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Enfermedades Infecciosas Y... Dec 2015The introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice represented one of the most important interventions for the control of infectious diseases. Antibiotics have saved... (Review)
Review
The introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice represented one of the most important interventions for the control of infectious diseases. Antibiotics have saved millions of lives and have also brought a revolution in medicine. However, an increasing threat has deteriorated the effectiveness of these drugs, that of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, which is defined here as the ability of bacteria to survive in antibiotic concentrations that inhibit/kill others of the same species. In this review some recent and important examples of resistance in pathogens of concern for mankind are mentioned. It is explained, according to present knowledge, the process that led to the current situation in a short time, evolutionarily speaking. It begins with the resistance genes, continues with clones and genetic elements involved in the maintenance and dissemination, and ends with other factors that contribute to its spread. Possible responses to the problem are also reviewed, with special reference to the development of new antibiotics.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Drugs, Investigational; Genes, Bacterial; Global Health; Health Policy; Humans; Prescription Drug Overuse; R Factors; Transformation, Genetic
PubMed: 25475657
DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2014.10.004 -
EcoSal Plus Dec 2022In the late 1950s, a number of laboratories took up the study of plasmids once the discovery was made that extrachromosomal antibiotic resistance (R) factors are the... (Review)
Review
In the late 1950s, a number of laboratories took up the study of plasmids once the discovery was made that extrachromosomal antibiotic resistance (R) factors are the responsible agents for the transmissibility of multiple antibiotic resistance among the enterobacteria. The use of incompatibility for the classification of plasmids is now widespread. It seems clear now on the basis of the limited studies to date that the number of incompatibility groups of plasmids will likely be extremely large when one includes plasmids obtained from bacteria that are normal inhabitants of poorly studied natural environments. The presence of both linear chromosomes and linear plasmids is now established for several species. One of the more fascinating developments in plasmid biology was the discovery of linear plasmids in the 1980s. A remarkable feature of the Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the presence of two DNA transfer systems. A definitive demonstration that plasmids consisted of duplex DNA came from interspecies conjugal transfer of plasmids followed by separation of plasmid DNA from chromosomal DNA by equilibrium buoyant density centrifugation. The formation of channels for DNA movement and the actual steps involved in DNA transport offer many opportunities for the discovery of proteins with novel activities and for establishing fundamentally new concepts of macromolecular interactions between DNA and specific proteins, membranes, and the peptidoglycan matrix.
Topics: Plasmids; Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Plant Tumor-Inducing Plasmids; Bacteria; DNA, Bacterial
PubMed: 35373578
DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0028-2021 -
Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health :... Dec 2014In popular culture, Mafia members are often portrayed as ruthless, callous and remorseless, but there is no empirical research on their personality traits.
BACKGROUND
In popular culture, Mafia members are often portrayed as ruthless, callous and remorseless, but there is no empirical research on their personality traits.
AIMS
The goal of this research was to examine levels of psychopathic traits among Mafia members who have been convicted of a criminal offence.
METHODS
The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) rated 30 Italian adult male prisoners who had been convicted for Mafia-related crimes (86% resident in one 6-month period) and 39 next adjacent convicted men who were not enrolled in any criminal organisation.
RESULTS
Mafia members obtained lower PCL-R total scores, interpersonal and affective (PCL-R factor 1) scores and lifestyle scores (factor 2) than the other offenders. Logistic regression analysis showed that lower PCL-R factor 1 scores with higher factor 2 scores in the absence of a history of substance misuse disorder distinguished Mafia from non-Mafia offenders. A probability curve confirmed an exponential growth in the probability of classification as a Mafia member in relation to lower PCL-R factor 1 scores.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings bring new hope for resocialisation of convicted Mafia members, because they showed significant antisocial traits but they maintained a capacity for emotional connection and greater likelihood of engaging with training and resocialisation programmes than other imprisoned offenders in Italy.
