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The Role of constraints in coputation exploring optimality through limited resources and intrinsic motivation
No full textWhen interacting with the world, agents take actions they consider optimal, that is, best. Typically, this optimality is evaluated over the entire space of possibilities. However, agents are inherently bounded -- for instance by energy, time, or even lifespan -- resulting in behavior that often deviates from global optimality. In this work, we investigate how introducing constraints reshapes the concept of optimality. First, we explore optimality within the framework of the Breadth-Depth (BD) dilemma, a one-shot allocation of limited resources in large decision trees. Next, we rethink utility and reward within the Maximum Occupancy Principle (MOP): in this intrinsic motivation framework, extrinsic rewards are not the goals per se but means to sustain actions in the world. Finally, we introduce NeuroMOP, showing how intrinsic motivation provides a framework to interpret neural variability. Our results highlight the potential role of constraints in shaping computations in the brain, spanning from neural activity to behavior.Quan interactuen amb el món, els agents prenen les accions que consideren òptimes, és a dir, les millors. Normalment, aquesta òptimització s’avalua en tot l’espai de possibilitats. Tanmateix, els agents estan intrínsecament limitats -- per exemple, per l’energia, el temps o fins i tot l’esperança de vida --, cosa que provoca comportaments que sovint s’allunyen de l’òptim global. En aquest treball, investiguem com la introducció de restriccions redefineix el concepte d’òptimització. Primer, explorem l’òptimització dins el marc del Breadth-Depth (BD) dilema, una assignació única de recursos limitats en grans arbres de decisions. A continuació, replantegem la utilitat i la recompensa dins el Principi de Màxima Ocupació (MOP): en aquest marc de motivació intrínseca, les recompenses extrínseques no són els objectius en si mateixos, sinó els mitjans per sostenir accions en el món. Finalment, introduïm NeuroMOP, mostrant com la motivació intrínseca ofereix un marc per comprendre l’activitat neuronal. Els nostres resultats subratllen el paper potencial de les restriccions en la configuració dels càlculs al cervell, des de l’activitat neuronal fins al comportament.Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacion
Fish consumption and gastric cancer within the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project
No full textGastric cancer is among the most common cancer and cause of cancer death. We conducted a meta-analysis of 25 case-control studies from the Stomach cancer Pooling Project to assess the association between fish or canned fish consumption and the risk of gastric cancer. 10,431 cases and 24,903 controls were available. We found no association between fish consumption and risk of gastric cancer (pooled odds ratios (OR) = 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-1.13, for at least one serving/week vs none). Geographical differences were found: in Asia an increased intake of fish was associated with a lower stomach cancer risk. In the sensitivity analyses, fish consumption was associated to a lower risk of gastric cancer in models adjusted for family history of gastric cancer (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.89) and Helicobacter Pylori infection (OR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.88), but not for body mass index or energy intake. Seven studies collected information on canned fish (4525 cases and 8073 controls). No association was found for canned fish (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.82-1.13). In conclusion, our results provide evidence that fish and canned fish intake are not associated with gastric cancer risk, although geographical differences have been highlighted, with a lower risk of gastric cancer in Asia
Walking into aging: real-world mobility patterns and digital benchmarks from the InCHIANTI Study
No full textMobility is a cornerstone of health and quality of life, particularly in older adults. Digital mobility outcomes (DMOs) from real-world walking data offer crucial insights into the functional status and early markers of mobility decline. This study provides reference values for walking activity, pace, rhythm, and gait bout-to-bout variability in community-dwelling older adults and evaluates the effects of age, sex, height, and weight on these parameters. Using data from 200 older adults (aged 65-94 years) from the InCHIANTI Study and applying the Mobilise-D computational pipeline, we analyzed real-world walking over a week. Significant differences by sex and age were found, with males showing higher walking activity in younger age groups (65-74 and 75-84 years) but not in the oldest group (85-94 years). Additionally, we observed non-linear trends in mobility metrics with age, indicating an accelerated reduction in mobility at certain age ranges. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring real-world walking data to pinpoint critical periods of mobility decline and guide targeted interventions. This work offers valuable benchmarks for clinical assessments and future research.We want to acknowledge the participants who volunteered to take part in the clinical studies. Their contribution has been vital to the successful completion of the present study. The InCHIANTI baseline study (1998–2000) was supported as a “targeted project” (ICS110.1/RF97.71) by the Italian Ministry of Health and in part by the U.S. National Institute on Aging (Contracts: 263 MD 9164 and 263 MD 821336); the InCHIANTI follow-up study 1 (2001–2003) was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging (Contracts: N.1-AG[1]1-1 and N.1-AG-1-2111); the InCHIANTI follow-up study 4 and 5 were supported by the Agency for Regional Health Care of Tuscany (Reg. n° 586/R, 26/10/2012). This research was co-funded by the Italian Complementary National Plan PNC-I.1 Research initiatives for innovative technologies and pathways in the health and welfare sector” D.D. 931 of 06/06/2022, DARE - DigitAl lifelong pRevEntion initiative, code PNC0000002, CUP: B53C22006450001. The study has been funded in part by the European Union (Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement No.: 288940 (FARSEEING project)), and by the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 820820 (Mobilise[1]D). This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA. S.D.D. was also supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking (IMI2 JU) project IDEA-FAST - Grant Agreement 853981 and by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) based at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle University and the Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust. S.D.D. was supported by the NIHR/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility (CRF) infrastructure at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. S.D.D. was also supported by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (Grant Ref: EP/W031590/1, Grant Ref: EP/X031012/1 and Grant Ref: EP/X036146/1)
The BioGenome Portal: a web-based platform for biodiversity genomics data management
No full textBiodiversity genomics projects are underway with the aim of sequencing the genomes of all eukaryotic species on Earth. Here we describe the BioGenome Portal, a web-based application to facilitate organization and access to the data produced by biodiversity genomics projects. The portal integrates user-generated data with data deposited in public repositories. The portal generates sequence status reports that can be eventually ingested by designated metadata tracking systems, facilitating the coordination task of these systems. The portal is open-source and fully customizable. It can be deployed at any site with minimum effort, contributing to the democratization of biodiversity genomics projects. We illustrate the features of the BioGenome Portal through a number of specific instances. One such instance is being used as the reference portal for the Catalan Initiative for the Earth Biogenome Project, a regional project aiming to sequencing the genomes of the species of the Catalan linguistic area
Olaparib monotherapy in advanced triple-negative breast cancer patients with homologous recombination deficiency and without germline mutations in BRCA1/2: The NOBROLA phase 2 study
No full textPurpose: To evaluate olaparib in advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and no germline BRCA1/2 mutations (gBRCA1/2mut). Methods: NOBROLA (NCT03367689) is a single-arm, open-label, multicenter, phase IIa trial, enrolling adult patients with advanced TNBC without gBRCA1/2mut and with HRD, who were treated with olaparib. The primary endpoint was clinical benefit rate (CBR) per RECIST v.1.1. Results: Six of 114 patients were eligible and received olaparib. Median follow up was 8.5 months. CBR and overall response rate (ORR) were 50 % (95 % CI, 11.8-88.2). Conclusions: The observed results could prompt further investigation. Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03367689
First assembly of a draft genome of the critically endangered northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus, primates, atelidae) including non-invasive genotyping strategies for the species
No full textGenomic resources, such as draft genomes, are vital for biodiversity monitoring and conservation. For endangered species, they enable the development of tools like organellar genomes and molecular markers, which are crucial for population genetics. Advances in sequencing technologies now allow high-throughput genotyping with detailed amplicon sequences, enhancing genetic variation studies. The northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus), a critically endangered primate endemic to Brazil's Atlantic Forest, currently lacks both nuclear and mitochondrial genome data and species-specific microsatellite markers for population genetic studies. We assembled a 2.52 Gb draft genome for B. hypoxanthus with 202,243 contigs (N50 = 29,134 bp), and BUSCO analyses indicated 52% completeness and 15.5% fragmented genes. The complete 16,635 bp mitochondrial genome retains the conserved mammalian structure with 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, 13 CDS, and an origin of replication. Additionally, we designed 31 SSR primer pairs suitable for non-invasive sampling and genotyping, alongside two mtDNA and two sex-determination primers, configured into three multiplex PCR sets. These genomic resources, including the draft genome, complete mitochondrial genome, and microsatellite markers, provide essential tools for evolutionary analyses and the genetic monitoring of B. hypoxanthus populations, supporting its conservation
Crowding out or “one-size-fits-all” occupations? A regional exploration of youth overeducation in Spain
No full textLittle attention has been paid to supply- and demand-side factors explaining regional variation in youth overeducation. These factors might be drivers of a crowding out effect, where workers at a given level of education are expelled from their “matched” labour market positions by workers with a higher level of educational attainment. Controlling for interregional migration, we explore this scenario applying time-series cross-sectional analysis to data from the Spanish Labour Force Survey (1987–2016). Our results show that both supply- and demand-side factors contribute to explaining regional differences and that an increase in the overeducation rate among young people with tertiary education displaces those with only upper secondary education towards overeducation, but not unemploymen
Twenty-year trend in the prevalence of increased cardiometabolic risk, measured by abdominal obesity, among Spanish children and adolescents across body mass index categories
No full textBackground: Identifying children and adolescents with cardiometabolic risk at an early stage is crucial for effective treatment and prevention. From a practical perspective, this could be accomplished by assessing the presence of abdominal obesity, which serves as a surrogate indicator of increased cardiometabolic risk and is easy to measure. However, the assessment of abdominal obesity via waist circumference has not yet become a standard procedure in pediatric healthcare. The present study aimed to analyze the secular trends in increased cardiometabolic risk, as indicated by waist circumference among Spanish children and adolescents. Methods: This study included 4861 children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 years from two nationwide representative cross-sectional surveys, the EnKid study and the PASOS study, conducted in 1998-2000 and 2019-2020, respectively. Anthropometric variables were measured in both surveys by trained personnel. Three different waist-to-height (WHtR) cutoffs were used to define abdominal obesity as criteria for cardiometabolic risk. BMI categories were defined according to the IOTF and WHO growth charts. Results: Abdominal obesity [waist to height ratio (cm/cm) > 0.49] significantly increased from 40.7 to 56.1% and 93.8 to 97.2% in participants with overweight and obesity, respectively, between 1998-2000 and 2019-2020 (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex and age, revealed that the odds of being at increased cardiometabolic risk in 2019-2020 was 1.99 (95% CI 1.48-2.67) in participants with overweight in comparison with 1998-2000. The effect size was comparable among the three WHtR criteria for abdominal obesity or the BMI categories according to IOTF and WHO boundaries. Conclusions: The prevalence of Spanish children with increased cardiometabolic risk, identified by abdominal obesity, significantly increased among those with overweight during the last two decades. This finding underlines the need of including the measurement of waist circumference as a standard procedure in pediatric practice
Translating sapphism in times of repression: Carmilla and Francoist Spain.
No full textTreball d'investigació/Fi de màster. Directora: Dra. Esther Gimeno UgaldeThis paper analyses two translations of Carmilla produced in different time periods (1961 and 2023) to discern their representations of the novella’s Sapphism and rejection of religion. The study of Le Fanu’s work reveals its challenge of patriarchal heteronormative discourse through lesbianism and the opposition to Christianity. Carmilla therefore subverts the core criteria of the Francoist regime, consequently, 1961 translators diminished and erased the questioning of patriarchal heteronormative ideals as a means to avoid censorship. The paper concludes that the 1961 edition transforms Sapphism into a gothic element, while the 2023 translation accurately reflects and reclaims Sapphism as it appears in Le Fanu’s original work.Este trabajo analiza dos traducciones de Carmilla realizadas en diferentes épocas (1961 y 2023) para discernir sus representaciones del Safismo y del rechazo de la religión que aparecen en la novela corta. El estudio del relato de Le Fanu revela su desafío del discurso heteronormativo patriarcal a través del lesbianismo y la oposición al Cristianismo. Por lo tanto, Carmilla subvierte los criterios fundamentales del régimen franquista, lo que llevó a los traductores de 1961 a minimizar e incluso eliminar el cuestionamiento de los ideales heteronormativo patriarcales para evitar la censura. El trabajo concluye que la edición del 1961 transforma el Safismo en un elemento gótico, mientras que la traducción del 2023 refleja y reivindica el Safismo tal y como aparece en la obra original de Le Fanu.Aquest treball analitza dues traduccions de Carmilla realitzades en èpoques diferents (1961 i 2023) per tal de discernir les seves representacions del Safisme i del rebuig de la religió que apareixen a la novel·la curta. L’estudi del relat de Le Fanu revela el seu desafiament del discurs heteronormatiu patriarcal mitjançant el lesbianisme i l’oposició al Cristianisme. Per tant, Carmilla subverteix els criteris fonamentals del règim franquista, el que va conduir als traductors de 1961 a minimitzar i inclús eliminar el qüestionament dels ideals heteronormatiu patriarcals per tal d’evitar la censura. El treball conclou que l’edició del 1961 transforma el Safisme en un element gòtic, mentre que la traducció del 2023 reflexa i reivindica el Safisme tal com hi apareix a l’obra original de Le Fanu