Prognostic Factors and Decision Tree for Long-Term Survival in Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

Daniel Lorenzo,María Ochoa,Josep Maria Piulats,Cristina Gutiérrez,Luis Arias,Jaume Català,María Grau,Judith Peñafiel,Estefanía Cobos,Pere Garcia-Bru,Marcos Javier Rubio,Noel Padrón-Pérez,Bruno Dias,Jo 대한암학회 2018 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.50 No.4

Purpose The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in metastatic uveal melanoma. Secondary aims were to identify the characteristics and prognostic factors associated with long-term survival and to develop a clinical decision tree. Materials and Methods The medical records of 99 metastatic uveal melanoma patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified as either short ( 12 months) or long-term survivors (> 12 months) based on a graphical interpretation of the survival curve after diagnosis of the first metastatic lesion. Ophthalmic and oncological characteristics were assessed in both groups. Results Of the 99 patients, 62 (62.6%) were classified as short-term survivors, and 37 (37.4%) as long-term survivors. The multivariate analysis identified the following predictors of long-term survival: age  65 years (p=0.012) and unaltered serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (p=0.018); additionally, the size (smaller vs. larger) of the largest liver metastasis showed a trend towards significance (p=0.063). Based on the variables significantly associated with long-term survival, we developed a decision tree to facilitate clinical decision-making. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate the existence of a bimodal survival pattern in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. The presence of certain clinical characteristics at diagnosis of distant disease is associated with long-term survival. A decision tree was developed to facilitate clinical decision-making and to counsel patients about the expected course of disease.

Analyses of karyotype by G-banding and high-resolution microarrays in a gender dysphoria population

Rosa Fernández,Antonio Guillamón,Esther Gómez‑Gil,Isabel Esteva,Mari Cruz Almaraz,Joselyn Cortés‑Cortés,Beatriz Lamas,Estefanía Lema,Eduardo Pásaro 한국유전학회 2018 Genes & Genomics Vol.40 No.5

Gender Dysphoria is characterized by a marked incongruence between the cerebral sex and biological sex. To investigate the possible influence of karyotype on the etiology of Gender Dysphoria we carried out the cytogenetic analysis of karyotypes in 444 male-to-females (MtFs) and 273 female-to-males (FtMs) that attended the Gender Identity Units of Barcelona and Málaga (Spain) between 2000 and 2016. The karyotypes from 23 subjects (18 MtFs and 5 FtMs) were also analysed by Affymetrix CytoScan™ high-density (HD) arrays. Our data showed a higher incidence of cytogenetic alterations in Gender Dysphoria (2.65%) than in the general population (0.53%) (p < 0.0001). When G-banding was performed, 11 MtFs (2.48%) and 8 FtMs (2.93%) showed a cytogenetic alteration. Specifically, Klinefelter syndrome frequency was significantly higher (1.13%) (p < 0.0001), however Turner syndrome was not represented in our sample (p < 0.61). At molecular level, HD microarray analysis revealed a 17q21.31 microduplication which encompasses the gene KANSL1 (MIM612452) in 5 out of 18 MtFs and 2 out of 5 FtMs that corresponds to a copy-number variation region in chromosome 17q21.31. In conclusion, we confirm a significantly high frequency of aneuploidy, specifically Klinefelter syndrome and we identified in 7 out of 23 GD individuals the same microduplication of 572 Kb which encompasses the KANSL1 gene.

Clinical Features of Eosinophilic Esophagitis: A Single Center Experience in Ecuador

Fabián Vásconez Muñoz,Pamela Hernández Almeida,Estefanía Carrión-Jaramillo,Andrea Vásconez Montalvo 대한소아소화기영양학회 2022 Pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology & nutrition Vol.25 No.4

Purpose: Data on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in South America is scarce. Moreover, no studies are available in Ecuador. We evaluated the clinical, endoscopic, and histological characteristics of Ecuadorian children with EoE. Methods: Medical records of 2,711 children who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) between 2009 and 2020 at Hospital Metropolitano de Quito, Ecuador were reviewed. Esophageal mucosal biopsies were obtained from 72 patients and the features of 35 children with EoE were described. EoE was diagnosed when there were more than 15 eosinophils in the esophagus, per high power field. Results: EoE was diagnosed in 35 children (9.4±4.5 years) with a male predominance (74%). Abdominal pain (51.4%) and vomiting (31.4%) were dominant symptoms. A history of allergic diseases was noted in 47.1% of the children, which mainly included allergic rhinitis (37.1%) and atopic dermatitis (11.4%). The most common endoscopic findings were furrowing (82.9%) and edema (74.3%). All patients were initially treated with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). Those who did not respond to PPIs received steroids (5.7%) and diet therapy (5.7%), and five patients were referred to an allergist. Clinical and histological resolution was observed in 65% of the patients who underwent a second UGE after 6–8 weeks of PPI. Conclusion: Our study describes the clinical features of pediatric EoE in Ecuador. This is the first retrospective study in Ecuador that describes the clinical, endoscopic, and histological manifestations of EoE in a small pediatric population. Almost half of the children who underwent a biopsy had EoE.

