Evolutionarily Conserved Interaction between the Phosphoproteins and X Proteins of Bornaviruses from Different Vertebrate Species.

Bornavirus, a non-segmented, negative-strand RNA viruses, is currently classified into several genetically distinct genotypes, such as Borna disease virus (BDV) and avian bornaviruses (ABVs). Recent studies revealed that bornavirus genotypes show unique sequence variability in the putative 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of X/P mRNA, a bicistronic mRNA for the X protein and phosphoprotein (P). In this study, to understand the evolutionary relationship among the bornavirus genotypes, we investigated the functional interaction between the X and P proteins of four bornavirus genotypes, BDV, ABV genotype 4 and 5 and reptile bornavirus (RBV), the putative 5' UTRs of which exhibit variation in the length. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analyses using mammalian and avian cell lines revealed that the X proteins of bornaviruses conserve the ability to facilitate the export of P from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via interaction with P. Furthermore, we showed that inter-genotypic interactions may occur between X and P among the genotypes, except for X of RBV. In addition, a BDV minireplicon assay demonstrated that the X and P proteins of ABVs, but not RBV, can affect the polymerase activity of BDV. This study demonstrates that bornaviruses may have conserved the fundamental function of a regulatory protein during their evolution, whereas RBV has evolved distinctly from the other bornavirus genotypes

Entrustable professional activities for Junior Brazilian Medical Students in community medicine

Background: Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) have been defined to promote the workplace participation of undergraduate medical students, generally in the context of high-income countries with a focus on the secondary and tertiary health care sectors. These EPAs have limited applicability to training and health care contexts in low- to middle-income countries that have a focus on primary health care, for instance, the context of community medicine. The purpose of this article is to report the process and results of defining EPAs for undergraduate medical training in a community health care setting. Methods: A modified Delphi study was performed to develop EPAs for the training of medical students in community medicine during their first and second years of education at the Marilia Medical School (FAMEMA), Brazil. The supervision level was operationalized in terms of a student's ability to perform the EPA autonomously in an effective and safe manner with supervision readily available on request. Panellists (9 physicians and 6 nurses) rated the completeness of the proposed list of EPAs and EPA categories on four-point Likert scales. The threshold for consensus among panellists was a mean content validity index of at least 80%. Results: Consensus was reached after two Delphi rounds, resulting in 11 EPAs for undergraduate medical education and training in community medicine. These EPAs were organized into three overarching EPA domains: integrality of care for individual health needs in all phases of the life cycle (5 EPAs), integrality of care for family health needs (3 EPAs), and integrality of care for community health needs (3 EPAs). For each EPA, descriptions of the following categories were created: title; specifications and limitations; conditions and implications of the entrustment decision; knowledge, skills, and attitudes; links to competencies; and assessment sources. Conclusion: The resulting 11 EPAs for training medical students in community medicine expand the application of the EPA framework to both early undergraduate medical education and the context of primary health care. This report can support and guide other medical schools in their attempts to train students in primary health care contexts and to incorporate EPAs into their curricula

Native and engineered tropism of vectors derived from a rare species D adenovirus serotype 43

Unique molecular properties of species D adenoviruses (Ads)-the most diverse yet underexplored group of Ads-have been used to develop improved gene vectors. The low seroprevalence in humans of adenovirus serotype 43 (Ad43), an otherwise unstudied species D Ad, identified this rare serotype as an attractive new human gene therapy vector platform. Thus, in this study we wished to assess biological properties of Ad43 essential to its vectorization. We found that (1) Ad43 virions do not bind blood coagulation factor X and cause low random transduction upon vascular delivery; (2) they clear host tissues more quickly than do traditionally used Ad5 vectors; (3) Ad43 uses CD46 as primary receptor; (4) Ad43 can use integrins as alternative primary receptors. As the first step toward vectorization of Ad43, we demonstrated that the primary receptor specificity of the Ad43 fiber can be altered to achieve infection via Her2, an established oncotarget. Whereas this modification required use of the Ad5 fiber shaft, the presence of this domain in chimeric virions did not make them susceptible for neutralization by anti-Ad5 antibodies

Modulation of the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis during malaria/M. tuberculosis co-infection

Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality on a global scale. The African region has 24% of the world's TB cases. TB overlaps with other infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV, which are also highly prevalent in the African region. TB is a leading cause of death among HIV-positive patients and co-infection with HIV and TB has been described as a syndemic. In view of the overlapping epidemiology of these diseases, it is important to understand the dynamics of the immune response to TB in the context of co-infection. We investigated the cytokine response to purified protein derivative (PPD) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from TB patients co-infected with HIV or malaria and compared it to that of malaria- and HIV-free TB patients. A total of 231 subjects were recruited for this study and classified into six groups; untreated TB-positive, TB positive subjects on TB drugs, TB- and HIV-positive, TB- and malaria-positive, latent TB and apparently healthy control subjects. Our results demonstrate maintenance of interferon (IFN)-γ production in HIV and malaria co-infected TB patients in spite of lower CD4 counts in the HIV-infected cohort. Malaria co-infection caused an increase in the production of the T helper type 2 (Th2)-associated cytokine interleukin (IL)-4 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in PPD-stimulated cultures. These results suggest that malaria co-infection diverts immune response against M. tuberculosis towards a Th-2/anti-inflammatory response which might have important consequences for disease progression

Remoção de metais pesados em efluentes líquidos através da filtração adsortiva

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia QuímicaA contaminação de águas superficiais e de sub-solo tem sido reportada em muitas partes do mundo. No território catarinense, cerca de 80% dos recursos hídricos estão comprometidos pelo descarte de efluentes urbanos e industriais contendo metais pesados, lixo urbano e agrotóxicos. Os tratamentos convencionais em geral não são suficientes para remover eficientemente íons metálicos dissolvidos em concentrações traços, sendo necessário aplicar tratamento adicional, como a adsorção, a troca iônica ou osmose reversa

PROCESSO DE ENFERMAGEM E RELAÇÃO INTERPESSOAL: UMA REFLEXÃO SOBRE O CUIDADO EM SAÚDE MENTAL

Objetivo:refletir a possibilidade de articulação entre Processo de Enfermagem e fases da relação interpessoal e suas implicações no cuidado em saúde mental. Método: estudo de reflexão teórica,qualitativo, alinhado a visão e expertise das pesquisadoras junto ao referencial teórico da relação interpessoal.Resultados: a reflexão desenvolveu-se em três eixos sendo eles Processo de Enfermagem - um cuidado clínico possível; Relação interpessoal - uma teoria que sustenta o cuidado de enfermagem na saúde mental e Cuidado em saúde mental e as implicações do Processo de Enfermagem orientado pelas fases da relação interpessoal. Considerações finais:a relação interpessoal inserida no Processo de Enfermagem possibilita as intervenções, por meio da empatia, escuta, esclarecimento e encorajamento que ocorre no setting da consulta de enfermagem. A clínica da enfermagem em saúde mental compreende as fases da relação interpessoal inseridas discretamente no Processo de Enfermagem, mitigando o dilema de seu uso aliado a processos relacionais no cuidado de enfermagem

Garanzie del servizio in ambienti di cloud computing: uno studio sperimentale

Nel corso di questa tesi analizzeremo che cos'è il cloud computing, illustrando i contratti di service level agreement e le soluzioni presenti nel mercato

A efemeropterofauna do trecho ritral inferior do rio Campo Belo, Itatiaia, RJ: composição e distribuição, com aspectos biológicos e ecológicos das espécies de Americabaetis Kluge, 1992 (Insecta: Ephemeroptera: Baetidae)

