FUTUR-UB. Portal de la Producció Científica dels Investigadors de la UB.

Visual experience: rich but impenetrable
Toribio, J.
Synthese
Vol. 195, num. 8
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-015-0889-8
Data publicació: 2018-12-31
Article de revista
According to so-called 'thin' views about the content of experience, we can only visually experience low-level features such as colour, shape, texture or motion. According to so-called 'rich' views, we can also visually experience some high-level properties, such as being a pine tree or being threatening. One of the standard objections against rich views is that high-level properties can only be represented at the level of judgment. In this paper, I first challenge this objection by relying on some recent studies in social vision. Secondly, I tackle a different but related issue, namely, the idea that, if the content of experience is rich, then perception is cognitively penetrable. Against this thesis, I argue that the very same criteria that help us vindicate the truly sensory nature of our rich experiences speak against their being cognitively penetrable.
The chert from the Castelltallat Formation (south-central Pyrenees): archaeometric characterisation and archaeological implications
Ortega, D.; Roqué, C.; Ibáñez, J.; Beamud, E.; Larrasoaña, J.C.; Sáez, A.; Terradas, X.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Vol. 10, num. 6
DOI: 10.1007/s12520-016-0458-1
Data publicació: 2018-01-01
Article de revista
Chert from the limestones and marly limestones of Castelltallat Formation (Ebro Basin) was widely used throughout prehistoric times in north-eastern Iberia to produce stone tools due to its properties and accessibility. A rough estimate indicates that this rock¿either as raw material or as lithic products¿was distributed mainly to the north of the outcrops, over an area of 6000-8000 km2. However, other rocks in the area have similar characteristics which can lead to confusion in the interpretation of its prehistoric use and distribution. In order to establish useful archaeometric criteria for differentiating this chert from other similar, the Castelltallat chert is characterised in petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical terms. The chert nodules are found to be homogenous at the macroscopic and microscopic level, with a significant presence of bioclasts, thus indicating they might be formed in a freshwater lake environment by the early diagenetic replacement of carbonates in shallow waters. The mineralogical composition is homogeneously uniform and of a flint type, characterised by an almost exclusive predominance of quartz, without any opaline phases, and a variable proportion of moganite. The iron oxide content is very low, whereas its chemical composition is unusually high in uranium which correlates positively with carbonate content and negatively with silica. Archaeometrical parameters are provided to reach a proper identification of tools knapped with this chert. This way, chert from Castelltallat Formation turns out to be a valuable lithological marker to evaluate the range of mobility of the human groups who lived in the north-eastern Iberia and their contacts with neighbouring areas.
Positive psychotherapy for distressed cancer survivors: Posttraumatic growth facilitation reduces posttraumatic stress
Ochoa C.; Casellas-Grau,A.; Vives J.; Font, A.; Borràs, J.M.
International Journal of Clinical And Health Psychology
Vol. 17
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2016.09.002
Data publicació: 2017-12-31
Article de revista
Background/Objective:There is increasing evidence that positive life changes,such as post-traumatic growth (PTG),can result from the experience of coping with cancer.However,no interventions have been specically designed to facilitate the development of PTG in cancer.In this article,we describe and assess the results of Positive Psychotherapy for Cancer (PPC) survivors.It aims to facilitate PTG as a way of achieving signicant reductions in the symptoms of emotional distress and posttraumatic stress.In addition,the corroboration of this PTG facilitation is assessed using interpersonal indicators.Method: We allocated 126 consecutive survivors of cancer with high levels of emotional distress and who were seeking psychological support to either an experimental group (PPC) or a waiting list group. Results: The PPC group obtained signicantly better results after treatment than the control group,showing reduced distress, decreased posttraumatic symptoms, and increased PTG. The benets were maintained at 3 and 12 months' follow-up. Participants' PTG was correlated to the PTG that their significant others attributed to them, corroborating PTG facilitation. Conclusions: PPC appears to promote signicant long-term PTG and can reduce emotional distress and posttraumatic stress in cancer survivors. In addition,PTG facilitation induced by PPC is corroborated by signicant others.
Structures and thermal stability of the alpha-LiNH4SO4 polytypes doped with Er3+ and Yb3+
Sabalisck, N.S.P.; Guzmán-Afonso, C.; González-Silgo, C.; Torres, M.E.; Pasans, J.; del Castillo, J.; Ramos-Hernández, D.; Hernández-Suarez, A.; Mestres, L.
Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials
Vol. B73
DOI: 10.1107/S2052520616019028
Data publicació: 2017-12-31
Article de revista
In order to clarify the polymorphism in the lithium sulfate family, LiREx(NH4)1 - xSO4 (0.5 [less-than or equal to] x [less-than or equal to] 4.0 mol%, nominal value; RE = Er3+, Yb3+ and Dy3+) crystals were grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation between 298 and 313 K. The doping of the samples allowed us to obtain two polymorphic forms, [alpha] and [beta], of LiNH4SO4 (LAS). By means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) in single crystals, we determined the crystal structures of two new [alpha]-polytypes, which we have named [alpha]1- and [alpha]2-LAS. They present the same space group P21/c and the following relation among their lattice parameters: a2 = -c1, b2 = -b1, c2 = -2a1 - c1. In order to evaluate the stability of the new [alpha]-polytypes, we performed thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and dielectric spectroscopy on single crystals and polycrystalline samples over the cyclic temperature range: 190 [rightwards arrow] 575 [rightwards arrow] 190 K. The results obtained by all the techniques used in this study demonstrate that [alpha]-polytypes are stable across a wide range of temperatures and they show an irreversible phase transition to the paraelectric [beta]-phase above 500 K. In addition, a comparative study of [alpha]- and [beta]-polytypes shows that both polymorphic structures have a common axis, with a possible intergrowth that facilitates their coexistence and promotes the reconstructive [alpha] [rightwards arrow] [beta] transition. This intergrowth was related to small anomalies detected between 240 and 260 K, in crystals with an [alpha]-habit.
Data pre-processing for neural network-based forecasting: does it really matter?
Claveria, O.; Monte, E.; Torra, S.
Technological and Economic Development of Economy
Vol. 23, num. 5
DOI: 10.3846/20294913.2015.1070772
Data publicació: 2017-12-31
Article de revista
This study aims to analyze the effects of data pre-processing on the forecasting performance of neural network models. We use three different Artificial Neural Networks techniques to predict tourist demand: multi-layer perceptron, radial basis function and Elman neural networks. The structure of the networks is based on a multiple-output approach. We use official statistical data of inbound international tourism demand to Catalonia (Spain) and compare the forecasting accuracy of four processing methods for the input vector of the networks: levels, growth rates, seasonally adjusted levels and seasonally adjusted growth rates. When comparing the forecasting accuracy of the different inputs for each visitor market and for different forecasting horizons, we obtain significantly better forecasts with levels than with growth rates. We also find that seasonally adjusted series significantly improve the forecasting performance of the networks, which hints at the significance of deseasonalizing the time series when using neural networks with forecasting purposes. These results reveal that, when using seasonal data, neural networks performance can be significantly improved by working directly with seasonally adjusted levels.
A finite mixture of multiple discrete distributions for modelling heaped count data
Bermúdez, L.; Karlis, D.; Santolino, M.
Computational Statistics & Data Analysis
Vol. 112, num. August
DOI: 10.1016/j.csda.2017.02.013
Data publicació: 2017-08-01
Article de revista
A new modelling approach, based on finite mixtures of multiple discrete distributions of different multiplicities, is proposed to fit data with a lot of periodic spikes in certain values. An EM algorithm is provided in order to ensure the models' ease-of-fit and then a simulation study is presented to show its efficiency. A numerical application with a real data set involving the length, measured in days, of inability to work after an accident occurs is treated. The main finding is that the model provides a very good fit when working week, calendar week and month multiplicities are taken into account.
