Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Ruiz JC, D'Afonseca V, Silva A, et al. Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18551.Background: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen, is the etiologic agent of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis (CL). CL mainly affects small ruminants, such as goats and sheep; it also causes infections in humans, though rarely. This species is distributed worldwide, but it has the most serious economic impact in Oceania, Africa and South America. Although C. pseudotuberculosis causes major health and productivity problems for livestock, little is known about the molecular basis of its pathogenicity. Methodology and Findings: We characterized two C. pseudotuberculosis genomes (Cp1002, isolated from goats; and CpC231, isolated from sheep). Analysis of the predicted genomes showed high similarity in genomic architecture, gene content and genetic order. When C. pseudotuberculosis was compared with other Corynebacterium species, it became evident that this pathogenic species has lost numerous genes, resulting in one of the smallest genomes in the genus. Other differences that could be part of the adaptation to pathogenicity include a lower GC content, of about 52%, and a reduced gene repertoire. The C. pseudotuberculosis genome also includes seven putative pathogenicity islands, which contain several classical virulence factors, including genes for fimbrial subunits, adhesion factors, iron uptake and secreted toxins. Additionally, all of the virulence factors in the islands have characteristics that indicate horizontal transfer. Conclusions: These particular genome characteristics of C. pseudotuberculosis, as well as its acquired virulence factors in pathogenicity islands, provide evidence of its lifestyle and of the pathogenicity pathways used by this pathogen in the infection process. All genomes cited in this study are available in the NCBI Genbank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers CP001809 and CP001829

A many-analysts approach to the relation between religiosity and well-being

The relation between religiosity and well-being is one of the most researched topics in the psychology of religion, yet the directionality and robustness of the effect remains debated. Here, we adopted a many-analysts approach to assess the robustness of this relation based on a new cross-cultural dataset (N=10,535 participants from 24 countries). We recruited 120 analysis teams to investigate (1) whether religious people self-report higher well-being, and (2) whether the relation between religiosity and self-reported well-being depends on perceived cultural norms of religion (i.e., whether it is considered normal and desirable to be religious in a given country). In a two-stage procedure, the teams first created an analysis plan and then executed their planned analysis on the data. For the first research question, all but 3 teams reported positive effect sizes with credible/confidence intervals excluding zero (median reported β=0.120). For the second research question, this was the case for 65% of the teams (median reported β=0.039). While most teams applied (multilevel) linear regression models, there was considerable variability in the choice of items used to construct the independent variables, the dependent variable, and the included covariates

Manifestações fonoaudiológicas relatadas por pais de crianças com hipotireoidismo congênito Speech-language pathology manifestations reported by parents of children with congenital hypothyroidism

OBJETIVO: Identificar manifestações fonoaudiológicas apresentadas por crianças com hipotireoidismo congênito e investigar a associação de tais manifestações com a época do diagnóstico e o início do tratamento. MÉTODOS: Responsáveis por 15 crianças diagnosticadas com hipotireoidismo congênito e atendidas pelo Serviço de Referência em Triagem Neonatal dos estados de Rondônia e Acre responderam a um questionário no qual deveriam relatar principalmente queixas fonoaudiológicas. A idade das crianças variou de 2 a 7 anos, 67% de meninos e 33% de meninas. A média de idade da época do diagnóstico foi de 1 mês e 3 dias e o tratamento iniciou-se, em média, com 1 mês e 6 dias. A dosagem do medicamento variou entre 5 mg/dia e 100 mg/dia. RESULTADOS: As queixas relatadas foram: atraso para início da linguagem oral, trocas na fala, fala ininteligível, comportamento agitado e comportamento nervoso. Alguns responsáveis não referiram queixas. Verificou-se que a maioria dos sujeitos apresentou problemas na fala (80%) e a menor parte (7,7%), alteração auditiva. Para aqueles que referiram queixa, a média da época do diagnóstico e do início do tratamento foi mais tardia quando comparado àqueles que não as relataram. CONCLUSÃO: Foram relatadas manifestações fonoaudiológicas, principalmente relacionadas à fala. Além disso, houve associação entre a presença de queixa e problema de fala com a época do diagnóstico e o início do tratamento. Sugere-se a inserção do fonoaudiólogo no acompanhamento das crianças com hipotireoidismo congênito.<br>PURPOSE: To identify speech-language pathology manifestations presented by children with congenital hypothyroidism, and to investigate the association of such manifestations with the time of diagnosis and beginning of treatment. METHODS: Caregivers of 15 children diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism who attended the Reference Service on Neonatal Screening of the states of Rondônia and Acre answered a questionnaire in which they should report mainly speech-language pathology complaints. Children's age ranged from 2 to 7 years, 67% of boys and 33% of girls. The average age at the time of diagnosis was 1 month and 3 days, and treatment started, in average, at 1 month and 6 days. The dosage of the drug varied from 5 mg/day to 100 mg/day. RESULTS: The complaints reported were: delay in the onset of oral language, speech alterations, unintelligible speech, agitated and nervous behavior. Some caregivers did not report any complaints. It was found that most subjects had problems with speech (80%), and a few had hearing impairment (7.7%). For those who reported complaints, mean time of diagnosis and beginning of treatment was delayed when compared to those who did not report. CONCLUSION: Speech-language pathology manifestations were reported, especially regarding speech. Moreover, there was association between the presence of complaints and speech disorders with the time of diagnosis and beginning of treatment. It is suggested the inclusion of the speech-language pathologist and audiologist in the team monitoring the development of children with congenital hypothyroidism