PBP4: A New Perspective on Staphylococcus aureus β-Lactam Resistance.

β-lactam antibiotics are excellent drugs for treatment of staphylococcal infections, due to their superior efficacy and safety compared to other drugs. Effectiveness of β-lactams is severely compromised due to resistance, which is widespread among clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus. β-lactams inhibit bacterial cells by binding to penicillin binding proteins (PBPs), which perform the penultimate steps of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Among PBPs of S. aureus, PBP2a has received the most attention for the past several decades due to its preeminent role in conferring both high-level and broad-spectrum resistance to the entire class of β-lactam drugs. Studies on PBP2a have thus unraveled incredible details of its mechanism of action. We have recently identified that an uncanonical, low molecular weight PBP of S. aureus, PBP4, can also provide high-level and broad-spectrum resistance to the entire class of β-lactam drugs at a level similar to that of PBP2a. The role of PBP4 has typically been considered not so important for β-lactam resistance of S. aureus, and as a result its mode of action remains largely unknown. In this article, we review our current knowledge of PBP4 mediating β-lactam resistance in S. aureus

Teaching Computational Thinking: are we considering students' socio-cultural context?

INTRODUCTION: Research to promote Computational Thinking (CT) has become frequent and carried out with the most different characteristics. Educational researchers argue that learning research needs to consider aspects of students' sociocultural context, regardless of what tools are used and how content is worked. However, it is not known if, and to what extent, these aspects are being considered in research to promote CT. OBJECTIVE: This research investigates whether the literature on initiatives to teach CT is recognizing and exploring aspects of students' sociocultural context and, mainly, how this is occurring. METHOD:A systematic review of the literature covering a decade (2007-2017) of articles published in the main vehicles of Computer Science in Education and Computer Science, considering the national and international scenario. RESULTS: The data indicate the students' sociocultural context is not being considered in the activities, although there is evidence that the scenario may be beginning to change. CONCLUSION: The results show that there is a growing concern and an evident effort by researchers to bring relevant elements of students' lives into the conducted practices. However, although it is possible to identify aspects of students' sociocultural context being considered by the mapped researches, it is still necessary to advance in terms of the rigor of the characterization of these aspects and the theoretical basis of the research

O fundamentalismo religioso a partir da perspectiva de professores/as e estudantes de psicologia

O presente artigo tem como tema central compreender o fenômeno do fundamentalismo religioso a partir da perspectiva de alunos/as e professores do curso de Psicologia. Seu objetivo central é analisar as concepções e crenças de professores/as e estudantes do curso de Psicologia sobre o fundamentalismo religioso no Brasil e em outros países. O artigo traz informações da pesquisa empírica realizada com 3 participantes de uma instituição de ensino superior privada. Os instrumentos utilizados para a pesquisa de campo foram: imagens com conteúdos religiosos pré-selecionadas e uma entrevista semiestruturada. Os resultados mais significativos obtidos por meio dessa pesquisa empírica foram: necessidade de se abordar e discutir questões religiosas no currículo do curso de Psicologia, já que os alunos sentem a necessidade dessa discussão e acreditam na relevância dessa questão na prática profissional. O debate sobre preconceito, intolerância e gênero dentro das crenças religiosas, a partir do momento que essa problemática é percebida pelos participantes no cotidiano brasileiro e o Estado vem buscando combater de forma mais enérgica qualquer tipo de intolerância religiosa. Além do crescimento e influência do fenômeno fundamentalismo religioso nas diversas instâncias sociais, não só no Brasil, como no mundo

Thinness of product graphs

The thinness of a graph is a width parameter that generalizes some properties of interval graphs, which are exactly the graphs of thinness one. Many NP-complete problems can be solved in polynomial time for graphs with bounded thinness, given a suitable representation of the graph. In this paper we study the thinness and its variations of graph products. We show that the thinness behaves "well" in general for products, in the sense that for most of the graph products defined in the literature, the thinness of the product of two graphs is bounded by a function (typically product or sum) of their thinness, or of the thinness of one of them and the size of the other. We also show for some cases the non-existence of such a function.Comment: 45 page

Sward Management Targets in Natural Grasslands of Southern Brazil

The relationship between environment, plant and animal is one of the most important focuses in the ecological and productive context of natural grasslands. The limited knowledge of the complexity of this environment can lead to inappropriate management strategies, determining degradation, biodiversity and productivity losses. This study is based on the concept that the best way to conserve natural grasslands is through adequate management targets. This study aimed to identify sward management targets that maximize productivity in natural grasslands of Southern Brazil

Individuals with prediabetes identified by HbA1c undergoing coronary angiography have worse cardiometabolic profile than those identified by fasting glucose

