Ethics and Accessibility to Knowledge in Prescription Drug Commercials in the USA

Direct-To-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs in the USA is authorized and controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that issues guidelines and limitations to the communication of such drugs. This study investigates the discourse that renders the perception of the disease’s knowledge, the accessibility to information on the condition and on the drug, and the way the roles of the physician and of the patients are conveyed in the commercials aired on TV in the USA. The diseases range from diabetes to some forms of cancer, cholesterol control, heart diseases and depression and more. The corpus consists of 72 commercials, from 2001 to 2019, advertising different drugs. The analysis is carried out, on the one hand, on the way the linguistic strategies lead promotional discourse: it intertwines and aligns with the sensitiveness of the underlying product’s selling point. On the other hand, the investigation focuses, in particular, on the role of physicians, revealing interesting aspects in terms of an implicit loss of their scientific independence in the treatment of the diagnosis.Direct-To-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs in the USA is authorized and controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that issues guidelines and limitations to the communication of such drugs. This study investigates the discourse that renders the perception of the disease’s knowledge, the accessibility to information on the condition and on the drug, and the way the roles of the physician and of the patients are conveyed in the commercials aired on TV in the USA. The diseases range from diabetes to some forms of cancer, cholesterol control, heart diseases and depression and more. The corpus consists of 72 commercials, from 2001 to 2019, advertising different drugs. The analysis is carried out, on the one hand, on the way the linguistic strategies lead promotional discourse: it intertwines and aligns with the sensitiveness of the underlying product’s selling point. On the other hand, the investigation focuses, in particular, on the role of physicians, revealing interesting aspects in terms of an implicit loss of their scientific independence in the treatment of the diagnosis

Textual and visual catalyzers/distractors in advertising

The contribution of this study is expressed in the following research question: is it possible to identify some implicit-explicit textual or visual elements that catalyze or distract audience attention on or from the advertised product? An analysis of a corpus of advertisements taken from the Instagram pages of the major companies operating in the US food and beverage market reveals that attracting or distracting attention on or from a product’s use or function is a frequent strategy. These elements may contribute to changing scripts in advertising and mental patterns in consumer perceptions. The items that signal the distraction or the catalyzation of consumer attention in the advertising message have been identified via the ARCO model (St.Amant forth., St.Amant 2022), based upon the concept of usability of products, which helps decode the process of recognition of a product in the consumer’s brain. Results are promising, as this theory may help advertisers make more effective moves in the dual, cooperative relationship with consumers and review promotional strategies to engage the audience in advertising communication

TRANSLATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FROM ITALIAN INTO ENGLISH- Strategies, Issues and Semantic aspects

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the issues in translating Italian Financial Statements into English. Over the last two decades, financial reporting has undergone a process of standardization and consequent harmonization of international accounting practices, principles and concepts in many national jurisdictions. The research question is: are accounting terms, principles and concepts faithfully and effectively conveyed when translated into English? The investigation is framed within the theoretical pillars of specialized translation, with a focus on the strategies used to translate Financial Statements. The application of such theories will yield some interesting examples on how some terms, concepts and principles are translated from Italian into English, to ensure accurate, truthful, and effective disclosure. Not surprisingly, the search for equivalence in the translation of financial reporting is a particularly difficult task, considering the strong cultural and legal biases that characterize the genre

PCR Analysis of expR Gene Regulating Biosynthesis of Exopolysaccharides in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by the rhizobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti is essential for root nodule formation on its legume host (alfalfa), and for establishment of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between the two partners. Production of EPS II (galactoglucan) by certain S. meliloti strains results in a mucoid colony phenotype. Other strains that are unable to produce EPS II display a dry phenotype, due to the presence of an insertion element in the gene expR, a key regulator involved in many important cellular processes, including production of low-molecular-weight EPS II. We describe a series of three programmed undergraduate biochemistry laboratory classes teaching PCR and electrophoresis procedures to detect non-functional expR loci in S. meliloti.Fil: Sorroche, Fernando Guido. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Walter Fabian. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin

Translating Financial Statements from Italian into English. Strategies, Issues and Semantic Aspects

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the issues in translating Italian Financial Statements into English. Over the last two decades, financial reporting has undergone a process of standardization and consequent harmonization of international accounting practices, principles and concepts in many national jurisdictions. The research question is: are accounting terms, principles and concepts faithfully and effectively conveyed when translated into English? The investigation is framed within the theoretical pillars of specialized translation, to focus on the strategies to translate Financial Statements afterwards. The application of such theories will yield some interesting examples on how some terms, concepts and principles are translated from Italian into English, to ensure accurate, truthful, and effective disclosure. Not surprisingly, the sought of equivalence in the translation of financial reporting is a particularly difficult task, considering the strong cultural and legal biases that characterize the genre

Programmed Lab Experiments for Biochemical Investigation of Quorum-Sensing Signal Molecules in Rhizospheric Soil Bacteria

