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Polysensitization in the Spanish Contact Dermatitis Registry (REIDAC): A 2019-2022 prospective study with cluster and network analysis
No full textBackground: There is still limited clinical-practice data on specific clinical and patch test features, as well as on allergen clusters in polysensitization (PS). Objectives: To determine the frequency, relevance, symptoms duration and risk factors in polysensitized patients and to assess possible allergen aggregation. Methods: Prospective multicentric study (January 2019-December 2022) conducted in setting of the Spanish Contact Dermatitis Register (REIDAC). Clinical and patch test data of polysensitized and oligosensitized patients were compared, and risk factors of PS were investigated with logistic multivariate regression. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering and network analysis were used to study allergen aggregation in PS. Results: A total of 10,176 patients were analysed. PS was found in 844 (8.3%). Current relevance was significantly higher in polysensitized patients (p < 0.01). Risk factors for PS were atopic dermatitis (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.24-2.02), age (≥60 years vs. ≤24 years, OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.25-2.44) and some special locations (legs vs. face OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.05-2.25, hands vs. face OR: 1.46, 95% CI:1.15-1.85, arms vs. face OR: 1.49, 95% CI:1.01-2.20, trunk vs. face OR: 1.40, 95% CI:1.06-1.85). Cluster and network analyses revealed specific-allergen clusters and significant associations, including allergens belonging to metals group, fragrances and botanicals group, topical drugs group, rubber allergens and biocides. Conclusions: This study confirms that PS is structured by discernible patterns of specific-allergen clusters and reinforces significant allergen associations in PS. Cross-reactivity and/or concomitant sensitization could explain the formation of allergen clusters in PS
Human adaptation: from genomic signals to adaptive phenotypes
No full textEn su camino hacia convertirse en una especie global, el Homo sapiens se encontró con una miríada de ambientes. La selección natural actuó en las poblaciones humanas, permitiendo su adaptación a las distintas presiones selectivas de estos ambientes mientras dejaba huellas características en el patrón de variación de sus genomas. Mediante la genética de poblaciones podemos reconstruir la historia evolutiva de estas poblaciones y enlazar estas regiones con patrones de variación no neutrales con fenotipos adaptativos específicos. En este trabajo, hemos usado 700 genomas secuenciados en el contexto del proyecto Genomes for life Catalonia | GCAT para buscar señales de selección positiva en la población española y vincularlas a los distintos procesos demográficos que han moldeado la península ibérica. También hemos estudiado el contexto evolutivo de una variación nucleotídica no sinónima, rs1047626, en el gen SLC30A9 que codifica para un transportador de zinc que es común a todas las poblaciones no Africanas. Hemos descrito la gran semejanza del haplotipo humano adaptativo en el cual se presenta esta variante, con el haplotipo presente en el genoma Denisovano. Diversas metodologías coinciden en señalar el origen de esta variación en el genoma Denisovano. Mediante simulaciones hemos podido determinar que la variante probablemente llegó a múltiples poblaciones humanas en todo el mundo, primero introgresandose en los Neandertales, y posteriormente en los humanos modernos mediante introgresión Neandertal.On its path to becoming a global species, Homo sapiens encountered a myriad of environments. Natural selection acted on human populations, enabling them to adapt to the corresponding selective pressures of these environments while leaving unusual patterns of variation on their genomes. Through population genetics, we can reconstruct the evolutionary history of these populations and link these non-neutral patterns of variation to specific adaptive phenotypes. In this study, we used 700 genomes sequenced as part of the Genomes for Life Catalonia | GCAT project to search for recent signatures of positive selection in the Spanish population and to connect them to the various demographic processes that have shaped the Iberian Peninsula. We also investigated the evolutionary context of a nonsynonymous SNP (rs1047626) in the zinc transporter gene SLC30A9 that is common among non-African populations. We reported a striking similarity between the putatively adaptive human haplotype in which this variant occurs and the haplotype present in the Denisovan genome. Multiple methodologies indicate a Denisovan origin for this variant, and through simulations, we have been able to determine that it likely ended up in multiple human populations across the globe by first passing into Neanderthals, and subsequently into modern humans through Neanderthal introgression.Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Doctorat en Biomedicin
