Language re-discovered: A death education intervention in the net between kindergarten, family and territory

The article presents the positive results of a death education experience, realized owing to a collaboration between school, family and territory. The project, with the scope of reflecting on topics of death and spirituality, included 46 children of 5 from kindergarten and 50 parents, and then mobilizing the entire community. Social services and public administration had a special role in this, aiming to guarantee the necessary support for the families in the existential reflections. The experience was monitored with participatory observation, via interviews and questionnaires. The children answered questions regarding death and spirituality during an open and sincere conversation with the teachers. The parents, who at home talked about certain pre-defined teams with the children, were asked to give their informed consent and were given a questionnaire with open questions ex-ante/ ex-post. All data were processed via qualitative analysis of the texts. The results are truly positive, showing that children are capable of facing the problem of death and are able to acquire a certain representation of the spiritual dimension. The parents, who in the beginning demonstrated some anxiety, eventually were greatly satisfied and expressed their willingness to continue to search for the connection between death and transcendence

The Genome of Camelpox Virus

AbstractCamelpox virus (CMLV), a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae, is the etiologic agent of a disease of camels. Here we report the CMLV genomic sequence with analysis. The 205,719-bp CMLV genome contains 211 putative genes and consists of a central region bound by identical inverted terminal repeats of approximately 7 kb. A high degree of similarity in gene order, gene content, and amino acid composition in the region located between CMLV017 and CMLV184 (average 96% amino acid identity to vaccinia virus (VACV)) indicates a close structural and functional relationship between CMLV and other known orthopoxviruses (OPVs). Notably, CMLV contains a unique region of approximately 3 kb, which encodes three ORFs (CMLV185, CMLV186, CMLV187) absent in other OPVs. These ORFs are most similar to B22R homologues found in other chordopoxvirus genera. Among OPVs, CMLV is the most closely related to variola virus (VARV), sharing all genes involved in basic replicative functions and the majority of genes involved in other host-related functions. Differences between CMLV and VARV include deletion and disruption of a large number of genes. Twenty-seven CMLV ORFs are absent in VARV, including seven full-length homologues of NMDA-like receptor, phospholipase D, Schlafen, MT-4 virulence, kelch, VACV C8L, and cowpox (CPXV) B21R proteins. Thirty-eight CMLV ORFs, some of which are fragments of larger genes, differ in size from corresponding VARV ORFs by more than 10% (amino acids). Genome structure and phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences for all ORFs indicate that CMLV is clearly distinct from VARV and VACV and, as it has been suggested for VARV, it may have originated from a CPXV virus-like ancestor

Metagenomic analysis of the turkey gut RNA virus community

Viral enteric disease is an ongoing economic burden to poultry producers worldwide, and despite considerable research, no single virus has emerged as a likely causative agent and target for prevention and control efforts. Historically, electron microscopy has been used to identify suspect viruses, with many small, round viruses eluding classification based solely on morphology. National and regional surveys using molecular diagnostics have revealed that suspect viruses continuously circulate in United States poultry, with many viruses appearing concomitantly and in healthy birds. High-throughput nucleic acid pyrosequencing is a powerful diagnostic technology capable of determining the full genomic repertoire present in a complex environmental sample. We utilized the Roche/454 Life Sciences GS-FLX platform to compile an RNA virus metagenome from turkey flocks experiencing enteric disease. This approach yielded numerous sequences homologous to viruses in the BLAST nr protein database, many of which have not been described in turkeys. Our analysis of this turkey gut RNA metagenome focuses in particular on the turkey-origin members of the Picornavirales, the Caliciviridae, and the turkey Picobirnaviruses

The complete genome sequence and genetic analysis of ΦCA82 a novel uncultured microphage from the turkey gastrointestinal system

The genomic DNA sequence of a novel enteric uncultured microphage, ΦCA82 from a turkey gastrointestinal system was determined utilizing metagenomics techniques. The entire circular, single-stranded nucleotide sequence of the genome was 5,514 nucleotides. The ΦCA82 genome is quite different from other microviruses as indicated by comparisons of nucleotide similarity, predicted protein similarity, and functional classifications. Only three genes showed significant similarity to microviral proteins as determined by local alignments using BLAST analysis. ORF1 encoded a predicted phage F capsid protein that was phylogenetically most similar to the Microviridae ΦMH2K member's major coat protein. The ΦCA82 genome also encoded a predicted minor capsid protein (ORF2) and putative replication initiation protein (ORF3) most similar to the microviral bacteriophage SpV4. The distant evolutionary relationship of ΦCA82 suggests that the divergence of this novel turkey microvirus from other microviruses may reflect unique evolutionary pressures encountered within the turkey gastrointestinal system

The low-virulent African swine fever virus (ASFV/NH/P68) induces enhanced expression and production of relevant regulatory cytokines (IFNα, TNFα and IL12p40) on porcine macrophages in comparison to the highly virulent ASFV/L60

The impact of infection by the low-virulent ASFV/NH/P68 (NHV) and the highly virulent ASFV/L60 (L60) isolates on porcine macrophages was assessed through the quantification of IFNα, TNFα, IL12p40, TGFβ and ASFV genes by real-time PCR at 2, 4 and 6 h post-infection. Increased IFNα, TNFα and IL12p40 expression was found in infection with NHV, in which expression of TGFβ was lower than in infection with L60. Principal component analysis showed a positive interaction of cytokines involved in cellular immune mechanisms, namely IFNα and IL12p40 in the NHV infection. Quantification by ELISA confirmed higher production of IFNα, TNFα and IL12p40 in the NHV-infected macrophages. Overall, our studies reinforce and clarify the effect of the NHV infection by targeting cellular and cellular-based immune responses relevant for pig survival against ASFV infection

Implementation and evaluation of a multi-level mental health promotion intervention for the workplace (MENTUPP): study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background Well-organised and managed workplaces can be a source of wellbeing. The construction, healthcare and information and communication technology sectors are characterised by work-related stressors (e.g. high workloads, tight deadlines) which are associated with poorer mental health and wellbeing. The MENTUPP intervention is a flexibly delivered, multi-level approach to supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in creating mentally healthy workplaces. The online intervention is tailored to each sector and designed to support employees and leaders dealing with mental health difficulties (e.g. stress), clinical level anxiety and depression, and combatting mental health-related stigma. This paper presents the protocol for the cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) of the MENTUPP intervention in eight European countries and Australia. Methods Each intervention country will aim to recruit at least two SMEs in each of the three sectors. The design of the cRCT is based on the experiences of a pilot study and guided by a Theory of Change process that describes how the intervention is assumed to work. SMEs will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control conditions. The aim of the cRCT is to assess whether the MENTUPP intervention is effective in improving mental health and wellbeing (primary outcome) and reducing stigma, depression and suicidal behaviour (secondary outcome) in employees. The study will also involve a process and economic evaluation. Conclusions At present, there is no known multi-level, tailored, flexible and accessible workplace-based intervention for the prevention of non-clinical and clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety and burnout, and the promotion of mental wellbeing. The results of this study will provide a comprehensive overview of the implementation and effectiveness of such an intervention in a variety of contexts, languages and cultures leading to the overall goal of delivering an evidence-based intervention for mental health in the workplace