Book Review: Telepractice in Audiology

This article presents a review of the book Telepractice in Audiology, authored by Emma Rushbrooke MPhil(AUD), BA, DipAud., MAudSA., LSLS. Cert. AVT, RNC, and K. Todd Houston, PhD, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, and 13 contributing authors.  This is the first book entirely devoted to tele-audiology. It provides practical information for working with clients across the lifespan and for multiple practice settings. Reviewer Dr. Barbara Vento endorses this work as a comprehensive resource on the topic of teleaudiology for both students and aspiring teleaudiologists.

Phylogenetic relationships and time-calibration of the South American fossil and extant species of southern beeches (Nothofagus)

The genus Nothofagus is considered as one of the most interesting plant genera, not only for the living species but also due to the fossil evidence distributed throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Early publications postulated a close relationship between fossil and living species of Nothofagus. However, the intrageneric phylogenetic relationships are not yet fully explored. This work assesses the placement of fossil representatives of genus Nothofagus, using different search strategies (Equal Weight and Implied Weight), and it analyses relationships with the extant species from South America (Argentina and Chile). The relationships of fossil taxa with the monophyletic subgenera Brassospora, Fuscospora, Lophozonia, and Nothofagus and the monophyly of the clades corresponding to the four subgenera are tested. A time-calibrated tree is generated in an approach aiming at estimating the divergence times of all the major lineages. The results support the inclusion of most fossil taxa from South America into the subgenera of Nothofagus. The strict consensus tree shows the following species as closely related: Nothofagus elongata + N. alpina; N. variabilis + N. pumilio; N. suberruginea + N. alessandri; N. serrulata + N. dombeyi, and N. crenulata + N. betuloides. The species N. simplicidens shares a common ancestor with N. pumilio, N. crenulata, and N. betuloides. This contribution is one of the first attempts to integrate fossil and extant Nothofagus species from South America into a phylogenetic analysis and an approach for a time-calibrated tree.Fil: Vento, Barbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Agrain, Federico Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Reconstrucción climática del Cretácico de Argentina basado en datos palinológicos

Las reconstrucciones paleoclimáticas se han llevado a cabo haciendo uso de diferentes proxies como indicadores climáticos. Teniendo en cuenta este contexto, los palinomorfos poseen un papel fundamental en el momento de realizar inferencias paleoclimáticas debido a su abundancia y distribución en diferentes unidades geológicas que abarcan prácticamente todo tipo de ambientes. Argentina tiene una gran amplitud latitudinal en Sudamérica, con diversas formaciones geológicas cretácicas que poseen registros palinológicos. Estos representan diferentes condiciones climáticas. El Cretácico fue un período en el que se han registrado variaciones climáticas. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es conocer las tendencias climáticas del Cretácico en Argentina, basándose en el análisis cuantitativo de miosporas consideradas indicadoras de ciertas condiciones climáticas, de diferentes unidades geológicas de Argentina. La evaluación de las palinofloras ha sido abordada desde la bibliografía previa publicada, así como en datos propios sin publicar. La tendencia paleoclimática durante el Cretácico muestra que el Cretácico Temprano estuvo marcado por episodios de aridez, con altos valores de Classopollis y Gnetales. Por otra parte, el Cretácico Tardío muestra condiciones de calor y mayor humedad indicadas por los valores altos de plantas de esporas libres (especialmente Briofitas y helechos) y granos de polen de palmeras, y la disminución hasta la ausencia de los indicadores de aridez.Paleoclimatic reconstructions have used different proxies as climate indicators. In this context, palynomorphs play a crucial role for making inferences about past climate changes because of their presence and distribution during the geologic history in almost all types of environments. Argentina has a wide latitudinal range in South America, with diverse cretaceous units yielding palynomorphs that represent different climatic conditions. The Cretaceous was a time when climate conditions showed some special variations. Different theories about the climate conditions at this time were postulated. The main aim of this contribution is to understand climate trends during the Cretaceous, based on the quantitative analysis of selected pollen and spores, considered as climate indicators, from different geological units in Argentina. The evaluation of the palynofloras has been undertaken mainly by reviewing published sources from cretaceous basins but also with our own unpublished data. The climatic trend during the Cretaceous showed that the Early Cretaceous is marked by aridity episodes with high values of Classopollis and Gnetales. In contrast, the Late Cretaceous showed warmer and more humid conditions indicated by increasing values of free-sporing plants (especially Bryophytes and ferns) and palm pollen grains, and the decrease until their absence of the aridity indicators.Fil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Vento, Barbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Narvaez, Paula Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Mego, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Puebla, Gabriela Griselda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentin

Panorama sobre las variaciones estacionales y diarias de la temperatura del suelo bajo el efecto de las costras biológicas en el centro-oeste de Argentina

Background and Aims: Biocrusts play an essential role on the earth’s surface and have a direct influence on soil parameters. Their effects on soil temperature are considered one of the most important because they affect ecological and hydrological processes, as well as the diversity of natural ecosystems. Although there are several studies concerning biocrust effects on the soil surface, investigations about the effect of the biocrust on soil temperature are still scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of biocrusts on soil temperature conditions in drylands of central-western Argentina. Methods: Temperature values were recorded in the Monte phytogeographic region in the central-western part of Argentina, in three sites, during the dry and wet seasons in 2017-2018. We collected samples from a total of 30 randomly selected plots. We recorded daily temperatures values in two paired plots with crusted and uncrusted zones using a calibrated data logger Ibutton. The sampling took 18 days in total, three days on each site.Key results: Our results indicate that biocrusts produce a change in micro-soil temperatures. Areas in which biocrusts are present show a temperature reduction both in the wet and dry seasons. This effect is observed in the three studied sites. Temperature reduction varies according to the time of the day, study site and season. The morning, noon, and afternoon recorded the highest mean temperatures.Conclusions: The presence of biocrusts reduces soil temperatures in drylands of central-western Argentina. Large differences in mean temperature values between crusted and uncrusted zones were observed. The thermal reduction was more notorious in the hyper-arid site. How they affect their surrounding environment can be related to multiple factors, such as the composition of the microphytic community, the local climate and environmental conditions.Antecedentes y Objetivos: Las costras biológicas del suelo juegan un papel esencial en la superficie terrestre y tienen una influencia directa en los parámetros del suelo. Sus efectos sobre la temperatura del suelo se consideran uno de los más importantes debido a que afectan los procesos ecológicos e hidrológicos, así como la diversidad de los ecosistemas naturales. Aunque existen varios estudios sobre los efectos de la costra biológica en la superficie del suelo, las investigaciones sobre el efecto de la costra biológica en la temperatura del suelo aún son escasas. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la influencia de las costras biológicas en las condiciones de temperatura del suelo en zonas áridas del centro-oeste de Argentina.Métodos: Se registraron valores de temperatura en la región fitogeográfica del Monte en la parte centro-oeste de Argentina, en tres sitios, durante las estaciones seca y húmeda de 2017 y 2018. Colectamos muestras de un total de 30 parcelas seleccionadas al azar. Registramos valores de temperatura diarios en dos parcelas emparejadas con zonas con costras biológicas y sin costras biológicas utilizando un registrador de datos calibrado tipo Ibutton. El muestreo se llevó a cabo durante un total de 18 días, tres días en cada sitio. Resultados claves: Nuestros resultados indican que las costras biológicas producen un cambio en las temperaturas microambientales del suelo. Las áreas donde están presentes las costras biológicas muestran una reducción de la temperatura tanto en las estaciones húmedas como en las secas. Este efecto se observa en los tres sitios estudiados. La reducción de la temperatura varía de acuerdo con la hora del día, el sitio de estudio y la estación del año. La mañana, el mediodía y la tarde registraron las temperaturas medias más altas.Conclusiones: La presencia de costras biológicas reduce las temperaturas del suelo en las zonas áridas del centro-oeste de Argentina. Se observaron grandes diferencias en los valores medios de temperatura entre las zonas con costras biológicas y las zonas sin costras biológicas. La reducción térmica fue más notable en el sitio hiperárido. Cómo afectan su entorno circundante puede estar relacionado con múltiples factores, como la composición de la comunidad microfítica, el clima local y las condiciones ambientales

