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Patterns and predictors of 12-month treatment of common anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders in the World Mental Health (WMH) surveys: treatment in the context of perceived need
No full textBackground: Data from the World Mental Health (WMH) surveys on the coverage cascade has underscored the importance of perceived need for seeking treatment of mental disorders. However, little research has focused on treatment contact after adjusting for perceived need. We do so here in analysis of WMH data. Methods: The WMH data considered here come from 25 community surveys implemented between 2001 and 2019 across 21 countries. n = 12,508 of the n = 117,739 respondents in these surveys aged 18 and older met criteria for one or more 12-month DSM-IV anxiety, mood, or substance use disorders assessed across all these surveys. Information was obtained about 12-month treatment of each disorder. The predictors considered were disorder type, socio-demographics, and history of prior treatment. Results: Twelve-month treatment was obtained for 17.7% of the n = 18,702 12-month person-disorders in the sample, including 34.1% for the 46.5% with perceived need and 3.5% for the 54.5% without perceived need. After adjusting for perceived need, receiving treatment was most strongly associated with disorder characteristics (severity, and highest for major depressive, panic/agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorders; lowest for substance use disorders), health insurance, employment status (highest for students, the retired, and the unemployed/disabled), and several aspects of prior treatment. These associations were generally similar in cases with and without perceived need for treatment. 12-month treatment among cases who without perceived need and without history of prior treatment was rare (1.1%). Conclusions: Findings highlight the critical importance of perceived need for obtaining 12-month treatment in the context of other significant predictors involving complexity and severity of disorders and socio-demographic factors. The importance of prior treatment history was quite striking, as was the finding that absence of both perceived need and prior treatment history were associated with a nearly complete absence of treatment. Policy recommendations emerging from these results include the need to increase health literacy, reduce the stigmatization of mental disorder, enhance access through health insurance, and improve the quality of care given the clear evidence that prior experiences with treatment play an important role in determining the likelihood of again seeking treatment for current problems
Mining the heparinome for cryptic antimicrobial peptides that selectively kill Gram-negative bacteria
No full textGlycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding proteins regulating essential processes such as cell growth and migration are essential for cell homeostasis. As both GAGs and the lipid A disaccharide core of Gram-negative bacteria contain negatively charged disaccharide units, we hypothesized that GAG-binding proteins could also recognize LPS and enclose cryptic antibiotic motifs. Here, we report novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from heparin-binding proteins (HBPs), with specific activity against Gram-negative bacteria and high LPS binding. We used computational tools to locate antimicrobial regions in 82% of HBPs, most of those colocalizing with putative heparin-binding sites. To validate these results, we synthesized five candidates [HBP-1-5] that showed remarkable activity against Gram-negative bacteria, as well as a strong correlation between heparin and LPS binding. Structural characterization of these AMPs shows that heparin or LPS recognition promotes a conformational arrangement that favors binding. Among all analogs, HBP-5 displayed the highest affinity for both heparin and LPS, with antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria at the nanomolar range. These results suggest that GAG-binding proteins are involved in LPS recognition, which allows them to act also as antimicrobial proteins. Some of the peptides reported here, particularly HBP-5, constitute a new class of AMPs with specific activity against Gram-negative bacteria.Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Innovation (PDC2021-121544-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union Next Generation EU/ PRTR to MT; project PID2020-114627RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 to MT; PID2020-112821GB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 to MAJ and PID2020-113184RB-C22 to DA), the Departament de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya (2023PROD00021 to MT), and from La Caixa Banking Foundation (HR17-00409, to DA). This work has been co-financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation with funds from the European Union Next Generation EU, from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR-C17.I1), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) ESCMID2022 and from the Autonomous Community of Catalonia within the framework of the Biotechnology Plan Applied to Health. Work at UPF was funded by the MCI María de Maeztu network of Units of Excellence. NMR experiments were performed in the “Manuel Rico” NMR laboratory (LMR) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), a node of the Spanish Large-Scale National Facility (ICTS R-LRB). DS and RBM are recipients of pre-doctoral a FPI scholarship (PRE2018-083243 and PRE2021-097678, respectively) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
A meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies of ultra-processed food consumption with DNA methylation in European children
No full textBackground/objective: There is limited knowledge on how diet affects the epigenome of children. Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is emerging as an important factor impacting health, but mechanisms need to be uncovered. We therefore aimed to assess the association between UPF consumption and DNA methylation in children. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) from a total of 3152 children aged 5-11 years from four European studies (HELIX, Generation XXI, ALSPAC, and Generation R). UPF consumption was defined applying the Nova food classification system (group 4), and DNA methylation was measured in blood with Illumina Infinium Methylation arrays. Associations were estimated within each cohort using robust linear regression models, adjusting for relevant covariates, followed by a meta-analysis of the resulting EWAS estimates. Results: Although no CpG was significant at FDR level, we found suggestive associations (p-value < 10-5) between UPF consumption and methylation at seven CpG sites. Three of them, cg00339913 (PHYHIP), cg03041696 (intergenic), and cg03999434 (intergenic), were negatively associated, whereas the other four, cg14665028 (NHEJ1), cg18968409 (intergenic), cg24730307 (intergenic), and cg09709951 (ATF7), were positively associated with UPF intake. These CpGs have been previously associated with health outcomes such as carcinomas, and the related genes are mainly involved in pathways related to thyroid hormones and liver function. Conclusion: We only found suggestive changes in methylation at 7 CpGs associated with UPF intake in a large EWAS among children: although this shows a potential impact of UPF intake on DNAm, this might not be a key mechanism underlying the health effects of UPFs in children. There is a need for more detailed dietary assessment in children studies and of intervention studies to assess potential epigenetic changes linked to a reduction in UPF in the diet.We are grateful to participants in all cohorts included in the four studies (HELIX, Generation XXI, ALSPAC and Generation R) across countries who have generously given their time and collaborated in the studies. The HELIX cohort received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) [grant number 308333]. Joana Llauradó-Pont has received support from the European Union—NextGenerationEU and the Spanish government, under the Investigo Programme (grant ID: 2022 INV-1 00046). Camille Lassale is supported by a Ramon y Cajal Fellowship RYC2020-029599 funded by MICIU/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Social Fund 'Invest in your future'. Nikos Stratakis has been supported from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships (grant ID: 101059245), from the Ministry of Science and Innovation and State Research Agency through the 'Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019–2023' Program (CEX2018-000806-S) and by a Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación fellowship (IJC2020-043630-I) financed by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN)/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI)/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union 'NextGenerationEU/PRTR'. Oliver Robinson was supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/S03532X/1). This work received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (774548, STOP; 874739, LongITools; 874583, EUCAN-Connect) and from the European Joint Programming Initiative 'A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life' (JPI HDHL, NutriPROGRAM project, ZonMw the Netherlands no.529051022 and PREcisE project ZonMw the Netherlands no.529051023). Details of funding for each study and for contributions of individual studies can be found in Supplementary material S3. No funders listed here or in Supplementary material S3 influenced the study aim, design, analysis or interpretation of results. The results expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily any listed funder
Trauma, tragedia, terror: consideraciones sobre Hereditary
No full textTutor: Sergi SánchezMàster Universitari en Recerca en ComunicacióEn los últimos diez años se ha hablado de un renacer del cine de terror norteamericano, un terror elevado o de prestigio, con el cineasta Ari Aster como caso paradigmático de este movimiento, con su ópera prima Hereditary (2018). El trabajo se dispone a preguntarse de qué hablamos cuando decimos cosas como “terror elevado” o “de prestigio” a través de la observación del texto de la ópera prima de Aster.
Para este análisis narratológico, el trabajo pone en comunicación dos disciplinas de naturaleza diferente, siendo estos los trauma studies y los tragedy studies; el trabajo parte de establecer intersecciones entre ambas disciplinas como el foco a la hora de abordar este nuevo terror contemporáneo que Hereditary encarna
Development of new insecticide technologies against urban pests based on biomolecules
No full textThis industrial thesis provides insights into the development of new insecticide technologies against the cockroach Blattella germanica. We have focused this work on the design of an oral insecticide using RNA interference (RNAi) methodology, as an alternative to synthetic chemical insecticides. We first evaluated essential genes in B. germanica by injection, and then selected one of them as the best candidate for RNAi oral delivery experiments. We also studied the function of this candidate gene in B. germanica oogenesis. For oral delivery experiments, we used nanomaterials to preserve the stability of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as it passes through the insect gut. Results in RNAi oral delivery showed no insect mortality but oviposition was compromised in certain cases. We identified the potential barriers that limit RNAi efficiency in oral experiments, reinforcing the importance of their understanding for the successful development of oral RNAi-based insecticides. Additionally, we propose antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) as alternative nucleic acid-based molecules to manage B. germanica pest.Aquesta tesi industrial aporta coneixement sobre el desenvolupament de noves tecnologies insecticides contra la panerola Blattella germanica. Hem centrat aquest treball en el disseny d'un insecticida oral mitjançant la metodologia d'interferència d’ARN (ARNi) com a alternativa als insecticides químics sintètics. Primer de tot, hem estudiat per injecció els gens essencials en B. germanica i després hem seleccionat un d'ells com el millor candidat per als experiments d’administració oral d’ARNi. També hem estudiat la funció d'aquest gen candidat en l'oogènesi de B. germanica. Per als experiments d’administració oral, hem utilitzat nanomaterials per preservar l'estabilitat de la doble cadena de RNA (dsRNA) mentre passa pel digestiu de l'insecte. En els resultats d’administració oral d'ARNi no es va observar mortalitat en els insectes, però l’oviposició es va veure compromesa en alguns casos. Hem identificat les barreres potencials que limiten l'eficiència de l'ARNi en experiments orals, fet que reforça la importància de la seva comprensió per a l’exitós desenvolupament d'insecticides orals basats en ARNi. A més, proposem els oligonucleòtids antisentit (ASOs), molècules basades en àcids nucleics, com alternativa per controlar la plaga de B. germanica.Programa de Doctorat en Biomedicin
El grado de afectación al consentimiento de la víctima en los delitos sexuales: una revisión crítica de la Ley Orgánica 10/2022
No full textChoice of classifier handshape in Catalan sign language: a corpus study
No full textClassifier predicates are sign language modality specific constructions that are widely spread in all attested sign languages. Extended research has been devoted to the study of these structures, but many aspects related to their nature remain unclear. This article examines the factors that influence the choice of handshape in classifier predicates referring to anthropomorphic entities in Catalan Sign Language (LSC). We present the results of a corpus study investigating the choice between the 1- and the 2-handshape. Our findings indicate that the choice between these two handshapes is affected by the discourse status of the referent, whether the event encodes manner of motion and whether the action is (un)controlled by the moving referent. Moreover, our study shows that, in LSC, handshapes that are articulatory more complex (e.g. the 2-handshape with respect to the 1-handshape) are used to convey more detailed information about the events and the discourse referents. This accounts for the use of the 2-handshape when manner of motion, in addition to path, is expressed, when referents are maintained in the discourse and when controlled actions expressing the controlled movement of the body and the legs are conveyed.This research has been partially possible thanks to the following financial support. We thank Western Norway University of Applied Sciences for the finantial support in making this publication Open Access. Zorzi acknowledges the support of the Centre for Advanced Study in Oslo, Norway, which funded and hosted Vadim Kimmelman s Young CAS Fellow research project “Whole-Entity Classifiers in Sign Languages: A Multiperspective Approach” during the academic years of 2022–2024; Veiga Busto acknowledges the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, grant number VI.C.201.014); Barberà, who is a Serra Húnter fellow, and Quer acknowledge the grant PID2020-119041GB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033; Navarrete-González acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the European Union “NextGenerationEU/PRTR” and the Spanish State Research Agency for the funding of the Juan de la Cierva fellowship (JDC2022-049289-I), and also the Basque Government through the BERC 2022-2025 program, and the Spanish State Research Agency through BCBL Severo Ochoa excellence accreditation CEX2020-001010/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
Business innovation strategies
No full textEn l’entorn empresarial accelerat d’avui, la innovació és reconeguda com a
essencial per mantenir un avantatge competitiu, però moltes organitzacions
s'enfronten a grans reptes per incorporar-la als seus marcs estratègics. Aquest
estudi explora els aspectes crítics de les ‘Estratègies d’Innovació Empresarial’
examinant tant les bases teòriques com els obstacles pràctics amb què es troben
les grans organitzacions.
Mitjançant una anàlisi qualitativa, entrevistes en profunditat i estudis de casos reals
sobre la implementació de tecnologies disruptives com la Intel·ligència Artificial
Generativa, els resultats revelen que, tot i que les empreses afirmen prioritzar la
innovació, les seves aproximacions sovint es limiten a esforços tàctics a curt termini
en lloc d’iniciatives estratègiques coherents a llarg termini. L’absència d’una
definició universalment acceptada d’innovació desencadena una reacció en
cadena, afectant tot, des de l’estructura organitzativa fins a la posició estratègica
dels departaments d’innovació.
Sense una comprensió clara i compartida, la innovació sovint és vista com un afegit
centrat en la tecnologia, més que com un component integral de l’estratègia
empresarial. Aquest estudi mostra que la mentalitat innovadora ha de formar part
de l’estratègia de l’empresa i que, per augmentar-ne el valor, la innovació necessita
la seva pròpia estratègia dedicada, guiada per una metodologia estructurada que
s’alineï amb les etapes tradicionals de l’estratègia empresarial i estigui
profundament integrada en tot el teixit organitzatiu.
En una anàlisi exhaustiva de quatre etapes, aquesta recerca explora les
dimensions de la innovació, les metodologies per estructurar els esforços
innovadors, la transformació cultural i com les grans empreses adapten les seves
estratègies per incorporar tecnologies disruptives. Les troballes clau subratllen la
necessitat d’estratègies coherents i adaptades, recolzades per la col·laboració
transversal i un fort alineament en el lideratge.
L’estudi examina també els factors externs i interns que influeixen en les decisions
estratègiques, destacant la importància d’un enfocament adaptable i metòdic de la
innovació que s’integri de manera fluida amb els objectius empresarials centrals. En
escurçar la distància entre teoria i pràctica, aquesta recerca contribueix amb un
marc per al desenvolupament competitiu sostenible, oferint coneixements pràctics
per a les empreses que busquen construir i mantenir ecosistemes d’innovació
sòlids.In today’s fast-paced business environment, innovation is recognized as essential
for sustaining competitive advantage, yet many organizations face significant
challenges in embedding it into their strategic frameworks. This study explores the
critical aspects of ‘Business Innovation Strategies’ by examining both the theoretical
foundations and practical obstacles encountered by large organizations.
Through qualitative analysis, in-depth interviews, and real-life case studies on the
implementation of disruptive technologies like Generative AI, findings reveal that
while companies claim to prioritize innovation, their approaches often default to
tactical, short-term efforts rather than coherent, long-term strategic initiatives. The
absence of a universally accepted definition of innovation sets off a chain reaction,
affecting everything from organizational structure to the strategic positioning of
innovation departments. Without a clear, shared understanding, innovation is often
viewed as a technology-focused add-on rather than an integral component of
business strategy. This study shows that the innovative mindset must be part of the
business strategy and, to increase its value, innovation requires its own dedicated
strategy, guided by a structured methodology that aligns with the traditional stages
of business strategy and is deeply integrated into the entire organizational fabric.
In a comprehensive four-stage analysis, this research delves into the dimensions of
innovation, methodologies for structuring innovation efforts, cultural transformation,
and how large companies adapt their strategies to incorporate disruptive
technologies. Key findings underscore the need for tailored, coherent strategies
supported by cross-functional collaboration and strong leadership alignment. The
study further examines external and internal factors that shape strategic decisions,
emphasizing the importance of an adaptable, methodical approach to innovation
that integrates seamlessly with core business objectives. By bridging the gap
between theory and practice, this research contributes a framework for sustainable
competitive development, offering actionable insights for companies aiming to build
and sustain robust innovation ecosystems.Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacion
Practical approaches to high-risk anastomoses in robotic pancreatoduodenectomy
No full textBackground: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is performed for the treatment of pancreatic head and periampullary tumors and is associated with relatively high postoperative morbidity and mortality. Traditionally conducted as open surgery, PD has evolved with the advent of minimally invasive techniques, including robotic-assisted approaches. Results: As reported in the literature, minimally invasive PD is becoming a safe and effective alternative surgical approach. Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic complications, such as fistulas and hemorrhage, remain among the most challenging issues after PD, particularly in high-risk cases. There are several maneuvers that may reduce their incidence and mitigate their postoperative clinical impact. Conclusions: In this video, we describe strategies implemented at our center for high-risk PD cases, including some key tips and tricks
Marginal effects for probit and tobit with endogeneity
No full textData de publicació electrònica: 25-03-2025When evaluating partial effects, it is important to distinguish between structural endogeneity and measurement errors. In contrast to linear models, these two sources of endogeneity affect partial effects differently in non-linear models. We study this issue, focusing on the instrumental variable (IV) probit and tobit models. We show that even when a valid instrumental variable is available, failing to differentiate between the two types of endogeneity can lead to either under- or overestimation of the partial effects. We develop simple estimators of the bounds on the partial effects and provide easy-to-implement confidence intervals that correctly account for both types of endogeneity. We illustrate the methods in a Monte Carlo simulation and an empirical application.We are grateful to the co-editor, Petra Todd, and two anonymous referees for very helpful comments and suggestions. K. S. Evdokimov gratefully acknowledges support from the Spanish MICIU/AEI via grants RYC2020-030623-I, funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ‘ESF Investing in Your Future’, PID2019-107352GB-I00, PID2022-140825NB-I00, and Severo Ochoa Programme CEX2019-000915-S. A. Zeleneev gratefully acknowledges generous funding from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee (grant ref: EP/X02931X/1)