914 results on '"Llort, A"'
Search Results
2. Palliative care for children with central nervous system tumors: results of a Spanish multicenter study
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Pérez-Torres Lobato, Maria, Navarro-Marchena, Lucía, de Noriega, Iñigo, Morey Olivé, Miriam, Solano-Páez, Palma, Rubio Pérez, Eloísa, Garrido Colino, Carmen, García Abos, Miriam, Tallón García, María, Huidobro Labarga, Beatriz, Portugal Rodríguez, Raquel, López Ibor, Blanca, Lassaletta, Álvaro, Morgenstern Isaak, Andrés, Cruz Martínez, Ofelia, Valero Arrese, Lorena, Llort Sales, Anna, Gros Subias, Luis, Márquez Vega, Catalina, Moreno, Lucas, and Quiroga-Cantero, Eduardo
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- 2024
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3. Baf-mediated transcriptional regulation of teashirt is essential for the development of neural progenitor cell lineages
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Ko, Byung Su, Han, Myeong Hoon, Kwon, Min Jee, Cha, Dong Gon, Ji, Yuri, Park, Eun Seo, Jeon, Min Jae, Kim, Somi, Lee, Kyeongho, Choi, Yoon Ha, Lee, Jusung, Torras-Llort, Monica, Yoon, Ki-Jun, Lee, Hyosang, Kim, Jong Kyoung, and Lee, Sung Bae
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- 2024
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4. Baf-mediated transcriptional regulation of teashirt is essential for the development of neural progenitor cell lineages
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Byung Su Ko, Myeong Hoon Han, Min Jee Kwon, Dong Gon Cha, Yuri Ji, Eun Seo Park, Min Jae Jeon, Somi Kim, Kyeongho Lee, Yoon Ha Choi, Jusung Lee, Monica Torras-Llort, Ki-Jun Yoon, Hyosang Lee, Jong Kyoung Kim, and Sung Bae Lee
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Medicine ,Biochemistry ,QD415-436 - Abstract
Abstract Accumulating evidence hints heterochromatin anchoring to the inner nuclear membrane as an upstream regulatory process of gene expression. Given that the formation of neural progenitor cell lineages and the subsequent maintenance of postmitotic neuronal cell identity critically rely on transcriptional regulation, it seems possible that the development of neuronal cells is influenced by cell type-specific and/or context-dependent programmed regulation of heterochromatin anchoring. Here, we explored this possibility by genetically disrupting the evolutionarily conserved barrier-to-autointegration factor (Baf) in the Drosophila nervous system. Through single-cell RNA sequencing, we demonstrated that Baf knockdown induces prominent transcriptomic changes, particularly in type I neuroblasts. Among the differentially expressed genes, our genetic analyses identified teashirt (tsh), a transcription factor that interacts with beta-catenin, to be closely associated with Baf knockdown-induced phenotypes that were suppressed by the overexpression of tsh or beta-catenin. We also found that Baf and tsh colocalized in a region adjacent to heterochromatin in type I NBs. Notably, the subnuclear localization pattern remained unchanged when one of these two proteins was knocked down, indicating that both proteins contribute to the anchoring of heterochromatin to the inner nuclear membrane. Overall, this study reveals that the Baf-mediated transcriptional regulation of teashirt is a novel molecular mechanism that regulates the development of neural progenitor cell lineages.
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- 2024
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5. Loss of β2-integrin function results in metabolic reprogramming of dendritic cells, leading to increased dendritic cell functionality and anti-tumor responses
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Heidi Harjunpää, Riku Somermäki, Guillem Saldo Rubio, Manlio Fusciello, Sara Feola, Imrul Faisal, Anni I Nieminen, Liang Wang, Marc Llort Asens, Hongxia Zhao, Ove Eriksson, Vincenzo Cerullo, and Susanna C Fagerholm
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Integrin ,dendritic cell ,cancer immunotherapy ,cell metabolism ,cell adhesion ,CCR7 ,Immunologic diseases. Allergy ,RC581-607 ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the main antigen presenting cells of the immune system and are essential for anti-tumor responses. DC-based immunotherapies are used in cancer treatment, but their functionality is not optimized and their clinical efficacy is currently limited. Approaches to improve DC functionality in anti-tumor immunity are therefore required. We have previously shown that the loss of β2-integrin-mediated adhesion leads to epigenetic reprogramming of bone marrow-derived DCs (BM-DCs), resulting in an increased expression of costimulatory markers (CD86, CD80, and CD40), cytokines (IL-12) and the chemokine receptor CCR7. We now show that the loss of β2-integrin-mediated adhesion of BM-DCs also leads to a generally suppressed metabolic profile, with reduced metabolic rate, decreased ROS production, and lowered glucose uptake in cells. The mRNA levels of glycolytic enzymes and glucose transporters were reduced, indicating transcriptional regulation of the metabolic phenotype. Surprisingly, although signaling through a central regulator of immune cell metabolisms, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), was increased in BM-DCs with dysfunctional integrins, rapamycin treatment revealed that mTOR signaling was not involved in suppressing DC metabolism. Instead, bioinformatics and functional analyses showed that the Ikaros transcription factor may be involved in regulating the metabolic profile of non-adhesive DCs. Inversely, we found that induction of metabolic stress through treatment of cells with low levels of an inhibitor of glycolysis, 2-deoxyglucose (2DG), led to increased BM-DC activation. Specifically, 2DG treatment led to increased levels of Il-12 and Ccr7 mRNA, increased production of IL-12, increased levels of cell surface CCR7 and increased in vitro migration and T cell activation potential. Furthermore, 2DG treatment led to increased histone methylation in cells (H3K4me3, H3K27me3), indicating metabolic reprogramming. Finally, metabolic stress induced by 2DG treatment led to improved BM-DC-mediated anti-tumor responses in vivo in a melanoma cancer model, B16-OVA. In conclusion, our results indicate a role for β2-integrin-mediated adhesion in regulating a novel type of metabolic reprogramming of DCs and DC-mediated anti-tumor responses, which may be targeted to enhance DC-mediated anti-tumor responses in cancer immunotherapy.
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- 2024
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6. Bør spesialpedagogikk være et eget fagfelt som erstatter allmennpedagogikk? En ny forståelse med kritisk flerpedagogikk bygget av og for mangfoldet
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Sonia Muñoz Llort
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spesialpedagogikk ,kritisk flerpedagogikk ,mangfold ,interseksjonalitet ,danning ,Education (General) ,L7-991 - Abstract
Utdanningssystemene greier ikke å ivareta funksjonshemmedes rettigheter og samfunnets mangfold som sådan. Med et interseksjonelt perspektiv på spesialpedagogikk som fagområde kan kritisk flerpedagogikk representere en alternativ mangfoldsforståelse, et annet syn på utdanningssystemets mål og alternative strukturer for danning enn hva det nåværende nyliberalistiske paradigmet representerer. English abstract Should Special Education Be a Separate Field That Replaces General Pedagogy? A New Understanding with Critical Multi-Pedagogy Built By and For Diversity Education systems fail to safeguard the rights of disabled people and society’s diversity as such. With a focus on an intersectional perspective on special education as a subject area, a further developed subject field such as critical multi-pedagogy, can acquire the understanding of diversity, the educational system’s goals and structures for formation, as an alternative to current neoliberal paradigms and structures.