Dry matter estimation and partitioning of assimilates in dominant shrubs with two different morphologies from the High Central Andes of San Juan, Argentina

Background and aims: High mountain shrubs play a key role in the maintenance and functioning of ecosystem processes. Nevertheless, studies to understand their morphology and dry matter partitioning are scarce. The goal of this study is to quantify dry matter partitioning and study the morphology for Senecio oreophyton and Baccharis tola ssp. tola in the Central Andes, Argentina. Additionally, allometric equations are proposed. M&M: The work was done in the Austral Puna, province of San Juan. A total of 60 S. oreophyton and B. tola plants were selected. Biometric variables were measured in each specimen to estimate dry matter. The lateral and top view of each specimen were photographed to determine shrub morphology. Each specimen was harvested and differentiated in stem, leaves and roots. Results: The geometric shape of S. oreophyton was similar to an inverted cone and B. tola was similar to a hemisphere shape. In both shrubs, aboveground dry matter was higher than the belowground dry matter. In B. tola, similar proportions of dry matter assigned to the stem and leaves were found. Allometric equations were established for each component from direct field measurements. Conclusions: The dry matter partitioning found for both shrubs would indicate that it is strongly associated with the morphology of the plant, and its strategy for surviving under harsh conditions. This is a contribution to improve the knowledge about morphological characteristics of woody shrubs and their environmental interactions for conservation and management in highlands.Fil: Herrera Moratta, Mario Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Navas Romero, Ana Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Vento, Barbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Martinez Carretero, Eduardo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Thymosin β4 and β10 Expression in Human Organs during Development: A Review

This review summarizes the results of a series of studies performed by our group with the aim to define the expression levels of thymosin β4 and thymosin β10 over time, starting from fetal development to different ages after birth, in different human organs and tissues. The first section describes the proteomics investigations performed on whole saliva from preterm newborns and gingival crevicular fluid, which revealed to us the importance of these acidic peptides and their multiple functions. These findings inspired us to start an in-depth investigation mainly based on immunochemistry to establish the distribution of thymosin β4 and thymosin β10 in different organs from adults and fetuses at different ages (after autopsy), and therefore to obtain suggestions on the functions of β-thymosins in health and disease. The functions of β-thymosins emerging from these studies, for instance, those performed during carcinogenesis, add significant details that could help to resolve the nowadays so-called "β-thymosin enigma", i.e., the potential molecular role played by these two pleiotropic peptides during human development

AVALIAÇÃO DA FUNÇÃO RESPIRATÓRIA E QUALIDADE DE VIDA EM PACIENTES COM DOENÇA DE PARKINSON SUBMETIDOS À REABILITAÇÃO FISIOTERAPÊUTICA

Objetivo: Analisar a função respiratória em pacientes com Doença de Parkinson e correlacionar com qualidade de vida (QV). Metodologia: Estudo transversal descritivo. Foram selecionados pacientes com diagnóstico de Doença de Parkinson que estivessem em atendimento fisioterapêutico em um Centro de Reabilitação. Os pacientes foram submetidos a avaliação da função respiratória (força inspiratória e expiratória, pico de fluxo de tosse e avaliação da percepção da dispneia) e da qualidade de vida através do Parkinson Disease Questionary – 39 (PQD-39). Os dados foram analisados através do software Statistical Package for Social Science 22 e apresentados como média e desvio padrão. Teste de Correlação de Pearson foi utilizado para correlacionar as variáveis respiratórias com QV. Resultados: Valores de função pulmonar abaixo daqueles estabelecidos para a idade foram encontrados, exceto para dispneia. Os piores escores de QV foram desconforto e apoio social, seguidos de atividade de vida diária e mobilidade. Os dados entre as variáveis respiratórias e a qualidade de vida não mostraram correlação. Conclusão: Pacientes com Doença de Parkinson apresentaram alterações na função pulmonar, redução no pico de fluxo de tosse e comprometimento na QV, com piores escores para os domínios de desconforto, apoio social, atividade de vida diária e mobilidade. Não foram observadas alterações nas variáveis fisiológicas, exceto para frequência cardíaca. Também não encontramos correlação entre as variáveis respiratórias e QV

The Changing Landscape of Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus in Italy Between 2003 and 2022

Context In the last decade the Sanger method of DNA sequencing has been replaced by next-generation sequencing (NGS). NGS is valuable in conditions characterized by high genetic heterogeneity such as neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM).Objective To compare results of genetic analysis of patients with NDM and congenital severe insulin resistance (c.SIR) identified in Italy in 2003-2012 (Sanger) vs 2013-2022 (NGS).Methods We reviewed clinical and genetic records of 104 cases with diabetes onset before 6 months of age (NDM + c.SIR) of the Italian dataset.Results Fifty-five patients (50 NDM + 5 c.SIR) were identified during 2003-2012 and 49 (46 NDM + 3 c.SIR) in 2013-2022. Twenty-year incidence was 1:103 340 (NDM) and 1:1 240 082 (c.SIR) live births. Frequent NDM/c.SIR genetic defects (KCNJ11, INS, ABCC8, 6q24, INSR) were detected in 41 and 34 probands during 2003-2012 and 2013-2022, respectively. We identified a pathogenic variant in rare genes in a single proband (GATA4) (1/42 or 2.4%) during 2003-2012 and in 8 infants (RFX6, PDX1, GATA6, HNF1B, FOXP3, IL2RA, LRBA, BSCL2) during 2013-2022 (8/42 or 19%, P = .034 vs 2003-2012). Notably, among rare genes 5 were recessive. Swift and accurate genetic diagnosis led to appropriate treatment: patients with autoimmune NDM (FOXP3, IL2RA, LRBA) were subjected to bone marrow transplant; patients with pancreas agenesis/hypoplasia (RFX6, PDX1) were supplemented with pancreatic enzymes, and the individual with lipodystrophy caused by BSCL2 was started on metreleptin.Conclusion NGS substantially improved diagnosis and precision therapy of monogenic forms of neonatal diabetes and c.SIR in Italy

Decoding human fetal liver haematopoiesis.

Definitive haematopoiesis in the fetal liver supports self-renewal and differentiation of haematopoietic stem cells and multipotent progenitors (HSC/MPPs) but remains poorly defined in humans. Here, using single-cell transcriptome profiling of approximately 140,000 liver and 74,000 skin, kidney and yolk sac cells, we identify the repertoire of human blood and immune cells during development. We infer differentiation trajectories from HSC/MPPs and evaluate the influence of the tissue microenvironment on blood and immune cell development. We reveal physiological erythropoiesis in fetal skin and the presence of mast cells, natural killer and innate lymphoid cell precursors in the yolk sac. We demonstrate a shift in the haemopoietic composition of fetal liver during gestation away from being predominantly erythroid, accompanied by a parallel change in differentiation potential of HSC/MPPs, which we functionally validate. Our integrated map of fetal liver haematopoiesis provides a blueprint for the study of paediatric blood and immune disorders, and a reference for harnessing the therapeutic potential of HSC/MPPs.We acknowledge funding from the Wellcome Human Cell Atlas Strategic Science Support (WT211276/Z/18/Z); M.H. is funded by Wellcome (WT107931/Z/15/Z), The Lister Institute for Preventive Medicine and NIHR and Newcastle-Biomedical Research Centre; S.A.T. is funded by Wellcome (WT206194), ERC Consolidator and EU MRG-Grammar awards and; S.B. is funded by Wellcome (WT110104/Z/15/Z) and St. Baldrick’s Foundation; E.L. is funded by a Wellcome Sir Henry Dale and Royal Society Fellowships, European Haematology Association, Wellcome and MRC to the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and BBSRC