Complications of laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for gynecologic malignancies. Experience of 372 patients

Evaluation of lymph nodes is an integral part in the management of women with gynecologic cancers, which is why the pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy is widely used as a staging and/ or prognostic procedure in such malignancies. The purpose of this study was to describe our experience with pelvic and aortic laparoscopic lymphadenectomy and evaluate the safety and feasibility of this procedure for gynecologic malignancies. From January 2004 to December 2015, a laparoscopic pelvic and/or aortic lymphadenectomy was performed in 372 women at the Department of Gynecology Oncology of the University General Hospital of Castellon and at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Sant Pau and Santa Tecla Tarragona Hospitals. Out of the 372 cases, 240 combined pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomies were performed, while 108 and 24 patients underwent pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy respectively. The mean operative times were 40 min (20-89) in order to perform a complete pelvic lymphadenectomy, 62 min (21-151) for transperitoneal aortic lymphadenectomy and 45 min (35-65) for a retroperitoneal approach. A conversion to laparotomy was needed in 1.6% of patients. Twenty-three (6.1%) complications were encountered in 372 patients undergoing laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Nine (2.4%) major complications occurred intraoperatively while fourteen (3.7%) appeared postoperatively. The most frequent intraoperatory complication was vascular injury (1.3%). Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy can be considered a safe and achievable procedure, and could be considered the golden standard procedure for staging gynecologic malignancies

Elisidepsin interacts directly with glycosylceramides in the plasma membrane of tumor cells to induce necrotic cell death

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.Plasma membrane integrity is essential for cell life. Any major break on it immediately induces the death of the affected cell. Different molecules were described as disrupting this cell structure and thus showing antitumor activity. We have previously defined that elisidepsin (Irvalec®, PM02734) inserts and self-organizes in the plasma membrane of tumor cells, inducing a rapid loss of membrane integrity, cell permeabilization and necrotic death. Here we show that, in sensitive HCT-116 colorectal cells, all these effects are consequence of the interaction of elisidepsin with glycosylceramides in the cell membrane. Of note, an elisidepsin-resistant subline (HCT-116-Irv) presented reduced levels of glycosylceramides and no accumulation of elisidepsin in the plasma membrane. Consequently, drug treatment did not induce the characteristic necrotic cell death. Furthermore, GM95, a mutant derivative from B16 mouse melanoma cells lacking ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) activity and thus the synthesis of glycosylceramides, was also resistant to elisidepsin. Over-expression of UGCG gene in these deficient cells restored glycosylceramides synthesis, rendering them sensitive to elisidepsin, at a similar level than parental B16 cells. These results indicate that glycosylceramides act as membrane targets of elisidepsin, facilitating its insertion in the plasma membrane and the subsequent membrane permeabilization that leads to drug-induced cell death. They also indicate that cell membrane lipids are a plausible target for antineoplastic therapy.Funding: The work of CV, AM and CM was partially supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (www.mineco.gob.es) [grant numbers SAF2010-14916 and SAF2013-45800-R], and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (www.isciii.es) [grant numbers FIS-RECAVA RD06/0014/0025 and FIS-RIC RD12/0042/0019]. The work of MPL and CG was partially supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [grant number CTQ 2010-1645]. CM and AM hold FPI and JAE-Predoc (www.csic.es) fellowships, respectively.Peer Reviewe

Basement membrane-rich Organoids with functional human blood vessels are permissive niches for human breast cancer metastasis

Metastasic breast cancer is the leading cause of death by malignancy in women worldwide. Tumor metastasis is a multistep process encompassing local invasion of cancer cells at primary tumor site, intravasation into the blood vessel, survival in systemic circulation, and extravasation across the endothelium to metastasize at a secondary site. However, only a small percentage of circulating cancer cells initiate metastatic colonies. This fact, together with the inaccessibility and structural complexity of target tissues has hampered the study of the later steps in cancer metastasis. In addition, most data are derived from in vivo models where critical steps such as intravasation/extravasation of human cancer cells are mediated by murine endothelial cells. Here, we developed a new mouse model to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying late steps of the metastatic cascade. We have shown that a network of functional human blood vessels can be formed by co-implantation of human endothelial cells and mesenchymal cells, embedded within a reconstituted basement membrane-like matrix and inoculated subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice. The ability of circulating cancer cells to colonize these human vascularized organoids was next assessed in an orthotopic model of human breast cancer by bioluminescent imaging, molecular techniques and immunohistological analysis. We demonstrate that disseminated human breast cancer cells efficiently colonize organoids containing a functional microvessel network composed of human endothelial cells, connected to the mouse circulatory system. Human breast cancer cells could be clearly detected at different stages of the metastatic process: initial arrest in the human microvasculature, extravasation, and growth into avascular micrometastases. This new mouse model may help us to map the extravasation process with unprecedented detail, opening the way for the identification of relevant targets for therapeutic intervention

Relevamiento de edificios en altura en San Miguel de Tucumán: su envolvente y condiciones ambientales

