The Paraíba State University (Portuguese: Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, UEPB) is a public university in the Brazilian state of Paraíba. The university has eight campuses throughout the state, and its main campus is located in the city of Campina Grande.It was founded by local ordinance n. 23, on March 15, 1966, as Regional University of Northeastern Brazil (Portuguese: Universidade Regional do Nordeste - URNe) as a local autarky. On October 11, 1987 by State Law n. 4.977, which was sanctioned by Governor Tarcísio Burity, the URNe became the State University of Paraíba..
Food biodiversity is vital for human health and the development of sustainable food systems. However, research on neglected and underutilized species is limited by funding, uneven research capacity, and the challenge of balancing ecological, cultural, and public health considerations, requiring innovative prioritization approaches. Using Brazil as a model, this study inventories 369 neglected food species across algae, aquatic fauna, wild terrestrial vertebrates, insects, mushrooms, and plants. A mixed-methods approach, combining expert knowledge and explainable AI (LightGBM and SHAP value analysis), identified key factors for prioritizing species for food composition and consumption studies. The inventory is dominated by plants (29.5%) and wild vertebrates (24.4%), with significant gaps in nutritional data, particularly for algae, insects, and wild vertebrates. Over 36,000 recipes using neglected species were identified. In both food composition (R2: 0.677) and consumption studies (R2: 0.782), recipe number and species occurrence across different states were the most influential features in predicting prioritization. These findings emphasize the role of cultural uses and local accessibility in shaping nutritional research priorities. We urge increased research on neglected species to bridge data gaps and integrate them into food systems, promoting sustainable diets in Brazil and other tropical regions.
Abstract Nature has always inspired the discovery of novel compounds to treat human inflammatory processes, which are related to many diseases in acute and chronic conditions. Found in some Apocynaceae species, pregnane glycosides (PGs) have been attracting attention due to their promising anti-inflammatory potential. Ruehssia is a neotropical genus endemic to arid regions and, in Brazil, the Caatinga serves as a major hotspot for its occurrence. However, no in-depth chemical or pharmacological investigations have yet been conducted on Ruehssia species. Based on this, the present work sought to isolate, characterize, and investigate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of PGs obtained from the roots of R. caatingae. To achieve this goal, classical and instrumental chromatographic techniques were applied, followed by 1D and 2D NMR experiments, as well as IR and HR-ESI-MS analyses to assist structural elucidation. To assess potential anti-inflammatory activity, murine macrophage-like J774.A1 cells, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), were used. As a result, 18 previously undescribed PGs were obtained, named ruehssiosides A–R (1–18). Among them, ruehssioside J (compound 10) stood out as the most potent of the series, exhibiting a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 17.5 μM for nitric oxide inhibition and significantly reducing IL-6 and IL-1β production. Additionally, structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis was carried out, highlighting the structural elements contributing to the observed anti-inflammatory effects. This work encourages the continued study of Apocynaceae species, especially from underinvestigated environments, as sources of substances with anti-inflammatory potential.
