The role of clonal interference across genetic backgrounds and environments

The study of adaptation in microorganisms has led to a significant expansion in knowledge at many biological levels, ranging from biochemistry and genetics, to ecology and demography. Experimental evolution, in particular, has been invaluable at elucidating how complex the adaptive dynamics in microbial populations can be. One of the most fundamental characteristics of these dynamics is the distribution of beneficial mutations driving the adaptive process. How often do microorganisms acquire these mutations? And what are their expected effects? These questions have been at the heart of evolutionary biology from the very beginning, and the studies that have tackled these difficult issues have been tremendously enlightening about adaptive processes. However, the increasing awareness of the complexity of the environment where microorganisms live requires constant development of new approaches to answer these fundamental questions about their evolution. Large population sizes lead to increased levels of clonal interference, and thus to a deviation from the expected outcome in classical regimes of periodic selection. Genetic variation within an evolving population, which is now easily detected by sequencing technologies, can create complex interactions between phenotypes. Environments with antagonistic biotic interactions, pose very different selective pressures from the ones experienced when a species grows alone. All these factors influence adaptation in microorganisms and, importantly, drive the pathogenicity traits that create severe clinical and epidemiological problems

Potential for adaptation overrides cost of resistance

The deposited article is a post-print version and has been submitted to peer review.This deposit is composed by the main article plus the supplementary materials of the publication.This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/To investigate the cost of antibiotic resistance versus the potential for resistant clones to adapt in maintaining polymorphism for resistance. Materials & methods: Experimental evolution of Escherichia coli carrying different resistance alleles was performed under an environment devoid of antibiotics and evolutionary parameters estimated from their frequencies along time. Results & conclusion: Costly resistance mutations were found to coexist with lower cost resistances for hundreds of generations, contrary to the hypothesis that the cost of a resistance dictates its extinction. Estimated evolutionary parameters for the different resistance backgrounds suggest a higher adaptive potential of clones with costly antibiotic resistance mutations, overriding their initial cost of resistance and allowing their maintenance in the absence of drugs.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC grant agreement no 260421 – ECOADAPT, and PTDC/BIA-EVF/114622/2009, financed by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). I Gordo acknowledges the salary support of LAO/ITQB & FCT. JM de Sousa acknowledges the scholarship SFRH/BD/89151/2012, from FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Etnografia da sala de espera: o caso particular do serviço de radiologia do Hospital de São José

A sala de espera de um hospital é normalmente um local onde se manifestam sentimentos e se observam comportamentos. Nesse sentido, pode mesmo falar-se de um universo muito particular em que as pessoas, normalmente fragilizadas pela doença, evidenciam comportamentos e discursos variados a que podemos chamar e que aqui se investiga de “Etnografia da Sala Espera”. Pretende-se com este estudo caracterizar os discursos, as opiniões e os comportamentos dos utentes que utilizam esse local especializado, sendo reflexo inevitável da sua vivência com os «outros»› e manifestação de Luna identidade social própria, utilizando-se para o efeito a técnica de investigação etnográfica em Ciências Sociais. Este estudo vai incidir sobre um grupo heterogéneo de utentes, todos consumidores de meios complementares de diagnóstico e terapêutica (exames radiológicos), enquanto aguardam a sua vez, na sala de espera do Serviço Central de Radiologia do Hospital de São José. Tem-se presente a relativa frequência com que se manifestam sentimentos e comportamentos em alguns utentes, explicáveis, por factores como a ansiedade, o medo do desconhecido, o resultado do diagnóstico, bem como a demora na execução do exame. A forma como todos esses discursos se manifestam e evidenciam, são também alvo preferencial deste estudo que tem ainda como objectivo específico caracterizar o ambiente físico e apresentar propostas no sentido da melhoria das condições no atendimento. A metodologia utilizada, assenta na técnica etnográfica da observação participante que decorre durante um período prolongado de permanência no terreno, em que o instrumento principal de recolha de dados é a observação do investigador, através da utilização de um diário de campo e meios de registo. ***/ Abstract - A hospital’s waiting room is usually a place where feelings are revealed and behaviors can be observed. That is why one can speak of a peculiar universe where people, by and large affected by disease, show different behaviors and manifestations, which we will call and study as the “Ethnography of the Waiting Room”. The purpose of this study is to portray the speeches, opinions and behaviors of the people using that particular place, as the inevitable reflex of their relation with “others” and the manifestation of their own social identity, by using the ethnographic research method of Social Sciences. This study will focus on a mixed group of users, all of them consumers of auxiliary means of diagnosis and therapeutic (radiological exams), as they wait for their turn in the waiting room of the Radiology Central Service at the S. José Hospital. We are aware of how often some patients show feelings and behaviors that can be explained, one assumes, as the result of anxiety, fear of the unknown, and the result of the diagnosis, as well as the delay in performing the exam. The way all these manifestations occur is also a primary subject of the study, its specific goal being to depict the physical environment and to submit proposals that can improve the existing conditions. The methodology used is based on the ethnographic technique of participant observation that goes on for a long period on the field, in which the main tool for collecting data is the researcher's own observation, by the use of a field diary and recording means

