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Outdoor residential air pollution exposure and the development of brain volumes across childhood: A longitudinal study
No full textEmerging evidence suggests that air pollution exposure is associated with child's brain morphology, but the relationship between air pollution and longitudinal changes in the development of brain volumes has yet to be investigated. We studied the association of exposure to air pollution in pregnancy and childhood with the change of brain volumes from childhood into adolescence, using repeated assessments of brain volumes. We used data from 4243 children of a large Dutch population-based birth cohort. Exposure to 14 air pollutants during pregnancy and childhood was estimated using land-use regression models. We obtained structural brain MRI data at 3 timepoints, resulting in 6059 useable scans of white matter, cortical grey matter, cerebellum, and 7 subcortical volumes. For 1191 participants we had data on both last two timepoints. We conducted single-pollutant analyses for each air pollutant and brain volume, using linear mixed models adjusted for life-style and socioeconomic status variables. Then we performed multi-pollutant analyses with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator for mixed models. Air pollution exposure was not associated with changes in white matter, cortical grey matter, and cerebellar volumes. Higher exposure to copper and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) during pregnancy was associated with a smaller hippocampal volume at the first neuroimaging assessment, followed by faster growth of hippocampal volume (e.g. 25.1 mm3 increase of hippocampal volume [95 % CI 8.6; 41.7] per 5 ng/m3 increase in copper exposure per year of age). Results were comparable when restricting the analyses to children with complete data for the last two timepoints. Exposure to copper and PM2.5 during pregnancy was related with a smaller hippocampal volume in mid childhood, followed by catch-up growth. Plasticity of the hippocampus might mitigate adverse effects of air pollution early in life.This publication was co-financed by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the European Social Fund (FSE) " EL FSE invierte en tu futuro" with reference number PRE2020-092005, according to the Resolution of the Presidency of the AEI, by which grants are awarded for pre-doctoral contracts for the training of doctors, call 2020 (awarded to M.S.W.K). This study was also supported by the Sophia Foundation project S18-20 (awarded to R.L.M.) and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) Vici project 016.VICI.170.200 (awarded to H.T.). M.G. was funded by a Miguel Servet II fellowship (CPII18/00018) from the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III. M.L.V. was funded by Project IJC2020-045355-I, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR. The general design of Generation R Study is made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Erasmus University Rotterdam, ZonMw, The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport. The geocodification of the addresses of the study participants and the air pollution estimations were done within the framework of a project funded by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) (Assistance Award No. R-82811201). Supercomputing resources for neuroimaging analyses was provided by the Dutch Scientific Organization (NWO, surfsara.nl, 2021.042). We received funding from the EU Commission (H2020 n° 824989). We acknowledge support from grant CEX2023-0001290-S funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033, support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program, and from the Ministry of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia (2021 SGR 01564). The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication
Super-resolution imaging uncovers key temporal changes in chromatin structure and pluripotent gene reactivation in single reprogramming cells
No full textElucidating the mechanism of somatic cell reprogramming has been hampered by the limitations of iPSC systems to uncover the correctly reprogramming cells. Here, by using the highly efficient heterokaryon system we dissected the temporal dynamics of key molecular events during the early stages of pluripotency conversion at the single-cell level using super resolution imaging approaches. We revealed that, immediately after fusion, the somatic nucleus undergoes a dramatic removal of repressive histone modification marks, such as H3K9me3 and H3K273me3; followed by a late stage of global chromatin de-compaction as evidenced by a decreased nucelosomal density. Importantly, the transcriptional reactivation of the key pluripotency genes NANOG and OCT4 follows distinct mechanisms and kinetics, where a local, open chromatin environment preceded the late reactivation of NANOG, while OCT4 transcriptional reactivation occurs earlier and at higher levels without evident changes in its local nano-scale chromatin configuration.Elucidar el mecanismo de reprogramación celular ha sido obstaculizado por las limitaciones de los sistemas de iPSCs para estudiar aquellas células siguiendo una trayectoria de reprogramación correcta. Aquí, usando el sistema altamente eficiente de reprogramación heterocarionte, dilucidamos la dinámica temporal de eventos moleculares importantes durante los estados tempranos de conversión a pluripotencia a nivel de célula única usando enfoques de microscopía de súper-resolución. Revelamos que, inmediatamente después de la fusión, el núcleo somático sufre una remoción dramática de marcas de histonas represivas, tales como H3K9me3 y H3K27me3, seguido por la decompactación global de la cromatina evidenciada por un decremento en la densidad nucleosomal. De manera importante, la reactivación transcripcional de los genes de pluripotencia NANOG y OCT4 siguen mecanismos y cinéticas distintas, donde un ambiente local de cromatina abierta precede la reactivación de NANOG, mientras que la reactivación transcripcional de OCT4 ocurre más tempranamente y a niveles mayores sin evidentes cambios en su configuración local de cromatina a nano-escalaPrograma de doctorat en Biomedicin
Generative AI and Copyright: Training, Creation, Regulation
No full textThis study examines how generative AI challenges core principles of EU copyright law. It highlights the legal mismatch between AI training practices and current text and data mining exceptions, and the uncertain status of AI-generated content. These developments pose structural risks for the future of creativity in Europe, where a rich and diverse cultural heritage depends on the continued protection and fair remuneration of authors. The report calls for clear rules on input/output distinctions, harmonised opt-out mechanisms, transparency obligations, and equitable licensing models. To balance innovation and authors¿ rights, the European Parliament is expected to lead reforms that reflect the evolving realities of creativity, authorship, and machine-generated expression.
