La dimensión territorial de la crisis de la vivienda y el despilfarro inmobiliario residencial

Tras el último boom inmobiliario y la consiguiente crisis, con efectos económicos sobradamente conocidos, hay que volver a insistir sobre la necesidad de abandonar un modelo de desarrollo urbano gobernado por el negocio inmobiliario y ajeno a criterios de racionalidad, equidad y sostenibilidad en el uso del territorio y en la construcción de espacio residencial. La vivienda, antes que un alojamiento, es un activo económico. Su mercado es la pieza fundamental de ese modelo que ignora su papel estructurante del territorio y su condición de espacio necesario para satisfacer un derecho básico. Se propone una reflexión sobre las raíces del actual modelo y se subrayan sus consecuencias en forma de despilfarro territorial y en el agravamiento de las dificultades para acceder al uso de una vivienda digna y adecuada. Finalmente, se hacen valoraciones a nivel local de los efectos del actual modelo, de las necesidades de vivienda y de las oportunidades de utilización del parque residencial existente

Endosymbiotic bacteria nodulating a new endemic lupine Lupinus mariae-josephi from alkaline soils in Eastern Spain represent a new lineage within the Bradyrhizobium genus

Lupinus mariae-josephi is a recently described endemic Lupinus species from a small area in Eastern Spain where it thrives in soils with active lime and high pH. The L. mariae-josephi root symbionts were shown to be very slow-growing bacteria with different phenotypic and symbiotic characteristics from those of Bradyrhizobium strains nodulating other Lupinus. Their phylogenetic status was examined by multilocus sequence analyses of four housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, glnII, recA, and atpD) and showed the existence of a distinct evolutionary lineage for L. mariae-josephi that also included Bradyrhizobium jicamae. Within this lineage, the tested isolates clustered in three different sub-groups that might correspond to novel sister Bradyrhizobium species. These core gene analyses consistently showed that all the endosymbiotic bacteria isolated from other Lupinus species of the Iberian Peninsula were related to strains of the B. canariense or B. japonicum lineages and were separate from the L. mariae-josephi isolates. Phylogenetic analysis based on nodC symbiotic gene sequences showed that L. mariae-josephi bacteria also constituted a new symbiotic lineage distant from those previously defined in the genus Bradyrhizobium. In contrast, the nodC genes of isolates from other Lupinus spp. from the Iberian Peninsula were again clearly related to the B. canariense and B. japonicum bv. genistearum lineages. Speciation of L. mariae-josephi bradyrhizobia may result from the colonization of a singular habitat by their unique legume host

On the original author and year of description of the extinct hyaenid Pachycrocuta brevirostris

The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature recommends providing the author and year of original description of any taxon when first mentioned in a publication, which is useful for both taxonomic and nomenclatural reasons. Here we show that the authorship of the extinct hyaenid taxon Hyaena brevirostris, type species of the genus Pachycrocuta, has been incorrectly attributed to "Aymard, 1846" for more than a century on the basis of a publication that never existed. Our bibliographic research indicates that the first published work in which the name was employed-Gervais' (1848-1852) Zoologie et Paléontologie françaises, the part dealing with carnivorans being issued in 1850-fulfils the criteria of availability. Given that Gervais did not attribute the description to Aymard, but merely employed the latter's name in reference to a museum label/record (which does not constitute a valid indication), the correct name with authorship for this taxon is Pachycrocuta brevirostris (Gervais, 1850)

Infusion of IL-10–expressing cells protects against renal ischemia through induction of lipocalin-2

Ischemia/reperfusion injury is a leading cause of acute renal failure triggering an inflammatory response associated with infiltrating macrophages, which determine disease outcome. To repair the inflammation we designed a procedure whereby macrophages that overexpress the anti-inflammatory agent interleukin (IL)-10 were adoptively transferred. These bone marrow–derived macrophages were able to increase their intracellular iron pool that, in turn, augmented the expression of lipocalin-2 and its receptors. Infusion of these macrophages into rats after 1h of reperfusion resulted in localization of the cells to injured kidney tissue, caused increases in regenerative markers, and a notable reduction in both blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Furthermore, IL-10 therapy decreased the local inflammatory profile and upregulated the expression of pro-regenerative lipocalin-2 and its receptors. IL-10–mediated protection and subsequent renal repair were dependent on the presence of iron and lipocalin-2, since the administration of a neutralizing antibody for lipocalin-2 or administration of IL-10 macrophages pretreated with the iron chelating agent deferoxamine abrogated IL-10–mediated protective effects. Thus, adoptive transfer of IL-10 macrophages to ischemic kidneys blunts acute kidney injury. These effects are mediated through the action of intracellular iron to induce lipocalin-2

Polyubiquitin binding to ABIN1 is required to prevent autoimmunity

The protein ABIN1 possesses a polyubiquitin-binding domain homologous to that present in nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) essential modulator (NEMO), a component of the inhibitor of NF-kappa B (I kappa B) kinase (IKK) complex. To address the physiological significance of polyubiquitin binding, we generated knockin mice expressing the ABIN1[D485N] mutant instead of the wild-type (WT) protein. These mice developed all the hallmarks of autoimmunity, including spontaneous formation of germinal centers, isotype switching, and production of autoreactive antibodies. Autoimmunity was suppressed by crossing to MyD88(-/-) mice, demonstrating that toll-like receptor (TLR)-MyD88 signaling pathways are needed for the phenotype to develop. The B cells and myeloid cells of the ABIN1[D485N] mice showed enhanced activation of the protein kinases TAK, IKK-alpha/beta, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and p38 alpha mitogen-activated protein kinase and produced more IL-6 and IL-12 than WT. The mutant B cells also proliferated more rapidly in response to TLR ligands. Our results indicate that the interaction of ABIN1 with polyubiquitin is required to limit the activation of TLR-MyD88 pathways and prevent autoimmunity

Metformin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury and Lactic Acidosis

Objectives. Metformin is the preferred oral antidiabetic agent for type 2 diabetes. Lactic acidosis is described as a rare complication, usually during an acute kidney injury (AKI). Material and Methods. We conducted a prospective observational study of metformin-associated AKI cases during four years. 29 cases were identified. Previous renal function, clinical data, and outcomes were recorded. Results. An episode of acute gastroenteritis precipitated the event in 26 cases. Three developed a septic shock. Three patients died, the only related factor being liver dysfunction. More severe metabolic acidosis hyperkalemia and anemia were associated with higher probabilities of RRT requirement. We could not find any relationship between previous renal dysfunction and the outcome of the AKI. Conclusions. AKI associated to an episode of volume depletion due to gastrointestinal losses is a serious complication in type 2 diabetic patients on metformin. Previous renal dysfunction (mild-to-moderate CKD) has no influence on the severity or outcome

Cómo mejorar los resultados de los repetidores. Intervención específica en una asignatura inicial de programación

Las asignaturas de programación tienen un elevado número de estudiantes repetidores que lo intentan una segunda, tercera o incluso más veces. Son estudiantes que normalmente se ven obligados a hacer actividades similares a las que no supieron o no pudieron hacer en los intentos anteriores. Este artículo presenta el diseño y experiencia de una intervención específica para este colectivo de estudiantes basado en los resultados de un análisis previo sobre su comportamiento. En dicha intervención se ha reforzado el acompañamiento del profesor para mejorar el apoyo ofrecido a los estudiantes repetidores, pero no ha resultado suficiente. En consecuencia, se propone una futura línea de investigación consistente en un diseño más completo y específico que permita aprovechar el trabajo y los logros previos de cada estudiante repetidor.Programming courses have a high number of students who are compelled to repeat a second, third or even more times. They are students who are usually forced to do activities very similar to those they did not know or could not do in previous attempts and without taking advantage of the work already done. This article presents the design of a specific intervention for this group of students based on the results of a previous analysis. Such an intervention reinforces the accompaniment of the teacher in order to improve the support offered to the repeating students. However, this reinforcement has not been enough, so a more complete and specific design is proposed as a future line that allows us to take advantage of the previous achievements of each repeating student.Investigación del grupo LAIKA Learning Analytics for Innovation and Knowledge Application in Higher Education parcialmente financiada por el proyecto 2017SGR1619 de la Generalitat de Catalunya

Low-level Hypermutation in T Cell–independent Germinal Centers Compared with High Mutation Rates Associated with T Cell–dependent Germinal Centers

Exceptionally germinal center formation can be induced without T cell help by polysaccharide-based antigens, but these germinal centers involute by massive B cell apoptosis at the time centrocyte selection starts. This study investigates whether B cells in germinal centers induced by the T cell–independent antigen (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) conjugated to Ficoll undergo hypermutation in their immunoglobulin V region genes. Positive controls are provided by comparing germinal centers at the same stage of development in carrier-primed mice immunized with a T cell–dependent antigen: NP protein conjugate. False positive results from background germinal centers and false negatives from non-B cells in germinal centers were avoided by transferring B cells with a transgenic B cell receptor into congenic controls not carrying the transgene. By 4 d after immunization, hypermutation was well advanced in the T cell–dependent germinal centers. By contrast, the mutation rate for T cell–independent germinal centers was low, but significantly higher than in NP-specific B cells from nonimmunized transgenic mice. Interestingly, a similar rate of mutation was seen in extrafollicular plasma cells at this stage. It is concluded that efficient activation of hypermutation depends on interaction with T cells, but some hypermutation may be induced without such signals, even outside germinal centers

¿Por qué los estudiantes de una asignatura inicial de programación se convierten en repetidores?

Learning to program is hard for many students. As a result, CS1 courses have a significant percentage of repeaters. For this reason, the goal of this article is to analyze what factors affect repeaters so that a specific learning strategy for them can be performed. In this regard, a first analysis of a CS1 course shows there are two types of repeaters: (1) those who do (almost) nothing throughout the semester and drop out, and (2) those who work during the whole semester, but finally fail. According to repeaters’ perceptions, they were motivated to learn to program, but it was difficult for them to keep up because of it was so hard to reconcile it with their personal context, so based on what they did the previous semester, they would prefer to continue from where they left off or change the pace of activitie