Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona
El Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona és el repositori institucional que conté en format digital els materials derivats de l'activitat docent, investigadora i institucional de la comunitat universitària.
Enviaments recents
ArticleDeletion of Mfn2 in endothelial cells triggers a mitohormetic response that improves systemic metabolism and healthspan in mice(Cell Press, 2026-03-03) Chivite Ferriz, Iván; Monelli, Erika; Munar Gelabert, Margalida; Gómez Valadés, Alicia G.; Alvarado Díaz, Abdiel; Pozo, Macarena; Varela, Luis; Ramírez, Samuel; Haddad Tovolli, Roberta; Toledo, Miriam; Fos Domènech, Júlia; Díaz-Castro, Francisco; Tahiri, Iasim; García Ramón, Pau; Ferreira, Mariana; van Gelder, Chloe; Abot, Anne; Osorio Conles, Óscar; Valer, José Antonio; Obri, Arnaud; Milà Guasch, Maria; Alvarez-Luis, J.; Villacampa, Pilar; Eyre, Elena; Altirriba Gutiérrez, Jordi; Genbler Sabrina; Haake, Markus; Schuberth Wagner, Christine; Remesar Betlloch, Xavier; Zorzano Olarte, Antonio; Garcia Roves Gonzalez, Pablo Miguel; Ventura Pujol, Francesc; Vidal i Cortada, Josep; Knauf, Claude; Nogueiras, Rubén; Horvath, Tamas L.; de Bock, Katrien; Graupera i Garcia-Milà, Mariona; Claret i Carles, MarcEndothelial cells (ECs) are key metabolic gatekeepers, yet their role in metabolic health remains unclear. Given their central involvement in energy metabolism, mitochondria are ideally positioned to enable ECs to adapt to ever-changing metabolic requirements. Here, we explore the hypothesis that mitochondrial dynamics proteins in ECs influence whole-body metabolic status. Genetic deficiency of Mfn2 in ECs (Mfn2<sup>iΔEC</sup>), but not of Mfn1<sup>iΔEC</sup>, induces a mitohormetic response in the adipose vasculature, enhancing antioxidant defenses, mitochondrial fitness, and lipid oxidation, ultimately improving metabolic outcomes. Cultured ECs secrete the mitokine growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) via a forkhead box O1 (FOXO1)-dependent axis, a response also observed under stress conditions in vivo. Notably, Mfn2<sup>iΔEC</sup> mice exhibited elevated endothelial and circulating GDF15 levels, and neutralization of GDF15 partly attenuated their metabolic benefits. Consistent with mitohormetic activation, Mfn2<sup>iΔEC</sup> mice showed protection against diet-induced obesity and delayed age-related decline. Hence, vascular mitohormetic adaptations emerge as a novel mechanism promoting systemic metabolic health.- ArticleSupervised clustering using SOM for severity-based pattern detection in urban traffic crashes(Elsevier, 2026) Bermúdez, Lluís; Morillo, Isabel; Salazar, AnnaUrban traffic crashes remain a critical public health challenge, particularly for vulnerable road users. This study introduces a novel data-driven methodology to support urban road safety planning by identifying well-defined, interpretable crash typologies associated with fatal or serious injuries. The proposed framework relies on a supervised clustering strategy that integrates SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values with Self-Organizing Maps (SOM). Applied to urban crash data from Barcelona (2017-2019), the approach uncovers ten distinct and interpretable crash typologies, capturing high-risk scenarios such as speed-related nighttime collisions and pedestrian-heavy vehicle conflicts, as well as less explored patterns including two-wheeler falls and bicyclemotorcycle interactions. By combining SHAP-based explanations with topology-preserving neural mapping, the SOM framework reveals subtle gradations of risk, preserves neighborhood relationships among crash profiles, and enhances subgroup detection and interpretability beyond traditional unsupervised clustering methods and standard eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (xAI) summaries. These results underscore the potential of SOM-based supervised clustering to inform targeted, data-driven safety interventions. More broadly, the study advances methodological research on supervised clustering and offers a transferable tool for detecting high-dimensional risk patterns in urban safety analysis and other applied domains.
- ArticleTaguchi optimisation of the synthesis of vine-pruning-waste hydrochar as potential adsorbent for pesticides in water(Elsevier B.V., 2024-03-07) Duran, J. Esteban; Bayarri Ferrer, Bernardí; Sans Mazón, CarmeThis research aimed to synthesise an effective hydrochar adsorbent from vineyard pruning wastes to remove emerging contaminants as a potential valorisation product. The adsorption capacity of the hydrochar was optimised using the Taguchi method. Four synthesis variables were evaluated: hydrothermal reaction temperature, use of H3PO4 as a catalyst, number of acetone washes, and type of chemical cold activation. The simultaneous adsorption of five model pesticides (clothianidin (CTD), acetamiprid (ACE), 2,4-D, metalaxyl (MET), and atrazine (ATZ)) at an initial pH of 7 was studied. At optimum conditions, the hydrochar presented a total adsorption capacity of 22.7 μmol/g, representing a 2.7-fold improvement with respect to pristine hydrochar performance. High percentage removals were achieved for all pollutants (85 % CTD, 94 % ACE, 86 % MET, and 95 % ATZ) except for 2,4-D (4 %). This research provides a valuable reference for developing hydrochar adsorbents for pollution control and the valorisation of biomass wastes.
- ArticleInstitutional quality, cultural values and digital transformation in MSMEs: the moderating role of uncertainty avoidance in emerging economies(Emerald Publishing, 2026-04-28) Clemente Almendros, José Antonio; Ivan Pastor Sanz; Nicoara-Popescu, Doriana; Somohano Rodriguez, Francisco M.Purpose -- Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) digital adoption exhibits significant disparities across nations. We extend beyond traditional approaches by examining both the separate and combined effects of institutional settings and society's risk aversion on digital transformation. We focus on uncertainty avoidance (UA), as it captures societal attitudes toward risk and change, being aspects inherently linked to digital transformation processes. Design/methodology/approach -- Using data from 17,498 Ibero-American MSMEs, our results reveal that favorable institutional environments positively influence digital transformation, while high UA hinders it. Findings -- Additionally, we find a significant moderating effect: as UA increases, the positive impact of institutional quality on digital adoption diminishes. Originality/value -- These findings suggest societal attitudes toward uncertainty and risk can override institutional support for digital transformation, even in strong institutional frameworks.
- Document de treballModelling sociodemographic determinants of healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) loss among older adults in Spain using discretised beta regression(Universitat de Barcelona. Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, 2026) Santolino, Miguel; El Ferjani, IbtissamePurpose: This study aims to identify the main factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) loss among older adults in Spain by modelling EQ-5D-5L health utility outcomes using alternative regression frameworks. Methods: Data comes from the population-based health survey conducted in Catalonia (Spain) for 2024. The survey includes sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle information from 1,227 individuals aged 60 years and older. To account for the discrete and bounded nature of HRQoL scores, we use the discretised beta regression (DBR) to analyse factors associated with HRQoL loss, a modelling approach not previously applied to health utility outcomes. The performance of the DBR is compared with traditional zero-one inflated regression models. Results: The DBR model showed higher predictive accuracy. Greater perceived HRQoL loss was associated with economic hardship, weak social support, sex, obesity, disability and limited mobility. Ageing initially appears to be associated with a greater loss (mean=0.16, q5=0.12, q95=0.25), but this relationship was no longer supported once disability was accounted for (mean=0.03, q5=-0.02, q95=0.07), indicating that the observed deterioration with age is largely mediated by functional decline rather than ageing itself. Conclusion: DBR provides a theoretically grounded alternative to conventional regression methods commonly applied in HRQoL analysis and is particularly well suited to the distributional properties of the EQ-5D utility decrements. Perceived HRQoL loss in later life is not primarily driven by chronological age, as differences in HRQoL loss among older adults are linked to persistent social and economic inequalities rather than ageing itself.