New CTX‐M group conferring β‐lactam resistance: a compendium of phylogenetic insights from biochemical, molecular, and structural biology

The production of extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs) is the main defense mechanism found in Gram negative bacteria. Among all the ESBLs, the CTX‐M enzymes appear as the most efficient in terms of dissemination in different epidemiological contexts. CTX‐M enzymes exhibit a striking plas-ticity, with a large number of allelic variants distributed in several sublineages, which can be associated with functional heterogeneity of clinical relevance. This observational analytical study provides an update of this family, currently with more than 200 variants described, from a phylogenetic, molecular, and structural point of view through homology in amino acid sequences. Our data, combined with described literature, provide phylogenetic and structural evidence of a new group. Thus, herein, we propose six groups among CTX‐M enzymes: the already stablished CTX‐M‐1, CTX‐M‐2, CTX‐M‐8, CTX‐M‐9, and CTX‐M‐25 clusters, as well as CTX‐M‐151 as the new cluster.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dinâmicas de (investig)ação em contextos de promoção da língua portuguesa: a presença do CIDTFF na rede Camões, I.P.

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Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a correlational analysis

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em PsicologiaObjetivo: perceber como o Clima de Gestão de Conflitos (CGC) pode estar relacionado com uma diminuição do workplace bullying, um maior work engagement e se o CGC é moderador na relação entre o workplace bullying e work engagement. Amostra: composta por 214 trabalhadores de uma organização de transportes públicos, localizada em Portugal. Método: este estudo é uma replicação de uma investigação realizada na Noruega, numa organização de transportes. As hipóteses foram testadas com uma análise de mediação e moderação. Resultados: verificou-se que não existe uma relação negativa significativa entre a exposição ao workplace bullying e o envolvimento no trabalho (H1), constatou-se uma relação negativa significativa entre o CGC e a exposição ao workplace bullying (H2) e uma relação positiva significativa entre o CGC e o envolvimento no trabalho (H3). Averiguou-se que o CGC não tem uma relação indireta significativa com o envolvimento no trabalho através do workplace bullying (H4), nem modera a relação entre workplace bullying e work engagement (H5). Conclusões: os resultados são parcialmente idênticos aos do estudo original, em que se verificou que o CGC está relacionado de forma positiva com o envolvimento no trabalho, demonstrando o seu papel preventivo em relação ao workplace bullying.Objective: how Climate for Conflict Management (CCM) can be related to less bullying, increased work engagement and if CCM is moderator in the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement. Sample: 214 employees of a public transport company, located in Portugal. Method: this study is a replication of research carried out in Norway, in a transport company. The hypotheses were tested with a mediation and moderation analysis. Results: it was found that there is no significant negative relationship between exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement (H1), a significant negative relationship between CCM and exposure to workplace bullying (H2) and a significant positive relationship between CCM and work engagement (H3). CCM has no significant indirect relationship with work engagement through workplace bullying (H4), nor moderates the relationship between workplace bullying and work engagement (H5). Conclusions: the results are partially identical to those of the original study, in which it was found that the CCM is positively related to work engagement, demonstrating its preventive role in relation to workplace bullying

Webfolios reflexivos: contributos para o desenvolvimento profissional do professor

