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Ambient air pollution, cancer risk, and survival using an American Cancer Society prospective cohort
No full textOutdoor air pollution is an established lung carcinogen. In this thesis, we examined associations of outdoor air pollution and incidence of cancers other than lung cancer, as well as the role of air pollution in lung cancer survival.
Ambient air pollution data was linked to ~108,000 participants in the U.S. Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition cohort and updated in a time-varying manner annually during follow-up from 1992-2017. Associations with cancer incidence were examined. Coarse particulates and gaseous pollutant indicators were adversely associated with colorectal, cervical, kidney, melanoma skin cancers, as well as with incidence of several hematologic cancer subtypes. Although recent air pollution exposures were not adversely associated with lung cancer survival overall, some pollutants were associated with poorer survival in patients with early-stage disease.
This thesis suggests that outdoor air pollution may be involved in development of some cancers beyond lung cancer. Findings with lung cancer survival should be evaluated in future research.La contaminación del aire exterior es un carcinógeno pulmonar reconocido. En esta tesis, se examinan las asociaciones entre la contaminación del aire y la incidencia de otros tipos de cáncer, además del de pulmón, y su papel en la supervivencia de este último.
Se vincularon datos de contaminación del aire con ~108.000 participantes de la Cohorte de Nutrición del Estudio de Prevención del Cáncer II de EE.UU., actualizados anualmente durante el seguimiento de 1992 a 2017. Se examinaron asociaciones con la incidencia del cáncer. Los contaminantes gaseosos y partículas gruesas se asociaron adversamente con los cánceres colorrectal, cervical, renal, melanoma y varios subtipos hematológicos. Aunque las exposiciones recientes no se asociaron con la supervivencia general en cáncer de pulmón, algunos contaminantes sí se relacionaron con peor supervivencia en pacientes con enfermedad en etapas tempranas.
La tesis sugiere que la contaminación del aire podría influir en varios tipos de cáncer. Los hallazgos sobre la supervivencia requieren más estudio.Programa de Doctorat en Biomedicin
Revisiones de la literatura con inteligencia artificial
No full textLa presentación “Revisiones de la literatura con inteligencia artificial” de Lluís Codina (UPF) aborda el impacto, riesgos, y recomendaciones sobre el uso de IA en procesos académicos, centrándose en revisiones de literatura como scoping reviews y sistemáticas. Expone que la IA puede mejorar notablemente la eficiencia, gestión y análisis de datos bibliográficos, pero advierte sobre la pérdida de bienes de proceso, es decir, habilidades investigadoras y pensamiento crítico, al delegar parcialmente tareas esenciales en sistemas automáticos.
Se detalla que la cadena de atribución y la responsabilidad epistémica son pilares fundamentales en la academia; por ello, cualquier contenido generado por IA debe ser sometido a un proceso transformador (modelo Veritas), que incluya verificación, atribución, edición y declaración transparente del uso de la IA. Es inaceptable copiar y pegar textos generados por IA sino que antes deben transformarse críticamente y con supervisión humana (“humano en el ciclo”). Además, se subrayan riesgos éticos y cognitivos: atrofia, deuda y sedentarismo intelectual, así como el riesgo de sesgos y falta de validez y fiabilidad en contenidos automatizados.
Finalmente, se recomienda aplicar interacción crítica escalonada y transparencia, considerando la IA como herramienta para la asistencia o la expansión del investigador, pero no como sustitución del trabajo del investigador. El contexto regulatorio, los principios éticos y el futuro de la IA consciente también se revisan brevemente
Towards Responsible Higher Education Institutional Analytics: A Study of Biases and Dependencies on Student Satisfaction
No full textLas analíticas institucionales es un campo de investigación y práctica que promueve decisiones basadas en datos en la Educación Superior. A partir de varias fuentes de datos, las instituciones realizan análisis con diferentes objetivos para proporcionar información útil en la gestión académica. Los datos de satisfacción de los estudiantes tienen un papel importante en el campo de analíticas institucionales, ofreciendo información valiosa para evaluar la calidad de las asignaturas e informar las decisiones de promoción académica. No obstante, muchos estudios han demostrado la presencia de sesgos y otros factores influyentes en la satisfacción de los estudiantes que pueden conducir a decisiones injustas en la Educación Superior. En este contexto, esta tesis doctoral muestra la importancia de comprender los posibles sesgos, considerando diferentes factores que influyen en los resultados de las encuestas de estudiantes. La tesis doctoral investiga factores como genero, idioma, calificaciones, y diseño de aprendizaje en la satisfacción de los estudiantes a partir del caso de la Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. Como resultado, la tesis presenta un abordaje comprehensivo, que destaca la necesidad de las analíticas institucionales desde una consideración continua de potenciales sesgos y dependencias usando incertidumbre generativa para promover análisis institucionales responsables y facilitar la mejora institucional.Institutional analytics is a growing field of research and practice that promotes data-driven decision-making in higher education institutions. Through several data sources, institutions perform analyses with different purposes to provide actionable insight to assess and improve decisions in academic management. Student satisfaction surveys play an important role in the field of institutional analytics, providing valuable insights to assess the quality of courses and inform academic promotions. However, several studies have shown the presence of biases and influential factors on student satisfaction that may lead to unfair decisions in higher education. In this context, this doctoral thesis states the importance of understanding potential biases considering different factors influencing survey results. The doctoral thesis investigates the role of gender, language, grades, and learning design on student satisfaction survey data from the case of Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. As a result, the thesis presents a comprehensive approach highlighting the need for institutional analytics to continuously consider potential biases and dependencies by supporting generative uncertainty to promote responsible institutional analytics and facilitate institutional improvement.Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacion
La alianza entre la ética y la retórica en el ejercicio de la función policial: una propuesta de intervención formativa orientada a la policía de Cataluña
No full textEn Cataluña, la acción y la legitimidad de la policía se han visto comprometidas en los últimos años por diferentes sucesos especialmente relacionados con la política. La ciudadanía no se alarma ante una situación que pudiera afectar gravemente a uno de los pilares básicos del contrato social: su seguridad. La atomización del individuo contemporáneo lo vuelve inmóvil e impasible ante las cuestiones públicas, ante todo aquello que no afecte a su interés particular.
Los policías, como ciudadanos que son, muestran los mismos vicios y virtudes. Sin embargo, en ellos aún podría ser recuperable su inicial vocación por servir a los demás. Recuperar la confianza y la buena relación con la ciudadanía pasaría por proyectar una serie de cambios internos que acabasen impactando suficientemente en lo externo. Una formación deliberativa en ética y retórica policial podría ser la llave que acabase abriendo la puerta a ese mayor reconocimiento de la ciudadanía.In Catalonia, the legitimacy of the police and its actions in Catalonia have been compromised in recent years by different events, especially related to politics. Citizens have not been alerted by a situation that could seriously affect one of the basic pillars of the social contract: their security. The atomization of the contemporary individual makes him immobile and impassive in the face of public issues, in the face of everything that does not affect his particular interest.
Police officers, as citizens, show the same vices and virtues. However, their initial vocation to serve others could still be recoverable. Recovering trust and a good relationship with citizens would require a series of internal changes that would have a sufficient impact externally. Deliberative training in police ethics and rhetoric could be the key to opening the door to greater public recognition.Programa de Doctorat en Humanitat
Physical urban environment and cardiometabolic diseases in the five largest Bulgarian cities
No full textThis study investigated the associations between residential environmental characteristics and the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases in the five largest Bulgarian cities. Representative cross-sectional survey data (N = 4640 adults) was collected in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, and Ruse. Participants self-reported diagnosis or medication intake for hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and diabetes mellitus, as well as domestic burning of solid fuel and having a domestic garden. Residential addresses were linked to greenspace (overall vegetation level, tree cover, urban greenspace), bluespace, walkability, air pollution (NO2), and traffic noise (Lden). In the 300 m buffer, bluespace presence was inversely associated with hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.45, 1.00), IHD (OR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.99), and diabetes (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.25, 1.04). Higher walkability and tree cover were inversely associated with hypertension (OR per 2 units = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.96) and diabetes (OR per 10% = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.97), respectively. These associations were stronger in larger buffers. Solid fuel burning was associated with IHD (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.50). There was an indication of a positive association between aircraft Lden and both stroke and IHD. The direction of the associations for domestic gardens, NO2, road traffic and railway Lden was counterintuitive. We detected some nonlinear associations. In conclusion, people living in urban neighborhoods that were more walkable, closer to bluespace, and greener had lower prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases, while solid fuel burning was associated with higher odds of cardiovascular diseases. Unexpected associations with some exposures may be due to unaccounted for urban fabric characteristics. This study is among the first assessing an understudied region in Southeastern Europe. Its findings have the potential to inform public discourse and provide evidence to support the implementation of urban design conducive to cardiometabolic health
Utilización de la IA como parte de los procesos de enseñanza/aprendizaje fuera del aula
No full textUso de sistemas de inteligencia artificial en la docencia universitaria. Presentación de un caso de utilización de sistemas de inteligencia artificial generativa como parte de las materias de Documentación en grados de Periodismo y de Comunicación Audiovisual. Presentación de un esquema de evaluación de la calidad de sistemas de inteligencia artificial generativa como parte del pensamiento crítico de los estudiantes y académicos en el uso de la IA
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing as a potential treatment for substance use disorders: study protocol
No full textBackground: Prior exposure to traumatic events significantly increases the risk of developing substance use disorders (SUD), while having SUD, in turn, elevates the likelihood of encountering additional traumatic events. Despite this relationship, the consequences of trauma frequently go undetected and untreated in this population. The trauma-focused intervention eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), a first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has shown promising therapeutic potential in SUD patients. However, its underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of EMDR in SUD patients with comorbid psychological trauma. Additionally, potential mechanisms of action of the intervention will be explored. The primary hypothesis is that integrating EMDR into standard SUD treatment will enhance substance use prognosis. Methods: Sixty-four patients with SUD and trauma symptomatology will be randomised into two groups. One group will receive EMDR trauma-focused intervention in 6-8 sessions alongside treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 32), while the control group will receive TAU only (n = 32). The primary outcome will be the time to relapse, assessed at baseline, immediately after treatment, and at 1- and 3-months follow-up. Additional measures include post-traumatic, anxiety, depressive symptoms and biological markers (hair/salivary cortisol levels, eye blink conditioning, and resting-state fMRI). Survival analysis and linear mixed models will be used to assess treatment effects. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05488691). Discussion: This study addresses a critical gap in scientific literature and clinical practice by evaluating the efficacy of EMDR, in patients with SUD and comorbid trauma symptoms, through a combination of clinical and biological markers. The findings could lead to integration of personalised, trauma-focused interventions into public health services for patients with SUD. HIGHLIGHTS: This study evaluates the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for substance use disorders in individuals with co-occurring trauma, addressing a critical gap in addiction care. By combining clinical outcomes such as relapse rates with biological markers like cortisol levels and brain activity, this research explores the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of EMDR. Findings could support the integration of trauma-focused therapies into public health services, offering tailored interventions to improve recovery outcomes for patients with substance use disorders
Advancing theories on the scalar complexities of green sacrifice zones
No full textThis article examines the concept of ‘green sacrifice’, a term coined to describe the processes through which specific territories are disproportionately affected by the extractive and deployment practices associated with green energy production, analyzed through a scalar lens. It engages in a theoretical discussion on how to conceptualize both territorial and non-territorial scales—where the latter are understood as political, non-hierarchical configurations that transcend fixed spatial boundaries—in order to navigate the tensions between localized socio-ecological sacrifices and global sustainability ambitions. Drawing on diverse theories of scale and integrating insights from political ecology, spatial theory, and energy justice, the article argues for the urgent need to re-scale socio-ecological dynamics within renewable energy transitions. It further challenges the logic of sacrifice by proposing a conceptual shift: rather than placing local territories as expendable in pursuit of global goals, it reimagines them as essential components of Earth's shared ecosystem—where global governance may need to exercise restraint to protect specific ecological and cultural systems. In response, the article offers a more nuanced and flexible understanding of scale—one capable of capturing the spatial, systemic, and political complexities of energy production transformation. By doing so, it aims to advance our understanding of how green transitions are reshaping not only territorial governance, but also the broader and uneven geographies of sacrifice.This research article is informed by the GRES research project (Contract number: CNS2022-136115) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union Next Generation/PRTR programme
Innovation in Film Festivals: An Immersive Strategy for the +RAIN Film Festival
No full textTreball de fi de Màster en Cultura Digital i Mitjans Emergents (DiCEM)Supervisor: Frederic Guerrero SoléThis research explores innovative strategies for enhancing audience engagement at film festivals in the digital age, with a specific focus on the +RAIN Film Festival. Drawing on a robust theoretical framework encompassing film festival studies, digital culture, interactivity and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in creative industries, the study addresses the opportunities and challenges arising from the proliferation of emerging technologies. Employing a challenge-oriented, qualitative case study and content analysis approach, the study analyzes how immersive and intrecative models can bridge existing gaps in audience participation by responding to the needs and gratifications of different types of publics, while upholding the core values of community and artistic exchange. The proposal highlights the transformative potential of AI-driven creative practices within cinema, and presents a dual strategy for strengthen +RAIN’s impact: a professional-facing co-creation studio and a public-facing immersive installation. Through the case study of the +RAIN Film Festival, this thesis offers practical recommendations for festival innovation, aiming to balance tradition with digital advancement and ensure sustained relevance for contemporary audiences. The research contributes to academic discourse on cultural innovation and provides actionable insights for practitioners navigating the evolving landscape of film festivals