Time Consistent Pareto Solutions in Common Access Resource Games with Asymmetric Players

In the analysis of equilibrium policies in a dierential game, if agents have different time preference rates, the cooperative (Pareto optimum) solution obtained by applying the Pontryagin's Maximum Principle becomes time inconsistent. In this work we derive a set of dynamic programming equations (in discrete and continuous time) whose solutions are time consistent equilibrium rules for N-player cooperative dierential games in which agents dier in their instantaneous utility functions and also in their discount rates of time preference. The results are applied to the study of a cake-eating problem describing the management of a common property exhaustible natural resource. The extension of the results to a simple common property renewable natural resource model in innite horizon is also discussed.cooperative solutions, dierential games, asymmetric players, resource games, time-inconsistency, heterogeneous discount rates

Heterogeneous discounting in consumption-investment problems. Time consistent solutions

In this paper we analyze a stochastic continuous time model in finite horizon in which agents discount the instantaneous utility function and the final function at constant but different instantaneous discount rates of time preference. Within this context we can model problems in which, when the time t approaches to the final time, the valuation of the final function increases compared with previous valuations in a way that cannot be explained by using a unique constant or a variable discount rate. We derive a dynamic programming equation whose solutions are time-consistent Markov equilibria. For this class of time preferences, we study the classical consumption and portfolio rules model (Merton, 1971) for CRRA and CARA utility functions for time- consistent agents, and we compare the different equilibria with the time-inconsistent solutions. The introduction of stochastic terminal time is also discussed.dynamic programming, consumption and portfolio rules, heterogeneous discounting, time consistency

Tractament dels cadàvers a les clíniques veterinàries

Treball presentat a la Facultat de Veterinària de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.Treball presentat a l'assignatura de Deontologia i Veterinària Legal (21223

Generalized tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium caprae in a red fox phylogenetically related to livestock breakdowns

Background Tuberculosis (TB) due to Mycobacterium caprae is endemic in goat herds and free-ranging wild boars in Spain, causing infections in other livestock or wild animals to a lesser extent. TB infection in foxes is infrequently reported and they are usually considered spillover hosts of TB. Case presentation A blind, depressed and severely emaciated red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was admitted to a rehabilitation center. After clinical examination it was humanely sacrificed. At necropsy, generalized TB lesions were observed that were subsequently confirmed by histopathology along with a co-infection with canine distemper virus. M. caprae was isolated from mycobacterial culture and spoligotype SB0415 was identified. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the isolated M. caprae was carried out and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were compared with other sequences of M. caprae isolated from livestock and wildlife of the same area throughout the last decade. Conclusions This is the first reported case of TB due to M. caprae in a fox in the Iberian Peninsula. WGS and SNP analysis, together with spatial-temporal investigations, associated this case with recent M. caprae outbreaks in cattle and goat herds of the area. The results indicated transmission of M. caprae between livestock and the fox, suggesting that this species may occasionally play a role in the epidemiology of animal TB.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Distal Clavicle Osteolysis after Modified Weaver-Dunn's Procedure for Chronic Acromioclavicular Dislocation : A Case Report and Review of Complications

Distal clavicle osteolysis after acromioclavicular joint stabilization has only been described after the use of hardware for clavicle stabilization or synthetic graft causing a foreign body reaction. This paper reports a very rare case of distal clavicle osteolysis after modified Weaver-Dunn procedure for the treatment of chronic acromioclavicular joint dislocation. The paper also provides a comprehensive review of complications of this surgical technique and discusses a potential vascular etiology and preventive strategies aimed at avoiding clavicle osteolysis

In vitro assessment of the combined effect of letermovir and sirolimus on cytomegalovirus replication

Introduction. Letermovir (LMV) is used for prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and end-organ disease in adult CMV-seropositive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (allo-HSCT). In turn, sirolimus (SLM) which displays in vitro anti-CMV activity, is frequently employed for prophylaxis of Graft vs. Host disease in allo-HSCT. Here, we aimed at assessing whether LMV and SLM used in combination may act synergistically in vitro on inhibiting CMV replication. Material and methods. The antiviral activity of LMV and SLM alone or in combination was evaluated by a checkerboard assay, using ARPE-19 cells infected with CMV strain BADrUL131-Y. LMV and SLM were used at concentrations ranging from 24 nM to 0.38 nM and 16 nM to 0.06 nM, respectively. Results. The mean EC50 for LMV and SLM was 2.44 nM (95% CI, 1.66-3.60) and 1.40 nM (95% CI, 0.41-4.74), respective. LMV and SLM interaction yielded mainly additive effects over the range of concentrations tested. Conclusion. The additive nature of the combination of LMV and SLM against CMV may have relevant clinical implications in management of CMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients undergoing prophylaxis with LMV

Generalized tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium caprae in a red fox phylogenetically related to livestock breakdowns

Ajuts: Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural EFA357/INNOTUBTuberculosis (TB) due to Mycobacterium caprae is endemic in goat herds and free-ranging wild boars in Spain, causing infections in other livestock or wild animals to a lesser extent. TB infection in foxes is infrequently reported and they are usually considered spillover hosts of TB

Assessment of the potential value of plasma Torque Teno virus DNA load monitoring to predict cytomegalovirus DNAemia in patients with hematological malignancies treated with small molecule inhibitors: A proof-of-concept study

T-cells; Ibrutinib; DNA loadCélulas T; Ibrutinib; Carga de ADNCèl·lules T; Ibrutinib; Càrrega d'ADNIt is unknown whether Torque Teno virus (TTV) DNA load monitoring could anticipate the development of infectious events in hematological patients undergoing treatment with small molecular targeting agents. We characterized the kinetics of plasma TTV DNA in patients treated with ibrutinib or ruxolitinib and assessed whether TTV DNA load monitoring could predict the occurrence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia or the magnitude of CMV-specific T-cell responses. Multicenter, retrospective, observational study, recruiting 20 patients treated with ibrutinib and 21 with ruxolitinib. Plasma TTV and CMV DNA loads were quantified by real-time PCR at baseline and days +15, +30, +45, +60, +75, +90, +120, +150, and +180 after treatment inception. Enumeration of CMV-specific interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells in whole blood was performed by flow cytometry. Median TTV DNA load in ibrutinib-treated patients increased significantly (p = 0.025) from baseline (median: 5.76 log10 copies/mL) to day +120 (median: 7.83 log10 copies/mL). A moderate inverse correlation (Rho = −0.46; p < 0.001) was found between TTV DNA load and absolute lymphocyte count. In ruxolitinib-treated patients, TTV DNA load quantified at baseline was not significantly different from that measured after treatment inception (p ≥ 0.12). TTV DNA load was not predictive of the subsequent occurrence of CMV DNAemia in either patient group. No correlation was observed between TTV DNA loads and CMV-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell counts in either patient group. The data did not support the hypothesis that TTV DNA load monitoring in hematological patients treated with ibrutinib or ruxolitinib could be useful to predict either the occurrence of CMV DNAemia or the level of CMV-specific T-cell reconstitution; nevertheless, due to the small sample size, further studies involving larger cohorts are warranted to elucidate this issue.Estela Giménez (Juan Rodés Contract, JR18/00053) and Eliseo Albert (Juan Rodés Contract; JR20/00011) hold contracts funded by the Carlos III Health Institute (co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF/FEDER). This research was supported by a grant from FIS PI18/00127 (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias), Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Spain)

Monitoring of plasma Torque teno virus, total Anelloviridae and Human Pegivirus 1 viral load for the prediction of infectious events and acute graft versus host disease in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation setting

Anelloviridae and Human Pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) blood burden have been postulated to behave as surrogate markers for immunosuppression in transplant recipients. Here, we assessed the potential utility plasma Torque teno virus (TTV), total Anelloviridae (TAV), and HPgV-1 load monitoring for the identification of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients (allo-HSCT) at increased risk of infectious events or acute graft versus host disease (aGvHD). In this single-center, observational study, plasma TTV DNA, TAV DNA, and HPgV-1 RNA loads were monitored in 75 nonconsecutive allo-HSCT recipients (median age, 54 years). Monitoring was conducted before at baseline or by days +30, +60, +90, +120, and +180 after transplantation. Pneumonia due to different viruses or Pneumocystis jirovecii, BK polyomavirus-associated haemorrhagic cystitis (BKPyV-HC), and Cytomegalovirus DNAemia were the infectious events considered in the current study. Kinetics of plasma TTV, TAV DNA, and HPgV-1 RNA load was comparable, with though and peak levels measured by days +30 and day +90 (+120 for HPgV-1). Forty patients (53%) developed one or more infectious events during the first 180 days after allo-HSCT, whereas 29 patients (39%) had aGvHD (grade II-IV in 18). Neither, TTV, TAV, nor HPgV-1 loads were predictive of overall infection or CMV DNAemia. A TTV DNA load cut-off ≥4.40 log10 (pretransplant) and ≥4.58 log10 (baseline) copies/mL predicted the occurrence of BKPyV-HC (sensitivity ≥89%, negative predictive value, ≥96%). TTV DNA loads ≥3.38 log10 by day +30 anticipated the occurrence of aGvHD (sensitivity, 90%; negative predictive value, 97%). Pretransplant HPgV-1 loads were significantly lower (p = 0.03) in patients who had aGvHD than in those who did not. Monitoring of TTV DNA or HPgV-1 RNA plasma levels either before or early after transplantation may be ancillary to identify allo-HSCT recipients at increased risk of BKPyV-HC or aGvHD

Usefulness of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry in the Characterization of Leishmania Strains Causing Tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Bolivia versus hsp70 Gene Sequencing

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a proteomic technique with proven efficiency in the identification of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The present study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS for the characterization of Leishmania species circulating in Bolivia using hsp70 gene sequencing as a reference technique. 55 Leishmania strains that were isolated from patients with tegumentary leishmaniasis were analyzed. MALDI-TOF MS identified two species of the L. braziliensis complex (L. braziliensis, n = 26; L. braziliensis outlier, n = 18), one species of the L. guyanensis complex (L. guyanensis, n = 1), one species of the L. lainsoni complex (L. lainsoni, n = 2), and two species of the complex (, n = 5; and L. garnhami, n = 3). All of the strains were correctly identified at the subgenus, genus, and complex level, but 10 of them (18%) were misidentified as other species within the same complex by the hsp70 gene sequencing, with 7 of these corresponding to possible hybrids. Thus, one L. braziliensis corresponded to L. peruviana, two L. braziliensis corresponded to L. braziliensis / L. peruviana possible hybrids, two corresponded to , and three L. garnhami and two corresponded to / possible hybrids. Accordingly, MALDI-TOF MS could be used as an alternative to molecular techniques for the identification of Leishmania spp., as it is low cost, simple to apply, and able to quickly produce results. In Bolivia, its application would allow for the improvement of the management of patient follow-ups, the updating of the epidemiological data of the Leishmania species, and a contribution to the control of tegumentary leishmaniasis. IMPORTANCE The objective of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS for the characterization of Leishmania species circulating in Bolivia, in comparison with the sequencing of the hsp70 gene. In our study, all of the isolates could be identified, and no misidentifications were observed at the complex level. Although the equipment implies a high initial investment in our context, MALDI-TOF MS can be used in different areas of microbiology and significantly reduces the cost of testing. Once the parasite culture is obtained, the technique quickly yields information by accessing a free database that is available online. This would allow for the improvement of the management of patients and follow-ups, the updating of the epidemiological data of the species, and a contribution to the control of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Bolivia. Likewise, it can be used to determine a specific treatment to be given, according to the causal species of Leishmania, when there are protocols in this regard in the area