Deparamo-nos com uma evolução tecnológica que dita a adaptação das estratégias de formação dos professores, introduzindo diferentes dispositivos que traduzam a interação entre a teoria e a prática, enquanto instrumentos de enriquecimento profissional. As potencialidades das tecnologias da informação ao serviço do desenvolvimento de portefólios de ensino transformam a sua conceção e o seu desenvolvimento, rasgando os horizontes de abrangência deste instrumento. Conjugando as ferramentas tecnológicas da Web 2.0 com o processo de construção de portefólios reflexivos, no qual o professor se assume como ator principal com uma participação ativa e autónoma, chegamos a um instrumento, o webfolio reflexivo, que permite a criação de um espaço para a reflexão sobre si e sobre as suas práticas visando o seu desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional. Neste contexto, o estudo apresentado procurou conhecer os contributos efetivos da implementação deste instrumento, enquanto estratégia de formação continuada e baseada na prática reflexiva sistemática, para o desenvolvimento profissional do professor. A análise e discussão dos resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que os pressupostos teóricos enunciados se confirmam e, nessa medida, o webfolio reflexivo configurou-se efetivamente como estratégia de conhecimento profissional do professor.Increasing technological development commands the adaptation of strategies for training teachers, introducing different devices that demonstrate the interaction between theory and practice, as tools for achieving a professional upgrade. The potentiality of the information technology for the development of teaching portfolios alters their design and development, enlarging the scope of this tool. Combining Web 2.0 technology with the process of building reflective portfolios, when teachers assume the leading role playing an active and independent part, we have designed the reflective webfolio. This tool provides the teacher with a space to reflect about his/her practices and thus enhance both his personal and professional development. In this context, the present study aimed at assessing the actual contributions of using this tool as a strategy for lifelong learning based on systematic reflective practice leading to the professional development of teachers. The analysis and discussion of the results have showed that the assumptions pointed out by the theoretical references are confirmed. Actually, the reflective webfolio has been proved as a strategy for teacher´s professional knowledge inducing a systematic reflective practice leading to self-knowledge, supporting the (re) construction of their conceptions and having an impact on their acts

Exploring the Impact of a TPSR Program on Transference of Responsibility Goals within a Preschool Setting: An Action Research Study

The teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR) model has been extensively used in a vast array of settings. However, few TPSR studies have focused on preschool settings. The purpose of this action research study was to analyze the experiences of a program leader, her preschool children, and their parents throughout a TPSR program focused on transference of responsibility model goals. The participants were 25 preschool children, six parents, and a program leader involved in a preschool setting located in the north of Portugal. Data were collected through reflexive journaling, participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus group interviews. Findings suggest the TPSR model could be a useful instructional model for preschool teachers focused on providing social and emotional learning opportunities to their students. In order to foster transference, parents played a pivotal role in this process and were included in the intervention, which appeared to enhance life skill transfer.This work was financially supported by Portuguese national funds through the FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the framework of the CIEC (Research Center for Child Studies of the University of Minho) project under the reference UIDB/00317/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria from Cape Verde to Increase Maize Tolerance to Salinity

Salinity constitutes a major abiotic factor that negatively affects crop productivity. Inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is proven to increase plant tolerance to abiotic stresses and enhance plant growth, development and productivity. The present study aims to increase the resilience of crops to salinity using bacteria from the microbiome of plants growing in saline environments. For that, the halotolerance of bacteria present in the roots of natural plants growing on Sal Island, which is characterized by its arid environment and maritime influence, was determined, with some strains having extreme halotolerance. Their ability to produce plant growth-promoting traits was evaluated, with most strains increasing indole acetic acid (26–418%), siderophore (>300%) and alginate (2–66%) production and phosphate solubilization (13–100%) under salt stress. The strains evidencing the best performance were inoculated in maize (Zea mays L.) plants and their influence on plant growth and biochemical status was evaluated. Results evidenced bacterial ability to especially increase proline (55–191%), whose osmotic, antioxidant and protein-protecting properties reduced protein damage in salt-stressed maize plants, evidencing the potential of PGPB to reduce the impact of salinity on crops. Enhanced nutrition, phytohormone production and osmolyte synthesis along with antioxidant response all contribute to increasing plant tolerance to salt stress