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- 2024
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7. Linker histone H1 regulates homeostasis of heterochromatin-associated cRNAs
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Paula Bujosa, Oscar Reina, Adrià Caballé, Anna Casas-Lamesa, Mònica Torras-Llort, Juan Pérez-Roldán, Ana Silvina Nacht, Guillermo P. Vicent, Jordi Bernués, and Fernando Azorín
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CP: Molecular biology ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Summary: Chromatin-associated RNAs (cRNAs) are a poorly characterized fraction of cellular RNAs that co-purify with chromatin. Their full complexity and the mechanisms regulating their packaging and chromatin association remain poorly understood. Here, we address these questions in Drosophila. We find that cRNAs constitute a heterogeneous group of RNA species that is abundant in heterochromatic transcripts. We show that heterochromatic cRNAs interact with the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNP) hrp36/hrp48 and that depletion of linker histone dH1 impairs this interaction. dH1 depletion induces the accumulation of RNA::DNA hybrids (R-loops) in heterochromatin and, as a consequence, increases retention of heterochromatic cRNAs. These effects correlate with increased RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) occupancy at heterochromatin. Notably, impairing cRNA assembly by depletion of hrp36/hrp48 mimics heterochromatic R-loop accumulation induced by dH1 depletion. We also show that dH1 depletion alters nucleosome organization, increasing accessibility of heterochromatin. Altogether, these perturbations facilitate annealing of cRNAs to the DNA template, enhancing R-loop formation and cRNA retention at heterochromatin.
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- 2024
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8. Open-Source Bioinformatic Pipeline to Improve PMS2 Genetic Testing Using Short-Read NGS Data
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Munté, Elisabet, Feliubadaló, Lídia, Del Valle, Jesús, González, Sara, Ramos-Muntada, Mireia, Balmaña, Judith, Ramon y Cajal, Teresa, Tuset, Noemí, Llort, Gemma, Cadiñanos, Juan, Brunet, Joan, Capellá, Gabriel, Lázaro, Conxi, and Pineda, Marta
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- 2024
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9. Hospital Volume of Elective Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair as a Predictor of Mortality After Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
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Dilmé Muñoz, Jaume F., Iborra, Elena, Pont, Carme Llort, Campos, Montserrat Yeste, Aitor Navarro, Omar A., Rojas, Alejandro Guarga, Pozuelo, Alfonso, Guitart, Cristina Casanovas, Capó, Xavier Faner, García Reyes, Marvin E., Cánovas, Álvaro Salinas, Besalduch, Lluís Sánchez, Ruiz, David Flota, and Montoya, Sergi Bellmunt
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- 2024
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10. Student Decision Making in a Scenario-Based Investigation of an Ecosystem
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Mehl, Cathy Ellen, Jin, Hui, and Llort, Kenneth F.
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Argumentation is an important component of scientific education (Osborne, 2010). However, how students create and evaluate competing arguments in scientific investigations is a complex construct, which presents significant challenges for assessment. We engaged 349 middle and high school students in a virtual scientific investigation based on an authentic problem involving the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park. Students evaluated three possible causes for vegetation loss in Lamar Valley: tourism, global warming, and killing wolves. Students compared their responses to individual claims to formulate a final decision. The authors developed a coding system to assess student arguments and analysed how students changed their evaluations across the investigation. Four distinct levels of responses reveal the range of student decision making and patterns that have implications for instruction and assessment. Few student evaluations explained both merits and weaknesses of claims.
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- 2020
11. Linker histone H1 regulates homeostasis of heterochromatin-associated cRNAs
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Bujosa, Paula, Reina, Oscar, Caballé, Adrià, Casas-Lamesa, Anna, Torras-Llort, Mònica, Pérez-Roldán, Juan, Nacht, Ana Silvina, Vicent, Guillermo P., Bernués, Jordi, and Azorín, Fernando
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- 2024
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12. The interwoven fibril-like structure of amyloid-beta plaques in mouse brain tissue visualized using super-resolution STED microscopy
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Johansson, Björn, Oasa, Sho, Muntsant Soria, Aida, Tiiman, Ann, Söderberg, Linda, Amandius, Ebba, Möller, Christer, Lannfelt, Lars, Terenius, Lars, Giménez-Llort, Lydia, and Vukojević, Vladana
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- 2023
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13. Seasonality of downward carbon export in the Pacific Southern Ocean revealed by multi-year robotic observations
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Lacour, Léo, Llort, Joan, Briggs, Nathan, Strutton, Peter G., and Boyd, Philip W.
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- 2023
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14. Design and effectiveness of an online group logotherapy intervention on the mental health of Iranian international students in European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Shirin Rahgozar and Lydia Giménez-Llort
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logotherapy ,group psychotherapy ,anxiety disorders ,depressive disorder ,international students ,COVID-19 pandemic ,Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
IntroductionThe secondary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to widespread psychological challenges, significantly strained international students’ mental health. The present work sought to design and assess the efficacy of an Online Group Logotherapy Protocol, an existential psychology approach developed by Viktor Frankl, to reduce anxiety and depression levels among Iranian international students who were migrants/refugees in different European countries during the pandemic.MethodsThe study recruited 70 students (58 females and 12 males, age range 20–35, 6 EU countries) experiencing moderate levels of anxiety and depression as measured by the Beck Anxiety (BAI) and Depression (BDI) Inventories at pre-test. Half the participants received a short-term closed group intervention comprising 6 online sessions / 90 min of logotherapy. The control group received 6 sessions without specific psychological treatment.ResultsThe designed logotherapy sessions consisted of 1. Fundamentals of logotherapy, 2. Existential concerns, 3. Introspection, 4. Self-awareness and growth, 5. Empowering and facing challenges, 6. Meaning of life and conclusions. Five logotherapy techniques were used: Socratic Dialog, Modification of Attitude, Paradoxical Intention, Dereflection, and Logodrama. After the sessions, the post-test MANCOVA analysis showed a more potent effect of logotherapy reducing depression and anxiety than that elicited without intervention. The Eta coefficient suggests that the observed difference explains the effect of logotherapy with a strong power of 89%.ConclusionThese findings unveil (1) the benefits of online group sessions despite the geographical distance and (2) the relevance of logotherapy effectively reducing depression and anxiety in such complex scenarios where psychological resources and cultural competencies are limited.
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- 2024
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15. Distinct signatures on d‐galactose‐induced aging and preventive/protective potency of two low‐dose vitamin D supplementation regimens on working memory, muscular damage, cardiac and cerebral oxidative stress, and SIRT1 and calstabin2 downregulation
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Sahar Salemi, Mohammad Yasin Zamanian, Lydia Giménez‐Llort, Zahra Jalali, Mehdi Mahmoodi, Maryam Golmohammadi, Ayat Kaeidi, Zahra Taghipour, Morteza Khademalhosseini, Mona Modanloo, and Mohammad Reza Hajizadehi
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aging ,calstabin2 ,oxidative stress ,SIRT1 ,vitamin D ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 - Abstract
Abstract Chronic administration of d‐galactose (d‐gal) in rodents reproduces the overproduction of reactive oxygen species of physiological aging. The present research shows for the first time distinct signatures on d‐gal‐induced aging (500 mg/kg, 6 weeks) and the preventive and protective potential of two vitamin D (50 IU) supplementation regimens (pre‐induction and simultaneous, respectively) in two vital organs (heart and brain). d‐gal‐induced notorious alterations in working memory, a strong increase in brain malondialdehyde (MDA) oxidative levels, and strong downregulation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in the heart and hippocampus and of calstabin2 in the heart. Cardiac and brain superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymatic antioxidant capacities were damaged, brain calstabin2 was downregulated, and neuropathology was observed. Heart damage also included a moderate increase in MDA levels, serologic lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total creatine kinase (CK) activities, and histopathological alterations. The used dose of vitamin D was enough to prevent cognitive impairment, avoid muscular damage, hamper cardiac and cerebral oxidative stress, and SIRT1 and calstabin2 downregulation. Most importantly, the potencies of the two preventive schedules depended on the tissue and level of study. The pre‐induction schedule prevented d‐gal‐induced aging by 1 order of magnitude higher than simultaneous administration in all the variables studied except for SIRT1, whose strong downregulation induced by d‐gal was equally prevented by both schedules. The benefits of vitamin D for oxidative stress were stronger in the brain than in the heart. Brain MDA levels were more sensitive to damage, while SOD and GPx antioxidant enzymatic activities were in the heart. In this order, the magnitude of SOD, MDA, and GPx oxidative stress markers was sensitive to prevention. In summary, the results unveiled distinct aging induction, preventive signatures, and sensitivity of markers depending on different levels of study and tissues, which are relevant from a mechanistic view and in the design of targeted interventions.
