https://hdl.handle.net/2072/478916 2026-04-15T22:51:46Z https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228894 Antibody and Cellular Immune Responses in Old α1,3-Galactosyltransferase-Knockout Mice Implanted with Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Tissues Casós, Kelly; Llatjós, Roger; Blasco Lucas, Arnau; Kuguel, Sebastián G.; Sbraga, Fabrizio; Galli, Cesare; Padler-Karavani, Vered; Le Tourneau, Thierry; Vadori, Marta; Roussel, Jean-Christian; Bottio, Tomaso; Cozzi, Emanuele; Soulillou, Jean Paul; Galiñanes, Manuel; Mañez, Rafael; Costa, Cristina Structural valve deterioration (SVD) remains a key limitation in bioprosthetic heart valve (BHV) usage influenced by patient age. A deeper understanding of SVD pathogenesis, particularly of the immune-mediated processes altering current BHV materials, is therefore critical. To this end, commercially available BHV tissues of bovine, porcine, and equine origin were investigated following subcutaneous implantation into alpha 1,3-galactosyltransferase-knockout (Gal KO) mice. We compared the immune responses between adult and aged animals via histological assessments of explants and measurement of serum anti-galactose alpha 1,3-galactose (Gal) and anti-non-Gal antibodies at 2 months post-implantation. In contrast to adult mice, old Gal KO mice did not show increased levels of serum anti-Gal or -non-Gal antibodies after receiving specific BHV tissue (i.e., Freedom-Solo). Instead, a significant decrease in serum anti-Gal IgM was found in old recipients of Freedom-Solo. Furthermore, the overall cellular immune response was attenuated in explants from old mice compared with adults (i.e., ATS 3f and Crown). Nevertheless, the Freedom-Solo (bovine) and the Hancock-II (porcine) tissues still elicited strong cellular immune infiltration in the old cohorts. Therefore, the Gal KO mouse model offers a valuable platform to investigate age-related differences regarding cellular and humoral immune responses to various BHV tissues, contributing to our understanding of SVD. 2026-04-14T10:21:14Z https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228880 Population-based national incidence of thyroid dysfunction in Spain Alonso, Silvia Patricia; Colomo, Natalia; Montanya Mias, Eduard; Lago Sampedro, Ana; Maldonado Araque, Cristina; García Fuentes, Eduardo Thyroid dysfunction is a common health disorder. However, data on its incidence remain scarce and geographically limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence of thyroid dysfunction in the Spanish adult population and factors associated with its onset. A nationwide observational population‑based cohort study was conducted, including 1,629 euthyroid individuals (not receiving levothyroxine/thionamides, and TSH levels of 0.2-5.0mIU/mL) at baseline (2008–2010), who were re-evaluated in 2016–2017. Multivariable logistic regression analysis assessed the association between incident thyroid dysfunction and potential exposure factors. ROC analysis identified optimal TPOAb and TSH cut-offs for predicting incident hypothyroidism. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of hypothyroidism was 13.38cases/1,000persons-year (CI95% 10.52–16.25) for TSH ≥ 5mIU/mL, and 6.78cases/1,000persons-year (CI95% 4.73–8.83) for TSH ≥ 10mIU/mL. The incidence of hyperthyroidism was 2.65cases/1,000persons-year (CI95% 1.46–3.83). Female sex, age between 30 and 40 and > 60 years, TPOAb > 20mIU/L and TSH > 2.8mIU/mL were independently associated with new cases of hypothyroidism. The presence of obesity, diabetes or urinary iodine levels were not associated with the incidence of thyroid disease. Baseline TPOAb and TSH cut-offs best predicting hypothyroidism were 9.1mIU/L (AUC 0.654; CI95% 0.583–0.725; p < 0.001), and 2.03mIU/mL (AUC 0.702; CI95% 0.639–0.766; p < 0.001) respectively. This study provides data on incidence rates and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction in the adult Spanish population. 2026-04-14T07:46:27Z https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228887 Evidence for a role of memory in novel word-learning after perinatal stroke François, Clément; Ferreri, Laura; Ripollés, Pablo; Garcia Alix, Alfredo; Rodríguez Fornells, Antoni; Bosch, Laura Children with left perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAIS) often exhibit language deficits. However, evaluations of learning abilities are scarce. We compared word-referent associative learning and recall performance using a fast-mapping paradigm in a group of 3.5-year-old children with PAIS and in age-matched controls. The task involved a referent selection phase followed by immediate and delayed recall trials of the novel word-object associations. While no between-group differences were observed in the referent selection and immediate recall, children with PAIS showed lower performance in delayed recall of the newly learned associations. These results suggest that word learning difficulties after PAIS may arise due to a memory retention failure rather than to the process of referent selection through disambiguation involved in the fast mapping task. We discuss these findings in relation to the neural bases of infant language acquisition and their implications for clinical practice, particularly in terms of improving lexical acquisition and retention in children with PAIS. 2026-04-14T09:33:18Z https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228908 Trait anxiety is associated with attentional brain networks Peña Arteaga, Víctor de la; Chavarría-Elizondo, Pamela; Juaneda Seguí, Asier; Martínez Zalacaín, Ignacio; Morgado, Pedro; Menchón Magriñá, José Manuel; Picó Pérez, Maria; Fullana Rivas, Miguel Àngel; Soriano Mas, Carles Trait anxiety is a well-established risk factor for anxiety and depressive disorders, yet its neural correlates are not clearly understood. In this study, we investigated the neural correlates of trait anxiety in a large sample (n = 179) of individuals who completed the trait and state versions of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We used independent component analysis to characterize individual resting-state networks (RSNs), and multiple regression analyses to assess the relationship between trait anxiety and intrinsic connectivity. Trait anxiety was significantly associated with intrinsic connectivity in different regions of three RSNs (dorsal attention network, default mode network, and auditory network) when controlling for state anxiety. These RSNs primarily support attentional processes. Notably, when state anxiety was not controlled for, a different pattern of results emerged, highlighting the importance of considering this factor in assessing the neural correlates of trait anxiety. Our findings suggest that trait anxiety is uniquely associated with resting-state brain connectivity in networks mainly supporting attentional processes. Moreover, controlling for state anxiety is crucial when assessing the neural correlates of trait anxiety. These insights may help refine current neurobiological models of anxiety and identify potential targets for neurobiologically-based interventions. 2026-04-14T14:15:49Z