When Trust in the leader matters: The moderated-mediation model of team trust and performance
Mach, M.; Lvina, E.
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
Vol. 29, num. 2
DOI: 10.1080/10413200.2016.1196765
Data publicació: 2017-06-01
Article de revista
This study contributes to the sport and team literature by exploring the conditions in which trust in a leader translates into trust in a team and subsequent team performance. Findings from 709 athletes in 74 basketball teams demonstrated that trust in the coach represents a critical antecedent of team trust, especially when the team's past performance has been poor. We also found a combined effect of the level and consensus in trust on team performance. Practical implications suggest that a coach needs to ensure that every player, rather than some or even the majority of individual team members, trusts him/her and the team
A two-question tool to assess the risk of repeated falls in the elderly
Alejandro Rodríguez-Molinero; César Gálvez-Barrón; Leire Narvaiza; Antonio Miñarro; Jorge Ruiz; Esther Valldosera; Natalia Gonzalo; Thalia Ng; María Jesús Sanguino; Antonio Yuste
PLoS One
Vol. 12, num. 5
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176703
Data publicació: 2017-05-10
Article de revista
Introduction Older adults' perception of their own risk of fall has never been included into screening tools. The goal of this study was to evaluate the predictive validity of questions on subjects' self-perception of their own risk of fall. Methods This prospective study was conducted on a probabilistic sample of 772 Spanish community-dwelling older adults, who were followed-up for a one year period. At a baseline visit, subjects were asked about their recent history of falls (question 1: 'Have you fallen in the last 6 months?'), as well as on their perception of their own risk of fall by using two questions (question 2: 'Do you think you may fall in the next few months?' possible answers: yes/no; question 3: 'What is the probability that you fall in the next few months?' possible answers: low/intermediate/high). The follow-up consisted of quarterly telephone calls, where the number of falls occurred in that period was recorded. Results A short questionnaire built with questions 1 and 3 showed 70% sensitivity (95% CI: 56%-84%), 72% specificity (95% CI: 68%-76%) and 0.74 area under the ROC curve (95% CI: 0.66-0.82) for prediction of repeated falls in the subsequent year. Conclusions The estimation of one's own risk of fall has predictive validity for the occurrence of repeated falls in older adults. A short questionnaire including a question on perception of one's own risk of fall and a question on the recent history of falls had good predictive validity.
The impact of socioeconomic characteristics on CO2 emissions associated with urban mobility: Inequality across individuals
Bel, G.; Rosell, J.
Energy Economics
Vol. 64, num. May
DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.04.002
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
Concerns about the unequal distribution of greenhouse gas emissions attributable to mobility are gaining increasing attention in scholarly analyses as well as in the public policy arena. The factors influencing the emissions of individuals are largely undocumented, but they are assumed to be the same for all, be they low or high emitters. We use a household travel survey conducted in the metropolitan area of Barcelona to differentiate the factors that result in different rates of emission. It shows that the top 10% of emitters produce 49% of total emissions while 'non-daily' emitters make up 38.5% of the sample. We adopt a quantile regression approach, which reveals significant socioeconomic differences between groups of emitters. ...
A consensus statement on the gender perspective in lung cancer
Isla, D.; Majem, M.; Viñolas, N.; Artal,A.; Blasco, A; Felip, E; Garrido, P; Remon, J; Baquedano, M; Borràs, JM; Trill, MD; García-Campelo,R; Juan, O; León, C; Lianes, P; López-Ríos, F; Molins, I; Planchuelo, MA; Cobo, M; Paz-Arez, L; Trigo, JM; de Castro, J.
Clinical & Translational Oncology
Vol. 19, num. 5
DOI: 10.1007/s12094-016-1578-x
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
Lung cancer is the most common cancer globally and has the highest mortality. Although this disease is not associated with a particular gender, its incidence is rising among women, who are diagnosed at an increasingly younger age compared with men. One of the main reasons for this rise is women taking up smoking. However, many non-smoking women also develop this disease. Other risk factors implicated in the differential development of lung cancer in women are genetic predisposition, tumour histology and molecular profile. Proportionally more women than men with lung cancer have a mutation in the EGFR gene. This consensus statement reviews the available evidence about the epidemiological, biological, diagnostic, therapeutic, social and psychological aspects of lung cancer in women.
Investigation on the structural changes of ZnO:Er:Yb thin film during laser annealing to fabricate a transparent conducting upconverter
Lluscà, M.; López-Vidrier, J.; Lauzurica, S.; Canteli, D.; Sánchez-Aniorte, M.I.; Molpeceres, C.; Antony, A.; Hernández, S.; Alcobé, X.; Garrido, B.; Bertomeu, J.
Journal of Luminescence
Vol. 185
DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2016.12.052
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
A transparent and conducting ZnO:Er:Yb thin film with upconversion properties has been achieved after being annealed with continuous laser radiation just before the ablation point of the material. This work demonstrates that the laser energy preserves the conductivity of the film and at the same time creates an adequate surrounding for Er and Yb to produce visible upconversion at 660, 560, 520, and 480 nm under 980 nm laser excitation. The relation between the structural, electrical and upconversion properties is discussed. It is observed that the laser energy melts part of the material, which recrystallizes creating rare earth oxides and two different wurtzite structures, one with substitutional rare earths and oxygen vacancies (responsible for the conductivity) and the other without substitutional rare earth ions (responsible for the upconversion emission).
Is Decentralization Really Welfare Enhancing? Empirical Evidence from Survey Data (1994-2011)
Espasa, M.; Esteller, A.; Mora, T.
Kyklos
Vol. 70, num. 2
DOI: 10.1111/kykl.12135
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
Decentralization is believed to constitute the optimal institutional arrangement for public good provision. In contrast to centralization, it is thought to offer a better match between provision and individual preferences. We test this hypothesis by analyzing the Spanish decentralization process undergone since 1980s exploiting survey data. A higher degree of satisfaction is expressed when education and health provision is assigned to the intermediate tier of government rather than to central government. This, however, is not recorded for largest regions or for the case of the justice administration, where the responsibility assigned to (some) regions is of a merely administrative nature.
Competent or Competitive? How employee representatives gain influence in organizational decision making
Garcia, A.; Munduate, L.; Elgoibar, P.; Wendt, H.; Euwema, M.
Negotiation and Conflict Management Research
Vol. 10, num. 2
DOI: 10.1111/ncmr.12093
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
Conflicts of interest between management and employees are part of organizational life. To manage these conflicts, employee representatives (ERs) often participate in organizational decision-making. The objectives of this article were to investigate the relation between perceived competences of ERs and their influence on organizational decision-making in different types of issues, and the mediating effect of ERs' conflict behaviors on these relations. To test the hypotheses, which are based on theories of power and conglomerate conflict behavior, survey data from 614 human resources directors from 11 European countries were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results show that perceived competences are positively related to the influence of ERs on decision-making, both for traditional and for innovative issues. Perceived competence is positively related to cooperative and negatively related to competitive conflict behavior. Conglomerate conflict behavior partly mediates the relation between perceived competences and influence. Implications for representative influence are discussed.
Trade-Offs in Energy and Environmental Policy
Costa-Campi, M. T.; del Rio, P.; Trujillo-Baute, E.
Energy Policy
Vol. 104, num. May
DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.01.053
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
The energy sector is undeniably undergoing a critical period, faced with multiple challenges, whether economic, political or technological. These challenges are related to the requirements set on the sector to meet a wide range of social demands associated with the three traditional dimensions of a sustainable energy system, i.e., environmental sustainability, security of energy supply and economic sustainability. In particular, the environmental pillar has gained ground after the Paris Agreement, which has reinforced the requirement of a low-carbon transformation of the sector. A main challenge is to balance trade-offs among competing goals when designing energy and environmental policies. Although making the energy sector greener is a common aspiration of governments, and many countries are indeed being successful in this regard, the success comes at a price in terms of the other, non-environmental dimensions, of a sustainable energy system. The aim of this special issue is to look in detail on some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by the energy sector as well as the trade-offs involved in reaching a greener energy system.