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- 2023
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16. The interwoven fibril-like structure of amyloid-beta plaques in mouse brain tissue visualized using super-resolution STED microscopy
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Björn Johansson, Sho Oasa, Aida Muntsant Soria, Ann Tiiman, Linda Söderberg, Ebba Amandius, Christer Möller, Lars Lannfelt, Lars Terenius, Lydia Giménez-Llort, and Vladana Vukojević
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Alzheimer’s disease ,Amyloid beta peptide ,Amyloid fibrils ,Immunohistochemistry ,Super-resolution STED microscopy ,Next generation drug design ,Biotechnology ,TP248.13-248.65 ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Biochemistry ,QD415-436 - Abstract
Abstract Background Standard neuropathologic analysis of Alzheimer’s brain relies on traditional fluorescence microscopy, which suffers from limited spatial resolution due to light diffraction. As a result, it fails to reveal intricate details of amyloid plaques. While electron microscopy (EM) offers higher resolution, its extensive sample preparation, involving fixation, dehydration, embedding, and sectioning, can introduce artifacts and distortions in the complex brain tissue. Moreover, EM lacks molecular specificity and has limited field of view and imaging depth. Results In our study, we employed super-resolution Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy in conjunction with the anti-human APP recombinant antibody 1C3 fluorescently labelled with DyLightTM633 (1C3-DyLight633). This combination allowed us to visualize amyloidogenic aggregates in vitro and in brain sections from a 17-month-old 3×Tg-AD mouse with sub-diffraction limited spatial resolution. Remarkably, we achieved a spatial resolution of 29 nm in vitro and 62 nm in brain tissue sections, surpassing the capabilities of conventional confocal microscopy by 5–10 times. Consequently, we could discern individual fibrils within plaques, an achievement previously only possible with EM. Conclusions The utilization of STED microscopy represents a groundbreaking advancement in the field, enabling researchers to delve into the characterization of local mechanisms that underlie Amyloid (Aβ) deposition into plaques and their subsequent clearance. This unprecedented level of detail is especially crucial for comprehending the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease and developing the next generation of anti-amyloid treatments. By facilitating the evaluation of drug candidates and non-pharmacological interventions aiming to reduce amyloid burden, STED microscopy emerges as an indispensable tool for driving scientific progress in Alzheimer’s research.
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- 2023
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17. Prodromic Inflammatory–Oxidative Stress in Peritoneal Leukocytes of Triple-Transgenic Mice for Alzheimer’s Disease
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Noemí Ceprián, Irene Martínez de Toda, Ianire Maté, Antonio Garrido, Lydia Gimenez-Llort, and Mónica De la Fuente
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cytokines ,inflammation ,longevity ,oxidative damage ,triple-transgenic mice for Alzheimer’s disease (3xTgAD) ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
Inflammatory–oxidative stress is known to be pivotal in the pathobiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the involvement of this stress at the peripheral level in the disease’s onset has been scarcely studied. This study investigated the pro-inflammatory profile and oxidative stress parameters in peritoneal leukocytes from female triple-transgenic mice for AD (3xTgAD) and non-transgenic mice (NTg). Peritoneal leukocytes were obtained at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 15 months of age. The concentrations of TNFα, INFγ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-10 released in cultures without stimuli and mitogen concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide presence were measured. The concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), lipid peroxidation, and Hsp70 were also analyzed in the peritoneal cells. Our results showed that although there was a lower release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by 3xTgAD mice, this response was uncontrolled and overstimulated, especially at a prodromal stage at 2 months of age. In addition, there were lower concentrations of GSH in leukocytes from 3xTgAD and higher amounts of lipid peroxides at 2 and 4 months, as well as, at 6 months, a lower concentration of Hsp70. In conclusion, 3xTgAD mice show a worse pro-inflammatory response and higher oxidative stress than NTg mice during the prodromal stages, potentially supporting the idea that Alzheimer’s disease could be a consequence of peripheral alteration in the leukocyte inflammation–oxidation state.
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- 2024
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18. Glomerular Hypertrophy and Splenic Red Pulp Degeneration Concurrent with Oxidative Stress in 3xTg-AD Mice Model for Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Exacerbation with Sex and Social Isolation
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Juan Fraile-Ramos, Josep Reig-Vilallonga, and Lydia Giménez-Llort
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Alzheimer’s disease ,peripheric organs ,kidney ,spleen ,amyloidosis ,oxidative stress ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
The continuously expanding field of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research is now beginning to defocus the brain to take a more systemic approach to the disease, as alterations in the peripheral organs could be related to disease progression. One emerging hypothesis is organ involvement in the process of Aβ clearance. In the present work, we aimed to examine the status and involvement of the kidney as a key organ for waste elimination and the spleen, which is in charge of filtering the blood and producing lymphocytes, and their influence on AD. The results showed morphological and structural changes due to acute amyloidosis in the kidney (glomeruli area) and spleen (red pulp area and red/white pulp ratio) together with reduced antioxidant defense activity (GPx) in 16-month-old male and female 3xTg-AD mice when compared to their age- and sex-matched non-transgenic (NTg) counterparts. All these alterations correlated with the anxious-like behavioral phenotype of this mouse model. In addition, forced isolation, a cause of psychological stress, had a negative effect by intensifying genotype differences and causing differences to appear in NTg animals. This study further supports the relevance of a more integrative view of the complex interplay between systems in aging, especially at advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
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- 2024
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19. Use of Ordered Beta Regression Unveils Cognitive Flexibility Index and Longitudinal Cognitive Training Signatures in Normal and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathological Aging
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Daniel Alveal-Mellado and Lydia Giménez-Llort
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behavioral studies ,data analysis ,Alzheimer’s disease ,aging ,Morris Water Maze ,search strategies ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) are a cornerstone data analysis strategy in behavioral research because of their robustness in handling non-normally distributed variables. Recently, their integration with ordered beta regression (OBR), a novel statistical tool for managing percentage data, has opened new avenues for analyzing continuous response data. Here, we applied this combined approach to investigate nuanced differences between the 3xTg-AD model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their C57BL/6 non-transgenic (NTg) counterparts with normal aging in a 5-day Morris Water Maze (MWM) test protocol. Our longitudinal study included 22 3xTg-AD mice and 15 NTg mice (both male and female) assessed at 12 and 16 months of age. By identifying and analyzing multiple swimming strategies during three different paradigms (cue, place task, and removal), we uncovered genotypic differences in all paradigms. Thus, the NTg group exhibited a higher percentage of direct search behaviors, while an association between circling episodes and 3xTg-AD animals was found. Furthermore, we also propose a novel metric—the “Cognitive Flexibility Index”—which proved sensitive in detecting sex-related differences. Overall, our integrated GLMMs-OBR approach provides a comprehensive insight into mouse behavior in the MWM test, shedding light on the effects of aging and AD pathology.