El objetivo del presente trabajo es el relevamiento de la situación de edificios en altura en la ciudad de San Miguel de Tucumán. En el mismo se presentan los datos obtenidos del relevamiento realizado en los sectores mas densamente construidos de la capital tucumana. Mediante un relevamiento lote a lote del radio céntrico de la ciudad se registraron las características de los edificios en altura, sus características constructivas y sus envolventes generándose una base de datos hasta ahora inexistente; se realizaron mediciones piloto de condiciones higrotérmicas y acústicas. El análisis térmico permitió describir comportamientos típicos del parque edilicio en altura. Por otro lado ha puesto de manifiesto las situaciones de disconfort térmico y acústico. Se comprobó correlación entre situaciones de disconfort y el uso de materiales o técnicas constructivas inadecuadas desde el punto de vista de las recomendaciones efectuadas por la normativa vigente.The aim of this paper is to present a survey of environmental conditions in multistory buildings in the city of San Miguel de Tucuman, northwest Argentina. A characterization of the high density urban area is presented with data of acoustic and thermal urban conditions and within buildings. The analysis showed different situations where the environmental parameters are above the standards. These situations have been compared against the suggested building regulations and direct correlations were found.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

A Case of Urethrocutaneous Fistula Following a Transobturator Tape Procedure for Stress Urinary Incontinence

The transobturator tape procedure (TOT) is a highly effective technique used to resolve cases of female stress urinary incontinence and is a safe procedure with relatively few per-operative and early post-operative complications compared to the tension free vaginal tape (TVT). Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that the late surgical sequelae following a TOT procedure are relatively common. Urethrocutaneous fistula is an unusual complication in the female population that is defined as an abnormal connection between the urethra and the skin, usually affecting the perineum. It may also develop secondary to urethral strictures, repair of hypospadias, prostate surgery, chronic untreated periurethral abscesses, trauma etc. It is usually diagnosed using retrograde urethrography and fistulography. We present a case of a 53 year old woman who developed a urethrocutaneous fistula after a TOT procedure four years ago as a surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence which was diagnosed recently after presenting various episodes of vulvar abscesse

Relevamiento de edificios en altura en San Miguel de Tucumán: su envolvente y condiciones ambientales

El objetivo del presente trabajo es el relevamiento de la situación de edificios en altura en la ciudad de San Miguel de Tucumán. En el mismo se presentan los datos obtenidos del relevamiento realizado en los sectores mas densamente construidos de la capital tucumana. Mediante un relevamiento lote a lote del radio céntrico de la ciudad se registraron las características de los edificios en altura, sus características constructivas y sus envolventes generándose una base de datos hasta ahora inexistente; se realizaron mediciones piloto de condiciones higrotérmicas y acústicas. El análisis térmico permitió describir comportamientos típicos del parque edilicio en altura. Por otro lado ha puesto de manifiesto las situaciones de disconfort térmico y acústico. Se comprobó correlación entre situaciones de disconfort y el uso de materiales o técnicas constructivas inadecuadas desde el punto de vista de las recomendaciones efectuadas por la normativa vigente.The aim of this paper is to present a survey of environmental conditions in multistory buildings in the city of San Miguel de Tucuman, northwest Argentina. A characterization of the high density urban area is presented with data of acoustic and thermal urban conditions and within buildings. The analysis showed different situations where the environmental parameters are above the standards. These situations have been compared against the suggested building regulations and direct correlations were found.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Automatic expert system based on images for accuracy crop row detection in maize fields

This paper proposes an automatic expert system for accuracy crop row detection in maize fields based on images acquired from a vision system. Different applications in maize, particularly those based on site specific treatments, require the identification of the crop rows. The vision system is designed with a defined geometry and installed onboard a mobile agricultural vehicle, i.e. submitted to vibrations, gyros or uncontrolled movements. Crop rows can be estimated by applying geometrical parameters under image perspective projection. Because of the above undesired effects, most often, the estimation results inaccurate as compared to the real crop rows. The proposed expert system exploits the human knowledge which is mapped into two modules based on image processing techniques. The first one is intended for separating green plants (crops and weeds) from the rest (soil, stones and others). The second one is based on the system geometry where the expected crop lines are mapped onto the image and then a correction is applied through the well-tested and robust Theil–Sen estimator in order to adjust them to the real ones. Its performance is favorably compared against the classical Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient

Asignatura electiva: “Acondicionamiento Natural”

La asignatura Acondicionamiento Natural forma parte de un grupo de materias electivas que se ofrecen en la carrera de arquitecto en la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Se ubica en un quinto y/o sexto año de la carrera, cumpliendo las veces de una línea de especialización. Tiene asignada una carga horaria de 48 hs.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Asignatura electiva: “Acondicionamiento Natural”

La asignatura Acondicionamiento Natural forma parte de un grupo de materias electivas que se ofrecen en la carrera de arquitecto en la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Se ubica en un quinto y/o sexto año de la carrera, cumpliendo las veces de una línea de especialización. Tiene asignada una carga horaria de 48 hs.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

The influence of oceanographic scenarios on the population dynamics of demersal resources in the Western Mediterranean: Hypotesis for hake and red shrimp off Balearic Islands

We analysed the relationships between climatic indices, population parameters (abundance, recruitment and spawning stock) and catchability of hake and red shrimp in the trawl fishery off Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean