Vita Publications

To better characterize the genetic architecture underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD), we performed a meta-analysis of European-ancestry genome-wide association studies in 128,681 cases or proxy cases of ADRD and 849,833 (proxy) controls. We identified 91 genetic loci associated with ADRD risk, of which 16 are new and 56 are specifically detected in clinically diagnosed AD cases. [...]

Individuals with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) arising from mutations in PSEN1, PSEN2, or APP exhibit variability in clinical presentation. Genetic studies of ADAD have shaped our understanding of the disease, and the discovery of genetic modifiers can inform therapeutic interventions and improve patient outcomes. [...]

Internal migration is a special case in Germany, with its history of two formerly divided and re-unified states. In this study, we examined mental health of women and men who migrated internally after the German reunification and compared them with each other and with the non-migrated population in Eastern and Western Germany.Baseline data of 161,795 participants (49.9 % women; internal migrants East-West = 7160 [4.4 %] and West-East = 3966 [2.5 %]) from the population-based German National Cohort were used. [...]

Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) is the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil. [...]

RNA interference (RNAi) pathways utilize small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) to regulate diverse biological processes in eukaryotes. Different classes of small ncRNAs function through distinct RNAi pathways and the focus of this review will be on two of these: microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). [...]

Leukotrienes (LTs) produced from arachidonic acid by the action of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) are classical mediators of inflammatory responses. However, studies published in the literature regarding these mediators are contradictory and it remains uncertain whether these lipid mediators play a role in host defense against the fungal pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. [...]

The reintroduction of thalidomide in the pharmacotherapy greatly stimulated the interest in the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of phthalimide analogs with new and improved activities and also greater safety. In the present study, we evaluated the activities of two phthalimide analogs devoid of the glutarimide ring, namely 2-phthalimidethanol (PTD-OH) and 2-phthalimidethyl nitrate (PTD-NO), in experimental models of inflammatory pain and edema in male C57BL/6J mice. [...]

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by one of four serotypes of Dengue virus (DENV-1-4). Epidemiologic and observational studies demonstrate that the majority of severe dengue cases, dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS), occurs predominantly in either individuals with cross-reactive immunity following a secondary heterologous infection or in infants with primary DENV infections born from dengue-immune mothers, suggesting that B-cell-mediated and antibody responses impact on disease evolution. [...]

Nicorandil is a drug characterized by the coupling of a nitric oxide (NO) donor to nicotinamide. We have previously demonstrated that nicotinamide exhibits activity in different models of pain and inflammation. [...]