Multiheme cytochromes located in different compartments are crucial for extracellular electron transfer in the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens to drive important environmental processes and ...biotechnological applications. Recent studies have unveiled that for particular sets of electron terminal acceptors, discrete respiratory pathways selectively recruit specific cytochromes from both the inner and outer membranes. However, such specificity was not observed for the abundant periplasmic cytochromes, namely the triheme cytochrome family PpcA‐E. In this work, the distinctive NMR spectroscopic signatures of these proteins in different redox states were explored to monitor pairwise interactions and electron transfer reactions between each pair of cytochromes. The results showed that the five proteins interact transiently and can exchange electrons between each other revealing intra‐promiscuity within the members of this family. This discovery is discussed in the light of the establishment of an effective electron transfer network by this pool of cytochromes. This network is advantageous to the bacteria as it enables the maintenance of the functional working potential redox range within the cells.
A single loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for specific detection of both pathogens that cause bacterial blight in common bean,
pv.
(Xpp) and
pv.
(Xcf)
The objective ...was to provide a simple, easy-to-use, specific, and sensitive method to investigate the presence of one or both pathogens in plant material and seeds for routine diagnosis. The detection limits for both pathogens were 10 CFU/ml for cell suspensions and 1 fg of DNA, whereas in conventional PCR, the primers detected up to 10
CFU/ml and 1 ng of DNA. Specificity was confirmed by testing DNA from bean leaves, other
species, common fungal and bacterial bean pathogens, and bacteria from the leaf microbiota. The method was tested with bean leaves inoculated with Xpp, and the pathogen could be detected from 4 h up to 15 days postinoculation, even before disease symptoms were visible. When the method was applied to bacterium detection (Xpp or Xcf) in seed lots from infected plants, the bacterium detection rate was 100% (24 of 24). The pathogens were detected in seeds incubated for just 1 h in saline solution (0.85%), reducing the time needed for bacterium detection. The LAMP assay could be useful as a tool in bean bacterial blight management. Rapid and sensitive detection of bacteria in bean seed lots would reduce the risks of planting highly contaminated seeds in environments favorable to blight multiplication.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has an increasingly important role in organizations, which are taking a proactive stance in the inclusion of concerns and initiatives at this level. This theme ...has an impact on employees, namely in the meaningfulness through work. Thus, this research aims to assess whether the CSR affect the meaningfulness through work, and whether the degree of incorporation and the design and implementation approach interfere in this relationship. The results, obtained from 235 responses, suggest that it is not CSR policies and practices that impact meaningfulness through work. For this feeling to be achieved, it is necessary for employees to perceive CSR as embedded and the design and implementation of policies and practices to be bottom‐up. In other words, for CSR to lead to real benefits for employees, organizations must make a genuine and substantial commitment to it.
The pathovar
of
causes bacterial canker of grapevine. This disease was first recorded in India in 1972, and later in Brazil in 1998, where its distribution is currently restricted to the northeastern ...region. A multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on seven housekeeping genes and a multilocus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) with eight loci were performed in order to assess the genetic relatedness among strains from India and Brazil. Strains isolated in India from three related pathovars affecting Vitaceae species and pathogenic strains isolated from
sp. found in bacterial canker-infected vineyards in Brazil were also included. MLSA revealed lack of diversity in all seven genes and grouped grapevine and Amaranthus strains in a monophyletic group in
. The VNTR (variable number of tandem repeat) typing scheme conducted on 107 strains detected 101 haplotypes. The total number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 12. A minimum spanning tree (MST) showed that Brazilian strains were clearly separated from Indian strains, which showed unique alleles at three loci. The two strains isolated from symptomatic
sp. presented unique alleles at two loci. STRUCTURE analyses revealed three groups congruent with MST and a fourth group with strains from India and Brazil. Admixture among populations were observed in all groups. MST, STRUCTURE and e-BURST analyses showed that the strains collected in 1998 belong to two distinct groups, with predicted founder genotypes from two different vineyards in the same region. This suggest that one introduction of grape planting materials contaminated with genetically distinct strains took place, which was followed by pathogen adaptation. Genome sequencing of one Brazilian strain confirmed typical attributes of pathogenic xanthomonads and allowed the design of a complementary VNTR typing scheme dedicated to
pv.
that will allow further epidemiological survey of this genetically monomorphic pathovar.
