Search Results (21)

Digitalised relationships expand political participation and promote the inclusion of various social segments, especially young people, who stand out for their digital literacy. Youth digital activism ranges from participation in traditional social movements to influencer actions that combine marketing, advocacy, and identity expressions. This article analyses the repertoire of connective engagement adopted by young social media influencer-activists in Brazil and Portugal. Based on four cases and 87 posts on Instagram, we examined the connective forms that were anchored in affectivity, embodiment, self-image and other discursive and aesthetic strategies that promote engagement. Activists employing diverse languages adapted to algorithmic impositions debate “uncomfortable”, silenced or disruptive topics in an attractive and humorous way. In discursive-affective marks, they generate engagement in a sphere of everyday political sensibilities—infrapolitics. Such actions call for decentred boundaries of conventional political action in order to see the potential of young influencers’ digital activism actions. Full article

Bisphenols (BPs) are ubiquitous environmental endocrine disruptors that cause various human health hazards and pollute water, soil, and the atmosphere to varying degrees. Although various studies have investigated the pollution characteristics and health hazards of BPs in different media, a systematic review of BPs in the broader environmental context is still lacking. This study highlights the pollution characteristics, detection methods, and risk assessment status of BPs by combining relevant studies from both domestic and international sources, and their environmental distribution characteristics are summarized. The results show that BP pollution is a widespread and complex global phenomenon. Bisphenol A (BPA) remains the predominant component of BPs, which can damage the nervous and reproductive systems. At present, high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry are the main detection methods used for BPs. BPs can also damage the reproductive system, leading to germ cell apoptosis and ovarian damage. Future research should focus on expanding the BP testing repertoire, advancing rapid detection techniques, elucidating toxic mechanisms, conducting comprehensive safety assessments, and developing systematic health risk assessment methods. These efforts will provide a scientific foundation for preventing and controlling emerging pollutants. Full article

The basidiomycete Crucibulum laeve strain LE-BIN1700 (Agaricales, Nidulariaceae) is able to grow on agar media supplemented with individual components of lignocellulose such as lignin, cellulose, xylan, xyloglucan, arabinoxylan, starch and pectin, and also to effectively destroy and digest birch, alder and pine sawdust. C. laeve produces a unique repertoire of proteins for the saccharification of the plant biomass, including predominantly oxidative enzymes such as laccases (family AA1_1 CAZymes), GMC oxidoreductases (family AA3_2 CAZymes), FAD-oligosaccharide oxidase (family AA7 CAZymes) and lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (family LPMO X325), as well as accompanying acetyl esterases and loosenine-like expansins. Metabolomic analysis revealed that, specifically, monosaccharides and carboxylic acids were the key low molecular metabolites in the C. laeve culture liquids in the experimental conditions. The proportion of monosaccharides and polyols in the total pool of identified compounds increased on the sawdust-containing media. Multiple copies of the family AA1_1, AA3_2, AA7 and LPMOs CAZyme genes, as well as eight genes encoding proteins of the YvrE superfamily (COG3386), which includes sugar lactone lactonases, were predicted in the C. laeve genome. According to metabolic pathway analysis, the litter saprotroph C. laeve can catabolize D-gluconic and D-galacturonic acids, and possibly other aldonic acids, which seems to confer certain ecological advantages. Full article

Russula griseocarnosa, an edible and medicinal mushroom abundant in nutrients and notable bioactivities, is predominantly grown in the broad-leaved forest with trees of the family Fagaceae in southern China. This species forms ectomycorrhizal associations with plant roots and cannot be artificially cultivated currently. Previous research indicates a strong correlation between the growth of R. griseocarnosa and factors such as the host plant, climate variables (specifically mean temperature and precipitation from June to October), and the rhizosphere microbiota of its habitat. However, comprehensive studies on the fundamental biology of this species are lacking. The interaction between R. griseocarnosa and its host plant, as well as the mechanisms underlying the microbial community dynamics within its habitat, remain ambiguous. The limited repertoire and diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) in R. griseocarnosa relative to saprophytic fungi may contribute to its recalcitrance to cultivation on synthetic media. The specific core enzyme and the substances provided by the host plant to facilitate growth are yet to be elucidated, posing a significant challenge in the artificial cultivation of R. griseocarnosa. The habitat of R. griseocarnosa harbours unique microbial communities, indicating the presence of potentially beneficial microorganisms that could be exploited for artificial propagation and conservation efforts. However, the lack of definitive functional verification experiments hinders the realization of this promising prospect. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the nutritional profile and health benefits of R. griseocarnosa, emphasizing recent developments in its isolation, molecular ecology, and artificial cultivation. Additionally, it explores prospective advancements in R. griseocarnosa research, aiming to enrich our foundational understanding for applied purposes and fostering progress in the realm of ectomycorrhizal edible mushrooms. Full article