Samples from Campo Belo River (22°281S; 44°34'W), municipality of Itatiaia, RJ, in different mesohabitats, was registered the occurrence of 22 species, distributed in the following genera (number of species between brackets) Americabaetis (2), Aturbina (1), Baetodes (1), Callibaetis (1), Camelobaetidius (2), Cloeodes (1), Paracloeodes (2) (Baetidae), Leptohyphes (2), Leptohyphodes (1), Tricorythopsis (3) Tricorythodes (1) (Leptohyphidae), Farrodes (1), Massartella (1), Miroculis (1), Thraulodes (1) and Ulmeritoides (1) (Leptophlebiidae). From monthly quantitative collections, taken from October 1999 to September 2000, 3.170 specimens were obtained, 1.002 from the riparian vegetation and 786 from litter from pools. The months with the highest number of individuals were November (595 nymphys) and October 1999 (480 nymphys). The two species of Americabaetis present, A. alphus and A. longetron were studied with major emphasis, amouting respectively to 384 specimens (riparian vegetation being the preferential substratum, with 353 specimens) and 143 specimens (litter from riffles being the preferential substratum the, with 97 specimens). The secondary production of A. alphus was 847.99 mg.m².year¹ and that of A. longetron was 13,549.757 mg.m· ².year ¹ dry weight, in their preferential substrates. A. alphus, in litter from riffles, presented significant correlations with monthly rainfall (R = -0,6418; p<0,05), depth (R = -0.8165; p<0,05) and electric conductivity (R = 0.7993; p<0,05). By its turn, A. longetron showed significant correlation with pH (R = 0.5784; p<0,05).Com base em coletas realizadas no Rio Campo Belo (22°28'S; 44°34'W), município de Itatiaia, RJ, em diferentes meso-hábitats, foi registrada a ocorrência de 22 espécies, distribuídas nos gêneros (número de espécies entre parênteses) Americabaetis (2), Aturbina (1), Baetodes (1), Callibaetis (1), Camelobaetidius (2), Cloeodes (1), Paracloeodes (2) (Baetidae), Leptohyphes (2), Leptohyphodes (1), Tricorythopsis (3) Tricorythodes (1) (Leptohyphidae), Farrodes (1), Massartella (1), Miroculis (1), Thraulodes (1) e Ulmeritoides (1) (Leptophlebiidae). A partir de coletas quantitativas mensais, realizadas de outubro de 1999 a setembro de 2000, foram obtidos 3.170 exemplares, sendo 1.002 procedentes do meso-hábitat vegetação marginal e 786 do meso-hábitat folhiço de fundo. Os meses com maior número de indivíduos foram novembro (595 indivíduos) e outubro de 1999 (480 indivíduos). Foram estudadas com maior ênfase as duas únicas espécies presentes do gênero Americabaetis, A. alphus e A. longetron, as quais em 12 meses de amostragens totalizaram, respectivamente, 384 espécimes (sendo o substrato preferencial a vegetação marginal, com 353 espécimes) e 143 espécimes (sendo o substrato preferencial o folhiço de correnteza, com 97 espécimes). A produção secundária de A. alphus no seu substrato preferencial foi de 847,99 mg.m².ano¹ e a de A. longetron foi de 13.549,757 mg.m².ano¹, em valores de peso seco. A. alphus, no substrato folhiço de correnteza, apresentou correlações significativas com a pluviosidade mensal (R= -0,6418; p<0,05), a profundidade (R= - 0,8165; p<0,05) e a condutividade elétrica (R= 0,7993; p<0,05). A. longetron, por sua vez, mostrou correlação significativa com o pH (R= 0,5784; p<0,05)

Cloning of a salivary gland metalloprotease and characterization of gelatinase and fibrin(ogen)lytic activities in the saliva of the Lyme disease tick vector Ixodes scapularis

