Development of land use regression, dispersion, and hybrid models for prediction of outdoor air pollution exposure in Barcelona.

Background: Air pollution is the leading environmental risk factor for health. Assessing outdoor air pollution exposure with detailed spatial and temporal variability in urban areas is crucial for evaluating its health effects.

Aim: We developed and compared Land Use Regression (LUR), dispersion (DM), and hybrid (HM) models to estimate outdoor concentrations for NO, PM, black carbon (BC), and PM (Fe, Cu, Zn) in Barcelona.

Associations between short-term exposure to airborne carbonaceous particles and mortality: A time-series study in London during 2010-2019.

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) has been identified as a major global health concern; however, the importance of specific chemical PM components remains uncertain. Recent studies have suggested that carbonaceous aerosols are important detrimental components of the particle mixture. Using time-series methods, we investigated associations between short-term exposure to carbonaceous particles and mortality in London, UK.

Functional structure of local connections and differentiation of cerebral cortex areas in the neonate.

Neuroimaging research on functional connectivity can provide valuable information on the developmental differentiation of the infant cerebral cortex into its functional areas. We examined healthy neonates to comprehensively map brain functional connectivity using a combination of local measures that uniquely capture the rich spatial structure of cerebral cortex functional connections. Optimal functional MRI scans were obtained in 61 neonates.

Auricular Chondrocytes as a Cell Source for Scaffold-Free Elastic Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

Current tissue engineering (TE) methods utilize chondrocytes primarily from costal or articular sources. Despite the robust mechanical properties of neocartilages sourced from these cells, the lack of elasticity and invasiveness of cell collection from these sources negatively impact clinical translation. These limitations invited the exploration of naturally elastic auricular cartilage as an alternative cell source.

Dynamic and stationary monitoring of air pollutant exposures and dose during marathons.

Marathon running significantly increases breathing volumes and, consequently, air pollution inhalation doses. This is of special concern for elite athletes who ventilate at very high rates. However, race organizers and sport governing bodies have little guidance to support events scheduling to protect runners.

Tilapia Fish Skin Treatment of Third-Degree Skin Burns in Murine Model.

This study explored the feasibility of using fish skin bandages as a therapeutic option for third-degree skin burns. Following the California wildfires, clinical observations of animals with third-degree skin burns demonstrated increased comfort levels and reduced pain when treated with tilapia fish skin. Despite the promises of this therapy, there are few studies explaining the healing mechanisms behind the application of tilapia fish skin.

Concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paired tap water and blood samples during pregnancy.

Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are water-soluble chemicals of concern due to their persistence, ubiquity, and toxicity. We explored correlations between drinking water and blood PFAS levels in a subset of the mother-child Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), Barcelona, Spain (2021). For 105 study participants, we analyzed 35 PFAS in tap water (unfiltered and filtered) and 23 PFAS in 98 paired plasma samples during the 3rd trimester, using LC-MS/MS.

Stromal cell therapy in cats with feline chronic gingivostomatitis: current perspectives and future direction.

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a painful, immune-mediated, oral mucosal inflammatory disease in cats. The etiology of FCGS remains unclear, with evidence pointing potentially toward a viral cause. Full-mouth tooth extraction is the current standard of care, and cats that are non-responsive to extraction therapy may need lifelong medical management and, in some cases, euthanasia.

A novel dual-plasmid platform provides scalable transfection yielding improved productivity and packaging across multiple AAV serotypes and genomes.

Transient transfection of mammalian cells using plasmid DNA is a standard method to produce adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors allowing for flexible and scalable manufacture. Typically, three plasmids are used to encode the necessary components to facilitate vector production; however, a dual-plasmid system, termed pDG, was introduced over 2 decades ago demonstrating two components could be combined resulting in comparable productivity to triple transfection. We have developed a novel dual-plasmid system, pOXB, with an alternative arrangement of sequences that results in significantly increased AAV vector productivity and percentage of full capsids packaged in comparison to the pDG dual design and triple transfection.

