinical imaging results obtained using preclinical SPECT and PET. As for clinical imaging, reliability, reproducibility, and repeatability are essential when groups of animals are used in a longitudinal imaging experiment.

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In the realm of cardiac research, the control of spiral waves and turbulent states has been a persistent focus for scholars. Among various avenues of investigation, the modulation of ion currents represents a crucial direction. It has been proved that the methods involving combined control of currents are superior to singular approaches.

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Purpose: Preclinical imaging, with translational potential, lacks a standardized method for defining volumes of interest (VOIs), impacting data reproducibility. The aim of this study was to determine the interobserver variability of VOI sizes and standard uptake values (SUV and SUV) of different organs using the same [F]FDG-PET and PET/CT datasets analyzed by multiple observers. In addition, the effect of a standardized analysis approach was evaluated.

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