Food Hypersensitivity in Mexican Adults at 18 to 50 Years of Age: A Questionnaire Survey

Martín Bedolla-Barajas,Tonatiuh Ramses Bedolla-Pulido,Alan Salvador Camacho-Peña,Estefanía González-García,Jaime Morales-Romero 대한천식알레르기학회 2014 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.6 No.6

Purpose: There is limited epidemiological evidence of food hypersensitivity (FH) in the adult population. We aimed to determine the prevalence of FH in Mexican adults, their clinical features and to establish common food involved in its appearance. Methods: We designed a cross-sectional study using a fixed quota sampling; 1,126 subjects answered a structured survey to gather information related to FH. Results: The prevalence of FH in adults was 16.7% (95% CI, 14.5% to 18.8%), without statistical significant differences related to gender (women, 17.5% and men, 15.9%) or residential location. The most common clinical manifestations in adults with FH were oral allergy syndrome (70 of 1,126) and urticaria (55 of 1,126). According to category, fruits and vegetables were the most frequent foods to trigger FH (6.12%) and were individually related to shrimp (4.0%), and cow milk (1.5%). Adults under age 25 had a higher frequency of FH (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.91, P <0.001). Personal history of any atopic disease was significantly associated with FH (P <0.0001). Conclusions: The prevalence of FH is relatively high in Mexican adults, and FH is significantly associated with atopic diseases.

The Table of the Dead at the celebration of the deceased in the Ecuadorian Coastal Lowlands region

Efrén Silva Gómez,David Quezada Tobar,Miguel Orden Mejía,Estefanía Quezada Tobar 한국식품연구원 2020 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.7 No.-

Ecuador is considered a multi-ethnic and multicultural country. It has several celebrations that are part of its traditions. One of these celebrations is the feast of All Souls Day, commemorated in a different way in the four regions of the country. In the coastal lowlands region, especially in the province of Santa Elena, the Tugaduaja community performs a ritual called the Table of the Dead, which consists of displaying various foods that the deceased relatives loved. The objective of this article is to describe the elaboration of this ritual from the ethnographic point of view, for which in-depth interviews and observation cards were used. The Table of the Dead is held 2 days a year, on one occasion for dead children and on the other for dead adults. The festive meals that can never be absent from the table are roasted sweet potato, dead man’s bread, corn custard, and goat stew. This social, ritual and festive use contributes to the dialog and respect between the different cultures and communities of Ecuador

Benzo-thia-fused [ <i>n</i> ]thienoacenequinodimethanes with small to moderate diradical characters: the role of pro-aromaticity <i>versus</i> anti-aromaticity

Shi, Xueliang,Quintero, Estefaní,a,Lee, Sangsu,Jing, Linzhi,Herng, Tun Seng,Zheng, Bin,Huang, Kuo-Wei,Ló,pez Navarrete, Juan T.,Ding, Jun,Kim, Dongho,Casado, Juan,Chi, Chunyan Royal Society of Chemistry 2016 Chemical Science Vol.7 No.5

<▼1><P>Pro-aromatic <B>Th<I>n</I>-TIPS</B> exhibits distinctly different physical properties from anti-aromatic <B>S<I>n</I>-TIPS</B>.</P></▼1><▼2><P>Open-shell singlet diradicaloids have recently received much attention due to their unique optical, electronic and magnetic properties and promising applications in materials science. Among various diradicaloids, quinoidal π-conjugated molecules have become the prevailing design. However, the need for a fundamental understanding on how the fusion mode and pro-aromaticity/anti-aromaticity affect their diradical character and physical properties remains unaddressed. In this work, a series of pro-aromatic benzo-thia-fused [<I>n</I>]thienoacenequinodimethanes (<B>Th<I>n</I>-TIPS</B> (<I>n</I> = 1–3) and <B>BDTh-TIPS</B>) were synthesized and compared with the previously reported anti-aromatic bisindeno-[<I>n</I>]thienoacenes (<B>S<I>n</I>-TIPS</B>, <I>n</I> = 1–4). The ground-state geometric and electronic structures of these new quinoidal molecules were systematically investigated by X-ray crystallographic analysis, variable temperature NMR, ESR, SQUID, Raman, and electronic absorption spectroscopy, assisted by DFT calculations. It was found that the diradical character index (<I>y</I><SUB>0</SUB>) increased from nearly zero for <B>Th1-TIPS</B> to 2.4% for <B>Th2-TIPS</B>, 18.2% for <B>Th3-TIPS</B>, and 38.2% for <B>BDTh-TIPS</B>, due to the enhanced aromatic stabilization. Consequently, with the extension of molecular size, the one-photon absorption spectra are gradually red-shifted, the two-photon absorption (TPA) cross section values increase, and the singlet excited state lifetimes decrease. By comparison with the corresponding anti-aromatic analogues <B>S<I>n</I>-TIPS</B> (<I>n</I> = 1–3), the pro-aromatic <B>Th<I>n</I>-TIPS</B> (<I>n</I> = 1–3) exhibit larger diradical character, longer singlet excited state lifetime and larger TPA cross section value. At the same time, they display distinctively different electronic absorption spectra and improved electrochemical amphotericity. Spectroelectrochemical studies revealed a good linear relationship between the optical energy gaps and the molecular length in the neutral, radical cationic and dicationic forms. Our research work discloses a significant difference between the pro-aromatic and anti-aromatic quinoidal compounds and provides guidance for the design of new diradicaloids with desirable properties.</P></▼2>