Structural and Evolutionary Relationships of Melanin Cascade Proteins in Cnidarian Innate Immunity.

Melanin is an essential product that plays an important role in innate immunity in a variety of organisms across the animal kingdom. Melanin synthesis is performed by many organisms using the tyrosine metabolism pathway, a general pathway that utilizes a type-three copper oxidase protein, called PO-candidates (phenoloxidase candidates). While melanin synthesis is well-characterized in organisms like arthropods and humans, it is not as well-understood in non-model organisms such as cnidarians.

Seasonal studies of aquatic humic substances from Amazon rivers: characterization and interaction with Cu (II), Fe (II), and Al (III) using EEM-PARAFAC and 2D FTIR correlation analyses.

Aquatic humic substances (AHS) are defined as an important components of organic matter, being composed as small molecules in a supramolecular structure and can interact with metallic ions, thereby altering the bioavailability of these species. To better understand this behavior, AHS were extracted and characterized from Negro River, located near Manaus city and Carú River, that is situated in Itacoatiara city, an area experiencing increasing anthropogenic actions; both were characterized as blackwater rivers. The AHS were characterized by C nuclear magnetic ressonance and thermochemolysis GC-MS to obtain structural characteristics.

Methods to assess ambivalence towards food and diet: a scoping review.

Background: Ambivalence towards food and diet, which favours behavioural inertia, might be a barrier to adopting healthier eating behaviours. Measuring it can help researchers to better understand its relationship with behaviour change and design interventions aimed at resolving it. In this scoping review, we map and describe methods and tools employed in studies to assess, measure or classify the ambivalence of participants towards food- and diet-related attitude objects.

Clinical and cytogenetic profile of Fanconi anemia diagnosed after implementation of mitomycin C cytogenetic test in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

Introduction: Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by chromosomal instability and increased predisposition to malignancy. The diagnosis of FA requires clinical evaluation, confirmation of chromosomal fragility and/or analysis of genetic mutations. Therefore, this study aims to identify the clinical profile of patients with FA in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

A Computational-Experimental Investigation of the Molecular Mechanism of Interleukin-6-Piperine Interaction.

Herein, we elucidate the biophysical aspects of the interaction of an important protein, Interleukin-6 (IL6), which is involved in cytokine storm syndrome, with a natural product with anti-inflammatory activity, piperine. Despite the role of piperine in the inhibition of the transcriptional protein NF-κB pathway responsible for activation of IL6 gene expression, there are no studies to the best of our knowledge regarding the characterisation of the molecular interaction of the IL6-piperine complex. In this context, the characterisation was performed with spectroscopic experiments aided by molecular modelling.

A Mobile Phone App Intervention to Promote Healthy Salt Intake Among Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: There is sound evidence associating high salt intake and a greater risk of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular diseases. High salt intake has been observed in several populations worldwide. Therefore, promoting healthier salt consumption has been encouraged as a low-cost strategy to reduce this risk factor.

Increase of Fluorescence of Humic-Like Substances in Interaction with Cd(II): a Photoinduced Charge Transfer Approach.

Described is the enhancement of fluorescence intensity due to the interaction of a humic-like substance (HLS 1%) extracted from process water (PW) and Cd(II) ions in aqueous solution. Using Canonical Polyadic/Parallel Factor Analysis (CP/PARAFAC), two main components were seen that contributed to fluorescence, the first one increased it and the second one kept it constant in both static and dynamic fluorescence studies. Two-dimensional FTIR analysis indicated that the interaction of HLS 1% and Cd(II) ions occurred in the following order of affinity with the groups: C-O bonds in polysaccharides > C-O bonds in carboxylic acid.

Unravelling the Interaction of Piperlongumine with the Nucleotide-Binding Domain of HSP70: A Spectroscopic and In Silico Study.

Piperlongumine (PPL) is an alkaloid extracted from several pepper species that exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Nevertheless, the molecular mode of action of PPL that confers such powerful pharmacological properties remains unknown. From this perspective, spectroscopic methods aided by computational modeling were employed to characterize the interaction between PPL and nucleotide-binding domain of heat shock protein 70 (NBD/HSP70), which is involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases.

Content Validity of a Questionnaire Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior to Assess the Psychosocial Determinants of Insulin Adherence.

Objectives: To verify the content validity of questions of an insulin adherence questionnaire based on the Theory Planned Behavior in outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The instrument was derived from a tool created to evaluate psychosocial determinants of adherence to oral antidiabetics medications in the Brazilian context, and was submitted for evaluation by a committee of experts and members of the target population. The item-level content validity index, the scale-level content validity index averaging calculation method, and the modified kappa coefficient were used to evaluate agreement among specialists.

Annexin A1 Mimetic Peptide and Piperlongumine: Anti-Inflammatory Profiles in Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis.

Uveitis is one of the main causes of blindness worldwide, and therapeutic alternatives are worthy of study. We investigated the effects of piperlongumine (PL) and/or annexin A1 (AnxA1) mimetic peptide Ac2-26 on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). Rats were inoculated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and intraperitoneally treated with Ac2-26 (200 µg), PL (200 and 400 µg), or Ac2-26 + PL after 15 min.

Methods to assess ambivalence toward food and diet: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: This scoping review aims to identify and understand the different tools and methods used in studies in the field of human eating behavior to assess, measure, or classify participants' ambivalence toward food and diet, as well as to identify which tools and methods are most frequently employed.

Introduction: People's attitudes toward food and eating behaviors are often ambivalent (simultaneously positive and negative), making it harder to change eating behaviors in favor of a healthier diet. This highlights the importance of resolving diet-related ambivalence.

The Specific Elongation Factor to Selenocysteine Incorporation in Escherichia coli: Unique tRNA Recognition and its Interactions.

Several molecular mechanisms are involved in the genetic code interpretation during translation, as codon degeneration for the incorporation of rare amino acids. One mechanism that stands out is selenocysteine (Sec), which requires a specific biosynthesis and incorporation pathway. In Bacteria, the Sec biosynthesis pathway has unique features compared with the eukaryote pathway as Ser to Sec conversion mechanism is accomplished by a homodecameric enzyme (selenocysteine synthase, SelA) followed by the action of an elongation factor (SelB) responsible for delivering the mature Sec-tRNA into the ribosome by the interaction with the Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence (SECIS).

Musculoskeletal symptoms, psychosocial factors and work ability in Brazilian labor justice workers.

Background: The implementation of the electronic judicial process (PJe) in recent years is associated with an increase in workload and stricter control through productivity targets in the Brazilian labor judiciary.

Objectives: To evaluate the relations between musculoskeletal symptoms, psychosocial factors and work ability in civil servants of a labor justice body in the context of the PJe.

Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory study with a quantitative approach involving 449 workers.

Musculoskeletal symptoms and work ability in a context of electronic judicial process.

Introduction: The recent transformations undergone by Brazilian labor court, especially with the introduction of electronic process of law ( [PJe]), had a significant influence on how people work.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms and work ability in public sector employees working in a specialized labor court body.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 449 workers, who provided demographic and occupational information and completed the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and the Work Ability Index (WAI).

Detailed Characterization of the Cooperative Binding of Piperine with Heat Shock Protein 70 by Molecular Biophysical Approaches.

In this work, for the first time, details of the complex formed by heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) independent nucleotide binding domain (NBD) and piperine were characterized through experimental and computational molecular biophysical methods. Fluorescence spectroscopy results revealed positive cooperativity between the two binding sites. Circular dichroism identified secondary conformational changes.

Biological and physical approaches on the role of piplartine (piperlongumine) in cancer.

Chronic inflammation provides a favorable microenvironment for tumorigenesis, which opens opportunities for targeting cancer development and progression. Piplartine (PL) is a biologically active alkaloid from long peppers that exhibits anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity. In the present study, we investigated the physical and chemical interactions of PL with anti-inflammatory compounds and their effects on cell proliferation and migration and on the gene expression of inflammatory mediators.

