https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/4337 Sun, 23 Aug 2026 02:39:03 GMT 2026-08-23T02:39:03Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7377 Visual Thinking to Explore “Relational Pharmacology”: Systemic Maps for Managing Non-Selective Antidepressants in Cardiovascular Prevention García-Domínguez, Irene; Rodríguez-Luna, Azahara; Machuca González, Manuel Abstract Relational pharmacology introduces an innovative approach using visual thinking to understand how drugs interact with multiple body systems, addressing the limitations of the traditional “reductionist approach”. While conventional pharmacology focuses on individual drug effects, it struggles with the complexities of polypharmacy, where multiple medications interact via shared metabolic pathways. This article highlights integrating systemic maps into educational methodologies to empower students in identifying and assessing medication risks. By visualizing the body and drug therapy as interconnected systems, students can better understand complex pharmacological interactions beyond linear frameworks. This approach enables active learning and real-life case analysis, such as cardiovascular prevention with non-selective antidepressants, where multiple drug interactions must be considered. It also fosters global health education by promoting the exchange of effective teaching practices and addressing challenges in healthcare training. Systemic maps prepare students for clinical decision-making by enhancing their ability to manage risks and complex cases effectively. Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7377 2025-06-27T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7374 Real-time emotion recognition pipeline in videogames using physiological signals from a wearable device and facial action labels Luna-Perejón, Francisco; Civit, Miguel; Muñoz-Saavedra, Luis; Civit-Masot, Javier; Domínguez-Morales, Manuel; Miró-Amarante, Lourdes Advancing real-time emotion recognition in dynamic, naturalistic environments is pivotal for applications in gaming, mental health, and personalized education. This study introduces and evaluates an intelligent emotion recognition pipeline using physiological data from a wearable device, designed for this purpose. This system integrates continuous physiological sensing via the Empatica EmbracePlus wristband. Data were collected from 25 university students engaged in naturalistic gameplay across three commercial video games, forming the basis of the PaGER-Sync ADICVIDEO dataset. Emotions were labeled at a frame-level using FaceReader, providing high-granularity. The proposed classification pipeline employs a Random Forest classifier trained directly on short, lagged windows of raw physiological signals (EDA and BVP), eliminating the need for handcrafted feature extraction and achieving sub-50 ms inference latency, confirming suitability for real-time deployment. Addressing class imbalance with SMOTE-based data augmentation, the system achieved a robust performance, yielding 86.01% accuracy and a macro-averaged AUC of 0.98 across six discrete emotions. Model interpretability, crucial for building trustworthy intelligent systems, is quantified through SHAP-based analyses, revealing the individual contributions of physiological features. These compelling results demonstrate the feasibility of non-invasive, privacy-preserving, real-time emotion recognition using minimal wearable sensors, thereby supporting the development of scalable, interpretable, and computationally efficient affective computing applications in diverse real-world contexts. Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7374 2026-07-09T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7373 Pathogenic variants in the autophagy-tethering factor EPG5 drive neurodegeneration through mitochondrial dysfunction and innate immune activation Singh, Kritarth; Salimi Dafsari, Hormos; Gillham, Olivia; Chi, Haoyu; Mandzhukova, Ivet; Kourouzidou, Ioanna; Sheshadri, Preethi; Chung, Chih-Yao; Pingitore, Valeria; Vansenne, Fleur; Selwood, David L.; Pendin, Diana; Szabadkai, Gyorgy; Fanto, Manolis; Jungbluth, Heinz; Duchen, Michael R. The autophagy-tethering factor ectopic P-granule 5 autophagy protein (EPG5) plays a key role in autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Impaired autophagy associated with pathogenic variants in EPG5 causes a rare devastating multisystem disorder known as Vici syndrome, which features neurodevelopmental defects, severe progressive neurodegeneration and immunodeficiency. The pathophysiological mechanisms driving disease presentation and progression are only partially understood. In patient-derived fibroblasts and iPS cells differentiated to cortical neurons, we find that impaired mitophagy leads to mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction. Physiological cytosolic Ca2+ transients result in unexpected mitochondrial Ca2+ overload despite a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. This is attributed to downregulation of MICU1. Ca2+ signals cause mitochondrial depolarisation, mtDNA release and activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, reversed by pharmacological inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) or of the STING pathway. Thus, we identify a pathophysiological cascade driving disease progression associated with EPG5 deficiency, including impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics, mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, vulnerability to mPTP opening and activation of innate immune signalling, signposting multiple potential therapeutic targets. Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7373 2026-06-04T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7372 Mitochondria–sarcoplasmic reticulum crosstalk as a modulator of skeletal muscle mass Casuso, Rafael A. Preservation of skeletal muscle mass and function is a key feature of healthy ageing and relies on the tight coordination between protein synthesis and breakdown to maintain proteostatic balance. These processes impose a substantial energetic demand, highlighting the importance of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle homeostasis. Increasing evidence indicates that mitochondria and the sarcoplasmic reticulum are functionally interconnected. Effective crosstalk between these organelles contributes to the integration of bioenergetic supply, Ca²⁺ handling, and proteostasis. Disruption of this communication network may impair adaptive stress responses, compromise protein quality control, and favour the development of anabolic resistance during ageing. This review synthesizes current evidence on mitochondria–sarcoplasmic reticulum communication. It further discusses how disruption of this crosstalk may promote anabolic resistance and skeletal muscle atrophy, with particular emphasis on its implications for age-related muscle decline. Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12412/7372 2026-06-30T00:00:00Z