Topics: Adult; Antisocial Personality Disorder; Crime; Criminals; Humans; Italy; Male; Prisoners; Prisons; Psychopathology; Regression Analysis; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 24677700
DOI: 10.1002/cbm.1902 -
Clinics in Sports Medicine Jan 2020
PubMed: 31767114
DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2019.10.002 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Mar 2017
PubMed: 28336642
DOI: 10.1126/science.355.6331.1277-i -
Journal of Microbiology and... Dec 2023The recently published high-resolution R388 T4SS structure provides exciting new details about the complete complex of T4SS, including the components making up the stalk... (Review)
Review
The recently published high-resolution R388 T4SS structure provides exciting new details about the complete complex of T4SS, including the components making up the stalk and arches, numerous symmetry mismatches between regions of the complex, and an intriguing interpretation of the closed stalk and radial symmetry of the inner membrane complex, which is related to pilus biogenesis assembly. However, there are a few unidentified densities in the electron microscopy map and portions of the identified component sequences for which the structure is not yet known. It is also unclear how well this minimized DNA-transporting T4SS predicts the structure of other T4SSs, such as expanded systems and those that transport proteins rather than DNA. In this review, we evaluate what can be inferred from the recent high-resolution structure of the R388 T4SS with respect to the Cag and Dot/Icm systems. These systems were selected because, given what is currently known about these systems, we expect them to present most structural differences compared to the R388 T4SS structure. Furthermore, we discuss bacterial physiology and diversity, the T4SS structures and their variations between different bacterial species. These insights may prove beneficial for researchers who elucidate the structure and functions of T4SS in different bacterial species.
Topics: Type IV Secretion Systems; Biological Transport; DNA; Bacterial Proteins
PubMed: 37528551
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2307.07006 -
Molecular Psychiatry Sep 2019Resilience is a neurobiological entity that shapes an individual's response to trauma. Resilience has been implicated as the principal mediator in the development of... (Review)
Review
Resilience is a neurobiological entity that shapes an individual's response to trauma. Resilience has been implicated as the principal mediator in the development of mental illness following exposure to trauma. Although animal models have traditionally defined resilience as molecular and behavioral changes in stress responsive circuits following trauma, this concept needs to be further clarified for both research and clinical use. Here, we analyze the construct of resilience from a translational perspective and review optimal measurement methods and models. We also seek to distinguish between resilience, stress vulnerability, and posttraumatic growth. We propose that resilience can be quantified as a multifactorial determinant of physiological parameters, epigenetic modulators, and neurobiological candidate markers. This multifactorial definition can determine PTSD risk before and after trauma exposure. From this perspective, we propose the use of an 'R Factor' analogous to Spearman's g factor for intelligence to denote these multifactorial determinants. In addition, we also propose a novel concept called 'resilience reserve', analogous to Stern's cognitive reserve, to summarize the sum total of physiological processes that protect and compensate for the effect of trauma. We propose the development and application of challenge tasks to measure 'resilience reserve' and guide the assessment and monitoring of 'R Factor' as a biomarker for PTSD.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Humans; Neurobiology; Resilience, Psychological; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Stress, Psychological; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30867558
DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0383-7 -
Acta Crystallographica. Section E,... Feb 2024The ()-(+)-1-(4-bromo-phen-yl)--[(4-methoxyphen-yl)methyl-idene]ethyl-amine ligand, CHBrNO, (I), was synthesized through the reaction of 4-meth-oxy-anisaldehyde with...
()-(+)-1-(4-Bromo-phen-yl)--[(4-methoxyphen-yl)methyl-idene]ethyl-amine and bis-{()-(+)-1-(4-bromo-phen-yl)--[(4-methoxyphen-yl)methyl-idene]ethyl-amine-κ}di-chlorido-palladium(II).