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are zoonotic enteric pathogens linked to human gastroenteritis worldwide. To aid the development of pathogen control efforts, the present study characterized the genotypic diversity and pathogenic potential of STEC recovered from sources near agricultural fields in Northwest Mexico. Samples were collected from irrigation river water and domestic animal feces in farms proximal to agricultural fields and were subjected to enrichment followed by immunomagnetic separation and plating on selective media for the recovery of the STEC isolates. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that the recovered STEC with the clinically relevant serotypes O157:H7, O8:H19, and O113:H21 had virulence genes repertoires associated with host cell adherence, iron uptake and effector protein secretion. Subsequent phenotypic characterization revealed multidrug resistance against aminoglycoside, carbapenem, cephalosporin, fluoroquinolone, penicillin, phenicol, and tetracycline, highlighting the need for improved surveillance on the use of antimicrobials. The present study indicated for the first time that river water in the agricultural Culiacan Valley in Mexico is a relevant key route of transmission for STEC O157 and non-O157 with a virulence potential. In addition, feces from domestic farm animals near surface waterways can act as potential point sources of contamination and transport of diverse STEC with clinically relevant genotypes. Full article

Despite the considerable attention given to how mainstream media portrays feminism and social movements, there remains a notable research gap regarding the exploration of how these movements themselves engage in internal articulation and employ communication strategies to connect with their publics. To examine communications practices of cyberfeminists within the fourth wave of feminism and the 8M movement (feminist strike), this study analyzes the communication platforms utilized by Rede 8 de Março, which mobilizes the strike in Portugal in three dimensions: (1) institutional and internal communication; (2) content production for online dissemination on digital platforms; and (3) mobilization strategies and action repertoires. Specifically, we focus on the years 2020 and 2021, considering the pandemic context, using a combination of netnography and semi-structured interviews with organizing activists. Our findings indicate a significant rise in Instagram’s platform utilization and exploration, concomitant with the establishment of WhatsApp as a central tool for both organizational and internal communication. These observations enhance our scholarly grasp of the intricate communication dynamics inherent in these organizational contexts and feminist movements, thereby offering significant contributions to our understanding of its operational mechanisms. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic complicates ingrained educational inequalities around the globe and foregrounds the pertaining challenges that teachers have encountered due to school closures and the shift to distance learning. This cross-border teacher education project intended to examine how academics and pre-service teachers in different geographic locales could collaboratively explore equitable learning opportunities for diverse learners through the use of critical media literacies to respond to interconnected global crises. In this six-week cross-border teacher education project, we recruited four Mandarin and English literacy teacher candidates in Hong Kong to interact with one another and one Canadian professor as part of the teacher preparation phase of a larger-scale cross-border research project that connects youth from Hong Kong and Canada in a social networking space. For the purposes of teacher professional development, the Hong Kong teacher candidates and Canadian researchers engaged in collective exploration of how instructional designs in literacy education could promote equitable learning opportunities for diverse learners. Findings show that the cross-border teacher education project supported teacher candidates’ development of pedagogical skills and espoused their agency in promoting educational equity and collective problem-solving through critical media literacies. Findings relate the teacher candidates’ shifted perspectives from focusing on students’ decontextualized language skills to nurturing critical media skills. Changing from a deficit-oriented view about what literacy learners could not do, the teacher candidates also adopted an asset-oriented view about the linguistic and cultural repertoires that diverse learners could bring to literacy classrooms. Full article

It is important to understand whether endothelial cells are epigenetically affected by titanium-enriched media when angiogenesis is required during bone development and it is expected to be recapitulated during osseointegration of biomaterials. To better address this issue, titanium-enriched medium was obtained from incubation of titanium discs for up to 24 h as recommended by ISO 10993-5:2016, and further used to expose human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) for up to 72 h, when the samples were properly harvested to allow molecular analysis and epigenetics. In general, our data show an important repertoire of epigenetic players in endothelial cells responding to titanium, reinforcing protein related to the metabolism of acetyl and methyl groups, as follows: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (Sirt1), DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and ten-eleven translocation (TET) methylcytosine dioxygenases, which in conjunction culminate in driving chromatin condensation and the methylation profile of DNA strands, respectively. Taking our data into consideration, HDAC6 emerges as important player of this environment-induced epigenetic mechanism in endothelial cells, while Sirt1 is required in response to stimulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as its modulation is relevant to vasculature surrounding implanted devices. Collectively, all these findings support the hypothesis that titanium keeps the surrounding microenvironment dynamically active and so affects the performance of endothelial cells by modulating epigenetics. Specifically, this study shows the relevance of HDAC6 as a player in this process, possibly correlated with the cytoskeleton rearrangement of those cells. Furthermore, as those enzymes are druggable, it opens new perspectives to consider the use of small molecules to modulate their activities as a biotechnological tool in order to improve angiogenesis and accelerate bone growth with benefits of a fast recovery time for patients. Full article

The critique of religion is hotly debated in contemporary media, legal and educational discourses. This review takes almost 50 years (1976–2022) of Norwegian research on the critique of religion in religious education as a point of departure to highlight how the discourse on the critique of religion is negotiated and represented. The review showcases the intimate connection between historical contexts and discursive repertoires through historical and critical discourse analysis. The analysis showcases that the discourse on the critique of religion is dynamic and diverse—starting mainly to appear through theological discourses referencing internal and hermeneutical critique before developing into more diverse discourses emanating from multiple actors and genres centered around critical thinking, source-evaluation, intercultural competence, and negative criticism of religion. Full article

Digital media are part of everyday life and have an intergenerational appeal, entering older people’s agendas, practices, and habits. Many people aged over 60 years lack adequate digital competences and media literacies to support learning, well-being, and participation in society, thus imposing a need to discuss older people’s willingness, opportunities, and abilities to use digital media. This study explored older people’s media use and repertoires, digital competences, and media literacies to promote media literacy education across all ages. The article discusses the data from 24 interviews with older people aged 65 to 98 years in Italy to answer the following research questions: What kinds of media repertoires emerge? What kinds of competences and media literacies can be described? What kinds of support and training do older people get and wish to receive? The analysis of the data produced four specific profiles concerning media repertoires: analogic, accidental, digital-instrumental, and hybridised users. Media literacy is still a critical framework, but the interviewees were open to opportunities to improve their competences. The use of digital media has received a strong boost due to the pandemic, as digital media have been the only way to get in touch with others and carry out their daily routine. Full article

It often remains unclear how young citizens are combining various forms of political participation, as well as why they choose some over others, especially within a single-issue movement. Moreover, little is known about how social networking sites (SNS) fit into the political repertoires of citizens. Therefore, this study explores youths’ political participation patterns in the context of the 2019 youth-led climate strikes. We rely on data from a paper and pencil survey among 498 high school students in Belgium. To identify different types of activists, the study used latent class analysis (LCA). In addition, a multinomial logistic regression was conducted to assess how identified participation types differ from each other. Four different participation repertoires regarding the climate issue were identified, each distinctive in the way they rely on different forms of political participation. In addition, membership to each of the different classes is associated with a unique set of characteristics (in terms of political efficacies, climate issue involvement, and online expression motives). The article shows how SNS make up a crucial part of youths’ issue-specific participation patterns and sheds light on the mechanisms underlying their participation choices within the climate movement. Full article

The study investigated carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CPKP) isolates of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) in a public hospital in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Ninety-seven rectal swabs, collected from all consenting adult patients (n = 31) on days 1, 3, and 7 and then weekly, were screened for carbapenemase-production using Chrome-ID selective media. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined for the fourteen positive CPKP isolates obtained using the VITEK 2 automated system. All isolates (100%) were resistant to ertapenem and meropenem, and 71.4% (n = 10) were resistant to imipenem. All CPKP isolates were subjected to ERIC/PCR, and a sub-sample of isolates was selected for WGS based on their antibiograms and clonality. All sequenced isolates harbored the bla_OXA-181 carbapenemase (100%) and co-carried other β-lactamase genes such as bla_OXA-1, bla_CTX-M-15, bla_TEM-1B, and bla_SHV-1. IncF, IncX3, and Col plasmid replicons groups and class I integrons (ln191 and ln27) were detected. All isolates belonged to the same sequence type ST307 and capsular serotypes (K102, O2v2). All the isolates carried the same virulence repertoire, reflecting the epidemiological relationship between isolates. bla_OXA-181 was located on a multi-replicon plasmid similar to that of E. coli p010_B-OXA181, and isolates were aligned with several South African and international clades, demonstrating horizontal and vertical transboundary distribution. The findings suggest that bla_OXA-181 producing K. pneumoniae is endemic in this ICU, colonizing the patients. CRE screening and enhanced infection prevention and control measures are urgently required. Full article

