Grupo Arq. Nicolas Mercuri

While ubiquitin proteasome–targeting drugs are highly effective in disrupting diseased cells, some cells develop adaptive responses over time. These adaptations are not driven by external economic or competitive factors but arise from intrinsic cellular survival mechanisms. Understanding these biological responses is essential for improving long-term therapeutic outcomes.

One major adaptive mechanism involves changes in proteasome composition. Cells may alter the structure or activity of proteasome subunits to reduce drug sensitivity. This allows partial restoration of protein degradation despite continued drug exposure. In parallel, stress-response pathways become more active, helping cells tolerate accumulated proteins.

Another adaptive response is increased reliance on alternative protein disposal pathways such as autophagy. When proteasome function is impaired, cells may redirect damaged proteins to lysosomal degradation systems. This compensatory mechanism helps maintain cellular balance under sustained stress.

Cells may also upregulate chaperone proteins that assist in protein folding, reducing the number of misfolded proteins requiring degradation.…

Image-guided radiotherapy has significantly improved the accuracy of cancer treatment, and tumor tracking systems further enhance this precision by continuously monitoring tumor motion during therapy. In image-guided approaches, imaging is used before or during treatment to confirm tumor location, but static images alone cannot account for real-time movement. Tumor tracking systems bridge this gap by providing dynamic motion awareness.

During a treatment session, tumors may shift due to breathing, digestion, or involuntary muscle movement. Tumor tracking systems work alongside imaging tools to detect these changes instantly. This allows radiation beams to be aligned with the tumor at all times rather than relying on pre-treatment images alone.

One of the major benefits of combining image guidance with tumor tracking is improved targeting confidence. Clinicians can verify tumor position visually and rely on tracking data to maintain alignment throughout the procedure. This reduces the need for treatment pauses or repeated imaging, making…

Designing effective zinc finger proteins is a critical step in ZFN technology. Each zinc finger must bind accurately to its designated DNA triplet.

Protein engineering techniques are used to assemble zinc finger arrays with desired specificity. This process requires expertise and careful validation.

Advances in computational modeling and protein design have simplified zinc finger engineering, improving success rates and reproducibility.

Well-designed zinc finger proteins form the foundation of effective and safe genome editing.

Neurological evaluation is a cornerstone of diagnosing Wilson’s disease in patients with nervous system involvement. Copper accumulation in the brain can lead to a wide range of neurological and psychiatric symptoms that significantly affect daily functioning.

Common neurological signs include tremors, muscle stiffness, difficulty with coordination, slurred speech, and abnormal movements. These symptoms may resemble Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders, making accurate assessment essential.

Psychiatric manifestations are also common and may precede physical symptoms. Depression, personality changes, irritability, impulsive behavior, and cognitive decline are frequently reported. These features can lead patients to seek psychiatric care before underlying metabolic disease is recognized.

A detailed neurological examination helps identify movement abnormalities, reflex changes, and coordination deficits. When combined with imaging findings and biochemical abnormalities, neurological assessment strengthens diagnostic accuracy.

Early neurological diagnosis is particularly important because many symptoms are reversible with timely treatment. Delayed recognition, however, may result in permanent neurological…