Effect of implementation intention on walking in people with diabetes: an experimental approach.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of implementation intentions as an intervention strategy to promote walking in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: We conducted a controlled and randomized trial, with 12 months of follow-up, involving 65 people with T2DM recruited from primary health care units and allocated them in the control group (CG, n = 32) and intervention group (IG, n = 33). The IG received the implementation intention strategy to promote walking and the CG remained in follow-up for conventional treatment in primary health care.

The Cytokine IL-1β and Piperine Complex Surveyed by Experimental and Computational Molecular Biophysics.

The bioactive piperine, a compound found in some pepper species, has been widely studied because of its therapeutic properties that include the inhibition of an important inflammation pathway triggered by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). However, investigation into the molecular interactions between IL-1β and piperine is not reported in the literature. Here, we present for the first time the characterisation of the complex formed by IL-1β and piperine through experimental and computational molecular biophysical analyses.

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Analysis of Piperine- and Piperlongumine-Inspired Natural Product Scaffolds and Their Molecular Docking with IL-1β and NF-κB Proteins.

Inspired by the remarkable bioactivities exhibited by the natural products, piperine and piperlongumine, we synthesised eight natural product-inspired analogues to further investigate their structures. For the first time, we confirmed the structure of the key cyclised dihydropyrazolecarbothioamide piperine analogues including the use of two-dimensional (2D) N-based spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Prior investigations demonstrated promising results from these scaffolds for the inhibition of inflammatory response via downregulation of the IL-1β and NF-κB pathway.

Humic extracts from hydrochar and Amazonian Anthrosol: Molecular features and metal binding properties using EEM-PARAFAC and 2D FTIR correlation analyses.

Organic matter plays many roles in the soil ecosystem. One property of the substance concerns the metal complexation and interaction with organic contaminants. In this sense, the humic substances (HS), a heterogeneous mixture of compounds, naturally derived from degradation of biomass, have been widely studied in environmental sciences.

Measurement properties and factor analysis of the Diabetic Foot Ulcer Scale-short form (DFS-SF).

The purpose of this paper is to provide measurement properties evaluation and factor analysis of the Brazilian version of the diabetic foot ulcer scale-short form (DFS-SF). This methodological study evaluated the measurement properties of the DFS-SF by ceiling and floor effect reliability, responsiveness, and structural construct validity. The study included 290 people with diabetic foot under regular follow-up in a specialised outpatient clinic in inland São Paulo.

Clinical Validation of the Nursing Diagnosis, Decreased Cardiac Tissue Perfusion, in Patients with Coronary Artery Obstruction.

Objective: To verify the accuracy of the nursing diagnosis, decreased cardiac tissue perfusion, in patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods: Clinical validation consisted of evaluation by 75 participants. Sensitivity and specificity measurements were performed by means of latent class analysis.

Effect of piperlongumine during exposure to cigarette smoke reduces inflammation and lung injury.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is related to smoking and anti-inflammatory therapy is indicated. Among the mediators with anti-inflammatory properties, we highlight piperlongumine (PL), an alkaloid/amide of Piper longum. Here we evaluated the PL administration on an experimental model of respiratory inflammation resulting from exposure to cigarette smoke.

Psychosocial determinants of adherence to oral antidiabetic medication among people with type 2 diabetes.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the psychosocial determinants of adherence to oral antidiabetic medication, according to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).

Background: Appropriate adherence to oral antidiabetic medication contributes to long-term glycaemic control. However, glycaemic control is often poor in people with type 2 diabetes, mainly due to the poor adherence to oral antidiabetic agents.

Fluorescence spectroscopic and dynamics simulation studies on isoorientin binding with human serum albumin.

Isoorientin (ISOO) a glycosylated flavonoid found in acai berry exhibits relevant activities such as antidiabetic and antidepressant. However, its physicochemical action on any molecular target is scarcely known. In this work, we tackle the problem about the binding of ISOO to human serum albumin (HSA) applying fluorescence spectroscopy bimodal analysis aided by computational simulations.