Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-10-15"
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- Searching for links between environmental and clinical mecA+ Staphylococcus aureus: a comparative genomics studyPublication . Rocha, Jaqueline; Silva, Vanessa; Poeta, Patrícia; Botelho, João; Manaia, Célia M.Staphylococcus aureus integrate the list of highly virulent and antibiotic resistant pathogens, mainly due to the mecA gene, associated with methicillin resistance. Given the ubiquity of this species, the aim of this study was to investigate whether closely related mecA+ S. aureus found in the environment can be also thrive as clinical isolates and if the respective accessory genome may suggest bacterial adaptation. The genomes of environmental (water, animal facilities, food products, n = 111) isolates were compared with closely related genomes of clinical origin (human patients, n = 103). These genomes, available in the public database NCBI, were analysed for phylogeny, accessory genome, and presence of selected clinically relevant genes (n = 104). The genomes of environmental isolates belonged to 18 multi-locus sequence types (MLSTs), 11 of which also included clinical genomes, a result confirmed based on core-genome analysis. Genes significantly (p ≤ 0.05) more frequent among environmental genomes were related with resistance to β-lactams (blaI, blaPCI), aminoglycosides (ant(6)-Ia), macrolides (mph(C), erm(B)), enterotoxins (seg, sei, sem, sen, seo, seu) and serine protease functions (splB), among others. Genes significantly more frequent among clinical genomes were associated with resistance to macrolides (erm(C)), phenicols (fexA), fosfomycin (murA), the leucocidin virulence gene (lukS-PV), and serine protease functions (splA, splE). It is suggested that mecA+ S. aureus can be exchanged between clinical and environmental settings, with accessory traits (particularly antibiotic resistance, virulence and stress response) possibly being associated with the habitat. The interplay between phylogeny and accessory genome is an interesting contribution to better understanding the ecology and evolution of mecA+ S. aureus.
- L’extraterrestre: l’alterità aliena negli esperimenti mentali in filosofiaPublication . Batisti, Filippo; Montesi, FrancescoIn this essay, we will focus on the intersection between the history of a specific instance of mental experiments in philosophical argumentation – i.e. the extraterrestrial – and, on the other hand, the defining characteristics of the mental experiment as an argumentative tool. We argue that the second aspect can shed light on the first one. Through the analysis of different cases in which aliens have been evoked in philosophical mental experiments, we will assess their strengths and weaknesses at the level of argumentation, but not solely on technical grounds. We will show that the opposite is true as well, namely, that the case of aliens is relevant to the metaphilosophical debate on mental experiments: our analysis of this particular content will corroborate criticism regarding how effective mental experiments in philosophy are in general. Since the character of the extraterrestrial is strongly dependent on contextual and cultural factors, it is more difficult to understand by readers of mental experiments. The latter are, in turn, most effective when the antecedent of the counterfactual is readily and firmly grasped by readers. Thus, this makes aliens not as much effective characters in such fictional situations as one could expect, given their extreme narrative plasticity.
- Psychometric properties and further validation of the emergency reaction questionnaire in a sample of Portuguese adultsPublication . Dias, Pedro; Coelho, Carlos M.; Zsido, Andras N.Emergencies and disasters are abrupt, unexpected, dangerous events often traumatic. Individuals differ in the way they respond to this kind of adverse experience, depending on varied factors. This study used the Emergency Reaction Questionnaire (ERQ) to assess defensive mechanisms, feelings, and thoughts during emergency and disaster-related situations. The main objective of the present study was to confirm the factor structure and provide further support to the validity of the ERQ on a Portuguese sample. Here we replicated previous findings in showing that people who are more prone to react in an organized way in emergencies tend to have lower anxiety levels and a greater tendency for sensation seeking. We also found that females score lower than males; that ERQ specific readiness scores slightly increase with age and people who have risky jobs or routinely engage in extreme sports scored higher on the ERQ scales (meaning they act more readily and organized in an emergency). The ERQ and its Portuguese version show to be a psychometrically sound and valid measurement of emergency behavior, able to assess individual differences in the way people perform during various emergencies, and can be used in future research and in practice for screening or measuring training efficiency.