Laparoscopic Resection of a Splenic Artery Aneurism with Spleen Preservation

Introduction. Splenic artery aneurisms (SAA) are the third most common aneurysms, with reported incidences up to 10.4%. There is a higher prevalence in women, and most are incidental findings on imaging studies. Symptomatic or SAA larger than 20 mm and aneurysms in pregnant or in women of childbearing age are indications for surgery, because of the increased risk of rupture. Treatment options include endovascular, laparoscopic, and open surgical approaches. Presentation of Case. A 50-year-old female patient with nonspecific abdominal pain performed a computed tomography scan and angiography, which revealed a 24×20×19 mm SAA. After a multidisciplinary discussion, selective laparoscopic excision of the aneurysm was performed, with spleen preservation. Perioperative course was uneventful, and the patient remained asymptomatic. Discussion. A multidisciplinary discussion is of major importance in guaranteeing the optimal treatment for any given visceral aneurysm. Not all SAA are amenable to endovascular treatment, and laparoscopic surgery has mostly replaced open procedures. Laparoscopic ligation and resection of the SAA with splenic preservation offers permanent treatment, with a low morbidity and short hospital stay. Conclusion. Selective laparoscopic aneurysm resection is a safe and effective approach, with good short- and long-term results, allowing permanent treatment of SAA while maintaining splenic function

Correlating Chlamydia trachomatis infectious load with urogenital ecological success and disease pathogenesis

The association of infectious burden of Chlamydia trachomatis with patient characteristics and clinical disease may have implications for understanding disease pathogenesis.We examined chlamydial load from 171 urine samples where load was based on copy number of organisms per copy number of eukaryotic cells derived by real-time quantitative PCR. High- (E, F, G) and low-prevalence (Ia, H, J, Ja) genotypes in the population had similar loads, suggesting a similar propensity for replicating in vivo, despite their differential ecological success. Symptomatic and asymptomatic patients also had similar chlamydial loads, indicating that virulence differences are likely not associated with variations in replication. There was a significant difference in genotypes by age for F (< 31 years; P = 0.031) and for H where the mean age was lower than for the most prevalent genotype, E (P = 0.013). Also, men had a significantly lower load than women when the genotype was F (P = 0.042), although there was no significant difference in load between partners. Patients with recurrent chlamydial infections had a significant reduction in load with each subsequent episode regardless of genotype (P = 0.007), suggesting that immune defenses do not block chlamydial entry but may impact replication. Additionally, the probability of being infected with J was 7.7-fold higher in patients with prior chlamydial infections (P = 0.016), and although the loads were lower when compared with patients without prior infection, the results did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that chlamydial burden could be an important marker for recurrence and host immune response, which would facilitate pathogenesis research.Public Health Service grants from the National Institutes of Health, R01 AI39499 and R01 AI5964

Data from: Genetic and paleomodelling evidence of the population expansion of the cattle egret Bubulcus ibis in Africa during the climatic oscillations of the Late Pleistocene

Increasing aridity during glacial periods produced the retraction of forests and the expansion of arid and semi-arid environments in Africa, with consequences for birds. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a dispersive species that prefers semiarid environments and requires proximity to bodies of water. We expected that climatic oscillations led to the expansion of the range of the cattle egret during arid periods, such as the Last Maximum Glacial (LGM) and contraction of distribution during the Last Interglacial (LIG) period, resulting in contact of populations previously isolated. We investigated this hypothesis by evaluating the genetic structure and population history of 15 cattle egret breeding colonies located in West and South Africa using the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region, mtDNA ATPase 8 and 6, and an intron of nuclear gene transforming growth factor beta-2. Occurrence data and bioclimatic information were used to generate ecological niche models of three periods (present, LGM and LIG). We used the genetic and paleomodelling data to assess the responses of the cattle egret from Africa to the climatic oscillations during the late Pleistocene. Genetic data revealed low levels of genetic differentiation, signs of isolation-by-distance, as well as recent increases in effective population size that started during the LGM. The observed low genetic structure may be explained by recent colonization events due to the demographic expansion following the last glacial period and by dispersal capacity of this species. The paleomodels corroborated the expansion during the LGM, and a more restricted potential distribution during the LIG. Our findinds supports the hypothesis that the species range of the cattle egret expanded during arid periods and contracted during wet periods

Nexus file of DNA sequence alignments for ATPase 6 and 8

Nexus file of DNA sequence alignments for ATPase 6 and