Ground-based hyperspectral analysis of the urban nightscape

Airborne hyperspectral cameras provide the basic information to estimate the energy wasted skywards by outdoor lighting systems, as well as to locate and identify their sources. However, a complete characterization of the urban light pollution levels also requires evaluating these effects from the city dwellers standpoint, e.g. the energy waste associated to the excessive illuminance on walls and pavements, light trespass, or the luminance distributions causing potential glare, to mention but a few. On the other hand, the spectral irradiance at the entrance of the human eye is the primary input to evaluate the possible health effects associated with the exposure to artificial light at night, according to the more recent models available in the literature. In this work we demonstrate the possibility of using a hyperspectral imager (routinely used in airborne campaigns) to measure the ground-level spectral radiance of the urban nightscape and to retrieve several magnitudes of interest for light pollution studies. We also present the preliminary results from a field campaign carried out in the downtown of Barcelona.Postprint (author's final draft

Beyond BMI: cardiometabolic measures as predictors of impulsivity and white matter changes in adolescents

Obesity; White Matter; DriveObesidad; Sustancia blanca; PulsiónObesitat; Substància blanca; PulsióObesity is characterized by cardiometabolic and neurocognitive changes. However, how these two factors relate to each other in this population is unknown. We tested the association that cardiometabolic measures may have with impulse behaviors and white matter microstructure in adolescents with and without an excess weight. One hundred and eight adolescents (43 normal-weight and 65 overweight/obesity; 11-19 years old) were medically and psychologically (Temperament Character Inventory Revised, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II, Stroop Color and Word Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Kirby Delay Discounting Task) evaluated. A subsample of participants (n = 56) underwent a brain magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. In adolescents, higher triglycerides and having a body mass index indicative of overweight/obesity predicted a more impulsive performance in Conners' Continuous Performance Test-II (higher commission errors). In addition, higher glucose and diastolic blood pressure values predicted increments in the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 emotional eating scale. Neuroanatomically, cingulum fractional anisotropy showed a negative relationship with glycated hemoglobin. The evaluation of the neurocognitive differences associated with obesity, usually based on body mass index, should be complemented with cardiometabolic measures.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. APC received a Ph.D. scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (PRE2019-087430). MAJ and MG received Grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (PSI2017- 86536-C2-1-R and PSI2017-86536-C2-2-R, respectively), funded by MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). MAJ has additionally received funding from the Departament d’Innovació, Universitats i Empresa, Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR748)

Restrained Eating Is Associated with Lower Cortical Thickness in the Inferior Frontal Gyrus in Adolescents

Some eating patterns, such as restrained eating and uncontrolled eating, are risk factors for eating disorders. However, it is not yet clear whether they are associated with neurocognitive differences. In the current study, we analyzed whether eating patterns can be used to classify participants into meaningful clusters, and we examined whether there are neurocognitive differences between the clusters. Adolescents (n = 108; 12 to 17 years old) and adults (n = 175, 18 to 40 years old) completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, which was used to classify participants according to their eating profile using k means clustering. Participants also completed personality questionnaires and a neuropsychological examination. A subsample of participants underwent a brain MRI acquisition. In both samples, we obtained a cluster characterized by high uncontrolled eating patterns, a cluster with high scores in restrictive eating, and a cluster with low scores in problematic eating behaviors. The clusters were equivalent with regards to personality and performance in executive functions. In adolescents, the cluster with high restrictive eating showed lower cortical thickness in the inferior frontal gyrus compared to the other two clusters. We hypothesize that this difference in cortical thickness represents an adaptive neural mechanism that facilitates inhibition processes

Genetically predicted telomere length and Alzheimer’s disease endophenotypes: a Mendelian randomization study

Telomere length (TL) is associated with biological aging, consequently influencing the risk of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to evaluate the potential causal role of TL in AD endophenotypes (i.e., cognitive performance, N = 2233; brain age and AD-related signatures, N = 1134; and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (CSF) of AD and neurodegeneration, N = 304) through a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Our analysis was conducted in the context of the ALFA (ALzheimer and FAmilies) study, a population of cognitively healthy individuals at risk of AD. A total of 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with TL were used to determine the effect of TL on AD endophenotypes. Analyses were adjusted by age, sex, and years of education. Stratified analyses by APOE-epsilon 4 status and polygenic risk score of AD were conducted. MR analysis revealed significant associations between genetically predicted longer TL and lower levels of CSF A beta and higher levels of CSF NfL only in APOE-epsilon 4 non-carriers. Moreover, inheriting longer TL was associated with greater cortical thickness in age and AD-related brain signatures and lower levels of CSF p-tau among individuals at a high genetic predisposition to AD. Further observational analyses are warranted to better understand these associations

El món de les discapacitats : biblioteques, centres de documentació i fons documentals

Recull selectiu, sistemàtic i no avaluatiu de biblioteques, centres de documentació i fons documentals, especialitzats, parcialment o totalment, en discapacitats. El treball s'organitza en registres descriptius que apleguen informació ordenada sota els encapçalaments comuns de fons, catàlegs i serveis; s'ofereixen dades quantitatives i qualitatives amb la intenció d'orientar possibles demandes informatives del camp de les discapacitats. | A selective, systematic and non judgmental collection of data from libraries, document centers and documentary resources, specialized, either partially or totally, in the physically and mentally challenged. The work is organized in descriptive records that gather the information under the common headings Source, Catalogues and Services; offering qualitative and quantitative details with the intention of orientating possible requests for information in the field of the physically and mentally challenged

L'hora de l'audiència social : Anàlisi de l'ús i l'estratègia de les xarxes socials als programes televisius espanyols

El consum de televisió està evolucionant gràcies a les xarxes socials. La televisió lineal permet competir amb el consum a la carta a través de la potenciació de la participació del públic. L'interès de les cadenes de televisió pel fenomen promou la cerca de la millor manera per integrar les xarxes als continguts, quelcom que permet la interactivitat entre professionals dels mitjans, continguts i espectadors.. Tot i així, és difícil veure a la petita pantalla referències a una segona pantalla, com els smartphones, per a participar del multitasking. La nova audiència, sobretot a l'estat espanyol, utilitza les oportunitats de les xarxes, convertint-se en audiència social. La present recerca realitza una panoràmica de l'estratègia a les xarxes dels programes de les cadenes més consumides a nivell català: TV3, TVE, Antena 3, Telecinco, La Sexta i Cuatro. Es demostra que el sector segueix una estratègia digital diferenciada pel gènere i el format del programa, així com els continguts propis i el directe, que els permet una millor connexió amb el públic. Els mitjans encara es troben en una fase inicial pel que fa a la integració de les xarxes en pantalla. La recerca també planteja reptes i tendències de cara al futu