University of Barcelona

Triplex DNA structures, which are formed by the addition of an extra strand to a target B-DNA duplex, have attracted increasing interest due to their analytical and therapeutic applications. These structures are classified into parallel and antiparallel, depending on the orientation of the Triplex-Forming Oligonucleotide (TFO) relative to the B-DNA duplex. Whereas the formation of parallel triplexes is easily detected by monitoring spectral changes in the UV region, the formation of antiparallel triplexes produces small or even no spectral variations, which makes their detection difficult and uncertain. In this study, we propose the use of capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometric (CE-UV) detection combined with the multivariate curve resolution-multivariate-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) chemometric method to analyze mixtures of DNA sequences capable of forming mixtures of B-DNA duplex and triplex antiparallel structures. Rapid and reproducible CE-UV analysis in hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC)-coated capillaries are done in a pH 7.4 buffer containing Mg(II) for the stabilization of the intermolecular species. Spectra measured from 220 to 300 nm along the CE-UV analysis of individual DNA strands and of their mixtures at different ratios are merged into an augmented data matrix. This is later analyzed with MCR-ALS to deconvolute characteristic pure spectra and electropherograms for each one of the CE-UV analysis considered. This procedure has allowed the resolution and detection of DNA species present in mixtures of DNA strands capable of forming duplexes, as well as antiparallel triplex structures.

Resumen El artículo desgrana algunos de los efectos de la transformación de los espacios industriales en Barcelona desde la segunda mitad de los años ochenta del siglo XX. Describe las fases de la gestión del patrimonio industrial en la ciudad condal desde los inicios de la democracia y analiza las resistencias y acciones ciudadanas que se originan en el contexto de las contradicciones entre la identidad colectiva, el desarrollo local y la proyección global de ciudad que la transformación del espacio industrial genera. Para ilustrar estos procesos se estudian dos casos de complejos fabriles situados en dos de los principales conjuntos industriales de la ciudad: Can Ricart (Distrito X, Sant Martí) y Can Batlló (Distrito III, Sants-Montjuïc).

The article addresses some effects of the transformation of industrial spaces in Barcelona since the second half of the 1980s. It describes the phases of industrial heritage management in the city since the beginning of democracy and analyzes citizen resistances and actions arising in the context of the contradictions between collective identity, local development, and the global projection of the city that the transformation of industrial space generates. To illustrate these processes, two cases of factory complexes located in two of the city’s main industrial complexes are studied: Can Ricart (District X, Sant Martí) and Can Batlló (District III, Sants-Montjuïc).

One compelling goal of carbon-neutrality is to advance sustainable energy applications through advanced functional nanomaterials for achieving remarkable performance in energy conversion processes, especially in green H2 energy. Here, Ag-modified TiO2 nanostructures with highly specific exposed surface sites have been fabricated hydrothermally, elucidating its prominence towards photocatalytic, and photo/-electrocatalytic H2 production. Further, the as-synthesized nanomaterials were investigated by XRD, electron microscopy (SEM/EDAX/TEM/HRTEM), ICP-MS, PL, Raman, UV-visible DRS, and BET surface area studies. The enhanced activity was established due to the exceptional optoelectronic properties and highly exposed active sites of the Ag-modified TiO2 nanocatalysts. The photocatalytic activity of 2.5% Ag-doped TiO2 photocatalyst demonstrated the highest hydrogen evolution, measuring 15.66 mmol gcat−1 with 17.33% apparent quantum yield. Moreover, for photo-electrolysis, 1% and 2.5% Ag-doped TiO2 nanocatalysts exhibited significantly improved activity with Tafel slopes of 162.49, 87.56 mV dec⁻¹ and onset potentials of 0.77 V (at 1.55 mA cm⁻²), −0.96 V (at 10 mA cm⁻²) for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline and acidic conditions. Experiments indicated that incorporation of Ag ions in TiO2 boosted the H2 evolution due to the extraordinary surface properties and the presence of defect-sides /oxygen vacancies.

Background Panel detectors have the potential to provide a flexible, modular approach to Positron Emission Tomography (PET), enabling customization to meet patient‐specific needs and scan objectives. The panel design allows detectors to be positioned close to the patient, aiming to enhance sensitivity and spatial resolution through improved geometric coverage and reduced noncollinearity blurring. Parallax error can be mitigated using depth of interaction (DOI) information. Purpose One of the key questions the article addresses is: Do panel detectors offer viable clinical imaging capabilities, or does limited angular sampling restrict their utility by causing image distortions and artifacts? Additionally, this article explores the scalability of panel detectors for constructing scanners with a long axial field of view (LAFOV). Methods Monte Carlo simulations using GATE software were used to assess the performance of panel detectors with various DOI resolutions and Time‐of‐Flight (TOF) resolutions as fine as 70 ps. The 30 ×$\times$ 30 cm panels comprised pixelated 3 ×$\times$ 3 ×$\times$ 20 mm LSO crystals. Simulations were run on large high‐performance computing clusters (122,000 CPU cores). Open‐source CASToR software was used for (TOF MLEM) image reconstruction. The image quality of the scanners was assessed using a range of phantoms (NEMA, Derenzo, XCAT, and a high‐resolution brain phantom). The Siemens Biograph Vision PET/CT scanner served as the reference model. The performance of larger 120 ×$\times$ 60 cm panels was also evaluated. Results Sensitivity increases over threefold when panel‐panel distance is reduced from 80 to 40 cm. The noise equivalent count rate, unmodified by TOF gain, of the panel detectors matches that of the reference clinical scanner at a distance of approximately 50 cm between the panels. Spatial resolution perpendicular to the panels improves from 8.7 to 1.6 mm when the panel‐panel distance is reduced, and 70 ps + DOI detectors are used instead of 200 ps, no‐DOI detectors. With enhanced TOF and DOI capabilities, panel detectors achieve image quality that matches or surpasses the reference scanner while using about four times less detector material. These detectors can be extended for LAFOV imaging without distortions or artifacts. Additionally, improving TOF and DOI performance enhances contrast‐to‐noise ratios, thereby improving lesion detection. Conclusions A compact 2‐panel PET scanner can match the performance of conventional scanners, producing high‐quality, distortion‐free images. Its mobility and flexibility enable novel applications, including bedside imaging and intensive care unitdiagnostics, as well as imaging in positions such as sitting or standing. Furthermore, the modularity of panel detectors offers the potential to construct cost‐effective, high‐performance total‐body imaging systems.

Relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains a challenging disease with a dismal prognosis. Despite the revolutionary impact of CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR19)-T cell therapy, >50% of patients relapse within a year. Both leukemia cell-intrinsic factors favoring immune escape and poor CAR-T cell persistence contribute significantly to clinical failure. Moreover, the expression of immune checkpoint receptors (ICRs) and their ligands within the complex bone marrow (BM) microenvironment may contribute to leukemia progression and therapy resistance. Here, we comprehensively characterized the expression of ICRs and their ligands in leukemic blasts, T cells, and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from B-ALL BM samples at diagnosis (n=47) and relapse (n=38), comparing them with age-matched healthy BM controls. Our findings reveal a significant upregulated expression of TIM-3 in T cells, and its ligand galectin-9 in both blasts and MSCs throughout disease progression. The expression levels of galectin-9 in B-ALL blasts and TIM-3 in CAR19-T cells negatively correlate with clinical outcome. Furthermore, we demonstrate that galectin-9 impairs CAR19-T cell homeostasis and cytotoxicity. Notably, an engineered TIM-3-Fc decoy receptor, delivered either by primary T cells co-administered with CAR19-T cells or via a bicistronic all-in-one CAR19-TIM-3-Fc construct, improved the anti-leukemia efficacy and persistence of CAR19-T cells in B-ALL patient-derived xenograft models. Mechanistically, CAR19-TIM-3-Fc-T cell treatment promotes the in vivo expansion of both transduced and bystander effector and memory T cells, as determined by spectral flow cytometry. Collectively, these potent and persistent TIM-3-Fc decoy-armored CAR19-T cells offer a promising therapeutic strategy for R/R B-ALL patients.

Introduction The unnecessary over-ordering of routine pre-transfusion tests (blood typing, screening, and cross-matching) for surgical cases results in substantial avoidable costs and imposes an undue burden on transfusion services. This study specifically focuses on conducting a systematic review of the literature to assess the necessity of routine pre-transfusion tests before total hip arthroplasty (THA) and aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the outcomes associated with this practice. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to analyse the study’s characteristics, assess the prevalence of over-ordering, defined as ordering more routine pre-transfusion tests than clinically necessary, examine transfusion rates, and evaluate potential cost savings to the healthcare system. Results The study included 12,178 patients. Pooled results revealed an 88.1% over-ordering pre-transfusion test rate (95% CI, 0.80–0.96; p < 0.001) among patients undergoing primary THA. The pooled prevalence of hospital transfusion rate was 11.9%, with a percentage of intraoperative transfusion of 0.4% (95% CI, 0.001–0.007; p = 0.007). There were statistically significant differences in preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) levels between patients not requiring 14.1 g/dl (95% CI, 13.2–14.9; p < 0.001) and those needing transfusion 11.9 g/dl (95% CI, 10.9–12.9; p < 0.001) ( p < 0.001). The per-patient total cost savings ranged from 2.10 to 191.27 dollars. Conclusions Our findings indicate that routine pretransfusion testing for all patients undergoing primary THA may be unnecessary. We recommend restricting pre-transfusion test orders to patients with preoperative haemoglobin levels below 12 g/dl specifically in the context of unilateral primary THA, always considering individual patient and surgical risk factors. This focused approach has the potential to yield substantial cost savings for healthcare systems and transfusion services by mitigating the unnecessary over-ordering of pre-transfusion tests associated with these surgical procedures.

Malabsorption is a complex and multifaceted condition characterised by the defective passage of nutrients into the blood and lymphatic streams. Several congenital or acquired disorders may cause either selective or global malabsorption in both children and adults, such as cystic fibrosis, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), coeliac disease (CD) and other enteropathies, lactase deficiency, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), autoimmune atrophic gastritis, Crohn's disease, and gastric or small bowel resections. Early recognition of malabsorption is key for tailoring a proper diagnostic work‐up for identifying the cause of malabsorption. Patient's medical and pharmacological history are essential for identifying risk factors. Several examinations like endoscopy with small intestinal biopsies, non‐invasive functional tests, and radiologic imaging are useful in diagnosing malabsorption. Due to its high prevalence, CD should always be looked for in case of malabsorption with no other obvious explanations and in high‐risk individuals. Nutritional support is key in management of patients with malabsorption; different options are available, including oral supplements, enteral or parenteral nutrition. In patients with short bowel syndrome, teduglutide proved effective in reducing the need for parenteral nutrition, thus improving the quality of life of these patients. Primary care physicians have a central role in early detection of malabsorption and should be involved into multidisciplinary teams for improving the overall management of these patients. In this European consensus, involving 10 scientific societies and several experts, we have dissected all the issues around malabsorption, including the definitions and diagnostic testing (Part 1), high‐risk categories and special populations, nutritional assessment and management, and primary care perspective (Part 2).

This paper builds a spatial model of trade with supply-chain links to examine the effect of economic links and anti-COVID policies on the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic during the first wave across NUTS2 regions of the European Union (EU) and the UK. We find that the effort to reduce infection rates was more successful in the UK than in the EU, and that the deaths due to the trade vector were 10% on average across Europe. Our results imply that without the policy response in Europe, the number of deaths during the first wave would have been about 4,520,000 higher in the EU and around 1,240,000 greater in the UK, with significant variations across regions. Oberbayern in Germany and South Yorkshire in the UK appear as the most effective in reducing the death burden of COVID-19 at different points during the first wave. Moreover, 42% and 37% of the total deaths in the UK and the EU, respectively, could have been prevented if the policy implemented in these two regions had prevailed throughout Europe.

What is inference? This paper discusses a recent account that aims to answer this question—Susanna Siegel’s Response Hypothesis. The hallmark of inference, on Siegel’s account, is the epistemic dependence of a mental transition’s output state(s) on its input state(s). In this paper, I argue that some alleged non-inferential transitions exhibit the kind of epistemic dependence that Siegel’s account takes to be characteristic of inference. More precisely, I argue that some associative transitions exhibit this kind of epistemic dependence—a problematic conclusion, since Siegel takes inference and association to be mutually exclusive kinds of mental transitions. I then suggest a way out of this problem: to reject the assumption that association and inference are mutually exclusive. This may be considered a bold move, for associative transitions are often considered a paradigm example of non-inferential transitions. So, I end up discussing the motivation behind the move and arguing that it opens up an attractive niche for the development of some philosophical projects.

The acceleration of AI and digital transformation is materializing through sociotechnical imaginaries that shape and project the future of education. Using critical discourse analysis, this article examines the underlying ideology in the sociotechnical imaginaries of global educational policy. Specifically, it focuses on what is conceptualized as the fetishism of digital commodities. Three expressive forms of the fetishization of digital commodities in education are identified and analyzed: innovation, technosolutionism, and financialization. Keywords Commodity Fetishism; Politics of Education; Sociotechnical Imaginaries; Artificial Intelligence; Brazil

Objective The goal was to examine the effect of sociodemographic variables, Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical stages and pathology on brain metabolism in Down syndrome (DS). Methods We included 71 euploid healthy controls (HC) and 105 adults with DS (67 asymptomatic, 12 prodromal, and 26 with dementia) from the Down‐Alzheimer Barcelona Neuroimaging Initiative. Participants underwent [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, 3 Tmagnetic resonance imaging, and lumbar puncture to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers (ratio beween amyloid β peptide 42 and 40, phosphorylated tau 181, and neurofilament light chain [NfL]). Voxel‐wise analyses in SPM12 examined the effects of age, sex, intellectual disability, Alzheimer's clinical stage, and CSF biomarkers on brain metabolism. Results In HC, brain metabolism decreased with age primarily in the frontal lobe. By contrast, a more distributed pattern of metabolic loss was observed in DS with age, predominating in temporoparietal regions. Compared to asymptomatic DS participants, those at the prodromal stage exhibited medial parietal hypometabolism, which later extended to other temporoparietal and frontal regions at the dementia stage. In asymptomatic individuals, we observed a widespread hypometabolism compared to HC, mainly in medial frontal and parietal regions. All CSF biomarkers were closely associated with hypometabolism in regions affected by the disease, with the strongest association observed for NfL in medial parietal structures. Interpretation The brain metabolic decline in DS with age reflects Alzheimer's pathological processes and involves temporoparietal regions in a similar pattern to that found in other forms of AD. Hypometabolism is more tightly related to CSF NfL levels than to core AD biomarkers. ANN NEUROL 2025

High-fidelity simulation is an educational technique that utilizes advanced technology and realistic clinical scenarios to replicate real-life situations, offering students a safe and immersive environment to practice and enhance their skills. A quantitative experimental study with a pretest–posttest single-group design was conducted, where 143 first-year undergraduate nursing students (n = 143) participated in a simulation program focusing on spiritual care. The response rate was 49.5%, calculated as the number of students who completed the questionnaire (143) divided by the total number of students approached (289). The pretest and posttest were conducted one month apart. The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS-Sp) was used to assess changes in students' spiritual competencies before and after the simulation. Results indicated significant improvements in students' perceptions of spiritual care, suggesting that simulation is an effective method for enhancing spiritual competencies.

This paper introduces a novel method for achieving complete polarization vision through a full-Stokes polarization camera. Our technique employs a homogeneous dispersive retarder placed before a polarization sensor to harness wavelength-dependent retardation, enabling the differentiation of polarization states across the sensor’s color channels. Assuming weak wavelength dependence of polarization for incoming light, this method facilitates the real-time, simultaneous measurement of the complete Stokes vector of incident light. This method provides a streamlined, versatile, and practical solution with broad potential applications in imaging, remote sensing, and augmented reality.

Aims Central and northern Europe experienced extremely dry conditions in 2018, which caused dieback events in many ecosystems, including coastal heathlands. Our aim was to determine the causes of the varying drought responses observed in Calluna vulgaris on the Baltic island of Hiddensee after this extreme drought. Location Island of Hiddensee, Baltic Sea, NE Germany. Methods We assessed heathland community damage in autumn 2018 and 2019 with drone‐based remote sensing. In addition, we measured water table depths and excavated root samples of C. vulgaris . In 2019, we sampled neighboring C. vulgaris individuals showing contrasting vitality statuses (dead, weakened or healthy), measured their height and canopy width, and prepared cross‐sections of the main stem at the root collar or soil surface level to count and measure their xylem rings. We also assessed climate‐growth correlations in these individuals. Results An 8.0% of all heathland plants showed damage in 2018, while this value decreased to 6.6% in 2019. Only 18% of the plants showing damage in 2018 recovered in 2019. Plant damage was positively related to elevation. Groundwater measurements showed that water table depth dropped below C. vulgaris rooting depth during 2018 and 2019. Healthy plants were taller and had a larger crown area than neighboring weakened and dead individuals, but they did not differ in age nor in previous years' growth. C. vulgaris growth was positively correlated with June and July precipitation. Conclusions Our study evidences the negative impacts of extreme droughts on C. vulgaris in coastal heathlands, especially in individuals growing in elevated areas and/or relatively small‐sized a, and emphasizes the need for adapting heathland management planning accordingly.

This study compares social mobility between Chile and Spain, employing a cohort analysis to generate a consistent analysis between men and women in both countries. The study uses data from multiple national surveys in Spain, but in Chile, increases the sample and period of analysis. In terms of analytical methods, the study presents several innovations. It incorporates the classic analyses of social mobility, while also adopting a long-term perspective through the use of cohorts. Furthermore, it employs the criterion of dominance in social origin, thereby rectifying the shortcomings of previous studies which failed to incorporate the role of the mother. The main findings show that education is a significant determinant of social mobility, although they also reveal notable differences between men and women. In particular, women are the primary contributors to mobility. Furthermore, an examination of temporal trends reveals that both structural and relative mobility are shaped by the distribution of opportunities, yet high levels of social reproduction persist.

To evaluate the tolerance and effectiveness of standard doses (StD) and low doses (LoD) of inhaled antibiotics (IA), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic bronchial infection (CBI) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Single-center, observational, retrospective, follow-up study of patients with COPD and CBI by PA treated with IA between 2012 and 2021. One year before and one after the first IA dose were analysed. 87 patients were included (86 men) with a mean FEV1(%) of 46.3%. Intolerance to IA was observed in 54 (62.1%), with a median time of 30 days (IQR: 15, 90). Only a higher FEV1(%) was associated with lower probability of intolerance (hazard ratio: 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 0.99; p = 0.021). Seven of 15 (46.6%) patients who did not tolerate StD tolerated LoD. Those unable to tolerate LoD also had worse FEV1(%) (38.4% (SD:18.7%) versus 48.1% (SD: 16.4%); p = 0.018). Treatments lasting 6–12 months improved symptoms and reduced PA isolations (− 2.1; P < 0.001) and exacerbations (-1.7, P < 0.001). In 19 patients LoD treatment reduced exacerbations (-2.1, P = 0.003), days of hospitalization (-7.4, P = 0.036) and PA isolations (-2, P = 0.001) with clinical improvement. Antimicrobial resistance was not observed in any case receiving LoD of IA. More than half of our COPD patients treated with IA for CBI by PA presented respiratory intolerance during the first three months related to greater severity of airway obstruction. Treatment with LoD of IA appears to be an effective and safe alternative for some patients unable to tolerate StD.

Changes in the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are a hallmark of disease. Due to its relevance, several in vitro models have been developed for the ECM, including cell-derived matrices (CDMs). CDMs are decellularized natural ECMs assembled by cells that closely mimic the in vivo stromal fibre organization and molecular content. Here, we applied atomic force microscopy-force spectroscopy (AFM-FS) to evaluate the nanomechanical properties of CDMs obtained from patients diagnosed with collagen VI-related congenital muscular dystrophies (COL6-RDs). COL6-RDs are a set of neuromuscular conditions caused by pathogenic variants in any of the three major COL6 genes, which result in deficiency or dysfunction of the COL6 incorporated into the ECM of connective tissues. Current diagnosis includes the genetic confirmation of the disease and categorization of the phenotype based on maximum motor ability, as no direct correlation exists between genotype and phenotype of COL6-RDs. We describe differences in the elastic modulus (E) among CDMs from patients with different clinical phenotypes, as well as the restoration of E in CDMs obtained from genetically edited cells. Results anticipate the potential of the nanomechanical analysis of CDMs as a complementary clinical tool, providing phenotypic information about COL6-RDs and their response to gene therapies.