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus has well known deleterious effects on coronary artery disease (CAD). the role of milder hyperglycemic states such as prediabetes (PD) on CAD is debatable. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) has recently been advocated as a diagnostic tool for diabetes mellitus (DM) and PD. This study aims to assess the cardiometabolic risk profile and coronary lesions of patients with PD undergoing coronary angiography identified either by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) or HbA1c levels.Methods: We studied 514 individuals without previously known glucose disturbances. Their glycemic status was assessed by FPG and HbA1c (HPLC) and classified according to ADA guidelines, using each parameter independently, as having normal glucose tolerance (N), PD, or DM. CAD was defined as stenosis greater than 50% in one major coronary vessel or branch. Framingham score was calculated.Results: Subjects with PD had a similar frequency of CAD compared do N individuals by both FPG (61 vs. 59.3%) and HbA1c (55.4 vs 61.2%) (p non-significant for linear-by-linear association). PD individuals identified by FPG had worse HOMA2B (mean [95% CI] 65.4 [60.9-69.9] vs. 76.6 [71.4-81.9]) and HOMA2-IR (1.10 [0.98-1.22] vs. 0.80 [0.72-0.89]) when compared to N controls. PD individuals identified by HbA1c had higher frequency of Framingham risk above 20% (25.4 vs 11.8%), arterial hypertension (87.8 vs 72.6%), and dyslipidemia (83.8 vs 72%) compared to N individuals. PD associated with an increased number of coronary lesions only when diagnosed by HbA1c (median [interquartile interval] 2 [0-4] PD versus 1 [0-3.75] N, p = 0.03 for trend).Conclusions: HbA1c was more effective than FPG in identifying individuals with PD associated with high cardiovascular risk profile in a sample of individuals undergoing coronary angiography.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Endocrinol Unit, Diabet Ctr, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Estado Bahia, Dept Ciencias Vida, Colegiado Med, BR-41150000 Salvador, BA, BrazilCtr Endocrinol Estado Bahia CEDEBA, Salvador, BA, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Endocrinol Unit, Diabet Ctr, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Optimal control for an irrigation planning problem: characterisation of solution and validation of the numerical results

In a previous study, the authors developed the planning of the water used in the irrigation systems of a given farmland in order to ensure that the field cultivation is in a good state of preservation. This planning was modelled and tackled as an optimal control problem: minimize the water flow (control) so that the extent water amount in the soil (trajectory) fulfils the cultivation water requirements. In this paper, we characterize the solution of our problem guaranteeing the existence of the solution and applying the necessary and sufficient conditions of optimality. We validate the numerical results obtained previously, comparing the analytical and numerical solutions.PEst-OE/MAT/UI0013/2014 and PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2013, European Union FP7 (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-ITN, Grant Agreement no. 264735- SADCO), FCT projects PTDC/EEA-CRO/116014/2009 and PTDC/EEI-AUT/1450/201

Correlation between LTR point mutations and proviral load levels among Human T cell Lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) asymptomatic carriers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In vitro studies have demonstrated that deletions and point mutations introduced into each 21 bp imperfect repeat of <it>Tax</it>-responsive element (TRE) of the genuine human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) viral promoter abolishes <it>Tax </it>induction. Given these data, we hypothesized that similar mutations may affect the proliferation of HTLV-1i</p> <p>nfected cells and alter the proviral load (PvL). To test this hypothesis, we conducted a cross-sectional genetic analysis to compare the near-complete LTR nucleotide sequences that cover the TRE1 region in a sample of HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers with different PvL burden.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 94 asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers with both sequence from the 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) and a PvL for <it>Tax </it>DNA measured using a sensitive SYBR Green real-time PCR were studied. The 94 subjects were divided into three groups based on PvL measurement: 31 low, 29 intermediate, and 34 high. In addition, each group was compared based on sex, age, and viral genotypes. In another analysis, the median PvLs between individuals infected with mutant and wild-type viruses were compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using a categorical analysis, a G232A substitution, located in domain A of the TRE-1 motif, was detected in 38.7% (12/31), 27.5% (8/29), and 61.8% (21/34) of subjects with low, intermediate, or high PvLs, respectively. A significant difference in the detection of this mutation was found between subjects with a high or low PvL and between those with a high or intermediate PvL (both <it>p </it>< 0.05), but not between subjects with a low or intermediate PvL (<it>p </it>> 0.05). This result was confirmed by a non-parametric analysis that showed strong evidence for higher PvLs among HTLV-1 positive individuals with the G232A mutation than those without this mutation (<it>p </it>< 0.03). No significant difference was found between the groups in relation to age, sex or viral subtypes (<it>p</it> > 0. 05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data described here show that changes in domain A of the HTLV-1 TRE-1 motif resulting in the G232A mutation may increase HTLV-1 replication in a majority of infected subjects.</p

Valores e Desenvolvimento Humano

A primeira parte desse Relatório de Desenvolvimento Humano do Brasil 2009/2010 começa com a descrição de um amplo processo de consulta aberta à sociedade, denominada Brasil Ponto a Ponto, para a escolha do tema do relatório. A Campanha Brasil Ponto a Ponto teve por objetivo estimular o debate em todo o país sobre o que precisa ser mudado no Brasil para melhorar a vida das pessoas. A campanha foi aberta a todos os brasileiros, que poderiam participar respondendo à pergunta: O que precisa mudar no Brasil para a sua vida melhorar de verdade