Unilateral approach for bilateral clipping of posterior communicating artery aneurysms in a hybrid operating room: A technical note

Juan Luis Gómez-Amador,Pablo David Guerrero-Suárez,Jaime Jesús Martínez-Anda,Jorge Fernando Aragón-Arreola,Andrea Castillo-Matus,Ricardo Marian-Magaña,Marcos V Sangrador-Deitos,Alan Hernández-Hernánde 대한뇌혈관외과학회 2023 Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neuros Vol.25 No.4

Bilateral posterior communicating (pComm) artery aneurysms represent only 2% of mirror intracranial aneurysms. Usually, these are surgically approached through bilateral craniotomies for clipping. We present the case of a 50-year-old female presenting with headache and horizontal diplopia. Neurological examination revealed a left oculomotor palsy, with no other neurological deficits. Imaging studies revealed bilateral aneurysmatic lesions in both internal carotid arteries (ICA). A conventional left pterional approach was planned in order to treat the symptomatic aneurysm, and, if deemed feasible, a contralateral clipping through the same approach. The procedure was performed in a hybrid operating room (HOR), performing an intraoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and roadmapping assistance during dissection and clipping. Transoperatively, a post-fixed optic chiasm was identified, with a wide interoptic space, which allowed us to perform the contralateral clipping through a unilateral approach. This technique for clipping bilateral pComm aneurysms can be performed when the proper anatomical features are met.

Labial Adhesion Secondary to Lichen Sclerosus Masked by Vulvar Hailey–Hailey Disease

Elizabeth Suárez-Marquez,Luis Fernando Garcia-Rodriguez,Lucia Treviño-Rangel,María D. Guerrero-Putz 대한폐경학회 2022 대한폐경학회지 Vol.28 No.3

Labial adhesions in postmenopausal women are caused by various inflammatory processes in the context of estrogen deficiency. Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic, progressive condition characterized by idiopathic epithelial thinning of the anogenital region with symptoms of significant pruritus, discomfort, and dyspareunia. Early diagnosis and treatment of LS can prevent disease progression, leading to labial adhesions and malignancy. We present an 84-year-old woman with long-standing vulvar Hailey–Hailey disease who developed labial adhesions. Clinical examination with vulvar biopsy revealed histopathological findings consistent with LS. Surgical separation of the labia by blunt dissection was then performed, and clobetasol ointment and vaginal dilatators were postoperatively prescribed. This resulted in a significant improvement in her symptoms. This is the first reported case of LS in a patient with Hailey–Hailey disease.

Development of a nonlinear seismic response capacity spectrum method for intake towers of dams

Leonardo Cocco,Luis E. Suárez,Enrique E. Matheu 국제구조공학회 2010 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.36 No.3

The seismic-induced failure of a dam could have catastrophic consequences associated with the sudden release of the impounded reservoir. Depending on the severity of the seismic hazard, the characteristics and size of the dam-reservoir system, preventing such a failure scenario could be a problem of critical importance. In many cases, the release of water is controlled through a reinforced-concrete intake tower. This paper describes the application of a static nonlinear procedure known as the Capacity Spectrum Method (CSM) to evaluate the structural integrity of intake towers subject to seismic ground motion. Three variants of the CSM are considered: a multimodal pushover scheme, which uses the idea proposed by Chopra and Goel (2002); an adaptive pushover variant, in which the change in the stiffness of the structure is considered; and a combination of both approaches. The effects caused by the water surrounding the intake tower, as well as any water contained inside the hollow structure, are accounted for by added hydrodynamic masses. A typical structure is used as a case study, and the accuracy of the CSM analyses is assessed with time history analyses performed using commercial and structural analysis programs developed in Matlab.

A Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 Gene Variant is Associated with Clinical Symptomatology in Patients with First-Episode Psychosis

Javier Vázquez-Bourgon,Ignacio Mata,Roberto Roiz-Santiáñez,Rosa Ayesa-Arriola,Paula Suárez Pinilla,Diana Tordesillas-Gutiérrez,José Luis Vázquez-Barquero,Benedicto Crespo-Facorro 대한신경정신의학회 2014 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.11 No.2

Objective DISC1 gene is one of the main candidate genes for schizophrenia since it has been associated to the illness in several populations. Moreover, variations in several DISC1 polymorphisms, and in particular Ser704Cys SNP, have been associated in schizophrenic patients to structural and functional modifications in two brain areas (pre-frontal cortex and hippocampus) that play a central role in the genesis of psychotic symptoms. This study tested the association between Ser704Cys DISC1 polymorphism and the clinical onset of psychosis. Methods Two hundred and thirteen Caucasian drug-naïve patients experiencing a first episode of non-affective psychosis were genotyped for rs821616 (Ser704Cys) SNP of the DISC1 gene. The clinical severity of the illness was assessed using SAPS and SANS scales. Other clinical and socio-demographic variables were recorded to rule out possible confounding effects. Results Patients homozygous for the Ser allele of the Ser704Cys DISC1 SNP had significantly (p<0.05) higher rates at the positive symptoms dimension (SAPS-SANS scales) and hallucinations item, compared to Cys carriers. Conclusion DISC1 gene variations may modulate the clinical severity of the psychosis at the onset of the disorder.

