Addition of pentoxifylline to pegylated interferon-alpha-2a and ribavirin improves sustained virological response to chronic hepatitis C virus: a randomized clinical trial

Background and aim. The commonly accepted treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, pegylated interferon alpha (PEG INF-alpha) and ribavirin, leads to 50–60% of sustained virological response (SVR). On the other hand, pentoxifylline (PTX) possesses antiviral and hepatoprotector properties. Aim. To investigate whether the addition of PTX to conventional hepatitis C treatment increases SVR.Material and methods. Seventy two patients of both genders were studied in a randomized fashion; the diagnosis of chronic HCV infection was made according to clinical and laboratory criteria and histopathologically classified according to METAVIR scoring system criteria. HCV viral load was tested by PCR, baseline, and after 6 months of treatment, as well as anti-HCV, anti-hepatitis B virus, and anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During 48 weeks, control group patients were treated with PEG INF-alpha-2a plus ribavirin. PTX was administered to Experimental Group patients prior to the treatment.Results. Demographic data were similar in both groups. Experimental- and control-group subjects were at F2 and F3 states according to the METAVIR classification. The most common HCV genotypes were 1a and 1b (39% in the control group in each case, and 42% in the experimental group in each case). At the end of the study, hepatic enzymes and viral load decreased in both groups to similar values. SVR in the experimental group increased significantly (p < 0.05) when compared with standard therapy alone.Conclusion. Addition of PTX to conventional chronic hepatitis C treatment may increase the percentage of patients with SVR

Cervical Cancer Cell Supernatants Induce a Phenotypic Switch from U937-Derived Macrophage-Activated M1 State into M2-Like Suppressor Phenotype with Change in Toll-Like Receptor Profile

Cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main risk factor for developing CC. Macrophages are important immune effector cells; they can be differentiated into two phenotypes, identified as M1 (classically activated) and M2 (alternatively activated). Macrophage polarization exerts profound effects on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) profile. In this study, we evaluated whether the supernatant of human CC cells HeLa, SiHa, and C-33A induces a shift of M1 macrophage toward M2 macrophage in U937-derived macrophages. Results. The results showed that soluble factors secreted by CC cells induce a change in the immunophenotype of macrophages from macrophage M1 into macrophage M2. U937-derived macrophages M1 released proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide; however, when these cells were treated with the supernatant of CC cell lines, we observed a turnover of M1 toward M2. These cells increased CD163 and IL-10 expression. The expression of TLR-3, -7, and -9 is increased when the macrophages were treated with the supernatant of CC cells. Conclusions. Our result strongly suggests that CC cells may, through the secretion of soluble factors, induce a change of immunophenotype M1 into M2 macrophages

Planetario Ciudad Jardín-Badajoz

Convocatoria Proyectos de innovación de Extremadura 2017/2018Se describe el proyecto llevado a cabo en el IES Ciudad Jardín (Badajoz) que consistió en crear un planetario en el centro educativo y materiales curriculares para el uso del mismo. Los objetivos principales que se perseguían eran: usar el planetario como una herramienta para transmitir conocimientos científicos y tecnológicos a los alumnos, fomentar su interés por la ciencia, mejorar el conocimiento de la lengua castellana y de otros idiomas, fomentar la creatividad e innovación entre el alumnado y el profesorado, usar un método de enseñanza activo en el que se usen las nuevas tecnologías, complementar las clases que se siguen en el aula y contribuir a conseguir las competencias claveExtremaduraES

Switching TNF antagonists in patients with chronic arthritis: An observational study of 488 patients over a four-year period

The objective of this work is to analyze the survival of infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab in patients who have switched among tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists for the treatment of chronic arthritis. BIOBADASER is a national registry of patients with different forms of chronic arthritis who are treated with biologics. Using this registry, we have analyzed patient switching of TNF antagonists. The cumulative discontinuation rate was calculated using the actuarial method. The log-rank test was used to compare survival curves, and Cox regression models were used to assess independent factors associated with discontinuing medication. Between February 2000 and September 2004, 4,706 patients were registered in BIOBADASER, of whom 68% had rheumatoid arthritis, 11% ankylosing spondylitis, 10% psoriatic arthritis, and 11% other forms of chronic arthritis. One- and two-year drug survival rates of the TNF antagonist were 0.83 and 0.75, respectively. There were 488 patients treated with more than one TNF antagonist. In this situation, survival of the second TNF antagonist decreased to 0.68 and 0.60 at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Survival was better in patients replacing the first TNF antagonist because of adverse events (hazard ratio (HR) for discontinuation 0.55 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.84)), and worse in patients older than 60 years (HR 1.10 (95% CI 0.97-2.49)) or who were treated with infliximab (HR 3.22 (95% CI 2.13-4.87)). In summary, in patients who require continuous therapy and have failed to respond to a TNF antagonist, replacement with a different TNF antagonist may be of use under certain situations. This issue will deserve continuous reassessment with the arrival of new medications. © 2006 Gomez-Reino and Loreto Carmona; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

2do Workshop Internacional de Investigación formativa en ciencias para afrontar tiempos de cambio

La presente propuesta de investigación formativa en el contexto de la didáctica de las ciencias naturales, matemáticas y tecnología, tiene el objetivo de convertirse en una estrategia didáctica que desarrollará las capacidades científicas y entrará en tensión con las competencias exigidas por el Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MEN) para la presentación de la prueba saber 11, esta misma profundizará en la búsqueda de respuestas frente al desinterés evidente por el estudio de las ciencias en estudiantes cursando ciclo V de instituciones educativas distritales. Para ello realizaremos una prueba piloto con estudiantes del ciclo V del colegio Japón IED, más específicamente con la participación de aquellos alumnos que cuenten con capacidades y aptitudes científicas para conformar y ser parte del semillero “EduQVersa Junior” del mismo colegio. Lo anterior con el fin de obtener resultados cualitativos y cuantitativos para posteriormente organizar una feria científica, ésta misma pretenderá potencializar el interés y asombro en el estudio de las ciencias por medio de proyectos basados con la metodología STEAM, para ulteriormente ser expuesto el día del campo científico, el Workshop, entre otros eventos de difusión de índole local, nacional e internacional. Con los anteriores objetivos se espera fomentar procesos investigativos iniciales en el campo de las ciencias y buscarán incentivar en general en los estudiantes de ciclo V un mayor interés y continuidad en la formación de su educación superior en el estudio de esta área, siendo una apuesta de focalización que se entrecruza con el componente académico y la consolidación del proyecto de