Experience with the use of Rituximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a tertiary Hospital in Spain: RITAR study

There is evidence supporting that there are no relevant clinical differences between dosing rituximab 1000 mg or 2000 mg per cycle in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in clinical trials, and low-dose cycles seem to have a better safety profile. Our objective was to describe the pattern of use of rituximab in real-life practice conditions. Methods: Rituximab for RA in clinical practice (RITAR) study is a retrospective cohort study from 2005 to 2015. Eligibility criteria were RA adults treated with rituximab for active articular disease. Response duration was the main outcome defined as months elapsed from the date of rituximab first infusion to the date of flare. A multivariable analysis was performed to determine the variables associated with response duration. Results: A total of 114 patients and 409 cycles were described, 93.0% seropositive and 80.7% women. Rituximab was mainly used as second-line biological therapy. On demand retreatment was used in 94.6% of cases versus fixed 6 months retreatment in 5.4%. Median response duration to on demand rituximab cycles was 10 months (interquartile range, 7–13). Multivariable analysis showed that age older than 65 years, number of rituximab cycles, seropositivity, and first- or second-line therapy were associated with longer response duration. The dose administered at each cycle was not significantly associated with response duration. Conclusions: Our experience suggests that 1000 mg rituximab single infusion on demand is a reasonable schedule for long-term treatment of those patients with good response after the first cycles, especially in seropositive patients and when it is applied as a first- or second-line biological therap

Influencia de las fake news en twitter sobre políticos colombianos polémicos: Gustavo Petro y Álvaro Uribe, en la percepción de jóvenes en Bogotá

En este proyecto de grado, se analiza la influencia de las redes sociales y en especial Twitter, que son un foco de propagación de noticias falsas tomando mayor fuerza cuando de política se trata. Para establecer cómo se mueve esta red social con respecto a los contenidos de desinformación en Colombia con dos de los líderes políticos más relevantes del país, se realizó el análisis, por un lado, de Gustavo Petro representando movimientos de izquierda y en otro lugar, Álvaro Uribe Vélez como líder de derecha. En el desarrollo del estudio se analiza la influencia de las fake news que circulan en Twitter sobre los políticos polémicos Gustavo Petro y Álvaro Uribe, específicamente, en la percepción que tienen jóvenes entre 18 y 25 años de Bogotá y sobre el contenido político que consumen. Por otro lado, se determinó la forma cómo la población objeto de estudio identifica las noticias falsas y cómo estas mismas afectan la imagen que tiene la comunidad sobre los dos personajes en cuestión. Esto se llevó a cabo, a través de la metodología descriptiva con enfoque cualitativo. Uno de los hallazgos más relevantes al realizar el estudio fue que los entrevistados aseguraron que su percepción es cambiante en cuanto a la imagen del opositor según sus ideologías políticas; por ejemplo, algunos de los entrevistados afines a la izquierda aseguran que las noticias falsas sobre Gustavo Petro hacen que se aumente de algún modo la visión negativa del lado opuesto, es decir, del partido de derecha (Álvaro Uribe), y viceversa. (apartes del texto)In this degree project, the influence of social networks and especially Twitter, which are a source of false news propagation, is analyzed, taking greater force when it comes to politics. To establish how this social network moves with respect to disinformation content in Colombia with two of the most relevant political leaders in the country, the analysis was carried out, on the one hand, of Gustavo Petro representing leftist movements and in another place, Álvaro Uribe Vélez as a right-wing leader. In the development of the study, the influence of false news that circulates on Twitter on controversial politicians Gustavo Petro and Álvaro Uribe is analyzed, specifically, on the perception that young people between 18 and 25 years of age have of Bogotá and on the political content they consume. On the other hand, it was determined how the population under study identifies false news and how these same functions the image that the community has about the two characters in question. This was carried out through a descriptive methodology with a qualitative approach. One of the most relevant findings when conducting the study was that the interviewees assured that their perception is changing regarding the image of the opponent according to their political ideologies; For example, some of the interviewees related to the left assure that false news about Gustavo Petro increases in some way the negative view of the opposite side, that is, of the right-wing party (Álvaro Uribe), and vice versa.Fundación Universitaria Los Libertadore