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- 2024
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20. Innovation at the Intersection: Emerging Translational Research in Neurology and Psychiatry
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Masaru Tanaka, Simone Battaglia, Lydia Giménez-Llort, Chong Chen, Piril Hepsomali, Alessio Avenanti, and László Vécsei
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n/a ,Cytology ,QH573-671 - Abstract
Translational research in neurological and psychiatric diseases is a rapidly advancing field that promises to redefine our approach to these complex conditions [...]
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- 2024
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21. A Hypothetical Learning Progression for Quantifying Phenomena in Science
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Jin, Hui, Delgado, Cesar, Bauer, Malcolm I., Wylie, E. Caroline, Cisterna, Dante, and Llort, Kenneth F.
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In this article, we report on a three-pronged effort to create a hypothetical learning progression for quantification in science. First, we drew from history and philosophy of science to define the quantification competency and develop hypothetical levels of the learning progression. More specifically, the quantification competency refers to the ability to analyze phenomena through (a) abstracting relevant measurable variables from phenomena and observations, (b) investigating the mathematical relationships among the variables, and (c) conceptualizing scientific ideas that explain the mathematical relationships. The quantification learning progression contains four levels of increasing sophistication: Level 1, holistic observation; Level 2, attributes; Level 3, measurable variables; and Level 4, relational complexity. Second, we analyzed the practices in the Next Generation Science Standards for current, largely tacit, assumptions about how quantification develops (or ought to develop) through K-12 education. While several pieces of evidence support the learning progression, we found that quantification was described inconsistently across practices. Third, we used empirical student data from a field test of items in physical and life sciences to illustrate qualitative differences in student thinking that align with levels in the hypothetical learning progression for quantification. By generating a hypothetical learning progression for quantification, we lay the groundwork for future standards development efforts to include this key practice and provide guidance for curriculum developers and instructors in helping students develop robust scientific understanding. [This paper is published in "Science & Education" v28 n9-10 p1181-1208 Dec 2019 (EJ1237017).]
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- 2019
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22. 15+ years of joint parallel application performance analysis/tools training with Scalasca/Score-P and Paraver/Extrae toolsets
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Wylie, Brian J.N., Giménez, Judit, Feld, Christian, Geimer, Markus, Llort, Germán, Mendez, Sandra, Mercadal, Estanislao, Visser, Anke, and García-Gasulla, Marta
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- 2025
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23. Three-dimensional modeling and defect quantification of existing concrete bridges based on photogrammetry and computer aided design
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Saleh Abu Dabous, Rami Al-Ruzouq, and Daniel Llort
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Bridge Failure ,3D model ,Close-range photogrammetry ,Image processing ,Defect quantification ,Bridge Monitoring ,Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) ,TA1-2040 - Abstract
Bridge infrastructure is aging and deteriorating and requires innovative condition monitoring and assessment to ensure safety and maintain serviceability. Current practices for bridge condition assessment depend mainly on visual inspection. Innovative data collection technologies can assist in bridge inspection and defect identification and circumvent the limitations of traditional visual inspection. This research aims to apply photogrammetry principles and image processing techniques to develop a full-scale three-dimensional (3D) bridge structure model for defect identification and quantification. The data source to establish the point cloud models is a set of digital images taken at the bridge site. The point cloud models are developed by analyzing high-resolution images captured using a Nikon D4S camera. The images are captured from different positions/locations to provide extensive stereo coverage and maximum overlapping. Two hundred images of the bridge are processed with PhotoModeler software along with the calibration information, and ground control points (GCPs) coordinates to create the models. A standard digital close-range image processing is implemented to generate the 3D points cloud model. The calibration and orientation processes are made over a deformed situation. However, the developed CAD bridge drawings depict the original undeformed geometry. The extracted bridge inventory data from the 3D model, including bridge geometry information and bridge damage quantification, can provide a baseline for the bridge monitoring system to detect bridge deterioration over the years. The developed photogrammetric 3D model has an RMSE of 0.0081 m and uncertainty of ± 0.0041 m. Future research can aim at developing reusable parametric objects for bridges in Revit and coding scripts using programming languages such as Dynamo or Python to perform further analysis of the captured information.
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- 2023
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24. Three-dimensional modeling and defect quantification of existing concrete bridges based on photogrammetry and computer aided design
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Abu Dabous, Saleh, Al-Ruzouq, Rami, and Llort, Daniel
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- 2023
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25. Seasonality of downward carbon export in the Pacific Southern Ocean revealed by multi-year robotic observations
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Léo Lacour, Joan Llort, Nathan Briggs, Peter G. Strutton, and Philip W. Boyd
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Science - Abstract
Distinct seasonality of export pathways from the different pumps in the Pacific Southern Ocean are revealed using year-round robotic profiler observations, contributing to understanding of particle export into the oceans’ interior.
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- 2023
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26. Critical Limb Ischemia in Nonagenarians: A Challenge of Our Times
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Casajuana Urgell, Eduard, Calsina Juscafresa, Laura, Nieto Fernandez, Lluis, Romero Montaña, Lorena, Llort Pont, Carme, and Clarà Velasco, Albert
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- 2022
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27. Food Finding Test without Deprivation: A Sensorial Paradigm Sensitive to Sex, Genotype, and Isolation Shows Signatures of Derangements in Old Mice with Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology and Normal Aging
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Daniela Marín-Pardo and Lydia Giménez-Llort
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neuroethology ,3xTg-AD mice ,behavioral neuroscience ,methods ,sniffing loss ,aging ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
The Food Finding Test (FFT) olfactory paradigm without overnight food deprivation examined olfaction in aged (16-months-old) animals. Ethograms of three goal-directed behaviors towards hidden food (sniffing, finding and eating) elicited in male and female 3xTg-AD mice for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their age-matched C57BL/6 wild-type counterparts with normal aging were meticulously analyzed with the support of video recordings. The new FFT protocol elicited longer ethograms than previously reported with the standard deprivation protocol. However, it was sensitive when identifying genotype- and sex-dependent olfactory signatures for the temporal patterns of slow sniffing, finding, and eating in AD and males, but it had a striking consistency in females. The impact of forced social isolation was studied and it was found to exert sex-dependent modifications of the ethogram, mostly in males. Still, in both sexes, a functional derangement was detected since the internal correlations among the behaviors decreased or were lost under isolated conditions. In conclusion, the new paradigm without overnight deprivation was sensitive to sex (males), genotype (AD), and social context (isolation-dependent changes) in its ethogram and functional correlation. At the translational level, it is a warning about the impact of isolation in the advanced stages of the disease, paying notable attention to the male sex.
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- 2024
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28. Psychological Distress in Low-Income and Economically Marginalized Populations in India: Protective and Risk Factors
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Dipti Singh, Shagufta Nasir, Juhi Sharma, Lydia Giménez-Llort, and Mohammad Ghazi Shahnawaz
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mental health ,low-income and economic marginalization (LIEM) ,socioeconomic status ,urban slum ,gender ,caste ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Studies at the juncture of development economics and public health take on considerable responsibility in addressing inequality and related mental health distress. Mental healthcare in economically marginalized populations requires depicting the linkages between socioeconomic status and psychological distress. In the present work, a sequential mixed-methods design was used to study 190 people in such communities in India. Gender-dependent psychological distress was found according to the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) with moderate distress in women (M = 26.30, SD = 9.15) and mild distress in men (M = 21.04, SD = 8.35). Regression analysis indicated that gender significantly predicted psychological distress, followed by age, marital status, and the level of education of the head of the family. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of semi-structured interviews of the six women who scored the highest on the distress scale unveiled three master themes: (1) manifestation of psychological distress, (2) contextual challenges, and (3) sources of strength and resilience. Overall, participants reported a lack of resources, community violence, gender discrimination, and widespread substance use as major contributors to the ongoing distress. These findings can pave the way for future studies to expand beyond independent economic indicators and curate clinical interventions for culturally competent mental healthcare.
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- 2024
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29. Editorial: The crosstalk of different mechanisms in cognitive impairment associated with aging, Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias
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Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
Alzheimer's disease ,cognitive impairment ,crosstalk ,peripheral system ,clinical trials ,translational research ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Published
- 2023
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30. Ocean carbon from space: Current status and priorities for the next decade
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Brewin, Robert J.W., Sathyendranath, Shubha, Kulk, Gemma, Rio, Marie-Hélène, Concha, Javier A., Bell, Thomas G., Bracher, Astrid, Fichot, Cédric, Frölicher, Thomas L., Galí, Martí, Hansell, Dennis Arthur, Kostadinov, Tihomir S., Mitchell, Catherine, Neeley, Aimee Renee, Organelli, Emanuele, Richardson, Katherine, Rousseaux, Cécile, Shen, Fang, Stramski, Dariusz, Tzortziou, Maria, Watson, Andrew J., Addey, Charles Izuma, Bellacicco, Marco, Bouman, Heather, Carroll, Dustin, Cetinić, Ivona, Dall’Olmo, Giorgio, Frouin, Robert, Hauck, Judith, Hieronymi, Martin, Hu, Chuanmin, Ibello, Valeria, Jönsson, Bror, Kong, Christina Eunjin, Kovač, Žarko, Laine, Marko, Lauderdale, Jonathan, Lavender, Samantha, Livanou, Eleni, Llort, Joan, Lorinczi, Larisa, Nowicki, Michael, Pradisty, Novia Arinda, Psarra, Stella, Raitsos, Dionysios E., Ruescas, Ana Belén, Russell, Joellen L., Salisbury, Joe, Sanders, Richard, Shutler, Jamie D., Sun, Xuerong, Taboada, Fernando González, Tilstone, Gavin H., Wei, Xinyuan, and Woolf, David K.
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- 2023
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31. Impact of concurrent tumour events on the prostate cancer outcomes of germline BRCA2 mutation carriers
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Lozano, Rebeca, Castro, Elena, Lopez-Campos, Fernando, Thorne, Heather, Ramirez-Backhaus, Miguel, Aragon, Isabel M., Cendón-Florez, Ylenia, Gutierrez-Pecharroman, Ana, Salles, Daniela C., Romero-Laorden, Nuria, Lorente, David, González-Peramato, Pilar, Calatrava, Ana, Alonso, Concepción, Anido, Urbano, Arévalo-Lobera, Sara, Balmaña, Judith, Chirivella, Isabel, Juan-Fita, María José, Llort, Gemma, y Cajal, Teresa Ramón, Almagro, Elena, Alameda, Daniel, López-Casas, Pedro P., Herrera, Bernardo, Mateo, Joaquin, Pritchard, Colin C., Antonarakis, Emmanuel S., Lotan, Tamara L., Rubio-Briones, José, Sandhu, Shahneen, and Olmos, David
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- 2023
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32. An Empirically Grounded Framework That Evaluates Argument Quality in Scientific and Social Contexts
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Jin, Hui, Yan, Duanli, Mehl, Cathy E., Llort, Kenneth, and Cui, Wenju
- Abstract
This study was aimed to develop a general argumentation framework for evaluating the quality of causal arguments across scientific and social contexts. We designed a computer-delivered assessment that contains four scenario-based argumentation tasks. Each task asks students to identify relevant evidence from provided data sources and use the evidence to construct an argument that answers a causal question. One task is about a social issue, while the rest three tasks each requires knowledge of a scientific concept (melting/evaporation, photosynthesis, trophic cascade). The assessment was implemented with 349 students from urban middle and high schools. Based on the data and prior research, we developed an empirically grounded argumentation framework that contains four qualitatively different levels: non-causal arguments, causal arguments lacking logical connections, causal arguments with weak reasoning, and causal arguments with strong reasoning. The qualitative results provide evidence of the existence of the argumentation levels. The IRT analysis and the Wright map provide the evidence that the order of and the distinctions among the argumentation levels are meaningful. Together, the qualitative and quantitative results support the viability of the framework.
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- 2021
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33. Use of genetic algorithms for ocean model parameter optimisation: a case study using PISCES-v2_RC for North Atlantic particulate organic carbon
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M. Falls, R. Bernardello, M. Castrillo, M. Acosta, J. Llort, and M. Galí
- Subjects
Geology ,QE1-996.5 - Abstract
When working with Earth system models, a considerable challenge that arises is the need to establish the set of parameter values that ensure the optimal model performance in terms of how they reflect real-world observed data. Given that each additional parameter under investigation increases the dimensional space of the problem by one, simple brute-force sensitivity tests can quickly become too computationally strenuous. In addition, the complexity of the model and interactions between parameters mean that testing them on an individual basis has the potential to miss key information. In this work, we address these challenges by developing a biased random key genetic algorithm (BRKGA) able to estimate model parameters. This method is tested using the one-dimensional configuration of PISCES-v2_RC, the biogeochemical component of NEMO4 v4.0.1 (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean version 4), a global ocean model. A test case of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the North Atlantic down to 1000 m depth is examined, using observed data obtained from autonomous biogeochemical Argo floats. In this case, two sets of tests are run, namely one where each of the model outputs are compared to the model outputs with default settings and another where they are compared with three sets of observed data from their respective regions, which is followed by a cross-reference of the results. The results of these analyses provide evidence that this approach is robust and consistent and also that it provides an indication of the sensitivity of parameters on variables of interest. Given the deviation in the optimal set of parameters from the default, further analyses using observed data in other locations are recommended to establish the validity of the results obtained.
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- 2022
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34. Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases: From In Vitro to In Vivo Models
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Masaru Tanaka, Ágnes Szabó, László Vécsei, and Lydia Giménez-Llort
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n/a ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
Revealing the underlying pathomechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders, searching for new biomarkers, and developing novel therapeutics all require translational research [...]
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- 2023
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35. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Based on Clinical and Neuropsychological Symptoms Reveals Distinct Subgroups in Fibromyalgia: A Population-Based Cohort Study
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Sara Maurel, Lydia Giménez-Llort, Jose Alegre-Martin, and Jesús Castro-Marrero
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chronic pain ,fibromyalgia ,cluster analysis ,neuropsychological symptoms ,fatigue ,mindfulness ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition characterized by musculoskeletal pain and multiple comorbidities. Our study aimed to identify four clusters of FM patients according to their core clinical symptoms and neuropsychological comorbidities to identify possible therapeutic targets in the condition. We performed a population-based cohort study on 251 adult FM patients referred to primary care according to the 2010 ACR case criteria. Patients were aggregated in clusters by a K-medians hierarchical cluster analysis based on physical and emotional symptoms and neuropsychological variables. Four different clusters were identified in the FM population. Global cluster analysis reported a four-cluster profile (cluster 1: pain, fatigue, poorer sleep quality, stiffness, anxiety/depression and disability at work; cluster 2: injustice, catastrophizing, positive affect and negative affect; cluster 3: mindfulness and acceptance; and cluster 4: surrender). The second analysis on clinical symptoms revealed three distinct subgroups (cluster 1: fatigue, poorer sleep quality, stiffness and difficulties at work; cluster 2: pain; and cluster 3: anxiety and depression). The third analysis of neuropsychological variables provided two opposed subgroups (cluster 1: those with high scores in surrender, injustice, catastrophizing and negative affect, and cluster 2: those with high scores in acceptance, positive affect and mindfulness). These empirical results support models that assume an interaction between neurobiological, psychological and social factors beyond the classical biomedical model. A detailed assessment of such risk and protective factors is critical to differentiate FM subtypes, allowing for further identification of their specific needs and designing tailored personalized therapeutic interventions.
