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We report disseminated mycosis in a Belgian Malinois caused by Scytalidium philadelphianum. The dog presented for progressive hindlimb weakness after diagnosis of suspected bacterial discospondylitis. Magnetic resonance imaging combined with radiographs revealed multifocal discospondylitis, osteomyelitis, and spondylitis with epidural empyema. Scytalidium philadelphianum was identified on culture and DNA sequencing of urine and fine needle aspirates of affected disc spaces. Aggressive therapy including amphotericin B liposomal complex, micafungin, and azoles were initiated, but the dog was euthanized seven months later due to progressive neurologic disease. This is the first report of disseminated disease by Scytalidium philadelphianum in veterinary medicine.

Soil respiration (Rs) is an important carbon flux in terrestrial ecosystems, and knowledge about this CO2 release process and the drivers involved is a key topic in the context of global change. However, temporal and spatial variability has not been studied extensively in semi-arid systems such as olive groves. In this study, we show a full year of continuous measurements of Rs with six automatic chambers in a fertigated olive grove with bare soil in the Mediterranean accompanied by modeled ecosystem respiration (Reco) estimated by decomposing net ecosystem exchange (NEE) measured using the eddy covariance (EC) technique. To study spatial variability, the automatic chambers were distributed equally under the canopy (Rs Under-Tree) and in the center of the alley (Rs Alley), and the gradient of Rs between both locations was measured in several manual campaigns in addition to angular changes about the olive trees. The results indicate that Rs Under-Tree was 3 times higher than Rs Alley in the annual computations. Higher Rs was found on the southern face, and an exponential decay of Rs was observed until the alley's center was reached. These spatial changes were used to weigh and project Rs onto the ecosystem scale, whose annual balance was 1.6–2.3 times higher than the Reco estimated using EC-derived models. Rs Under-Tree represented 39 % of the Rs of the olive grove. We found values of Q10 in the vicinity of the olive tree in the warm period. Outbursts of CO2 emissions associated with precipitation events were detected, especially in the alley, during dry periods and after extended periods without rain, but they were not accurately detected by EC-derived respiration models. We point out an interaction between several effects that vary in time, that are different under the canopy than in the alleys, and that the accepted models for estimating Q10 and Reco do not consider. These results show high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in soil respiration and the factors involved, which must be considered in future works in semi-arid agroecosystems.

Atopy is considered the epidemic of the 21st century, and while decades of research have established a direct link between Th2 cells driving pathogenic IgE-mediated allergic disease, only in the past years have T follicular helper (Tfh) cells emerged as pivotal drivers of these responses. In this review, we will examine the molecular mechanisms governing the IgE response, with a particular emphasis on the key cytokines and signaling pathways. We will discuss the exclusion of IgE-producing B cells from germinal centers and explore the recently established role of follicular T cell function and heterogeneity in driving or curtailing these immune responses. Additionally, we will assess the current state of major monoclonal antibodies and allergen immunotherapies designed to counteract Th2-driven inflammation, as well as reflect on the need to investigate how these biologics impact Tfh cell activity, differentiation, and function, as these insights could pave the way for much-needed therapeutic innovation in the treatment of allergic diseases.

Abstract Background Depression is a common and debilitating psychiatric disorder worldwide. Recognizing the relationships between depression-related factors can play a significant role in depression management. However, no study has yet used path analysis to examine the mediating role of physical activity, morning wake-up time, and sleep-inducing medication in the relationship between age and depression. Methods This path analysis study utilized data from the baseline phase of the Ravansar non-communicable disease cohort study. This study was conducted on people aged 35 to 65 years using sociodemographic, clinical, and the PERSIAN cohort’s standard physical activity questionnaires. These analyses were done using SPSS (version 22) and MPLUS (version 8.3). Path analysis was applied to evaluate the direct, indirect, and total effects of age on depression. Results The results indicated that increasing age was associated with an increase in depression through a decrease in physical activity and an increase in sleep-inducing medication use. In addition, an increase in age was significantly related to a reduced incidence of depression via an earlier morning wake-up time. Discussion We found evidence for a mediational effect of age on depression, as the biopsychosocial model of mental illness implies. The findings of this study can add to the existing body of knowledge on depression management and help clarify the mechanisms of the effect of age on depression.

This paper presents new approximation formulas for the tangent polynomials and Apostol-tangent polynomials of complex order, specifically for large values of n. These polynomials are parameterized by a,b, and c. The derivation of these formulas is accomplished through contour integration techniques, where the contour is carefully selected to avoid branch cuts introduced by the presence of multiple singularities within the integration path. The analysis includes a detailed computation of the singularities associated with the generating functions used in this process, ensuring the accuracy and rigor of the derived formulas. Additionally, the paper provides corollary results that reinforce and affirm the newly established formulas, offering a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of these polynomials under specified conditions.

