HIV-1 Vif and APOBEC3G: Multiple roads to one goal

The viral infectivity factor, Vif, of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, HIV-1, has long been shown to promote viral replication in vivo and to serve a critical function for productive infection of non-permissive cells, like peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Vif functions to counteract an anti-retroviral cellular factor in non-permissive cells named APOBEC3G. The current mechanism proposed for protection of the virus by HIV-1 Vif is to induce APOBEC3G degradation through a ubiquitination-dependent proteasomal pathway. However, a new study published in Retrovirology by Strebel and colleagues suggests that Vif-induced APOBEC3G destruction may not be required for Vif's virus-protective effect. Strebel and co-workers show that Vif and APOBEC3G can stably co-exist, and yet viruses produced under such conditions are fully infectious. This new result highlights the notion that depletion of APOBEC3G is not the sole protective mechanism of Vif and that additional mechanisms exerted by this protein can be envisioned which counteract APOBEC3G and enhance HIV infectivity

Factors Associated With Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes Among Inmate Women in Portugal

This study aims to identify the variables associated with self-reported physical and psychological symptoms and the perceived health status of inmate women in Portugal. Data collection took place in two female Portuguese prisons and participated in the study 232 women. Physical symptomatology was associated with having children, physical abuse in childhood, a higher number of chronic diseases, and anxiety. Older women, the experience of sexual abuse, and chronic diseases were associated with a worse perception of physical health. Psychological symptoms were higher in women that reported substance abuse before prison, chronic diseases, anxiety, and depression. Finally, a combination of the prior variables (sexual abuse, anxiety, and depression) and three additional variables (lower education level, not having contact with mental health services before prison, and being already sentenced) was associated with worse perceptions of mental health conditions. These findings can be used as a platform for future research, as well as a tool for prison policy regarding the particular gender health needs of inmate women.- (undefined

Defining the mechanisms underlying reduced immunity to Streptococcus pneumonia with age

This thesis tested the hypothesis that immunosenescence contributes to reduced immunity to $Streptococcus$ $pneumoniae$. The effect of age on neutrophil and monocyte responses to $S.$ $pneumoniae$ and on CD4+ T cell polarisation during health, pneumococcal carriage and clinical pneumonia infection were determined. Older adult’s neutrophils produced less ROS in response to serotypes 19A and 23F, but not 4, and increased NETs towards 23F. However, neutrophils of older pneumonia patients produced high levels of ROS to all three serotypes but had impaired NET release. Older patients also had immature granulocytes and CD16$^h$$^i$$^g$$^h$CD62L$^d$$^i$$^m$ neutrophils in blood. CCR2 and CD11b expression, TNF-α and IL-6 production by monocytes were unaffected by age. Pneumococcal colonisation of the nasopharynx is an immunising event. The effect of age on carriage was tested using a human carriage model. Older adults had elevated Th1 and lower Th17 frequencies and failed to generate Th17 memory. During pneumonia, pro-inflammatory subsets increased with age, but Treg frequency and function were maintained. In conclusion, failure of pneumococcal carriage to generate immune memory, together with altered neutrophil responses to $S.$ $pneumoniae$ and high frequencies of inflammatory Th subsets in older adults who succumb to infection, could contribute to their increased susceptibility to pneumococcal infection

a model to improve the evaluation and selection of public contest candidates in the Police Force

Goncalves, M. B., Anastasiadou, M., & Santos, V. (2022). AI and public contests: a model to improve the evaluation and selection of public contest candidates in the Police Force. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 16(4), 22. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-05-2022-0078 ---- Bailao Goncalves, M., Anastasiadou, M., & Santos, V. (2022). AI and public contests: a model to improve the evaluation and selection of public contest candidates in the Police Force. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1108/TG-05-2022-0078Abstract Purpose The number of candidates applying to public contests (PC) is increasing compared to the number of human resources employees required for selecting them for the Police Force (PF). This work intends to perceive how those public institutions can evaluate and select their candidates efficiently during the different phases of the recruitment process. To achieve this purpose, artificial intelligence (AI) was studied. This paper aims to focus on analysing the AI technologies most used and appropriate to the PF as a complementary recruitment strategy of the National Criminal Investigation police agency of Portugal – Polícia Judiciária. Design/methodology/approach Using design science research as a methodological approach, the authors suggest a theoretical framework in pair with the segmentation of the candidates and comprehend the most important facts facing public institutions regarding the usage of AI technologies to make decisions about evaluating and selecting candidates. Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses methodology guidelines, a systematic literature review and meta-analyses method was adopted to identify how the usage and exploitation of transparent AI positively impact the recruitment process of a public institution, resulting in an analysis of 34 papers between 2017 and 2021. Findings Results suggest that the conceptual pairing of evaluation and selection problems of candidates who apply to PC with applicable AI technology such as K-means, hierarchical clustering, artificial neural network and convolutional neural network algorithms can support the recruitment process and could help reduce the workload in the entire process while maintaining the standard of responsibility. The combination of AI and human decision-making is a fair, objective and unbiased process emphasising a decision-making process free of nepotism and favouritism when carefully developed. Innovative and modern as a category, group the statements that emphasise the innovative and contemporary nature of the process. Research limitations/implications There are two main limitations in this study that should be considered. Firstly, the difficulty regarding the timetable, privacy and legal issues associated with public institutions. Secondly, a small group of experts served as the validation group for the new framework. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to alleviate this constraint. They provide additional insights into an interviewee’s opinions and beliefs. Social implications Ensure that the system is fair, transparent and facilitates their application process. Originality/value The main contribution is the AI-based theoretical framework, applicable within the analysis of literature papers, focusing on the problem of how the institutions can gain insights about their candidates while profiling them, how to obtain more accurate information from the interview phase and how to reach a more rigorous assessment of their emotional intelligence providing a better alignment of moral values. This work aims to improve the decision-making process of a PF institution recruiter by turning it into a more automated and evidence-based decision when recruiting an adequate candidate for the job vacancy.authorsversionpublishe

Políticas culturais paulistas: registro da identidade cultural de um povo

Este trabalho teve como objetivo, identificar as políticas públicas culturais produzidas nos últimos dez anos no estado de São Paulo. Identificou-se que boa parte da legislação, destina-se a proteger algumas poucas expressões e práticas culturais populares. Porém, outras são deixadas de lado, e não conseguem ser avaliadas, pelo fato de existirem poucos detalhes sobre o que realmente é Patrimônio Imaterial. Ao final são avaliadas duas leis estaduais: a Lei nº12.268/2006, que visa recursos a serem utilizados anualmente em atividades culturais; e a Lei 15.565/2014, que visa ajudar tecnicamente ou financeiramente os municípios que preservam e/ou divulgam práticas populares

Electrochromic device composed of a Di-Urethanesil electrolyte incorporating lithium triflate and 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium chloride

A di-urethane cross-linked poly(oxyethylene)/silica hybrid matrix [di-urethanesil, d-Ut(600)], synthesized by the sol-gel process, was doped with lithium triflate (LiCF3SO3) and the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) ionic liquid. The as-produced xerogel film is amorphous, transparent, flexible, homogeneous, hydrophilic, and has low nanoscale surface roughness. It exhibits an ionic conductivity of 3.64 x 10(-6) and 5.00 x 10(-4) S cm(-1) at 21 and 100 degrees C, respectively. This material was successfully tested as electrolyte in an electrochromic device (ECD) with the glass/ITO/a-WO3/d-Ut(600)(10)LiCF3SO3[Bmim]Cl/c-NiO/ITO/glass configuration, where a-WO3 and c-NiO stand for amorphous tungsten oxide and crystalline nickel oxide, respectively. The device demonstrated attractive electro-optical performance: fast response times (1-2 s for coloring and 50 s for bleaching), good optical memory [loss of transmittance (T) of only 41% after 3 months, at 555 nm], four mode modulation [bright mode (+3.0 V, T = 77% at 555 nm), semi-bright mode (-1.0 V, T = 60% at 555 nm), dark mode (-1.5 V, T = 38 % at 555 nm), and very dark mode (-2.0 V, T = 11% and -2.5 V, T = 7% at 555 nm)], excellent cycling stability denoting improvement with time, and high coloration efficiency [CEin = -6727 cm(2) C-1 (32th cycle) and CEout = +2794 cm(2) C-1 (480th cycle), at 555 nm].The authors are grateful to Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and when applicable by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement for financial support under contracts PEst-OE/SAU/UI0709/2014, UID/Multi/00709/2013, UID/QUI/00686/2016, UID/QUI/00686/2018, UID/QUI/00686/2019, PEst-OE/QUI/UI0616/2016, FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER037271, UID/CTM/50011/2013, LUMECD project (POCI01-0145-FEDER-016884 and PTDC/CTM-NAN/0956/2014), UniRCell project (SAICTPAC/0032/2015 and POCI-01-0145FEDER-016422). RP and SN acknowledge FCT-MCTES for grants (SFRH/BPD/87759/2012 and LUMECD, respectively). RP thanks FCT-UM for the contracts in the scope of Decreto-Lei 57/2016 and 57/2017. MF acknowledges FCTUTAD for the contract in the scope of Decreto-Lei 57/2016 -Lei 57/2017. HG acknowledges projects POCI-010145-FEDER-030858 and PTDC/BTM-MAT/30858/2017 for financial support