Libya, Ireland and the Provisional Irish Republican Army: a transnational history: 1969 – 1998
No full textTreball de Fi de Màster en Història del Món. Curs 2024-2025Tutor: Pol DalmauThis thesis traces the development of a mutually beneficial relationship between the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), Libya and the Republic of Ireland during the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland known as ‘The Troubles’ (1969–1998). It argues that this ‘love triangle’ emerged from a convergence of personal, economic and ideological interests between Ireland and Libya, culminating in the Republic knowingly maintaining trade with a regime that transformed the PIRA from a small paramilitary into a true army that Britain could not defeat. Central to this story is the role of the traditional republican party Fianna Fáil, whose alignment with expanding agricultural and aviation pressure groups helped make Libya the Republic’s fourthlargest export market by the 1980s. Particular focus is given to Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who maintained a notably cordial relationship with Muammar Gaddafi, even in the aftermath of PIRA atrocities such as the 1987 Enniskillen bombing. The thesis thus examines how the triangle, though remarkably resilient, faced sustained pressure from rival party Fine Gael, supported by U.S. diplomatic and investment interests. Framed within broader themes of the Cold War, international terrorism and European political economy, it contends that the nature of this relationship evolved over time - waning not through Fianna Fáil’s political resolve, but due to Gaddafi’s own realpolitik.
Though subject to the dictator’s shifting needs, the relationship never fully disappeared, periodically re-emerging when Libya sought to strike at Britain. Although Gaddafi formally ended his support for the PIRA in August 1988, this paper further explores the aftershocks of the relationship through to beyond the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. To develop this argument, it draws on recently declassified documents from the National Archives of Ireland and The National Archives (UK), alongside digitised U.S. sources, to reconstruct an overlooked transnational history stretching far beyond Belfast and Tripoli. In doing so, it offers a nuanced perspective on The Troubles, demonstrating how a little-known trade and terrorist relationship prolonged the conflict, while illuminating deep tensions between Ireland’s economic interests and its moral responsibilities
Grief and economic stressors by sex, gender, and education: Associations with alzheimer disease-related outcomes
No full textBackground and objectives: The prevalence and impact of stressful life events (SLEs) on age-related and Alzheimer disease (AD)-related pathways may depend on social determinants including gender and education. We investigated whether specific SLEs are associated with AD pathology and neurodegeneration and how these associations differ by gender and education. Methods: This cross-sectional study included cognitively unimpaired participants, most with a family history of sporadic AD, from the ALzheimer's and FAmilies (ALFA) cohort, based in Barcelona, Spain. Participants had available assessments on occurrence and type of lifetime SLEs and lumbar puncture and/or structural MRI. We performed multiple regression analyses to examine the associations of specific SLE type with (1) AD pathologies (CSF phosphorylated tau 181 [p-tau181] and β-amyloid [Aβ] 42/40) and (2) neurodegeneration markers (CSF neurogranin and GM volumes voxel-wise) including interaction and stratification analyses by gender (women/men) and education. Results: In total, 1,290 cognitively unimpaired participants (mean age = 59.4 years, range: 48-77 years, 99% White participants, 61% women) were included (393 with lumbar puncture and 1,234 with spectroscopic MRI assessments). Less educated participants and women reported more grief-related and economic-related SLEs. Furthermore, women reported more abuse and reproductive SLEs. Grief-related SLEs were associated with AD and neurodegeneration CSF outcomes while economic SLEs were associated with MRI-based GM outcomes, both in an age-independent manner. Specifically, partner's death was associated with lower Aβ42/40 (B = -5.19; 95% CI -9.61 to -0.76; p = 0.022) and higher p-tau181 (B = 0.18; 95% CI 0.05-0.32; p = 0.007) and neurogranin (B = 0.19; 95% CI 0.05-0.32; p = 0.007). The associations with Aβ42/40 were driven by less educated participants and men and associations with p-tau181 and neurogranin driven by women. Unemployment and economic loss were associated with lower GM volumes in limbic and frontal areas, driven by more educated participants and men and by women, respectively. Discussion: Older adults at risk of cognitive decline with less education and women may be more susceptible to experience more SLEs. Men who have experienced widowhood and unemployment and women who have experienced financial difficulties may benefit from interventions