Thirty years of the international journal of intelligent systems: a bibliometric review
Merigo, J.; Blanco, F.; Gil-Lafuente, A.M.; Yager, R.
International Journal of Intelligent Systems
Vol. 32, num. 5
DOI: 10.1002/int.21859
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
The International Journal of Intelligent Systems was created in 1986. Today, the journal is 30 years old. To celebrate this anniversary, this study develops a bibliometric review of all of the papers published in the journal between 1986 and 2015. The results are largely based on the Web of Science Core Collection, which classifies leading bibliographic material by using several indicators including total number of publications and citations, the h-index, cites per paper, and citing articles. Thework also uses theVOS viewer software for visualizing the main results through bibliographic coupling and co-citation. The results show a general overview of leading trends that have influenced the journal in terms of highly cited papers, authors, journals, universities and countries. C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Working whilst studying in higher education: the impact of the economic crisis on academic and labour market success
Sanchez-Gelabert, A.; Figueroa, M.; Elias, M.
European Journal of Education
Vol. 52, num. 2
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.12212
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
An analysis of the phenomenon of combining work and study amongst university students is made using data obtained from surveys of graduates carried out four years after finishing their degrees. First, the article reviews the evolution of the phenomenon over the last ten years, taking into account the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU) labour market insertion surveys for 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014. Second, the 2008 and 2014 waves are compared to analyse the impact of the economic crisis. In this case, how combining work and study affects academic results and labour market insertion is studied, in addition to whether or not differences occur according to the family's educational background. A random stratified two-stage sampling is used to obtain the results; descriptive and ANOVA analyses with different factors are performed. The evolution shows how the numbers of students who combine work and study has increased, especially among those whose parents have little education. Furthermore, this means that lower marks are obtained and that there is a greater degree of inequality in labour market insertion, depending on the educational background of the family of origin. In general, the relationship between the different variables shows how combining work and study has negative effects on marks but positive effects on labour market insertion, especially if the work experience whilst at university is related to the studies.
The welfare state and demographic dividends
Abio, G.; Patxot. C.; Sánchez-Romero, M.; Souto, G.
Demographic Research
Vol. 36, num. 48
DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2017.36.48
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
The demographic transition experienced by developed countries produces initial positive effects on economic growth ‒ the first demographic dividend ‒ which can be extended into a second demographic dividend if baby boomers' savings increase capital accumulation. Nevertheless, aging might reverse this process if dissaving of elderly baby boomers and the pressure on the pay-as-you-go financed welfare state reduce savings and capital.
The effect of l-thymidine, acyclic thymine and 8-bromoguanine on the stability of model G-quadruplex structures
Aviñó, A.; Mazzini, S.; Fàbrega, C.; Peñalver, P.; Gargallo, R.; Morales, J.C.; Eritja, R.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-General Subjects
Vol. 1861, num. 5-Part B
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.09.030
Data publicació: 2017-05-01
Article de revista
Background Guanine-rich oligonucleotides are capable of forming tetrahelical structures known as G-quadruplexes with interesting biological properties. We have investigated the effects of site-specific substitution in the loops and in the tetrads model G-quadruplexes using thymine glycol nucleic acid (GNA) units, l-thymidine and 8-Br-2′-deoxyguanosine. Methods Modified oligonucleotides were chemically synthesized and spectroscopic techniques were used to determine the relative stability of the modified G-quadruplex. The double 8-BrdG-modified quadruplexes were further characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Binding to thrombin of selected quadruplex was analyzed by gel electrophoresis retention assay. Results The most interesting results were found with a 8-bromoG substitution that had the larger stabilization of the quadruplex. NMR studies indicate a tight relationship between the loops and the tetrads to accommodate 8-bromoG modifications within the TBA. Conclusions The substitutions of loop positions with GNA T affect the TBA stability except for single modification in T7 position. Single l-thymidine substitutions produced destabilization of TBA. Larger changes on quadruplex stability are observed with the use of 8-bromoG finding a single substitution with the highest thermal stabilization found in thrombin binding aptamers modified at the guanine residues and having good affinity for thrombin. Double 8-BrdG modification in anti positions of different tetrads produce a conformational flip from syn to anti conformation of 8-Br-dG to favor loop-tetrad interaction and preserve the overall TBA stability.
Diversity in the news? A study of interest groups in the media in the UK, Spain and Denmark
Binderkratz, Anne Skorkjaer; Chaqués Bonafont, Laura; Halpin, Darren R.
British Journal of Political Science
Vol. 27, num. 2
DOI: 10.1017/S0007123415000599
Data publicació: 2017-04-30
Article de revista
This paper provides the first systematic cross-country analysis of interest group appearances in the news media. The analysis included three countries - the UK, Spain and Denmark - each representing one of Hallin and Mancini's (2004) three overall models of media and politics: the liberal system, the polarized pluralist system and the democratic corporatist system. We find important similarities across countries with high levels of concentration in media coverage of groups, more extensive coverage of economic groups than citizen groups and differential patterns of group appearances across policy areas and between right-leaning and left-leaning papers. However, we also identify country variation, with the highest degree of concentration among group appearances in Spanish newspapers and most attention to economic groups in Danish newspapers.
Virtual race transformation reverses racial in-group bias
Beatrice S. Hasler; Bernhard Spanlang; Mel Slater
PLoS One
Vol. 12, num. 4
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174965
Data publicació: 2017-04-24
Article de revista
People generally show greater preference for members of their own racial group compared to racial out-group members. This type of 'in-group bias' is evident in mimicry behaviors. We tend to automatically mimic the behaviors of in-group members, and this behavior is associated with interpersonal sensitivity and empathy. However, mimicry is reduced when interacting with out-group members. Although race is considered an unchangeable trait, it is possible using embodiment in immersive virtual reality to engender the illusion in people of having a body of a different race. Previous research has used this technique to show that after a short period of embodiment of White people in a Black virtual body their implicit racial bias against Black people diminishes. Here we show that this technique powerfully enhances mimicry. We carried out an experiment with 32 White (Caucasian) female participants. Half were embodied in a White virtual body and the remainder in a Black virtual body. Each interacted in two different sessions with a White and a Black virtual character, in counterbalanced order. The results show that dyads with the same virtual body skin color expressed greater mimicry than those of different color. Importantly, this effect occurred depending on the virtual body's race, not participants' actual racial group. When embodied in a Black virtual body, White participants treat Black as their novel in-group and Whites become their novel out-group. This reversed in-group bias effect was obtained regardless of participants' level of implicit racial bias. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this surprising psychological phenomenon.
Stereoselective preparation of quaternary 2-vinyl sphingosines and ceramides and their effect on basal sphingolipid metabolism
Calderón, R.; Mercadal, N.; Abad, J. L.; Ariza, X.; Delgado, A.; Garcia, J.; Rodríguez, A.; Fabrias, G.
Chemistry and Physics of Lipids
Vol. 205
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2017.04.008
Data publicació: 2017-04-23
Article de revista
The dicyclohexylborane-mediated addition of allene 1 to (E)-2-tridecenal affords a quaternary protected 2-amino-2-vinyl-1,3-diol in good yield as a single diastereomer. This compound is readily transformed into the four stereoisomers of the quaternary (E)-2-vinyl analogs of sphingosine. The metabolic fate and the effect of these compounds on the basal sphingolipid metabolism in human A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells has been studied, together with the ceramide analog of the most relevant vinylsphingosine derivative.
Chemical source localization fusing concentration information in the presence of chemical background noise
Pomareda, V.; Magrans, R; Jiménez-Soto, J.M.; Martínez, D.; Tresánchez, M.; Burgués, J.; Palacín, J.; Marco, S.;
Sensors
Vol. 17, num. 4
DOI: 10.3390/s17040904
Data publicació: 2017-04-20
Article de revista
We present the estimation of a likelihood map for the location of the source of a chemical plume dispersed under atmospheric turbulence under uniform wind conditions. The main contribution of this work is to extend previous proposals based on Bayesian inference with binary detections to the use of concentration information while at the same time being robust against the presence of background chemical noise. For that, the algorithm builds a background model with robust statistics measurements to assess the posterior probability that a given chemical concentration reading comes from the background or from a source emitting at a distance with a specific release rate. In addition, our algorithm allows multiple mobile gas sensors to be used. Ten realistic simulations and ten real data experiments are used for evaluation purposes. For the simulations, we have supposed that sensors are mounted on cars which do not have among its main tasks navigating toward the source. To collect the real dataset, a special arena with induced wind is built, and an autonomous vehicle equipped with several sensors, including a photo ionization detector (PID) for sensing chemical concentration, is used. Simulation results show that our algorithm, provides a better estimation of the source location even for a low background level that benefits the performance of binary version. The improvement is clear for the synthetic data while for real data the estimation is only slightly better, probably because our exploration arena is not able to provide uniform wind conditions. Finally, an estimation of the computational cost of the algorithmic proposal is presented
Gre factors-mediated control of hilD transcription is essential for the invasion of epithelial cells by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
Gaviria-Cantin, T.; El Mouali, Y.; Le Guyon, S.; Römling, U.; Balsalobre, C.
PLoS Pathogens
Vol. 13, num. 4
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006312
Data publicació: 2017-04-20
Article de revista
The invasion of epithelial cells by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a very tightly regulated process. Signaling cascades triggered by different environmental and physiological signals converge to control HilD, an AraC regulator that coordinates the expression of several virulence factors. The expression of hilD is modulated at several steps of the expression process. Here, we report that the invasion of epithelial cells by S. Typhimurium strains lacking the Gre factors, GreA and GreB, is impaired. By interacting with the RNA polymerase secondary channel, the Gre factors prevent backtracking of paused complexes to avoid arrest during transcriptional elongation. Our results indicate that the Gre factors are required for the expression of the bacterial factors needed for epithelial cell invasion by modulating expression of HilD. This regulation does not occur at transcription initiation and depends on the capacity of the Gre factors to prevent backtracking of the RNA polymerase. Remarkably, genetic analyses indicate that the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of hilD is required for Gre-mediated regulation of hilD expression. Our data provide new insight into the complex regulation of S. Typhimurium virulence and highlight the role of the hilD 3'-UTR as a regulatory motif.
Characterization, classification and authentication of fruit-based extracts by means of HPLC-UV chromatographic fingerprints, polyphenolic profiles and chemometric methods.
Pardo-Mates, N.; Vera, A.; Barbosa, S.; Hidalgo-Serrano, M.; Núñez, O.; Saurina, J.; Hernández-Cassou, S.; Puignou, L.
Food Chemistry
Vol. 221
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.10.033
Data publicació: 2017-04-15
Article de revista
HPLC-UV was applied to the analysis and characterization of fruit-based and fruit-processed products. A Kinetex C18 reversed-phase column was proposed under gradient elution for the determination of 17 polyphenols. Acceptable sensitivity (LODs below 0.16 mg/L), and good linearity (r2 higher then 0.995), precision (RSD below 6.8%), and method trueness (relative errors below 11%) were obtained. Data corresponding to polyphenolic peak areas and HPLC-UV chromatographic fingerprints were then analyzed by exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) to extract information of the most significant variables contributing to characterization and classification of analyzed samples regarding the fruit of origin. HPLC-UV chromatographic data was further treated by partial least square (PLS) regression to determine the percentages of adulteration in cranberry-fruit extracts. It was found that even mixture samples containing low percentages of adulterants could be distinguished from genuine cranberry extracts. Highly satisfactory results were obtained, with overall errors in the quantification of adulterations below 4.3%.
Stabilization of telomeric i-motif structures by (2'S)-2'-deoxy-2'-C-methyl-cytidine residues
Aviñó, A.; Dellafiore, M.; Gargallo, R.; González, C.; Iribarren, A.M.; Montserrat, J.; Eritja, R.
ChemBioChem
Vol. 18, num. 12
DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700112
Data publicació: 2017-04-13
Article de revista
G-quadruplex and i-motif are tetraplex structures present in telomeres and promoter regions of oncogenes. The possibility of producing nanodevices with pH-sensitive functions has triggered the interest for modified oligonucleotides with improved structural properties. We synthesized C-rich oligonucleotides carrying conformationally restricted (2'S)-2'-deoxy-2'-C-methyl-cytidine units. The effect of this modified nucleoside on the stability of intramolecular i-motifs related to vertebrate telomere was investigated by means of spectroscopic methods (UV, CD and NMR). The replacement of selected positions of the C-core by the appropriate C-modified residues induces the formation of stable intercalated tetraplexes at pHs near neutrality. The study demonstrates the possibility of enhancing the stability of i-motif by chemical modifications.
Quantum corrections for spinning particles in de Sitter
Fröb, M.B.; Verdaguer, E.
Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Vol. 2017
DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2017/04/022
Data publicació: 2017-04-12
Article de revista
We compute the one-loop quantum corrections to the gravitational potentials of a spinning point particle in a de Sitter background, due to the vacuum polarisation induced by conformal fields in an effective field theory approach. We consider arbitrary conformal field theories, assuming only that the theory contains a large number N of fields in order to separate their contribution from the one induced by virtual gravitons. The corrections are described in a gauge-invariant way, classifying the induced metric perturbations around the de Sitter background according to their behaviour under transformations on equal-time hypersurfaces. There are six gauge-invariant modes: two scalar Bardeen potentials, one transverse vector and one transverse traceless tensor, of which one scalar and the vector couple to the spinning particle. The quantum corrections consist of three different parts: a generalisation of the flat-space correction, which is only significant at distances of the order of the Planck length; a constant correction depending on the undetermined parameters of the renormalised effective action; and a term which grows logarithmically with the distance from the particle. This last term is the most interesting, and when resummed gives a modified power law, enhancing the gravitational force at large distances. As a check on the accuracy of our calculation, we recover the linearised Kerr-de Sitter metric in the classical limit and the flat-space quantum correction in the limit of vanishing Hubble constant.
Dealing with Austerity: a case of local resilience in Southern Europe
Medir Tejado, Lluís; Pano Puey, Esther; Viñas Ferrer, Alba; Magre Ferran, Jaume
Local Government Studies
Vol. 43, num. 4
DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1310101
Data publicació: 2017-04-07
Article de revista
Southern countries are undergoing a severe economic crisis that has renewed debates about the available strategies to economize their public resources. Political leaders have launched a wide range of different strategies aimed at reducing spending. According to generally accepted political discourse, drastic actions should be taken to guarantee economic and financial sustainability in times of austerity. We explore the main measures adopted by Spanish municipalities in order to examine their impact in budgetary terms. First of all, we identify the most frequently implemented mechanisms including organizational structure, public services and operational economic restructuration. After their quantification, we monitor the presence and impact of each set of policies to analyse the relationship between concrete measures and effective economic impact. The effective reduction of budgets is being implemented but data shows that local governments are resilient to non-compulsory changes. The 'government at a distance' policy pursued by the central state administration has effectively reduced budgets but has not affected the institutional core of Spanish local governments.
Clinical and therapeutic relevance of the metabolic oncogene fatty acid synthase in HER2+ breast cancer.
Corominas-Faja, B.; Vellon, L.; Cuyàs, E.; Buxó, M.; Martin-Castillo, B.; Serra, D.; García, J.; Menendez, J.A.; Lupu, R.
Histology and Histopathology
Vol. 32, num. 7
DOI: 10.14670/HH-11-830
Data publicació: 2017-04-03
Article de revista
Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is a key lipogenic enzyme for de novo fatty acid biosynthesis and a druggable metabolic oncoprotein that is activated in most human cancers. We evaluated whether the HER2-driven lipogenic phenotype might represent a biomarker for sensitivity to pharmacological FASN blockade. A majority of clinically HER2-positive tumors were scored as FASN overexpressors in a series of almost 200 patients with invasive breast carcinoma. Re-classification of HER2-positive breast tumors based on FASN gene expression predicted a significantly inferior relapse-free and distant metastasis-free survival in HER2+/FASN+ patients. Notably, non-tumorigenic MCF10A breast epithelial cells engineered to overexpress HER2 upregulated FASN gene expression, and the FASN inhibitor C75 abolished HER2-induced anchorage-independent growth and survival. Furthermore, in the presence of high concentrations of C75, HER2-negative MCF-7 breast cancer cells overexpressing HER2 (MCF-7/HER2) had significantly higher levels of apoptosis than HER2-negative cells. Finally, C75 at non-cytotoxic concentrations significantly reduced the capacity of MCF-7/HER2 cells to form mammospheres, an in vitro indicator of cancer stem-like cells. Collectively, our findings strongly suggest that the HER2-FASN lipogenic axis delineates a group of breast cancer patients that might benefit from treatment with therapeutic regimens containing FASN inhibitors.
Impact of the functional CD5 polymorphism A471V on the response of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia to conventional chemotherapy regimens
Delgado J; Bielig T; Bonet L; Carnero-Montoro E; Puente XS; Colomer D; Bosch E; Campo E; Lozano F.
British Journal of Haematology
Vol. 177, num. 1
DOI: 10.1111/bjh.14037
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) represents an abnormal clonal expansion of mature antigen-experienced CD5+ B1a cells (Chiorazzi et al, 2005), which present with a highly heterogeneous clinical course depending on associated chromosomal aberrations, somatic mutations within the immunoglobulin variable heavy chain genes (IGHV), and surface CD38 or intracytoplasmic ZAP-70 expression. Given that key signalling components of the B-cell receptor (BCR) are relevant contributors to the variable clinical behaviour of CLL (Stevenson et al, 2011) we explored the influence of functionally relevant germline CD5 variants on CLL prognosis.
Cost-effectiveness of Chagas disease screening in Latin American migrants at primary health-care centres in Europe: a Markov model analysis.
Requena-Méndez A, Bussion S, Aldasoro E, Jackson Y, Angheben A, Moore D, Pinazo MJ, Gascón J, Muñoz J, Sicuri E.
The Lancet Global Health
Vol. 5, num. 4
DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(17)30073-6
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
BACKGROUND: Chagas disease is currently prevalent in European countries hosting large communities from Latin America. Whether asymptomatic individuals at risk of Chagas disease living in Europe should be screened and treated accordingly is unclear. We performed an economic evaluation of systematic Chagas disease screening of the Latin American population attending primary care centres in Europe. METHODS: We constructed a decision tree model that compared the test option (screening of asymptomatic individuals, treatment, and follow-up of positive cases) with the no-test option (screening, treating, and follow-up of symptomatic individuals). The decision tree included a Markov model with five states, related to the chronic stage of the disease: indeterminate, cardiomyopathy, gastrointestinal, response to treatment, and death. The model started with a target population of 100 000 individuals, of which 4.2% (95% CI 2.2-6.8) were estimated to be infected by Trypanosoma cruzi. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between test and no-test options. Deterministic and probabilistic analyses (Monte Carlo simulations) were performed. FINDINGS: In the deterministic analysis, total costs referred to 100 000 individuals in the test and no-test option were euro30 903 406 and euro6 597 403 respectively, with a difference of euro24 306 003. The respective number of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained in the test and no-test option were 61 820.82 and 57 354.42. The ICER was euro5442. In the probabilistic analysis, total costs for the test and no-test option were euro32 163 649 (95% CI 31 263 705-33 063 593) and euro6 904 764 (6 703 258-7 106 270), respectively. The respective number of QALYs gained was 64 634.35 (95% CI 62 809.6-66 459.1) and 59 875.73 (58 191.18-61 560.28). The difference in QALYs gained between the test and no test options was 4758.62 (95% CI 4618.42-4898.82). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was euro6840.75 (95% CI 2545-2759) per QALY gained for a treatment efficacy of 20% and euro4243 per QALY gained for treatment efficacy of 50%. Even with a reduction in Chagas disease prevalence to 0.05% and with large variations in all the parameters, the test option would still be more cost-effective than the no-test option (less than euro30000 per QALY). INTERPRETATION: Screening for Chagas disease in asymptomatic Latin American adults living in Europe is a cost-effective strategy. Findings of our model provide an important element to support the implementation of T cruzi screening programmes at primary health centres in European countries hosting Latin American migrants. FUNDING: European Commission 7th Framework Program.
Adherence to capecitabine in preoperative treatment of stage II and II rectal cancer: do we need to worry?
Font, R.; Espinàs, JA.; Layos,L.; Martínez Villacampa, M.; Capdevila, J.; Tobeña, M.; Pisa, A. Pericay, C.; Lezcano, C.; Fort, E.; Cardona, I.; Berga, N.; Solà, J. Borràs, JM.
Annals of Oncology
Vol. 28, num. 4
DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx006
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Background: Preoperative oral capecitabine plus radiotherapy has been progressively adopted in oncology units to provide more convenient care to patients with rectal cancer, but little is known about adherence to this therapy. Patients and methods: Prospective, multicentre observational study in six hospitals in metropolitan Barcelona (Spain), in patients with stage II and III rectal cancer. Assessment of adherence was based on the medical report in the clinical history, a patient questionnaire and a pill count in the pharmacy service upon finalization of treatment. Patients were considered adherent if they had taken 80%-110% of the prescribed treatment. We evaluated clinical variables, adverse effects, anxiety and depression (using the hospital anxiety depression scale [HADS]), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-30). We analysed adherence-associated variables using a logistic regression model and concordance between adherence measures by means of the modified Kappa index. Results: We included 119 participants. Adherence measures showed little concordance between the assessment methods used: adherence was 100% according to the clinical history, 83.2% according to self-report and 67.9% according to the pill count. In the multivariable analysis, the most relevant variable associated with non-adherence was anxiety prior to treatment (adjusted odds ratio [ORa] 6.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-32.7). We did not observe any relevant association between adherence and clinical variables and baseline quality of life parameters. Conclusions: Adherence to short-term oral neoadjuvant treatment in rectal cancer may be a clinical problem, and it should be acknowledged and systematically evaluated by clinicians during treatment. The limited concordance between different measures of adherence highlights the challenges in monitoring it and the need to use different approaches to assess its impact in clinical practice.
Land, food and labour in pre-industrial agro-ecosystems: a socio-ecological perspective on early 19th century seigneurial systems
Gizicki-Neundlinger; M.; Gingrich, S.; Güldner, D.; Krausmann, F.; Tello, E.
Historia Agraria
Vol. 71
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Research on seigneurial agriculture and its role for agricultural changes in general has a long tradition within European Agricultural History. Still, much discussion arises on whether to emphasize «peasant paths» or 'landlord paths' of agricultural development. This study contributes to the debate by introducing a social ecology perspective. Using the nineteenth-century case study of Grundherrschaft (manor) Grafenegg, we offer a first attempt at conceptualizing and empirically scrutinizing resource use and distribution in (late) Central European seigneurial agriculture. We integrate rich archival material to reconstruct the distribution of three central resources -land, food and labour- among the agrarian agents (e.g. manorial farmsteads, peasant farms and smallholdings). We found that the three central resources in preindustrial agriculture were distributed unequally between the various farmsteads involved; labour was abundant, whereas food and land were scarce. The labour surplus extracted by the landlords caused subsistence pressure on most of the peasants, forcing them to use their modest resource base more efficiently, which in turn had effects on the local agroecology.
Numerical modeling of bottom trawling-induced sediment transport and accumulation in La Fonera submarine canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea
Payo-Payo, M.; Jacinto, R.S.; Lastras, G.; Rabineau, M.; Puig, P.; Martín, J.; Canals, M.; Sultan, N.
Marine Geology
Vol. 386
DOI: 10.1016/j.margeo.2017.02.015
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Bottom trawling leads to recurrent sediment resuspension events over fishing grounds. Recent studies have shown how bottom trawling can drive seascape reshaping at large spatial scales and enhance sediment transport in submarine canyons, which subsequently impacts deep-sea ecosystems. Present knowledge on the transfer and accumulation of sediment flows triggered by bottom trawling is based on localized and infrequent measurements whilst a more complete picture of the process is needed. The present work focuses on the modeling of sediment transport and accumulation resulting from trawling activities in La Fonera submarine canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea, thus contributing to an improved assessment of trawling impacts. Based on mooring data within a canyon gully, we use an inverse model to retrieve the unknown time series of resuspension due to trawling over the fishing grounds. This resuspension is later used as forcing for the direct problem: we simulate trawling-induced flows through the canyon and provide a 3D visualization of potential trawling impacts on sediment dynamics, including the identification of the propagation patterns of sediments resuspended by trawling. Flows coming from shallower fishing grounds are funneled through canyon flank gullies towards the canyon axis, with part of the resuspended sediment reaching the continental rise out of the canyon across the open continental slope. Trawling-induced sediment flows promote sediment accumulation beyond the canyon mouth. Given the wide geographical distribution of bottom trawling, our results have far-reaching implications that go much beyond La Fonera submarine canyon. Our study represents a starting point for the assessment of the sedimentary impact of bottom trawling in deep continental margins.
El cuarto poder y la protección de lo común (I)
Silveira Gorski, Héctor Claudio
Crítica Penal y Poder
num. 12
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
[spa] El estado constitucional necesita que en su estructura institucional se integre un nuevo poder, al que llamaré cuarto poder, con la finalidad de: a) proteger lo 'común': aquello que los miembros de una comunidad deciden que es de interés para 'todos' y que hoy los poderes públicos del estado de derecho no están en condiciones de garantizar; b) 'democratizar la democracia': superar los límites de la democracia representativa creando nuevas instituciones de contrademocracia y de democracia participativa que articulen de forma más democrática las relaciones entre la sociedad civil, la esfera pública y las instituciones representativas. Los principios del estado de derecho -división de poderes, imperio de la ley, principio de legalidad- no son hoy suficientes para organizar un sistema de gobierno democrático que defienda el interés general, garantice los derechos y promueva los procesos de democratización en los actuales estados constitucionales. Los estados constitucionales deben dotarse de nuevos instrumentos para tener un gobierno más democrático de la comunidad y hacer frente a los desafíos puestos por la globalización y el proyecto neoliberal de sociedad.

[eng] It is necessary that a new power, which I will call the fourth power, becomes integrated in the institutional structure of the constitutional state, for the following purposes: a) Protecting the “common interest”: that which community members decide is in the interests of “everyone”, which nowadays public powers are not in a position to guarantee; b) “Democratizing democracy”: overcoming the shortcomings of representative democracy by creating new institutions of counter-democracy and participatory democracy which better articulate the relations between civil society, the public domain and representative institutions. The principles of a rule–of-law governed state – division of powers, legality, etc. – are no longer sufficient to organize a democratic system of government that defends the general interest, guarantees rights and promotes processes of democratization in the current constitutional states. Globalization and neoliberal politics have brought to light weaknesses and shortcomings of the institutional structure of a rule-of-law governed state inherited from the Enlightenment and developed by liberalism during the 19th century.
La legalarbitrariedad como mecanismo jurídico de control de la inmigración irregular
Silveira Gorski, Héctor Claudio
Crítica Penal y Poder
num. 12
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
[spa] En este artículo damos el nombre de legalarbitrariedad al mecanismo que se forma en el subsistema jurídico de extranjería español con el fin de llevar a cabo los procedimientos de expulsión de personas inmigrantes. Como mecanismo jurídico surge y es el resultado de la interacción entre la legislación de extranjería, el conjunto de las decisiones administrativas y judiciales y las acciones (y no acciones) del inmigrante y de su abogado. Asimismo facilita que la policía aplique con más eficacia los procedimientos de expulsión. A continuación explicamos la construcción de la legalarbitrariedad, su caracterización como mecanismo jurídico y presentamos tres casos de legalarbitrariedad en el Estado de derecho español: a) identificación, detención y traslado del inmigrante a comisaría: el inicio de la práctica de la legalarbitrariedad; b) las expulsiones exprés: cuando la legalarbitrariedad alcanza su máxima expresión, y c) autos de internamiento colectivos: la legalarbitrariedad se instala entre los jueces.

[eng] In this article, we aim to define legalarbitrariness as a mechanism, deployed under the Spanish legal subsystem of aliens' affairs, to carry on expulsion procedures of migrants. As a legal mechanism, it surges and results of the interaction between aliens' law, the administrative and judiciary decisions, and the actions and non-actions of the migrant and its attorney. At the same time, legalarbitrariness enables a more efficient implementation by the police officers of the procedures towards the expulsion of irregular migrants. Also, we expose the formation of legalarbitrariness (2), its characterization as a legal mechanism (3), and, finally, we present three cases of legalarbitrariness taking place under the Spanish rule of law: a) identification, arrest, and transfer of the migrant to the police station, as the inception of the legalarbitrariness praxis; b) express expulsions: when legalarbitrariness reaches its highest expression; and c) court orders of collective internment: when legalarbitrariness is installed in the judiciary.
How do service quality, experiences and enduring involvement influence touristsŽ behavior? an empirical study in the Picasso and Miró museums in Barcelona
Forgas-Coll, S.;Palau-Saumell, R.; Matute, J.; Tárrega, S.
International Journal of Tourism Research
Vol. 19, num. 2
DOI: 10.1002/jtr.2107
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
This study develops an integrated model that examines how service quality, perceived experiences and enduring involvement determine tourists' behavior. The model proposes that enduring involvement has both a direct and moderating influence on tourists' satisfaction with the destination. Data were collected from 1091 visitors of two museums in Barcelona: the Picasso Museum and the Miró Foundation. The results suggest that visit experience, service quality and involvement are drivers of satisfaction. Satisfaction influences the behavioral intentions of visitors to the museum. In addition, the visitors' level of art involvement negatively moderates the influence of perceived quality and experience on tourists' satisfaction.
Dollarization and the relationship between EMBI and fundamentals in Latin American countries
Marí del Cristo, M.L.; Gómez-Puig, M.
Cuadernos de Economía: Spanish Journal of Economics and Finance
Vol. 40, num. 112
DOI: 10.1016/j.cesjef.2016.10.002
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
This paper presents empirical evidence on the interrelationship that exists between the evolution of the Emerging Markets Bonds Index (EMBI) and some macroeconomic variables in seven Latin American countries; two of them (Ecuador and Panama), full dollarized. We make use of a Cointegrated Vector framework to analyze the short run effects from 2001 to 2009. The results suggest that EMBI is more stable in dollarized countries and that its evolution influences economic activity in non-dollarized economies; suggesting that investors' confidence might be higher in dollarized countries where real and financial economic evolution are less vulnerable to external shocks than in non-dollarized ones.
Understanding variations in the use of hypodractionated radiotheraphy and its specific indications for breast cancer: a mixed-methods study
Prades, J.; Algara, M.; Espinàs, AA.; Farrús, B.; Arenas, M.; Reyes, V.; García-Reglero, V.; Cambra, MJ.; Rubio, E.; Anglada, Ll.; Eraso, A.; Pedro, A.; Fuentes-Raspall, MJ.; Tuset, V. Victòria.; solà, J.; Borràs, JM.