In this study, asymptotic formulas for complex order Tangent, Tangent-Bernoulli, and Tangent-Genocchi polynomials are obtained through the method of contour integration, strategically avoiding branch cuts in the process. By employing this technique, the paper elucidates the behavior of these polynomials in the complex plane. Additionally, the investigation expands upon the Taylor series expansion of these functions, revealing alternative asymptotic expansions. This dual approach not only enhances our understanding of the asymptotic properties of these polynomials but also offers alternative mathematical perspectives, enriching the existing body of knowledge in this field.

Inland saline lakes play a key role in the global carbon cycle, acting as dynamic zones for atmospheric carbon exchange and storage. Given the global decline of saline lakes and the expected increase of periods of drought in a climate change scenario, changes in their potential capacity to uptake or emit atmospheric carbon are expected. Here, we conducted continuous measurements of CO2 and CH4 fluxes at the ecosystem scale in an endorheic saline lake of the Mediterranean region over nearly 2 years. Our focus was on determining net CO2 and CH4 exchanges with the atmosphere under both dry and flooded conditions, using the eddy covariance (EC) method. We coupled greenhouse gas flux measurements with water storage and analysed meteorological variables like air temperature and radiation, known to influence carbon fluxes in lakes. This extensive data integration enabled the projection of the net carbon flux over time, accounting for both dry and wet conditions on an interannual scale. We found that the system acts as a substantial carbon sink by absorbing atmospheric CO2 under wet conditions. In years with prolonged water storage, it is predicted that the lake's CO2 assimilation capacity can surpass 0.7 kg C m2 annually. Conversely, during extended drought years, a reduction in CO2 uptake capacity of more than 80 % is expected. Regarding CH4, we measured uptake rates that exceeded those of well-aerated soils such as forest soils or grasslands, reaching values of 0.2 µmol m−2 s−1. Additionally, we observed that CH4 uptake during dry conditions was nearly double that of wet conditions. However, the absence of continuous data prevented us from correlating CH4 uptake processes with potential environmental predictors. Our study challenges the widespread notion that wetlands are universally greenhouse gas emitters, highlighting the significant role that endorheic saline lakes can play as a natural sink of atmospheric carbon. However, our work also underscores the vulnerability of these ecosystem services in the current climate change scenario, where drought episodes are expected to become more frequent and intense in the coming years.

Geospatial technologies present a significant opportunity to assess solar photovoltaic (PV) power potential through remote sensing techniques and geospatial analysis. This aligns with the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that the Philippine National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) aims to achieve. In support of the said SDG, a research project, called Project SINAG, has developed a method for estimating solar PV power resources utilizing high-temporal remotely-sensed data. The primary objectives of this study are twofold: first, to develop a webGIS platform for solar energy resource information access and decision support; second, to conduct information dissemination and capacitybuilding activities for various stakeholders in the solar energy sector. The localized assessment of solar PV power potential incorporates meteorological and geomorphological factors such as high temperature, dust deposition, and slope. Collaboration with academic institutions, government agencies, and the solar energy industry has been instrumental in providing capacity-building through training workshops, internships, and on-the-job training. Moreover, the project has produced information, education, and communication (IEC) materials, launched a webGIS portal, and supported data requests and student research. The webGIS platform serves as the primary information dissemination tool for the project, enabling rapid sharing of research outputs with end-users. To enhance the platform, future developments may include additional functionalities such as community forums, client feedback mechanisms, mobile application development, and the integration of real-time data for map layers and forecasting tools.

Se determinaron las modificaciones que se originan en las estructuras del acero al carbono AISI 1020 y el estructural ASTM A 615 Grado 60 por efecto del ciclo térmico de soldadura por arco eléctrico y electrodo revestido. La unión entre la plancha y la barra corrugada conformada se realizó a tope con preparación de bordes y unidas con electrodo E 7018. Para determinar el comportamiento microestructural en las zonas de la unión soldada, se cortaron seis muestras, de ellas, a tres se les aplicó un tratamiento térmico. Se determinó que, las estructuras iniciales son de ferrita y perlítica y luego del tratamiento hasta 850 oC enfriado en aceite, de austenita retenida y martensita, donde para la primera condición la dureza es de 265 HV y para la segunda, se incrementa hasta 290 HV.