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- 2023
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36. Lessons from the Impact of War in Ukraine on Combatants’ Mental Health during the Last Decade
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A. Haydabrus and L. Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
Introduction The threat and preservation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine are not new issues. During the last decade, peacetime (Peace, until 2013) was disrupted by active hostility (AH, 2014–2015) and trench warfare (TW, 2016–2021). War exert acute and chronic impacts on mental health, may be a substrate for mental health disorders, especially worrisome since, today, the large-scale conflict has demanded the recruitment of adult civilians to defend and fight alongside armed forces troops. Objectives The analysis aimed to unveil the impact of those conflicts on the mental health of the army and help us to anticipate risk factors (ranks, time period) and need for resources (admissions and days of hospitalization per time period, rank and disease). Methods A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of an anonymized part of the internal database included 3995 anonymized records.Data are expressed as the frequency (%), fold-increase, or mean ± SEM. Chi-square analysis and ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc correction were performed with Jamovi. Results The temporal distribution of admissions (Figure 1) showed a 6.97 (AH) and 3.62 (TW) [5.02 (TW1, 2016–2017), 3.91 (TW2, 2018–2019), and 1.95 (TW3, 2020–2021)] fold increase per year compared to peacetime. The most frequent mental health problems, accounting for 76.1% of cases, were ‘anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic disorders’ (F40-F48, ANXd, 40.1%) and ‘mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use’ (F10–F19, PSUd, 36.0%). ‘Reaction to severe stress and adjustment disorders (F43, 76.5%) and ‘Alcohol-related disorders (F10, 89.3%) were the predominant mental health disorders, respectively. The ICD-10 category depended on the war period (Figure 2), with peacetime to TW2 accounting for 90% of cases. ‘ANXd’ were the main mental health problem in any period, with 61.8% of cases occurring in peacetime. PSUd, residual in peacetime 6.1%, reached their peak in active hostility (47.4%), with 97.9% of ‘Alcohol-related disorders’ as the cause of these admissions, which could agree with the use of alcohol serving as a coping mechanism in front traumatic events. In trench warfare, PSUd decreased (TW1, 39.2%; TW2, 25.1%). Hospital stays for people with ANXd or PSUd lasted at least one month in peacetime but significantly decreased in war periods (Figure 3). This could be explained by a ‘need for free beds effect’ and the distribution of admissions by ranks. Image: Image 2: Image 3: Conclusions - The dominance of ANXd, mainly among professional soldiers and high ranks, points to the need for rank-tailored psychological training in skills to reduce the ANXd burden. - The large number of PSUd in nonprofessional soldiers during wartime dictates the need to strengthen the selection of military personnel. - Hospitalizations in military operations are heterogeneous and depend on the military rank. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
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- 2023
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37. Chronic IL-10 overproduction disrupts microglia-neuron dialogue similar to aging, resulting in impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial memory
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Sanchez-Molina, Paula, Almolda, Beatriz, Giménez-Llort, Lydia, González, Berta, and Castellano, Bernardo
- Published
- 2022
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38. Quality of Colonoscopy Is Associated With Adenoma Detection and Postcolonoscopy Colorectal Cancer Prevention in Lynch Syndrome
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Sánchez, Ariadna, Roos, Victorine H., Navarro, Matilde, Pineda, Marta, Caballol, Berta, Moreno, Lorena, Carballal, Sabela, Rodríguez-Alonso, Lorena, Ramon y Cajal, Teresa, Llort, Gemma, Piñol, Virginia, López-Fernández, Adrià, Salces, Inmaculada, Picó, Maria Dolores, Rivas, Laura, Bujanda, Luis, Garzon, Marta, Pizarro, Angeles, Martinez de Castro, Eva, López-Arias, Maria Jesus, Poves, Carmen, Garau, Catalina, Rodriguez-Alcalde, Daniel, Herraiz, Maite, Alvarez-Urrutia, Cristina, Dacal, Andres, Carrillo-Palau, Marta, Cid, Lucia, Ponce, Marta, Barreiro-Alonso, Eva, Saperas, Esteban, Aguirre, Elena, Romero, Cristina, Bastiaansen, Barbara, Gonzalez-Acosta, Maribel, Morales-Romero, Blai, Ocaña, Teresa, Rivero-Sánchez, Liseth, Jung, Gerhard, Bessa, Xavier, Cubiella, Joaquin, Jover, Rodrigo, Rodríguez-Moranta, Francisco, Balmaña, Judith, Brunet, Joan, Castells, Antoni, Dekker, Evelien, Capella, Gabriel, Serra-Burriel, Miquel, Moreira, Leticia, Pellise, Maria, and Balaguer, Francesc
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- 2022
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39. Resting State Electrophysiological Profiles and Their Relationship with Cognitive Performance in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults: A Systematic Review.
- Author
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Chino, Brenda, López-Sanz, David, Doval, Sandra, Torres-Simón, Lucía, de Frutos Lucas, Jaisalmer, Giménez-Llort, Lydia, Zegarra-Valdivia, Jonathan, and Maestú, Fernando
- Subjects
OLDER people ,COGNITIVE ability ,COGNITIVE aging ,ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY ,WEB databases ,FLUID intelligence - Abstract
Background: Aging is a complex and natural process. The physiological decline related to aging is accompanied by a slowdown in cognitive processes, which begins shortly after individuals reach maturity. These changes have been sometimes interpreted as a compensatory sign and others as a fingerprint of deterioration. Objective: In this context, our aim is to uncover the mechanisms that underlie and support normal cognitive functioning in the brain during the later stages of life. Methods: With this purpose, a systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, which identified 781 potential articles. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 12 studies that examined the brain oscillations patterns in resting-state conditions associated with cognitive performance in cognitively unimpaired older adults. Results: Although cognitive healthy aging was characterized differently across studies, and various approaches to analyzing brain activity were employed, our review indicates a relationship between alpha peak frequency (APF) and improved performance in neuropsychological scores among cognitively unimpaired older adults. Conclusions: A higher APF is linked with a higher score in intelligence, executive function, and general cognitive performance, and could be considered an optimal, and easy-to-assess, electrophysiological marker of cognitive health in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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40. Recent Advances on Sex Hormone‐Binding Globulin Regulation by Nutritional Factors: Clinical Implications.
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Brianso‐Llort, Laura, Saéz‐Lopez, Cristina, Alvarez‐Guaita, Anna, Ramos‐Perez, Lorena, Hernandez, Cristina, Simó, Rafael, and Selva, David M.
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- 2024
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41. Survival Bias, Non-Lineal Behavioral and Cortico-Limbic Neuropathological Signatures in 3xTg-AD Mice for Alzheimer’s Disease from Premorbid to Advanced Stages and Compared to Normal Aging
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Aida Muntsant, Maria del Mar Castillo-Ruiz, and Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
aging ,Alzheimer’s disease ,heterogeneity ,cognitive deficits ,neuropsychiatric-like symptoms ,amygdala ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 ,Chemistry ,QD1-999 - Abstract
Pre-clinical research in aging is hampered by the scarcity of studies modeling its heterogeneity and complexity forged by pathophysiological conditions throughout the life cycle and under the sex perspective. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia in older adults, we recently described in female wildtype and APP23 mice a survival bias and non-linear chronology of behavioral signatures from middle age to long life. Here, we present a comprehensive and multidimensional (physical, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric-like symptoms) screening and underlying neuropathological signatures in male and female 3xTg-AD mice at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 16 months of age and compared to their non-transgenic counterparts with gold-standard C57BL/6J background. Most variables studied detected age-related differences, whereas the genotype factor was specific to horizontal and vertical activities, thigmotaxis, coping with stress strategies, working memory, and frailty index. A sex effect was predominantly observed in classical emotional variables and physical status. Sixteen-month-old mice exhibited non-linear age- and genotype-dependent behavioral signatures, with higher heterogeneity in females, and worsened in naturalistically isolated males, suggesting distinct compensatory mechanisms and survival bias. The underlying temporal and spatial progression of Aβ and tau pathologies pointed to a relevant cortico-limbic substrate roadmap: premorbid intracellular Aβ immunoreactivity and pSer202/pThr205 tau phosphorylation in the amygdala and ventral hippocampus, and the entorhinal cortex and ventral hippocampus as the areas most affected by Aβ plaques. Therefore, depicting phenotypic signatures and neuropathological correlates can be critical to unveiling preventive/therapeutic research and intervention windows and studying adaptative behaviors and maladaptive responses relevant to psychopathology.
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- 2023
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42. The Trajectory of Depression through Disenfranchised Grief in Young Widows in Times of COVID-19: A Case Report from Rural India
- Author
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Shagufta Nasir and Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
disenfranchised grief ,widowhood ,rural India ,COVID-19 pandemic ,bioecological model ,coping ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of this century’s deadliest and most widespread viral outbreaks, with higher mortality rates in men than women. Disruptions in funeral rituals and customs, no social recognition of the losses, and limited social support have complicated the grieving process and are linked to disenfranchised (not openly acknowledged, socially recognized, or publicly mourned) grief. Depression is also highly comorbid with complicated grief. Losing a spouse can be devastating, and this is more severe for women with limited or no resources, who are vulnerable because of the patriarchal society. In the current COVID-19 era, increased uncertainty and disenfranchised grief can worsen the clinical scenario and hamper interventions, as highlighted by the present case report on disenfranchised grief with depressive symptoms in a 30-year-old woman from rural India who, after a year of marriage, lost her husband due to COVID-19. This case study emphasizes the impact of multiple types of disadvantages due to sociodemographic and cultural determinants that can complicate the grieving process in the current context. The bioecological model of grief recovery considers individual features and societal/environmental factors to postulate the appropriate intervention. Finding meaning and purpose in life and restoration-oriented coping were successful for the clinical management of the patient.
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- 2023
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43. A Hypothetical Learning Progression for Quantifying Phenomena in Science
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Jin, Hui, Delgado, Cesar, Bauer, Malcolm I., Wylie, E. Caroline, Cisterna, Dante, and Llort, Kenneth F.
- Abstract
In this article, we report on a three-pronged effort to create a hypothetical learning progression for quantification in science. First, we drew from history and philosophy of science to define the quantification competency and develop hypothetical levels of the learning progression. More specifically, the quantification competency refers to the ability to analyze phenomena through (a) abstracting relevant measurable variables from phenomena and observations, (b) investigating the mathematical relationships among the variables, and (c) conceptualizing scientific ideas that explain the mathematical relationships. The quantification learning progression contains four levels of increasing sophistication: level 1, holistic observation; level 2, attributes; level 3, measurable variables; and level 4, relational complexity. Second, we analyzed the practices in the Next Generation Science Standards for current, largely tacit, assumptions about how quantification develops (or ought to develop) through K-12 education. While several pieces of evidence support the learning progression, we found that quantification was described inconsistently across practices. Third, we used empirical student data from a field test of items in physical and life sciences to illustrate qualitative differences in student thinking that align with levels in the hypothetical learning progression for quantification. By generating a hypothetical learning progression for quantification, we lay the groundwork for future standards development efforts to include this key practice and provide guidance for curriculum developers and instructors in helping students develop robust scientific understanding. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED600809.]
- Published
- 2019
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44. The paediatric cancer clinical research landscape in Spain: a 13-year multicentre experience of the new agents group of the Spanish Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (SEHOP)
- Author
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Rubio-San-Simón, A., Hladun Alvaro , R., Juan Ribelles , A., Castañeda Heredia , A., Guerra-García, P., Verdú-Amorós, J., Andrés, M., Cañete, A., Rives, S., Pérez-Martínez, A., Mora, J., Patiño-García, A., Lassaleta, A., Llort, A., Ramírez, M., Mata, C., Gallego, S., Martín-Broto, J., Cruz, O., Morales La Madrid , A., Solano, P., Martínez Romera , I., Fernández‑Teijeiro, A., Bautista, F., and Moreno, L.
- Published
- 2021
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45. Ocean Carbon From Space: Current Status and Priorities for the Next Decade
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Robert J. W. Brewin, Shubha Sathyendranath, Gemma Kulk, Marie-Hélène Rio, Javier A. Concha, Thomas G. Bell, Astrid Bracher, Cédric Fichot, Thomas L. Frölicher, Martí Galí, Dennis Arthur Hansell, Tihomir S. Kostadinov, Catherine Mitchell, Aimee Renee Neeley, Emanuele Organelli, Katherine Richardson, Cécile Rousseaux, Fang Shen, Dariusz Stramski, Maria Tzortziou, Andrew J. Watson, Charles Izuma Addey, Marco Bellacicco, Heather Bouman, Dustin Carroll, Ivona Cetinic, Giorgio Dall’Olmo, Robert Frouin, Judith Hauck, Martin Hieronymi, Chuanmin Hu, Valeria Ibello, Bror Jönsson, Christina Eunjun Kong, Žarko Kovac, Marko Laine, Jonathan Lauderdale, Samantha Lavender, Eleni Livanou, Joan Llort, Larisa Lorinczi, Michael Nowicki, Novia Arinda Pradisty, Stella Psarra, Dionysios E. Raitsos, Ana Belén Ruescas, Joellen L. Russell, Joe Salisbury, Richard Sanders, Jamie D. Shutler, Xuerong Sun, Fernando González Taboada, Gavin Tilstone, Xinyuan Wei, and David K. Woolf
- Subjects
Oceanography - Abstract
The ocean plays a central role in modulating the Earth’s carbon cycle. Monitoring how the ocean carbon cycle is changing is fundamental to managing climate change. Satellite remote sensing is currently our best tool for viewing the ocean surface globally and systematically, at high spatial and temporal resolutions, and the past few decades have seen an exponential growth in studies utilising satellite data for ocean carbon research. Satellite-based observations must be combined with in-situ observations and models, to obtain a comprehensive view of ocean carbon pools and fluxes. To help prioritise future research in this area, a workshop was organised that assembled leading experts working on the topic, from around the world, including remote-sensing scientists, field scientists and modellers, with the goal to articulate a collective view of the current status of ocean carbon research, identify gaps in knowledge, and formulate a scientific roadmap for the next decade, with an emphasis on evaluating where satellite remote sensing may contribute. A total of 449 scientists and stakeholders participated (with balanced gender representation), from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Sessions targeted both inorganic and organic pools of carbon in the ocean, in both dissolved and particulate form, as well as major fluxes of carbon between reservoirs (e.g., primary production) and at interfaces (e.g., air-sea and land–ocean). Extreme events, blue carbon and carbon budgeting were also key topics discussed. Emerging priorities identified include: expanding the networks and quality of in-situ observations; improved satellite retrievals; improved uncertainty quantification; improved understanding of vertical distributions; integration with models; improved techniques to bridge spatial and temporal scales of the different data sources; and improved fundamental understanding of the ocean carbon cycle, and of the interactions among pools of carbon and light. We also report on priorities for the specific pools and fluxes studied, and highlight issues and concerns that arose during discussions, such as the need to consider the environmental impact of satellites or space activities; the role satellites can play in monitoring ocean carbon dioxide removal approaches; economic valuation of the satellite based information; to consider how satellites can contribute to monitoring cycles of other important climatically-relevant compounds and elements; to promote diversity and inclusivity in ocean carbon research; to bring together communities working on different aspects of planetary carbon; maximising use of international bodies; to follow an open science approach; to explore new and innovative ways to remotely monitor ocean carbon; and to harness quantum computing. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive scientific roadmap for the next decade on how satellite remote sensing could help monitor the ocean carbon cycle, and its links to the other domains, such as terrestrial and atmosphere.
