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Digitalization techniques, such as photogrammetry (PG), are attracting the interest of experts in the cultural heritage field, as they enable the creation of three-dimensional virtual replicas of historical artifacts with 2D digital images. Indeed, PG allows for acquiring data regarding the overall appearance of an artifact, its geometry, and its texture. Furthermore, among several image-based techniques exploited for the conservation of works of art, multispectral imaging (MSI) finds great application in the study of the materials of historical items, taking advantage of the different responses of materials when exposed to specific wavelengths. Despite their great usefulness, PG and MSI are often used as separate tools. Integrating radiometric and geometrical data can notably expand the information carried by a 3D model. Therefore, this paper presents a novel research methodology that enables the acquisition of multispectral 3D models, combining the outcomes of PG and MSI (Visible (VIS), Ultraviolet-induced Visible Luminescence (UVL), Ultraviolet-Reflected (UVR), and Ultraviolet-Reflected False Color (UVR-FC) imaging) in a single coordinate system, using an affordable tunable set-up and open-source software. The approach has been employed for the study of two wooden artifacts from the Museo Egizio di Torino to investigate the materials present on the surface and provide information that could support the design of suitable conservation treatments.

Background Complete closure of large mucosal defects following colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with through-the-scope (TTS) clips is oftentimes not possible. We aimed to report our early experience of using a novel TTS suturing system for the closure of large mucosal defects after colorectal ESD. Methods We performed a retrospective multicenter cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent attempted prophylactic defect closure using the TTS suturing system after colorectal ESD. The primary outcome was technical success in achieving complete defect closure, defined as a Results 82 patients with a median defect size of 30 (interquartile range 25–40) mm were included. Technical success was achieved in 92.7 % (n = 76): TTS suturing only in 44 patients (53.7 %) and a combination of TTS suturing to approximate the widest segment followed by complete closure with TTS clips in 32 (39.0 %). Incomplete/partial closure, failure of appropriate TTS suture deployment, and the need for over-the-scope salvage closure methods were observed in 7.3 % (n = 6). One intraprocedural bleed, one delayed bleed, and three intraprocedural perforations were observed. There were no adverse events related to placement of the TTS suture. Conclusion The TTS suture system is an effective and safe tool for the closure of large mucosal defects after colorectal ESD and is an alternative when complete closure with TTS clips alone is not possible.

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States and the deadliest of all skin cancers. Even with recent advancements in treatment, there is still a 13% two-year recurrence rate, with approximately 30% of recurrences being distant metastases. Identifying patients at high risk for recurrence or advanced disease is critical for optimal clinical decision-making. Currently, there is substantial variability in the selection of screening tests and imaging, with most modalities characterized by relatively low accuracy. In the current study, we built upon a preliminary examination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the melanoma setting to examine its utility for diagnostic and prognostic assessment. Using regression analysis, we found that selected DSC profile (thermogram) parameters were useful for differentiation between melanoma patients and healthy controls, with more complex models distinguishing melanoma patients with no evidence of disease from patients with active disease. Thermogram features contributing to the third principal component (PC3) were useful for differentiation between controls and melanoma patients, and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that PC3 was useful for predicting the overall survival of active melanoma patients. With the further development and optimization of the classification method, DSC could complement current diagnostic strategies to improve screening, diagnosis, and prognosis of melanoma patients.

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Supplementary Data from Single‐Cell Immune Mapping of Melanoma Sentinel Lymph Nodes Reveals an Actionable Immunotolerant Microenvironment

Purpose:Improving our understanding of the immunologic response to cancer cells within the sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) of primary tumors is expected to identify new approaches to stimulate clinically meaningful cancer immunity.Experimental Design:We used mass cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF), flow cytometry, and T-cell receptor immunosequencing to conduct simultaneous single-cell analyses of immune cells in the SLNs of patients with melanoma.Results:We found increased effector-memory αβ T cells, TCR clonality, and γδ T cells selectively in the melanoma-bearing SLNs relative to non–melanoma-bearing SLNs, consistent with possible activation of an antitumor immune response. However, we also observed a markedly immunotolerant environment in the melanoma-bearing SLNs indicated by reduced and impaired NK cells and increased levels of CD8+CD57+PD-1+ cells, which are known to display low melanoma killing capabilities. Other changes observed in melanoma-bearing SLNs when compared with non–melanoma-bearing SLNs include (i) reduced CD8+CD69+ T cell/T regulatory cell ratio, (ii) high PD-1 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and (iii) high CTLA-4 expression on γδ T cells.Conclusions:Our data suggest that these immunologic changes compromise antimelanoma immunity and contribute to a high relapse rate. We propose the development of clinical trials to test the neo-adjuvant administration of anti–PD-1 antibodies prior to SLN resection in patients with stage III melanoma.See related commentary by Lund, p. 1996

Supplementary Figure from Single‐Cell Immune Mapping of Melanoma Sentinel Lymph Nodes Reveals an Actionable Immunotolerant Microenvironment

Supplementary Table from Single‐Cell Immune Mapping of Melanoma Sentinel Lymph Nodes Reveals an Actionable Immunotolerant Microenvironment

Nonclassical light sources are highly sought-after as they are an integral part of quantum communication and quantum computation devices. Typical sources use bulk nonlinear crystals that rely on stringent phase-matching conditions, limiting the operating wavelength and bandwidth. In this work, we demonstrate the generation of photon pairs from a free-standing lithium niobate microcube at the telecommunication wavelength of 1.56 µm through the spontaneous parametric down-conversion process. The maximum photon pair generation rate obtained from a single microcube with the size of 3.6 µm is 490 Hz, resulting in an efficiency of 20.6 GHz/Wm, which is three orders of magnitude larger than the efficiency of biphoton generation in bulk nonlinear crystals. The microcubes are synthesized through a solvothermal method, offering the possibility for scalable devices via bottom-up assembly on any substrates. Our work constitutes an important step forward in the realization of compact nonclassical light sources with a wide bandwidth for various quantum applications. ISSN:2159-3930

Variant angina is a condition triggered by the transient vasospasm of epicardial coronary arteries, which usually causes chest pain episodes and may be associated with dangerous arrhythmias. Among patients with coronary artery vasospasm, a non-negligible subset experiences silent myocardial ischemia, defined as the objective documentation of myocardial ischemia in the absence of angina or anginal equivalents. This condition is associated with the increased cardiac mortality and incidence of acute cardiac events. Herein, we described the case of a 65-year-old man who was admitted to our Emergency Department (ED) for syncope. He reported palpitations before the event but did not complain of chest pain. Baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) showed that troponin values of biphasic T waves in V2-V6 were normal. The patient was admitted to our coronary care unit (CCU) for monitoring. Immediately after hospital admission, he developed dynamic ST segment elevation and non-sustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, being symptomatic only for palpitations. Both ECG abnormalities and symptoms quickly resolved after the administration of intravenous nitrates and oral calcium channel blockers. Coronary angiography showed a critical non-occlusive fixed stenosis at the proximal right coronary artery (RCA). The lesion was treated by angioplasty and stenting, and the patient was discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy, statins and oral high-dose calcium-channel antagonist.

As nanoparticles (NPs) can access the brain and impact on CNS function, novel in vitro models for the evaluation of NPs-induced neurotoxicity are advocated. Three-dimensional spheroids of primary neuron-like cells (hNLCs) of human origin have been generated, from differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The study evaluated Fe

Purpose: Improving our understanding of the immunologic response to cancer cells within the sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) of primary tumors is expected to identify new approaches to stimulate clinically meaningful cancer immunity. Experimental Design: We used mass cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF), flow cytometry, and T-cell receptor immunosequencing to conduct simultaneous single-cell analyses of immune cells in the SLNs of patients with melanoma. Results: We found increased effector-memory αβ T cells, TCR clonality, and γδ T cells selectively in the melanoma-bearing SLNs relative to non–melanoma-bearing SLNs, consistent with possible activation of an antitumor immune response. However, we also observed a markedly immunotolerant environment in the melanoma-bearing SLNs indicated by reduced and impaired NK cells and increased levels of CD8+CD57+PD-1+ cells, which are known to display low melanoma killing capabilities. Other changes observed in melanoma-bearing SLNs when compared with non–melanoma-bearing SLNs include (i) reduced CD8+CD69+ T cell/T regulatory cell ratio, (ii) high PD-1 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and (iii) high CTLA-4 expression on γδ T cells. Conclusions: Our data suggest that these immunologic changes compromise antimelanoma immunity and contribute to a high relapse rate. We propose the development of clinical trials to test the neo-adjuvant administration of anti–PD-1 antibodies prior to SLN resection in patients with stage III melanoma. See related commentary by Lund, p. 1996

There is growing concern about the consumption of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), one of the largest groups of new psychoactive substances, its consequence on human health (general population and workers), and the continuous placing of new SCs on the market. Although drug-induced alterations in neuronal function remain an essential component for theories of drug addiction, accumulating evidence indicates the important role of activated astrocytes, whose essential and pleiotropic role in brain physiology and pathology is well recognized. The study aims to clarify the mechanisms of neurotoxicity induced by one of the most potent SCs, named MAM-2201 (a naphthoyl-indole derivative), by applying a novel three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model, mimicking the physiological and biochemical properties of brain tissues better than traditional two-dimensional in vitro systems. Specifically, human astrocyte spheroids, generated from the D384 astrocyte cell line, were treated with different MAM-2201 concentrations (1–30 µM) and exposure times (24–48 h). MAM-2201 affected, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, the cell growth and viability, size and morphological structure, E-cadherin and extracellular matrix, CB1-receptors, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and caspase-3/7 activity. The findings demonstrate MAM-2201-induced cytotoxicity to astrocyte spheroids, and support the use of this human 3D cell-based model as species-specific in vitro tool suitable for the evaluation of neurotoxicity induced by other SCs.

We present a new Progressive Hedging Algorithm to solve Stochastic Variational Inequalities in the formulation introduced by Rockafellar and Wets in 2017, allowing the generated subproblems to be approximately solved with an implementable tolerance condition. Our scheme is based on Inexact Proximal Point methods and generalizes the exact algorithm developed by Rockafellar and Sun in 2019, providing stronger convergence results. We also show some numerical experiments in two-stage Nash games.

Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat. ESBL-producing Enterobacterales infections are rising, especially within the community setting. Patients requiring OPAT services will increase based on AMR to oral antibiotic (ABX) options. OPAT adverse events (AEs) are linked to the use of IV catheters, followed by adverse drug events. Complications that arise from OPAT, often necessitate acute care services. We sought to quantify costs associated with OPAT AEs. Methods A multicenter retrospective claims analysis from the state of Utah’s (UT) Public IBIS database was performed for 2020. OPAT AEs as described in the literature were used to query charges. All UT hospitals and common OPAT AE principal diagnosis (PDx) codes were included in the analysis. Estimated inpatient (IP) costs associated with common OPAT AEs were calculated from a charge-to-cost ratio (22.5%) using publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Event counts reported for UT were scaled proportionally to estimate total events for the U.S. population. Emergency department (ED) incidence rates for OPAT AEs from 2016 to 2020 were also examined. Results During the study period, 248,843 patients met study inclusion for an OPAT AE PDx. Among IV-related complications, catheter phlebitis accounted for highest median cost per IP event at $14,051. Other PDx, included catheter blockage and central line-associated bloodstream infections at $11,237 and $10,103, respectively, followed by $9,371 for complications post injection. Thrombotic events equated to total of $11,915 for the combined costs of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Lastly, C. difficile infections accounted for a median cost of $5,284 (Figure 1). Age-adjusted rates of ED activity related to AEs rose to 17.6 per 10,000 in 2020; this marked an 18% increase from 2016 (Figure 2). Figure 1.Figure 2. Conclusion Give that viable oral ABX treatment options in the community setting are limited, patients will require additional OPAT services as AMR rates continue to escalate. OPAT services are not without added risks of complications, as the average median cost for an OPAT AE was $8,852. These costs may be minimized by the addition of new oral ABXs that overcome AMR, thus improving patient outcomes. Disclosures Mauricio Rodriguez, PharmD, MS-HEOR, BCPS, BCCCP, BCIDP, Spero Therapeutics: Employee Georgia Buscaglia, PhD, Spero Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant Steven Tolle, BFA, Spero Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant Darren Michael, PhD, CC, SC, Spero Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant|Spero Therapeutics: Grant/Research Support.

Four different functional properties at room temperature were found in Ba12Fe28Ti15O84 quaternary ferrite ceramics: a thermoelectric character with a prominent Seebeck coefficient of -400 μV/K, a strong ferrimagnetic character and weak magnetoresistivity, non-linear dielectric character (tunability) and ferro/piezoelectric response. The complex crystalline structure with a naturally occurring self-organized layered structure was mapped by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. A n-type conduction was found for optimized samples, consistent with the negative Seebeck coefficient. The presence of magnetic domains with a lateral size ranging from few hundreds of nanometers, up to few microns, extended over several grains indicates a strong intergranular magnetic interaction. Local ferroelectric switching as revealed by piezoresponse force microscopy showed a relatively weak effective piezoelectric coefficient with a remnant value of 0.5 p.m./V and a clockwise cycling direction, which was attributed to an effective negative piezoelectric coefficient. The switching behavior was described as originating from the material’s nanoscale layered complexity, with a strong anisotropy of its dielectric and ferro/piezoelectric local properties.

Recent advances in complex automated handwriting identification systems have led to a lack of understandability of these systems' computational processes and features by the forensic handwriting examiners that they are designed to support. To mitigate this issue, this research studied the relationship between two systems: FLASH ID® , an automated handwriting/black box system that uses measurements extracted from a static image of handwriting, and MovAlyzeR® , a system that captures kinematic features from pen strokes. For this study, 33 writers each wrote 60 phrases from the London Letter using cursive writing and handprinting, which led to thousands of sample pairs for analysis. The dissimilarities between pairs of samples were calculated using two score functions (one for each system). The observed results indicate that dissimilarity scores based on kinematic spatial-geometric pen stroke features (e.g., amplitude and slant) have a statistically significant relationship with dissimilarity scores obtained using static, graph-based features used by the FLASH ID® system. Similar relationships were observed for temporal features (e.g., duration and velocity) but not pen pressure, and for both handprinting and cursive samples. These results strongly imply that both the current implementation of FLASH ID® and MovAlyzeR® rely on similar features sets when measuring differences in pairs of handwritten samples. These results suggest that studies of biometric discrimination using MovAlyzeR® , specifically those based on the spatial-geometric feature set, support the validity of biometric matching algorithms based on FLASH ID® output.

Publications are an important component of academic careers. We investigated the financial costs to authors for submitting and publishing manuscripts in gastroenterology (GI) journals in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), and elsewhere. This was a cross-sectional study carried out from 11/1/2020 to 12/31/2020. We used the SCImago Journal and Country Rankings site to compile a list of gastroenterology and hepatology journals to analyze. We gathered information on the journals’ Hirsch indices (h indices), SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), Impact Factor (IF), and base countries as of 2019, processing and publication fees, open access fees, time to first decision, and time from acceptance to publication. We used t-testing and linear regression modeling to evaluate the effect of geography and journal quality metrics on processing fees and times. We analyzed 97 GI journals, of which 51/97 (52.6%) were based in the US/UK while the other 46/97 (47.4%) were based elsewhere. The mean IF (5.67 vs 3.53, p = 0.08), h index (90.5 vs 41.8, p

Pure perovskite Ba0.90Ca0.10TiO3 ceramics, with a relative density of between 79 and 98% and grain sizes larger than 1 µm, were prepared by solid-state reaction. The dielectric and electrocaloric properties were investigated and discussed considering the density and grain size of the samples. Room temperature impedance measurements show good dielectric properties for all ceramics with relative permittivity between 800 and 1100 and losses of

Background. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (rCDI), but has more limited efficacy in treating either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD), two major forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We hypothesize that FMT recipients with rCDI and/or IBD have baseline fecal bile acid (BA) compositions that differ significantly from that of their healthy donors and that FMT will normalize the BA compositions. Aim. To study the effect of single colonoscopic FMT on microbial composition and function in four recipient groups: 1.) rCDI patients without IBD (rCDI-IBD); 2.) rCDI with IBD (rCDI+IBD); 3.) UC patients without rCDI (UC-rCDI); 4.) CD patients without rCDI (CD-rCDI). Methods. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequence, shotgun DNA sequence and quantitative bile acid metabolomic analyses on stools collected from 55 pairs of subjects and donors enrolled in two prospective single arm FMT clinical trials (Clinical Trials.gov ID NCT03268213, 479696, UC no rCDI ≥ 2x IND 1564 and NCT03267238, IND 16795). Fitted linear mixed models were used to examine the effects of four recipient groups, FMT status (Donor, pre-FMT, 1-week post-FMT, 3-months post-FMT) and first order Group*FMT interactions on microbial diversity and composition, bile acid metabolites and bile acid metabolizing enzyme gene abundance. Results. The pre-FMT stools collected from rCDI ± IBD recipients had reduced α-diversity compared to the healthy donor stools and was restored post-FMT. The α-diversity in the pre-FMT stools collected from UC-rCDI or CD-rCDI recipients did not differ significantly from donor stools. FMT normalized some recipient/donor ratios of genus level taxa abundance in the four groups. Fecal secondary BA levels, including some of the secondary BA epimers that exhibit in vitro immunomodulatory activities, were lower in rCDI±IBD and CD–rCDI but not UC-rCDI recipients compared to donors. FMT restored secondary BA levels. Metagenomic baiE gene and some of the eight bile salt hydrolase (BSH) phylotype abundances were significantly correlated with fecal BA levels. Conclusion. Restoration of multiple secondary BA levels, including BA epimers implicated in immunoregulation, are associated with restoration of fecal baiE gene counts, suggesting that the 7-α-dehydroxylation step is rate-limiting.

Pure perovskite Ba

The regulation of energy homeostasis is a complex system involving multiple hormones, neuropeptides, and receptors. Prokineticins (PK1 and PK2) are agonists to two GPCRs, Prokineticin receptor 1 and 2 (PKR1 and PKR2), which decrease food intake when injected in rodents. The relative contribution of PKR1 and PKR2 to the anorexigenic effect of PK2 and their site of action in the brain have not yet been elucidated. While PKR1 and PKR2 are both expressed in the hypothalamus, a central region involved in the control of energy homeostasis, PKR2 is also present in the amygdala, which has recently been shown to regulate food intake in response to several anorexigenic signals. PKRs trafficking and signaling are inhibited by the Melanocortin Receptor Accessory Protein 2 (MRAP2), thus suggesting that MRAP2 has the potential to alter the anorexigenic activity of PK2 in vivo. In this study, we investigated the importance of PKR1 and PKR2 for PK2-mediated inhibition of food intake, the brain region involved in this function, and the effect of MRAP2 on PK2 action in vivo. Using targeted silencing of PKR2 and chemogenetic manipulation of PKR2 neurons, we show that the anorexigenic effect of PK2 is mediated by PKR2 in the amygdala and that altering MRAP2 expression in PKR2 neurons modulates the activity of PK2. Collectively, our results provide evidence that inhibition of food intake by prokineticins is not mediated through activation of hypothalamic neurons but rather amygdala PKR2 neurons and further establishes the importance of MRAP2 in the regulation of energy homeostasis.

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Supplemental Document

Pure perovskite 1%Eu – BaZryTi1–0.0025-yO3 ceramics with compositions y = 0, 0.05, 0.15, and 0.30 prepared by solid-state reaction were investigated by impedance spectroscopy and high field measurements (P(E), dc-tunability). The ceramic samples present a nonlinear dielectric character and the dc-tunability reaches a maximum for y = 0.15 (nr = 85%) due to the proximity of the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition and due to a good accommodation of the europium ions into the BZT matrix. All the compositions have a maximum temperature change around the phase transition with a maximum ΔT=1.13 K for y = 0. At room temperature, the maximum is found for the composition y = 0.05 (ΔT=0.46 K), while for y = 0.15 a constant value ΔT=0.40 K was obtained from room temperature up to 350 K. This kind of electrocaloric dependence, the large nonlinear dielectric character with the lack of hysteresis in the permittivity vs. field dependence make this composition as interesting for microelectronics applications.

The most common method for modeling forest attributes with airborne lidar, the area-based approach, involves summarizing the point cloud of individual plots and relating this to attributes of interest. Tree- and voxel-based approaches have been considered as alternatives to the area-based approach but are rarely considered in an area-based context. We estimated three forest attributes (basal area, overstory biomass, and volume) across 1680 field plots in Arizona and New Mexico. Variables from the three lidar approaches (area, tree, and voxel) were created for each plot. Random forests were estimated using subsets of variables based on each individual lidar approach and mixtures of each approach. Boruta feature selection was performed on variable subsets, including the mixture of all lidar-approach predictors (KS-Boruta). A corrected paired t test was utilized to compare six validated models (area-Boruta, tree-Boruta, voxel-Boruta, KS-Boruta, KS-all, and ridge-all) for each forest attribute. Based on significant reductions in error (SMdAPE), basal area and biomass were best modeled with KS-Boruta, while volume was best modeled with KS-all. Analysis of variable importance shows that voxel-based predictors are critical for the prediction of the three forest attributes. This study highlights the importance of multiresolution voxel-based variables for modeling forest attributes in an area-based context.

Forensic handwriting examination involves the comparison of writing samples by forensic document examiners (FDEs) to determine whether or not they were written by the same person. Here we report the results of a large-scale study conducted to assess the accuracy and reliability of handwriting comparison conclusions. Eighty-six practicing FDEs each conducted up to 100 handwriting comparisons, resulting in 7,196 conclusions on 180 distinct comparison sets, using a five-level conclusion scale. Erroneous “written by” conclusions (false positives) were reached in 3.1% of the nonmated comparisons, while 1.1% of the mated comparisons yielded erroneous “not written by” conclusions (false negatives). False positive rates were markedly higher for nonmated samples written by twins (8.7%) compared to nontwins (2.5%). Notable associations between training and performance were observed: FDEs with less than 2 y of formal training generally had higher error rates, but they also had higher true positive and true negative rates because they tended to provide more definitive conclusions; FDEs with at least 2 y of formal training were less likely to make definitive conclusions, but those definitive conclusions they made were more likely to be correct (higher positive predictive and negative predictive values). We did not observe any association between writing style (cursive vs. printing) and rates of errors or incorrect conclusions. This report also provides details on the repeatability and reproducibility of conclusions, and reports how conclusions are affected by the quantity of writing and the similarity of content.

[EN] Real Educational Challenges (DER) is a subject of the Bachelor Degree in Education from a university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Relying on ProjectBased Learning, Design Thinking, Cooperative Learning and Metacognition as pedagogical-didactic pillars, the course aims for students to investigate a current authentic educational problem, and then design and communicate an innovative and viable proposal to solve it. In 2020, the mandatory social confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic presented us with the challenge of migrating DER lessons to online-based education. In this article we narrate and reflect on this experience, based on students´ classwork and the teaching materials used. We describe the main transformations that were required to sustain the pedagogical proposal in an online learning environment, analysing their opportunities and limitations. Our analysis shows that the intensive use of diversity of digital tools enhanced key aspects of the course, such as teacher follow-up and student collaborative work, and favoured the availability of evidence for metacognition. It also promoted the design of solutions that, adapted to the context of confinement, incorporated technology as a central element. On the other hand, the impossibility of conducting face-toface fieldwork was the greatest limitation. Considering that, beyond the pandemic, virtual and/or hybrid education has been installed as an educational alternative, this experience invites us to rethink university teaching practices, taking into account the value of technology to enrich learning through online-based education, while still identifying irreplaceable elements of inperson experiences., [ES] Desafíos Educativos Reales (DER) es una asignatura de la Licenciatura en Ciencias de la Educación de una universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Apoyándose en el Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos, el Pensamiento de Diseño, el Aprendizaje Cooperativo y la Metacognición como pilares pedagógico-didácticos, la asignatura propone que los estudiantes investiguen una problemática educativa auténtica actual, y luego diseñen y comuniquen una propuesta innovadora y viable para resolverla. En 2020, el confinamiento social obligatorio por la pandemia por COVID-19 nos presentó el desafío de migrar el dictado de DER a la modalidad virtual. En este artículo relatamos y reflexionamos sobre esta experiencia, tomando como fuentes de información las producciones de los estudiantes y diversos materiales que utilizamos para la enseñanza. Describimos las principales transformaciones necesarias en la virtualidad, analizando sus oportunidades y limitaciones. Nuestro análisis muestra que la utilización intensiva de diversidad de herramientas digitales potenció aspectos clave de la asignatura, como el acompañamiento docente y el trabajo colaborativo de los estudiantes, y favoreció la disponibilidad de evidencias para la metacognición. También promovió el diseño de soluciones que, adaptadas al contexto remoto, incorporaron lo digital como elemento central. En contrapartida, la imposibilidad de realizar trabajo de campo presencial fue la mayor limitación. Considerando que, más allá de la emergencia sanitaria, la educación virtual y/o híbrida se ha instalado como alternativa educativa, esta experiencia invita a repensar las prácticas de enseñanza universitaria, atendiendo al valor de la tecnología para enriquecer la educación remota, e identificando aquello irremplazable que aporta la presencialidad.

Introducción: la información sobre las causas de muerte es de gran importancia tanto para los países como para las instituciones sanitarias, en la medida en que contribuye a la evaluación y el seguimiento del estado de salud de la población y a la planificación de intervenciones sanitarias. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la proporción de causas de muerte mal definidas e imprecisas y su relación con el día de la semana y período lectivo de médicos residentes en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (HIBA) durante 2020. Métodos: se realizó un estudio analítico de corte transversal a partir de certificados médicos de defunción de pacientes fallecidos en el ámbito intrahospitalario, evaluando las causas de muerte mal definidas (términos médicos que no aportan información desde el punto de vista clínico y epidemiológico) y las imprecisas (no resultan lo suficientemente específicas como para identificar entidades nosológicas que permitan establecer acciones de prevención y control). Resultados: se analizaron 1030 certificados de defunción, con una proporción de certificados con causa básica de muerte mal definida del 2,3% (n =24), mientras que en el 17,4% (n =180) fue imprecisa. No se hallaron diferencias entre la proporción de causas básicas mal definidas y las imprecisas según el día de la semana o período lectivo. Al extender el análisis a todas las causas (básicas, mediatas e inmediatas), la proporción de causas mal definidas fue del 1,6% (n =40) y la de imprecisas del 51% (n =1212). Conclusiones: los resultados definen al HIBA como un centro de mediana calidad estadística en el registro de causas de muerte. Se concluye que es necesario mejorarla, para lo que resulta de interés la creación de un plan de capacitación y entrenamiento de los médicos en el grado y el posgrado.

BACKGROUND The Black/African Ancestry (AA) population has a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and a higher incidence and mortality rate for colorectal cancer (CRC) than all other races in the United States. T2DM has been shown to increase adenoma risk in predominantly white/European ancestry (EA) populations, but the effect of T2DM on adenoma risk in Black/AA individuals is less clear. We hypothesize that T2DM has a significant effect on adenoma risk in a predominantly Black/AA population. AIM To investigate the effect of T2DM and race on the adenoma detection rate (ADR) in screening colonoscopies in two disparate populations. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted on ADR during index screening colonoscopies (age 45-75) performed at an urban public hospital serving a predominantly Black/AA population (92%) (2017-2018, n = 1606). Clinical metadata collected included basic demographics, insurance, body mass index (BMI), family history of CRC, smoking, diabetes diagnosis, and aspirin use. This dataset was combined with a recently reported parallel retrospective cohort data set collected at a suburban university hospital serving a predominantly White/EA population (87%) (2012-2015, n = 2882). RESULTS The ADR was higher in T2DM patients than in patients without T2DM or prediabetes (35.2% vs 27.9%, P = 0.0166, n = 981) at the urban public hospital. Multivariable analysis of the combined datasets showed that T2DM [odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.55, P = 0.0049], smoking (current vs never OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.18-1.82, current vs past OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.02-1.70, P = 0.0026), older age (OR = 1.05 per year, 95%CI: 1.04-1.06, P < 0.0001), higher BMI (OR = 1.02 per unit, 95%CI: 1.01-1.03, P = 0.0003), and male sex (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.62-2.15, P < 0.0001) were associated with increased ADR in the combined datasets, but race, aspirin use and insurance were not. CONCLUSION T2DM, but not race, is significantly associated with increased ADR on index screening colonoscopy while controlling for other factors.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan agent of Chagas' disease, displays a complex population structure made up of multiple strains showing a diverse ecoepidemiological distribution. Parasite genetic variability may be associated with disease outcome, hence stressing the need to develop methods for T. cruzi typing in vivo. Serological typing methods that exploit the presence of host antibodies raised against polymorphic parasite antigens emerge as an appealing approach to address this issue. These techniques are robust, simple, cost-effective, and are not curtailed by methodological/biological limitations intrinsic to available genotyping methods. Here, we critically assess the progress towards T. cruzi serotyping and discuss the opportunity provided by high-throughput immunomics to improve this field.