The Prometastatic Microenvironment of the Liver

The liver is a major metastasis-susceptible site and majority of patients with hepatic metastasis die from the disease in the absence of efficient treatments. The intrahepatic circulation and microvascular arrest of cancer cells trigger a local inflammatory reaction leading to cancer cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity via oxidative stress mediators (mainly nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide) and hepatic natural killer cells. However, certain cancer cells that resist or even deactivate these anti-tumoral defense mechanisms still can adhere to endothelial cells of the hepatic microvasculature through proinflammatory cytokine-mediated mechanisms. During their temporary residence, some of these cancer cells ignore growth-inhibitory factors while respond to proliferation-stimulating factors released from tumor-activated hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells. This leads to avascular micrometastasis generation in periportal areas of hepatic lobules. Hepatocytes and myofibroblasts derived from portal tracts and activated hepatic stellate cells are next recruited into some of these avascular micrometastases. These create a private microenvironment that supports their development through the specific release of both proangiogenic factors and cancer cell invasion- and proliferation-stimulating factors. Moreover, both soluble factors from tumor-activated hepatocytes and myofibroblasts also contribute to the regulation of metastatic cancer cell genes. Therefore, the liver offers a prometastatic microenvironment to circulating cancer cells that supports metastasis development. The ability to resist anti-tumor hepatic defense and to take advantage of hepatic cell-derived factors are key phenotypic properties of liver-metastasizing cancer cells. Knowledge on hepatic metastasis regulation by microenvironment opens multiple opportunities for metastasis inhibition at both subclinical and advanced stages. In addition, together with metastasis-related gene profiles revealing the existence of liver metastasis potential in primary tumors, new biomarkers on the prometastatic microenvironment of the liver may be helpful for the individual assessment of hepatic metastasis risk in cancer patients

A swarm intelligence method for feature tracking in AMV derivation

Feature tracking is a key step in the derivation of Atmospheric Motion Vectors (AMV). Most operational derivation processes use some template matching technique, such as Euclidean distance or cross-correlation, for the tracking step. As this step is very expensive computationally, often shortrange forecasts generated by Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) systems are used to reduce the search area. Alternatives, such as optical flow methods, have been explored, with the aim of improving the number and quality of the vectors generated and the computational efficiency of the process. This paper will present the research carried out to apply Stochastic Diffusion Search, a generic search technique in the Swarm Intelligence family, to feature tracking in the context of AMV derivation. The method will be described, and we will present initial results, with Euclidean distance as reference

Application of Gaussian multi-scale representation to feature tracking in meteorological satellite imagery

Gaussian multi-scale representation is a mathematical framework that allows to analyse images at different scales in a consistent manner, and to handle derivatives in a way deeply connected to scale. This paper uses Gaussian multi-scale representation to investigate several aspects of the derivation of atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) from water vapour imagery. The contribution of different spatial frequencies to the tracking is studied, for a range of tracer sizes, and a number of tracer selection methods are presented and compared, using WV 6.2 images from the geostationary satellite MSG-2

Visual arts in education, educational intervention project based learning throught contemporary visual arts

Visual Arts in Education (VA.E) is a research project based on the teaching and learning of contemporary visual arts through an innovative methodology based on globalization and interdisciplinarity in teaching to promote analytical thinking, critical and creative in the different stages of education. The research team focused their study on the innovative use and implementation in the classrooms of Schools SEK E.CO KIT, suitcase teaching created by the General Division Promotion of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. This training material is designed as a proposal of visual literacy for children 4 to 10 years. Its main objective is to motivate children in a process of reflection, analysis and discovery on images worked through the game, understanding, appreciation and apprehension of the visual arts. Thus, under a constructivist perspective, individualized, students become protagonists in the process of creating your own visual code worked internalize new learning in the classroom. VA.E team developed a parallel investigation to the overall objectives of the project in order to assess the educational content of the same. It will analyze the development of cognitive and creative capacities of the child produced in the nursery and primary use of the kit as well as the achievement of key objectives in learning through the images worked. The project will be innovative with respect to the main objective, it will study the application and use of this material in training and personal development of students with high cognitive abilities

Visual arts in education (VA.E): A learning experience for the cognitive affective development of the students

In an era characterized by an overabundance of messages (Sanchez, 1997), visual illiteracy, caused by ignorance of the code, leaves the consumer in a precarious situation of helplessness to the messages they receive from various media and communication (Ferres, 1996). The school, in their pedagogical students are taught by traditional linguistic content, is opening a gap that separates it from the most innovative contemporary teaching. These didactics propose a higher level of criticality by students, developing skills and operational skills within what to teach? (From Zubiría, 1994). This is achieved through modern practices and sentimental emotional development of each individual within a "know-how" and "know how to be" in line with the demands of the new knowledge society and information. We need, therefore, contain media literacy in schools, in order to show the importance of this dynamic and its impact on the citizens of today and tomorrow (Beltran and Calderon, 2007). These and other reasons are why we need to develop in our young people skills that will facilitate the critical reception of media, achieving a better reading of the messages they consume, and therefore can reduce the negative effects that the media produced in their personal and social development and social. This, with the support of the school, starting with the earliest stages of education and continuing progressively throughout the entire education system up to the University, must help educate students with skills and competencies that enable them to play a better role within society. Media literacy is a vehicle for achieving this goal. Visual Arts in Education (VA.E) is a research project based on the teaching and learning of contemporary visual arts in kindergartens and elementary schools. Its main objective is to analyze the use and implementation in SEK schools in the Community of Madrid, a suitcase teaching created by the General Division Promotion of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports: The KIT E.CO. This training material is designed as a proposal of visual literacy for children from 4 to 10 years old. Its main objective is to motivate them in a process of analysis and discovery of the pictures throughout the game, understanding, appreciation and apprehension of the visual arts. In this way, they become stakeholders in the process of creating your own visual code. The present paper is part of a parallel investigation to the overall objectives of the project, which aims to evaluate the teaching of it. To analyze the development of cognitive abilities and creative that will occur in the child of this age with the use of KIT and achieving key learning objectives through the image and all, from units of inquiry as part of an international and bilingual education

Calidad del suelo en zonas productoras de mango en el Departamento del Magdalena, Colombia

Sugar mango (Mangifera indica L.) is cultivated in the department of Magdalena, municipalities of Santa Marta and Cienaga mainly, where it expresses its best agronomic behavior and best fruit quality. Its high demand has generated the need to increase the cultivation areas; however, there are no defined criteria to identify potential areas for its establishment. The study consisted of constructing a soil quality index for sugar mango production, based on twelve physical and fifteen chemical indicators of the soil. In seven sugar mango farms in the department of Magdalena, three plots per farm of 350 m2 were selected and the properties of the soils were characterized in each plot. The characteristics of the soil where the cultivar expresses its highest yield and fruit quality were the reference indicators. The soil quality indicator was formulated based on the variables that explained greater variability and were moreredundant based on their correlations. Additionally, a weight was given to each variable depending on its importance for agronomic behavior of the cultivar. The soil indicators showed variation, especially the nutrients Zn, Cu, Fe, S, and P in the chemical properties and infiltration and structure index in the physical properties. The chemical and physical variables with the greatest weight were pHand sand content, respectively. The proposed soil quality index turned out to be a good method to classify soil quality for sugar mango production based on physical and chemical soil indicators.El mango de azúcar (Mangifera indica L.) es cultivado en el departamento del Magdalena, municipios de Santa Marta y Ciénaga principalmente, lugar donde expresa su mejor comportamiento agronómico y mejor calidad de la fruta. Su alta demanda ha generado la necesidad de aumentar las áreas del cultivo; sin embargo, no existen criterios definidos para identificar zonas potenciales para su establecimiento. El estudio consistió en construir un índice de calidad de suelo para la producción de mango en función de doce indicadores físicos y quince indicadores químicos de los suelos. En siete fincas de mango de azúcar del departamento del Magdalena se seleccionaron tres parcelas de 350 m2 por finca y en cada parcela se caracterizaron las propiedades físicas y químicas de los suelos. Las características de los suelos donde el cultivar expresa su mayor rendimiento y calidad de fruta fueron los indicadores de referencia para cada variable estudiada. El indicador de calidad de suelo se formuló en función de las variables que explicaban mayor variabilidad y fueron más redundantes en base a sus correlaciones. Adicionalmente, se dio un peso a cada variable dependiendo de su importancia para el comportamiento agronómico del cultivar. Los indicadores del suelo mostraron variación, especialmente los nutrientes Zn, Cu, Fe, S y P en las propiedades químicas y la infiltración y el índice de estructura en las propiedades físicas. Las variables químicas y físicas con mayor peso fueron el pH y el contenido de arena, respectivamente. El índice de calidad de suelo propuesto resultó ser un buen método para clasificar la calidad del suelo para la producción de mango de azúcar en función de indicadores físicos y químicos del suel

Recommendations for the critical reading of clinical trials on disease-modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis

Introduction: In recent years there has been an increase in the number of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) approved for multiple sclerosis (MS). The evidence of their safety and efficacy has been obtained through several phase III and IV clinical trials. Acquiring the skills for their appraisal is indispensable for clinicians to assess the most pertinent treatment for patients. The objective of this study is to provide guidance in the critical reading of these trials. Methods: A three-round e-Delphi study was carried out. In the preparatory phase, a multidisciplinary expert panel was established. Panel members were selected based on their scientific credentials and experience, seeking to include people involved in MS diagnosis, treatment and research. A semi-open questionnaire was developed based on key generic and MS-specific methodological instruments identified through a scoping bibliographic search. The experts were required to identify essential aspects for critically appraising clinical trials on DMDs for MS. Results: The expert panel consisted of nine independent leading Spanish experts with long-standing experience with MS (five neurologists, a neuroradiologist, a pharmacologist, a research methodologist and an MS community representative). The e-Delphi study resulted in consensus recommendations intended to help readers in answering five major questions: “Is the study free of bias?”; “Are the included patients adequate?”; “Are the outcome measures appropriate?”; “Are the results relevant?”; and “Is the study transparent?”. Conclusion: This study proposes consensus recommendations intended to guide neurologists in the critical reading of phase III and IV clinical trials on DMDs for MS. Resumen: Introducción: En los últimos años ha habido un aumento en el número de fármacos modificadores de la enfermedad (FME) aprobados para la esclerosis múltiple (EM). La demostración de su seguridad y eficacia se ha logrado a través de diversos ensayos clínicos de fase III y IV. Adquirir las habilidades para su lectura crítica es indispensable para que los clínicos puedan determinar cuál es el tratamiento más pertinente para sus pacientes. El objetivo de este estudio es servir de guía para la lectura crítica de estos ensayos. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio e-Delphi de 3 rondas. En la fase preparatoria se constituyó un panel multidisciplinario de expertos. Los miembros de este panel fueron seleccionados por su experiencia y credenciales científicas, buscando incluir personas implicadas en el diagnóstico, tratamiento e investigación en EM. A través de una búsqueda bibliográfica dirigida se identificaron instrumentos metodológicos genéricos y también específicos de EM, a partir de los cuales se elaboró un cuestionario semiabierto. En él se pidió a los expertos que se pronunciasen sobre qué aspectos son esenciales para evaluar críticamente ensayos clínicos sobre FME para la EM. Resultados: El panel de expertos constó de 9 expertos españoles, independientes, y con larga experiencia en EM (5 neurólogos, un neurorradiólogo, un farmacólogo, un metodólogo de investigación y un representante de la comunidad). El e-Delphi se concretó en una serie de recomendaciones de consenso para ayudar a los lectores a responder 5 preguntas principales sobre cada ensayo: «¿está libre de sesgos?», «¿son adecuados los pacientes que se han incluido?», «¿son apropiadas las medidas de resultado utilizadas?», «¿son relevantes los resultados?» y «¿es transparente el estudio?». Conclusión: Hemos elaborado una serie de recomendaciones de consenso destinadas a guiar a los neurólogos en la lectura crítica de los ensayos clínicos fase III y IV sobre FME para la EM