Purpose
Loop ileostomy is performed in rectal cancer surgery to decrease the impact of anastomotic leak but it is associated with a significant complication rate. This study aimed to analyze the ...morbidity related to diverting ileostomy and to identify factors predictive of complications related to stoma management and reversal, as well as conversion into a permanent ileostomy.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted on 112 patients submitted to oncological rectal resection and defunctioning ileostomy in a Portuguese colorectal unit between March 2012 and March 2019.
Results
Loop ileostomy was responsible for 13% of index surgery morbidity and 15% of patients’ readmissions due to high output, stoma stenosis and parastomal hernia. Ileostomy was reversed in 89% cases with 7% Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIb complications. An association was established between diabetes and higher stoma management morbidity (OR: 3.28 95% CI: 1.039-10.426.
p
= 0.041). Likewise, diabetes (OR: 0.17 95% CI: 0.038; 6.90,
p
=0.015), oncological disease stage ≥ III (OR: 0.10 95% CI: 0.005; 0.656,
p
=0.047) and index rectal surgery morbidity (OR: 0.23 95% CI: 0.052; 0.955,
p
=0.041) were associated with less ileostomy closure. Complications of the index surgery also related to higher stoma reversal morbidity (OR: 5.11 95% CI: 1.665; 16.346,
p
=0.005).
Conclusions
Diabetes and complications of index rectal surgery were identified as predictive of ileostomy morbidity, closure rate and associated complications. It is essential to adjust treatment decisions to patient’s morbidity risk and adopt a more selective approach concerning the use of an ileostomy.
BackgroundMelatonin is a hormone produced and secreted primarily by the pineal gland and mainly metabolised in the liver. Increased melatonin concentrations have been reported in human cirrhosis and ...hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a syndrome of neurological dysfunction. The pathogenesis of canine HE is incompletely understood. Melatonin has been hypothesised as a contributor to the development of HE. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum melatonin concentrations are increased in canine congenital portosystemic shunting (cPSS), with and without HE.MethodsMedical records were retrospectively reviewed, for which archived (−80°C) serum samples were available. A canine competitive ELISA was used to measure melatonin in two cohorts: dogs with a final diagnosis of cPSS (n=23) with and without clinical signs of HE, and healthy dogs (n=15).ResultsMelatonin concentrations were not significantly different (P=0.81) between healthy controls (median 27.2 pg/mL, range 19.8–161.5 pg/mL) and dogs with cPSS (median 25.7 pg/mL, range 18.5–244.9 pg/mL). Serum melatonin did not differ between cPSS patients with and without clinical signs of HE (P>0.99). No correlation was found between serum melatonin and blood ammonia (Spearman rank correlation coefficient, rs =−0.41, P=0.08).ConclusionSerum melatonin is not increased in canine cPSS with and without HE. We found no evidence that altered melatonin metabolism plays a role in the pathogenesis of cPSS-associated HE.
Objective:
The present study aims to explore the mediation role of self-regulation on health-related behaviors adoption or maintenance, mental health, and well-being during the COVID-19 confinement ...in a sample of adults in Portugal.
Design:
One-hundred fifty individuals (118 females, 32 males;
M
age = 33.57 year; SD = 12.71) filled an online survey to assess self-regulation, healthy behaviors, mental health, and well-being perception, during the early months of the pandemic (June–August, 2020).
Main Outcome Measures:
Self-regulation capacity, adoption or maintenance of healthy habits, mental health, including stress management, and the perception of one’s well-being were evaluated using a structural equation model (SEM).
Results:
Self-regulation had direct effects on healthy habits and mental health and indirect effects on well-being and mental health mediated by healthy habits. In specific, a positive direct effect on healthy habits (β = 0.497,
p
< 0.001) and a negative direct effect on mental health (β = −0.428,
p
< 0.001); and a positive indirect effect on well-being perception, mediated by healthy behaviors and mental health (β = 0.253,
p
= 0.003), and a negative indirect effect on mental health, mediated by healthy habits (β = −0.208,
p
= 0.003). Additionally, healthy habits exerted direct effects on well-being perception and mental health. A positive direct effect on well-being perception (β = 0.254,
p
= 0.012), and a negative direct effect on mental health (β = −0.418,
p
< 0.001) were further observed. No direct effect of mental health was observed in well-being perception (β = −0.199,
p
= 0.068). Finally, a negative correlation was observed between self-regulation and weeks of confinement (
r
= −0.208,
p
= 0.021).
