First Insights on Resistance and Virulence Potential of Escherichia coli from Captive Birds of Prey in Portugal.

Captive birds of prey are often used for pest control in urban areas, while also participating in falconry exhibitions. Traveling across the country, these birds may represent a public health concern as they can host pathogenic and zoonotic agents and share the same environment as humans and synanthropic species. In this work, Escherichia coli from the cloacal samples of 27 captive birds of prey were characterized to determine their pathogenic potential. Isolates were clustered through ERIC-PCR fingerprinting, and the phylogenetic groups were assessed using a quadruplex PCR method. Their virulence and resistance profile against nine antibiotics were determined, as well as the isolates' ability to produce extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs). The 84 original isolates were grouped into 33 clonal types, and it was observed that more than half of the studied isolates belonged to groups D and B2. Most isolates presented gelatinase activity (88%), almost half were able to produce biofilm (45%), and some were able to produce α-hemolysin (18%). The isolates presented high resistance rates towards piperacillin (42%), tetracycline (33%), and doxycycline (30%), and 6% of the isolates were able to produce ESBLs. The results confirm the importance of these birds as reservoirs of virulence and resistance determinants that can be disseminated between wildlife and humans, stressing the need for more studies focusing on these animals.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Potential of Bacterial Species from Captive Birds of Prey-Consequences of Falconry for Public Health.

Falconry has been practiced for thousands of years and is nowadays frequently employed in activities such as pest control, hunting, falcon racing, and environmental education. Antimicrobial resistance levels have risen in the past years, constituting an emerging global problem with a direct impact on public health. Besides both topics being studied on their own, information on the role of captive birds of prey in the potential dissemination of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance determinants of bacterial origin is scarce. Multidrug-resistant bacteria, including some extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producers, have already been found in several captive birds of prey. Most of the virulence factors found in captive raptors' bacteria were related to adherence and invasion abilities, toxin production, and flagella. These birds may acquire these bacteria through contaminated raw food and the exchange of animals between keepers and zoological facilities. More studies are required to confirm the role of captive birds of prey in disseminating resistant bacteria and on the routes of interaction between synanthropic species and humans.

TargIDe: a machine-learning workflow for target identification of molecules with antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Bacterial biofilms are a source of infectious human diseases and are heavily linked to antibiotic resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a multidrug-resistant bacterium widely present and implicated in several hospital-acquired infections. Over the last years, the development of new drugs able to inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa by interfering with its ability to form biofilms has become a promising strategy in drug discovery. Identifying molecules able to interfere with biofilm formation is difficult, but further developing these molecules by rationally improving their activity is particularly challenging, as it requires knowledge of the specific protein target that is inhibited. This work describes the development of a machine learning multitechnique consensus workflow to predict the protein targets of molecules with confirmed inhibitory activity against biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It uses a specialized database containing all the known targets implicated in biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The experimentally confirmed inhibitors available on ChEMBL, together with chemical descriptors, were used as the input features for a combination of nine different classification models, yielding a consensus method to predict the most likely target of a ligand. The implemented algorithm is freely available at https://github.com/BioSIM-Research-Group/TargIDe under licence GNU General Public Licence (GPL) version 3 and can easily be improved as more data become available.

Erratum for Musgrove et al., "Professional Development for Early Career DBER Scholars through In-Person and Virtual Career Panel Workshops".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00190-21.].

Iatrogenic Abdominal Pain: A Case Report of a Retained Surgical Item Detected 20 Years After Surgery.

A retained surgical item (RSI) refers to a surgical object (surgical sponges, needles, instruments, device fragments, irrigation sets, guidewires, clips, and rubber materials) accidentally left inside the patient at the end of a surgery or any other procedure. It is considered a never event that can have severe consequences for the patient, and that may lead to death. The use of checklists and the implementation of clinical and procedure protocols have attempted to reduce their incidence, but they continue to occur. Most RSI are discovered within three months, with a rare number of cases being diagnosed 3.5 years after the original procedure. In this report, we discuss the case of a 65-year-old woman who presented with weight loss and B symptoms for a month, a condition resulting from a 20-year RSI, a unique case given the time period between the previous surgery and its diagnosis.

Selection of Bis-Indolyl Pyridines and Triphenylamines as New Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Cellular Entry by Modulating the Spike Protein/ACE2 Interfaces.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the infectious agent that has caused the current coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic. Viral infection relies on the viral S (spike) protein/cellular receptor ACE2 interaction. Disrupting this interaction would lead to early blockage of viral replication. To identify chemical tools to further study these functional interfaces, 139,146 compounds from different chemical libraries were screened through an S/ACE2 in silico virtual molecular model. The best compounds were selected for further characterization using both cellular and biochemical approaches, reiterating SARS-CoV-2 entry and the S/ACE2 interaction. We report here two selected hits, bis-indolyl pyridine AB-00011778 and triphenylamine AB-00047476. Both of these compounds can block the infectivity of lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with the SARS-CoV-2 S protein as well as wild-type and circulating variant SARS-CoV-2 strains in various human cell lines, including pulmonary cells naturally susceptible to infection. AlphaLISA and biolayer interferometry confirmed a direct inhibitory effect of these drugs on the S/ACE2 association. A specific study of the AB-00011778 inhibitory properties showed that this drug inhibits viral replication with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) between 0.1 and 0.5 µM depending on the cell lines. Molecular docking calculations of the interaction parameters of the molecules within the S/ACE2 complex from both wild-type and circulating variants of the virus showed that the molecules may target multiple sites within the S/ACE2 interface. Our work indicates that AB-00011778 constitutes a good tool for modulating this interface and a strong lead compound for further therapeutic purposes.

Professional Development for Early Career DBER Scholars through In-Person and Virtual Career Panel Workshops.

In discipline-based education research (DBER), early career scholars, such as graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, observe a slew of possible career pathways. Yet, there is a lack of opportunities to learn about such pathways, particularly when transitioning from traditional science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) disciplinary training into a DBER position. Thus, the DBER Scholars-in-Training Professional Development subcommittee was created within the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) community to develop a collection of workshops that would serve the greatest professional development needs of early career scholars entering DBER. Through a series of surveys disseminated over multiple years, early career scholars expressed interest in better navigating their career options, which led to the development of the career panel workshop, held during the 2019 and 2020 SABER Annual National Conferences. In this report, we explore the development, implementation, and results of two career panel workshops and compare and contrast the 2019 in-person workshop with the 2020 virtual workshop. We also offer our insights on the value of the career workshop, discuss the next steps, and explore valuable resources for those planning on organizing similar events.

Drug Repurposing Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa MvfR Using Docking, Virtual Screening, Molecular Dynamics, and Free-Energy Calculations.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium responsible for acute and chronic infections in planktonic state or in biofilms. The sessile structures are known to confer physical stability, increase virulence, and work as a protective armor against antimicrobial compounds. P. aeruginosa can control the expression of genes, population density, and biofilm formation through a process called quorum sensing (QS), a rather complex and hierarchical system of communication. A recent strategy to try and overcome bacterial resistance is to target QS proteins. In this study, a combined multi-level computational approach was applied to find possible inhibitors against P. aeruginosa QS regulator protein MvfR, also known as PqsR, using a database of approved FDA drugs, as a repurposing strategy. Fifteen compounds were identified as highly promising putative MvfR inhibitors. On those 15 MvfR ligand complexes, molecular dynamic simulations and MM/GBSA free-energy calculations were performed to confirm the docking predictions and elucidate on the mode of interaction. Ultimately, the five compounds that presented better binding free energies of association than the reference molecules (a known antagonist, M64 and a natural inducer, 2-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline) were highlighted as very promising MvfR inhibitors.

Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis as a Complication of Israeli Spotted Fever.

Rickettsia spp. human infection is endemic in Portugal in the form of Mediterranean spotted fever caused by R. conorii subsp. conorii and Israeli spotted fever (ISF) caused by R. conorii subsp. israelensis. We describe a rare case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) due to ISF, with atypical manifestations. We highlight the need for clinical suspicion for this diagnosis and the importance of timely intervention and support. LEARNING POINTS: Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare complication of rickettsiosis.An exuberant inflammatory reaction with multisystemic dysfunction should raise suspicion.Cutaneous and neurological manifestations can be serious and extensive.

Perspectives on the Role of Enzymatic Biocatalysis for the Degradation of Plastic PET.

Plastics are highly durable and widely used materials. Current methodologies of plastic degradation, elimination, and recycling are flawed. In recent years, biodegradation (the usage of microorganisms for material recycling) has grown as a valid alternative to previously used methods. The evolution of bioengineering techniques and the discovery of novel microorganisms and enzymes with degradation ability have been key. One of the most produced plastics is PET, a long chain polymer of terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG) repeating monomers. Many enzymes with PET degradation activity have been discovered, characterized, and engineered in the last few years. However, classification and integrated knowledge of these enzymes are not trivial. Therefore, in this work we present a summary of currently known PET degrading enzymes, focusing on their structural and activity characteristics, and summarizing engineering efforts to improve activity. Although several high potential enzymes have been discovered, further efforts to improve activity and thermal stability are necessary.

The Biofilms Structural Database.

The Biofilms Structural Database (BSD) is a collection of structural, mutagenesis, kinetics, and inhibition data to understand the processes involved in biofilm formation. Presently, it includes curated information on 425 structures of proteins and enzymes involved in biofilm formation and development for 42 different bacteria. It is available at www.biofilms.biosim.pt.

Autoimmune hepatitis unmasked by nimesulide.

A 49-year-old woman presented at the emergency department, with acute hepatic failure, 2 weeks after taking nimesulide. Presenting with a MELD score of 25.0, the patient was transferred to a specialised liver transplant unit, with the probable diagnosis of toxic hepatitis. After a clinical improvement with supportive care and acetylcysteine, a liver biopsy was executed. The histology revealed micronodular cirrhosis associated with acute hepatitis, with features suggestive of autoimmune hepatitis. The patient was then started on azathioprine 50 mg/day and prednisolone 30 mg/day, and tapering of prednisolone was carried out in the following months. Twenty eight months after treatment, another liver biopsy was performed, showing almost full remission of the disease, with only mild fibrosis and no significant inflammatory infiltrate.

Anemia em mulheres universitárias e sua associação com o consumo de alimentos / Anemia in university women and its association with food consumption / Anemia en mujeres universitarias y su asociación con el consumo de alimentos

Objetivo: determinar a prevalência de anemia e a relação com o consumo de alimentos em universitárias. Método: estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico, realizado com 140 universitárias de 18 a 45 anos, em instituições de ensino superior da rede pública e privada de Teresina (PI). Para determinação da hemoglobina, foram coletadas amostras de sangue através da punção da polpa digital, pelo método cianometahemoglobina. Foram utilizados questionários de frequência de consumo alimentar para avaliação do consumo de ferro. O estudo teve aprovado no Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa o projeto sob CAAE nº. 123600009679. Resultados: a prevalência de anemia foi de 79,2% (111) do total da amostra pesquisada; 54,9% das estudantes com anemia pertenciam à instituição pública, enquanto a universidade privada apresentou 45,1%. Conclusão: possivelmente a alta prevalência de anemia tenha ocorrido em razão da alimentação inadequada de facilitadores da absorção do ferro e consumo de carboidratos refinados sem fortificação.(AU)

