Assessing multiple sclerosis activity: is the in vitro production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukins 2, 6, 4, and 10, and immunoglobulin G of value?

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, interleukins (IL) 2, 4, 6, and 10, and IgG oligoclonal bands (IgG OB) in vitro production was assessed, after whole-blood stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or concanavalin A, in 61 patients presenting with relapsing-remitting, relapsing-progressive, or chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis patients were receiving no treatment or azathioprine (AZA), cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide, subcutaneous interferon (IFN) beta 1 a, or corticosteroids (CST). Statistical correlations significantly showed that: (a) AZA lowers TNF-alpha (P = 0.002) and increases IL-4 production (P = 0.0024), and IFN-beta 1 a increases TNF-alpha and decreases IL-4 levels; (b) CST has a negative effect on TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-4 synthesis; and (c) AZA, IFN-beta 1 a, and CST diminish IgG OB synthesis (P = 0.001). Although our study of the dynamics of TNF-alpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in vitro production generally found no statistically significant correlations (partly explained by the limited number of values in the various groups), IL-6 was shown to drop during the periods surrounding relapse (P = 0.05) in the absence of treatment, while TNF-alpha (P = 0.04) and IL-6 (P < 0.05) dropped before exacerbation in the presence of AZA. In vitro production of TNF-alpha was closely and positively correlated with that of IL-6, independently of clinical features. The enhanced production of IL-10 detected before or at relapse with AZA and IFN-beta 1 a (trends) may interfere with initiation of the immune reaction and with the development of new CNS lesions. Some discrepancies with previously published results stress the difficulties in studying the state of stimulation of different populations of leukocytes by using a variety of in vitro stimuli and in establishing a correlation between mRNA studies and the amount of final or active protein produced.

Conocimiento de la fisiopatología de la Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal a partir del estudio de su incidencia (Departamento de Salud 6 de Valencia).

La Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal (Enfermedad de Crohn,EC; Colitis Ulcerosa,CU; Colitis inclasificable, CI) ha sufrido variaciones de incidencia, su estudio permite conocer los factores fisiopatológicos implicados y tratamientos específicos. Se ha realizado un estudio observacional retrospectivo de los casos diagnosticados de EII en el Departamento de Salud 6 de Valencia relacionando resultados con los obtenidos en España y otros países. La incidencia estandarizada a la población europea, ajustada a sexo y edad fue: 3.89(EC),6.635(CU) y de 2.845(CI). La incidencia de CU fue más elevada que la de EC, excepto en los más jóvenes, superior para CU y CI en hombres.

Valor del ADN-VPH en el cribado de la población oportunista en el departamento 6 de Valencia

La infecció pel Virus del Papil.loma Humà (VPH) és la causa principal de gairebé tots els casos de càncer cervical. En països on s'apliquen de manera programada tècniques de detecció, hi ha una disminució de la incidència i la mortalitat del càncer cervical. La detecció del VPH és un avenç important per a la prevenció del càncer en permetre un diagnòstic precoç de lesions cancerígenes. És per això que, es va decidir estudiar durant un any a la població de pacients que acudien a les consultes de ginecologia i aplicar si estava indicat el protocol de detecció de l'ADN-VPH segons les indicacions de l’Asociació Espanyola de Patologia Cervical i Colposcopia (AEPCC) per després traure conclusions.

The mycobacterial cord factor adjuvant analogue trehalose-6,6'-dibehenate (TDB) activates the Nlrp3 inflammasome.

The success of a vaccine consists in the induction of an innate immune response and subsequent activation of the adaptive immune system. Because antigens are usually not immunogenic, the addition of adjuvants that activate innate immunity is required. The mycobacterial cord factor trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate (TDM) and its synthetic adjuvant analogue trehalose-6,6'-dibehenate (TDB) rely on the C-type lectin Mincle and the signaling molecules Syk and Card9 to trigger innate immunity. In this study, we show that stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) with TDB induces Nlrp3 inflammasome-dependent IL-1β secretion. While Card9 is required for NF-κB activation by TDB, it is dispensable for TDB-induced activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome. Additionally, efflux of intracellular potassium, lysosomal rupture, and oxygen radical (ROS) production are crucial for caspase-1 processing and IL-1β secretion by TDB. In an in vivo inflammation model, we demonstrate that the recruitment of neutrophils by TDB is significantly reduced in the Nlrp3-deficient mice compared to the wild-type mice, while the production of chemokines in vitro is not influenced by the absence of Nlrp3. These results identify the Nlrp3 inflammasome as an essential mediator for the induction of an innate immune response triggered by TDB.

Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con Gammapatía Monoclonal de Significado Incierto en el área de salud 6 de Valencia

L’objectiu del present estudi va ser estudiar a la població afecta de GMSI en l’àrea de salut 6 de València, així com la incidència de la mateixa. Es tracta d’un estudi descriptiu transversal retrospectiu observacional dels pacients amb aquesta patologia que van acudir al servei d’Hematologia de l’hospital de referència. Quant als resultats, encara que les dades analítiques i evolutives van ser similars a sèries anteriors (subtipus predominant IgG, 7.5% de progressió), el nombre de pacients i la incidència va ser menor de l'esperada, la qual cosa va restar pes estadístic a l'extrapolació dels resultats.

Aplicació de representació de dades: Mapes temàtics amb GeoMedia Pro. 6.1

El projecte consisteix en el desenvolupament d'una comanda amb GeoMedia Professional 6.1 que permeti la representació temàtica de dades i ubicar-les sobre el mapa.

Hepatitis C - what now? Patient results factsheet (English and 6 translations)

Factsheet for patients who have tested positive for the hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C: could I be at risk? (English and 6 translations)

This leaflet provides information onHepatitis C- how the virusis spread,the symptoms of the virus and treatment available.

Healthy child, healthy future - Speech and language therapy: Factsheet for parents 6. Tips for talking: children aged 4 to 5 years

This factsheet highlights simple ideas to encourage speech in children around 4 to 5 years old.

Creació d'un Sistema d'Informació Geogràfic per a la consulta i gestió de la base de vèrtexs geodèsics de Catalunya amb Geomedia PRO 6.0©

L'objectiu és realitzar una explicació dels passos i les tasques realitzades per a la construcció d'un Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica (SIG) que permeti la gestió de vèrtex geodèsics de Catalunya i la implementació de l'algorisme de Delaunay sobre un conjunt de vèrtex seleccionats.

Behaviour change at population, community and individual levels: NICE Public Health Guidance 6

This guidance is aimed at those responsible for helping people to change their behaviour to improve their health. This includes policy makers and those working in local authorities and the community and voluntary sectors. It gives advice on how to plan and run relevant initiatives. The recommendations include the following advice: base interventions on a proper assessment of the target group, where they are located and the behaviour which is to be changed: careful planning is the cornerstone of success  work with other organisations and the community itself to decide on and develop initiatives build on the skills and knowledge that already exists in the community, for example, by encouraging networks of people who can support each other take account of and resolve problems that prevent people changing their behaviour (for example, the costs involved in taking part in exercise programmes or buying fresh fruit and vegetables, or lack of knowledge about how to make changes) base all interventions on evidence of what works train staff to help people change their behaviour evaluate all interventions.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.