527 results match your criteria: "University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia Uvic-UCC[Affiliation]"

Therapeutic implications for sphingolipid metabolism in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)

July 2024

Group of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition, Institut de Recerca SANT PAU, Barcelona, Spain.

The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a leading cause of chronic liver disease, has increased worldwide along with the epidemics of obesity and related dysmetabolic conditions characterized by impaired glucose metabolism and insulin signaling, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). MASLD can be defined as an excessive accumulation of lipid droplets in hepatocytes that occurs when the hepatic lipid metabolism is totally surpassed. This metabolic lipid inflexibility constitutes a central node in the pathogenesis of MASLD and is frequently linked to the overproduction of lipotoxic species, increased cellular stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

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Background: Integrating complex interventions within healthcare settings can be challenging. Mentoring can be embedded within a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to upskill and support those delivering the intervention. This study aimed to understand, from a realist perspective, how mentoring worked to support implementation fidelity for occupational therapists (OTs) delivering a vocational rehabilitation (VR) intervention within the context of an RCT.

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The envelope glycoprotein (Env) of retroviruses, such as the Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), is the main target of neutralizing humoral response, and therefore, a promising vaccine candidate, despite its reported poor immunogenicity. The incorporation of mutations that stabilize analogous proteins from other viruses in their prefusion conformation (e.g.

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From crisis to care: A phenomenological exploration of how frontline nurses lived the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

J Eval Clin Pract

October 2024

Research Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Science and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC), Vic, Spain.

Purpose: This paper explores how frontline nurses experienced the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to provide appropriate care during a global health crisis.

Design And Methods: A qualitative descriptive phenomenological study. The sample consisted of 13 frontline nurses from Turkey, working in intensive care units, inpatient clinics and emergency unit.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) significantly affects global health, with factors such as smoking and immune cell profiles contributing to its severity; a deficiency in specific regulatory T cells can worsen respiratory issues.
  • Researchers employed Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy to investigate its effects on immune response in a COPD mouse model by analyzing various immune cell types and cytokine production.
  • The findings indicated that PBM therapy alleviated COPD symptoms by reducing inflammatory immune cell counts, lowering pro-inflammatory cytokines like IFN-γ, and boosting the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, suggesting a potential treatment avenue for COPD.
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Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is still the leading cause of death for newborns in developed countries. The pathophysiological mechanisms have not been fully clarified, but in some of SIDS cases variants of genes associated with inherited cardiac conditions are found. In this study, an analysis of SCD-related genes was performed to determine the prevalence of rare pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants that could provide an unambiguous explanation for the fatal event.

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Torsional disorders of the lower limb are common in childhood, and they are one of the primary reasons parents seek consultation with healthcare providers. While clinical manoeuvres can assess femoral and tibial torsion, their reliability is medium to low. Various imaging-based techniques, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, fluoroscopy, biplanar radiology and ultrasonography, have been used to evaluate torsional alterations of the lower extremity.

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The demands of professional tennis, including physical and psychological aspects, contribute to the frequency of retirements at elite levels of the sport. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiological patterns and risk factors associated with retirements in previous ATP and WTA Tour tournaments. A retrospective cohort study was conducted.

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JNK signaling and its impact on neural cell maturation and differentiation.

Life Sci

August 2024

Department de Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address:

C-Jun-N-terminal-kinases (JNKs), members of the mitogen-activated-protein-kinase family, are significantly linked with neurological and neurodegenerative pathologies and cancer progression. However, JNKs serve key roles under physiological conditions, particularly within the central-nervous-system (CNS), where they are critical in governing neural proliferation and differentiation during both embryogenesis and adult stages. These processes control the development of CNS, avoiding neurodevelopment disorders.

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Aims: The terms "patient activation" and "patient empowerment" are used to describe the extent to which individuals are able to manage their own healthcare. Health outcomes and quality of life improve in patients who are more active in health care. The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic, clinical, sociological and psychological determinants associated with activation in a group of chronically anticoagulated patients.

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In the current COVID-19 landscape dominated by Omicron subvariants, understanding the timing and efficacy of vaccination against emergent lineages is crucial for planning future vaccination campaigns, yet detailed studies stratified by subvariant, vaccination timing, and age groups are scarce. This retrospective study analyzed COVID-19 cases from December 2021 to January 2023 in Catalonia, Spain, focusing on vulnerable populations affected by variants BA.1, BA.

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The lung is prone to infections from respiratory viruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A challenge in combating these infections is the difficulty in targeting antiviral activity directly at the lung mucosal tract. Boosting the capability of the respiratory mucosa to trigger a potent immune response at the onset of infection could serve as a potential strategy for managing respiratory infections.

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This narrative explores the impact of deinstitutionalization policies on the quality of life and care outcomes for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. We offer a historical perspective on these policies, their implications on dementia care, and the barriers to deinstitutionalization. The potential benefits of deinstitutionalization, such as improved quality of life and access to community-based support and services, are highlighted.

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Preclinical development of humanized monoclonal antibodies against CD169 as a broad antiviral therapeutic strategy.

Biomed Pharmacother

June 2024

IrsiCaixa, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona 08916, Spain; University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic 08500,  Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona 08916, Spain; CIBERINFEC, Madrid 28029, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona 08010, Spain. Electronic address:

New therapies to treat or prevent viral infections are essential, as recently observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we propose a therapeutic strategy based on monoclonal antibodies that block the specific interaction between the host receptor Siglec-1/CD169 and gangliosides embedded in the viral envelope. Antibodies are an excellent option for treating infectious diseases based on their high specificity, strong targeting affinity, and relatively low toxicity.

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COVID-19 patient profiles over four waves in Barcelona metropolitan area: A clustering approach.

PLoS One

May 2024

Biostatistics Unit of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.

Objectives: Identifying profiles of hospitalized COVID-19 patients and explore their association with different degrees of severity of COVID-19 outcomes (i.e. in-hospital mortality, ICU assistance, and invasive mechanical ventilation).

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Feasibility study of a home-based graded motor imagery intervention (GraMI protocol) for amputees with phantom limb pain.

Physiother Theory Pract

May 2024

Research group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain.

Introduction: Phantom limb pain affects 64% of amputees. Graded Motor Imagery comprises three consecutive application techniques designed to reorganize maladaptive changes that have occurred after the amputation.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of a home-based Graded Motor Imagery intervention, the GraMI protocol, for amputee people with phantom limb pain.

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Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits.

Nat Genet

May 2024

Clinical Pharmacology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.

Article Synopsis
  • * The research showed that individuals with high polygenic risk scores have significantly higher blood pressure (almost 17 mmHg more) and over seven times the risk of developing hypertension compared to those with low scores.
  • * Incorporating these genetic risk scores into hypertension prediction models improved their accuracy, and excitingly, similar genetic associations were found in a large African-American sample, underscoring the potential of these findings for precision health initiatives.
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Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant postoperative complication associated with increased mortality and hospital costs. Hemodynamic strategies, such as goal-directed therapy, might reduce AKI risk. Predicting and proactively managing intraoperative hypotension may be helpful.

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Quantifying Hitting Load in Racket Sports: A Scoping Review of Key Technologies.

Int J Sports Physiol Perform

June 2024

National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC), University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain.

Purpose: This scoping review aims to identify the primary racket and arm-mounted technologies based on inertial measurement units that enable the quantification of hitting load in racket sports.

Methods: A comprehensive search of several databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore) and Google search engines was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Included records primarily focused on monitoring hitting load in racket sports using commercialized racket or arm-mounted inertial sensors through noncompetitive and competitive racket-sports players.

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Introduction: This study aimed to assess the implementation of integrated social and health home care services (HCS) offered by the Government of Catalonia, and to identify the main barriers and facilitators of integrated HCS.

Methods: Analysis of the degree of implementation of integrated social and health HCS perceived by social care services (SCS) and primary health care centers (PHCs) between December 2020 and June 2021 in two phases. First, the perception of integration by social workers within SCS and PHCs was assessed using a screening questionnaire.

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Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses viral replication to undetectable levels, reduces mortality and morbidity, and improves the quality of life of people living with HIV (PWH). However, ART cannot cure HIV infection because it is unable to eliminate latently infected cells. HIV latency may be regulated by different HIV transcription mechanisms, such as blocks to initiation, elongation, and post-transcriptional processes.

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Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an important component of overall physical fitness and is associated with numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, direct measurement of CRF is time-consuming and therefore not feasible for screening purposes. A maximal treadmill exercise test with the Bruce protocol was performed to estimate VO in 1047 Spanish men and women aged 17 to 62 years.

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The advanced stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) may be related to individual factors, socioeconomic conditions, and healthcare service availability. The objective of the study was to analyze the prevalence of advanced stage CRC at the time of diagnosis and its association with individual, contextual, socioeconomic, and healthcare service indicators. An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing cases of malignant neoplasms of the colon and rectum in individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 99 years, diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 in Brazil (n = 69,047).

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Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has experienced several diagnostic and therapeutic changes over the past two decades. However, there are few studies conducted with real-world data regarding the evolution of the cost of these new drugs and the corresponding changes in the survival of these patients. We collected data on patients diagnosed with NSCLC from the tumor registry of the University Hospital of Vic from 2002 to 2021.

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