Uso temprano de atropina en la ecocardiografía de estrés con dobutamina

Early use of atropine in dobutamine stress echocardiogram.Introduction: stress echocardiograms may be limited if target heart rate is not achieved, and infusion time can be prolonged. Objectives: to assess the early use of atropine, and its relation with the number of studies that do not achieve 85% target of heart rate; the study duration, and the frequency of adverse events. Methodology: stress echocardiograms were retrospective reviewed. According to atropine use the patients were grouped: group I: no atropine, group II: late use (>20 μg/Kg/min), and group III: early use (≤20 μg /Kg/min). Results: 389 patients were included, with a mean age of 63.9 (18-89 years), distributed: group I: 85, group II: 46, and group III: 258. The mean study duration was significantly lower for group III: 15.01 min (SD: 2.97), compared with groups I: 18.67 min (SD 3.66) and II: 22.43 min (SD 5.40). The presence of symptoms during the infusion was lower for group III: 2.71%, compared with groups I: 18% and II: 12%. The stress echocardiogram was negative in 90.2% patients, positive in 3.9, and non-diagnostic in 5.9%. The percentage of non-diagnostic tests was greater in group I, and the least percentage was found in group III. Conclusions: early use of atropine facilitates that a greater number of patients achieve target heart rate, in less study time and a lower incidence of adverse events. We recommend stimulating the early use of atropine in stress echocardiography. (MÉD.UIS. 2011;24(3):247-52).Key words: Dobutamine. Atropine. Adverse events.Introducción: los ecocardiogramas de estrés pueden estar limitados por no lograr la meta frecuencia cardiaca. El tiempo de infusión se prolonga. Objetivos: evaluar el uso de la atropina en forma temprana y su relación con el número de estudios que no logra el 85% de frecuencia cardiaca máxima, el tiempo de estudio y la frecuencia de efectos adversos. Materiales y Métodos: revisión retrospectiva los ecocardiogramas de estrés realizados en la clínica de Marly y en la clínica de Nueva Guinea Bogotá, desde enero hasta octubre del 2009. De acuerdo con el uso de atropina se agruparon en: grupo I: sin atropina, grupo II: inicio tardío (>20μg/Kg/min) y grupo III: inicio temprano (≤20μg/Kg/min). Resultados: se incluyeron 389 pacientes con edad promedio de 63,9 años (18-89): grupo I: 85, grupo II: 46 y grupo III: 258. El tiempo promedio de estudio fue menor para el grupo III: 15,01 min (DE: 2,97), comparado con los grupos I: 18,67 min (DE: 3,66) y II: 22,43 min (DE: 5,40). La aparición de síntomas fue menor en el grupo III: 2,71%, comparado con los grupos I: 18% y II: 12%. El estudio estrés fue negativo en el 90,2% de los pacientes, positivo en 3,9 y no diagnóstico en el 5,9%. El porcentaje de pruebas no diagnóstica fue mayor en el grupo I y el menor porcentaje de 21% se logró en el grupo III. Conclusiones: el uso temprano de atropina facilita que un mayor número de pacientes alcance la meta de frecuencia, con menor duración del estudio y una menos eventos adversos. Se Recomienda estimular el uso temprano de atropina en la ecocardiografía de estrés. (MÉD.UIS. 2011;24(3):247-52).Palabras clave: Dobutamina. Atropina. Eventos adversos. &nbsp

Evaluación de la calidad del agua de la vereda Río Suárez de Puente Nacional, Santander

Objective: To determine the quality of the water that supplies the population of the Vereda Rio Suarez of the municipality of Puente Nacional through the calculation of the risk index of water quality (IRCA). Methods: 10 samples were taken from different points of the water distribution network, physical-chemical and microbiological analysis was performed by membrane filtration technique under parameters of the National Institute of Health. Results: the physical-chemical analysis showed high iron quantification and inadequate turbidity level that can affect the taste and appearance of the water. The total coliform count> 300 CFU / 100ml., With identification of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus among others that inhabit soils and waters and can cause gastrointestinal infections and urinary infections and is not suitable for human consumption.Objetivo: Determinar la calidad del agua que abastece a la  población de la Vereda Rio Suarez  del municipio de Puente Nacional por medio del cálculo del índice de riesgo de la calidad del agua (IRCA). Métodos: se tomaron 10 muestras de diferentes puntos de la red de distribución del agua veredal,   se realizó  análisis físico-químico y microbiológico por técnica de filtración por membrana bajo parámetros del Instituto Nacional de Salud.  Resultados: el análisis físico-químico mostró  cuantificación de hierro elevado y nivel de turbiedad inadecuado lo que puede afectar el sabor y el aspecto del agua. El recuento de coliformes totales fue >300 UFC/100ml., con identificación de Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeruginosa y Enterococcus entre otras, habitantes de suelo y aguas que pueden ser causantes de infecciones gastrointestinales e infecciones urinarias, resultados que indican que el agua no es apta para consumo humano

Desarrollo de una estrategia de crecimiento sostenible para una empresa de autopartes eléctricas en el periodo 2019-2022, adaptado a Delta Signal Corp.

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo desarrollar un planeamiento estratégico para la empresa Delta Signal Corp., proveedora de autopartes orientada al segmento de lujo, para los años 2019-2022, asegurando su crecimiento sostenible. Se desarrollará este plan estratégico considerando el desempeño que ha tenido la empresa desde el 2012 y su situación al 2018

Semi-Huber Half Quadratic Function and Comparative Study of Some MRFs for Bayesian Image Restoration

The present work introduces an alternative method to deal with digital image restoration into a Bayesian framework, particularly, the use of a new half-quadratic function is proposed which performance is satisfactory compared with respect to some other functions in existing literature. The bayesian methodology is based on the prior knowledge of some information that allows an efficient modelling of the image acquisition process. The edge preservation of objects into the image while smoothing noise is necessary in an adequate model. Thus, we use a convexity criteria given by a semi-Huber function to obtain adequate weighting of the cost functions (half-quadratic) to be minimized. The principal objective when using Bayesian methods based on the Markov Random Fields (MRF) in the context of image processing is to eliminate those effects caused by the excessive smoothness on the reconstruction process of image which are rich in contours or edges. A comparison between the new introduced scheme and other three existing schemes, for the cases of noise filtering and image deblurring, is presented. This collection of implemented methods is inspired of course on the use of MRFs such as the semi-Huber, the generalized Gaussian, the Welch, and Tukey potential functions with granularity control. The obtained results showed a satisfactory performance and the effectiveness of the proposed estimator with respect to other three estimators

Lipid Metabolism Alterations in a Rat Model of Chronic and Intergenerational Exposure to Arsenic

Chronic exposure to arsenic (As), whether directly through the consumption of contaminated drinking water or indirectly through the daily intake of As-contaminated food, is a health threat for more than 150 million people worldwide. Epidemiological studies found an association between chronic consumption of As and several pathologies, the most common being cancer-related disorders. However, As consumption has also been associated with metabolic disorders that could lead to diverse pathologies, suchas type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and obesity. Here, we used ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QToF) to assess the effect of chronic intergenerational As exposure on the lipid metabolism profiles of serum from 4-month-old Wistar rats exposed to As prenatally and also during early life in drinking water (3 ppm). Significant differences in the levels of certain identified lyso-phospholipids, phosphatidylcholines, and triglycerides were found between the exposed rats and the control groups, as well as between the sexes. Significantly increased lipid oxidation determined by the malondialdehyde (MDA) method was found in exposed rats compared with controls. Chronic intergenerational As exposure alters the rat lipidome, increases lipid oxidation, and dysregulates metabolic pathways, the factors associated with the chronic inflammation present in different diseases associated with chronic exposure to As (i.e., keratosis, Bowen’s disease, and kidney, liver, bladder, and lung cancer)

Evaluation of antimicrobial and antifungal activity of hydroethanolic extracts of in vitro and ex vitro seedlings of Dionaea muscipula J. Ellis

Objective: To assess the antibacterial and antifungal activity of hydroethanolic extracts of Dionaea muscipula J. Ellis against model bacteria and fungi of agricultural importance. Design/Methodology/Approach: In vitro plants of D. muscipula were propagated and acclimatized for three months. The antibacterial activity of the hydroethanolic extracts against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus and the antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Pseudocercospora fijiensis were evaluated. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the means obtained with a Tukey test (p?0.05). Results: The hydroethanolic extracts of D. muscipula in vitro and acclimatized showed a bacteriostatic activity against the bacteria E. coli (65.20 and 69.78% inhibition) and B. cereus (91.75 and 92.61% inhibition) and an antifungal activity against the fungus P. fijiensis of 7.56 and 14.21% of inhibition, respectively. Study Limitations/Implications: The hydroethanolic extracts of D. muscipula in vitro and acclimatized did not show antifungal activity against A. niger and F. oxysporum. Findings/Conclusions: The hydroethanolic extracts of D. muscipula in vitro and acclimatized showed a bacteriostatic activity against the bacteria E. coli and B. cereus and antifungal activity against the fungus P. fijiensis.Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal activity of hydroethanolic extracts of Dionaea muscipula J. Ellis against bacteria models and fungi of agricultural importance. Design/Methodology/Approach: In vitro plants of D. muscipula were propagated and acclimatized for three months. The antibacterial activity of the hydroethanolic extracts against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus was evaluated, and the antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Pseudocercospora fijiensis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to compare the means obtained with Tukey’s test (p≤0.05). Results: The hydroethanolic extracts of in vitro and acclimatized D. muscipula presented bacteriostatic activity against the bacteria E. coli (65.20 and 69.78 % of inhibition) and B. cereus (91.75 and 92.61 % of inhibition), and antifungal activity against the fungus P. fijiensis of 7.56 and 14.21 % of inhibition, respectively. Study Limitations/Implications: The hydroethanolic extracts of in vitro and acclimatized D. muscipula did not show antifungal activity against A. niger and F. oxysporum. Findings/Conclusions: The hydroethanolic extracts of in vitro and acclimatized D. muscipula presented bacteriostatic activity against bacteria E. coli and B. cereus and antifungal activity against the fungus P. fijiensis