Classically Cuban Concert Together: In Memory of Carlos Averhoff, Sr.

The Cuban Research Institute is pleased to announce the 13th installment of its annual concert series.This year\u27s concert will be dedicated to Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, in memory of the renowned Cuban saxophonist and former FIU music professor, Carlos Averhoff, Sr. The event will be directed by his son, Carlos Averhoff, Jr., in collaboration with artists who performed alongside Averhoff, Sr., including Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, Malena Burke, Federico Brito, and others.https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cri_events/1362/thumbnail.jp

Classically Cuban Concert Together: In Memory of Carlos Averhoff, Sr.

The Cuban Research Institute is pleased to announce the 13th installment of its annual concert series.This year\u27s concert will be dedicated to Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz, in memory of the renowned Cuban saxophonist and former FIU music professor, Carlos Averhoff, Sr. The event will be directed by his son, Carlos Averhoff, Jr., in collaboration with artists who performed alongside Averhoff, Sr., including Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch, Malena Burke, Federico Brito, and others.https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cri_events/1362/thumbnail.jp

Analysis of postural control variability of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) currently affects one in 68 children, a number that has increased by 78% over the last decade.1 Standing postural control is a basic movement skill which is rarely examined in children with ASD due to the more obvious social deficits. We measured the Center of Pressure (COP) during standing posture, which is a postural sway measurement defined by the point of summation of all forces acting on a body.2 One of the goals of this project was to compare COP data to a qualitative measurement, the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), which measures visual reception, fine and gross motor, receptive language, and expressive language skills, to determine whether posture and cognitive development are related. Five children (either diagnosed with ASD or with a sibling with ASD) and six children with typical development (TD) participated in the study. Children stood on a force plate for at least 30 seconds and then the MSEL was administered. As total excursion (total length of the COP path) and sway path increased in the ML and AP directions, children with TD experienced a decrease in visual reception, fine motor, receptive language, and expressive language skills, whereas children in the ASD group did not. This suggests that there is a relationship between posture and one’s overall development for children with TD but not for children with ASD or a sibling with ASD

Structure of a type IV pilus machinery in the open and closed state.

This is the final version of the article. Available from eLife Sciences Publications via the DOI in this record.Proteins of the secretin family form large macromolecular complexes, which assemble in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Secretins are major components of type II and III secretion systems and are linked to extrusion of type IV pili (T4P) and to DNA uptake. By electron cryo-tomography of whole Thermus thermophilus cells, we determined the in situ structure of a T4P molecular machine in the open and the closed state. Comparison reveals a major conformational change whereby the N-terminal domains of the central secretin PilQ shift by ~30 Å, and two periplasmic gates open to make way for pilus extrusion. Furthermore, we determine the structure of the assembled pilus.This work was supported by the Max Planck Society and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (AV 9/6-1)

Noncanonical cell-to-cell DNA transfer in Thermus spp. Is insensitive to argonaute-mediated interference

Horizontal gene transfer drives the rapid evolution of bacterial populations. Classical processes that promote the lateral flow of genetic information are conserved throughout the prokaryotic world. However, some species have nonconserved transfer mechanisms that are not well known. This is the case for the ancient extreme thermophile Thermus thermophilus. In this work, we show that T. thermophilus strains are capable of exchanging large DNA fragments by a novel mechanism that requires cell-tocell contacts and employs components of the natural transformation machinery. This process facilitates the bidirectional transfer of virtually any DNA locus but favors by 10-fold loci found in the megaplasmid over those in the chromosome. In contrast to naked DNA acquisition by transformation, the system does not activate the recently described DNA-DNA interference mechanism mediated by the prokaryotic Argonaute protein, thus allowing the organism to distinguish between DNA transferred from a mate and exogenous DNA acquired from unknown hosts. This Argonaute-mediated discrimination may be tentatively viewed as a strategy for safe sharing of potentially >useful> traits by the components of a given population of Thermus spp. without increasing the genome sizes of its individuals.This work has been supported by grant BIO2013-44963-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competence and FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IAPP grant 324439 from the European Union to J. Berenguer and by grant AV9/6-1 from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to B. Averhoff. An institutional grant from the Fundación Ramón Areces to CBMSO and financial support to the Spanish National Network for Extremophilic Microorganisms (BIO2011-12879-E) are also acknowledged.Peer Reviewe