Single Systemic Administration of a Gene Therapy Leading to Disease Treatment in Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Knock-Out Mice.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare, inherited, demyelinating lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the arylsulfatase-A gene (). In patients, levels of functional ARSA enzyme are diminished and lead to deleterious accumulation of sulfatides. Herein, we demonstrate that intravenous administration of HSC15/ restored the endogenous murine biodistribution of the corresponding enzyme, and overexpression of corrected disease biomarkers and ameliorated motor deficits in KO mice of either sex.

The effects of exposure to road traffic noise at school on central auditory pathway functional connectivity.

As the world becomes more urbanized, more people become exposed to traffic and the risks associated with a higher exposure to road traffic noise increase. Excessive exposure to environmental noise could potentially interfere with functional maturation of the auditory brain in developing individuals. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between exposure to annual average road traffic noise (LAeq) in schools and functional connectivity of key elements of the central auditory pathway in schoolchildren.

Clinical, radiographic and histopathologic features of early-onset gingivitis and periodontitis in cats (1997-2022).

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the clinical, radiographic and histopathologic features of early-onset gingivitis (EOG) and periodontitis in cats.

Methods: The medical records database was searched for cats diagnosed with histologically confirmed EOG or periodontitis from 1997 to 2022. Information such as medical history, lifestyle factors, clinical presentation, radiographic and histopathologic features were included for 27 client-owned cats.

Infection induced SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and heterogeneity of antibody responses in a general population cohort study in Catalonia Spain.

Sparse data exist on the complex natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2 at the population level. We applied a well-validated multiplex serology test in 5000 participants of a general population study in Catalonia in blood samples collected from end June to mid November 2020. Based on responses to fifteen isotype-antigen combinations, we detected a seroprevalence of 18.

Markers of Monocyte Activation, Inflammation, and Microbial Translocation Are Associated with Liver Fibrosis in Alcohol Use Disorder.

Background: The association between markers of inflammation (interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10), monocyte activation (sCD163 and sCD14), and microbial translocation (lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LPS binding protein) and liver fibrosis in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and no overt liver disease is not well established.

Methods: We studied patients admitted for treatment of AUD at two hospitals in Barcelona. Advanced liver fibrosis (ALF) was defined as FIB-4 > 3.

Evaluating size-fractioned indoor particulate matter in an urban hospital in Iran.

Hospitals host vulnerable people with potentially enhanced sensitivity to air pollutants. We measured particulate matter (PM) including PM, PM, and PM with a portable device in a hospital, a nearby reference building, and ambient air in Shiraz, Iran. Indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio values were calculated to infer on the origin of size-fractioned PM.

Associations between sources of particle number and mortality in four European cities.

Background: The evidence on the association between ultrafine (UFP) particles and mortality is still inconsistent. Moreover, health effects of specific UFP sources have not been explored. We assessed the impact of UFP sources on daily mortality in Barcelona, Helsinki, London, and Zurich.

Incidence and clinical profile of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized COVID-19 patients from Madrid region.

Background: COVID-19 related in-hospital venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence is high but data reported vary significantly. Some studies show that up to half of the events are diagnosed early after admission.

Objectives: To study symptomatic VTE incidence in acute COVID-19 hospitalized patients and to describe timing of VTE diagnosis.

Monitoring hepatitis C virus treatment rates in an Opioid Treatment Program: A longitudinal study.

Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are recommended for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients treated with methadone or buprenorphine.

Aim: To assess HCV treatment rates in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).

Methods: This longitudinal study included 501 patients (81.

Organic Air Quality Markers of Indoor and Outdoor PM Aerosols in Primary Schools from Barcelona.

Airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 µg, PM was regularly sampled in classrooms (indoor) and playgrounds (outdoor) of primary schools from Barcelona. Three of these schools were located downtown and three in the periphery, representing areas with high and low traffic intensities.

Source apportionment of particle number size distribution in urban background and traffic stations in four European cities.

Ultrafine particles (UFP) are suspected of having significant impacts on health. However, there have only been a limited number of studies on sources of UFP compared to larger particles. In this work, we identified and quantified the sources and processes contributing to particle number size distributions (PNSD) using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) at six monitoring stations (four urban background and two street canyon) from four European cities: Barcelona, Helsinki, London, and Zurich.