Expression and activity profiles of DPP IV/CD26 and NEP/CD10 glycoproteins in the human renal cancer are tumor-type dependent

[Background] Cell-surface glycoproteins play critical roles in cell-to-cell recognition, signal transduction and regulation, thus being crucial in cell proliferation and cancer etiogenesis and development. DPP IV and NEP are ubiquitous glycopeptidases closely linked to tumor pathogenesis and development, and they are used as markers in some cancers. In the present study, the activity and protein and mRNA expression of these glycoproteins were analysed in a subset of clear-cell (CCRCC) and chromophobe (ChRCC) renal cell carcinomas, and in renal oncocytomas (RO).[Methods] Peptidase activities were measured by conventional enzymatic assays with fluorogen-derived substrates. Gene expression was quantitatively determined by qRT-PCR and membrane-bound protein expression and distribution analysis was performed by specific immunostaining.Peer reviewe

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

Oedometer consolidation test analysis by nonlinear regression

A numerical method based on least squares nonlinear regression for the evaluation of the consolidation parameters of soils from consolidation tests is presented. A model which includes the initial compression, the primary consolidation, and the secondary compression is used in the regression. This approach allows the resulting regression curve to better fit the experimental data. The method takes the settlement-time readings from the oedometer step-loading consolidation test and calculates automatically the magnitudes of the coefficients of consolidation and of secondary compression. The performance of the proposed method is accessed through consolidation tests executed on four different clay soils, which are analyzed by nonlinear regression and by the usual graphical methods. It is concluded that the proposed method gives results that are close to those obtained by the standard methods of analysis.311768

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Cone-Beam computed tomography evaluation of maxillary expansion in twins with cleft lip and palate

OBJECTIVE: The establishment of normal occlusal relationships in patients with cleft lip and palate using rapid maxillary expansion may promote good conditions for future rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: This study describes the clinical case of monozygotic twins with unilateral cleft lip and palate at the age of mixed dentition, who were treated using the same rapid maxillary expansion protocol, but with two different screws (conventional and fan-type expansion screw). Results were evaluated using plaster models, intraoral and extraoral photographs, and Cone-Beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans obtained before the beginning of the treatment, (T1). METHODS: The patients were followed up for 6 months after maxillary expansion, when the same tests requested at T1 were obtained again for review (T2). T1 and T2 results were compared using lateral cephalometric tracings and measurements of the intercanine and intermolar distances in the plaster models using a digital caliper. RESULTS: The two types of expansion screws corrected the transverse discrepancy in patients with cleft lip and palate. The shape of the upper arches improved at 10 days after activation. CONCLUSION: CBCT scans provide detailed information about craniofacial, maxillary and mandibular changes resulting from rapid maxillary expansion. The most adequate screw for each type of malocclusion should be chosen after detailed examination of the dental arches

Material audiovisual para la aplicación de la técnica de representación estereográfica en Geología Estructural e Ingeniería Geológica

El objetivo principal del presente proyecto es generar información audiovisual moderna, atractiva e inédita hasta la fecha en español que facilite a los estudiantes nuevas maneras de aprendizaje de técnicas de representación espacial para su utilización en la resolución de problemas de Geología e Ingeniería Geológica. Estas técnicas requieren un entrenamiento mental que es difícil de abordar en las limitadas horas de docencia que el profesor puede dedicar por alumno, por lo que este material audiovisual pretende reforzar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes de manera sencilla y eficaz fuera de las horas lectivas presenciales. Este objetivo principal se alcanzará mediante el planteamiento de objetivos parciales que quedarán agrupados en dos bloques: - Geología Estructural: Generar material audiovisual para la resolución de problemas de Geología Estructural clásicos: representación y análisis de pliegues, fallas, discordancias y basculamientos, definición y orientación del tensor de esfuerzos. - Ingeniería Geológica: Generar material audiovisual para Resolución de problemas de Ingeniería Geológica relacionados con el análisis de estabilidad de taludes en macizos rocosos.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasFALSEsubmitte