Worldwide distribution of genetic factors related to severity of COVID-19 infection.

Background: Genome-wide association studies of COVID-19 severity have been carried out mostly on European or East Asian populations with small representation of other world regions. Here we explore the worldwide distribution and linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns of genetic variants previously associated with COVID-19 severity.

Methods: We followed up the results of a large Spanish genome-wide meta-analysis on 26 populations from the 1000 Genomes Project by calculating allele frequencies and LD scores of the nine most significant SNPs.

Verbal short term memory contribution to sentence comprehension decreases with increasing syntactic complexity in people with aphasia.

Sentence comprehension requires the integration of linguistic units presented in a temporal sequence based on a non-linear underlying syntactic structure. While it is uncontroversial that storage is mandatory for this process, there are opposing views regarding the relevance of general short-term-/working-memory capacities (STM/WM) versus language specific resources. Here we report results from 43 participants with an acquired brain lesion in the extended left hemispheric language network and resulting language deficits, who performed a sentence-to-picture matching task and an experimental task assessing phonological short-term memory.

A comprehensive dataset of environmentally contaminated sites in the state of São Paulo in Brazil.

In the Brazilian state of São Paulo, contaminated sites (CSs) constitute threats to health, environment and socioeconomic situation of populations. Over the past two decades, the Environmental Agency of São Paulo (CETESB) has monitored these known CSs. This paper discusses the produced dataset through digitising the CETESB reports and making them accessible to the public in English.

Mortality in Catalonia during the summer of 2022 and its relation with high temperatures and COVID-19 cases.

Purpose: To analyse the association between the mortality during the summer 2022 and either high temperatures or the COVID-19 wave with data from the Catalan Health Care System (7.8 million people).

Methods: We performed a retrospective study using publicly available data of meteorological variables, influenza-like illness (ILI) cases (including COVID-19) and deaths.

Speech Motor Profiles in Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Purpose: Previous research on motor speech disorders (MSDs) in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) has largely focused on patients with the nonfluent/agrammatic variant of PPA (nfvPPA), with few systematic descriptions of MSDs in variants other than nfvPPA. There has also been an emphasis on studying apraxia of speech, whereas less is known about dysarthria or other forms of MSDs. This study aimed to examine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of MSDs in a prospective sample of individuals with PPA independent of subtype.

The role of left temporo-parietal and inferior frontal cortex in comprehending syntactically complex sentences: A brain stimulation study.

Background And Objectives: Syntactic competence relies on a left-lateralized network converging on hubs in inferior-frontal and posterior-temporal cortices. We address the question whether anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) over these hubs can modulate comprehension of sentences, whose syntactic complexity systematically varied along the factors embedding depths and canonicity. Semantic content and length of the sentences were kept identical and forced choice picture matching was required after the full sentence had been presented.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Other Wearable Devices to Assess Hypoglycemia among Older Adult Outpatients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Hypoglycemia (HG) causes symptoms that can be fatal, and confers risk of dementia. Wearable devices can improve measurement and feedback to patients and clinicians about HG events and risk.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to determine whether vulnerable older adults could use wearables, and explore HG frequency over 2 weeks.

Unravelling the role of the mandatory use of face covering masks for the control of SARS-CoV-2 in schools: a quasi-experimental study nested in a population-based cohort in Catalonia (Spain).

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of mandatory use of face covering masks (FCMs) in schools during the first term of the 2021-2022 academic year.

Design: A retrospective population-based study.

Setting: Schools in Catalonia (Spain).

On the lexical representation of compound nouns: Evidence from a picture-naming task with compound targets and gender-marked determiner primes in aphasia.

Our study examines the lexical representation and processing of compounds in participants with aphasia (PWA) and language-unimpaired control speakers. Participants were engaged in primed picture-naming in German, a language that marks for grammatical gender. Gender-marked determiners served as primes (der, die, das [the]) and noun-noun compounds as targets (e.

BONEs not CATs attract DOGs: Semantic context effects for picture naming in the lesioned language network.

The breakdown of rapid and accurate retrieval of words is a hallmark of aphasic speech and a prime target of therapeutic intervention. Complementary, psycho- and neurolinguistic research have developed a spectrum of models, how and by which neuronal network uncompromised speakers can rely on remarkable lexical retrieval capacities. Motivated by both lines of research we invited 32 participants with a chronic left hemispheric brain lesion to name pictures in the presence of distractor words.

Potential contribution of distant sources to airborne Betula pollen levels in Northeastern Iberian Peninsula.

Betula (birch) pollen is one of the most important causes of respiratory allergy in Northern and Central Europe. While birch trees are abundant in Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, they are scarce in the Mediterranean territories, especially in the Iberian Peninsula (IP), where they grow only in the northern regions and as ornamental trees in urban areas. However, the airborne birch pollen patterns in Catalonia (Northeastern IP) show abrupt high concentrations in areas with usually low local influence.

Flood impact on the Spanish Mediterranean coast since 1960 based on the prevailing synoptic patterns.

In a changing climate and in social context, tools and databases with high spatiotemporal resolution are needed for increasing the knowledge on the relationship between meteorological events and flood impacts; hence, analysis of high-resolution spatiotemporal databases with detailed information on the frequency, intensity, and impact of floods is necessary. However, the methodological nature of flood databases hinders relating specific flood events to the weather events that cause them; hence, methodologies for classifying flood cases according to the synoptic patterns that generate them are also necessary. Knowing which synoptic patterns are likely to generate risk situations allows for a probabilistic approach with high spatial resolution regarding the timing of occurrence, affected area, and expected damage from floods.

Schools as a Framework for COVID-19 Epidemiological Surveillance of Children in Catalonia, Spain: A Population-Based Study.

We describe and analyze the childhood (<18 years) COVID-19 incidence in Catalonia, Spain, during the first 36 weeks of the 2020-2021 school-year and to compare it with the incidence in adults. Data on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) tests were obtained from the Catalan Agency for Quality and Health Assessment. Overall, 7,203,663 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed, of which 491,819 were positive (6.

Community Risk Factors in the COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in Catalonia (Spain). A Population-Based Study.

The heterogenous distribution of both COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Catalonia (Spain) during the firsts moths of the pandemic suggests that differences in baseline risk factors across regions might play a relevant role in modulating the outcome of the pandemic. This paper investigates the associations between both COVID-19 incidence and mortality and air pollutant concentration levels, and screens the potential effect of the type of agri-food industry and the overall land use and cover (LULC) at area level. We used a main model with demographic, socioeconomic and comorbidity covariates highlighted in previous research as important predictors.

Polycaprolactone/Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate Scaffolds Obtained via Rotary Jet-Spinning: in vitro and in vivo Evaluation.

This study aimed to evaluate in vitro and in vivo polymeric membranes obtained by a rotary jet-spinning process for the repair of critical bone defects in the calvaria of Wistar rats, for future use in tissue engineering. Experimental sample collections were performed on the 30, 60 and 90th postoperative days, and the analyses performed were histomorphometric, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. Reducing inflammatory infiltrate in all groups and experimental periods, angiogenesis on the 30th day did not show any difference between the groups, on the 60th day, 5% polycaprolactone/beta-tricalcium phosphate(PCL/β-TCP) was high compared to control (C), and on the 90th day, the same group reduced when compared to C and 10% PCL/β-TCP.

Robust estimation of diagnostic rate and real incidence of COVID-19 for European policymakers.

Policymakers need clear, fast assessment of the real spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in each of their respective countries. Standard measures of the situation provided by the governments include reported positive cases and total deaths. While total deaths indicate immediately that countries like Italy and Spain had the worst situation as of mid-April, 2020, reported cases alone do not provide a complete picture of the situation.

Recursive hierarchical embedding in vision is impaired by posterior middle temporal gyrus lesions.

The generation of hierarchical structures is central to language, music and complex action. Understanding this capacity and its potential impairments requires mapping its underlying cognitive processes to the respective neuronal underpinnings. In language, left inferior frontal gyrus and left posterior temporal cortex (superior temporal sulcus/middle temporal gyrus) are considered hubs for syntactic processing.

Characterization of the Elastoplastic Response of Low Zn-Cu-Ti Alloy Sheets Using the CPB-06 Criterion.

Unlike other HCP metals such as titanium and magnesium, the behavior of zinc alloys has only been modeled in the literature. For the low Zn-Cu-Ti alloy sheet studied in this work, the anisotropy is clearly seen on the stress-strain curves and Lankford coefficients. These features impose a rigorous characterization and an adequate selection of the constitutive model to obtain an accurate representation of the material behavior in metal forming simulations.

Expression of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and its association with matrix metalloproteinases in symptomatic and asymptomatic apical periodontitis.

To determine Toll-like receptors (TLR)2 and TLR4 expression levels and associate them with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AAP), symptomatic apical periodontitis (SAP), and healthy controls. Apical tissue/lesion samples were obtained from chronic AAP (n = 35) and SAP (n = 29), and healthy periodontal ligament (HPL, n = 10) with indication of tooth extraction, respectively. mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-8, and MMP-13 were determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.

Distal nerve transfer from the median nerve lumbrical fibers to the distal ulnar nerve motor branches in the palm: An anatomical cadaveric study.

Background: The aim of the current study is to investigate the first and second lumbrical nerves as potential fibers donors to the deep motor branch of the ulnar nerve to avoid intrinsic atrophy in high ulnar nerve injuries.

Methods: Sixteen fresh frozen cadaveric hands were dissected, the radial lumbrical nerves accessed, and a coaptation, either in reverse end-to-side or in double end-to-side through a bridge nerve graft, was created to the deep motor branch of ulnar nerve. Semithin sections were taken from samples of donor and recipient nerves for qualitative (nerve architecture) and quantitative studies (fiber count and donor/recipient ratio).

The extreme floods in the Ebro River basin since 1600 CE.

Reliable and complete knowledge of the historical floods is necessary for understanding the extreme hydrological dynamics of the rivers, their natural variability and anthropic changes. In this work we reconstruct the most important floods of the Ebro basin during the last 400 years in different areas of the basin. The analysis is based on four different areas: the Ebro River at Zaragoza, the Cinca River at Fraga, the Segre River at Lleida, and the Ebro River near its mouth at Tortosa.

Effect of curcumin on bone tissue in the diabetic rat: repair of peri-implant and critical-sized defects.

This study determined the effect of curcumin on bone healing in animals with diabetes mellitus (DM). One hundred rats were divided into five groups: DM+PLAC, DM+CURC, DM+INS, DM+CURC+INS, and non-DM (CURC, curcumin; PLAC, placebo; INS, insulin). Critical calvarial defects were created and titanium implants were inserted into the tibiae.

Effect of Resveratrol on Critical-Sized Calvarial Defects of Diabetic Rats: Histometric and Gene Expression Analysis.

Purpose: This study investigated the influence of resveratrol (RESV) on the repair of bone critical defects in calvaria of animals with induced diabetes mellitus (DM).

Material And Methods: One hundred rats were divided into 5 groups: induced DM + RESV administration (DM + RESV; n = 20); induced DM plus placebo solution administration (DM + PLAC; n = 20); induced DM plus insulin therapy (DM + INS; n = 20); induced DM plus administration of RES and INS (DM + RESV + INS; n = 20); and nondiabetic controls (NDM; n = 20). DM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin 50 mg/kg 3 days before the surgical procedures.