The NER-related gene GTF2H5 predicts survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients

Javier Gayarre,Marta M. Kamieniak,Alicia Cazorla-Jiménez,Ivan Muñoz-Repeto,Salud Borrego,Jesús García-Donas,Susana Hernando,Luis Robles-Díaz,José M. García-Bueno,Ivan Márquez-Rodas,María José Echarri 대한부인종양학회 2016 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.27 No.1

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive value of the nucleotide excision repair-related gene GTF2H5, which is localized at the 6q24.2-26 deletion previously reported by our group to predict longer survival of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. Methods: In order to test if protein levels of GTF2H5 are associated with patients' outcome, we performed GTF2H5 immunohistochemical staining in 139 high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas included in tissue microarrays. Upon stratification of cases into high- and low- GTF2H5 staining categories (> and ≤ median staining, respectively) Kaplan-Meier and logrank test were used to estimate patients’ survival and assess statistical differences. We also evaluated the association of GTF2H5 with survival at the transcriptional level by using the on-line Kaplan-Meier plotter tool, which includes gene expression and survival data of 855 high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients from 13 different datasets. Finally, we determined whether stable short hairpin RNA-mediated GTF2H5 downregulation modulates cisplatin sensitivity in the SKOV3 and COV504 cell lines by using cytotoxicity assays. Results: Low expression of GTF2H5 was associated with longer 5-year survival of patients at the protein (hazard ratio [HR], 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.93; p=0.024) and transcriptional level (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.97; p=0.023) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. We confirmed the association with 5-year overall survival (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.78; p=0.0007) and also found an association with progression-free survival (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.96; p=0.026) in a homogenous group of 388 high-stage (stages III-IV using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system), optimally debulked high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. GTF2H5- silencing induced a decrease of the half maximal inhibitory concentration upon cisplatin treatment in GTF2H5-silenced ovarian cancer cells. Conclusion: Low levels of GTF2H5 are associated with enhanced prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients and may contribute to cisplatin sensitization.

Application of hydraulic cylinder testing to determine the geotechnical properties of earth-filled dams

Rodriguez, Roman F.,Nicieza, Celestino G.,Gayarre, Fernando L.,Lopez, Francisco L. Ramos Techno-Press 2015 Geomechanics & engineering Vol.9 No.4

This article describes a new in-situ load test called the Hydraulic Cylinder Test (HCT) and its application to determine the geotechnical properties of soil-rock mixtures. The main advantages of the test are its easy implementation, speed of execution and low-cost. This article provides a detailed description of the equipment and the test procedure, and examines a case study of its application to determine the geotechnical properties of an earth-filled dam for a tailings pond. The containment dams of the ponds are made from blocks of gypsum and marl, obtained from the excavation of the ponds, mixed in a matrix of sands and clays. The size of the rocks varies between 1 and 30 cm. The HCT is particularly useful for determining the geotechnical properties of this type of soil-rock mixture. Nine HCTs were carried out to determine its strength (c, ${\phi}$) and deformation (B, G) properties. The results obtained were validated using the Bim strength criterion, recently proposed, and some pressure meter tests carried out beforehand. The properties obtained are used to analyze the stability of the dam using computer simulations and a modification to its design is proposed.

Characterization of the main component of equal width welded I-beam-to-RHS-column connections

Carlos López-Colina,Miguel A. Serrano,Miguel Lozano,Fernando L. Gayarre,Jesús M. Suárez,Tim Wilkinson 국제구조공학회 2019 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.32 No.3

The present paper tries to contribute fill the gap of application of the component method to tubular connections. For this purpose, one typical joint configuration in which just one component can be considered as active has been studied. These joints were selected as symmetrically loaded welded connections in which the beam width was the same as the column width. This focused the study on the component „side walls of rectangular hollow sections (RHS) in tension/compression‟. It should be one of the main components to be considered in welded unstiffened joints between I beams and RHS columns. Many experimental tests on double-sided I-beam-to-RHS-column joint with a width ratio 1 have been carried out by the authors and a finite element (FE) model was validated with their results. Then, some different analytical approaches for the component stiffness and strength have been assessed. Finally, the stiffness proposals have been compared with some FE simulations on I-beam-to-RHS-column joints. This work finally proposes the most adequate equations that were found for the stiffness and strength characterization of the component „side walls of RHS in tension/compression‟ to be applied in a further unified global proposal for the application of the component method to RHS.