The full-length sequence of tick salivary gland cDNA coding for a protein similar to metalloproteases (MP) of the reprolysin family is reported. The Ixodes scapularis MP is a 488 amino acid (aa) protein containing pre- and pro-enzyme domains, the zinc-binding motif HExxHxxGxxH common to metalloproteases, and a cysteine-rich region. In addition, the predicted amino-terminal sequences of I. scapularis MPs were found by Edman degradation of PVDF-transferred SDS/PAGE-separated tick saliva proteins, indicating that these putative enzymes are secreted. Furthermore, saliva has a metal-dependent proteolytic activity towards gelatin, fibrin(ogen), and fibronectin, but not collagen or laminin. Accordingly, I. scapularis saliva has a rather specific metalloprotease similar to the hemorrhagic proteases of snake venoms. This is the first description of such activity in tick saliva and its role in tick feeding and Borrelia transmission is discussed

O Novo Ensino Médio como estratégia hegemônica: o papel de redes estadunidenses na consolidação de um projeto neoliberal de educação no Brasil

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Socioeconômico, Relações Internacionais.A reforma do Ensino Médio no Brasil, que instituiu o Novo Ensino Médio (NEM), tem promovido uma série de mudanças na educação das escolas brasileiras. Dentre elas, pode-se mencionar a flexibilização e um enfoque dos currículos no ensino técnico e profissional. Tais mudanças são interessantes ao grande capital e são fruto da disseminação da ideologia da classe dominante estadunidense na educação brasileira. A atuação desta classe no Novo Ensino Médio ocorre por meio de redes compostas por diversos atores, dentre os quais merecem destaque as fundações privadas brasileiras. Nesse sentido, a presente pesquisa busca identificar as redes transnacionais vinculadas à classe dominante estadunidense atuantes no Novo Ensino Médio brasileiro e compreender como a sua atuação contribui para a manutenção da hegemonia desta classe. Assim o faz a partir de uma leitura de Antonio Gramsci acerca da hegemonia, por meio da revisão bibliográfica de suas obras e também das de outros autores que abordam as intervenções dos Estados Unidos na educação latino-americana ao longo da história e a atuação das fundações privadas no Novo Ensino Médio. O estudo também se utiliza da análise de documentos sobre a reforma do Ensino Médio e dos sites institucionais das fundações privadas nela atuantes. Desse modo, a presente pesquisa demonstra que a influência da classe dominante estadunidense no Novo Ensino Médio se dá por meio de redes compostas por organizações internacionais e empresas, instituições financeiras, universidades, órgãos governamentais e fundações privadas tanto brasileiras quanto estadunidenses. Merece destaque a Fundação Lemann, que funciona como um dos principais vértices das redes transnacionais, cuja atuação ocorre por meio de projetos para o NEM, soluções educacionais e formação de líderes. Assim, as intervenções da classe dominante estadunidense no Novo Ensino Médio contribuem para a manutenção de sua hegemonia.The reform of secondary education in Brazil, which introduced the New High School model ("Novo Ensino Médio" – NEM, in Portuguese), has brought a series of changes to the country’s educational system. Among them are the flexibilization of the curriculum and a stronger focus on technical and professional education. These changes serve the interests of capitalism and are the result from the spread of the United States’ ruling class ideology within Brazilian education. The involvement of this class in NEM occurs through networks formed by several actors, with a notable presence of Brazilian private foundations. That said, this research aims to identify the transnational networks connected to the U.S. ruling class that are active in the New High School model in Brazil, and to understand how their actions contribute to the maintenance of this class' hegemony. The analysis is based on Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, through a bibliographic review of his works and those of other authors who examine U.S. interventions in Latin American education throughout history, as well as the role of private foundations in NEM. The study also includes the analysis of official documents on the High School reform and institutional websites of the private foundations involved. The research demonstrates that the influence of the U.S. ruling class on NEM takes place through networks made of international organizations, corporations, financial institutions, universities, governmental bodies, and both Brazilian and U.S.-based private foundations. Among these, the Lemann Foundation stands out as a key node in the transnational networks, operating through projects for NEM, educational solutions and leadership training programs. Therefore the interventions of the U.S. ruling class in the New High School model contribute to the maintenance of its hegemony