This study was commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Justice, Civil Liberties and Institutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Legal Affairs
Does daddy heal mommy?: paternity leave and maternal postpartum health
No full textThis paper examines the effects of paternity leave on maternal postpartum health. Using administrative data and a difference-in-discontinuities design, we compare mothers in households with likely eligible fathers to comparable control groups, accounting for seasonal variation around the implementation cutoffs. The results show limited effects on overall healthcare use and physical health during the first nine months after childbirth. However, we find suggestive evidence of significant improvements in maternal mental health following the most recent expansion of paternity leave. A better labor market attachment seems to be one potential mechanism
Bridging cultures: the role of school's cultural diversity climate and cultural sensitivity in immigrant parents' school involvement
No full textParents' involvement in children's education has been identified as a significant predictor of students' school achievement and psychological outcomes. In the case of immigrant parents, research has suggested that low educational levels, poor incomes, and pertaining to minority cultural groups negatively affect their participation in both school and home academic activities. Nevertheless, little is known about the influence of schools' approaches to cultural diversity and parents' intercultural competencies on their commitment to children's schooling processes. This study aims to examine the relationships between cultural diversity climate at school, cultural sensitivity, and school involvement among 751 Venezuelan and Peruvian immigrant parents settled in Chile and (2) to determine the possible influence of cultural sensitivity on the relationship between cultural diversity climate and parents' school involvement. Results show that sociodemographic variables had limited effects on their school involvement, while cultural diversity climate, and cultural sensitivity had a greater influence. Implications for understanding immigrant parents' relationships with schools and designing intervention programs are discussed.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This research was financed by Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo de Chile (ANID), Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico-FONDECYT N° 11221110 granted to MM-L as principal researcher. It was also supported by Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo de Chile (ANID), Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico-FONDECYT N° 1221952 granted to MM-L as co-investigator. Additionally, during this work, JP was supported by the consolidated group Cultura, Cognición y Emoción (Culture, Cognition and Emotion) (IT1598-22) of the Basque Government and the Spanish Government (PID2020-115738GB-I00)
The relationship between neuroticism as a personality trait and mindfulness skills: a scoping review
No full textIntroduction: In recent decades, researchers have assessed the relationship between mindfulness and personality traits, including neuroticism, a known target in mental health associated with the development of mental health disorders and physical illnesses. The main aim of mindfulness practice is to help individuals develop the ability to regulate and accept their experiences, emotions, and thoughts. Therefore, it could be suggested that mindfulness may be useful in reducing the expression and negative experience of neuroticism. The aim of our review was to assess the relationship between neuroticism and mindfulness. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the literature in December 2023, using the databases PubMed and PsycINFO. Results: Forty-nine studies were included in the review, with four common themes identified: (i) mental health, (ii) cognitive outcomes, (iii) physiological symptoms, and (iv) mindfulness-based interventions. Across most of the studies, mindfulness negatively correlated with neuroticism, supporting the idea that mindfulness may be useful in reducing neuroticism and its negative effects on mental and physical health. Discussion: While several limitations were identified, the overall results are promising. Future research in this area should focus on overcoming the current limitations to provide a better understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and neuroticism
Sensation of electric fields in the Drosophila melanogaster larva