The Component ‘Lateral Faces of RHS’ under Compression at Ambient and High Temperature

Carlos López-Colina,Miguel A. Serrano,Fernando L. Gayarre,Jorge González 한국강구조학회 2014 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.14 No.1

The present paper is an extension of previous articles written by the authors. It applies the component method to structuraljoint configurations and conditions traditionally excluded from the application field of this approach. For this purpose, jointsbetween rectangular hollow sections have been selected. In addition, the fire-temperature condition, which is not consideredin the codes for steel joints at this moment, was chosen as an additional subject to be studied. Since the componentcharacterization is one of the main steps of the component method and the Eurocode approach requires the calculation of bothresistance and stiffness of each one of the parts in which the whole joint can be divided, the component ‘lateral faces of RHS’under compression was studied at ambient and high temperature conditions. Some previous experimental and numerical testswere used to finally obtain a complete analytical model proposal that includes both strength and stiffness of the component The present paper is an extension of previous articles written by the authors. It applies the component method to structuraljoint configurations and conditions traditionally excluded from the application field of this approach. For this purpose, jointsbetween rectangular hollow sections have been selected. In addition, the fire-temperature condition, which is not consideredin the codes for steel joints at this moment, was chosen as an additional subject to be studied. Since the componentcharacterization is one of the main steps of the component method and the Eurocode approach requires the calculation of bothresistance and stiffness of each one of the parts in which the whole joint can be divided, the component ‘lateral faces of RHS’under compression was studied at ambient and high temperature conditions. Some previous experimental and numerical testswere used to finally obtain a complete analytical model proposal that includes both strength and stiffness of the component.

A Simplified FE Simulation of Welded I Beam-to-RHS Column Joints

Miguel A. Serrano-López,Carlos López-Colina,Jorge González,Fernando López-Gayarre 한국강구조학회 2016 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.16 No.4

This paper presents a study of the validity of different finite element models that can be used to simulate the welds at beamcolumn joints involving rectangular hollow sections (RHS). By comparing with actual test results several finite element models that include shell and solid element types and the presence or not of the welds, it is possible to extract some interesting conclusions about which is the simplest and most appropriate simulation mode to faithfully represent the behavior of these connections. Research in this field will guide and help further work to better knowledge of the behavior in terms of strength and stiffness of the semi-rigid joints involving welded rectangular hollow section as columns to be able to propose an extension of the component method to these kind of joints.

Slip-resistant bolted connections under freeze-thaw cycles and low temperature

A. Fuente-García,M.A. Serrano-López,C. López-Colina,F. López-Gayarre 국제구조공학회 2023 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.48 No.3

There are many examples of steel structures subjected to severe environmental conditions with bolted connections directly exposed to extreme climatic agents such as freeze-thaw cycles or low temperatures. Some examples are: steel bridges, mining transfer towers, wind towers... These service conditions neither are included in Eurocode 3 or EN1090-2, nor there are references in other international standards. In this experimental research, 46 specimens of non-slip joints with HV M20 bolts and four different types of contact surfaces have been studied. Half of the specimens were subjected to fourteen twelve-hours freezethaw cycles, with periodic immersion in water and temperature oscillation. Subsequently, half of the connections were subjected to a slip test under monotonic load at temperature of -20 ± 0.5 ºC and the other half at room temperature. The results were compared with others equal joints not subjected to freeze-thaw cycles and kept at room temperature for the same time. This finally resulted in 4 sets of joints by combining the freeze-thaw degradation or not with the low-temperature conditions or not in the slip testing. Therefore, a total of 16 different conditions were studied by also considering 4 different contact surfaces between the joined plates in each set. The results obtained show influence of environmental conditions on the slip resistant capacity of these joints.