Pará State University (Portuguese: Universidade do Estado do Pará, UEPA) is the only public university maintained by the state government of Pará, Brazil. The university has over 14,000 students enrolled in its 57 courses, from which 23 are undergraduate and 34 are graduate programs. Those programs are offered across UEPA's 20 campuses in the cities of Belém (five campuses), Paragominas, Conceição do Araguaia, Marabá, Altamira, Igarapé-Açu, São Miguel do Guamá, Santarém, Tucuruí, Moju, Redenção, Barcarena, Vigia de Nazaré, Cametá, Salvaterra, and Castanhal..
The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal and circadian dynamics of the essential oil (EO) of Ageratum conyzoides (purple-inflorescence chemotype) and its relationship with acaricidal activity against Rhipicephalus microplus. Seasonal collections were performed monthly at 6 a.m. throughout 2023, while circadian profiles were obtained at 6, 9, and 12 a.m., and 3 and 6 p.m. in April (rainy season) and October (dry season). The EO was extracted by hydrodistillation, characterized by GC-MS, and evaluated using the larval immersion test. Yields ranged from 0.03% to 0.24% (v/w), with lower and more stable values in the rainy season and higher values in the dry season. A total of 96 constituents were identified, representing 89.62% of the oil composition, with predominance of sesquiterpenes. Major compounds included caryophyllene oxide, spathulenol, humulene epoxide II, α-cadinol, α-santalene, β-elemene, and p-cymene. Acaricidal activity varied markedly between seasons. Rainy-season samples showed low larval mortality across all concentrations, preventing LC₅₀ determination. In contrast, dry-season samples exhibited consistent activity, with LC₅₀ = 130 µg/mL. This enhanced activity was associated with a higher proportion of oxygenated sesquiterpenes, particularly spathulenol. Circadian variation had a secondary effect; however, early morning collections (6 a.m.) during the dry season showed greater chemical stability and improved biological response. These findings indicate that seasonal variation significantly influences the acaricidal efficacy of A. conyzoides EO, and that collection during dry periods and early morning may improve reproducibility and effectiveness for tick control applications.
The production of seedlings for commercial (Eucalypt) and native-forest-restoration (Jatoba) purposes continues to grow in Brazil. The quality of produced seedlings must be high for satisfactory results in the field. Fertilization with commercial fertilizers contributes to the production of healthy and vigorous seedlings; however, alternative materials (waste), such as effluents, may be applied as fertilizers for the sustainable and economical production of seedlings. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of using cattle-slaughterhouse effluent disinfected with peracetic acid as a source of nutrients in nurseries and compare it with that of the commercial fertilizer monoammonium phosphate (MAP). We implemented a randomized block design (RBD), with five treatments and four replications for two forest species: eucalypt (Corymbia citriodora) and jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril). The stem height and diameter of seedlings were measured every 30 days for 150 days; at the end of the experiment, we conducted physicochemical analyses of the substrate and seedlings (shoot and root) of all treatments. Moreover, the ecotoxicological evaluation of the substrate was conducted using the bioindicator Eisenia fetida (earthworm) through the escape test. The height of C. citriodora increased 44% with the application of the effluent; however, it was significantly lower than that with the application of commercial fertilizer. Although the developmemt of H. courbaril was unchanged between treatments, C. citriodora showed a higher nutritional content than H. courbaril. Moreover, the substrate receiving C. citriodora seedlings corresponded to a more attractive habitat for earthworms, likely indicating its potential for the recovery of contaminated soils. However, the resistance of the seedlings to the application of the effluent encourages studies with longer application periods.
Objetivo: Desenvolver e avaliar, por meio de estudo metodológico, um protótipo de aplicativo móvel para familiares e cuidadores sobre efeitos adversos em crianças em tratamento oncológico. Métodos: Estudo metodológico baseado nas etapas do Double Diamond Process, seguindo as fases do Design Instrucional Contextualizado. A construção do conteúdo foi subsidiada por revisão integrativa e benchmarking de soluções tecnológicas. A avaliação de conteúdo ocorreu entre julho e setembro de 2022, com sete enfermeiras especialistas, utilizando a escala Likert e o Índice de Validade de Conteúdo. A usabilidade foi avaliada entre outubro e novembro de 2022, com sete cuidadores, em unidade pediátrica de hospital privado em Fortaleza, Ceará, por meio do Smartphone Usability questionnaiRE. Resultados: A revisão da literatura identificou quatro dimensões temáticas: sensorial, nutricional, imunológica e conforto. A prototipagem resultou em 48 telas e 65 ilustrações. O Índice de Validade de Conteúdo global foi de 0,85. Na avaliação de usabilidade, o protótipo obteve escore de satisfação de 66%. Conclusão: O protótipo “Três, três, passará” apresentou validade de conteúdo e boa aceitação pelos usuários, configurando-se como tecnologia educacional promissora para apoiar cuidadores informais de crianças em tratamento oncológico.
The Brazilian Equatorial Continental Margin, encompassing Maranhão, Pará, and Amapá, hosts ecologically and economically significant marine ecosystems that remain poorly investigated. In recent years, the region has gained international attention due to proposed hydrocarbon exploration and the discovery of extensive reef systems near the Amazon River mouth, raising concerns about potential impacts on sensitive coastal and shelf environments. Here, we present the first systematic review of benthic biodiversity across the continental shelf and slope of this margin. Following PRISMA guidelines, literature searches in major scientific databases and complementary manual screening retrieved over 4,000 records, of which 13 met the inclusion criteria. These studies documented 15 phyla, 407 genera, and 498 benthic species, with Nematoda, Cnidaria, Arthropoda, and Mollusca comprising the most diverse groups. Research effort shows a strong taxonomic bias toward megabenthos and megafauna (11 studies), whereas meiofauna and microbenthos remain largely understudied. Nearly half of the selected publications appeared within the last four years, reflecting growing scientific and industrial interest. However, deep-sea habitats (> 2,000 m) and long-term monitoring initiatives are still scarce. Comparison with other Brazilian margins and tropical regions underscores substantial knowledge gaps and the need for coordinated research and conservation strategies in this Atlantic frontier.
O e-book “A Bioantropologia na Amazônia: contribuições para a ciência brasileira” apresenta um panorama multidisciplinar sobre o estudo do ser humano na região amazônica, integrando perspectivas das ciências biológicas e humanas. A obra reúne pesquisas inovadoras sobre nutrição infantil, saúde de idosos quilombolas, bioarqueologia, isótopos estáveis, evolução humana, doença falciforme e malária, além de aplicações forenses do DNA. Seu aspecto original reside na abordagem integrada de temas pouco explorados no contexto amazônico, destacando a diversidade biocultural e ambiental da região. Escrito por especialistas do Grupo de Pesquisa em Bioantropologia da UEPA, o livro é uma referência essencial para quem deseja compreender as particularidades e potencialidades da bioantropologia no Brasil, sendo acessível e convidativo tanto para estudantes quanto para pesquisadores das ciências sociais e áreas afins.
