Academia in cardiovascular radiology: are we doing enough for the future of the subspecialty?

AIM: To explore barriers to academic activities that cardiovascular radiology-oriented radiology trainees face worldwide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An international call for participation in an online survey was distributed via social media and radiological societies to radiology trainees. Questions covered barriers and involvement in academic activities during radiology training. Participants interested in cardiovascular radiology were selected for analysis with appropriate statistical methods. RESULTS: Of the 892 respondents, 120 (13.5%) reported an interest in cardiovascular imaging. The majority (63.3%, 76/120) were from Europe and 57.5% (69/120) were men. There were gender discrepancies in academic involvement and in perceived gender-related barriers (perceived gender barrier in academic work between women and men: 15/48 versus 5/69, respectively, p=0.001). The main barriers were lack of time, mentorship, and support. Most did not have protected academic time for research nor for teaching (61.7%, 74/120 and 57.5%, 69/120, respectively). Nonetheless, 40% (48/120) published as first authors, 77.5% (91/120) were involved academically in conferences, 71.7% (85/120) were positive about academic activities, 70.8% plan working in an academic setting, and 78.3% (94/120) would consider research training abroad. CONCLUSION: Although the majority of respondents are positive about academic activities and plan to continue in the future, most do not have protected time. Lack of time, mentorship, and support were the main barriers. Fewer women declare involvement in academic work and output. There are significant perceived gender barriers to academic activities.

Giant perineal hernia: laparoscopic mesh repair complemented by a perineal cutaneous approach.

Symptomatic perineal herniation after abdominoperineal resection is a rare complication and its management remains challenging. Perineal laparoscopic mesh repair is safe and effective and can be performed with minimal complications. We report a giant perineal hernia treated by a combined laparoscopic mesh repair approach and plastic resection of the cutaneous perineal wound. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report with this technical approach that we could find in the English literature.

Cloning of rat vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase and developmentally regulated gene expression in postimplantation embryos.

Vitamin K-dependent carboxylase catalyzes the posttranslational modification of glutamate to gamma-carboxyglutamate (Gla) in its substrates, the vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs). This modification is required for the activities of the VKDPs. Recent evidence demonstrates previously unrecognized roles for VKDPs as signaling molecules important in the regulation of cell growth, adhesion, and apoptosis, suggesting developmental functions for VKDPs and hence the carboxylase. The tissue distribution and functions of carboxylase in development are unknown. In this study, we isolated and characterized the full-length cDNA encoding the rat carboxylase and analyzed, at the cellular level, the expression of this gene in rat embryos by in situ hybridization. We demonstrate that the expression of this gene is highly regulated in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. Hepatocytes, the major site of synthesis of VKDPs of blood coagulation, express carboxylase mRNA late in gestation, in contrast to the central nervous system, mesenchymal, and skeletal tissues which express carboxylase mRNA early during rat embryogenesis. The tissue-specific temporal expression of the carboxylase gene during embryogenesis indicates that vitamin K-dependent carboxylation and the formation of Gla is developmentally regulated. These studies suggest that vitamin K-dependent carboxylation is an important modulator of embryonic VKDP function.

Cloning, structural organization, and transcriptional activity of the rat vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene.

The vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene was cloned from a rat liver genomic DNA library and the structural organization of this gene was determined. The carboxylase gene is 16.3 kb in length and contains 15 exons and 14 introns. DNA sequence analysis revealed that all 14 introns were U2-Type GT-AG introns. A 2.8-kb DNA fragment corresponding to the 5'-flanking region of the cloned gene demonstrated transcriptional activity in a rat liver cell line that is known to express the endogenous carboxylase gene. DNA sequence analysis of the proximal 331 bp of this 5'-flanking sequence reveals the absence of an identifiable TATA box. Consensus sequences for several transcription factors that may be important in regulating its tissue specific expression were identified. The isolation and characterization of the rat carboxylase gene provides essential information for the analysis of its regulation in vitro and in transgenic animal models.