Nodal involvement evaluation in advanced cervical cancer: a single institutional experience

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of different imaging techniques in the detection of nodal involvement in patients with advanced cervical carcinoma. Moreover, to analyze the correlation between the presurgical (FIGO) and postsurgical (pTNM) staging classifications. Materials and Methods: All patients diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer (FIGO Stages IIB-IV) from 2005 to 2012 were selected. The medical charts of 51 patients that underwent presurgical assessment with posterior surgical staging by means of paraaortic lymphadenectomy, were reviewed. Nodal status assessment by computed tomography scan (CT scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and sonography was compared, as well as the size given in imaging techniques compared to the final pathologic report information. Results: Presurgical analysis by CT scan, MRI, PET, and sonography showed pelvic nodal involvement in 51.3% of patients, and para-aortic involvement in 30.8% of cases. CT scan showed positive pelvic nodes in 35% of cases, but pathologic confirmation was observed in just 17.6% of cases. However, MRI resulted in higher rates of up to 48.8% of cases. Concerning para-aortic nodal involvement, CT scan showed positive nodes in 25% of cases, MRI in 3.2% of cases, and the pathologic report in 15.6% of cases. The authors found significant differences between staging groups among both classifications (FIGO vs. pTNM; p < 0.001). Eight cases (15.7%) were understaged by FIGO classification. Conclusions: Despite all imaging techniques available, none has demonstrated to be efficient enough to avoid the systematic study of para-aortic nodal status by means of surgical evaluatio

Perfect imaging with geodesic waveguides

Transformation optics is used to prove that a spherical waveguide filled with an isotropic material with radial refractive index n=1/r has radial polarized modes (i.e. the electric field has only radial component) with the same perfect focusing properties as the Maxwell Fish-Eye lens. The approximate version of that device using a thin waveguide with a homogenous core paves the way to experimentally prove perfect imaging in the Maxwell Fish Eye lens

On numerical simulation of powder compaction process: powder transfer modelling and characterisation

A numerical model for the powder transfer stage in powder metallurgy cold compaction processes, and the corresponding material characterisation procedure, are proposed. They have been designed on the basis of the following requirements: robust and consistent computational mechanics ingredients, reliability of the obtained results for practical processes in powder metallurgy and industrial viability in the sense that characterisation of any mixture doesn&#39;t require either much effort or much time of the enduser. The starting point is a previously developed numerical model for powder compaction, formulated in terms of the large plastic deformation theory, which requires calibration of four parameters controlling the evolution of the yield surface. This calibration, which had been successfully carried out in the past in a range of moderate to high densities, is now extended to very low densities in order to make numerical simulations able to deal with compaction processes involving relevant powder transfer stages. To circumvent the difficulties inherent to direct measurements of very low powder densities, a simple apparatus, which allows studying the powder motion in the chamber, has been designed to provide an indirect way of calibration. On this basis, a set of calibration experiments is proposed. The proposed methodology appears to be simple and industrially viable. Although in the work it is applied to the specific constitutive model used by the authors, it also appears available for other families of constitutive models for powder compaction. As a relevant result, this would allow the same constitutive model to be used, via only the appropriated material characterisation, for simulation of densification in powder transfer stages as well as in pure compaction stage

The ALHAMBRA photometric system

This paper presents the characterization of the optical range of the ALHAMBRA photometric system, a 20 contiguous, equal-width, medium-band CCD system with wavelength coverage from 3500A to 9700A. The photometric description of the system is done by presenting the full response curve as a product of the filters, CCD and atmospheric transmission curves, and using some first and second order moments of this response function. We also introduce the set of standard stars that defines the system, formed by 31 classic spectrophotometric standard stars which have been used in the calibration of other known photometric systems, and 288 stars, flux calibrated homogeneously, from the Next Generation Spectral Library (NGSL). Based on the NGSL, we determine the transformation equations between Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) ugriz photometry and the ALHAMBRA photometric system, in order to establish some relations between both systems. Finally we develop and discuss a strategy to calculate the photometric zero points of the different pointings in the ALHAMBRA project.Comment: Astronomical Journal on the 14th of January 201

Identification of circulating microRNA profiles associated with pulmonary function and radiologic features in survivors of SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS

ABSTRACT There is a limited understanding of the pathophysiology of postacute pulmonary sequelae in severe COVID-19. The aim of current study was to define the circulating microRNA (miRNA) profiles associated with pulmonary function and radiologic features in survivors of SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS. The study included patients who developed ARDS secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection (n=167) and a group of infected patients who did not develop ARDS (n=33). Patients were evaluated 3 months after hospital discharge. The follow-up included a complete pulmonary evaluation and chest computed tomography. Plasma miRNA profiling was performed using RT-qPCR. Random forest was used to construct miRNA signatures associated with lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and total severity score (TSS). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses were conducted. DLCO<80% predicted was observed in 81.8% of the patients. TSS showed a median [P25;P75] of 5 [2;8]. The miRNA model associated with DLCO comprised miR-17-5p, miR-27a-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-146a-5p and miR-495-3p. Concerning radiologic features, a miRNA signature composed by miR-9-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-24-3p and miR-221-3p correlated with TSS values. These associations were not observed in the non-ARDS group. KEGG pathway and GO enrichment analyses provided evidence of molecular mechanisms related not only to profibrotic or anti-inflammatory states but also to cell death, immune response, hypoxia, vascularization, coagulation and viral infection. In conclusion, diffusing capacity and radiological features in survivors from SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS are associated with specific miRNA profiles. These findings provide novel insights into the possible molecular pathways underlying the pathogenesis of pulmonary sequelae. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04457505.. Trial registration: ISRCTN.org identifier: ISRCTN16865246..This work is supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00110), co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)/“A way to make Europe”. CIBERES is an initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. CIBERES is an initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Suported by: Programa de donaciones "estar preparados" UNESPA (Madrid, Spain) and Fundación Francisco Soria Melguizo (Madrid, Spain).. Finançat per La Fundació La Marató de TV3, projecte amb codi 202108-30/-31. COVIDPONENT is funded by Institut Català de la Salut and Gestió de Serveis Sanitaris. MM is the recipient of a predoctoral fellowship (PFIS: FI21/00187) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. MCGH is the recipient of a predoctoral fellowship from “University of Lleida”. DdGC has received financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Miguel Servet 2020: CP20/00041), co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF)/“Investing in your future”. ENL and GL were funded by COVID1005 and ACT210085 from National Agency of Investigation & Development (ANID), Chile."Article signat per 27 autors/es: María C. García-Hidalgo, Jessica González, Iván D. Benítez, Paola Carmona, Sally Santisteve, Manel Pérez-Pons, Anna Moncusí-Moix, Clara Gort-Paniello, Fátima Rodríguez-Jara, Marta Molinero, Thalia Belmonte, Gerard Torres, Gonzalo Labarca, Estefania Nova-Lamperti, Jesús Caballero, Jesús F. Bermejo-Martin, Adrián Ceccato, Laia Fernández-Barat, Ricard Ferrer, Dario Garcia-Gasulla, Rosario Menéndez, Ana Motos ,Oscar Peñuelas, Jordi Riera, Antoni Torres, Ferran Barbé, David de Gonzalo-Calvo & on behalf of the CIBERESUCICOVID Project (COV20/00110 ISCIII)"Postprint (published version

Efectos de fertilizacion en papas con compost, gallinaza y combinaciones de ambos

En una parcela experimental del Centro Superior de Ciencias Agrarias de la Universidad de La Laguna, que se viene cultivando ecológicamente desde hace seis años, se ha realizado un ensayo de fertilización sobre papas de la variedad «Red Cara». Los seis tratamientos ensayados han sido: un testigo, dos de compost muy maduro, uno de gallinaza madura y tres de compost con distintos niveles de gallinaza. Los tratamientos se han distribuido en bloques al azar con cuatro repeticiones, en parcelas elementales de 15 m2 de superficie cada una. Se cuantifican los rendimientos de las cosechas, así como la densidad y materia seca de los tubérculos, realizándose una análisis de varianza para determinar las diferencias entre tratamientos

Land use change effects on soil organic carbon store. An opportunity to soils regeneration in Mediterranean areas: Implications in the 4p1000 notion

Abstract The knowledge about land management effects on soil capacity to store carbon is necessary to planning effective strategies by managers and decision-makers. In this study we analyzed the land use change (LUC) effects on soil organic carbon stocks (SOC-S) for long term in the Sardinia region - Italy (Mediterranean area). Throughout the 20th century, the studied area has undergone different LUC. The first LUC was in 1938, from forest to agricultural land under three different uses: vineyards, hay crop and pasture, later (1966) some of this agricultural land were abandoned to seminatural ecosystem (second LUC). The different LUC affected to SOC-S causing decarbonization, carbonization and recarbonization processes along the soil profile. The different land uses studied chronologically were: i) natural forest - cork oak forest (Cof), ii) tilled vineyard (Tv), iii) no tilled grassed vineyard (Ntgv), iv) hay crop (Hc), v) pasture - silvopastoral and silvoarable practices (P), and vi) former vineyard - vineyards abandoned and naturally revegetated (Fv). The first LUC (Cof to Tv, Ntgv, Hc and P) caused 5.1% and 37.5% reduction on SOC-S for Tv and Ntgv (soil decarbonization), however, the SOC-S increased 47.1% and 51.3% for Hc and P respectively (soil carbonization). The second LUC (Tv and Ntgv to Fv) increased the SOC-S on average 66.3% (soil recarbonization). In general, these effects were observed principally in depth. This study shows the importance of land use and LUC with respect to SOC-S, and that the human action can degrade and/or regenerate the soil, affecting to soil functions. Consequently, is necessity to promote good environmental practices to improve the soil functions and to reduce the greenhouse gases (ecosystem services). On the presumption that the SOC sequestration through of agricultural management can reduced the atmospheric CO2 concentration (4p1000 target in the XXI Conference of the Parties – Paris, 2015). Therefore, the soils regeneration via carbonization and/or recarbonization is an opportunity to prevent the climate change

The NALP3/Cryopyrin-Inflammasome Complex is Expressed in LPS-Induced Ocular Inflammation

In the inflammosome complex, NALP3 or NALP1 binds to ASC and activates caspase-1 which induces IL-1β. In murine LPS-induced ocular inflammation, the production of IL-1β is increased. We suggest that NALP3- or NALP1-inflammasome complex can be participating in the LPS-induced ocular inflammation. In this work, eye, brain, testis, heart, spleen, and lung were obtained from C3H/HeN mice treated with LPS for 3 to 48 hours, and the expression of NALP1b, NALP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 was determined. Infiltrated leukocytes producing IL-1β in the anterior chamber were found at 12-hour posttreatment. A high upregulated expression of NALP3, ASC, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 was found at the same time when infiltrated leukocytes were observed. NALP1b was not detected in the eye of treated mice. NALP3 was also overexpressed in heart and lung. These results suggest that NALP3-, but not NALP1-inflammosome complex, is participating in the murine LPS-induced ocular inflammation

Influencia Del Comité De Auditoría En El Desempeño Financiero Organizacional, En Empresas Mexicanas Cotizadas (2010-2014)

The purpose of this paper is to know the level of compliance with corporate practices related to the audit function, contained in the Code of Best Corporate Practices, issued by the National Banking and Securities Commission and influence on organizational financial performance (specifically on financial profitability), for this, a sample of 405 questionnaires of best corporate practices, belonging to 125 non-financial companies, are listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange during the period, 2010-2014. The results of the application of the linear regression model, could allow us to affirm that the Audit Function (INDEX_FA), increases the financial profitability of the organizations, which is a great success on the part of the Mexican regulators