Federal University of Tocantins

The encapsulation of bioactive compounds has been widely used as a strategy to protect substances such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds. This technique has been gaining ground in industrial sectors, especially in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This review article provides an updated overview of the prospects for wall materials used in micro- and nanoencapsulation, discussing the main selection criteria and the various types of materials used. In addition, materials commonly used in various industrial sectors, such as chitosan, maltodextrin, and alginate, as well as plant- and microbe-derived options, is discussed. In this context, this review emphasizes the importance of carefully choosing the method and wall material based on the bioactive compound to be encapsulated, to ensure the effectiveness of the process and the industrial viability of the encapsulation systems.

Moss carpets are a common feature in the maritime Antarctic. They provide habitats for a diverse community of organisms, including microbial groups, micro-invertebrates, and micro-arthropods, all of which depend on the moss for their survival. Despite recognition of this important role, studies of the moss-associated biodiversity to date have rarely involved the application of modern molecular tools. This study focused on an extensive and long-established moss carpet primarily comprising the moss Saniona uncinata, located adjacent to a reconstructed whale skeleton on a coastal beach and of historical importance, located near the Brazilian Antarctic Station (Admiralty Bay, King George Island), and is a popular attraction for tourists and scientists alike. We employed DNA metabarcoding to investigate the biodiversity of organisms potentially associated with the moss carpet, employing three well-established genetic markers, 16S, ITS2, and COX1. The marker generating the greatest number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs, a proxy for taxon diversity) was 16S with 199 assigned ASVs, followed by COX1 (121) and ITS2 (26). In total, 346 ASVs were assigned, representing two Domains, five Kingdoms, and 38 phyla. As well as representing a diverse range of likely native taxa, a proportion of the assignments were exotic taxa not forming part of Antarctica’s native biodiversity. These assignments, while they cannot be proven to represent the presence of living organisms or established populations, may be an important indication of otherwise invisible human influence on the Antarctic environment, such as the introduction of DNA originating in human food and associated microbes, pests, and parasites.

Prunings of the Suzygium cumini tree were used to produce activated carbon, which was used in a chemical dye adsorption experiment. The characterization analyses of the biomass revealed the following experimental data: moisture 6

Green synthesis provides a sustainable route to metallic nanoparticles using phytochemicals as reducing and capping agents. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in aqueous medium with leaf extracts of Dipteryx alata Vogel, a native Brazilian Cerrado species enriched in phenolic and antioxidant metabolites. UV monitored the formation of AgNPs–Vis spectroscopy, which demonstrated rapid nucleation, progressive growth, and a characteristic blue-shift of the surface plasmon resonance band for the 90/10 (AgNO3/extract) formulation, denoting the formation of smaller nanoparticles. SEM-FEG imaging confirmed predominantly spherical nanostructures with EDS verifying their Ag-based composition. Dynamic light scattering measurements yielded a multimodal size distribution dominated by nanometric populations (≈18 nm), with secondary fractions attributable to limited aggregation and consistent with a moderate zeta potential (≈ − 12 mV). Together, the complementary techniques demonstrate that D. alata metabolites facilitate nucleation, growth, and stabilization of AgNPs via a classical phytochemical-mediated mechanism. These findings underscore the bioprospecting potential of Cerrado plant species for eco-friendly nanomaterial deployment and strengthen D. alata as a viable platform for biosensing, catalytic, and antimicrobial applications.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of a functional health literacy program for students of a municipal primary school II in the city of Palmas—TO. A quasi-experimental study evaluated a single group (no control group). Health-related physical fitness tests include assessment of cardiorespiratory endurance by the 6-min run test, flexibility by the sit-and-reach test, localized muscular endurance by counting the number of sit-ups performed correctly in 1 min, speed of movement by the 20-m run, motor coordination by the 4 × 4 square test, and lower limb strength by the horizontal jump without momentum. The Food Consumption Markers form was used to assess food consumption markers. Among the observed results, it was found that of the 12 participating students, 6 (50