Abstract Rationale Asthma is a highly prevalent disease worldwide, affecting a significant proportion of adults in Brazil. Effective asthma self-management contributes to adequate disease control, reducing exacerbations, hospital admissions, and public healthcare costs. However, mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression have been associated with poorer clinical outcomes, impaired self-care, and increased use of emergency services related to asthma. This study aimed to analyze the association between the presence of mental health disorders and asthma self-management among Brazilian adults. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a project previously approved by the Research Ethics Committee (no. 7.568.013). The sample included adults with asthma and self-reported depression and/or anxiety from all regions of the country. Data collection was performed using a structured electronic questionnaire administered either in person or remotely. Sociodemographic data, comorbidities, hospitalizations in the past 12 months, as well as the use and adherence to controller medication were recorded. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test of independence, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Analyses were performed using Jamovi software, version 2.6.44. Results The sample consisted of 229 adults with asthma, of whom 124 (54%) reported depression, anxiety, or both. Among the participants, 78 (62.9%) reported anxiety only, 8 (6.5%) reported depression only, and 38 (30.6%) reported both disorders. The mean age was 38.0 ± 13.9 years, and 81.8% of participants were female. Regarding the use of controller medication, only 43 (34.7%) of participants reported regular use of their prescribed medication. In the past 12 months, 66 (28.8%) participants had been hospitalized due to asthma. The chi-square test of independence revealed a significant association between the presence of mental health disorders and irregular use of asthma controller medication (χ² = 5.12; df = 1; p = 0.024). Conclusion The presence of mental health disorders was associated with poor adherence to maintenance treatment for asthma, indicating that psychological factors may compromise self-management and appropriate disease control. These findings highlight the need to incorporate mental health assessment and management as an integral part of asthma care to improve treatment adherence and disease control. Public health policies and interdisciplinary care strategies should prioritize educational and psychosocial support initiatives targeting these patients, thereby contributing to the reduction of exacerbations, hospitalizations, and asthma-related costs within the public healthcare system. This abstract is funded by: This research was supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development - CNPq, the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications, and the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development - FNDCT – (Grant CNPq 16/2024; Grant CNPq/MCTI/FNDCT 18/2021 – UNIVERSAL). This study was also financed in part by the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance code 001 and by the Empresa Brasileira de Serviços Hospitalares (Ebserh).
This study investigates the use of silicon carbide (SiC) as a photothermal coating directly incorporated into black paint, aiming to enhance freshwater production in passive solar desalination systems. Three desalination units were operated using brackish water: one reference unit (without SiC) and two units with trays coated with paint containing 10% (w/v) and 20% (w/v) SiC. Characterization of the photothermal material by XRF, XRD, and SEM, as well as particle size distribution and optical characterization, confirmed a silicon content above 68%, a single-phase crystalline structure, and a morphology indicating appropriate particle size and shape. The mean particle diameter was 1.38 mu m, and the material exhibited a high capacity for solar radiation absorption. Infrared thermography analysis enabled the evaluation of temperature distribution the desalination system. Exergetic efficiency reached 18.16% with 20% (w/v) SiC. Water productivity achieved 2822 mL & centerdot;m-2 & centerdot;day-1 for 20% (w/v) SiC and 2765 mL & centerdot;m-2 & centerdot;day-1 for 10% (w/v) SiC. Additionally, uncertainty analyses of productivity were performed, indicating good reliability of the experimental data, as well as an economic analysis, which demonstrated a low cost per liter of produced water. A 98% reduction in electrical conductivity and 100% sodium removal were also observed. The main novelty of this work lies in the direct incorporation of SiC into the paint. Although photothermal paints have been previously explored with other materials, this study is pioneering in applying SiC mixed with paint, which has not yet been reported in the literature. The proposed approach represents an innovative, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable solution for expanding access to freshwater.
Background/Objectives: Synthetic compounds, particularly thiadiazine derivatives with antibacterial properties, have emerged as promising candidates in addressing the growing challenge of bacterial multidrug resistance. Thiadiazine derivatives are six-membered heterocyclic compounds containing two nitrogen atoms and one sulfur atom, exhibiting diverse medical and pharmacological activities. This study aimed to evaluate the potentiating activity of thiadiazine derivatives against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Methods: ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) assays were performed to assess similarity with more than 370,000 three-dimensional structures of bioactive compounds. The multidrug-resistant bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus 10 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 24 were used to investigate both the direct antibacterial activity and the antibiotic-modifying activity of thiadiazine derivatives. Results: The thiadiazine analogs did not exhibit direct antibacterial activity, presenting a minimum inhibitory concentration of 1024 μg/mL. However, they demonstrated a significant antibiotic-modifying effect, potentiating the activity of conventional antibiotics, particularly norfloxacin, against the tested strains. In silico analyses indicated that the analogs predominantly exhibited affinity for G protein-coupled receptors and possessed physicochemical characteristics compatible with potential drug candidates. Conclusions: Although the evaluated thiadiazine derivatives lacked direct antibacterial activity, they significantly enhanced the efficacy of antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Combined with their favourable in silico pharmacokinetic and physicochemical profiles, these findings suggest that thiadiazine derivatives may represent promising antibiotic adjuvants for combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
