| 1. |
- Cruz, Raquel, et al.
(författare)
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Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity
- 2022
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press. - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 31:22, s. 3789-3806
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.
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| 2. |
- Alex-Amor, Antonio, et al.
(författare)
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Elliptical Glide-Symmetric Holey Metasurfaces for Wideband Anisotropy
- 2020
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Ingår i: 2020 14th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP 2020). - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper presents a mode-matching technique to study the dispersive features of periodic structures composed of glide-symmetric elliptical holes. As a difference from purely numerical methods, our formulation provides physical insight on the Floquet harmonics. At the same time, the computational cost is reduced compared to general purpose commercial software. The fields inside the holes are described by means of Mathieu functions and subsequently used to compute the full 2-D dispersion diagrams. With the presented analysis, we demonstrate that glide-symmetric periodic structures with elliptical holes offer anisotropic refractive indexes over a wide range of frequencies.
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| 3. |
- Alex-Amor, Antonio, et al.
(författare)
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Glide-Symmetric Metallic Structures With Elliptical Holes for Lens Compression
- 2020
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Ingår i: IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 0018-9480 .- 1557-9670. ; 68:10, s. 4236-4248
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this article, we study the wave propagation in a metallic parallel-plate structure with glide-symmetric elliptical holes. To perform this study, we derived a mode-matching technique based on the generalized Floquet theorem for glide-symmetric structures. This mode-matching technique benefits from a lower computational cost since it takes advantage of the glide symmetry in the structure. It also provides physical insight into the specific properties of Floquet modes propagating in these specific structures. With our analysis, we demonstrate that glide-symmetric structures with periodic elliptical holes exhibit an anisotropic refractive index over a wide range of frequencies. The equivalent refractive index can be controlled by tuning the dimensions of the holes. Finally, by combining the anisotropy related to the elliptical holes and transformation optics, a Maxwell fish-eye (MFL) lens with a 33.33% size compression is designed. This lens operates in a wideband frequency range from 2.5 to 10 GHz.
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| 4. |
- Alex-Amor, Antonio, et al.
(författare)
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Wave Propagation in Periodic Metallic Structures with Equilateral Triangular Holes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Applied Sciences. - : MDPI. - 2076-3417. ; 10:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper studies wave propagation in a periodic parallel-plate waveguide with equilateral triangular holes. A mode-matching method is implemented to analyze the dispersion diagram of the structure possessing glide and mirror symmetries. Both structures present an unexpected high degree of isotropy, despite the triangle not being symmetric with respect to rotations of 90 degrees. We give some physical insight on the matter by carrying out a modal decomposition of the total field on the hole and identifying the most significant modes. Additionally, we demonstrate that the electrical size of the triangular hole plays a fundamental role in the physical mechanism that causes that isotropic behavior. Finally, we characterize the influence of the different geometrical parameters that conform the unit cell (period, triangle size, hole depth, separation between metallic plates). The glide-symmetric configuration offers higher equivalent refractive indexes and widens the stopband compared to the mirror-symmetric configuration. We show that the stopband is wider as the triangle size is bigger, unlike holey structures composed of circular and elliptical holes where an optimal hole size exists.
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| 5. |
- Artiach, Gonzalo, et al.
(författare)
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Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Decrease Aortic Valve Disease through the Resolvin E1 and ChemR23 Axis.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Circulation. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 142, s. 776-789
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Aortic valve stenosis (AVS), which is the most common valvular heart disease, causes a progressive narrowing of the aortic valve as a consequence of thickening and calcification of the aortic valve leaflets. The beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in cardiovascular prevention have been recently demonstrated in a large randomized controlled trial. In addition, n-3 PUFA serve as the substrate for the synthesis of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), which are known by their potent beneficial anti-inflammatory, pro-resolving and tissue-modifying properties in cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of n-3 PUFA and SPMs on AVS have not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to identify the role of n-3 PUFA-derived SPMs in relation to the development of AVS. Methods: Lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed in human tricuspid aortic valves. Apoe-/- mice and wire injury in C57BL/6J mice were used as models for mechanistic studies. Results: We found that n-3 PUFA incorporation into human stenotic aortic valves was higher in non-calcified regions compared with calcified regions. LC-MS-MS based lipid mediator lipidomics identified that the n-3 PUFA-derived SPM resolvin E1 (RvE1) was dysregulated in calcified regions and acted as a calcification inhibitor. Apoe-/- mice expressing the Caenorhabditis elegans Fat-1 transgene (Fat-1tgxApoe-/-), which enables the endogenous synthesis of n-3 PUFA, increased valvular n-3 PUFA content, exhibited reduced valve calcification, lower aortic valve leaflet area, increased M2 macrophage polarization and improved echocardiographic parameters. Finally, abrogation of the RvE1 receptor ChemR23 enhanced disease progression, and the beneficial effects of Fat-1tg were abolished in the absence of ChemR23. Conclusions: n-3 PUFA-derived RvE1 and its receptor ChemR23 emerge as a key axis in the inhibition of AVS progression, and may represent a novel potential therapeutic opportunity to be evaluated in patients with AVS.
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| 6. |
- Ayala, Alba, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of Active and Healthy Ageing on Quality of Life Changes : Insights from the Comparison of Three European Countries
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 18:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aimed to analyze the determinants of quality of life (QoL) in older people in three European countries (Portugal, Spain and Sweden). A sample of 7589 participants in waves 4 (2011) and 6 (2015) of the Survey on Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) project, aged 50 and over and living in Portugal, Spain and Sweden, was included. The CASP-12 scale was used to measure QoL. A principal component analysis was performed to group preselected variables related to active and healthy ageing into the dimensions of health, social participation, and lifelong learning. A linear regression model was built using the change in CASP-12 scores over the 4-year follow-up as the dependent variable, including the interactions between country and each independent variable in the model. After four years, the average QoL increased in Portugal (difference = 0.8, p < 0.001), decreased in Spain (-0.8, p < 0.001), and remained constant in Sweden (0.1, p = 0.408). A significant country-participation component interaction (p = 0.039) was found. In Spain, a higher participation (beta = 0.031, p = 0.002) was related to a higher QoL improvement at 4 years, but not in Sweden or Portugal. Physical health and emotional components (beta = 0.099, p < 0.001), functional ability (beta = 0.044, p = 0.023), and cognitive and sensory ability (beta = 0.021, p = 0.026) were associated with QoL changes over time in all countries. The country-specific associations between health, social participation and QoL should be taken into account when developing public health policies to promote QoL among European older people.
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| 7. |
- Beridze, Giorgi, et al.
(författare)
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Are Loneliness and Social Isolation Associated with Quality of Life in Older Adults? Insights from Northern and Southern Europe
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 17:22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Loneliness and social isolation have detrimental effects on health in old age; however, the prospective associations with quality of life (QoL) remain unclear. Furthermore, despite the existence of a European north-south gradient in the distribution of loneliness and social isolation, little is known whether the associations are context-specific. We investigated the relationships between loneliness, social isolation and QoL of older adults residing in the North (Sweden) and South (Spain) of Europe. Methods: Study sample consisted of 2995 Swedish and 4154 Spanish older adults who participated in waves six and seven of the Study on Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Loneliness and social isolation were measured at the baseline, and QoL was measured at the baseline and follow-up using CASP-12. Prospective associations were assessed via multivariate linear regression. Results: In Sweden, subjects with higher vs. lower loneliness had 1.01 (95% CI: -1.55, -0.40) units lower QoL, while every standard deviation increase in social isolation was associated with a 0.27 (95% CI: -0.42, -0.09)-unit decrease in QoL. In Spain, every standard deviation increase in social isolation was associated with a 0.66 (95% CI: -1.11, -0.22)-unit decrease in QoL. The association was stronger in subjects aged <= 65 years old and those with no chronic diseases. The association with loneliness was not statistically significant in Spain. Conclusion: Loneliness and social isolation are prospectively associated with decreased QoL among older adults, yet the associations are contextually bound. Future interventions should target both exposures, among others, in order to increase QoL in this group.
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| 8. |
- Castillo Tapia, Pilar, et al.
(författare)
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Ray-Tracing Model for the Design and Efficiency Calculation of a Monolithic Geodesic Lens Array Antenna
- 2024
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Ingår i: 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2024. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- We propose the use of a generalized ray-tracing model to design geodesic lens array antennas. This model is capable of computing the radiation patterns and taking into account losses due to finite conductivity and surface roughness, which are essential when producing prototypes as single monolithic pieces. The ray-tracing model is used to design a modified Rinehart-Luneburg lens that shows very good agreement with simulations while significantly decreasing computation time. The profile of the lens is designed in such a way that it can be vertically stacked in an array and produced as a single piece. The lens array antenna is manufactured as a single monolithic piece using the laser powder-bed fusion technique. The tests of this prototype validate the use of additive manufacturing for geodesic lens antennas operating in V-band.
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| 9. |
- Castillo Tapia, Pilar, et al.
(författare)
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V-Band Monolithic Additive-Manufactured Geodesic Lens Array Antenna
- 2023
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Ingår i: IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 1536-1225 .- 1548-5757. ; 22:10, s. 2527-2531
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fully metallic geodesic lens antennas are popular for millimeter-wave band applications due to their simplicity, robustness, and low loss. Here, we report the experimental results of a geodesic lens array antenna, which was specifically designed to be additive-manufactured in one single piece using laser powder-bed fusion (LPBF). LPBF in aluminum alloy AlSi10Mg is able to produce high conductivity and relatively low surface roughness, so the antenna is highly directive and efficient. In addition, LPBF increases the robustness of the design since the lens array is monolithic, i.e., the risks associated with the assembly, including misalignments and undesired air gaps between pieces, are totally eliminated.
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| 10. |
- Clendinning, Sarah, et al.
(författare)
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Tailoring the Performance of Geodesic Lens Antennas By Defining their Footprint
- 2024
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Ingår i: 18th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation, EuCAP 2024. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper discusses non-rotationally symmetric geodesic lens antennas. By defining the shape of the lens footprint, additional degrees of freedom are introduced into the design process, allowing for further tailoring of the electromagnetic performance of the lens while simultaneously reducing the volume occupied by the lens. An in-house ray-tracing model for geodesic lenses has been modified to analyze this class of lenses. Examples showing the effect of modifying the lens profile are presented, with a more detailed discussion on profile presenting improved side-lobe levels at the extreme ports. The examples presented operate at 30 GHz.
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