Objective: determining the prevalence of anemia and the relationship with food consumption in university female students. Method: a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study conducted with 140 university female students aged 18-45 years old in higher education institutions of public and private network in Teresina (PI). For determination of hemoglobin, blood samples were collected by puncture of the fingertip, by the cyanmethaemoglobin method. There were used questionnaires of food intake frequency to assess iron intake. The study had the project approved by the Research Ethics Committee under CAAE: 123600009679. Results: the prevalence of anemia was of 79,2% (111) of the total sample studied; 54,9% of students with anemia belonged to the public institution, while the private university had 45,1%. Conclusion: possibly the high prevalence of anemia have occurred because of inadequate supply of iron absorption facilitators and consumption of refined carbohydrates without fortification.(AU)

Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de anemia y la relación con el consumo de alimentos en las estudiantes universitarias. Método: un estudio transversal, descriptivo y analítico realizado con 140 universitarias entre 18-45 años en las instituciones de educación superior de la red pública y privada de Teresina (PI). Para la determinación de la hemoglobina, las muestras de sangre se recogieron mediante punción de la yema del dedo, por el método de cianometahemoglobina. Se utilizaron cuestionarios de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos para evaluar la ingesta de hierro. El estudio tuvo el proyecto aprobado por el Comité de Ética en la Investigación bajo CAAE: 123600009679. Resultados: la prevalencia de anemia fue de 79,2% (111) de la muestra total estudiada; 54,9% de los estudiantes con anemia pertenecido a la institución pública, mientras que la universidad privada tenía 45,1%. Conclusión: es posible que la alta prevalencia de anemia se haya producido a causa de un suministro inadecuado de los facilitadores de la absorción de hierro y el consumo de carbohidratos refinados y sin fortificación.(AU)

Estigma e currículo oculto / Stigma and hidden curriculum

O objetivo deste artigo - um ensaio teórico - é realizar uma discussão sobre estigma e suas formas de manifestação no currículo da escola, tomando por base a noção de currículo oculto. Esta discussão será realizada tendo como pano de fundo os processos de escolarização de alunos com deficiência. Os processos de estigmatização no âmbito da vida social são muitos e têm múltiplas manifestações. O estigma depende diretamente da existência de alguma forma de julgamento que cria categorias de sujeitos considerados socialmente "desacreditáveis". Isto pode repercutir de forma avassaladora no processo de constituição de identidades e na forma como instituições, como a escola, lida com os processos de ensino e aprendizagem para alunos que historicamente são estigmatizados, tais como os que apresentam deficiências. As situações de estigmatização e discriminação evidenciadas na escola são construções sociais e se personificam no contexto do currículo. Consubstanciadas no denominado corpus formal de conhecimento escolar (conteúdos curriculares), nas ações cotidianas da escola (currículo em ação) e no denominado currículo oculto. Os desdobramentos ideológicos e a legitimação são sedimentados em aspectos explícitos e implícitos do currículo e situam-se em sua materialidade e no domínio do simbólico. Nestes dois âmbitos as questões da educação das pessoas com deficiência podem ser observadas, em situações que evidenciam a presença de estigmas e preconceito sob a aparente inclusão escolar. Em plena efervescência da chamada Educação Inclusiva investigações na confluência entre currículo e estigma podem ser oportunas na busca pela construção de currículos mais atentos a diversidade humana.

The purpose of this article - a theoretical essay - is to conduct a discussion about stigma and its manifestations in the school curriculum, based on the notion of Hidden Curriculum. This discussion will be held using as background the processes of schooling for students with disabilities. The processes of stigmatization in the context of social life are many and have multiple manifestations. The stigma is directly dependent on the existence of some form of judgment that creates categories of subjects considered socially "discredited". This can affect so overpowering in the process of identity formation and how institutions such as schools deals with the processes of teaching and learning for students who have historically been stigmatized, such as students with disabilities. The stigmatization and discrimination situations are social constructions and are embodied in the context of the curriculum; embodied on the so-called formal corpus of school knowledge (curricular content), in the everyday actions of the school (curriculum in action) and the denominated Hidden curriculum. The legitimacy and ideological developments are settled down on inexplicit and implicit aspects of the curriculum and are located in its materiality and the symbolic domain. In these two areas the issues of education for people with disabilities can be observed in situations that reveal the stigma and prejudice in the apparently inclusion school. In the excitement of "Inclusive Education", researches in the confluence between the curriculum and the stigma may be appropriate in the pursuit of a curriculum construction toward human diversity.

A pessoa com deficiência e a crise das identidades na contemporaneidade

Este ensaio tem como objetivo discutir a crise das identidades e suas repercussões no que diz respeito às identidades socialmente estigmatizadas, sobretudo as das pessoas com deficiência. Essa crise acontece em meio às profundas modificações sociais e econômicas no contexto da pós-modernidade. A identidade, entendida como constructo histórico-cultural, é mediada por relações de poder, e não se refere a uma "entidade" imutável e arduamente construída, mas a algo fluido e metamórfico. Ao examinar as relações entre diferença e identidade, sustentamos que tais conceitos estão imbricados no contexto dessa crise. A discussão sobre identidade e diferença remete-nos à obra de Erving Goffman e ao conceito de estigma na perspectiva da compreensão da manipulação da identidade dos sujeitos que discrepam das expectativas sociais. A identidade da pessoa com deficiência tende a sofrer, em virtude do estigma, processos de controle social nos quais são negadas importantes oportunidades de metamorfose. Discutir identidade pode ser, portanto, um fio condutor para a compreensão da inserção social e escolar da pessoa com deficiência.

O menino dos pássaros / The boy of the birds

O presente texto aborda, em sua primeira parte, a relação entre demanda dois pais e a forma como eles muitas vezes retiram seus filhos de análise. A segunda e a terceira partes discorrem sobre o percurso analítico de um menino, do ponto de vista do discurso do Outro materno e das construções míticas do próprio sujeito. Trabalha-se principalmente o laço entre demanda e desejo e o sintoma da criança como o desvelar da verdade do par familiar, bem como procura-se delinear a passagem do falo imaginário para o falo simbólico e o lugar central da castração na estrutura da neurose(AU)

The first section of this article discusses the relationship between the demands of the parents and the way they often withdraw their children from analysis. The second and third sections present the analytical trajectory of a boy from the perspective of the maternal Other's discourse and the mythical constructions of the subject himself. The authors elaborate mainly on the link between demand and desire in relation to the child's symptom as the unveiling of parental truth. An attempt is also made to delineate the move from the imaginary to the symbolic phallus and the centrality of castration in the structure of neurosis(AU)

Educação de alunos com deficiência mental na perspectiva de mães: construindo um olhar compreensivo / Education of students with mental retardation in the mothers point of view: building up a clear

O estudo buscou compreender a perspectiva de mães de crianças com deficiência mental acerca da contribuição da escola na educação de seus filhos em uma perspectiva fenomenológica. Foram realizadas entrevistas com três mães de alunos com deficiência mental matriculados em classes especiais de uma escola da rede pública estadual de ensino na cidade de Fortaleza, CE. Buscou-se construir uma perspectiva compreensiva na leitura e análise das falas dos sujeitos da pesquisa. Surgiram duas temáticas de análise:(a) a importância atribuida a educação do filho, e b) o desempenho da escola quanto à educação da criança com deficiência mental. Os dados evidenciaram que a escola contribuiu na aquisição de informações sobre aspectos diversos da deficiência mental, mas os relatos apontam a necessidade de maior aprofundamento acerca do conhecimento das mães sobre as possibilidades de desenvolvimento e aprendizagem de seus filhos. Um caminho para incrementar a parceria escola-família pode partir de uma compreensão dos professores acerca das angústias, saberes e aspirações revelados pelas mães de alunos com deficiência mental.