Insights into SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus underlying COVID-19: recent genomic data and the development of reverse genetics systems

The emergence and rapid worldwide spread of a novel pandemic of acute respiratory disease – eventually named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO) – across the human population has raised great concerns. It prompted a mobilization around the globe to study the underlying pathogen, a close relative of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Numerous genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 are now available and in-depth analyses are advancing. These will allow detailed characterization of sequence and protein functions, including comparative studies. Care should be taken when inferring function from sequence information alone, and reverse genetics systems can be used to unequivocally identify key features. For example, the molecular markers of virulence, host range and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 can be compared to those of related viruses in order to shed light on the biology of this emerging pathogen. Here, we summarize some recent insights from genomic studies and strategies for reverse genetics systems to generate recombinant viruses, which will be useful to investigate viral genome properties and evolution

Performance e intermidialidade em três propostas para o trabalho com a literatura em contexto de alunos jovens e adultos surdos

The article corresponds to a master's research clipping. We sought to analyze the reception of literary texts in groups of deaf youth and adults in Basic Education at the National Institute of Education of the Deaf (CAp-INES). We take into account that such students must transit through sign language, their first language, and the Portuguese language written as a second language. In addition, we will discuss the incorporation of aspects related to performance and intermidiality in the work with literature in this segment.O artigo corresponde a um recorte de pesquisa de mestrado. Buscamos analisar a recepção dos textos literários em turmas de jovens e adultos surdos da Educação Básica no Instituto Nacional de Educação de Surdos (CAp-INES). Levamos em consideração que tais alunos devem transitar pela língua de sinais, sua primeira língua, e a língua portuguesa escrita como segunda língua. Além disso, discorreremos a respeito da incorporação de aspectos relacionados à performance e à intermidialidade no trabalho com a literatura nesse segmento

The Nuclear Scissors Mode from Various Aspects

Three methods to describe collective motion, Random Phase Approximation (RPA), Wigner Function Moments (WFM) and the Green's Function (GF) method are compared in detail and their physical content analyzed on an example of a simple model, the harmonic oscillator with quadrupole--quadrupole residual interaction. It is shown that they give identical formulae for eigenfrequencies and transition probabilities of all collective excitations of the model, including the scissors mode, which is the subject of our special attention. The exact relation between the RPA and WFM variables and the respective dynamical equations is established. The transformation of the RPA spectrum into the one of WFM is explained. The very close connection of the WFM method with the GF one is demonstrated. The normalization factor of the ``synthetic'' scissors state and its overlap with physical states are calculated analytically. The orthogonality of the spurious state to all physical states is proved rigorously. A differential equation describing the current lines of RPA modes is established and the current lines of the scissors mode analyzed as a superposition of rotational and irrotational components.Comment: 52 pages, 2 figure

Guidelines for stakeholder engagement in systematic reviews of environmental management

Abstract: People have a stake in conservation and environmental management both for their own interests and the sake of the environment itself. Environmental decision-making has changed somewhat in recent decades to account for unintentional impacts on human wellbeing. The involvement of stakeholders in environmental projects has been recognised as critical for ensuring their success and equally for the syntheses of evidence of what works, where, and for whom, providing key benefits and challenges. As a result of increased interest in systematic reviews of complex management issues, there is a need for guidance in best practices for stakeholder engagement. Here, we propose a framework for stakeholder engagement in systematic reviews/systematic maps, highlighting recommendations and advice that are critical for effective, efficient and meaningful engagement of stakeholders. The discussion herein aims to provide a toolbox of stakeholder engagement activities, whilst also recommending approaches from stakeholder engagement research that may prove to be particularly useful for systematic reviews and systematic maps

O DIREITO FUNDAMENTAL À PROTEÇÃO DE DADOS PESSOAIS E AS CONDIÇÕES DE PRECEDÊNCIA EM TRÊS MEDIDAS NÃO FARMACOLÓGICAS ADOTADAS PELO BRASIL NO ENFRENTAMENTO DA COVID-19