Despite several studies showing discrepancies between audience expectations of journalism and journalists’ professional norms, what remains largely unknown is the audience view on the adherence of journalism to these seemingly essential professional norms. Recent research mainly focused on analysing audience expectations within the context of specific cases. Moreover, these studies rarely take into consideration characteristics that might shape people’s views on journalism such as political ideology. This article seeks to complement these studies by exploring the impact that a user’s news consumption might have on their expectations of journalism. Utilizing data from an online survey among a representative sample of the Flemish audience, we analyse views on adherence to the main professional norms by the Flemish media, and subsequently relate these to news consumption. To grasp the cross- and multi-medial news consumer, we use a news repertoire approach. Flemish news repertoires differ significantly in views on several professional journalistic norms. By linking these distinct news repertoires to their views on professional norms of journalism, we first question how essential these professional norms put forward by journalists really are. Secondly, we discuss if expectations of journalism result in divergent news consumption strategies or vice versa, laying the groundwork for further exploring audience views on professional journalistic norms. Full article

Bats are depicted in various types of media in Central and South America. The Moche of northern Peru portrayed bats in many figurative ceramic vessels in association with themes of sacrifice, elite status and agricultural fertility. Osseous remains of bats in Moche ceremonial and domestic contexts are rare yet their various representations in visual media highlight Moche fascination with their corporeal form, behaviour and symbolic meaning. By exploring bat imagery in Moche iconography, I argue that the bat formed an important part of Moche categorical schemes of the non-human world. The bat symbolized death and renewal not only for the human body but also for agriculture, society and the cosmos. I contrast folk taxonomies and symbolic classification to interpret the relational role of various species of chiropterans to argue that the nocturnal behaviour of the bat and its symbolic association with the moon and the darkness of the underworld was not a negative sphere to be feared or rejected. Instead, like the representative priestesses of the Late Moche period, bats formed part of a visual repertoire to depict the cycles of destruction and renewal that permitted the cosmological continuation of life within North Coast Moche society. Full article

Biological organisms are constantly exposed to an immense repertoire of molecules that cover environmental or food-derived molecules and drugs, triggering a continuous flow of stimuli-dependent adaptations. The diversity of these chemicals as well as their concentrations contribute to the multiplicity of induced effects, including activation, stimulation, or inhibition of physiological processes and toxicity. Metabolism, as the foremost phenotype and manifestation of life, has proven to be immensely sensitive and highly adaptive to chemical stimuli. Therefore, studying the effect of endo- or xenobiotics over cellular metabolism delivers valuable knowledge to apprehend potential cellular activity of individual molecules and evaluate their acute or chronic benefits and toxicity. The development of modern metabolomics technologies such as mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy now offers unprecedented solutions for the rapid and efficient determination of metabolic profiles of cells and more complex biological systems. Combined with the availability of well-established cell culture techniques, these analytical methods appear perfectly suited to determine the biological activity and estimate the positive and negative effects of chemicals in a variety of cell types and models, even at hardly detectable concentrations. Metabolic phenotypes can be estimated from studying intracellular metabolites at homeostasis in vivo, while in vitro cell cultures provide additional access to metabolites exchanged with growth media. This article discusses analytical solutions available for metabolic phenotyping of cell culture metabolism as well as the general metabolomics workflow suitable for testing the biological activity of molecular compounds. We emphasize how metabolic profiling of cell supernatants and intracellular extracts can deliver valuable and complementary insights for evaluating the effects of xenobiotics on cellular metabolism. We note that the concepts and methods discussed primarily for xenobiotics exposure are widely applicable to drug testing in general, including endobiotics that cover active metabolites, nutrients, peptides and proteins, cytokines, hormones, vitamins, etc. Full article