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Determination of Artificial Sweeteners in Commercial Beverages: Do We Know What We Are Consuming?
No full textNon-nutritive artificial sweeteners (NASs) are xenobiotics widely used in the food industry as sugar substitutes, since they provide few to no calories compared to sucrose. While NASs are considered safe at the acceptable daily intake (ADI) established by regulatory agencies, there is increasing controversy regarding their potential ability to promote metabolic derangements, especially to disrupt the gut microbiome balance. In this study, we analyzed a large cohort of the most commonly consumed beverages used in Spain, categorizing them by the type of soda to determine the composition and con-tent of the most frequently used NASs used in the food industry. All commercial NAS formulations analyzed contained mixtures of different NASs. The NAS contents were always within regulated limits, although some samples yielded values close to these thresholds. Most soda samples analyzed contained NASs, even though the majority were not labeled as 'zero sugars', 'no sugar added', or 'reduced calories', which may mislead consumers. A preliminary statistical evaluation of the obtained results obtained (cluster analysis) suggests that beverages can be grouped into three distinct clusters based on the total amount of NAS present in the samples. Differences in the total NAS content were significant among the three groups, with one cluster showing two- and four-fold higher levels than the othersThis research was funded by INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS III (Spain), grant numbers PI21/01567, FORT23/0010, and RD24/0009001
Desarrollo de proyectos educativos desde la perspectiva de los fondos comunitarios de conocimiento e identidad
No full textENG- The main objective of this thesis is to illustrate and examine the potential of the Community Funds of Knowledge and Identity (CFoKI) approach as a theoretical-methodological tool to design, develop, and evaluate educational projects articulated within socio-educational ecosystems, capable of generating meaningful learning and collective bonds or a sense of belonging. In this sense, the thesis is structured around three articles that help address the general objective, tackling the existing gap between international declarations and claims advocating education as a public and common good, and the current lack of models or pedagogical proposals to guide its implementation in the educational context.
To structure this purpose, three specific objectives are proposed: a) to describe the development and sustainability of an educational project based on a particular CFoKI, considering its phases and governance structure; b) to illustrate the co-design process from the CFoKI perspective; and c) to analyze the potential impact of the CFoKI approach.
At the methodological level, the research is conducted through a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach and is supported by two case studies carried out in the Catalan municipalities of Soses and Celrà. In the first case, the project is centered around the Gebut archaeological site, and, in the second case study, the Scents Park is identified as a community resource capable of offering opportunities for curricular contextualization and the promotion of collective belonging. In both cases, the proposal is constructed through the co-design process of a motor group within the framework of a socio-educational ecosystem, involving different social, educational, and community agents (representing theoretical, practical, and political levels)CAT- El principal objectiu d'aquesta tesi és il·lustrar i examinar el potencial de l'aproximació dels Fons Comunitaris de Coneixement i Identitat (FCCI) com a eina teòric-metodològica per a dissenyar, desenvolupar i avaluar projectes educatius articulats sota ecosistemes socioeducatius, capaços de generar aprenentatges significatius i vincles o pertinences col·lectives. En aquest sentit, la tesi s’articula al voltant de tres articles que ajuden a donar resposta a l’objectiu general plantejat, abordant la bretxa existent entre les declaracions i reivindicacions internacionals que advoquen per una educació com ben públic i comú, i la manca existent de model o propostes pedagògiques que orientin la seva implementació en el context educatiu.
Per tal d’estructurar aquest propòsit es plantegen tres objectius específics: a) descriure el desenvolupament i la sostenibilitat d'un projecte educatiu a partir d'un particular FCCI, atenent les seves fases i estructura de governança; b) il·lustrar el procés de codisseny des de la perspectiva FCCI; i c) analitzar el potencial impacte de l'aproximació FCCI.
A nivell metodològic, la recerca es desenvolupa mitjançant un enfocament de Recerca Basada en el Disseny (RBD) i es recolza en dos estudis de cas duts a terme en els municipis catalans de Soses i Celrà. En el primer cas, el projecte educatiu s’articula entorn del jaciment arqueològic de Gebut i, en el segon cas d’estudi, es determina el Parc de les Olors, com a recurs comunitari capaç d’oferir oportunitats per a la contextualització curricular i el foment de pertinences col·lectives. En ambdós casos la proposta es construeix a través del procés de codisseny d’un grup motor en el marc d’un ecosistema socioeducatiu, en el qual participen diferents agents socials, educatius i comunitaris (representant els nivells teòric, pràctic i polític)Programa de Doctorat Interuniversitari en Psicologia de l'Educació (DIPE
Photoinduced electron transfer enhances the tumor-targeted photodynamic activity of bombesin metallopeptides incorporating an Ir(III) complex and carboxyfluorescein
No full textA primary objective of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is to develop tumor-targeted photosensitizers (PS) that enable selective cytotoxicity through preferential accumulation in cancer tissues and local activation by light. Here, we report on the synthesis of two novel Ir(III) PSs (1 and 2), designed with a terminal alkynyl moiety for subsequent peptide conjugation via click chemistry. Both complexes demonstrated photocatalytic activity, efficiently generating singlet oxygen (1O2). Complex 1 also exhibited remarkable phototoxicity, achieving nanomolar IC50 values in several cancer cell lines following light exposure. Complex 1 accumulated mainly in mitochondria, where it triggered membrane depolarization and apoptosis upon photoactivation, without affecting the cell cycle. To enhance tumor selectivity, 1 was conjugated to different derivatives of the tumor-targeting peptide bombesin, yielding 13 metallopeptides. Although conjugation reduced the cytotoxicity of 1, some metallopeptides were 2–4 times more active against PC3 cancer cells than healthy fibroblasts, which confirmed their improved selectivity. A double-functionalized metallopeptide bearing both 1 and carboxyfluorescein (CF) at the N-terminal Lys (1-Tr-Lys(CF)-NLS-BN3) was synthesized. This molecular architecture exhibited emission quenching relative to the metal-free derivative (CF-NLS-BN3) and an enhanced photodynamic effect compared to the CF-free metallopeptide (1-Tr-Lys-NLS-BN3). Based on photophysical studies, both observations were rationalized as a result of a photoinduced electron transfer process. The synergistic effect between the Ir and the CF fragments, combined with the peptide-mediated selectivity, offers significant insights for optimizing metal-based PSs for cancer therapyThis work was supported by the by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MCIN/AEI) of Spain (projects PID2021-127187OB-C21 and PID2021-127187OB-C22/ MCIN/ AEI / 10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE). PhD students acknowledge their predoctoral grants to University of Girona (G.R., IFUdG2020) and Generalitat de Catalunya (E.Z., AGAUR; 2021 FI_B 01036).
Open Access funding was provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Elsevie
Sedimentary rates driven by laboratory lock-exchange turbidity currents flowing over gravel and vegetated beds
No full textTurbidity currents are key agents in sediment transport and bed reshaping, influencing geological records, organic carbon fluxes and pollutant transport. While extensively studied over smooth beds, their interaction with rough beds, such as gravel or vegetated substrates, remains poorly understood. Existing studies suggest bed roughness slows flow and alters deposition, but a comprehensive understanding of how grain-size affects current dynamics and sedimentation patterns is lacking. In this study, we addressed key knowledge gaps on the influence of bed roughness and vegetation on turbidity current dynamics and sedimentation by conducting a comprehensive series of lock-exchange flume experiments. Six bed grain-sizes, multiple flow depths, and sediment concentrations were tested and compared with previous experiments on simulated and real vegetation. Results demonstrate that increasing bed roughness significantly reduces turbidity current velocity and enhances near-source sediment deposition. Greater deposits close to the source result in more non-uniform sediment distribution, with less deposition along the gravel bed. Conversely, smooth beds facilitate longer sediment transport and more uniform deposition. Flow regimes were observed to shift from inertial to drag-dominated as a function of bed configuration, with vegetated and coarse-grained beds inducing comparable hydraulic resistance. Sediment deposition patterns were closely linked to bed roughness and influenced clogging processes via unimpeded static percolation. Overall, the findings reveal a strong feedback between substrate morphology and turbidity current behaviour, with important implications for turbidite formation, sedimentary structure development, and hyporheic exchange dynamicsThis study was funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of the Spanish Government through Grant PID2024-155974OB-I00.
Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Elsevie
Intracranial self-stimulation mitigates spatial task deficits, modifies miR-146a and miR-495 serum levels and restores hippocampal NRF2 levels in a rat model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease
No full textINTRODUCTION: A definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires the identification of pathological changes. Plasma miRNAs have emerged as potential AD diagnostic biomarkers. METHODS: Amatched case-control study was conducted using convenience sampling to evaluate the ability of candidate miRNAs in differentiating probable AD patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia (MD) stages. The initial sample included 29 patients and 58 controls. Plasma levels of miRNAs were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and their associations with scores from a comprehensive neuropsychological battery of cognitive tests analyzed by Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: A miR-181a, miR-181c, and miR-495 signature showed area-under-curve values indicative of strong diagnostic capacity and biomarker-based staging. Higher levels of these miRNAs were associated with worse scores in the different assessed cognitive test
The Tower of the Italians in Zaragoza: the forgotten memorial of the Fascist fallen in the Spanish Civil War
No full textBoth in Italy and abroad, the construction of memorial shrines to honour those who fell for the Fascist cause stemmed from Benito Mussolini's desire to create symbolic spaces to celebrate Italian greatness. Moreover, their construction reinforced a specific vision of the nation - one rooted in the ideal of sacrifice, unquestioning loyalty to Mussolini's commands, and the exaltation of violence as a legitimate tool of political struggle. This article analyses the tower-ossuary of the Italians in Zaragoza, a monument commemorating the legionaries of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie, who died fighting alongside Francisco Franco's Nationalist forces against Republican troops during the Spanish Civil War. Despite its limited recognition, this monument - the largest Italian shrine abroad after that in El Alamein - constitutes an object of significant scholarly interest, since it preserves the memory of Fascist Italy's intervention on behalf of the Caudillo according to a particular narrative, which Mussolini's regime sought to immortalise for posterity in stone and concrete. Meanwhile, the attempt to re-signify this shrine after the fall of the Fascist dictatorship makes it a compelling case study for reflecting on the processes through which a society can rethink its history and engage with the legacy of its authoritarian pastLa costruzione di sacrari in onore di coloro che caddero per la causa fascista, sia in Italia che all'estero, fu il resultat del desiderio di Benito Mussolini di crear espais simbolic destinati a celebrare la grandezza italiana. A més, essa era funzionale a rafforzare una visione specifica della nazione – fondata sull'ideale del sacrificio, sulla lealtà cieca agli ordini di Mussolini e sull'esaltazione della violenza come strumento legittimo di lotta politica. Questo articolo analizza la torre-ossario degli Italiani a Saragozza, un monument che commemora i legionari del Corpo Truppe Volontarie, mort combattendo al fianco delle forze nazionaliste di Francisco Franco contro le truppe repubblicane durant la Guerra Civile Spagnola. Nonostante la sua scarsa notorietà pubblica, questo monumento – il più grande sacrario italiano all'estero dopo quello di El Alamein – rappresenta un oggetto di notevole interesse storiografico, in quanto conserva la memoria dell'intervento dell'Italia fascista a fianco del Caudillo secondo una narrazione che il regime mussoliniano cercò di immortalare nella pietra e nel cemento per le generazioni futures. A més, il tentatiu di atribuire un nou significat a aquest sacrari després de la caduta della dittatura fascista lo render un caso di studio particolarmente significativo per reflectere sui processi through cui una societat rielabora la pròpia història i si confronta amb l'eredità del propi passat autoritarioThis research has been funded by the Memorial Democràtic and the Department of Justice and Democratic Quality of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Grant ID: MEM240/24/000076), to whom I extend my appreciationOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CSUC agreement with Cambridge University Press (CUP
Joan Ferraté: 100 anys: record de Joan Ferraté en el centenari del seu naixement
No full textAmb el suport del Consell Social de la UdG, i de la Diputació de GironaRecull de les contribucions dels ponents i el debat posterior de la primera part de la Jornada acadèmica “Joan Ferraté: cent anys”, celebrada a la Facultat de Lletres de la UdG el 15 de novembre de 2024, un acte de record sincer i reconeixement merescut a Joan Ferraté en el centenari del seu naixement. Inclou els versos anglesos (plens d’ironia i emoció) que la filla de Joan Ferraté, Amalia Ferraté, va recitar en la tercera part de la Jornada, versos que parlen de la historia i la relació que va mantenir amb la biblioteca heretada del seu par