Conclusion:
Self-regulation seems to be a good indicator of adopting a healthy lifestyle and better mental health and well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Future preventive actions and interventions to build long-term global preparedness for future health emergencies, such as COVID-19, should explore the importance of self-regulation as an important individual and collective protective factor.
Organochlorine (OC) pesticides and the more persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have well-established dose-dependent toxicities to birds, fish and mammals in experimental studies, but the ...actual impact of OC pollutants on European marine top predators remains unknown. Here we show that several cetacean species have very high mean blubber PCB concentrations likely to cause population declines and suppress population recovery. In a large pan-European meta-analysis of stranded (n = 929) or biopsied (n = 152) cetaceans, three out of four species:- striped dolphins (SDs), bottlenose dolphins (BNDs) and killer whales (KWs) had mean PCB levels that markedly exceeded all known marine mammal PCB toxicity thresholds. Some locations (e.g. western Mediterranean Sea, south-west Iberian Peninsula) are global PCB "hotspots" for marine mammals. Blubber PCB concentrations initially declined following a mid-1980s EU ban, but have since stabilised in UK harbour porpoises and SDs in the western Mediterranean Sea. Some small or declining populations of BNDs and KWs in the NE Atlantic were associated with low recruitment, consistent with PCB-induced reproductive toxicity. Despite regulations and mitigation measures to reduce PCB pollution, their biomagnification in marine food webs continues to cause severe impacts among cetacean top predators in European seas.
This article analyses the effect of employees’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on job engagement, and we measure meaningfulness experienced and the role of cross-level ...sensemaking factors, such as the bottom-up approach and calling orientation. Drawing on qualitative data, collected among workers that had CSR implemented in their companies, our findings suggest that both calling orientation and meaningfulness influence the positive impact of the CSR perceptions on job engagement through sequential mediation. The calling orientation has an important role in this relationship because meaningfulness alone does not influence the relationship between CSR and job engagement. Additionally, employees’ perceptions of CSR positively influence job engagement. Furthermore, our research indicates that the meaningfulness experienced by workers increases in the presence of a bottom-up approach in what concerns the definition and implementation of CSR actions of the company. Overall, this research expands our understanding of how people find meaningfulness through individual experiences of CSR.
Background
The tobacco industry has been facing several transformations, considering that technology has evolved and health concerns have increased. One way for this industry to meet the growing ...social and health concerns is to provide alternative solutions. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) were the solution found, but they nevertheless pose several challenges to regulators, companies, and consumers, since HTPs are advertised as a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes.
Focus of the Article
This study aims to analyze smokers' perception of HTPs to provide insights for social marketing campaigns targeting behavioral change.
Research questions
The main objectives of this research are: (1) to assess whether smokers and ex-smokers view HTPs as less harmful to health than traditional cigarettes; and (2) to determine to what extent HTPs can help increase the intention to quit smoking.
Methods
This study explores smokers’ perception of HTPs consumption using a modified version of the Health Belief Model (HBM). A survey study involving 250 smokers and ex-smokers was conducted to test the conceptual model using PLS-Path modeling to validate the research hypotheses. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 27 and SmartPLS 3.3 programs.
Results
The results suggest that the perceived benefits of heated tobacco consumption negatively influence the likelihood of quitting smoking. Therefore, HTPs do not work as auxiliary products with regard to the intention to quit smoking. In some cases, the effect is quite the opposite, as HTPs use increases tobacco consumption and dependence. Perceived susceptibility and perceived severity are not significant predictors of the decision to quit smoking.
Research limitations
Future research could use a sample that includes only HTPs smokers and ex-smokers, analyze HTPs benefits and understand the primary motivation behind replacing conventional cigarettes with HTPs.
Practical implications
Entities attempting to promote the reduction of tobacco consumption should equate HTPs to conventional tobacco and focus on campaigns targeting only HTPs smokers. Whenever studying perceptions on HTPs, it is important to consider smokers’ dependence on nicotine and the particularities of the devices used to consume HTPs.
Importance to the Social Marketing Field
Considering the social relevance and growth of heated tobacco consumption, as well as the increase of the tobacco industry’s economic power, this research offers relevant insights into consumers’ perceptions toward HTPs.
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