The ()-(+)-1-(4-bromo-phen-yl)--[(4-methoxyphen-yl)methyl-idene]ethyl-amine ligand, CHBrNO, (I), was synthesized through the reaction of 4-meth-oxy-anisaldehyde with ()-(-)-1-(4-bromo-phen-yl)ethyl-amine. It crystallizes in the ortho-rhom-bic space group 222 belonging to the Sohncke group, featuring a single mol-ecule in the asymmetric unit. The refinement converged successfully, achieving an factor of 0.0508. The Pd com-plex bis-{()-(+)-1-(4-bromo-phen-yl)--[(4-methoxyphen-yl)methyl-idene]ethyl-amine-κ}di-chlorido-pal-ladium(II), [PdCl(CHBrNO)], (II), crystallizes in the monoclinic space group 2 belonging to the Sohncke group, with two mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The central atom is tetra-coordinated by two N atoms and two Cl atoms, resulting in a square-planar configuration. The imine moieties exhibit a configuration around the Pd centre, with average Cl-Pd-N angles of approximately 89.95 and 90°. The average distances within the palladium com-plex for the two mol-ecules are ∼2.031 Å for Pd-N and ∼2.309 Å for Pd-Cl.
PubMed: 38333132
DOI: 10.1107/S2056989024000690 -
JGH Open : An Open Access Journal of... Oct 2021While many studies have reported on liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), none have specifically addressed the significance of hepatic...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
While many studies have reported on liver injury in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), none have specifically addressed the significance of hepatic jaundice. We aimed to determine the clinical consequences and etiologies of jaundice in patients with COVID-19.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed clinical features, laboratory abnormalities, and rates of survival and intensive care unit admission in 551 patients with COVID-19, hospitalized between 1 March 2020, and 31 May 2020 at a tertiary care academic medical center. Hepatic jaundice was defined as a serum total bilirubin concentration >2.5 mg/dL and a direct bilirubin concentration >0.3 mg/dL that was >25% of the total. Liver injury was characterized as cholestatic, mixed, or hepatocellular at the time of peak serum total bilirubin concentration by calculating the R factor.
RESULTS
Hepatic jaundice was present in 49 (8.9%) patients and associated with a mortality rate of 40.8% and intensive care unit admission rate of 69.4%, both significantly higher than for patients without jaundice. Jaundiced patients had an increased frequency of fever, leukopenia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hypotension, hypoxemia, elevated serum creatinine concentration, elevated serum procalcitonin concentration, and sepsis. Nine jaundiced patients had isolated hyperbilirubinemia. Of the 40 patients with abnormally elevated serum alanine aminotransferase or alkaline phosphatase activities, 62.5% had a cholestatic, 20.0% mixed, and 17.5% hepatocellular pattern of liver injury.
CONCLUSION
Hepatic jaundice in patients with COVID-19 is associated with high mortality. The main etiologies of liver dysfunction leading to jaundice appear to be sepsis, severe systemic inflammation, and hypoxic/ischemic hepatitis.
PubMed: 34622003
DOI: 10.1002/jgh3.12645 -
International Journal of Offender... May 2024The current study explored the association between psychopathic traits and release suitability decisions and examined the role of Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R)...
The current study explored the association between psychopathic traits and release suitability decisions and examined the role of Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and Static-99 in predicting general and sexual recidivism. The sample included 207 adult male sex offenders involved in the long-term follow-up at the Massachusetts Treatment Center for Sexually Dangerous Persons (MTC) in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Contrary to our expectations, PCL-R Factor 2 (Lifestyle/Antisocial) scores were positively associated with being selected for gradual release, whereas PCL-R Factor 1 (Interpersonal/Affective) scores were not related to parole boards' decisions. Additionally, the interaction between the two factors was a significant predictor, suggesting that the individuals with more pronounced Factor 1 traits were less likely to be released when their Factor 2 scores were high as well. Although Static-99 scores predicted both contact and non-contact sexual recidivism, psychopathy was not related to reoffending, possibly because offenders with child victims were over-represented in the sample.
PubMed: 34126798
DOI: 10.1177/0306624X211022672