Pathways to Success: Unleashing Experiential Learning in Higher Education for Aspiring Law Enforcement Professionals

This generic qualitative inquiry (GQI) explores experiential learning in higher education for students interested in law enforcement careers. Through interviews and focus group discussions, the study aimed to uncover insights into the perceptions and experiences of students engaging in a university student security program (USSP). The USSP allows full-time students to work as uniformed, unarmed paid employees of the university’s police department providing various law enforcement type functions. The research identified five themes that emerged from the data analysis: exposure, career development, training, leadership, and personal growth. The theme of exposure highlighted the importance of hands-on learning, allowing students to gain practical knowledge, experience, and skills directly applicable to law enforcement careers. Career development emerged as a crucial aspect, as experiential learning offered students a pathway to explore policing and enhancing their employability prospects. The training theme underscored the significance that practical opportunities provided participants through training workshops, specialized courses, and hands-on experiences. Leadership emerged as a notable theme, with experiential learning fostering the development of leadership qualities, particularly leadership within law enforcement. Finally, the personal growth theme highlighted the transformative impact of experiential learning on students\u27 personal development, self-confidence, and resilience. This study contributes to the understanding of how experiential learning in higher education can effectively support students interested in law enforcement careers. The findings highlight the importance of integrating experiential learning opportunities within the criminal justice (or similar) curriculum to provide students with practical, hands-on experiences. These programs should provide participants opportunities to wear specific uniforms and perform work functions replicating law enforcement, such as security and traffic enforcement. This research can guide higher education institutions in designing and implementing effective experiential learning programs to prepare students for successful careers in law enforcement

Medidas para diminuir o uso excessivo de psicofármacos em uma unidade básica de saúde da família em município de Minas Gerais

O uso de psicofármacos em situações específicas e bem diagnosticado melhora significativamente o estado psíquico dos pacientes que possuem transtornos mentais. Entretanto, o uso indiscriminado destes tipos de medicação tem se tornado muito frequente no mundo e também no Brasil, como foi possível observar também no município de Uberlândia/MG. Este trabalho trata-se da elaboração de um Plano de Ação com o objetivo de diminuir o excessivo uso de psicotrópicos pela população adstrita de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família no município de Uberlândia-MG. O Planejamento Estratégico Situacional (PES) foi o método utilizado partindose do Diagnóstico Situacional, para a identificação dos problemas seguido da Revisão de Literatura, com o objetivo de descrever e explicar a origem do problema,seguido da Elaboração do Plano de Ação. O Plano de Ação proposto contemplou ações em todos os níveis de prevenção, com destaque para a prevenção quaternária. Foram propostas as operações: "Mais Saúde", "Saber Mais", "Cuidar Mais", "Mais União". Com este projeto de intervenção, a equipe de saúde da UBSF Escola Jaraguá espera não só aumentar a confiança dos usuários de psicotrópicos estreitando o vinculo entre profissionais e pacientes, mas também estimular a corresponsabilização no seu cuidado. Promover consciência do papel dos fármacos, seus efeitos colaterais e riscos, diminuindo a automedicação e proporcionando nova alternativa não medicamentosa para a superação dos seus transtornos mentais.Fundamentou-se na abordagem integral dos indivíduos portadores de sofrimento mental, com forte ênfase da prevenção quaternária ao procurar eliminar ou minimizar ao máximo a iatrogenia das prescrições e usos inadequados dos psicotrópicos e ao apresentar novas possibilidade eticamente aceitáveis. Neste sentido destacamos a introdução da meditação (Atenção Plena) como abordagem alternativa para o controle do estresse, desmistificando as barreiras para seu exercício e capacitando o indivíduo para a autonomia da sua prátic

