The DNA binding protein WhiA is conserved in Gram-positive bacteria and is present in the genetically simple cell wall-lacking mycoplasmas. The protein shows homology to eukaryotic homing endonucleases but lacks nuclease activity. WhiA was first characterized in streptomycetes, where it regulates the expression of key differentiation genes, including the cell division gene ftsZ, which is essential for sporulation. For Bacillus subtilis, it was shown that WhiA is essential when certain cell division genes are deleted. However, in B. subtilis, WhiA is not required for sporulation, and it does not seem to function as a transcription factor, despite its DNA binding activity. The exact function of B. subtilis WhiA remains elusive. We noticed that whiA mutants show an increased space between their nucleoids, and here, we describe the results of fluorescence microscopy, genetic, and transcriptional experiments to further investigate this phenomenon. It appeared that the deletion of whiA is synthetic lethal when either the DNA replication and segregation regulator ParB or the DNA replication inhibitor YabA is absent. However, WhiA does not seem to affect replication initiation. We found that a whiA mutant is highly sensitive for DNA-damaging agents. Further tests revealed that the deletion of parAB induces the SOS response, including the cell division inhibitor YneA. When yneA was inactivated, the viability of the synthetic lethal whiA parAB mutant was restored. However, the nucleoid segregation phenotype remained. These findings underline the importance of WhiA for cell division and indicate that the protein also plays a role in DNA segregation.

Colombia is one of the world’s most important producers of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), whose coffee-growing zone coincides with a biogeographic hotspot of biodiversity. Given that coffee agroecosystems are grown by both organic and conventional schemes of management in Santander, a region which produces coffees with specialist distinctive flavours, this study aims to better understand the factors that influence the adoption of these different schemes of management. A combination of ethnographic techniques and quantitative methods were used to examine the predominant drivers of adoption and revealed farmer perceptions associated with coffee farming, and the complexity of interacting factors, that surround their decision making. The results of qualitative analysis suggests that social identity of coffee growers, the existence of farming spaces (lived, perceived, rationalized), the influence of coffee institutions, attitudes about management practices, and social relations of production, all play an important role in the process of decision making. In quantitative terms, we identified 18 socioeconomic drivers, some with interacting effects that had significant influence on the decision to adopt either organic or conventional practices. In particular, at local scale, important factors were technology availability, the type of landowner, formal education of farmers, the role of institutions, membership of community organizations, farm size, coffee productivity and the number of coffee plots per farm. Likewise, economic drivers, such as crop profitability, determined how farmers are involved in trade and market networks at broad regional, national, and international spatial scales. Identifying influential behavioural drivers provides policy with opportunities to better support farmer livelihoods.