Etiopathogenic role of ERK5 signaling in sarcoma: prognostic and therapeutic implications

Sánchez-Fdez Adrián,Matilla-Almazán Sofía,Del Carmen Sofía,Abad Mar,Arconada-Luque Elena,Jiménez-Suárez Jaime,Chinchilla-Tábora Luis Miguel,Ruíz-Hidalgo Mª José,Sánchez-Prieto Ricardo,Pandiella Atanas 생화학분자생물학회 2023 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.55 No.-

Sarcomas constitute a heterogeneous group of rare and difficult-to-treat tumors that can affect people of all ages, representing one of the most common forms of cancer in childhood and adolescence. Little is known about the molecular entities involved in sarcomagenesis. Therefore, the identification of processes that lead to the development of the disease may uncover novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, we show that the MEK5/ERK5 signaling pathway plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of sarcomas. By developing a mouse model engineered to express a constitutively active form of MEK5, we demonstrate that the exclusive activation of the MEK5/ERK5 pathway can promote sarcomagenesis. Histopathological analyses identified these tumors as undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas. Bioinformatic studies revealed that sarcomas are the tumors in which ERK5 is most frequently amplified and overexpressed. Moreover, analysis of the impact of ERK5 protein expression on overall survival in patients diagnosed with different sarcoma types in our local hospital showed a 5-fold decrease in median survival in patients with elevated ERK5 expression compared with those with low expression. Pharmacological and genetic studies revealed that targeting the MEK5/ERK5 pathway drastically affects the proliferation of human sarcoma cells and tumor growth. Interestingly, sarcoma cells with knockout of ERK5 or MEK5 were unable to form tumors when engrafted into mice. Taken together, our results reveal a role of the MEK5/ERK5 pathway in sarcomagenesis and open a new scenario to be considered in the treatment of patients with sarcoma in which the ERK5 pathway is pathophysiologically involved.

Low-Scale Expression and Purification of an Active Putative Iduronate 2-Sulfate Sulfatase-Like Enzyme from Escherichia coli K12

Edwin David Morales-Álvarez,Claudia Marcela Rivera-Hoyos,Angélica María Baena-Moncada,Patricia Landázuri,Raúl A. Poutou-Piñales,Homero Sáenz-Suárez,Luis A. Barrera,Olga Y. Echeverri-Peña 한국미생물학회 2013 The journal of microbiology Vol.51 No.2

The sulfatase family involves a group of enzymes with a large degree of similarity. Until now, sixteen human sulfatases have been identified, most of them found in lysosomes. Human deficiency of sulfatases generates various genetic disorders characterized by abnormal accumulation of sulfated intermediate compounds. Mucopolysaccharidosis type II is characterized by the deficiency of iduronate 2-sulfate sulfatase (IDS), causing the lysosomal accumulation of heparan and dermatan sulfates. Currently, there are several cases of genetic diseases treated with enzyme replacement therapy, which have generated a great interest in the development of systems for recombinant protein expression. In this work we expressed the human recombinant IDS-Like enzyme (hrIDS-Like) in Escherichia coli DH5α. The enzyme concentration revealed by ELISA varied from 78.13 to 94.35 ng/ml and the specific activity varied from 34.20 to 25.97 nmol/h/mg. Western blotting done after affinity chromatography purification showed a single band of approximately 40 kDa, which was recognized by an IgY polyclonal antibody that was developed against the specific peptide of the native protein. Our 100 ml-shake-flask assays allowed us to improve the enzyme activity seven fold,compared to the E. coli JM109/pUC13-hrIDS-Like system. Additionally, the results obtained in the present study were equal to those obtained with the Pichia pastoris GS1115/pPIC-9-hrIDS-Like system (3 L bioreactor scale). The system used in this work (E. coli DH5α/pGEX-3X-hrIDS-Like)emerges as a strategy for improving protein expression and purification, aimed at recombinant protein chemical characterization,future laboratory assays for enzyme replacement therapy, and as new evidence of active putative sulfatase production in E. coli.

Evaluation of Inelastic Lateral-Torsional Buckling Strength of Stepped I-Beam with Continuous Lateral Bracing Subjected to Top Flange Loading

Asistores, Luis Aristeo,Nicolas, Lay Allen,Kim, Su Jin,Park, Jong Sup 대한토목학회 2016 대한토목학회 학술대회 Vol.2016 No.10

Multilayer thin film coatings capable of extended programmable drug release: application to human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation.

Hong, Jinkee,Alvarez, Luis M,Shah, Nisarg J,Griffith, Linda G,Kim, Byeong-Su,Char, Kookheon,Hammond, Paula T Springer US 2012 Drug delivery and translational research Vol.2 No.5

<P>The promise of cellular therapy lies in healing damaged tissues and organs in vivo as well as generating tissue constructs in vitro for subsequent transplantation. Adult stem cells are ideally suited for cellular therapies due to their pulripotency and the ease with which they can be cultured on novel functionalized substrates. Creating environments to control and successively driving their differentiation toward a lineage of choice is one of the most important challenges of current cell-based engineering strategies. In recent years, a variety of biomedical platforms have been prepared for stem cell cultures, primarily to provide efficient delivery of growth or survival factors to cells and a conducive microenvironment for their growth. Here, we demonstrate that repeating tetralayer structures composed of biocompatible poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA)/poly(acryl amide) (PAAm)/poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA)/poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) micelles arrayed in layer-by-layer (LbL) films can serve as a payload region for dexamethasone (dex) delivery to human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This architecture can induce MSC differentiation into osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner. The amount of dex loaded in the films is controlled by varying the deposition conditions and the film thickness. Furthermore, release of dex is also controlled by changing the amount of covalent crosslinking of multilayers via thermal treatments. The multilayer architecture including payload and cell-adhesion region introduced here are well suited for extended cell culture thus affording the important and protective effect of both dex release and immobilization. These films may find applications in the local delivery of immobilized therapeutics for biomedical applications, as they can be deposited on a wide range of substrates with different shapes, sizes, and composition.</P>

The way forward for the development of Liberal Studies: how teachers perceive its introduction and implementation in Hong Kong secondary schools

Dennis Fung,Wai‑Mei Lui,Tim Liang,Angie Su 서울대학교 교육연구소 2017 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.18 No.1

This study reveals the perceptions of over one hundred Hong Kong teachers who were asked to reflect upon the implementation of Liberal Studies in secondary schools in response to the latest government review of the subject’s curriculum. Questionnaire-based surveys and semi-structured interviews were conducted to probe the participating teachers’ perceptions and suggestions in such areas as the subject’s objectives, content and assessment, with the ultimate goal of tracing the subject’s developmental trajectory. The findings indicate that, whilst the teachers appear to have faith in Liberal Studies’ objective to develop students into critical and independent thinkers, they feel that the pedagogical challenges with which they have been confronted have influenced their teaching motivation and support for the subject’s mandatory status in secondary education. Further, the potential tension between the challenges they have encountered in reality and the ideal outcomes envisaged by policymakers raises the question of how Liberal Studies can move forward in giving teachers a greater role in educational reform. Recommendations for relieving that tension, as well as the findings’ implications for future research on curriculum development in Hong Kong and elsewhere, are also discussed.

A palette of background-free tame fluorescent probes for intracellular multi-color labelling in live cells

Alamudi, Samira Husen,Su, Dongdong,Lee, Kyung Jin,Lee, Jung Yeol,Belmonte-Vá,zquez, José,Luis,Park, Hee-Sung,Peñ,a-Cabrera, Eduardo,Chang, Young-Tae Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 Chemical science Vol.9 No.8

<▼1><P>A palette of background-free tame fluorescent probes were designed and applied to intracellular multi-color labelling in live cells.</P></▼1><▼2><P>A multi-color labelling technique for visualizing multiple intracellular apparatuses in their native environment using small fluorescent probes remains challenging. This approach requires both orthogonal and biocompatible coupling reactions in heterogeneous biological systems with minimum fluorescence background noise. Here, we present a palette of BODIPY probes containing azide and cyclooctyne moieties for copper-free click chemistry in living cells. The probes, referred to as ‘tame probes’, are highly permeable and specific in nature, leaving no background noise in cells. Such probes, which are rationally designed through optimized lipophilicity, water solubility and charged van der Waals surface area, allow us to demonstrate rapid and efficient concurrent multi-labelling of intracellular target components. We show that these probes are capable of not only labelling organelles and engineered proteins, but also showing the intracellular glycoconjugates’ dynamics, through the use of metabolic oligosaccharide engineering technology in various cell types. The results demonstrated in this study thus provide flexibility for multi-spectral labelling strategies in native systems in a high spatiotemporal manner.</P></▼2>