La no punibilidad de las víctimas de trata de personas como un deber derivado del artículo 4 del convenio europeo de derechos humanos
No full textTreball de Fi de Màster: Màster Avançat en Ciències Jurídiques. Curs 2024-2025Tutor: Pablo Cruz Mantilla de los RíosEste trabajo analiza el principio de no punibilidad de las víctimas o potenciales víctimas de trata de personas como una obligación positiva derivada del artículo 4 del Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos. A través de un estudio doctrinal y jurisprudencial, se argumenta que dicho principio —aunque no expresamente reconocido en el texto del Convenio— debe entenderse como una exigencia necesaria para la protección efectiva de los derechos humanos de las personas sometidas a trata. El estudio se divide en dos capítulos. Así, el primero aborda el marco normativo y la evolución conceptual de la trata en el sistema europeo, diferenciándola de fenómenos afines como la esclavitud, el tráfico ilícito de migrantes y la migración indocumentada. Seguidamente, el segundo capítulo se centra en la aplicación del principio de no punibilidad en la jurisprudencia del Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos, en especial a partir del asunto V.C.L. y A.N. vs. Reino Unido. En base a este análisis, se proponen criterios orientadores para la adecuada implementación del principio, el cual constituye una herramienta clave para garantizar la protección de las víctimas o potenciales víctimas de trata
A survey of IEEE 802.11ax WLAN temporal duty cycle for the assessment of RF electromagnetic exposure
No full textThe increasing deployment of IEEE 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) networks necessitates an accurate assessment of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure under realistic usage scenarios. This study investigates the duty cycle (DC) and corresponding exposure levels of Wi-Fi 6 in controlled laboratory conditions, focusing on bandwidth variations, multi-user scenarios, and application types. DC measurements reveal significant variability across internet services, with FTP upload exhibiting the highest mean DC (94.3%) under 20 MHz bandwidth, while YouTube 4K video streaming showed bursts with a maximum DC of 89.2%. Under poor radio conditions, DC increased by up to 5× for certain applications, emphasizing the influence of degraded signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on retransmissions and modulation. Weighted exposure results indicate a reduction in average electric-field strength by up to 10× when incorporating DC, with maximum weighted exposure at 4.2 V/m (6.9% of ICNIRP limits) during multi-user scenarios. These findings highlight the critical role of realistic DC assessments in refining exposure evaluations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and advancing the understanding of Wi-Fi 6’s EMF exposure implications
La contribución delictiva simulada
No full textEl presente trabajo aborda el problema de la provocación a la comisión de delitos, el agente provocador y el delito provocado. Tras evidenciar las deficiencias terminológicas y conceptuales de la doctrina científica del agente provocador y la doctrina jurisprudencial del delito provocado, se propone un nuevo sistema conceptual denominado contribución delictiva simulada. Este amplía el ámbito tradicional de exploración dogmática incluyendo el que concierne a las medidas de seguridad, e identifica los factores que modifican la valoración políticocriminal y la calificación jurídica de cada supuesto específico en que ella se presenta. Tras explorar los numerosos problemas teóricos implicados y esbozar las soluciones que se estiman disponibles en el estado actual de la teoría del delito, se argumenta a favor de la inclusión de una regulación legal específica. Para ello se formula una propuesta de lege ferenda que implica el señalamiento de las condiciones bajo las cuales debiese autorizarse y a la vez limitarse la incitación de delitos por parte de agentes del Estado. El trabajo concluye con una propuesta concreta de un artículo para ser incorporado en la legislación española.This paper addresses the problem of provocation to commit crimes, the agent provocateur and the provoked crime. After evidencing the terminological and conceptual deficiencies of the scientific doctrine of agent provocateur and the jurisprudential doctrine of provoked crime, a new conceptual system called simulated criminal contribution is proposed. This expands the traditional scope of dogmatic exploration, including that which concerns security measures, and identifies the factors that modify the political-criminal assessment and the legal qualification of each specific case in which it occurs. After exploring the numerous theoretical problems involved and outlining the solutions that are considered available in the current state of the theory of crime, it is argued in favor of the inclusion of a specific legal regulation. To this end, a de lege ferenda proposal is formulated that implies the indication of the conditions under which the incitement of crimes by State agents should be authorized and at the same time limited. The work concludes with a concrete proposal for an article to be incorporated into Spanish legislation.Programa de Doctorat en Dre
Bellas infieles y poéticas plagiarísticas en el fill del corrector - arre, arre, corrector
No full textEste artículo aborda la traducción en El fill del corrector / Arre, arre, corrector (2018), centrando
el análisis tanto en el texto traducido incluido en esta edición bilingüe (catalán–castellano) como en
el metadiscurso generado por las ‘infidelidades’ del traductor que aparece en las notas al pie de
página. El juego autoficcional que proponen el autor, Adrià Pujol i Cruells, y el traductor,
Rubén Martín Giráldez, permite acercarnos a una propuesta literaria experimental que, pese a la
escenificación de la rivalidad entre ambas figuras, plantea un diálogo entre dos literaturas que
coexisten en un mismo territorio. Asimismo, el prólogo del traductor sirve para explorar la tradición
de las ‘belles infidèles’ (d’Ablancourt) y las poéticas plagiarísticas (Lautréamont) que inspiran la
versión castellana de El fill del corrector. Más allá de la aparente rivalidad entre las figuras del
autor y del traductor y la relación problemática entre ambos sistemas literarios, la obra pone de
manifiesto que este diálogo literario no es solo posible, sino también fértil en términos de
experimentación literaria
Computational analysis of fetal brain development with patient-specific modelling and deep learning techniques
No full textThis dissertation presents a novel computational pipeline for creating
patient-specific models of brain development. Initially, the human
brain develops from a smooth to a convoluted cortical surface, with
abnormal folding patterns linked to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Existing computational models, limited by their focus on synthetic
or simplified anatomies, are enhanced in this work through the integration
of longitudinal imaging data. Utilizing fetal brain MRIs, personalized
3D finite-element meshes were generated to simulate brain
development. These simulations were then compared with neonatal
images using several metrics. Applied to a cohort including controls
and ventriculomegaly cases, this research also developed deep
learning techniques for accelerated tissue segmentation and simulation
surrogates. This approach marks the first in literature to model
brain development in patient-specific geometries across multiple subjects.
The findings pave the way for future advancements in realistic
brain mechanical simulations, potentially aiding early detection and
intervention planning for neurodevelopmental disorders.Aquesta tesi presenta un mètode computacional innovador per a models
personalitzats del desenvolupament cerebral fetal. El cervell humà
evoluciona des d’una superfície cortical llisa a una replegada, amb
plegaments anormals associats a trastorns de desenvolupament neurològic.
Millorant els models computacionals existents, que es centren
en anatomies sintètiques o simplificades, aquest treball integra dades
longitudinals real. A través d’imatges cerebrals fetals de ressonància
magnètica, es van crear malles d’elements finits 3D per simular aquest
desenvolupament, comparant-les amb dades neonatals reals mitjançant
diverses mètriques. Aquesta investigació, aplicada a una cohort
amb controls i casos de ventriculomegàlia, desenvolupa també tècniques
d’aprenentatge profund per accelerar la segmentació de teixits
i les simulacions biomecàniques. Aquest enfocament representa un
avenç pioner en modelar el desenvolupament cerebral en geometries
específiques de pacients. Els resultats obren noves possibilitats per a
simulacions mecàniques cerebrals més realistes i poden contribuir en
la detecció precoç i planificació d’intervencions en trastorns neurodevelopmentalsPrograma de Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacion