Publications by authors named "Manuel Ferreira"

Background: Understanding carbon dynamics in Earth's ecosystem is necessary for mitigating climate change. With recent advancements in technologies, it is important to understand both how carbon quantification in soil and vegetation is measured and how it can be improved. Therefore, this study conducted a bibliometric and bibliographic review of the most common carbon quantification methodologies.

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Objectives: To identify the in vitro techniques used for a microleakage evaluation of restorative materials of coronary structure through a scoping and mapping review.

Data: This scoping review aims to answer the following question: "what methods are currently for the microleakage assessment of coronary restorative materials?"

Sources: The Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies published between 2020 and 2024. The results obtained were grouped according to the evaluation method, and a narrative synthesis was made.

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Background And Objectives: Silent corticotroph pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) constitute approximately 20% of nonfunctional PitNETs and exhibit positive immunostaining for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). These tumors have been characterized as exhibiting high recurrence rates and poor response to repeat intervention as compared with other subsets of nonfunctional PitNETs. As such, we aimed to evaluate a multi-institutional experience of silent corticotroph (ACTH+) PitNETs to characterize the presentation, radiographic characteristics, and their clinical outcomes.

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Osteoarthritis is the third most rapidly growing health condition associated with disability, after dementia and diabetes. By 2050, the total number of patients with osteoarthritis is estimated to reach 1 billion worldwide. As no disease-modifying treatments exist for osteoarthritis, a better understanding of disease aetiopathology is urgently needed.

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Monitoring the quality of water resources is essential to determine environmental impacts and seek sustainable management solutions. In this work, we demonstrated the toxicity of effluents and surface water of an important river in Central Brazil, the Meia Ponte River, using not just physicochemical parameters but also ecotoxicological bioindicators, such as Aliivibrio fischeri, Allium cepa, Lactuca sativa, and Salmonella typhimurium. To complement this data, we analyzed soil toxicity and quality along the river bank using A.

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm abnormality and is a leading cause of heart failure and stroke. This large-scale meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies increased the power to detect single-nucleotide variant associations and found more than 350 AF-associated genetic loci. We identified candidate genes related to muscle contractility, cardiac muscle development and cell-cell communication at 139 loci.

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Background: Venous air embolism (VAE) is a rare neurosurgical complication that occurs when air is trapped in a large, exposed vein and there is a pressure gradient that drives the air embolus from the surgical site to the right heart. This case highlights the identification and management of intraoperative VAE during transsphenoidal surgery. Additional discussion is provided on pathophysiology and best practices for reducing risk of occurrence.

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Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize the incidence, aggressiveness, and clinical outcomes of silent TPIT+ PitNETs, as well as treatment strategies in the event of recurrence/progression. We also review the current literature surrounding TPIT+ silent corticotrophs.

Methods: An institutional review board-approved retrospective study of prospectively acquired patients undergoing resection of PitNETs at the University of Washington and University of Southern California between 2011 and 2023 was performed.

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Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) screening relies on accurate positioning in the ventrodorsal hip extended (VDHE) view, as even mild pelvic rotation can affect CHD scoring and impact breeding decisions. This study aimed to assess the association between pelvic rotation and asymmetry in obturator foramina areas (AOFAs) and to develop a computer vision model for automated AOFA measurement. In the first part, 203 radiographs were analyzed to examine the relationship between pelvic rotation, assessed through asymmetry in iliac wing and obturator foramina widths (AOFWs), and AOFAs.

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Restorative treatment is the most common approach to treating dental caries. However, after cavity preparation, some microorganisms may still persist in the substrate, suggesting the use of cavity disinfectants. Nevertheless, their effect on adhesion to composite resins is not yet fully understood, especially in primary teeth.

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Recent studies have revealed a role for zinc in insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis. Randomized placebo-controlled zinc supplementation trials have demonstrated improved glycemic traits in patients with type II diabetes (T2D). Moreover, rare loss-of-function variants in the zinc efflux transporter reduce T2D risk.

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Background: Treatment of pediatric craniopharyngioma requires a multidisciplinary approach to counsel patients and families on the spectrum of treatment options, including biopsy, radiation, and/or resection. Gross-total resection can avoid radiation and its long-term comorbidities. In very young patients, this is of particular importance but is especially challenging because of anatomical considerations.

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Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by necrotizing vasculitis affecting small to medium-sized vessels. This condition most commonly affects the lungs, kidneys, and upper respiratory tract. Early recognition and treatment are critical to prevent severe complications and improve prognosis.

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  • The Von-Meyenburg complex, or biliary hamartomas, are benign growths of the bile ducts inside the liver, usually found by accident and often symptom-free.
  • They can appear like cancerous lesions on imaging tests, but they typically have little importance regarding disease progression.
  • There may be a genetic link in some families, particularly related to the PKHD1 gene, which is often associated with polycystic kidney and liver disease.
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  • Intracranial Epidermoid Cysts (IECs) are rare tumors typically treated with surgery, but their complex adherence makes complete removal challenging and often leads to tumor regrowth.
  • Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) was used to analyze IECs and revealed high mutation rates in genes related to immune responses and key signaling pathways, indicating potential mechanisms for immune evasion.
  • Notably, alterations in genes like NOTCH2 and USP8 were frequently found, suggesting they could be new targets for therapy in IEC treatment while also implicating the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in immune escape.
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  • Agriculture in Brazil, particularly in the drought-prone Cerrado biome, heavily relies on freshwater, prompting research on evapotranspiration (ET) in various crops and soil types.
  • The study utilized multispectral UAV images, Sentinel satellite data, and weather information to estimate ET using the SAFER method, yielding strong correlations with tower data and highlighting the effectiveness of UAVs in tracking water dynamics during crop development.
  • Findings emphasize the need for integrated agricultural practices to enhance water resource management and sustainable cultivation while preserving the Cerrado ecosystem.
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Gene-based burden tests are a popular and powerful approach for analysis of exome-wide association studies. These approaches combine sets of variants within a gene into a single burden score that is then tested for association. Typically, a range of burden scores are calculated and tested across a range of annotation classes and frequency bins.

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  • Current treatments for intracranial aneurysms are mainly surgical or endovascular, but not all aneurysms can be treated this way.
  • Research suggests that targeting specific molecular pathways linked to aneurysm development, particularly through low frequency mutations in cancer-related genes, may lead to better outcomes.
  • This review discusses the role of these somatic variants in aneurysm pathogenesis and explores potential gene therapy techniques, including targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics.
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  • COVID-19 and influenza are respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses but share some symptoms and clinical risk factors, yet their genetic connections remain poorly understood.
  • A study involving over 18,000 influenza cases and nearly 276,000 control subjects found no common genetic risk factors between COVID-19 and influenza, revealing specific gene variants linked only to influenza.
  • The research highlights the potential for targeting cell surface receptors involved in viral entry, showing that manipulating specific genes could lead to treatments that prevent both COVID-19 and influenza infections.
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  • Meningiomas are primarily benign tumors but can recur and turn fatal, indicating the need for improved methods to identify high-risk cases beyond WHO grading.
  • Researchers combined 13 RNA sequencing datasets to analyze 1,298 meningiomas, revealing distinct subtypes and their biological signatures, as well as correlating tumor characteristics with the likelihood of recurrence.
  • An algorithm was developed to predict patient outcomes by mapping new cases onto this reference landscape, and an interactive online tool called Oncoscape allows researchers to explore meningioma characteristics and potential prognoses.
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  • The study investigates the potential benefits of inhibiting PCSK9, a protein, to improve the clearance of bacteria from the bloodstream and enhance outcomes in sepsis treatment.
  • Researchers used genetic studies, a clinical trial analysis, and experimental animal models to explore the relationship between PCSK9 inhibition and sepsis mortality.
  • Results showed a correlation in human cohorts between PCSK9 loss-of-function variants and lower sepsis mortality rates, while the clinical trial indicated low frequency of sepsis events among participants treated with alirocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor.
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