Perception of butenolides by Bacillus subtilis via the α/ß hydrolase RsbQ.

The regulation of behavioral and developmental decisions by small molecules is common to all domains of life. In plants, strigolactones and karrikins are butenolide growth regulators that influence several aspects of plant growth and development, as well as interactions with symbiotic fungi.1,2,3 DWARF14 (D14) and KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 (KAI2) are homologous enzyme-receptors that perceive strigolactones and karrikins, respectively, and that require hydrolase activity to effect signal transduction.4,5,6,7 RsbQ, a homolog of D14 and KAI2 from the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, regulates growth responses to nutritional stress via the alternative transcription factor SigmaB (σB).8,9 However, the molecular function of RsbQ is unknown. Here, we show that RsbQ perceives butenolide compounds that are bioactive in plants. RsbQ is thermally destabilized by the synthetic strigolactone GR24 and its desmethyl butenolide equivalent dGR24. We show that, like D14 and KAI2, RsbQ is a functional butenolide hydrolase that undergoes covalent modification of the catalytic histidine residue. Exogenous application of both GR24 and dGR24 inhibited the endogenous signaling function of RsbQ in vivo, with dGR24 being 10-fold more potent. Application of dGR24 to B. subtilis phenocopied loss-of-function rsbQ mutations and led to a significant downregulation of σB-regulated transcripts. We also discovered that exogenous butenolides promoted the transition from planktonic to biofilm growth. Our results suggest that butenolides may serve as inter-kingdom signaling compounds between plants and bacteria to help shape rhizosphere communities.

O ambiente escolar como espaço potencial para adolescente: relato de experiência / The school environment as potential space for adolescents: report of experience / El ambiente escolar como espacio potencial para adolescentes: relato de experiencia

A adolescência é uma etapa singular do desenvolvimento na vida do indivíduo, situada entre a infância e a vida adulta, trazendo repercussões físicas, psíquicas e sociais. Este artigo tem como objetivo relatar as experiências das autoras na condução de oficinas realizadas com adolescentes em uma escola de uma comunidade litorânea de Maceió, Alagoas. A atividade foi fruto do Projeto de Extensão "Espaços Potenciais", do Instituto de Psicologia da Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Participaram da proposta alunos matriculados no 5º ano do ensino fundamental, com média de 11 anos de idade. Foram utilizados instrumentos lúdicos para trabalhar os seguintes temas: adolescência, gravidez na adolescência, abuso sexual e bullying. Os participantes demonstraram empenho nas atividades e expressaram seus sentidos com relação aos temas. A realização da proposta possibilitou o acesso a uma forma diferente e potencializadora de vivenciar o ambiente escolar, bem como aos temas que perpassam suas vivências cotidianas.

Adolescence is a singular stage of development in the life of the individual, situated between childhood and adult life, bringing physical, psychic and social repercussions. This article aims to report the experiences of the authors in conducting workshops held with adolescents in a school in a coastal community of Maceió, Alagoas. The activity was the result of the Extension Project "Potential Spaces", from the Institute of Psychology of the Federal University of Alagoas. The participants were students in the 5th year of elementary school, with an average of 11 years old. The play instruments were used to work the themes: adolescence, teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse and bullying. The participants demonstrated commitment to the activities and expressed their senses regarding the themes. The realization of the proposal allowed the access to a different and potentiating way of experiencing the school environment, as well as the themes that permeate their everyday experiences.

Adolescencia es una etapa singular del desarrollo en la vida del individuo, situada entre la infancia y la vida adulta, trayendo repercusiones físicas, psíquicas y sociales. Este artículo tiene como objetivo relatar las experiencias de las autoras en la conducción de talleres realizados junto los adolescentes en una escuela de comunidad costera de Maceió, Alagoas. Actividad fue fruto del Proyecto de Extensión "Espacios Potenciales", Instituto de Psicología de la Universidad Federal de Alagoas. Participaron de la propuesta alumnos en quinto año de enseñanza fundamental, con media de 11 años de edad. Utilizaron instrumentos lúdicos para trabajar los temas: adolescencia, embarazo en la adolescencia, abuso sexual y bullying. Los participantes demostraron empeño en las actividades y expresaron sus sentidos con respecto a los temas. La realización de la propuesta posibilitó el acceso a una forma diferente y potencializadora de vivenciar el ambiente escolar, así como los temas que atravesan sus vivencias cotidianas.

