Relationship between Androgens and Vascular and Placental Function during Pre-eclampsia.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) represent a substantial risk to maternal and fetal health. Emerging evidence suggests an association between testosterone and pre-eclampsia (PE), potentially mediated through androgen receptors (AR). Nevertheless, the mechanism driving this association is yet to be elucidated.

Cryogels and Monoliths: Promising Tools for Chromatographic Purification of Nucleic Acids.

The increasing demand for highly pure biopharmaceuticals has put significant pressure on the biotechnological industry to innovate in production and purification processes. Nucleic acid purification, crucial for gene therapy and vaccine production, presents challenges due to the unique physical and chemical properties of these molecules. Meeting regulatory standards necessitates large quantities of biotherapeutic agents of high purity.

Optimization of Platelet-Rich Plasma Preparation for Regenerative Medicine: Comparison of Different Anticoagulants and Resuspension Media.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a promising therapy in regenerative medicine. However, the lack of standardization in PRP preparation protocols presents a challenge in achieving reproducible and accurate results. This study aimed to optimize the PRP preparation protocol by investigating the impact of two different anticoagulants, sodium citrate (SC) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and resuspension media, plasma versus sodium chloride (NaCl).

Development and validation of an interview guide for examining the effects of sports careers on the quality of life of retired Portuguese football players.

Introduction: Considering the importance of assessing the impacts resulting from a sport career, this study aimed at developing and validating a semi-structure interview guide suitable for quantifying the sociodemographic and epidemiological profile of former professional football players.

Methods: Based on the theoretical frameworks and several methodological procedures, an interview guide was developed, consisting of 3 areas of conceptual organization (A1. Biographical data; A2.

Targeting proto-oncogene B-MYB G-quadruplex with a nucleic acid-based fluorescent probe.

The B-MYB gene encodes a transcription factor (B-MYB) that regulates cell growth and survival. Abnormal expression of B-MYB is frequently observed in lung cancer and poses challenges for targeted drug therapy. Oncogenes often contain DNA structures called G-quadruplexes (G4s) in their promoter regions, and B-MYB is no exception.

Capacity Assessment Instrument - Health: Pilot Study of a New Tool for Adults with Dementia.

Objectives: This research comprises a pilot study of the CAI-Health, a new tool for the evaluation of decision-making capacity in healthcare. It aims to analyze the instrument's indicators of reliability and internal validity to conclude its final version.

Methods: A total of 89 participants were included, of which 22 had Alzheimer's Disease; 32 had mild cognitive impairment, and 35 were controls.

Identifying the ideal weekly training load for in-game performance in an elite Brazilian soccer team.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ideal training load to be applied during periods of fixture congestion to ensure an adequate dose-response effect for performance maintenance. Match performance data and corresponding pre-match training load sessions (both N = 498 match performance cases and training-block session cases) were collected (with the catapult system, VECTOR7) from 36 male professional soccer players (23.5 ± 5.

Preserving visual acuity: a compelling 12-year case study of controlling neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Introduction: In neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) trials, anti-VEGF injection frequency decreases after the first year, while outcomes remain primarily related to the number of injections. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of maintaining the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for more than 7 years in extension studies.

Objective: To report a 12-year follow-up of a real-world case of nAMD where BCVA was preserved from declining.

Red blood cell membrane-camouflaged gold-core silica shell nanorods for cancer drug delivery and photothermal therapy.

Gold core mesoporous silica shell (AuMSS) nanorods are multifunctional nanomedicines that can act simultaneously as photothermal, drug delivery, and bioimaging agents. Nevertheless, it is reported that once administrated, nanoparticles can be coated with blood proteins, forming a protein corona, that directly impacts on nanomedicines' circulation time, biodistribution, and therapeutic performance. Therefore, it become crucial to develop novel alternatives to improve nanoparticles' half-life in the bloodstream.

Exploring countermovement jump variables across competitive levels and playing positions in futsal.

Introduction: The aims of this study were to compare several countermovement jump (CMJ) kinetic variables between professional (PRO) and semi-professional (SEMI-PRO) futsal players and examine the differences amongst playing positions.

Methods: CMJ performance from 56 male futsal players (25.2 ± 4.

Promoting advanced medical services in the framework of 3PM-a proof-of-concept by the "Centro" Region of Portugal.

Unlabelled: Multidisciplinary team from three universities based in the "Centro" Region of Portugal developed diverse approaches as parts of a project dedicated to enhancing and expanding Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Medicine (3PM) in the Region. In a sense, outcomes acted as a proof-of-concept, in that they demonstrated the feasibility, but also the relevance of the approaches. The accomplishments comprise defining a new regional strategy for implementing 3PM within the Region, training of human resources in genomic sequencing, and generating good practices handbooks dedicated to diagnostic testing via next-generation sequencing, to legal and ethical concerns, and to knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, aimed at increasing literacy on 3PM approaches.

The future of allergic rhinitis management: A partnership between healthcare professionals and patients.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic respiratory condition that internationally continues to be burdensome and impacts quality of life. Despite availability of medicines and guidelines for healthcare providers for the optimal management of AR, optimisation of its management in the community continues to be elusive. The reasons for this are multi-faceted and include both environmental and healthcare related factors.

MicroRNA-124-3p Modulates Alpha-Synuclein Expression Levels in a Paraquat-Induced in vivo Model for Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease and the most common movement disorder. Although PD etiology is not fully understood, alpha (α)-synuclein is a key protein involved in PD pathology. MicroRNAs (miRNA), small gene regulatory RNAs that control gene expression, have been identified as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for brain diseases, including PD.

Power Doppler signal at the enthesis and bone erosions are the most discriminative OMERACT ultrasound lesions for SpA: results from the DEUS (Defining Enthesitis on Ultrasound in Spondyloarthritis) multicentre study.

Objectives: To assess, in spondyloarthritis (SpA), the discriminative value of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) ultrasound lesions of enthesitis and their associations with clinical features in this population.

Methods: In this multicentre study involving 20 rheumatology centres, clinical and ultrasound examinations of the lower limb large entheses were performed in 413 patients with SpA (axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis) and 282 disease controls (osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia). 'Active enthesitis' was defined as (1) power Doppler (PD) at the enthesis grade ≥1 plus entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas, or (2) PD grade >1 (independent of the presence of entheseal thickening and/or hypoechoic areas).

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients exhibit differential natural killer functional subpopulations.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and has been known as T-cell mediated. However, the contribution of multiple cell types, notably natural killer (NK) cells, has also been reported.

Aim: To quantify circulating total NK cells and its subpopulations, CD56 dim and bright, and to characterize the functional phenotype and IFN-γ and TNF-α production in relapsing-remitting patients treated with IFN-β and in apparently healthy controls.

Mannosylated polyethylenimine-cholesterol-based nanoparticles for targeted delivery of minicircle DNA vaccine against COVID-19 to antigen-presenting cells.

DNA vaccines can be a potential solution to protect global health, triggering both humoral and cellular immune responses. DNA vaccines are valuable in preventing intracellular pathogen infections, and therefore can be explored against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This work explored different systems based on polyethylenimine (PEI), functionalized for the first time with both cholesterol (CHOL) and mannose (MAN) to deliver parental plasmid (PP) and minicircle DNA (mcDNA) vectors encoding the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 to antigen-presenting cells (APCs).

Harnessing G-quadruplex ligands for lung cancer treatment: A comprehensive overview.

Lung cancer (LC) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, and new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. One such approach revolves around the utilization of four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structures, known as G-quadruplexes (G4), which are formed by G-rich sequences. Ligands that bind selectively to G4 structures present a promising strategy for regulating crucial cellular processes involved in the progression of LC, rendering them potent agents for lung cancer treatment.

Could driving help us to "see better"? A comparative assessment of saccadic efficiency, visual speed, and attention.

Background: This study aimed at comparing drivers' and non-drivers' results in the Adult Developmental Eye Movement with Distractors test (ADEMd) and the Useful Field of View test (UFOV).

Methods: One hundred and twenty Spaniards (mean age 50.90 ± 17.

A Novel Bionebulizer Approach to Study the Effects of Natural Mineral Water on a 3D In Vitro Nasal Model from Allergic Rhinitis Patients.

Sulfurous thermal waters (STWs) are used as a complementary treatment for allergic rhinitis. However, there is scant data on the effects of STW on nasal epithelial cells, and in vitro models are warranted. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the dose and time effects of exposure to 3D nasal inserts (MucilAir-HF allergic rhinitis model) with STW or isotonic sodium chloride solution (ISCS) aerosols.

Special Issue "Sports Science in Children".

In recent times, research and technological advancements have opened an unprecedented window of opportunity for sports science to play a pivotal role in the holistic well-being of children [...

Effects of Pharmaceutical Substances with Obesogenic Activity on Male Reproductive Health.

Obesogens have been identified as a significant factor associated with increasing obesity rates, particularly in developed countries. Substances with obesogenic traits are prevalent in consumer products, including certain pharmaceuticals. Specific classes of pharmaceuticals have been recognized for their ability to induce weight gain, often accompanied by hormonal alterations that can adversely impact male fertility.