Introduction and objectives: Subclinical systolic dysfunction is one of the proposed mechanisms for increased cardiovascular risk associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). This study investigated the association between MS and impaired left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and the role of each MS criteria in this association. Methods: We analyzed a random sample of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) after excluding participants with prevalent heart disease. Results: Among the 1055 participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria (53% women; 52 ± 9 years), 444 (42%) had MS. Those with MS had worse GLS (–18.0% ± 2.5%) than those without (–19.0% ± 2.4%; P < .0001). In multiple linear regression models, MS was associated with worse GLS after adjustment for various risk factors (GLS difference = 0.86%; P < .0001), even after inclusion of body mass index. Adjusted PR for impaired GLS as assessed by 3 cutoffs (1, 1.5, and 2 standard deviations) were higher among participants with than without MS: GLS –16.1% (PR, 1.76; 95%CI, 1.30-2.39); GLS –14.8% (PR, 2.35; 95%CI, 1.45-3.81); and GLS –13.5% (PR, 2.07; 95%CI, 0.97-4.41). After inclusion of body mass index in the models, these associations were attenuated, suggesting that they may, at least in part, be mediated by obesity. In quantile regression analyses, elevated waist circumference was the only MS component found to be independently associated with GLS across the whole range of values. Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome is independently associated with impaired GLS. Among the MS criteria, central obesity best depicted the link between metabolic derangement and cardiac function. Introducción y objetivos: La disfunción sistólica subclínica es uno de los mecanismos propuestos para el aumento del riesgo cardiovascular asociado con el síndrome metabólico (SM). Este estudio investigó la asociación entre SM y deterioro del strain longitudinal global (SLG) del ventrículo izquierdo y el papel de cada criterio de SM en esta asociación. Métodos: Se analizó una muestra aleatoria del Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) después de excluir a aquellos con cardiopatía prevalente. Resultados: De los 1.055 participantes que cumplían los criterios de inclusión (el 53% mujeres; edad, 52 ± 9 años), 444 (42%) reunían criterios de SM. Aquellos con SM presentaron un SLG más reducido (–18,0 ± 2,5%) que aquellos sin SM (–19,0 ± 2,4%; p < 0,0001). En los modelos de regresión lineal múltiple, el SM se asoció con SLG más reducido después de ajustar por varios factores de riesgo (diferencia de SLG, 0,86%; p < 0,0001), incluso después de incluir el índice de masa corporal. Las TP ajustadas para los participantes con SLG reducido evaluados con 3 puntos de corte (1, 1,5 y 2 desviaciones estándar) fueron más altas entre aquellos con SM que sin este: SLG –16,1% (TP = 1,76; IC95%, 1,30-2,39); SLG –14,8% (TP = 2,35; IC95%, 1,45-3,81), y SLG –13,5% (TP = 2,07; IC95%, 0,97-4,41). Después de incluir el índice de masa corporal en los modelos, estas asociaciones se atenuaron; lo que indica que la obesidad puede mediar, al menos en parte, estas asociaciones. En los análisis de regresión cuantílica, la circunferencia de cintura aumentada fue el único componente del SM que se halló independientemente asociado con el SLG a lo largo de todo el rango de valores. Conclusiones: El SM se asocia de manera independiente con alteración del SLG. Entre los criterios de SM, la obesidad central describe mejor la relación entre el trastorno metabólico y la función cardiaca.

This paper presents the conclusions of an empirical study aimed at (1) identifying educational practices in the academic design studio intended to promote empathy in industrial design students, and (2) identifying a broad range of expressions of student empathy for users and stakeholders. The study was motivated by the importance that current human-centered design approaches give to empathy as an ability required to understand and connect with users and by the little empirical research that examines empathy development in design education. Methodologically, a mixed methods strategy was used to collect and analyze data from faculty and students in three undergraduate and graduate courses in industrial design offered by a major land-grant public research university in the southeastern United States. The findings of the study consisted of identifying strategies used by faculty to promote empathy in the design studio and categories of students’ expressions of empathy. These findings informed the conclusions herein presented as recommendations for educators to promote student empathy in their design courses.

Liberation theology developed as a theology that focuses on the situation of injustice lived by the poor. The 70’s and the early 80’s were the peak of liberation theology with the main production of its authors. However, the enthusiasm for this theology and its academic production began to decrease in the middle of the 80’s. By exploring some theoretical elements of the first generation of liberation theology, we attempt to show that there is a crisis in the former liberation theology, and also that the modern utopian reason is at the core of the origin of this crisis. Finally, this article critically analyzes the naive utopian belief in the emergence of ideal worlds in history and its influence on the vision of praxis in liberation theology—and also on modern social thought. La teología de la liberación se desarrolló como una teología que se centra en la situación de injusticia padecida por los pobres. Los años setenta y ochenta fueron el punto culminante de la teología de la liberación con la producción principal de sus autores. Sin embargo, el entusiasmo por esta teología y también su producción académica comenzó a decrecer a mediados de los años ochenta. Al explorar algunos elementos teóricos de la primera generación de la teología de la liberación, intentamos demostrar que hay una crisis en la primera teología de la liberación, y también que la razón utópica moderna está en el corazón del origen de esta crisis. Finalmente, este artículo analiza críticamente la ingenua creencia utópica en el surgimiento de mundos ideales dentro de la historia y su influencia sobre la visión de praxis en la teología de la liberación, así como sobre los pensamientos sociales modernos.

The stomach is a segment of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract which receives food from the esophagus, mixes it, breaks it down, and then passes it on to the small intestine in smaller portions. In the stomach, the main secretory functions and digestion process begin. However, the most critical and important function of the stomach in digestive physiology is perhaps gastric motility. In this way, the functions of the stomach are mainly three: (i) the storage of large quantities of food to be further processed in the duodenum, and lower intestinal tract, (ii) the mixing of this food with gastric secretions to form a semi-fluid mixture, and (iii) to slow down the emptying of that semi-fluid mixture into the small intestine at a rate suitable for proper digestion and absorption. Regarding the motor activity, the stomach must consume glucose to generate the power necessary to carry out the digestion process. Although glucose consumption in the stomach is relatively low, it can affect the glucose concentration in the bloodstream. In order to know the variations in the glucose levels in the bloodstream during the stomach digestion, a Phenomenological Based Semi-physical Model (PBSM) of the role of the stomach in the glucose homeostasis is developed. The simulation of the stomach model is able to mimic physiological results without risking the life of the patient, in order to test the impact of diverse medicines and foods on glucose homeostasis. The model may then be integrated to existing models of glucose homeostasis to improve the simulation scenario with respect to the glucose appearance from a mixed meal. Our model allows the change of the macronutrient composition and rheological properties of the meal as well as the digestion particularities of every subject. In this way, the integrated model will be fitted to real patient physiology providing a better model to use in, for example, automated insulin delivery systems like the artificial pancreas (AP). El estómago es un segmento del tracto gastrointestinal (GI) que recibe alimentos del esófago, los mezcla, los descompone y luego los transmite al intestino delgado en porciones más pequeñas. En el estómago, comienzan las principales funciones secretoras y el proceso de digestión. Sin embargo, la función más crítica e importante del estómago en la fisiología digestiva es quizás la motilidad gástrica. De esta manera, las funciones del estómago son principalmente tres: (i) el almacenamiento de grandes cantidades de alimentos para su posterior procesamiento en el duodeno y el tracto intestinal inferior, (ii) la mezcla de estos alimentos con las secreciones gástricas para formar una mezcla semifluida y (iii) para reducir la velocidad de vaciado de esa mezcla semilíquida en el intestino delgado a una velocidad adecuada para una digestión y absorción adecuadas. Respecto a la actividad motora, el estómago debe consumir glucosa para generar la energía necesaria para llevar a cabo el proceso de digestión. Aunque el consumo de glucosa en el estómago es relativamente bajo, puede afectar la concentración de glucosa en el torrente sanguíneo. Para conocer las variaciones en los niveles de glucosa en el torrente sanguíneo durante la digestión del estómago, se desarrolla un Modelo semifísico de base fenomenológica (PBSM) del papel del estómago en la homeostasis de la glucosa. La simulación del modelo del estómago es capaz de imitar los resultados fisiológicos sin arriesgar la vida del paciente, para probar el impacto de diversos medicamentos y alimentos en la homeostasis de la glucosa. El modelo puede luego integrarse a los modelos existentes de homeostasis de la glucosa para mejorar el escenario de simulación con respecto al aspecto de la glucosa de una comida mixta. Nuestro modelo permite el cambio de la composición de macronutrientes y las propiedades reológicas de la comida, así como las particularidades de la digestión de cada sujeto. De esta manera, el modelo integrado se ajustará a la fisiología del paciente real y proporcionará un mejor modelo para usar, por ejemplo, en sistemas de administración de insulina automatizados como el páncreas artificial (AP).