Multidrug-resistant bacteria compensate for the epistasis between resistances

Mutations conferring resistance to antibiotics are typically costly in the absence of the drug, but bacteria can reduce this cost by acquiring compensatory mutations. Thus, the rate of acquisition of compensatory mutations and their effects are key for the maintenance and dissemination of antibiotic resistances. While compensation for single resistances has been extensively studied, compensatory evolution of multiresistant bacteria remains unexplored. Importantly, since resistance mutations often interact epistatically, compensation of multiresistant bacteria may significantly differ from that of single-resistant strains. We used experimental evolution, next-generation sequencing, in silico simulations, and genome editing to compare the compensatory process of a streptomycin and rifampicin double-resistant Escherichia coli with those of single-resistant clones. We demonstrate that low-fitness double-resistant bacteria compensate faster than single-resistant strains due to the acquisition of compensatory mutations with larger effects. Strikingly, we identified mutations that only compensate for double resistance, being neutral or deleterious in sensitive or single-resistant backgrounds. Moreover, we show that their beneficial effects strongly decrease or disappear in conditions where the epistatic interaction between resistance alleles is absent, demonstrating that these mutations compensate for the epistasis. In summary, our data indicate that epistatic interactions between antibiotic resistances, leading to large fitness costs, possibly open alternative paths for rapid compensatory evolution, thereby potentially stabilizing costly multiple resistances in bacterial populations.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, European Research Council.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Integração de Sistemas como catalisador da Transformação Digital num contexto de Segurança de Informação

A transformação digital é o pilar para a implementação da “Sociedade 5.0” e da “Indústria 4.0”, patentes em toda a sociedade, que por sua vez encontram na segurança e privacidade, alicerces fundamentais do desenvolvimento estável e sustentável. Através da utilização das capacidades intrínsecas ao poder e alcance da Internet, as T.I.C. têm um papel crucial na transformação da estrutura, estratégia, processos de negócio e cultura de uma empresa ou organização num contexto de globalização. Esta transformação, acompanhada da massificação de utilização dos dispositivos móveis, da cloud, das redes sociais, do Big Data e da IOT irá permitir uma maior produtividade e eficiência dos processos, permitindo e facilitando a aplicação de soluções de Inteligência Artificial e soluções arquiteturais que permitam integrar e adaptar as soluções atuais às novas realidades e requisitos de negócio. O presente trabalho, que foi aplicado numa rede de supermercados, teve como principal objetivo proporcionar uma solução inovadora que consiga dar resposta aos novos requisitos de negócio num contexto de transformação digital e segurança de informação, assim como facultar uma evolução mais flexível e ágil no desenvolvimento de soluções de integração de processos de negócio, dados, aplicações, pessoas e máquinas. De modo a atingir o objetivo foi necessário utilizar integração centralizada, microintegração, digitalização de processos de negócio, automatização e robotização de processos, aplicação de boas práticas de desenvolvimento de software seguro, utilização de arquiteturas orientadas a microserviços, containers, APIs, web scraping, tratamento assíncrono de eventos, gestão de identidades e acessos, implementar soluções que garantam e automatizem a gestão da segurança de informação e privacidade bem como assegurem o cumprimento das normas em vigor, como é o caso do RGPD.info:eu-repo/semantics/draf

The prevalence of hypertensive syndromes particular of pregnancy (GHS)

Objective: identifying the prevalence of Specific Hypertensive Syndromes of Gestation and outline the epidemiological profile of pregnant women. Method: a retrospective research, conducted in medical records of women admitted to the obstetric clinic of the University Hospital Lauro Wanderley, João Pessoa/PB, between January 2009 and December 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire with closed questions, and analyzed descriptively. Ethical observances in research involving human subjects were contemplated. Results: there were analyzed 1874 records and identified 9,1% (170) records with diagnosis of SHEG. Of these 12,4% were teenagers and 40,6% were in the first pregnancy. In 100% (170) of the pathology records occurred after the 20th gestational week. Complications were identified: preeclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, hypertensive crisis, intrauterine fetal death, neonatal death and prematurity. Conclusion: the results indicate the need for planning prenatal care, aiming at the reduction of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rates

A depressão em gestantes no final da gestação

Se trata de un estudio cuantitativo con objeto de verificar la existencia de cuadros depresivos en embarazadas. Fueron llevadas a cabo entrevistas y aplicado el Inventario de Depresión de Beck a 42 embarazadas con edad gestacional igual o superior a 36 semanas. Fueron encontrados: el 17% de las embarazadas tenía señales indicativos de depresión y 7% disforia. Se percibió que edad de 35 años o más, no tener pareja, renta familiar baja, ser negra y poseer empleo fueron factores de riesgo determinantes para la depresión. Ninguna de las embarazadas que practicaba actividades de ocio presentó indicativos de depresión, mientras el 20,6% que no disfrutaba de estas actividades presentaba depresión. Se concluye que la depresión es una realidad en la vida de las embarazadas y el prenatal es importante para detectar estos cuadros.The research can be described as a quantitative study which aimed to examine depressive patterns among pregnant women. Interviews were conducted as well as a Beck Depression Inventory, applied to 42 pregnant women with gestational age under 36 weeks. Obtained results: 17% of pregnant women had indicative signs of depression and 7% had dysphoria. During the research it was perceived that being 35 years or more, not having a partner, having a low family income, being black and having a job were risk factors and determinants for depression. None of the pregnant women who practiced recreational activities presented signs of depression, while 20.6% not enjoyed these activities showed depression. It is concluded that depression is a reality in the lives of pregnant women and prenatal care is important for the detection of these patterns.Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo que objetivou verificar a existência de quadros depressivos em gestantes. Realizaram-se entrevistas e Inventário de Depressão de Beck, aplicados a 42 gestantes com idade gestacional igual ou superior a 36 semanas. Obteve-se: 17% das gestantes tinham sinais indicativos de depressão e 7% disforia. Percebeu-se que, ter 35 anos ou mais, não ter companheiro, ter renda familiar baixa, ser negra e possuir emprego foram fatores de risco determinantes para a depressão. Nenhuma das gestantes que praticava atividades de lazer apresentou sinais indicativos de depressão, enquanto 20,6% que não desfrutavam destas atividades apresentaram depressão. Conclui-se que, a depressão é uma realidade na vida das gestantes e o pré-natal é importante para detecção destes quadros

A widespread family of phage-inducible chromosomal islands only steals bacteriophage tails to spread in nature

Phage satellites are genetic elements that couple their life cycle to that of helper phages they parasitize, interfering with phage packaging through the production of small capsids, where only satellites are packaged. So far, in all analyzed systems, the satellite-sized capsids are composed of phage proteins. Here, we report that a family of phage-inducible chromosomal islands (PICIs), a type of satellites, encodes all the proteins required for both the production of small-sized capsids and the exclusive packaging of the PICIs into these capsids. Therefore, this new family, named capsid-forming PICIs (cf-PICIs), only requires phage tails to generate PICI particles. Remarkably, the representative cf-PICIs are produced with no cost from their helper phages, suggesting that the relationship between these elements is not parasitic. Finally, our phylogenomic studies indicate that cf-PICIs are present both in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and have evolved at least three times independently to spread in nature

Riscos ambientais e segurança do coletor no extrativismo do fruto de açaízeiro na Amazônia Oriental

The extraction of non-timber forest products in the Amazon is an activity that exposes workers to environmental risks that can affect their health and safety at work. The aim of this study was to identify the environmental risks and the psychophysiological and physical impacts of the collection of the açaizeiro fruit on workers in eastern Amazon. The study was carried out by applying semi-open questionnaires and structured interviews based on protocols of the Ergolândia version 6.0 software to 33 collectors in Ilha do Combú, Belém, Pará state. The physical risks identified were: ultraviolet radiation (12 h of sunlight), average annual relative humidity of 71.9% and heat with IBUTG of 24.4ºC. The fear of falling down from the açaizeiro tree, venomous animals, height and the high physical effort required to climb the palm tree were the main difficulties pointed out by extractivists. The risks of accidents were identified: snake, maribondo, scorpion, spider, açaizeiro fall, cuts, scratches and muscular torsion. The cargo transported by the 30 kg collectors meets the requirements of current legislation. The parts of the bodyO extrativismo de produtos florestais não madeireiros na Amazônia é uma atividade que expõe o trabalhador a riscos ambientais que podem afetar sua saúde e sua segurança no trabalho. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os riscos ambientais e os impactos psicofisiológicos e físicos da coleta do fruto do açaizeiro no trabalhador da Amazônia Oriental. O Estudo foi realizado pela aplicação de questionários semiabertos e entrevistas estruturadas baseadas a partir de protocolos do software Ergolândia versão 6.0 a 33 coletores na Ilha do Combú, Belém/PA. Os riscos físicos identificados foram: radiação ultravioleta (12 h de sol), umidade relativa média anual de 71,9% e calor com IBUTG de 24,4ºC. O medo da queda do açaizeiro, animais peçonhentos, altura e o alto esforço físico requerido para escalar a palmeira foram as principais dificuldades apontadas pelos extrativistas. Foram identificados os riscos de acidentes: cobra, maribondo, escorpião, aranha, queda do açaizeiro, cortes, arranhões e torção muscular. A carga de 30 quilos, transportada pelos coletores, atende ao estabelecido pela legislação vigente. As partes do corpo que os extrativistas sentem dores com frequência durante e após a atividade foram: a parte inferior das costas, pés e dedos, mãos e dedos, membros superiores, ombro, punho, trapézio, cabeça e peito, pescoço, antebraço, cotovelo, panturrilha, tornozelo e joelho. O protocolo de Moore e Garg classificou a atividade como de alto risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças ocupacionais com Strain Index de 13,5 e 10,12 na safra e entressafra, respectivamente, e o protocolo de Lehmann como um trabalho fatigante. A OWAS indicou a categoria de ação 4 com adoção de correções imediatas na postura da coluna, membros superiores e pernas dos extrativistas