Connexin-Based Channels and RhoA/ROCK Pathway in Angiotensin II-Induced Kidney Damage

The incidence of chronic kidney diseases is increasing worldwide, and there is no efficient therapy to reduce this phenomenon. The main therapies currently available focus on the control of blood pressure and the optimization of the blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). In addition, it is known that in several models of kidney damage, the amounts of connexins are altered. On the other hand, fasudil, a selective ROCK blocker, has shown renoprotective effects. The beneficial effects of blocking the RhoA/ROCK pathway in renal function may be related to its action of reducing macrophage infiltration, inflammation, and oxidative stress (OS), its expression of extracellular matrix genes and proteinuria, or to its effects on connexin abundance. Even though a correlation has been found between renal damage, caused by an increase in the RAS activity, connexins, and the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway, it has not yet been possible to clearly determine its functional significance. Moreover, it has not been possible to identify the preponderance of this signaling pathway in the development of chronic kidney diseases. Here, we describe the advances in this subject

Semantic segmentation based on Deep learning for the detection of Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (CyanoHABs) using synthetic images

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (CyanoHABs) in lakes and reservoirs have increased substantially in recent decades due to different environmental factors. Its early detection is a crucial issue to minimize health effects, particularly in potential drinking and recreational water bodies. The use of Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) equipped with machine vision systems (cameras) onboard, represents a useful alternative at this time. In this regard, we propose an image Semantic Segmentation approach based on Deep Learning with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for the early detection of CyanoHABs considering an ASV perspective. The use of these models is justified by the fact that with their convolutional architecture, it is possible to capture both, spectral and textural information considering the context of a pixel and its neighbors. To train these models it is necessary to have data, but the acquisition of real images is a difficult task, due to the capricious appearance of the algae on water surfaces sporadically and intermittently over time and after long periods of time, requiring even years and the permanent installation of the image capture system. This justifies the generation of synthetic data so that sufficiently trained models are required to detect CyanoHABs patches when they emerge on the water surface. The data generation for training and the use of the semantic segmentation models to capture contextual information determine the need for the proposal, as well as its novelty and contribution. Three datasets of images containing CyanoHABs patches are generated: (a) the first contains real patches of CyanoHABs as foreground and images of lakes and reservoirs as background, but with a limited number of examples; (b) the second, contains synthetic patches of CyanoHABs generated with state-of-the-art Style-based Generative Adversarial Network Adaptive Discriminator Augmentation (StyleGAN2-ADA) and Neural Style Transfer as foreground and images of lakes and reservoirs as background, and (c) the third set, is the combination of the previous two. Four model architectures for semantic segmentation (UNet++, FPN, PSPNet, and DeepLabV3+), with two encoders as backbone (ResNet50 and EfficientNet-b6), are evaluated from each dataset on real test images and different distributions. The results show the feasibility of the approach and that the UNet++ model with EfficientNet-b6, trained on the third dataset, achieves good generalization and performance for the real test images.Depto. de Arquitectura de Computadores y AutomáticaFac. de InformáticaTRUEComunidad Autónoma de MadridSpanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and UniversitiesMinistry of Education of PeruSpanish Ministry of Universitiespu

Radical distal ureterectomy secondary to an urotelial cancer and ureteral reconstruction robot-assisted. Case report

Indexación: Web of Science; ScieloObjective: To report a case of distal ureterectomy with robotic-assisted laparoscopic reimplantation using a Boari flap technique. Material and Methods: We report a 55 year old man with a diagnosis of distal ureteral urothelial carcinoma without multifocality. Results: A radical distal ureterectomy and robotic-assisted laparoscopic vesicoureteral reimplantation using a Boari flap technique was performed with the da Vinci S-HD surgical system. The operative time was 210 minutes, the estimated blood loss was 200 mL. The hospital stay was 48 hours, without perioperative complications. The histopathological study showed a high grade non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the distal ureter (pT1NxMx) with negative margins. Conclusions: The distal radical ureterectomy with Boari replacement is feasible and more precise with robotic assistance. Its oncological role must be demostrated with a larger number of cases.Objetivo: Comunicar un caso de tumor ureteral distal tratado con ureterectomía radical y neoimplante vesicoureteral con técnica de Flap Boari asistida por robot. Material y Métodos: Paciente hombre de 55 años, con diagnóstico de carcinoma urotelial de uréter distal sin compromiso multifocal. Resultados: Se realizó ureterectomía distal radical y neoimplante vesicoureteral con Flap Boari asistido por Robot da Vinci S-HD. El tiempo operatorio fue de 210 minutos, con un sangrado estimado de 200 ml. La estadía hospitalaria fue de 48 horas, sin complicaciones perioperatorias. El estudio histológico mostró un carcinoma urotelial de alto grado con infiltración de la lámina propia (pT1NxMx) y márgenes quirúrgicos negativos. Conclusiones: La ureterectomía radical distal con reconstrucción tipo Boari es técnicamente factible y más precisa con la asistencia robótica. Su rol oncológico requiere de validación con mayor número de casos.http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-40262011000400013&nrm=is

La colaboración interdisciplinar en los trabajos de Adolf Schulten

[esp] La exploración de nuevos fondos epistolares, combinada con la revisión de los ya conocidos, abre la posibilidad de reconstruir de manera más precisa la concepción de la arqueología que desarrolló el hispanista Schulten en sus trabajos entre 1905 y 1955. También resulta novedosa para ver como enjuiciaba la metodología desarrollada por sus colegas peninsulares, ya fuesen amigos o competidores. En dicha documentación afloran consejos y gestiones ocasionales para paliar el evidente retraso peninsular comparado con los niveles europeos del momento. En el presente trabajo se propone focalizar la extracción de los colaboradores que le acompañaron y concretar las tareas desarrolladas por estos. Pese a su formación filológica, muestra cómo Schulten tuvo claro desde el principio la necesidad de contar con expertos, algo nada común en el panorama peninsular de la época. La idea parece derivar de la influencia de los trabajos desarrollados por los arqueólogos alemanes de finales del siglo xix[eng] The exploration of new epistolary funds, combined with the revision of those already known, opens up the possibility of reconstructing in a more precise way the conception of archeology developed by the scholar Schulten in his works between 1902 and 1955. It is also novel to see how he was commenting the methodology developed by his peninsular colleagues, whether they were friends or competitors. In this documentation arise occasional advice and efforts to alleviate the evident peninsular delay compared to European levels. Together with this topic, it is proposed to review, also for its debate, the extraction of the collaborators who accompanied it and to specify the tasks developed by them. Despite the philological training, the Erlangen professor shows how from the beginning he was aware about the need to have experts, something not common in the peninsular panorama of the time. The idea seems to derive from the influence of the works developed by the German archaeologists of the late nineteenth century

Efficient structural shape optimization: using directional high order sensitivity analysis to improve MP algorithms

6th US National Congress on Computational Mechanics, Dearborn, US

An efficient MP algorithm for structural shape optimization problems

6th International Conference on Computer Aided Optimun Design of Structures, 2001, Bologna[Abstract] Integral methods -such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Boundary Element Method (BEM)- are frequently used in structural optimization problems to solve systems of partial differential equations. Therefore, one must take into account the large computational requirements of these sophisticated techniques at the time of choosing a suitable Mathematical Programming (MP) algorithm for this kind of problems. Among the currently avaliable MP algorithms, Sequential Linear Programming (SLP) seems to be one of the most adequate to structural optimization. Basically, SLP consist in constructing succesive linear approximations to the original non linear optimization problem within each step. However, the application of SLP may involve important malfunctions. Thus, the solution to the approximated linear problems can fail to exist, or may lead to the highly unfeasible point of the original non linear problem; also, large oscillations often occurs near the optimum, precluding the algorithm to converge. In this paper, we present an improved SLP algorithm with line-search, specially designed for structural optimization problems. In each iteration, an approximated linear problem with aditional side constraints is solved by Linear Programming. The solution to the linear problem defines a search direction. Then, the objetive function and the non linear constraints are quadratically approximated in the search direction, and a line-search in perfomed. The algorithm includes strategies to avoid stalling in the boundary of the feasible region, and to obtain alternate search directions in the case of incompatible linearized constraints. Techniques developed by the authors for efficient high-order shape sensitivity analysis are referenced.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; TIC-98-0290Xunta de Galicia; PGIDT99MAR1180

Premis, càstigs i educació

Els autors defensen que el costum i la llei confi guren la legalitat i la moralitat socials i determinen el nostre comportament, alhora que qüestionen els resultats 'esperats' de l'aplicació mecànica dels premis i càstigs en educació. Distingeixen el control extern 'supervisió' i l'intern 'motivació' en l'esdevenir dels comportaments analitzats, en relació a l'aplicació d'aquelles sancions i tot seguit aborden l'estudi monogràfi c des del conductisme, des del cognitivisme i des de la perspectiva moral. Ara aborden la complexitat contextual de la intervenció pedagògica i les alternatives possibles des dels plantejaments actitudinals dels subjectes, per concloure que els premis tenen la fi nalitat general de reforçar una situació que es considera desitjable, apel·lant 'també' a la dimensió afectiva i destacant les bases psicològiques de l'educació: la motivació i la reconducció de situacions no desitjables, sempre amb afecte, sense rancúnia i amb sentit optimitzador

Xylem water potentials of native shrubs from northeastern Mexico

Xylem water potentials (C) were evaluated in browse plants such as Forestiera angustifolia (Oleaceae), Celtis pallida (Ulmaceae), Zanthoxylum fagara (Rutaceae), and Eysenhardtia texana (Fabaceae). Collections were carried out at Linares County, a semi-arid region of northeastern Mexico. C (MPa) were estimated at 10-day intervals between July 10 and September 30, 2008 by using a Scholander pressure bomb, and were monitored in five different plants per species at 06:00 h (predawn) and 14:00 h (midday). Air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, and soil water content were registered throughout. Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA and linear correlation analysis. At the wettest period, C at predawn varied from 0.29 (C. pallida and E. texana) to 0.37 (F. angustifolia and Z. fagara); in contrast, at the driest period, predawn C ranged from 3.28 (F. angustifolia) to 4.50 (Z. fagara). At midday E. texana achieved the highest (1.14) and lowest (4.20) values at wettest and driest sampling dates, respectively. It seems that air temperature and vapor pressure deficit negatively influenced C values in all species; conversely, C values augmented as relative humidity increased. Since F. angustifolia and C. pallida maintained higher predawn and midday C values under water stress, these species may be considered as drought-adapted species while, Z. fagara and E. texana that acquired lower values, may be less adapted to drought and in physiological disadvantage under limited water conditions

The tumour suppressor and chromatin-remodelling factor BRG1 antagonizes Myc activity and promotes cell differentiation in human cancer

BRG1, a member of the SWI/SNF complex, is mutated in cancer, but it is unclear how it promotes tumourigenesis. We report that re-expression of BRG1 in lung cancer cells up-regulates lung-specific transcripts, restoring the gene expression signature of normal lung. Using cell lines from several cancer types we found that those lacking BRG1 do not respond to retinoic acid (RA) or glucocorticoids (GC), while restoration of BRG1 restores sensitivity. Conversely, in SH-SY5Y cells, a paradigm of RA-dependent differentiation, abrogation of BRG1 prevented the response to RA. Further, our data suggest an antagonistic functional connection between BRG1 and MYC, whereby, refractoriness to RA and GC by BRG1 inactivation involves deregulation of MYC activity. Mechanistically, some of these effects are mediated by BRG1 binding to MYC and MYC-target promoters. The BRG1-MYC antagonism was also evident in primary tumours. Finally, BRG1 restoration significantly dampened invasion and progression and decreased MYC in lung cancer cells orthotopically implanted in nude mice. Thus, BRG1 inactivation enables cancer cells to sustain undifferentiated gene expression programs and prevent its response to environmental stimuli