Utilidad de la ecografia en modo B y de la ecografia Doppler-Duplex color en la biopsia de las lesiones óseas y de tubo digestivo

Exponer nuestra experiencia realizando biopsias percutáneas guiadas por ecografía en lesiones óseas y del tubo digestivo.Evaluar el papel y la utilidad de las biopsias percutáneas guiadas por ecografía en el diagnóstico de lesiones del tubo digestivo, cuando la lesión no es alcanzable por el endoscopio pero sea fácilmente visible por ecografía. La biopsia percutánea de las lesiones óseas es ampliamente utilizada como método diagnóstico, utilizando la radioscopia o la tomografía computerizada como guía de biopsia. Nosotros en esta tesis describimos el uso de la ecografía como guía de biopsia percutánea en lesiones óseas.MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS:Hemos realizado 198 biopsias ( 197 biopsias percutáneas y una quirúrgica ) en 193 pacientes. La biopsia percutánea fue realizada bajo guía ecográfica en 167 pacientes y bajo radioscopia en 30 casos. La localización de las lesiones fueron el tubo digestivo, hueso y algunas en otras localizaciones como tórax, hígado o tiroides.Realizamos 42 biopsias en 41 pacientes entre 14 y 81 años de edad ( media de 57,5 años ). Las lesiones se mostraron como un ¨pseudoriñón¨ en 27 casos y como una masa en los otros 15 casos. Las biopsias se realizaron bajo guía ecográfica en tiempo real, usando una compresión gradual y con un transductor de 3,5-5Mhz. En 39 biopsias obtuvimos un cilindro para estudio histológico con una aguja automática de 18G y en 32 de estos casos obtuvimos una aspiración con aguja fina de 22G en 28 casos y con una de 21G en los otros cuatro casos. En otros tres casos usamos una técnica coaxial con una aguja de 20G y otra de 22G para la citología.Utilizamos la biopsia percutánea guiada por ecografía en 65 biopsias de lesiones óseas en 63 pacientes ( 30 hombres y 33 mujeres ). El rango de edad estaba entre 1 y 82 años y la media de edad en 47,2 años. Las lesiones se dividieron en cuatro categorías: 41 lesiones eran líticas con masa de partes blandas, 14 eran líticas sin masa de partes blandas, 4 líticas con cortical íntegra y 6 lesiones esclerosas. Utilizamos distintas técnicas de biopsia para cada grupo de lesiones.RESULTADOS:En el tubo digestivo, obtuvimos un diagnóstico en el 95,2% ( 40 / 42 ) de las biopsias con aguja gruesa y en el 45,7% ( 16 / 35 ) de las biopsias con aguja fina. Las lesiones estaban entre la faringe y el colon sigmoide. Los pacientes tenían lesiones malignas en 28 casos y benignas en 13. Solo hubo una complicación que consistió en un bilioperitoneo.En las biopsias óseas, con el estudio citológico obtuvimos un diagnóstico en 50 casos ( 76,9% ), con la histología en 56 casos ( 86,1% ) y combinando ambas técnicas en 60 casos ( 92,3% ). En ningún caso hubo complicaciones.CONCLUSIONES:La biopsia percutánea guiada por ecografía es una técnica útil y segura para diagnosticar lesiones del tubo digestivo que pueden verse en ecografía y no sean accesibles endoscópicamente.La ecografía es una técnica segura y eficaz para guiar las biopsias de lesiones óseas porque pueden identificar cambios sutiles en la cortical así como el componente de partes blandas asociado.To expose our experience performing sonography guided percutaneous biopsy of skeletal and gastrointestinal lesions.To evaluate the role and safety of ultrasound guided percutaneous biopsy in the diagnosis of digestive tract lesions, when the lesions are not suitable to biopsy by endoscopy and safely reachable by ultrasound.Percutaneous biopsy of skeletal lesions is a widely used diagnostic technique that involves fluoroscopìc or computerized tomography guidance. In this report we describe the use of ultrasonography ultrasound in the guidance of percutaneous biopsy in skeletal lesions.MATERIALS AND METHODS:We performed 198 biopsies ( 197 percutaneous biopsies and one surgical biopsy ) in 193 patients. The percutaneous biopsy was performed under sonographic guidance in 167 cases and under fluoroscopic guidance in 30 cases. The location were bone, gastrointestinal tract and other locations as chest, liver or thyroid gland. We performed 42 biopsies in 41 patients aged 14-81 years (mean 57.5 years ). The lesions showed a pseudokidney sign in 27 cases and mass appearance in the remaining 15 cases. Biopsies were carried out under real-time US guidance using graded compression, with a 3,5-5 MHz microconvex transducer. In 39 biopsies core specimens were obtained with an 18G automatic needle gun; in 32 of these cases fine needle aspiration biopsy was obtained with a 22G needle in 28 cases and with a 21G in the other 4 cases. In the remaining 3 cases a coaxial technique with 20G and 22G for cytology were used. We employed sonography to guide percutaneous biopsy in 65 skeletal lesions in 63 patients (30 male and 33 female). Age ranged 1-82 year. Mean 47.2. The lesions were grouped into four categories: 41 were lytic with soft tissue mass, 14 lytic with disrupted cortical without soft tissue mass, 4 lytic with intact cortical and 6 sclerotic. Different techniques and materials were used in each group.RESULTS:In gastrointestinal tract, in 95,2 % ( 40 / 42 ) of core biopsies performed a specific diagnosis was obtained. A positive diagnosis was obtained in 45,7% ( 16 / 35 ) of fine needle aspirations. The lesions were localized from pharynx to the sigmoid colon. The patients had malignant lesions in 28 cases and benign in 13 cases. Only one serious complication, bile peritonitis, was observed. In skeletal biopsies, cytological assessment obtained the diagnosis in 50 cases, (success rate of 76.9%), histology in 56 cases ( 86.1% ) and combining both in 60 cases ( 92.3% ). There were not complicationsCONCLUSION:Percutaneous biopsy under sonography guidance can be used safely and efficiently to diagnose digestive tract lesions which can be visualized on US and which are not accesible endoscopically.Ultrasouund is a highly accurate and safe method of guidance in percutaneous biopsy of bone lesions because can identify subtle changes in the cortical and the associated soft tissue component

AFM study of strawberry pectin nanostructure and its relevance on fruit texture

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to characterize the nanostructure of cell wall pectins during strawberry fruit growth and ripening, as well as in transgenic fruits with pectinase genes downregulated. This technique allows the imaging of individual polymers at high magnification with minimal sample preparation. AFM studies during fruit development show that pectin size, ramification and aggregation is reduced in ripe fruits. Additionally, transgenic lines with different pectinase genes downregulated (polygalacturonase, pectate lyase and B-galactosidase) also show a more complex pectin nanostructure, including longer chains, higher branching degree and larger presence of aggregates. In all those cases the higher pectin complexity at nanoscale correlates with a reduced softening in strawberry fruits at macroscale level. Globally, our results support the key role of pectins in fruit structure and highlights the use of AFM as a powerful tool to gain insights about the bases of textural fruit quality not only in strawberry, but also in other commercial crops.AGL2017-86531-C2-1-R, Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad of Spain and FEDER EU funds. Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

EEES: adeqüació de les metodologies docents i consolidació de les tutoritzacions on-line a l’Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria Industrial i Aeronàutica de Terrassa

L'índex d'estudiants exclosos durant la fase selectiva ha estat un tema de preocupació per part dels equips directius, i els estudis que s'han fet indiquen que són comparables a d'altres titulacions de la UPC. Per tal de poder avaluar i augmentar el rendiment acadèmic durant aquesta fase, el curs 2002/03 es va iniciar un nou projecte d'orientació i tutorització dels estudiants de nou ingrés a la titulació d'Enginyeria Industrial. Durant el curs 2004/05, s'ha augmentat amb el grup d’estudiants de nou accés als estudis d'Enginyeria Aeronàutica. Aquest projecte consta de dues parts: - L'acollida dels nous estudiants, organitzada com una assignatura de lliure elecció. - Tutorització i orientació on-line. On cada estudiant és assignat a un dels grups del Servei d'Orientació personal (SOP). Durant els tres cursos que hem implantat la tutorització on-line, aquest curs ha estat el primer que ha tingut una participació més activa per part dels estudiants, ja que s’ha aconseguit una proporció molt més elevada de contactes tant presencials com virtuals. La conseqüència d’aquest projecte és haver aconseguit que tots els estudiants de nou ingrés de fase selectiva tan d’enginyeria industrial com aeronàutica, hagin realitzat com a mínim un contacte presencial i un altre mitjançant el campus digital atenea amb el professor tutor

Disentangling pectic homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan-I polysaccharides: Evidence for sub-populations in fruit parenchyma systems

The matrix polysaccharides of plant cell walls are diverse and variable sets of polymers influencing cell wall, tissue and organ properties. Focusing on the relatively simple parenchyma tissues of four fruits – tomato, aubergine, strawberry and apple – we have dissected cell wall matrix polysaccharide contents using sequential solubilisation and antibody-based approaches with a focus on pectic homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I). Epitope detection in association with anion-exchange chromatography analysis indicates that in all cases solubilized polymers include spectra of HG molecules with unesterified regions that are separable from methylesterified HG domains. In highly soluble fractions, RG-I domains exist in both HG-associated and non-HG-associated forms. Soluble xyloglucan and pectin-associated xyloglucan components were detected in all fruits. Aubergine glycans contain abundant heteroxylan epitopes, some of which are associated with both pectin and xyloglucan. These profiles of polysaccharide heterogeneity provide a basis for future studies of more complex cell and tissue systems

Characterization of microring filters for differential group delay applications

The longitudinal offset technique permits to improve the accuracy of the coupling coefficients of integrated directional couplers and provides designs that can be easily implemented with current fabrication tolerances. In this work, we address the additional degree of freedom offered by this technology in order to tailor the differential group delay in coupled-resonator optical filters. We present the characterization of several devices exploiting this feature and we discuss their potential applicationsThis work has been founded by MINECO (Spanish Government), project numbers TEC2010-21303-C01, 02, 03 and 04, and JCyL Project No. VA089U16. F. J. F.-P. has also been partly supported by the ERDF and by the Galician Regional Government under project GRC2015/018 and under agreement for funding AtlantTI

Genomic analysis of a novel pathogenic variant in the gene LMNA associated with cardiac laminopathies found in Ecuadorian siblings: A case report

IntroductionCardiac laminopathies are caused by mutations in the LMNA gene and include a wide range of clinical manifestations involving electrical and mechanical changes in cardiomyocytes. In Ecuador, cardiovascular diseases were the primary cause of death in 2019, accounting for 26.5% of total deaths. Cardiac laminopathy-associated mutations involve genes coding for structural proteins with functions related to heart development and physiology.Family descriptionTwo Ecuadorian siblings, self-identified as mestizos, were diagnosed with cardiac laminopathies and suffered embolic strokes. Moreover, by performing Next-Generation Sequencing, a pathogenic variant (NM_170707.3:c.1526del) was found in the gene LMNA.Discussion and conclusionCurrently, genetic tests are an essential step for disease genetic counseling, including cardiovascular disease diagnosis. Identification of a genetic cause that may explain the risk of cardiac laminopathies in a family can help the post-test counseling and recommendations from the cardiologist. In the present report, a pathogenic variant ((NM_170707.3:c.1526del) has been identified in two Ecuadorian siblings with cardiac laminopathies. The LMNA gene codes for A-type laminar proteins that are associated with gene transcription regulation. Mutations in the LMNA gene cause laminopathies, disorders with diverse phenotypic manifestations. Moreover, understanding the molecular biology of the disease-causing mutations is essential in deciding the correct type of treatment

A nanostructural view of the cell wall disassembly process during fruit ripening and postharvest storage by atomic force microscopy

Background: The mechanical properties of parenchyma cell walls and the strength and extension of adhesion areas between adjacent cells, jointly with cell turgor, are main determinants of firmness of fleshy fruits. These traits are modified during ripening leading to fruit softening. Cell wall modifications involve the depolymerisation of matrix glycans and pectins, the solubilisation of pectins and the loss of neutral sugars from pectin side chains. These changes weaken the cell walls and increase cell separation, which in combination with a reduction in cell turgor, bring about textural changes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to characterize the nanostructure of cell wall polysaccharides during the ripening and postharvest storage of several fruits. This technique allows the imaging of individual polymers at high magnification with minimal sample preparation. Scope and approach: This paper reviews the main features of the cell wall disassembly process associated to fruit softening from a nanostructural point of view, as has been provided by AFM studies. Key findings and conclusions: AFM studies show that pectin size, ramification and complexity is reduced during fruit ripening and storage, and in most cases these changes correlate with softening. Postharvest treatments that improve fruit quality have been proven to preserve pectin structure, suggesting a clear link between softening and pectin metabolism. Nanostructural characterization of cellulose and hemicellulose during ripening has been poorly explored by AFM and the scarce results available are not conclusive. Globally, AFM could be a powerful tool to gain insights about the bases of textural fruit quality in fresh and stored fruits