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Cortical thinning is associated with disease stages and dementia in Parkinson's Disease
Get PDFObjective: To investigate the pattern of cortical thinning in Parkinson's disease (PD) across different disease stages and to elucidate to what extent cortical thinning is related to cognitive impairment.
Design: Ninety-six subjects including 39 controls and 57 PD patients participated in this study. PD subjects were divided into three groups (early, n=24; moderate, n=18; with dementia, n=15). High field structural brain MRI images were acquired in a 3T scanner and analyses of cortical thickness and surface were carried out. Vertex-wise group comparisons were performed and cortical thickness was correlated with motor and cognitive measures.
Results: We found a positive correlation between Mini-Mental State Examination scores and cortical thickness in the anterior temporal, dorsolateral prefrontal, posterior cingulate, temporal fusiform and occipitotemporal cortex. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (motor subsection) scores showed a robust negative correlation with caudate volumes. We found that disease stage in PD was associated with thinning of the medial frontal (premotor and supplementary motor cortex), posterior cingulate, precuneus, lateral occipital, temporal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Discriminant analysis and a receiver operating characteristics approach showed that mean cortical thickness and hippocampus volume have 80% accuracy in identifying PD patients with dementia. PD stage and PD dementia can be characterised by a specific pattern of cortical thinning.
Conclusions: We conclude that measuring cortical thickness can be useful in assessing disease stage and cognitive impairment in patients with PD. In addition, cortical thickness may be useful in identifying dementia in PD
Importance of Backbones in the Dynamics of Neuronal Networks
Get PDFTreballs Finals de Grau de Física, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2026, Tutors: Alessio Cardillo, Jordi SorianoThis project investigates the collective dynamics of neuronal networks obtained from an experimental culture and several structural backbone models. The network dynamics are simulated using the Izhikevich model under different levels of noise and excitatory strength. The study compares the collective behavior of the real culture network and the synthetic topologies, namely: the random geometric graph, the minimum spanning tree, and the efficiency cost optimization. To characterize the emerging dynamics, measures of global synchronization and functional complexity are applied to the spiking activity. These metrics allow for a systematic comparison of the dynamical regimes associated with each topology. The results reveal significant differences in synchronization patterns and complexity across network structures, indicating that the observed phenomenology is strongly influenced by the underlying topology
[Ressenya de] Saiz Raimundo, «L’arbre i la llum. Signes i significacions al Llibre d’amic e amat de Ramon Llull»
Get PDFRessenya del llibre: Saiz Raimundo, «L’arbre i la llum. Signes i significacions al Llibre d’amic e amat de Ramon Llull»
Maria Saiz proposa una anàlisi de dues de les imatges amb més significació dins el grup de versicles que constitueixen el Llibre d’amic e amat. Són l’arbre i la llum, a criteri de l’autora, dos dels elements que impulsen l’amic vers la recerca de Déu, ja que permeten exalçar l’intel·lecte i fer pujar l’enteniment vers l’amat. Són dos elements, doncs, al servei de la primera intenció, en el sentit de la doctrina lul·liana d’amar, entendre i servir Déu
Derecho italiano: análisis y reseña de jurisprudencia junio-septiembre 2025
Get PDFDerecho italiano: análisis y reseña de jurisprudencia junio-septiembre 202
Psychoeducation in bipolar disorder with a SIMPLe smartphone application: Feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction
Get PDFBackground: During the last fifteen years, the possibility of delivering psychoeducation programs through Internet-based platforms have been explored. Studies evaluating those programs have shown good to acceptable retention rates. In this context, we developed a smartphone application (SIMPLe) collecting information about mood symptoms and offering personalized psychoeducation messages. The main aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction of the smartphone application.
Methods: The study was conducted from March to August 2015. Participation in the study was proposed to a consecutive sample of adult patients attending an outpatient mental health clinic. Sociodemographic data, clinical and functional assessments alongside smartphone ownership and uses were collected at baseline and at 3 months' follow-up. A 5 item Likert-scale satisfaction questionnaire was also employed.
Results: 51 participants were initially enrolled in the study, 36 (74%) remained actively using the application after 3 months. The whole sample interacted with the application a mean of 77 days (SD=26.2). During these days they completed 88% of the daily tests. Over 86% of the participants agreed that the experience using the application was satisfactory.
Limitations: The diversity of smartphones operating systems led to a moderate, although representative, sample number. Additionally, the subjective data reporting, narrow time frame of use and stability of the patients could have affected the results.
Conclusions: The results confirm that this particular intervention is feasible and represent a satisfactory and acceptable instrument for the self-management of bipolar disorder as an add-on to the usual treatment but future clinical trials must still probe its efficacy
Desindustrialización y crísis en la Barelona postolímpica: ¿hacia una ciudad dual?
Get PDF[spa] El tránsito de la sociedad industrial a la posindustrial ha ido acompañado de transformaciones económicas y demográficas con efectos relevantes en la estructura social de los países desarrollados. El aumento de la desigualdad social es uno de tales efectos, manifestado con mayor intensidad en el ámbito urbano, donde también se ha visto afectada la estructura sociorresidencial. Este artículo analiza la evolución de la desigualdad social y de la estructura sociorresidencial en el área metropolitana de Barcelona durante las dos últimas décadas. La hipótesis de partida es que Barcelona, como otras ciudades europeas, no ha tendido en los últimos años hacia un esquema de ciudad dual ¿caracterizado por la polarización de la estructura social y urbana¿, siendo este un modelo más propio de las ciudades estadounidenses. Los resultados confirman esta hipótesis y sitúan la capital catalana como una ciudad desigual, pero poco segregada.[eng] The transition from industrial to post-industrial society has been accompanied by a set of economic and demographic changes that have triggered significant effects on the social structure of developed countries. The increase in social inequality is one of these effects, especially in urban areas, where socio-residential structure has been affected too. This article analyzes the evolution of social inequality and socio-residential structure in the metropolitan area of Barcelona during the last two decades. The hypothesis is that Barcelona, like others European cities, has not tended in recent years towards a dual city scheme —characterized by the polarization of the social and urban structure—, which fits better with the American cities. The results confirm this hypothesis and place the Catalan capital city as unequal but not too segregated
Optimization of the One-Pot Synthesis of Butyl Levulinate from Fructose and 1-Butanol
Get PDFThe one-pot synthesis of butyl levulinate from fructose and 1-
butanol has been optimized using the ion-exchange resin Dowex 50Wx2 as a
catalyst in a batch reactor. The effects of temperature (120−150 °C), initial
quantity of water (1-butanol/water molar ratio 1.2−48.5), and fructose (1-
butanol/fructose molar ratio 33−77) have been evaluated in order to address
the gaps found in the literature. The yield of butyl levulinate is adversely
affected by the formation of humins, which is promoted by the presence of
water, high temperature, and initial mass of fructose. However, an increase in
both the temperature and the mass of fructose has an initial positive effect on
the yield. The optimization study concludes that the optimal yield of butyl
levulinate is around 140 °C and a 1-butanol/fructose molar ratio of 60. A
maximum butyl levulinate yield value of 81.7% is obtained under these
conditions after 2 h of run
RAB5A Promotes Active Fluid Wetting by Reprogramming Breast Cancer Spheroid Mechanics
Get PDFUnjamming transitions from a solid-like to a fluid-like state are a gateway to breast epithelial cancer invasion. However, the mechanical interplay between phase transitions and dimension transitions, in particular wetting, remains elusive, despite being critical for understanding the onset of metastatic dissemination. This study shows that unjamming, mediated by the RAB5A GTPase, alters carcinoma spheroid fluidity, rigidity, and rewires adhesion mechanics to drive supracellular active wetting as a new mode of tumor expansion. Spheroid fluidification enhances the selective expression of integrin subunits and increases focal adhesion dynamics, inducing a fluid-like spreading behavior on specific matrix ligands. Notably, nanoscale regulation of integrin clustering can select for distinct phase transitions at the collective scale upon wetting. In this framework, fluidized spheroids polarize into cohesive “supracells”, and maintain a stiff peripheral actin bundle as measured by nanomechanical mapping. Furthermore, a combination of Brillouin microscopy and 2.5D traction force analysis reveals a mechanical switch within the spheroid core, characterized by significant cell softening and a reduction in compressive forces exerted on the substrate, thereby mimicking the wetting of a liquid droplet. These findings establish unjamming-driven active wetting as a key mechanism to comprehend the molecular and biophysical underpinnings of solid tumor invasion
Female Leadership Archetypes in Sport: An Approach Based on the 2024 Ídolas Barometer
Get PDFThis study aims to explore the archetypes of female leadership in sport by analyzing the values that Spanish society attributes to elite female athletes. Moving beyond athletic success as a universal trait, the research investigates how personal narratives, social impact, and emotional resonance shape public admiration and define the symbolic leadership of sportswomen in contemporary Spain
Methylation profile scores of environmental exposures and risk of relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia.
Get PDFBoth genetic and environmental factors have been found to play a significant role in psychosis relapse, either independently or through their synergistic interaction. Recently, DNA methylation (DNAm) has been proposed through the calculation of methylation profile scores (MPS). The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association of MPS as a surrogate marker of the biological impact of early stressful life events (including stressful intrauterine conditions and obstetric complications, childhood adversity and toxic habits), with the risk of schizophrenia (SCZ) relapse. 91 participants from a cohort of first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients with less than five years of evolution were classified as non-relapse (patients who had not experienced a relapse after 3 years of enrollment) or relapse (patients who relapsed during the 3-year follow-up). As inclusion criteria, patients fulfilled Andreasen’s criteria of symptomatic remission. Genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) was profiled and fourteen MPS reflecting environmental exposure were constructed including both early stressful life events (including stressful intrauterine conditions and delivery issues, childhood adversity) and toxic habits. Increased levels of MPS reflecting gestational diabetes (p = 0.009), hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (p = 0.004), pre-eclampsia (p = 0.049), early preterm birth (p = 0.030), childhood adversity abuse (p = 0.021) and all childhood adversity (p = 0.030) were significantly associated with an increased risk of relapse. Our study suggests that changes in specific methylation patterns may represent one of the biological mechanisms linking early stressful life events to an increased risk of relapse