No full textElectrosensation has emerged as a crucial sensory modality for social communication, foraging, and predation across the animal kingdom. However, its presence and functional role as well as the neural basis of electric field perception in Drosophila and other invertebrates remain unclear. In environments with controlled electric fields, we identified electrosensation as a new sense in the Drosophila melanogaster larva. We found that the Drosophila larva performs robust electrotaxis: when exposed to a uniform electric field, larvae migrate toward the cathode (negatively charged elecrode) and quickly respond to changes in the orientation of the field to maintain cathodal movement. Through a behavioral screen, we identified a subset of sensory neurons located at the tip of the larval head that are necessary for electrotaxis. Calcium imaging revealed that a pair of Gr66a-positive sensory neurons (one on each side of the head) encodes the strength and orientation of the electric field. Our results indicate that electric fields elicit robust behavioral and neural responses in the Drosophila larva, providing new evidence for the significance of electrosensation in invertebrates.This work was funded by the University of California, Santa Barbara (startup funds), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN, BFU2008-00362, BFU2009-07757-E/BMC, and BFU2011-26208), the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013–2017,” the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya, and the EMBL/CRG Systems Biology Program. K.W.’s work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (3R01NS054814)
Empirical antibiotic therapy improves outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19: an emulated targeted trial within a prospective, multicentre cohort study
No full textBackground: Bacterial pulmonary superinfections develop in a substantial proportion of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients and are associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation requirements and increased mortality. Albeit recommended, evidence supporting the use of empirical antibiotics at intubation is weak and of low quality. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of empirical antibiotics, administered within 24 h of endotracheal intubation, on superinfections, duration of mechanical ventilation, and mortality in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19. Methods: Emulated targeted trial by means of a propensity score-matched analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study of consecutive mechanically ventilated patients admitted to 62 Spanish intensive care units suffering from COVID-19 between March 2020 and February 2021. Results: Overall, 8532 critically ill COVID-19 patients were included, of which 2580 mechanically ventilated patients remained after matching. Empirical antibiotics were prescribed to 1665 (64%) at intubation. Pulmonary superinfections developed in 39% and 47% of patients treated with and without empirical antibiotics, respectively (p<0.01). Patients treated with empirical antibiotics had a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (incidence risk ratio: 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78 - 0.94], p<0.01) and a reduced stay in the intensive care unit (incidence risk ratio: 0.89 [95% CI, 0.82 - 0.97] days, p<0.01). Mortality 28 days after endotracheal intubation was 28% in patients treated with empirical antibiotics as opposed to 32% in patients treated without (odds ratio: 0.76 [95% CI, 0.61 - 0.94], p<0.01). Conclusion: The administration of empirical antibiotics at intubation in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients was associated with a reduced incidence of pulmonary superinfections, a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay, and a lower mortality rate. Notwithstanding these benefits, the applicability of these findings to other viral pneumonias and beyond the pandemic context remains uncertain
Les clàusules de canvi de circumstàncies en els contractes mercantils: anàlisi de l'estat actual de la jurisprudència i doctrina espanyoles
No full textTreball de Fi de Grau en Dret. Curs 2024-2025Tutor: José Ramón Salelles ClimentEl present treball de fi de grau aborda un tema de gran rellevància i actualitat: les clàusules de canvi de circumstàncies en els contractes mercantils. La incertesa del context actual derivada de guerres, pandèmies i crisis econòmiques, entre d’altres, comporta que la Rebus Sic Stantibus prengui gran importància. En primer lloc, es presenta l’evolució de la jurisprudència i doctrina espanyola, dividit en tres etapes que van marcar la història d’Espanya. En segon lloc, s’expliquen les tendències modernes de la contractació, analitzant les diferents propostes que s’han realitzat per tal de regular la clàusula. La recerca també analitza l’enfocament internacional, estudiant la direcció que prèn la Rebus en altres països europeus així com la implicació que prèn el Hardship. Un cop presentada l’evolució i el context actual, la metodologia seguida per tal d’abordar el treball ha estat la realització d’un estudi jurisprudencial dividit en grups de casos segons quatre tipus diferents de contractes mercantils. Per concloure, es discuteix si els plantejaments actuals coincideixen o no amb les tradicionals, i també quins són els requisits i efectes actuals de l’aplicació de la Rebus. En definitiva, l’objectiu és estudiar l’estat de la qüestió actual de la doctrina i jurisprudència espanyola envers la Rebus Sic Stantibus