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

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

Strategies towards sustainability environmental from the local areas and the university

El propósito del presente trabajo es explorar un posible arreglo socioambiental pensado desde lo local que propicie el desarrollo sustentable, por medio del privilegio de la articulación de lo social (ciudadanía y educación) con el medio ambiente (capacidad de renovación). El planteamiento central es que ante un modelo social dominante que es insustentable, en el sentido que refuerza la desigualdad socioeconómica y el deterioro ambiental; se demanda pensar y actuar en formas novedosas e integradoras de lo social con la natural y del presente con el futuro para hacer posible sentar bases para un desarrollo sustentable de largo plazo. Para tal fin, se formula un arreglo que articule lo social (ciudadanía y educación) con el medio ambiente (capacidad de renovación) desde ámbitos locales, por medio de estrategias de acción gestionadas socialmente.The aim of this paper is to explore and present a suitable socio-environmental proposal conducive to sustainable development considering the local aspects emphasizing on the joint between the social (citizenship and education) with the environmental (renewability). The rationale of the study is that having a dominant unsustainable social model that reinforces socioeconomic inequality and environmental degradation, a need of developing more integrative and innovative ways to cope with the social and the natural as well as the present and the future is required in order to lay the foundations for a more long-term sustainable development. To that end, a suitable arrangement is presented in order to articulate the social aspects (citizenship and education) to the environmental ones (renewability) from a local perspective, managed through social action strategies.Fil: González López, Sergio. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. Instituto de Estudios sobre la Universidad.Fil: Salvador Benítez, J. Loreto. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. Instituto de Estudios sobre la Universidad.Fil: Arand a Sánchez, José María. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. Instituto de Estudios sobre la Universidad

Relación Entre Prácticas Parentales Y El Nivel De Asertividad, Agresividad Y Rendimiento Académico En Adolescentes

The behaviors that parents use to educate their adolescent children can influence various aspects of their psychosocial performance, either by promoting the development of behavioral skills or by associating with behavioral problems, aggressiveness or depressive and anxious symptoms. The objective of the study was to know the relationship of parental practices with the level of assertiveness, aggressiveness and academic performance in a sample of young Mexican adolescents. Participated 565 students of a Mexican public secondary, with an average age of 13.01 years. Two instruments, the Parental Practice Scale for Adolescents (Andrade &amp; Betancourt, 2008) and the Assertive Behavior Scale (Michelson &amp; Wood, 1982) were applied individually, in addition, the students' average school grades were obtained. Mean scores indicated aggressive behavior patterns throughout the sample, significantly higher in males (p &lt;.05). The maternal practices of Communication, Autonomy, and Behavioral Control correlated with the level of assertiveness in the young, and with their school average; both indicators, significantly higher in adolescent females compared to males. Paternal practices correlated with the level of assertiveness and aggressiveness in males

Regulation of Gephyrin Cluster Size and Inhibitory Synaptic Currents on Renshaw Cells by Motor Axon Excitatory Inputs

Renshaw cells receive a high density of inhibitory synapses characterized by large postsynaptic gephyrin clusters and mixed glycinergic/ GABAergic inhibitory currents with large peak amplitudes and long decays. These properties appear adapted to increase inhibitory efficacy over Renshaw cells and mature postnatally by mechanisms that are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that heterosynaptic influences from excitatory motor axon inputs modulate the development of inhibitory synapses on Renshaw cells. Thus, tetanus (TeNT) and botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) were injected intramuscularly at postnatal day 5 (P5) to, respectively, elevate or reduce motor axon firing activity for 2 weeks. After TeNT injections, the average gephyrin cluster areas on Renshaw cells increased by 18.4% at P15 and 28.4% at P20 and decreased after BoNT-A injections by 17.7% at P15 and 19.9% at P20. The average size differences resulted from changes in the proportions of small and large gephyrin clusters. Whole-cell recordings in P9 –P15 Renshaw cells after P5 TeNT injections showed increases in the peak amplitude of glycinergic miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) and the fast component of mixed (glycinergic/GABAergic) mPSCs compared with controls (60.9% and 78.9%, respectively). GABAergic mPSCs increased in peak amplitude to a smaller extent (45.8%). However, because of the comparatively longer decays of synaptic GABAergic currents, total current transfer changes after TeNT were similar for synaptic glycine and GABAA receptors (56 vs 48.9% increases, respectively). We concluded that motor axon excitatory synaptic activity modulates the development of inhibitory synapse properties on Renshaw cells, influencing recruitment of postsynaptic gephyrin and glycine receptors and, to lesser extent, GABAA receptors

The ALHAMBRA Project: A large area multi medium-band optical and NIR photometric survey

(ABRIDGED) We describe the first results of the ALHAMBRA survey which provides cosmic tomography of the evolution of the contents of the Universe over most of Cosmic history. Our approach employs 20 contiguous, equal-width, medium-band filters covering from 3500 to 9700 A, plus the JHKs bands, to observe an area of 4 sqdeg on the sky. The optical photometric system has been designed to maximize the number of objects with accurate classification by SED and redshift, and to be sensitive to relatively faint emission lines. The observations are being carried out with the Calar Alto 3.5m telescope using the cameras LAICA and O-2000. The first data confirm that we are reaching the expected magnitude limits of AB<~25 mag in the optical filters from the blue to 8300 A, and from AB=24.7 to 23.4 for the redder ones. The limit in the NIR is (Vega) K_s~20, H~21, J~22. We expect to obtain accurate redshift values, Delta z/(1+z) <~ 0.03 for about 5x10^5 galaxies with I<~25 (60% complete), and z_med=0.74. This accuracy, together with the homogeneity of the selection function, will allow for the study of the redshift evolution of the large scale structure, the galaxy population and its evolution with redshift, the identification of clusters of galaxies, and many other studies, without the need for any further follow-up. It will also provide targets for detailed studies with 10m-class telescopes. Given its area, spectral coverage and its depth, apart from those main goals, the ALHAMBRA-Survey will also produce valuable data for galactic studies.Comment: Accepted to the Astronomical Journal. 43 pages, 18 figures. The images have been reduced in resolution to adapt to standard file sizes. Readers can find the full-resolution version of the paper at the ALHAMBRA web site (http://www.iaa.es/alhambra) under the "Publications" lin

Educación en tiempos de resguardo involuntário

El trabajo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre las implicaciones que el resguardo físico propiciado por el Covid-19 ha tenido sobre la educación, en particular, sobre los fines del proceso educativo y el fortalecimiento de valores que permiten el enfrentamiento de condiciones inciertas y adversas. El planteamiento central es que dos de los principales riesgos que podrían enfrentarse con el resguardo voluntario/involuntario son el reforzamiento de las desigualdades sociales y de una visión instrumentalista de la educación que atentaría sobre los aspectos centrales de la formación educativa como la formación humanística que contribuye al mejoramiento social y a la educación como un medio para el ascenso social. Para tal fin, se presentan algunos de los principales rasgos de las medidas de resguardo asumidas, cuestionándose sobre su carácter voluntario o involuntario, si se trata de procedimientos nuevos que estarían modificando a los procesos sociales o si el resguardo develó una tendencia que se venía construyendo con anterioridad de aislamiento y empoderamiento de las tecnologías y a quienes beneficia. En el caso de la educación, se presenta un recorrido sobre el fortalecimiento del uso de las tecnologías digitales y se cuestiona si el resguardo físico era o no necesario; finalmente, se presenta un breve panorama sobre la situación educativa en América Latina y el Caribe

A Metrópole do Vale do Toluca e seus Desafios para a Sustentabilidade

The objective of this work is to analyze the case study, Toluca Valley Metropolitan Area, from a sustainable development perspective; its dizzying growth and impact of two megaprojects pose problems due to insufficient public policies that regulate its development in infrastructure. It is a documentary and qualitative study of participation-action, which allows to foresee various consequences in a metropolis with high human concentration and limited inter-municipal coordination actions. It is necessary to assume social, business, institutional and governmental responsibility, to face urban dilemmas and dilemmas in the sense of the 2030 Agenda and of the complex city. &nbsp;El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el caso de estudio, Zona Metropolitana del Valle de Toluca, desde el desarrollo sostenible; su vertiginoso crecimiento e impacto de dos megaproyectos plantean problemáticas debido a las insuficientes políticas públicas que regulen su desarrollo en infraestructura. Se trata de un estudio documental y cualitativo, de participación-acción, que permite prever consecuencias diversas en una metrópoli de alta concentración humana y limitadas acciones de coordinación intermunicipal. Se precisa asumir responsabilidad social, empresarial, institucional y gubernamental, para afrontar dilemas y disyuntivas urbanas en el sentido de la Agenda 2030 y de la ciudad compleja.O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o estudo de caso, Área Metropolitana do Vale de Toluca, a partir de uma perspectiva de desenvolvimento sustentável; seu vertiginoso crescimento e impacto de dois megaprojetos colocam problemas devido à insuficiência de políticas públicas que regulam seu desenvolvimento em infraestrutura. Trata-se de um estudo documental e qualitativo de participação-ação, que permite antever várias consequências numa metrópole com elevada concentração humana e limitadas ações de coordenação intermunicipal; É preciso assumir responsabilidade social, empresarial, institucional e governamental, para enfrentar dilemas e dilemas urbanos no sentido da Agenda 2030 e da cidade complexa