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- 2023
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46. Widespread phytoplankton blooms triggered by 2019-2020 Australian wildfires
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Tang, Weiyi, Llort, Joan, Weis, Jakob, Perron, Morgane M. G., Basart, Sara, Li, Zuchuan, and Sathyendranath, Shubha
- Subjects
Australia Bushfire Season, 2019-2020 -- Environmental aspects ,Phytoplankton -- Environmental aspects ,Water bloom -- Causes of ,Climatic changes -- Causes of ,Eutrophication -- Causes of ,Wildfires -- Environmental aspects ,Environmental issues ,Science and technology ,Zoology and wildlife conservation - Abstract
Droughts and climate-change-driven warming are leading to more frequent and intense wildfires.sup.1-3, arguably contributing to the severe 2019-2020 Australian wildfires.sup.4. The environmental and ecological impacts of the fires include loss of habitats and the emission of substantial amounts of atmospheric aerosols.sup.5-7. Aerosol emissions from wildfires can lead to the atmospheric transport of macronutrients and bio-essential trace metals such as nitrogen and iron, respectively.sup.8-10. It has been suggested that the oceanic deposition of wildfire aerosols can relieve nutrient limitations and, consequently, enhance marine productivity.sup.11,12, but direct observations are lacking. Here we use satellite and autonomous biogeochemical Argo float data to evaluate the effect of 2019-2020 Australian wildfire aerosol deposition on phytoplankton productivity. We find anomalously widespread phytoplankton blooms from December 2019 to March 2020 in the Southern Ocean downwind of Australia. Aerosol samples originating from the Australian wildfires contained a high iron content and atmospheric trajectories show that these aerosols were likely to be transported to the bloom regions, suggesting that the blooms resulted from the fertilization of the iron-limited waters of the Southern Ocean. Climate models project more frequent and severe wildfires in many regions.sup.1-3. A greater appreciation of the links between wildfires, pyrogenic aerosols.sup.13, nutrient cycling and marine photosynthesis could improve our understanding of the contemporary and glacial-interglacial cycling of atmospheric CO.sub.2 and the global climate system. Oceanic deposition of wildfire aerosols can enhance marine productivity, as supported here by satellite and in situ profiling floats data showing that emissions from the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires fuelled phytoplankton blooms in the Southern Ocean., Author(s): Weiyi Tang [sup.1] [sup.11] , Joan Llort [sup.2] [sup.3] , Jakob Weis [sup.2] [sup.4] , Morgane M. G. Perron [sup.2] , Sara Basart [sup.3] , Zuchuan Li [sup.1] [sup.5] [...]
- Published
- 2021
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47. Early Warnings for Drought in Europe : A Multihazard System
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Sutanto, Samuel Jonson, Van Lanen, Henny A. J., Wetterhall, Fredrik, and Llort, Xavier
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- 2020
48. Potential of Pan-European Seasonal Hydrometeorological Drought Forecasts Obtained from a Multihazard Early Warning System
- Author
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Sutanto, Samuel Jonson, Van Lanen, Henny A. J., Wetterhall, Fredrik, and Llort, Xavier
- Published
- 2020
49. Crosstalk of Alzheimer’s disease-phenotype, HPA axis, splenic oxidative stress and frailty in late-stages of dementia, with special concerns on the effects of social isolation: A translational neuroscience approach
- Author
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Aida Muntsant and Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
Alzheimer’s disease ,neuroimmunoendocrine crosstalk ,aging ,3xTg-AD mice ,cognition ,neuropsychiatric symptoms ,Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry ,RC321-571 - Abstract
Coping with emotional stressors strongly impacts older people due to their age-related impaired neuroendocrine and immune systems. Elevated cortisol levels seem to be associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), alterations in the innate immune system result in crosstalk between immune mediators and neuronal and endocrine functions. Besides, neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or agitation are observed in most patients. Here, we studied the psychophysiological response to intrinsic (AD-phenotype) and extrinsic (anxiogenic tests) stress factors and their relation to liver, kidneys, heart, and spleen oxidative status in 18-months-old female gold-standard C57BL/6 mice and 3xTg-AD mice model for AD. The emotional, cognitive, and motor phenotypes were assessed under three different anxiogenic conditions. Survival, frailty index, and immunoendocrine status (corticosterone levels and oxidative stress of peripheral organs) were evaluated. Genotype differences in neuropsychiatric-like profiles and cognitive disfunction in 3xTg-AD females that survived beyond advanced stages of the disease persisted despite losing other behavioral and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) physiological differences. A secondary analysis studied the impact of social isolation, naturally occurring in 3xTg-AD mice due to the death of cage mates. One month of isolation modified hyperactivity and neophobia patterns and disrupt the obsessive-compulsive disorder-like digging ethogram. Frailty index correlated with spleen organometrics in all groups, whereas two AD-specific salient functional correlations were identified: (1) Levels of corticosterone with worse performance in the T-maze, (2) and with a lower splenic GPx antioxidant enzymatic activity, which may suppose a potent risk of morbidity and mortality in AD.
- Published
- 2022
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50. Hepatic Oxi-Inflammation and Neophobia as Potential Liver–Brain Axis Targets for Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging, with Strong Sensitivity to Sex, Isolation, and Obesity
- Author
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Juan Fraile-Ramos, Anna Garrit, Josep Reig-Vilallonga, and Lydia Giménez-Llort
- Subjects
Alzheimer’s disease ,3xTg-AD ,liver–brain axis ,obesity ,HPA axis ,corticosterone ,Cytology ,QH573-671 - Abstract
Research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has classically focused on alterations that occur in the brain and their intra- and extracellular neuropathological hallmarks. However, the oxi-inflammation hypothesis of aging may also play a role in neuroimmunoendocrine dysregulation and the disease’s pathophysiology, where the liver emerges as a target organ due to its implication in regulating metabolism and supporting the immune system. In the present work, we demonstrate organ (hepatomegaly), tissue (histopathological amyloidosis), and cellular oxidative stress (decreased glutathione peroxidase and increased glutathione reductase enzymatic activities) and inflammation (increased IL-6 and TNF𝛼) as hallmarks of hepatic dysfunction in 16-month-old male and female 3xTg-AD mice at advanced stages of the disease, and as compared to age- and sex-matched non-transgenic (NTg) counterparts. Moreover, liver–brain axis alterations were found through behavioral (increased neophobia) and HPA axis correlations that were enhanced under forced isolation. In all cases, sex (male) and isolation (naturalistic and forced) were determinants of worse hepatomegaly, oxidative stress, and inflammation progression. In addition, obesity in old male NTg mice was translated into a worse steatosis grade. Further research is underway determine whether these alterations could correlate with a worse disease prognosis and to establish potential integrative system targets for AD research.
- Published
- 2023
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