Biomarkers for diagnosis and surveillance of patients with bladder cancer: a comprehensive review

O cancro da bexiga (CB) é o sexto tipo de cancro mais prevalente no mundo, com um aumento constante na sua incidência e prevalência, e é acompanhado por uma alta morbimortalidade. O CB é uma doença complexa com várias vias moleculares e patológicas, reflectindo comportamentos diferentes, dependendo do estadiamento clínico do tumor e do tipo molecular. O diagnóstico e a monitorização do CB são realizados principalmente por testes invasivos, nomeadamente cistoscopias periódicas; esse procedimento, embora seja um método confiável, é altamente desconfortável para o paciente e não é isento de comorbidades. Actualmente, não há indicação formal para o uso de biomarcadores moleculares na prática clínica, apesar de existirem vários testes disponíveis. Há uma necessidade imperativa de um teste clínico não invasivo para detecção precoce, monitorização da doença e resposta ao tratamento no CB. Nesta revisão, o nosso objectivo é avaliar e comparar diferentes testes baseados em biomarcadores moleculares e avaliar seu papel potencial como novas moléculas para o diagnóstico, acompanhamento e monitorização da resposta ao tratamento do CB.Bladder cancer (BC) ranks as the sixth most prevalent cancer in the world, with a steady rise in its incidence and prevalence, and is accompanied by a high morbidity and mortality. BC is a complex disease with several molecular and pathological pathways, thus reflecting different behaviors depending on the clinical staging of the tumor and molecular type. Diagnosis and monitoring of BC is mainly performed by invasive tests, namely periodic cystoscopies; this procedure, although a reliable method, is highly uncomfortable for the patient and it is not exempt of comorbidities. Currently, there is no formal indication for the use of molecular biomarkers in clinical practice, even though there are several tests available. There is an imperative need for a clinical non-invasive testing for early detection, disease monitoring, and treatment response in BC. In this review, we aim to assess and compare different tests based on molecular biomarkers and evaluate their potential role as new molecules for bladder cancer diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment response monitoring

Current status of las tablas de daimiel national park wetland and actions required for conservation

Wetlands are complex ecosystems that play multiple roles. ‘Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park’ (TDNP) undoubtedly plays a role in several ecosystem services and provides a connection between nature, farmers, scientists, residents, and other stakeholders. The state of degradation and/or vulnerability of this ecosystem (with a series of socio-economic implications) have led the publication of numerous articles. The work reported here provides a description of the growing importance of this wetland within the rural landscapes of La Mancha and emphasizes its state of degradation, mainly since pedological point of view. In this way, particular attention is required to assure the conservation of the Tablas of Daimiel Wetland; thus, several measures are proposed to improve the conservation of this area as to control and prohibit any dumping of any type of waste in the park or in its vicinityThis Research was funded by Organismo Autonomo Parques Nacionales (Autonomous Organism National Parks) of Spain (OAPN

Additive manufacturing of technical ceramics

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an area intrinsically linked to industry 4.0 because of its ability to meet some of the most significant challenges in the industry such as production of custom parts, complex geometries and direct processing (through cloud manufacturing). Due to its advantages, the market for functional parts based on inorganic materials via AM is in great development. The present study has focused on the Fused Deposition of Ceramics (FDC) process, which is suitable, in combination with post-processing steps such as debinding and sintering, for the consolidation of ceramic powder particles from filamentary materials. Although the volume content of ceramic powders is very limited, due to the absence of high pressures, the FDC has been of scientific and industrial interest due to its ability to eliminate some limitations imposed by other processes such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM), due to the sources of high energy consumption, and Powder Injection Molding (PIM), due geometric and mold cost limitations. The major challenges of this dissertation involved producing filaments for FDC, based on PIM or powder extrusion (PE) methodologies, joining the filaments of feedstock with optimized ratios of tungsten carbide powder (48.5%vol.) that should withstand the stresses involved in the FDC extrusion, and providing suitable extrusion fluidity. Afterwards, the challenges were overcome and the shaped parts through FDC were debinded and sintered. These processes led to the production of near net shape WC-10Co parts with characteristics and properties close to those resulting from conventional replicative processes of the powders

A new protein domain for binding to DNA through the minor groove

PMID:7925279Protein p6 of the Bacillus subtilis phage phi 29 binds with low sequence specificity to DNA through the minor groove, forming a multimeric nucleoprotein complex that activates the initiation of phi 29 DNA replication. Deletion analysis suggested that the N-terminal part of protein p6, predicted to form an amphipathic alpha-helix, is involved in DNA binding. We have constructed site-directed mutants at the polar side of the putative alpha-helix. DNA binding and activation of initiation of phi 29 DNA replication were impaired in most of the mutant proteins obtained. A 19 amino acid peptide comprising the N-terminus of protein p6 interacted with a DNA fragment containing high-affinity signals for protein p6 binding with approximately 50-fold higher affinity than the peptide corresponding to an inactive mutant. Both wild-type peptide and protein p6 recognized the same sequences in this DNA fragment. This result, together with distamycin competition experiments, suggested that the wild-type peptide also binds to DNA through the minor groove. In addition, CD spectra of the wild-type peptide showed an increase in the alpha-helical content when bound to DNA. All these results indicate that an alpha-helical structure located in the N-terminal region of protein p6 is involved in DNA binding through the minor groove.This work has been supported by grants SROI GM27242-15 from the National Institutes of Health, BIOT-CT91-0268 and CHRX-CT92-0010 from the European Economic Community and PB90/0091 from the Direcci6n General de Investigaci6n Cientffica Tecnica. The institutional help of Fundaci6n Ram6n Areces is also acknowledged. R.Freire was a recipient of a predoctoral fellowship from Comunidad Autonoma de MadridPeer reviewe

Aspects for cultivating creative literacy through play: an analysis on primary literature review and preliminary laboratorial work

This article inspects theory emerging from literature review and laboratory work on games for cultivating creative literacy. Whether games can or cannot instil or alienate one’s creativity is debatable. On one hand, they can be risk- and stress-free exploring grounds for people to interact in ways without parallel; on another, they can disengage players from the real world. Nevertheless, they have the potential to be turned into tools for thinking, for learning and for articulating knowledge between individuals. With that into consideration, we pinpointed two main groups that branch into four major categories: Behaviours – comprised of Attitudes and Competencies – and Conditions – comprised of Procedures and Resources – which we are structuring into a framework from which we draw hypotheses that undergo validation through play-testing sessions, in order to improve the framework. Keywords: creative literacy; games; play; game design

Criando jogos que priorizam o significado em detrimento da diversão

A majority of contemporary game design is focused on developing a hedonistic loop, a frictionless aesthetic that hinges on familiarity and comfort to promote states of flow and player satisfaction. Not disregarding the advantages of designing for the hedonistic loop, this paper questions it and develops a critique that advocates for a focus on aesthetic friction, a shift of the play experience from the prioritisation of fun to the creation of contexts for the construction of meaning.La mayoría del diseño de juegos contemporáneo se centra en desarrollar un círculo hedónico vicioso, una estética sin fricción que se basa en la familiaridad y la comodidad para promover estados de flujo y satisfacción. Sin dejar de lado las ventajas de entrar en el círculo vicioso hedónico, este artículo cuestiona y desarrolla una crítica que requiere un enfoque en la fricción estética, un cambio en la experiencia de juego que da prioridad a la construcción de significado sobre la diversión.A maioria do design de jogos contemporâneo está focada no desenvolvimento de um círculo vicioso hedónico, uma estética sem fricção que depende de familiaridade e conforto para promover estados de fluxo e satisfação. Sem desconsiderar as vantagens de desenhar para o círculo vicioso hedónico, este artigo questiona-o e desenvolve uma crítica que advoga por um foco na fricção estética, uma mudança na experiência de jogar que dá prioridade à construção de significado em detrimento da diversão

Algunas micorrizas competidoras de plantaciones truferas.

La Truficultura constituye en España, al igual que en Francia y en Italia, una actividad alternativa agraria y forestal que desde los años 1970 ha ido extendiéndose por todo el territorio en aquellas áreas que las condiciones lo permiten (Reyna et al. 2004). En la década 1980-1990 se profundiza en el tema y es entre los años 1990 y 2000 cuando la truficultura cobra un realce importante a nivel nacional, con la implantación año a año de numerosas hectáreas, que constituyen en la actualidad una superficie dedicada a la producción de trufa negra en plantación que supera las 3500ha (Reyna et al 2004). Dado que entre el momento de la plantación y la producción se pueden suceder numerosos años y la única información sobre la presencia de la trufa negra en esos árboles se encuentra en las raíces, el estudio de las micorrizas que colonizan el sistema radical es un aspecto relevante para conocer el desarrollo y avance de las plantaciones antes de la entrada en producción. En este trabajo se aportan datos sobre morfotipos ectomicorrícicos más frecuentes en plantaciones truferas, conocimiento derivado de los trabajos llevados a cabo durante más de 12 años en Navarra (España)

Análisis de micorrizas en truferas cultivadas de Navarra (España).

En el presente trabajo se da a conocer la experiencia adquirida en el cultivo de la trufa negra- Tuber melanosporum Vitt. en Navarra y se aportan resultados obtenidos en el seguimiento de la micorrización en los cuatro primeros años tras las plantación de árboles micorrizados en vivero por la especie deseada. Aunque la producción no se da tan pronto, sí que se aprecia la aparición de quemados a los cuatro años en la mayoría de los ejemplares arbóreos plantados

Nanoparticles for the tratment of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is by far the most frequent metabolic disease affecting bone. Current clinical therapeutic treatments are not able to offer long-term solutions. Most of the clinically used antiosteoporotic drugs are administered systemically, which might lead to side effects in non-skeletal tissues. Therefore, to solve these disadvantages, researchers have turned to nanotechnologies and nanomaterials to create innovative and alternative treatments. One of the innovative approaches to enhance osteoporosis therapy and prevent potential adverse effects is the development of bonetargeting drug delivery technologies. It minimizes the systemic toxicity and also improves the pharmacokinetic profile and therapeutic efficacy of chemical drugs. This paper reviews the current available bone targeting drug delivery systems, focusing on nanoparticles, proposed for osteoporosis treatment. Bone targeting delivery systems is still in its infancy, thus, challenges are ahead of us, including the stability and the toxicity issues. Newly developed biomaterials and technologies with potential for safer and more effective drug delivery, require multidisciplinary collaboration between scientists from many different areas, such as chemistry, biology, engineering, medicine, etc, in order to facilitate their clinical applications

Aspectos sobre truficultura en Navarra (España).

Como consecuencia del interés actual por fomentar el aprovechamiento de zonas desfavorecidas por el abandono rural o por la falta de recursos naturales para su aprovechamiento, y en este caso de Navarra, se ha iniciado una línea de investigación para implantar el cultivo de la Trufa Negra- Tuber melanosporum Vitt- en Navarra, mediente la utilización de árboles micorrizados previamente con el hongo, de avellano, roble y encina. El Proyecto se ha llevado a cabo por iniciativa del antiguo ITGcereal de Navarra, actual ITGAgrícola, con colaboración del Departamento de Botánica de la Universidad de Navarra y financiado por INIA-Gobierno de Navarra. Se dan a conocer algunos aspectos del trabajo que se ha realizado estos primeros años, como el conocimiento del área potencial de desarrollo de Tuber melanosporum Vitt. en Navarra, en función de sus requerimientos, para la elección de las zonas de plantación, así como el estudio y seguimiento de la micorrización para control del desarrollo de los ejemplares y de la marcha del proceso