Studies on city-building games as educational tools show positive results in addressing different learning objectives, but also identify a missing link to reality, as they are mostly computer-based. Given the differences between existing games and their capabilities, the exact function of these games in an urban planning curriculum is unclear. The city-building game Cities: Skylines currently has three different versions (Digital, Tabletop, VR). Through an affordance analysis of the game’s three versions, this study analyses how the versions afford four primary knowledge dimensions, and in doing so identifies different educational applications for each version of Cities: Skylines in different planning disciplines. The results show that: (a) the board game is strong in fostering player participation and critical thinking more suited for the social and health studies, public policy, and citizen participation domains of urban planning; (b) the digital version functions as moddable simulator, ensuring familiarity with existing systems and monitoring their effects, useful in logistics and transportation planning; (c) the VR form viscerally involves players in the simulated processes, applicable in design-focused segments of urban planning, such as sustainable design theory, housing, and land-use management. The results of this study can help urban planning educators identify possible uses for different versions of Cities: Skylines.

This study aimed to elucidate the transcriptomic signatures and dysregulated pathways associated with the autoimmune response in Cd38-/- mice compared to wild-type (WT) mice within the bm12 chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) lupus model. We conducted bulk RNA sequencing on peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) and spleen cells (SPC) at two and four weeks following adoptive cell transfer. We also analyzed cells from healthy, untreated mice. These analyses revealed a sustained upregulation of a transcriptional profile of purinergic receptors and ectonucleotidases in cGVHD WT PECs, which displayed a coordinated expression with several type I interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and with key molecules involved in the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) signaling pathway, two hallmarks in the lupus pathology. A second purinergic receptor transcriptomic profile, which included P2rx7 and P2rx4, showed a coordinated gene expression of the components of the NLRP3 inflammasome with its potential activators. These processes were transcriptionally less active in cGVHD Cd38-/- PECs than in WT PECs. We have also shown evidence of a distinct enrichment in pathways signatures that define processes such as Ca2+ ion homeostasis, cell division, phagosome, autophagy, senescence, cytokine/cytokine receptor interactions, Th17 and Th1/Th2 cell differentiation in Cd38-/- versus WT samples, which reflected the milder inflammatory and autoimmune response elicited in Cd38-/- mice relative to WT counterparts in response to the allogeneic challenge. Last, we have shown an intense metabolic reprogramming toward oxidative phosphorylation in PECs and SPC from cGVHD WT mice, which may reflect an increased cellular demand for oxygen consumption, in contrast to PECs and SPC from cGVHD Cd38-/- mice, which showed a short-lived metabolic effect at the transcriptomic level. Overall, these findings support the pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory role of CD38 during the development of the cGVHD-lupus disease.

La despoblación genera un mecanismo pernicioso que merma la capacidad de los espacios para captar a nuevos moradores o para generar flujos de retorno, condenando el futuro de las áreas que la sufren. El acceso a los equipamientos y los servicios básicos es un factor esencial para explicar estos procesos en las zonas interiores y montanas hacia otras más accesibles y con mayor disponibilidad de dichas prestaciones. El trabajo tiene como objetivo poner de manifiesto la asociación existente, si bien no exclusiva, entre el acceso a los servicios sanitarios y educativos, a distintas escalas y frecuencias de uso, con las ganancias y pérdidas poblacionales de los núcleos de población de Andalucía en las dos primeras décadas del siglo XXI. Para el cálculo de la accesibilidad se utiliza el módulo de análisis de redes de ArcGis (Network Analyst) y para la población el Nomenclátor. Los resultados obtenidos parecen mostrar que, a pesar de que la mayor parte de los andaluces tienen un buen acceso a los servicios, existe una clara relación entre su lejanía y el abandono de determinados entornos. Además, se constata la existencia de diferentes horquillas de distancia-tiempo en las que la transición de ganancia/pérdida de población se produce según su uso. En el caso de servicios de uso no diario, esta se sitúa entre los 22’ 30’’ y los 30’.

Este artículo aborda las antinomias que se producen en Chile entre la Ley N° 19.496, que protege los derechos de los consumidores (LPDC), y diversas leyes especiales del ámbito financiero. Estos conflictos normativos generan incertidumbre a los consumidores y a la industria financiera. La investigación identifica tres casos de conflicto normativo en créditos al consumidor, seguros asociados a créditos y la competencia para conocer de ciertos conflictos relativos a seguros, mostrando que los métodos tradicionales de resolución de antinomias son insuficientes para resolverlos. Este escenario abre la propuesta a la utilización del método del “diálogo de fuentes” como alternativa para la resolución de antinomias. Este enfoque fomenta una interpretación armónica de las normas, procurando que las normas protectoras de los derechos de los consumidores no dejen de ser aplicadas, aunque estén en distintos cuerpos normativos. El diálogo de fuentes, ampliamente desarrollado en Brasil y Argentina, tiene sustento normativo en el principio proconsumidor recientemente consagrado en Chile, y permite dar prevalencia a las normas que mejor salvaguardan los intereses del consumidor en situaciones de conflicto normativo. Este método ofrece una solución viable para integrar de manera coherente la normativa financiera con la LPDC, evitando que la fragmentación del sistema jurídico menoscabe la protección de los derechos de los consumidores.

En una sociedad de constantes cambios tecnológicos, la competencia digital representa un factor de gran relevancia para la formación de los docentes, puesto que permite responder a las necesidades actuales de los estudiantes y lograr aprendizajes significativos. Por ello, el currículo educativo de Formación Inicial Docente (fid) debe favorecer al logro de dicha competencia. Desde esta perspectiva, este estudio se centra en analizar la competencia digital propuesta en el currículo educativo de la fid en Paraguay. Para llevar a cabo este análisis, se utilizó el enfoque cualitativo de tipo no experimental transversal con un alcance descriptivo, mediante el análisis de contenido de los programas de las asignaturas Tecnología de la Información y la Comunicación (tic) de diez carreras del profesorado y entrevista a doce participantes. Los resultados obtenidos revelan una escasa presencia de competencias digitales, concretamente en la evaluación de contenido digital, la resolución de problemas técnicos, la creación de curso de aprendizaje en línea y los aspectos legales sobre los derechos del autor dentro de los programas educativos. Se concluye que es necesario incluir en el diseño curricular más áreas de formación y horas cátedra referidas a la competencia digital.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. The main screening tool remains the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which shows significant limitations, including poor sensitivity/specificity. Therefore, establishing accurate non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers remains an unmet clinical need in PCa. In this context, the splicing process dysregulation represents a PCa hallmark. Here, plasma SRRM1, SNRNP200, and SRSF3 levels, previously identified to play a pathophysiological role in PCa, were determined in control individuals (n = 40) and PCa patients (n = 166). We found that plasma SRRM1 and SNRNP200 levels were elevated in PCa patients and discriminated between control individuals and PCa patients. High plasma SRRM1 levels were associated with a shorter castration-resistant PCa-free survival and correlated with androgen-receptor (AR)/AR-splicing variant 7 (AR-V7) expression levels and activity in PCa tissues. Therefore, the functional and molecular effects of in vivo SRRM1 silencing were then tested in 22Rv1-derived xenograft tumors. In vivo SRRM1 silencing reduced aggressiveness features and altered AR/AR-V7 activity. Our data reveal that SRRM1 holds potential as a non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and novel therapeutic target in PCa, offering a clinically relevant opportunity worth exploring in humans.

ObjectiveIdiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) precipitates epiphyseal fusion of growth plates in long bones, leading to reduced adult stature. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) are the treatment of choice for idiopathic CPP, but their benefit on height gain is unclear. We aimed to elucidate the effects of GnRHa treatment on adult height in girls with idiopathic CPP.DesignThis prospective observational descriptive study analyzed data of girls with idiopathic CPP diagnosed at 55 centers in Spain between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2012 included in the Spanish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology’s national registry.MethodsWe included girls with idiopathic CPP (thelarche < 8 years, positive LHRH stimulation test, bone age > 1 year older than chronological age, and normal brain imaging) treated with triptorelin (3.75 mg monthly, adjusted according to LHRH test results and clinical findings). We assessed weight, height, BMI, and secondary sexual characteristics every 6 months and bone age every 12 months until adult height (AH) was attained. The primary outcome was the difference between AH and target height (TH).ResultsA total of 465 girls (18.90% adopted) were included; we analyzed data recorded at treatment end in 358 girls and at AH in 216. Mean difference between AH and TH was -1.5 (95%CI: -2.56− -0.45) cm and between AH and PAH 2,57 (95%CI:-3.56− -1.58) cm.ConclusionsGnRHa treatment helps preserve genetic growth potential in girls with idiopathic CPP.

This action research aims at exploring the contribution of self-assessment checklists on improving oral presentations of two participants that were taking an initial-level English as a second language course at a technician professional institute in Talcahuano, Chile. The intervention was carried out in four weekly sessions in which the participants were trained on the different criteria to assess their oral presentations. The participants self-assessed their work with a checklist and performed a second presentation based on their first self-assessment. Analytic rubrics were also used as an external assessment to compare results from the checklists. At the end of the intervention, a semi-structured interview was conducted to obtain the participants' perceptions about the process. Findings reveal that by developing autonomy, language awareness, and self-reflective skills, the use of the self-assessment checklist supported the participants not only to improve their oral presentation in overall aspects, mainly in fluency and pronunciation aspects, but also to make positive changes in their confidence and expectations about their performance.