Der Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) zur Einschätzung intraoperativer hämadynamischer Änderungen sowie postoperativer Schmerzzustände

Der auf der Herzfrequenzvariabilität basierende Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) bietet einen neuen Ansatz zur kommunikationsunabhängigen Nozizeptions- und Schmerzeinschätzung. In Ergänzung zu vorangegangenen Studien während total intravenöser Anästhesie vergleicht diese Arbeit ANI-begründete Einschätzungen von Nozizeption und Schmerz während und nach Sevofluran-basierter Anästhesie intraoperativ mit Änderungen hämodynamischer Parameter und postoperativ mit der Numerischen Ratingskala (NRS). ANI spiegelte hier verschiedene Level intraoperativer Nozizeption während Sevofluran-basierter Anästhesie wider, konnte jedoch weder intraoperative hämodynamische Änderungen sicher vorhersagen noch Zustände postoperativen Schmerzes klar unterscheiden. Inkonsistente Forschungsergebnisse dieser und anderer Arbeiten deuten auf die Komplexität der Bestimmung von Nozizeption hin. Trotz faszinierender theoretischer Grundlage des ANI lässt sich aktuell aufgrund vielfacher Ausschlusskriterien und Einflussfaktoren ein klinischer Nutzwert des ANI anzweifeln

In vivo synthesis of monolysocardiolipin and cardiolipin by Acinetobacter baumannii phospholipase D and effect on cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen, which has become a rising threat in healthcare facilities worldwide due to increasing antibiotic resistances and optimal adaptation to clinical environments and the human host. We reported in a former publication on the identification of three phopholipases of the phospholipase D (PLD) superfamily in A. baumannii ATCC 19606T acting in concerted manner as virulence factors in Galleria mellonella infection and lung epithelial cell invasion. This study focussed on the function of the three PLDs. A Δpld1-3 mutant was defect in biosynthesis of the phospholipids cardiolipin (CL) and monolysocardiolipin (MLCL), whereas the deletion of pld2 and pld3 abolished the production of MLCL. Complementation of the Δpld1-3 mutant with pld1 restored CL biosynthesis demonstrating that the PLD1 is implicated in CL biosynthesis. Complementation of the Δpld1-3 mutant with either pld2 or pld3 restored MLCL and CL production leading to the conclusion that PLD2 and PLD3 are implicated in CL and MLCL production. Mutant studies revealed that two catalytic motifs are essential for the PLD3-mediated biosynthesis of CL and MLCL. The Δpld1-3 mutant exhibited a decreased colistin and polymyxin B resistance indicating a role of CL in cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) resistance

Topology and structure/function correlation of ring- and gate-forming domains in the dynamic secretin complex of Thermus thermophilus.

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Secretins are versatile outer membrane pores used by many bacteria to secrete proteins, toxins, or filamentous phages; extrude type IV pili (T4P); or take up DNA. Extrusion of T4P and natural transformation of DNA in the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus requires a unique secretin complex comprising six stacked rings, a membrane-embedded cone structure, and two gates that open and close a central channel. To investigate the role of distinct domains in ring and gate formation, we examined a set of deletion derivatives by cryomicroscopy techniques. Here we report that maintaining the N0 ring in the deletion derivatives led to stable PilQ complexes. Analyses of the variants unraveled that an N-terminal domain comprising a unique βββαβ fold is essential for the formation of gate 2. Furthermore, we identified four βαββα domains essential for the formation of the N2 to N5 rings. Mutant studies revealed that deletion of individual ring domains significantly reduces piliation. The N1, N2, N4, and N5 deletion mutants were significantly impaired in T4P-mediated twitching motility, whereas the motility of the N3 mutant was comparable with that of wild-type cells. This indicates that the deletion of the N3 ring leads to increased pilus dynamics, thereby compensating for the reduced number of pili of the N3 mutant. All mutants exhibit a wild-type natural transformation phenotype, leading to the conclusion that DNA uptake is independent of functional T4P.This work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Grant AV 9/6-1. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article