Radiotherapy and Oncology
Vol. 123, num. 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2017.01.014
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Background and purpose: Radiation oncology guidelines favour hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy (HWBRT) over more conventional schemes in the conservative treatment of breast cancer, but its adoption still varies in clinical practice. This study assessed the patterns of HWBRT adoption in Catalonia (Spain). Material and methods: We used a mixed-methods approach based on an explanatory sequential design, first collecting and analysing quantitative data on HWBRT use (>2.5 Gy per fraction) in 11 public radiotherapy centres (2005-2015) and then performing 25 semi-structured interviews with all department heads and reference radiation oncologist/s. Results: Of the 34,859 patients fulfiling the study criteria over the study period, just 12% were hypofractionated, reaching a percentage of 29% in 2015 (p < 0.001). Our analysis showed a narrowing age gap between patients receiving conventional fractionation and hypofractionation in centres leading adoption. However, there were important differences in clinicians' interpretation of evidence (e.g. regarding the perceived risk of long-term toxicity) and selection of patients for specific indications, both within and between departments. Conclusions: Differences observed in the rate of adoption of HWBRT could not be tackled only using a rational, evidence-based approach. Factors related to the management of radiotherapy departments play a major role in the diffusion of therapeutic strategies.
Does fiscal responsibility matter? Evidence from public and private forecasters in Italy
Carabotta, L.; Paluzie, E.; Ramos, R.
International Journal of Forecasting
Vol. 33, num. 3
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2017.01.010
Data publicació: 2017-04-01
Article de revista
Nowadays, fiscal forecasts are a centerpiece of macroeconomic policy decisions, particularly in highly indebted European Union countries such as Italy. The Stability and Convergence Programs and the new Fiscal Compact seem to have improved fiscal responsibility, but have they facilitated a greater accuracy of fiscal forecasters? We have compiled a new data set of fiscal forecasts for Italy, covering the last two decades 1992-2014, and checked whether the improvement in fiscal responsibility has reduced forecast errors. Neither the improvement in fiscal responsibility nor the political reforms reduced the optimistic bias in the fiscal projections of public and private forecasters.
Job Accessibility and Job-Education Mismatch in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona
Di Paolo, A.; Matas, A.; Raymond, J.L.
Papers in Regional Science
Vol. 96, num. S1
DOI: 10.1111/pirs.12179
Data publicació: 2017-03-31
Article de revista
This paper analyses the effect of job accessibility on job-education mismatch in the metropolitan area of Barcelona with regard to both public and private transport. Transit accessibility is defined in terms of the spatial distribution of employment relative to travel time by public transport, whereas accessibility by private transport is approximated by car availability. The results obtained from a joint model for car ownership, employment selectivity and mismatch confirm that car availability matters for job-education mismatch. Moreover, public transport connectivity to job locations favours the matching between schooling and occupation in the urban labour market.
Positioning and clustering of the world's top tourist destinations by means of dimensionality reduction techniques for categorical data
Claveria, O.; Poluzzi, A.
Journal of Destination Marketing & Management
Vol. 6, num. 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.01.008
Data publicació: 2017-03-31
Article de revista
This study aims to cluster the world's top tourist destinations based on the growth of the main tourism indicators over the period between 2000 and 2010. It ranks the destinations with respect to the average growth rate over the sample period. The results find that both China and Turkey are at the top of the rankings of all variables. By assigning a numerical value to each country corresponding to its position, a Spearman's coefficient is calculated and a negative correlation found between a destination's dependency on tourism and the profitability of the tourism activity. Finally, several multivariate techniques for dimensionality reduction are used to cluster all destinations according to their positioning. Three groups are obtained: China, Turkey, and the rest of the destinations. These results show that the persistent growth of the tourism industry poses different challenges in different markets regarding destination marketing and management.
Policy and systems of flood risk management: a comparative study between Japan and Spain
Nakamura, I.; Llasat, M.C.
Natural Hazards
Vol. 87, num. 2
DOI: 10.1007/s11069-017-2802-x
Data publicació: 2017-03-31
Article de revista
This paper shows a comparison from the perspective of flood risk management between two regions of different countries: Tokyo Metropolis (Japan) and Catalonia (Spain). The comparison is based on flood damage data for a 30-year period (1981-2010), legislation, disaster management plans, recovering measures, and communication strategies. A total of 219 flood events and 110 deaths were recorded in Catalonia during 1981-2010, while there were 191 floods in Tokyo, during the same period, giving place to 27 deaths and missing people. In both countries, most of the deaths occurred outdoors and the majority as a consequence of imprudent behavior. Nearly 10% of flood victims in Catalonia were foreign citizens. Regarding the institutions from the state and the communities involved in flood risk management, we have found a similar structure between the two countries. In accordance with the European Floods Directive, all the Spanish regions susceptible of having floods have flood hazard maps for different return periods, including 500 years while in the case of Japan the return periods are usually shorter. Recently, flood risk maps have been built for Catalonia, but none is available in a foreign language. Although all the maps are available in Internet, in Spain it is not mandatory to distribute maps to the public neither evacuation maps in flood-prone areas. On the contrary, evacuation and hazard maps in Japan have some parts written in different languages. In both countries, flood hazard maps are not compulsorily linked to other countermeasures such as land-use regulation (the municipality has the last decision) or flood insurance. Thresholds of heavy rain warnings are similar in both countries, using rain amounts over both short and long periods. Although the Japanese method appears more sophisticated using humidity and runoff indexes, it is too complicated for people to understand it. In contrast, only Catalonia has forecast thresholds considering probability levels. On flood insurance, only Spain has governmental aid to the flood insurance system. The level of flood risk perception is low among the population in both countries, and social communication for flood risk is insufficient, mainly in Catalonia. Thus, it is very important that individuals recognize the flood risk in the area to reduce the number of victims.
P-Stereogenic Bisphosphines with a Hydrazine Backbone. From N-N Atropoisomerism to Double Nitrogen Inversion
Prades, A.; Núñez-Pertíñez, S.; Riera, A.; Verdaguer, X.
Chemical Communications
Vol. 53
DOI: 10.1039/C7CC01944K
Data publicació: 2017-03-31
Article de revista
The synthesis of P-stereogenic bisphosphine ligands starting from a phosphinous acid chiral synthon and hydrazine is reported. The dialkylation of the hydrazine backbone yielded atropo- and nitrogeninversion isomers which are in slow exchange. The crystallization of one of the isomers allowed us to study the reaction kinetics of the equilibria. The new ligands were tested in the Rh catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of various benchmark substrates attaining up to 99% ee.
Human African Trypanosomiasis in a Spanish traveler returning from Tanzania.
Gómez-Junyent J, Pinazo MJ, Castro P, Fernández S, Mas J, Chaguaceda C, Pellicé M, Gascón J, Muñoz J.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Data publicació: 2017-03-30
Article de revista
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a parasitic disease usually confined to endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa, but it occasionally may occur among travelers, migrants, or expatriates. Although it is an uncommon diagnosis in returning travelers attending travel and tropical medicine clinics [1], the number of HAT diagnoses in travelers has been rising in recent years [2], most likely in connection with an increase of tourists visiting endemic areas and improved reporting systems. Trypanosoma brucei is the etiological agent of HAT, and is transmitted by tsetse flies of the genus Glossina. Two species can cause the disease: T. brucei gambiense in West and Central Africa (g-HAT) and T. brucei rhodesiense (r-HAT) in Eastern and Southern Africa. The disease usually presents in two stages: a first or hemolymphatic stage, where the parasite is located in the lymphatic system and blood; and a second or meningo-encephalitic stage, which occurs when trypanosomes penetrate the central nervous system.
Interaction of cochlin and mechanosensitive channel TREK-1 in trabecular meshwork cells influences the regulation of intraocular pressure.
Carreon, TA.; Castellanos, A.; Gasull, X.; Bhattacharya, SK.
Scientific Reports
Vol. 7, num. 1
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00430-2
Data publicació: 2017-03-28
Article de revista
This work was funded by National Institute of Health Grants R01 EY016112, EY015266, and EY014801 and an unrestricted grant to the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute from Research to Prevent Blindness. Financial support from Fight for Sight is gratefully acknowledged. Funding to XG was provided by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain (FIS PI14/00141 and RETIC RD12/0034/0003) and Generalitat de Catalunya (2014SGR1165). In the eye, intraocular pressure (IOP) is tightly regulated and its persistent increase leads to ocular hypertension and glaucoma. We have previously shown that trabecular meshwork (TM) cells might detect aqueous humor fluid shear stress via interaction of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein cochlin with the cell surface bound and stretch-activated channel TREK-1. We provide evidence here that interaction between both proteins are involved in IOP regulation. Silencing of TREK-1 in mice prevents the previously demonstrated cochlin-overexpression mediated increase in IOP. Biochemical and electrophysiological experiments demonstrate that high shear stress-induced multimeric cochlin produces a qualitatively different interaction with TREK-1 compared to monomeric cochlin. Physiological concentrations of multimeric but not monomeric cochlin reduce TREK-1 current. Results presented here indicate that the interaction of TREK-1 and cochlin play an important role for maintaining IOP homeostasis.
Epitaxial growth of SrTiO3 films on cube-textured Cu-clad substrates by PLD at low temperature under reducing atmosphere
Padilla, J.A.; Xuriguera, E.; Rodriguez, L.; Vannozzi, A.;Segarra, M.; Celentano, G.; Varela, M.
Nanoscale Research Letters
Vol. 12, num. 226
DOI: 10.1186/s11671-017-1997-9
Data publicació: 2017-03-28
Article de revista
The growth of epitaxial {001} SrTiO3 (STO) on low-cost cube-textured Cu-based clad substrate at low temperature was carried out by means of pulsed laser deposition (PLD). STO film was deposited in one step under a reducing atmosphere (5% H2 and 95% Ar mixture) to prevent the oxidation of the metal surface. The optimization of PLD parameters leads to a sharpest biaxial texture at a temperature as low as 500 °C and a thickness of 500 nm with a (100) STO layer. The upper limit of highly textured STO thickness was also investigated. The maximum thickness which retains the best quality {001} texture is 800 nm, since the texture is preserved not only through the layer but also on the surface. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements showed that STO films are continuous, dense, and smooth with very low roughness (between 5 and 7 nm). This paper describes the development of STO layer by means of PLD in absence of oxygen throughout the process, suggesting an alternative and effective method for growing highly {001} textured STO layer on low-cost metal substrates.
Adsorption of C1-C4 alcohols, C4-C5 isoolefins and their corresponding ethers over Amberlyst™35
Soto, R.; Oktar, N.; Fité, C.; Ramírez, E.; Bringué, R.; Tejero, J.
Chemical Engineering & Technology
Vol. 40, num. 5
DOI: 10.1002/ceat.201600592
Data publicació: 2017-03-27
Article de revista
An experimental liquid- and gas-phase adsorption study of C1-C4 alcohols, C4-C5 isoolefins, and the tert-alkyl ethers obtained thereof over Amberlyst¿35 is presented. Liquid-phase adsorption experiments were performed in a batch adsorber and gas-phase adsorption experiments were carried out in a packed-bed adsorber in a defined temperature range. Adsorption entropy and enthalpy were determined from adsorption equilibrium constants of each tracer in both liquid and gas phase. Adsorption equilibrium constants of alcohols were found to be larger than those of isoolefins and ethers. The moment technique was used to estimate micro- and macropore effective diffusion coefficients of the involved species.
Access to Enantiopure 5‑, 7‑, and 5,7-Substituted cis- Decahydroquinolines: Enantioselective Synthesis of (−)-Cermizine B
Pinto, A.; Griera, R.; Molins, E.; Fernández, I.; Bosch, J.; Amat, M.
Organic Letters
Vol. 19
DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.7b00492
Data publicació: 2017-03-21
Article de revista
Stereoconvergent cyclocondensation reactions of (R)- or (S)-phenylglycinol with appropriately substituted cyclohexanone-based δ-keto esters are the key steps of short synthetic routes to enantiopure 5-, 7-, and 5,7-substituted cisdecahydroquinolines. The factors governing the stereoselectivity of the cyclocondensation are discussed. The potential of the methodology is illustrated by a protecting-group-free synthesis of the phlegmarine-type Lycopodium alkaloid (-)-cermizine B.
Transcriptomes of Ralstonia solanacearum during Root Colonization of Solanum commersonii
Puigvert, M.; Guarischi-Sousa, R.; Zuluaga, P.; Coll, N.S.; Macho, A.P.; Setubal, J.C.; Valls, M.
Frontiers in Plant Science
Vol. 8
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00370
Data publicació: 2017-03-20
Article de revista
Bacterial wilt of potatoes¿also called brown rot¿is a devastating disease caused by the vascular pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum that leads to significant yield loss. As in other plant-pathogen interactions, the first contacts established between the bacterium and the plant largely condition the disease outcome. Here, we studied the transcriptome of R. solanacearum UY031 early after infection in two accessions of the wild potato Solanum commersonii showing contrasting resistance to bacterial wilt. Total RNAs obtained from asymptomatic infected roots were deep sequenced and for 4,609 out of the 4,778 annotated genes in strain UY031 were recovered. Only 2 genes were differentially-expressed between the resistant and the susceptible plant accessions, suggesting that the bacterial component plays a minor role in the establishment of disease. On the contrary, 422 genes were differentially expressed (DE) in planta compared to growth on a synthetic rich medium. Only 73 of these genes had been previously identified as DE in a transcriptome of R. solanacearum extracted from infected tomato xylem vessels. Virulence determinants such as the Type Three Secretion System (T3SS) and its effector proteins, motility structures, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxifying enzymes were induced during infection of S. commersonii. On the contrary, metabolic activities were mostly repressed during early root colonization, with the notable exception of nitrogen metabolism, sulfate reduction and phosphate uptake. Several of the R. solanacearum genes identified as significantly up-regulated during infection had not been previously described as virulence factors. This is the first report describing the R. solanacearum transcriptome directly obtained from infected tissue and also the first to analyze bacterial gene expression in the roots, where plant infection takes place. We also demonstrate that the bacterial transcriptome in planta can be studied when pathogen numbers are low by sequencing transcripts from infected tissue avoiding prokaryotic RNA enrichment.
The Unique domain forms a fuzzy intramolecular complex in Src family kinases
Arbesú, M.; Maffei, M.; Cordeiro, T.N.; Teixeira, J.M.C.; Pérez, Y.; Bernadó, P.; Roche, S.; Pons, M.
Structure
Vol. 25
DOI: 10.17632/t2by82c3rr.2
Data publicació: 2017-03-16
Article de revista
The N-terminal regulatory region of c-Src including the SH4, Unique and SH3 domains adopts a compact, yet highly dynamic, structure that can be described as an intramolecular fuzzy complex. Most of the long-range interactions within the Unique domain are also observed in constructs lacking the structured SH3, indicating a considerable degree of preorganization of the disordered Unique domain. Here we report that members of the Src family of kinases (SFK) share well-conserved sequence features involving aromatic residues in their Unique domains. This observation contrasts with the supposed lack of sequence homology implied by the name of these domains and suggests that the other members of SFK also have a regulatory region involving their Unique domains. We argue that the Unique domain of each SFK is sensitive to specific input signals, encoded by each specific sequence, but the entire family shares a common mechanism for connecting the disordered and structured domains.

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