Development and validation of a logic model for comprehensive medication management services.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a theoretical logic model for comprehensive medication management (CMM) services. METHODS: The components of a logic model were constructed after a literature review and interviews with 4 CMM professionals. To validate the logic model, a panel of 17 CMM experts participated in three online Delphi method rounds to achieve consensus on the model. The consensus between the experts on each component of the logic model was evaluated using the Content Validity Index and Inter-rater Agreement in each of the rounds. KEY FINDINGS: A logic model for CMM services containing 51 items was constructed and validated. Both the items of each component of the model and the linkage between the main components were agreed upon among the experts. CONCLUSIONS: A logic model for CMM services was developed and validated. It is an innovative tool that, if used as a theoretical framework for the implementation of CMM, can ensure greater reproducibility of CMM services in different scenarios of practice and levels of care.

Violência doméstica ou violência intrafamiliar: análise dos termos / Violencia doméstica o violencia intrafamiliar: análisis de los términos / Domestic violence or family violence: analysis of terms

Resumo Os termos Violência Doméstica (VD) e Violência Intrafamiliar (VI) são identificados na literatura com significados ora semelhantes, ora distintos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar, analisar e compreender o uso dos termos VD e VI em artigos acadêmicos na área da psicologia. O método utilizado foi a revisão sistemática. Os termos VD e VI foram pesquisados nos artigos on-line da Revista Psicologia & Sociedade. Identificaram-se 46 artigos, sendo o uso do termo VD unânime quando se refere à violência de gênero e contra a mulher; já quando a violência se refere às crianças e adolescentes, observou-se uma maior diversidade no uso dos termos, e com relação à violência contra idosos, a prevalência foi do termo VI. Conclui-se sobre a importância de não reduzir o significado dos termos culminando em uma compreensão limitada ao âmbito microssocial, mas ampliando as reflexões acerca dos conceitos de forma a englobar também dimensões macrossociais.

Resumen Los términos Violencia Doméstica (VD) y Violencia Intrafamiliar (VI) son identificados en la literatura con significados similares y distintos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue identificar, analizar y comprender el uso de los términos VD y VI en artículos académicos en el área de la psicología. El método utilizado fue la revisión sistemática. Los términos VD y VI fueron investigados en todos los artículos en línea de la Revista Psicologia & Sociedade. Se identificó 46 artículos, siendo el uso del término VD unánime cuando se refiere la violencia de género y contra la mujer. Ya cuando la violencia se refiere a los niños y adolescentes, se observó una mayor diversidad en el uso de los términos y con relación a la relación violencia contra los ancianos, la prevalencia fue del término VI. La conclusión enfatiza la importancia de no reducirse el significado de los términos, culminando en una comprensión limitada en ámbito microsocial, sino ampliando las reflexiones sobre los conceptos de modo a englobar también dimensiones macrosociales.

Abstract The terms Domestic Violence (VD) and Family Violence (VI) are identified in the literature with both similar and distinct meanings. The aim of this work was to understand the use of the terms VD and VI in academic articles in the field of psychology. The method used was the systematic review. The terms VD and VI were searched in every online article of the Psicologia & Sociedade journal. We identified 46 papers, and it was noted that the use of the term VD was unanimous when referring to gender violence and violence against women, although when referring to violence against children and adolescents, a greater diversity in the use of terms was found, and in relation to violence against the elderly, the term VI was the most used. We concluded that it is important not to reduce the meaning of terms, which culminates in a deterministic and restricted understanding of the micro-social sphere, but rather to broaden the reflections on concepts in order to encompass macrosocial dimensions.

Enzyme-responsive cell-penetrating peptide conjugated mesoporous silica quantum dot nanocarriers for controlled release of nucleus-targeted drug molecules and real-time intracellular fluorescence imaging of tumor cells.

Here, a set of novel and personalized nanocarriers are presented for controlled nucleus-targeted antitumor drug delivery and real-time imaging of intracellular drug molecule trafficking by integrating an enzyme activatable cell penetrating peptide (CPP) with mesoporous silica coated quantum dots nanoparticles. Upon loading of antitumor drug, doxorubicin (DOX) and further exposure to proteases in tumor cell environment, the enzymatic cleavage of peptide sequence activates oligocationic TAT residues on the QDs@mSiO2 surface and direct the DOX delivery into cellular nucleus. The systematic cell imaging and cytotoxicity studies confirm that the enzyme responsive DOX-loaded CPP-QDs@mSiO2 nanoparticles can selectively release DOX in the tumor cells with high cathepsin B enzyme expression and greatly facilitate DOX accumulation in targeted nucleus, thus exhibiting enhanced antitumor activity in these cells. As contrast, there is limited nuclear-targeted drug accumulation and lower tumor cytotoxicity observed in the cells without enzyme expression. More importantly, significant antitumor DOX accumulation and higher tumor inactivation is also found in the drug resistant tumor cells with targeted enzyme expression. Such simple and specific enzyme responsive mesoporous silica-QDs nanoconjugates provide great promise for rational design of targeted drug delivery into biological system, and may thus greatly facilitate the medical theranostics in the near future.