559 results match your criteria: "CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre[Affiliation]"

Editorial for the Special Issue: Pharmacokinetics of Orally Administered Drugs, 2nd Edition.

Pharmaceutics

August 2024

CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.

Oral administration of medicines has been the most common route for drug delivery as it is cost-effective and is convenient for patients [...

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Nanotherapy for human papillomavirus-associated cancers: breakthroughs and challenges.

Trends Pharmacol Sci

September 2024

CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês de Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address:

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are well-known causative agents of several cancers, yet selective therapies remain under investigation. Nanoparticles, for instance, are emerging as promising solutions to enhance the delivery and efficacy of therapeutic approaches. Despite the increasing number of nanotherapies offering advantages over current treatments, only one has advanced to clinical trials.

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Background: Macrolides are recommended for treating the emerging enteropathogen Arcobacter butzleri; nonetheless, this bacterium often exhibits highly variable resistance rates, and the mechanisms behind this resistance phenotype remain largely unexplored.

Objectives: To understand the phenotypic and genotypic consequences associated with the acquisition of erythromycin resistance in A. butzleri, as well as the effects on the fitness of this species.

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Article Synopsis
  • Digital health interventions, like remote symptom monitoring, could potentially lessen the economic impact of asthma and COPD, but their cost-effectiveness is uncertain, prompting a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate this.
  • The review included 35 RCTs, focusing on four types of digital interventions (electronic diaries, real-time monitoring, teleconsultations, and others), with mixed economic outcomes; most supported the cost-effectiveness of real-time monitoring and teleconsultations.
  • The full economic analyses showed a wide range of incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, while partial analyses highlighted cost differences between groups, with many low-bias studies indicating digital interventions were economically beneficial.
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Advances in structure-based drug design targeting membrane protein markers in prostate cancer.

Drug Discov Today

September 2024

CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal; UCIBIO-Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Chemistry Department, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal; Laboratório de Fármaco-Toxicologia-UBIMedical, University of Beira Interior, 6200-284 Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address:

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading cancers in men and the lack of suitable biomarkers or their modulators results in poor prognosis. Membrane proteins (MPs) have a crucial role in the development and progression of PCa and can be attractive therapeutic targets. However, experimental limitations in targeting MPs hinder effective biomarker and inhibitor discovery.

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Enhanced targeted liposomal delivery of imiquimod via aptamer functionalization for head and neck cancer therapy.

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces

November 2024

CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês de Ávila e Bolama, Covilhã 6201-001, Portugal. Electronic address:

The incidence of head and neck cancers, particularly those associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections, has been steadily increasing. Conventional therapies exhibit limitations and drawbacks, prompting the exploration of new strategies over the years, with nanomedicine approaches, especially liposomes gaining relevance. Additionally, the functionalization of liposomes with aptamers enables selective delivery to target cells.

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The lack of effective delivery systems has slowed the development of mitochondrial gene therapy. Delivery systems based on cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) like the WRAP (tryptophan and arginine-rich peptide) family conjugated with a mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) have emerged as adequate carriers to mediate gene expression into the mitochondria. In this work, we performed the PEGylation of WRAP/pDNA nanocomplexes and compared them with previously analyzed nanocomplexes such as (KH)/pDNA and CpMTP/pDNA.

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Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. The treatment options are strongly related to increased infertility in women. Imiquimod (IQ) is an imidazoquinoline, which has proven antiviral effects against persistent HPV infection by activating immune cells via Toll-like receptors 7/8 when formulated in carriers, like nanogels, for topical use.

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Overlapping action of melatonin and female reproductive hormones-Understand the impact in pregnancy and menopause.

Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol

July 2024

CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, Guarda, Portugal. Electronic address:

Melatonin is an indolamine secreted to circulation by the pineal gland according to a circadian rhythm. Melatonin levels are higher during nighttime, and the principal function of this hormone is to organize the temporal night and day distribution of physiological adaptive processes. Besides hormonal pineal production, melatonin is synthesized in various organs and tissues like the ovaries or the placenta for local utilization.

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Amblyopia is the most frequent cause of monocular vision loss. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been used to improve several vision parameters of the amblyopic eye in adulthood. This study is relevant in order to evaluate TMS effects and to raise awareness of the need for further research.

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High-density perfusion cultures of the marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum for the biomanufacturing of oligonucleotides.

J Biotechnol

September 2024

Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, via Mancinelli 7, Milano 20131, Italy. Electronic address:

Therapeutic oligonucleotides (ONs) are typically manufactured via solid-phase synthesis, characterized by limited scalability and huge environmental footprint, limiting their availability. Biomanufactured ONs have the potential to reduce the immunogenic side-effects, and to improve the sustainability of their chemical counterparts. Rhodovulum sulfidophilum was demonstrated a valuable host for the extracellular production of recombinant ONs.

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Lung cancer (LC) is recognized as one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers worldwide, underscoring an urgent need for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for several diseases and their progression, such as LC. However, traditional methods for detecting and quantifying miRNAs, such as PCR, are time-consuming and expensive.

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Concepts for the Development of Person-Centered, Digitally Enabled, Artificial Intelligence-Assisted ARIA Care Pathways (ARIA 2024).