This article aims to analyze three non-pharmacological measures adopted by the Brazilian Public Power to face Covid-19: 1) the transmission of information by the telecommunications operators about the circulation of people; 2) the sharing of personal data for the implementation of tele-assistance by the Ministry of Health; 3) the sharing of data to IBGE by all consumers of telecommunications companies. Such measures deal with questions about the affectation and possible violation of the right to the protection of personal data. The applied methodology is analytical. The problem is solved by means of a bibliographic and documentary survey in three stages: we will defend the right to the protection of personal data as a fundamental right; we will describe the three measures under analysis; we will establish the conditional precedence relationships applicable to each of the measures. We conclude that measures 1 and 2 can be adopted as long as specific conditions are observed; and that measure 3 represents a violation of the right to privacy and undue surveillance.Este artículo objetiva analizar tres medidas no farmacológicas adoptadas por el Poder Público brasileño para enfrentar a Covid-19: 1) la transmisión de información por parte de los operadores de telecomunicaciones sobre la circulación de personas; 2) el intercambio de datos personales para la implementación de la teleasistencia por parte del Ministerio de Salud; 3) el intercambio de datos con IBGE por parte de todos los consumidores de empresas de telecomunicaciones. Dichas medidas abordan interrogantes sobre la afectación y la posible violación del derecho a la protección de datos personales. La metodología aplicada es analítica. El problema se resuelve mediante una investigación bibliográfica y documental en tres etapas: defenderemos el derecho a la protección de datos personales como un derecho fundamental; describiremos las tres medidas bajo análisis; estableceremos las relaciones de precedencia condicional aplicables a cada una de las medidas. Concluimos que las medidas 1 y 2 pueden adoptarse siempre que se observen condiciones específicas; y que la medida 3 representa una violación del derecho a la privacidad y una vigilancia indebida.Este artigo objetiva analisar três medidas não farmacológicas adotadas pelo Poder Público brasileiro para o enfrentamento da Covid-19: 1) o repasse de informações pelas operadoras de telecomunicação sobre a circulação de pessoas; 2) o compartilhamento de dados pessoais para a implantação de teleatendimento pelo Ministério da Saúde; 3) o compartilhamento de dados ao IBGE de todos os consumidores de empresas de telecomunicações. Tais medidas tematizam questionamentos sobre a afetação e a possível violação do direito à proteção de dados pessoais. A metodologia aplicada é a analítica. O problema é resolvido por intermédio de levantamento bibliográfico e documental em três etapas: defenderemos o direito à proteção de dados pessoais como direito fundamental; descreveremos as três medidas objeto de análise; estabeleceremos as relações de precedência condicionada aplicáveis a cada uma das medidas. Concluímos que as medidas 1 e 2 podem ser adotadas desde que observadas condições específicas; e que a medida 3 representa violação do direito à privacidade e uma vigilância indevid

Population genomics of louping ill virus provide new insights into the evolution of tick-borne flaviviruses

The emergence and spread of tick-borne arboviruses pose an increased challenge to human and animal health. In Europe this is demonstrated by the increasingly wide distribution of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV, Flavivirus, Flaviviridae), which has recently been found in the United Kingdom (UK). However, much less is known about other tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFV), such as the closely related louping ill virus (LIV), an animal pathogen which is endemic to the UK and Ireland, but which has been detected in other parts of Europe including Scandinavia and Russia. The emergence and potential spatial overlap of these viruses necessitates improved understanding of LIV genomic diversity, geographic spread and evolutionary history. We sequenced a virus archive composed of 22 LIV isolates which had been sampled throughout the UK over a period of over 80 years. Combining this dataset with published virus sequences, we detected no sign of recombination and found low diversity and limited evidence for positive selection in the LIV genome. Phylogenetic analysis provided evidence of geographic clustering as well as long-distance movement, including movement events that appear recent. However, despite genomic data and an 80-year time span, we found that the data contained insufficient temporal signal to reliably estimate a molecular clock rate for LIV. Additional analyses revealed that this also applied to TBEV, albeit to a lesser extent, pointing to a general problem with phylogenetic dating for TBFV. The 22 LIV genomes generated during this study provide a more reliable LIV phylogeny, improving our knowledge of the evolution of tick-borne flaviviruses. Our inability to estimate a molecular clock rate for both LIV and TBEV suggests that temporal calibration of tick-borne flavivirus evolution should be interpreted with caution and highlight a unique aspect of these viruses which may be explained by their reliance on tick vectors

Viral load in COVID-19 patients: implications for prognosis and vaccine efficacy in the context of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants

The worldwide spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an unprecedented public health crisis in the 21st century. As the pandemic evolves, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has been characterized by the emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs), which resulted in a catastrophic impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection. In light of this, research groups around the world are unraveling key aspects of the associated illness, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A cumulative body of data has indicated that the SARS-CoV-2 viral load may be a determinant of the COVID-19 severity. Here we summarize the main characteristics of the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, discussing their impact on viral transmissibility, viral load, disease severity, vaccine breakthrough, and lethality among COVID-19 patients. We also provide a rundown of the rapidly expanding scientific evidence from clinical studies and animal models that indicate how viral load could be linked to COVID-19 prognosis and vaccine efficacy among vaccinated individuals, highlighting the differences compared to unvaccinated individuals

Full genome sequence and sfRNA interferon antagonist activity of Zika virus from Recife, Brazil

Background: The outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas has transformed a previously obscure mosquito-transmitted arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family into a major public health concern. Little is currently known about the evolution and biology of ZIKV and the factors that contribute to the associated pathogenesis. Determining genomic sequences of clinical viral isolates and characterization of elements within these are an important prerequisite to advance our understanding of viral replicative processes and virus-host interactions. Methodology/Principal findings: We obtained a ZIKV isolate from a patient who presented with classical ZIKV-associated symptoms, and used high throughput sequencing and other molecular biology approaches to determine its full genome sequence, including non-coding regions. Genome regions were characterized and compared to the sequences of other isolates where available. Furthermore, we identified a subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) in ZIKV-infected cells that has antagonist activity against RIG-I induced type I interferon induction, with a lesser effect on MDA-5 mediated action. Conclusions/Significance: The full-length genome sequence including non-coding regions of a South American ZIKV isolate from a patient with classical symptoms will support efforts to develop genetic tools for this virus. Detection of sfRNA that counteracts interferon responses is likely to be important for further understanding of pathogenesis and virus-host interactions