Biochemistry courses in the Department of Molecular Biology at the National University of Río Cuarto, Argentina, are designed for undergraduate students in biology, microbiology, chemistry, agronomy, and veterinary medicine. Microbiology students typically have previous coursework in general, analytical, and organic chemistry. Programmed sequences of lab experiments allow these students to investigate biochemical problems whose solution is feasible within the context of their knowledge and experience. We previously designed and reported a programmed lab experiment that familiarizes microbiology students with techniques for detection and characterization of quorum-sensing (QS) and quorum-quenching (QQ) signal molecules. Here, we describe a sequence of experiments designed to expand the understanding and capabilities of biochemistry students using techniques for extraction and identification of QS and QQ signal molecules from peanut rhizospheric soil bacteria, including culturing and manipulation of bacteria under sterile conditions. The program provides students with an opportunity to perform useful assays, draw conclusions from their results, and discuss possible extensions of the study.Fil: Nievas, Fiorela Lujan. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Bogino, Pablo Cesar. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Walter Fabian. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin

Effect of furans and a pyran on several quorum sensing factors in Ralstonia solanacearum

Ralstonia solanacearum race 2 is the causative agent of Bacterial Wilt in bananas, a disease also known as Moko disease. Once this bacterium becomes established within a plant, it causes the death of its host. Currently, no treatment is available for Bacterial Wilt, and the disease is able to destroy 100% of the crops in afflicted áreas.This study investigates a non-biocidal control method for R. solanacearum that attempts to nullify the pathogenic effects of R. solanacearum by interfering with the bacteria?s Quorum Sensing (QS) communication system. The effects of several molecules on R. solanacearum growth, biofilm formation and production of acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) autoinducers were analyzed. The results suggested that, of the molecules tested, 5,6 dihydro-2(H)- pyran-2-one most effectively inhibited growth, biofilm formation and AHL production. Furfural, 3-methyl-2(5H)- furanone and methyl 2-furoate also effectively inhibited growth. These molecules affected biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, 3-methyl-2(5H)-furanone and methyl 2-furoate likewise inhibited AHL production. Therefore, all of these molecules could be useful for controlling R. solanacearum.Fil: Gallego Campos, Adriana. Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Buenos Aires. Centro de Estudios Filosóficos "Eugenio Pucciarelli"; Argentina. Universidad de Antioquia; Colombia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Walter Fabian. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Biotecnologia Ambiental y Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Biotecnologia Ambiental y Salud.; ArgentinaFil: Rosero, Esteban. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Echeverri, Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentin

Scripting the Communication Strategy for Mineral Water Advertising in the USA

The discourse of advertising, along with its functions and structure, has been studied for many years from several points of view. Modern communication relies both on explicit messages and, more frequently, implicit messages, which can be more effective in delivering an intimate promotional essence. The germinal idea behind this paper stems from the prototype theory—formulated by Rosch (1978) and developed by a number of other scholars (e.g., Geeraerts 2006; 2016; Ross and Makin 1999; Aitchison 1994)—and, more specifically, from the prototypical paths it generates (scripts). We explore the possibility of applying scripts to advertising. Of particular interest are the effects that changes to the script produce in terms of the promotional message and consumer perception of the advertised product. The advertising sphere chosen for this study is the US mineral water market; a corpus of Instagram advertisements, retrieved from the pages of the main US producers of bottled mineral water (2,223 tokens), was selected and both their verbal and non-verbal aspects were analyzed. The results confirm our hypothesis of the presence of script change in advertising: such results offer a basis for further research to establish a predictive model for advertising communication that can be applied to various advertising channels (commercials, digital advertisements, etc.) and different products

Roles of extracellular polysaccharides and biofilm formation in heavy metal resistance of rhizobia

Bacterial surface components and extracellular compounds, particularly flagella, lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), and exopolysaccharides (EPSs), in combination with environmental signals and quorum-sensing signals, play crucial roles in bacterial autoaggregation, biofilm development, survival, and host colonization. The nitrogen-fixing species Sinorhizobium meliloti (S. meliloti) produces two symbiosis-promoting EPSs: succinoglycan (or EPS I) and galactoglucan (or EPS II). Studies of the S. meliloti/alfalfa symbiosis model system have revealed numerous biological functions of EPSs, including host specificity, participation in early stages of host plant infection, signaling molecule during plant development, and (most importantly) protection from environmental stresses. We evaluated functions of EPSs in bacterial resistance to heavy metals and metalloids, which are known to affect various biological processes. Heavy metal resistance, biofilm production, and co-culture were tested in the context of previous studies by our group. A range of mercury (Hg II) and arsenic (As III) concentrations were applied to S. meliloti wild type strain and to mutant strains defective in EPS I and EPS II. The EPS production mutants were generally most sensitive to the metals. Our findings suggest that EPSs are necessary for the protection of bacteria from either Hg (II) or As (III) stress. Previous studies have described a pump in S. meliloti that causes efflux of arsenic from cells to surrounding culture medium, thereby protecting them from this type of chemical stress. The presence of heavy metals or metalloids in culture medium had no apparent effect on formation of biofilm, in contrast to previous reports that biofilm formation helps protect various microorganism species from adverse environmental conditions. In co-culture experiments, EPS-producing heavy metal resistant strains exerted a protective effect on AEPS-non-producing, heavy metal-sensitive strains; a phenomenon termed “rescuing” of the non-resistant strain.Fil: Nocelli, Natalia Estefanía. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Bogino, Pablo Cesar. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Banchio, Erika. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Walter Fabian. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin