Francisco Cobo Romero

In Vivo Immunomodulation by Mycoplasma fermentans Membrane Lipoprotein

The immunomodulatory effects of Mycoplasma fermentans-derived membrane lipoprotein (LAMPf) in BALB/c mice were examined. When injected intraperitoneally into mice, LAMPf induced a transitory splenomegaly followed by a suppression of the spleen cell proliferation in response to concanavalin A, whereas responses to lipopolysaccharide and to LAMPf were unchanged. The intravenous injection of a large dose of LAMPf induced leukopenia and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) activity in serum. A synthetic analogue of its N-terminal lipopeptide with ability to activate macrophages (MALP-2) was also able to induce GM-CSF in serum. Interestingly, GM-CSF induction by a low dose of MALP-2 was not associated with significant leukopenia. These data revealed that the in vitro moduline properties of mycoplasmal lipoproteins and lipopeptides correlate with interesting in vivo immunomodulatory effects.

Immunomodulation by Yersinia enterocolitica: comparison of live and heat-killed bacteria

This study compared the immunomodulating properties of viable and killed Yersinia enterocolitica O9 in BALB/c mice. At 10 days after infection by the intragastric route, ex vivo assays showed a suppression of spleen cell proliferation in response to Salmonella lipopolysaccharide, concanavalin A and heat-killed yersiniae. Mice infected with Y. enterocolitica O9 for 10 days resisted the challenge with a lethal dose of Listeria monocytogenes. In contrast, intravenous administration of heat-killed yersiniae did not modify the ability of spleen cells to proliferate in response to lipopolysaccharide or concanavalin A, and proliferation in response to killed yersiniae was significantly increased. By 3 days after administration of a single dose of heat-killed yersiniae, the resistance of mice to L. monocytogenes challenge was significantly increased. Our findings show profound differences in immunomodulation by viable and heat-killed yersiniae, but suggest that killed yersiniae retain interesting immunomodulating properties.

Nuevos horizontes del pasado: culturas políticas, identidades y formas de representación

Los materiales que se recogen en esta edicion impresa, y los mas de 250 textos aportados en el CD adjunto, testimonian la evolucion del trabajo de los historiadores contemporaneistas, la situacion de su profesion, los cambios experimentados en la historiografia, en la investigacion y en el relato de nuestro pasado a la vez que ponen de manifiesto que la investigacion que se esta llevando a efecto es solvente y que su capacidad para integrarse en los mercados historiograficos internacionales es, cada vez, mayor.

The Stability and Consolidation of the Francoist Regime. The Case of Eastern Andalusia, 1936–1950

The Spanish Ministerio de Innovacion y Ciencia funded the research drawn on for this article (reference HAR2009‐07487).

Radiocirugía en metástasis cerebrales: nuestros primeros resultados en 31 pacientes

FundamentoLas metástasis cerebrales pueden tratarse con radiocirugía. Analizaremos los resultados, en nuestra serie, respecto a control tumoral, evolución clínica, supervivencia, causa de muerte y efectos secundarios, y compararemos nuestros resultados con los de otros centros.MétodosEntre octubre de 1996 y enero de 1999, en el Servicio de Oncología Radioterápica del H.U. Virgen de las Nieves de Granada, hemos tratado 31 pacientes con radiocirugía, sistema acelerador lineal de electrones (ALE). El análisis de los datos ha sido fundamentalmente descriptivo y se ha utilizado el test exacto de Fisher para comprobar la significación estadística (p < 0,05).ResultadosEl 71% de los pacientes alcanzó el control local. Un 12,9% presentó efectos secundarios. Tras el tratamiento, el 58,06% estaba asintomático y el 16,1% mejoró clínicamente. Un 50% de los fallecimientos se debió a progresión a nivel cerebral.ConclusionesLa radiocirugía puede convertirse en el tratamiento más efectivo, menos costoso y más seguro para los pacientes con metástasis cerebrales. Un ensayo multicéntrico aleatorizado esclarecerá el papel de este tratamiento.AbstractBackgroundBrain metastases can be treated with radiosurgery. We will analyze the results on tumoral control, clinical evolution, survival, cause of death, and side effects in our series and we will compare them with other works previously published in the literature.MethodsBetween october 96 and January 99 we have treated with LINAC radiosurgery 31 patients in Virgen de las Nieves Radiotherapy and Oncology Department. Statistical data analysis has been descriptive and we have used Fisher’s exact test to asses statistical signification (p < 0,05).ResultsLocal control was obtained in the 71% of patients. The 12.9% showed side effects. After radio-surgery the 58.06% of patients were asyntomatic and the 16.1% improve their clinical status. The 50% of deaths were due to brain tumor progression.ConclusionsRadiosurgery can be the most effective, less expensive, and most safe treatment for patients with brain metastases. A multicentric randomized trial will stablish the role of this treatment.