Entre la mobilitat i la migració acadèmica. Una via d'arribada i arrelament a la ciutat de Barcelona

Treballs Finals de Grau Antropologia Social i Cultural, Facultat de Geografia i Història, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2014-2015, Tutor: Gonçal SanzEssent la migració acadèmica i estudiantil el tema central d'aquest treball, s'entén que apareix com a patró emergent en un context d'increment i diversificació de les mobilitats humanes. Per tal d'abordar el fenomen, s'ha començat preguntant quines son i com es dibuixen les trajectòries i les estratègies d'aquells joves que decideixen realitzar uns estudis superiors a l'estranger i, doncs, que es pot dir que migren per motius acadèmics. A parit d'aquí, tenint en compte que ens trobem a Barcelona, no només ens hem acostat a les associacions, els serveis i les comunitats virtuals que han sorgit de la necessitat d'assessorament; també s'ha procurat recollir algunes trajectòries individuals de joves que s'han establert a la ciutat per a realitzar estudis de grau o de màster. Doncs, tant s'ha recorregut a l'observació enfocada, com a l'entrevista temàtica i a l'entrevista en profunditat. Una entrevista en profunditat guiada pel Mètode Biogràfic i l'Enfocament de la Transició

Outcomes of Intra- versus Extra-Corporeal Ileocolic Anastomosis after Minimally Invasive Right Colectomy for Cancer: An Observational Study

Càncer colorectal; Anastomosi extracorpòria; Col·lectomia dreta mínimament invasivaCáncer colorrectal; Anastomosis extracorpórea; Colectomía derecha mínimamente invasivaColorectal cancer; Extracorporeal anastomosis; Minimally invasive right colectomyIntracorporeal anastomoses (IA) are increasingly being used in colorectal surgery. Some data suggest that these might confer benefits compared with extracorporeal anastomoses (EA). The aim of this study is to compare the short-term complications associated with IA versus EA for minimally invasive right colectomy. This is a single-centre, retrospective study on a prospective database. Patients who underwent minimally invasive right colectomy for cancer between January 2017 and December 2019 were assessed for inclusion. The primary outcome was global 30-day morbidity. Overall, 189 patients were included, of whom 102 had IA. Global morbidity and medical complications were higher in patients with EA (23.5% vs. 40.2%, p = 0.014; 5.9% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.039, respectively). None of the patients with IA had non-infectious surgical wound complications, compared to 4.6% in the EA group (p = 0.029). No differences were found in anastomotic leakage (9.8% vs. 10.3%, p = 0.55). At multivariable analysis, EA was an independent risk factor for both surgical (OR = 3.71 95% CI: 1.06–12.91, p = 0.04) and overall complications (OR = 3.58 95% CI: 1.06–12.12, p = 0.04). IA lowers the risk for global, medical, and surgical complications with minimum risk for wound complications, without increasing the risk of ALThis research received no external funding

Oral metronomic vinorelbine combined with endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer: SOLTI-1501 VENTANA window of opportunity trial

Breast cancer; Metronomic; VinorelbineCáncer de mama; Quimioterapia metronómica; VinorelbinaCàncer de mama; Quimioteràpia metronòmica; VinorelbinaBackground: The biological effect of oral metronomic vinorelbine (mVNB) alone or in combination with endocrine therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative breast cancer has been scarcely addressed. Methods: Postmenopausal women with untreated stage I-III HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer were randomized (1:1:1) to receive 3 weeks of letrozole (LTZ) 2.5 mg/day, oral mVNB 50 mg 3 days/week, or the combination. The primary objective was to evaluate, within PAM50 Luminal A/B disease, if the anti-proliferative effect of LTZ+mVNB was superior to monotherapy. An anti-proliferative effect was defined as the mean relative decrease of the PAM50 11-gene proliferation score in combination arm vs. both monotherapy arms. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of a comprehensive panel of breast cancer-related genes and safety. An unplanned analysis of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) was also performed. PAM50 analyses were performed using the nCounter®-based Breast Cancer 360™ gene panel, which includes 752 genes and 32 signatures. Results: Sixty-one patients were randomized, and 54 paired samples (89%) were analyzed. The main patient characteristics were mean age of 67, mean tumor size of 1.7 cm, mean Ki67 of 14.3%, stage I (55.7%), and grades 1-2 (90%). Most baseline samples were PAM50 Luminal A (74.1%) or B (22.2%). The anti-proliferative effect of 3 weeks of LTZ+mVNB (- 73.2%) was superior to both monotherapy arms combined (- 49.9%; p = 0.001) and mVNB (- 19.1%; p < 0.001). The anti-proliferative effect of LTZ+mVNB (- 73.2%) was numerically higher compared to LTZ (- 65.7%) but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.328). LTZ+mVNB induced high expression of immune-related genes and gene signatures, including CD8 T cell signature and PDL1 gene and low expression of ER-regulated genes (e.g., progesterone receptor) and cell cycle-related and DNA repair genes. In tumors with ≤ 10% sTILs at baseline, a statistically significant increase in sTILs was observed following LTZ (paired analysis p = 0.049) and LTZ+mVNB (p = 0.012). Grade 3 adverse events occurred in 3.4% of the cases. Conclusions: Short-term mVNB is well-tolerated and presents anti-proliferative activity alone and in combination with LTZ. The high expression of immune-related biological processes and sTILs observed with the combination opens the possibility of studying this combination with immunotherapy. Further investigation comparing these biological results with other metronomic schedules or drug combinations is warranted.This study was supported by a grant from Pierre-Fabre. Pierre-Fabre had no role in the management of this trial. The decisions and responsibilities of this trial were all under the sponsor: SOLTI Group

Plant feeding by Nesidiocoris tenuis: Quantifying its behavioral and mechanical components

Zoophytophagous predators play an important, though sometimes controversial, role in pest management programs in different crops. In tomato crops, damage caused by phytophagy of the mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis has mainly been reported at high predator population levels or when prey is scarce. Previous research has focused on predator/prey ratios, stylet morphology and saliva composition to explain plant damage by N. tenuis. In this study, we investigated the behavioral and mechanical components of the damage. For this, we compared the feeding behaviors of males, females and fifth-instar nymphs of N. tenuis. Additionally, we investigated the type of stylet activities performed by each stage while probing in plant tissue, using the electrical penetration graph technique (EPG). Furthermore, stylectomy was performed and plant histology studied with the aim to correlate the feeding activities observed in the EPG recordings with stylet tip positions in specific tissues of the leaf petioles. Behavioral observations during a 30-min period showed that nymphs probed more frequently (38.6 ± 1.5 probes) than males and females (25.3 ± 1.1 and 24.3 ± 1.1 probes, respectively). Similarly, nymphs spent a higher proportion of time (656.0 ± 67.6 s) feeding on tomato apical sections compared to males and females (403.0 ± 48.8 s and 356.0 ± 43.7 s, respectively). The EPG recordings during 5 h indicated that cell-rupturing was the main stylet activity for all insect stages, and that fifth-instar nymphs spent a higher proportion of time on cell-rupturing events compared to adults. The histological studies revealed a trend of N. tenuis for the tissues within the vascular semi-ring. The stylet tips were found both in the vascular bundles and in the parenchyma of the interfascicular region. The findings of this study confirm an important role of fifth-instar nymphs feeding behavior in the damage potential of N. tenuis. Moreover, the increased time spent on cell rupturing behaviour suggests that stylet laceration and enzymatic maceration of the saliva occurring during this event might greatly contribute to the inflicted damage. A comprehensive understanding of the interactions of N. tenuis with the plant, at both the behavioral and mechanical levels, might shed light on new approaches to minimize its damage potential to tomato while maintaining its benefits as biocontrol agent

A single-cell atlas of the murine pancreatic ductal tree identifies novel cell populations with potential implications in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis

Background & Aims: Pancreatic ducts form an intricate network of tubules that secrete bicarbonate and drive acinar secretions into the duodenum. This network is formed by centroacinar cells, terminal, intercalated, intracalated ducts, and the main pancreatic duct. Ductal heterogeneity at the single-cell level has been poorly characterized; therefore, our understanding of the role of ductal cells in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis has been hampered by the limited knowledge and unexplained diversity within the ductal network. Methods: We used single cell RNA sequencing to comprehensively characterize mouse ductal heterogeneity at single-cell resolution of the entire ductal epithelium from centroacinar cells to the main duct. Moreover, we used organoid cultures, injury models, and pancreatic tumor samples to interrogate the role of novel ductal populations in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis. Results: We have identified the coexistence of 15 ductal populations within the healthy pancreas and characterized their organoid formation capacity and endocrine differentiation potential. Cluster isolation and subsequent culturing let us identify ductal cell populations with high organoid formation capacity and endocrine and exocrine differentiation potential in vitro, including a Wnt-responsive population, a ciliated population, and Flrt3+ cells. Moreover, we have characterized the location of these novel ductal populations in healthy pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, and tumor samples. The expression of Wnt-responsive, interferon-responsive, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition population markers increases in chronic pancreatitis and tumor samples. Conclusions: In light of our discovery of previously unidentified ductal populations, we unmask potential roles of specific ductal populations in pancreas regeneration and exocrine pathogenesis. Thus, novel lineage-tracing models are needed to investigate ductal-specific populations in vivo

Reducing Calf Mortality in Ethiopia

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Disease and death of young livestock cause financial and production difficulties to farmers around the world. High rates of disease and death occur in various production systems in Ethiopia, hampering livestock production, reducing incomes, and damaging livelihoods. Over the last 10 years, studies carried out in Ethiopia have reported death and disease incidence rates in young livestock as high as 31% and 67%, respectively. Diarrhea and respiratory infections are the two leading causes of disease and death in calves in all production systems. In this paper, we describe findings from the experience of the Young Stock Mortality Reduction Consortium. This unique group produced important information on the main causes of disease and death in Ethiopia and created activities for small-scale farmers to address these problems. We found that several diseases caused diarrhea and respiratory infections in young calves in Ethiopia. Improving farmer knowledge and behaviors with respect to basic livestock management led to considerable reductions in young livestock disease and death and has the potential to help improve livestock productivity and human livelihoods in Ethiopia. ABSTRACT: Morbidity and mortality of young stock present economic and production challenges to livestock producers globally. In Ethiopia, calf morbidity and mortality rates, particularly due to diarrhea and respiratory disease, are high, limiting production, incomes, and the ability of farmers to improve their livelihoods. In this paper, we present findings from the combined experience of the Young Stock Mortality Reduction Consortium, which conducted epidemiological and intervention testing in calves across three production systems. This innovative alliance identified Cryptosporidium parvum and E. Coli K99 as the most common causes of diarrhea in pastoral and peri-urban calves; Strongyloides spp. as the most common fecal parasite in mixed crop–livestock and peri-urban calves; and bovine adenovirus, parainfluenza virus-3, and bovine respiratory syncytial virus as the most common respiratory pathogens in peri-urban calves. Furthermore, by improving producer knowledge with respect to fundamental livestock husbandry, feeding, housing, and neonatal care practices, calf mortality risk across production systems was reduced by 31.4 to 71.4% compared to baseline (between 10.5 and 32.1%), whereas risk of diarrhea was reduced by 52.6–75.3% (baseline between 11.4 and 30.4%) and risk of respiratory disease was reduced by 23.6–80.8% (baseline between 3.3 and 16.3%). These findings have informed scaling strategies and can potentially contribute to improved livestock productivity and human livelihoods in Ethiopia

Human DNA methylomes of neurodegenerative diseases show common epigenomic patterns

Different neurodegenerative disorders often show similar lesions, such as the presence of amyloid plaques, TAU-neurotangles and synuclein inclusions. The genetically inherited forms are rare, so we wondered whether shared epigenetic aberrations, such as those affecting DNA methylation, might also exist. The studied samples were gray matter samples from the prefrontal cortex of control and neurodegenerative disease-associated cases. We performed the DNA methylation analyses of Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer-like neurodegenerative profile associated with Down's syndrome samples. The DNA methylation landscapes obtained show that neurodegenerative diseases share similar aberrant CpG methylation shifts targeting a defined gene set. Our findings suggest that neurodegenerative disorders might have similar pathogenetic mechanisms that subsequently evolve into different clinical entities. The identified aberrant DNA methylation changes can be used as biomarkers of the disorders and as potential new targets for the development of new therapies

Oral metronomic vinorelbine combined with endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer: SOLTI-1501 VENTANA window of opportunity trial

Background: The biological effect of oral metronomic vinorelbine (mVNB) alone or in combination with endocrine therapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative breast cancer has been scarcely addressed. Methods: Postmenopausal women with untreated stage I-III HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer were randomized (1:1:1) to receive 3 weeks of letrozole (LTZ) 2.5 mg/day, oral mVNB 50 mg 3 days/week, or the combination. The primary objective was to evaluate, within PAM50 Luminal A/B disease, if the anti-proliferative effect of LTZ+mVNB was superior to monotherapy. An anti-proliferative effect was defined as the mean relative decrease of the PAM50 11-gene proliferation score in combination arm vs. both monotherapy arms. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of a comprehensive panel of breast cancer-related genes and safety. An unplanned analysis of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) was also performed. PAM50 analyses were performed using the nCounter®-based Breast Cancer 360 gene panel, which includes 752 genes and 32 signatures. Results: Sixty-one patients were randomized, and 54 paired samples (89%) were analyzed. The main patient characteristics were mean age of 67, mean tumor size of 1.7 cm, mean Ki67 of 14.3%, stage I (55.7%), and grades 1-2 (90%). Most baseline samples were PAM50 Luminal A (74.1%) or B (22.2%). The anti-proliferative effect of 3 weeks of LTZ+mVNB (- 73.2%) was superior to both monotherapy arms combined (- 49.9%; p = 0.001) and mVNB (- 19.1%; p < 0.001). The anti-proliferative effect of LTZ+mVNB (- 73.2%) was numerically higher compared to LTZ (- 65.7%) but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.328). LTZ+mVNB induced high expression of immune-related genes and gene signatures, including CD8 T cell signature and PDL1 gene and low expression of ER-regulated genes (e.g., progesterone receptor) and cell cycle-related and DNA repair genes. In tumors with ≤ 10% sTILs at baseline, a statistically significant increase in sTILs was observed following LTZ (paired analysis p = 0.049) and LTZ+mVNB (p = 0.012). Grade 3 adverse events occurred in 3.4% of the cases. Conclusions: Short-term mVNB is well-tolerated and presents anti-proliferative activity alone and in combination with LTZ. The high expression of immune-related biological processes and sTILs observed with the combination opens the possibility of studying this combination with immunotherapy. Further investigation comparing these biological results with other metronomic schedules or drug combinations is warranted