A new multitech bioprinter for high precision triple negative breast cancer modeling
No full textBioprinting is a manufacturing method that enables the precise deposition of bioinks in the three-dimensional environment based on a digitally created model. In cancer modelling, bioprinting has the potential to produce complex, multicellular, and reproducible biological constructs. However, optimizing bioprinting processes remains a significant challenge. This study presents a new multi-technology bioprinter concept that combines the Extrusion-Based bioprinting (EBB) with Digital Light Processing (DLP), enabling the fabrication of highly accurate biological constructs. To validate the technology, various process parameters –including feed rate, flow rate and DLP curing time– were analysed. Hydrogels composed of a seaweed polysaccharide and gelatin methacryloyl (Bioink 1) and a tuber-derived polysaccharide and gelatin methacryloyl (Bioink 2) with MDA-MB-231 or MDA-MB-468 cells were prepared. Prior to printing, cytocompatibility was assessed through an MTT assay. Dimensional accuracy varying flow rate and feed rate was assessed on a bioink with similar viscosity. Based on previous results, Bioink 1 and MDA-MB-231 were used to print constructs with varying process parameters and cell viability was assessed. Results indicate that cytocompatibility is influenced by cell type, bioink composition and culture duration, while printing parameters have no relevant impact on cell viability, although lower feed rates slightly influence cell survival. Consequently, this study demonstrates that the optimization of printing parameters can significantly improve cell viability and structural integrity, highlighting the potential of this approach as a promising tool for advancing cancer modelingThis research was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and co-funded by European Union (ERDF/ESF, “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future”) (PI19/00372). It was also supported by Agencia Estatal de Investigación y NextGenerationEU (PLEC2021-007523/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).
Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Natur
Green public procurement on EU directive 2014/24: adoption effects of mandatory and voluntary transposition
No full textRegulation is one of the most crucial factors for implementing Green Public Procurement (GPP). This study provides the first multi-country causal analysis of GPP adoption using contract-level data, leveraging the transposition variability of the 2014/24/EU Directive. Using a Difference-in-Differences approach, the study examines the effects of mandatory and voluntary regulatory frameworks on GPP uptake, while accounting for the mediating role of bureaucratic quality. The results indicate that mandatory regulations significantly enhance GPP adoption; voluntary options can work in well-functioning administrations, but their effectiveness is strongly conditioned by bureaucratic quality, which in many specifications rivals or exceeds the direct effect of legal mandates. These findings underscore the critical interplay between institutional capacity and regulatory design, highlighting the need to tailor GPP policies to national institutional contexts to maximize their effectivenessOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature1
Settling velocities of microplastics with different shapes in sediment-water mixtures
No full textThe widespread distribution of microplastics (MP) in aquatic systems highlights the need for a clear understanding of how they are transported and accumulate on the bottom of water bodies. Developing predictive models for MP dispersion, sedimentation, and bioaccumulation is crucial for informing regulatory decisions and mitigating the impact of MP and related pollutants. Among the key parameters, MP settling velocity is considered the most critical for predicting their behavior in aquatic environments. Recent studies suggest an intricate and not fully understood relationship between MP settling and sediment dynamics. To date, none of the current models can predict how sediment modifies MP settling velocity. Therefore, previous understanding on MP settling does not fully account for the sedimentation of MP in aquatic ecosystems, where sediment suspension is present. This study provides further evidence that the presence of sediment alters the sedimentation rate of MP based on their shape, offering a quantitative estimate of this interaction. For the first time, the effects sediment interaction has on MP sinking trajectories and inclinations are presented. A preliminary, modified version of an existing formula is proposed to estimate MP settling velocity in the presence of sediment, laying the groundwork for more accurate predictive models of MP transport in aquatic environmentsThis study was supported by the European Union - Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 1 - CUP J53D23019300001 (PRIN PNRR2022 P2022S2WJZ ManagIng plastic traNspOrt in riverS and coaStal arEas, MINOSSE) and by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of the Spanish Government through Grant PID2021-123860OB-I0