J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract

October 2024

University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Pulmonary & Allergy Department, Golnik, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Article Synopsis
  • - The traditional healthcare approach often overlooks patients' personal experiences and strengths, focusing mainly on disease treatment. Person-centered care aims to align medical decisions with individual values and preferences, particularly for those with chronic conditions.
  • - This paper seeks to enhance care for rhinitis and asthma by developing digital care pathways and incorporating real-world evidence to create a more patient-centered approach.
  • - Key components of the review include advancements in mHealth, the integration of artificial intelligence, a novel classification system for airway diseases, and proposals for the ARIA 2024 guidelines, all targeting a sustainable and applicable healthcare model.
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Metal-based approaches to fight cervical cancer.

Drug Discov Today

August 2024

CDRSP-IPL-Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Marinha Grande, 2430-028 Leiria, Portugal. Electronic address:

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide. The current treatments for this cancer consist of invasive methods such as chemotherapeutic drugs, radiation, immunotherapy and surgery, which could lead to severe side effects and hinder the patient's life quality. Although metal-based therapies, including cisplatin and ruthenium-based compounds, offer promising alternatives, they lack specificity and harm healthy cells.

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Antibody-ligand interactions on a high-capacity staphylococcal protein A resin.

J Chromatogr A

August 2024

CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã 6201-506, Portugal; Department of Chemistry, University of Beira Interior, R. Marquês d'Ávila e Bolama, Covilhã 6201-001, Portugal.

Staphylococcal protein-A affinity chromatography has been optimized for antibody purification, achieving a current capacity of up to 90 mg/ml in packed bed. The morphology of the particles, the number of antibodies bound per ligand and the spatial arrangement of the ligands were assessed by in-situ Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with measurement of adsorption isotherms. We employed SAXS measurements to probe the nanoscale structure of the chromatographic resin.

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Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is considered the deadliest brain cancer. Conventional therapies are followed by poor patient survival outcomes, so novel and more efficacious therapeutic strategies are imperative to tackle this scourge. Gene therapy has emerged as an exciting and innovative tool in cancer therapy.

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Linalool Reduces Virulence and Tolerance to Adverse Conditions of .

Antibiotics (Basel)

May 2024

CICS-UBI Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Avenida Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.

, a foodborne pathogen causing listeriosis, poses substantial societal, economic, and public health challenges due to its resistance, persistence, and biofilm formation in the food industry. Exploring subinhibitory concentrations of compounds to target virulence inhibition and increase susceptibility to adverse conditions presents a promising strategy to mitigate its impact of and unveils new potential applications. Thus, this study aims to explore the effect of linalool on virulence factors of and potential use in the reduction in its tolerance to stressful conditions.

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Purpose: To analyse factors affecting the ability to use the digital asthma monitoring application Mask-Air in old-age individuals living in inland Portugal.

Patients And Methods: In this observational study, patients with medically confirmed asthma who agreed to participate were interviewed and subdivided into Non-users Group: those who could not use the application and Users Group: those who could. Sociodemographic and psychological data, comorbidities, and asthma status were compared between groups.

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Chemical reversion of age-related oocyte dysfunction fails to enhance embryo development in a bovine model of postovulatory aging.

J Assist Reprod Genet

August 2024

Reproductive Medicine Unit, Gynecology, Obstetrics, Reproduction and Neonatology Department, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra, Praceta, R. Prof. Mota Pinto, Coimbra, 3004-561, Portugal.

Purpose: There are no clinical treatments to prevent/revert age-related alterations associated with oocyte competence decline in the context of advanced maternal age. Those alterations have been attributed to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our study aimed to test the hypothesis that in vitro maturation (IVM) medium supplementation with antioxidants (resveratrol or phloretin) may revert age-related oocyte competence decline.

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Rationale: It is unclear how each individual asthma symptom is associated with asthma diagnosis or control.

Objectives: To assess the performance of individual asthma symptoms in the identification of patients with asthma and their association with asthma control.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed real-world data using the MASK-air app.

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, popularly known as yacon, is a member of the family. Due to its medicinal and edible value, yacon is consumed by different populations. Yacon is unique due to its high fructo-oligosaccharide and inulin content, as well as flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones, and phenolic acids.

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Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is the bedrock of non-pharmacological treatment for people with COPD. Nonetheless, it is well described in the literature that unless the patient changes his behaviour, the benefits of PR programmes will decline in six to twelve months after finishing the programme. Therefore, maintenance programmes can address the problem of PR programmes' effect loss over time.

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The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) enzyme family, located in the central nervous system, is recognized as a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain. Despite its importance in cellular processes, excessive ROS generation leads to cell death and is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. NOX enzymes contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke, highlighting their potential as targets for future therapeutic development.

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Relationship between event-related potentials and cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review.

Clin Neurophysiol

July 2024

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; GRUBI - University of Beira Interior Systematic Reviews Group, Covilhã, Portugal.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate if event-related potentials (ERPs) can be a relevant tool for cognitive dysfunction diagnosis in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Methods: Four databases were consulted (PubMed, Embase, Scielo, and Web of Science). The included studies should include adults with clear MS diagnoses, independently of having cognitive complaints, and all should have been submitted to ERPs (P300, N400 or mismatch negativity (MMN)).

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Air pollution is a major global environment and health concern. Recent studies have suggested an association between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality and morbidity. In this context, a close association between increased levels of air pollutants such as particulate matter ≤2.

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