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IntroductionIn the digital era, the evolving demands of professional fields, especially in higher education, have accentuated the need for advanced digital competencies among faculty members. Digital competencies are now considered essential for effective teaching, necessitating an in-depth understanding of how these skills are distributed across different demographics, including gender and academic level. This study aims to explore the digital competencies of faculty members at the State University of Milagro, focusing on how these competencies vary by gender and academic level.MethodsThis study employed a quantitative approach within the positivist paradigm to assess the digital competencies of 279 faculty members at the State University of Milagro. Data were collected using the Higher Education Digital Competence Assessment Questionnaire, a validated instrument designed to measure various dimensions of digital skills. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS to evaluate the internal consistency of the competencies and to identify correlations among them, as well as to assess the influence of gender and academic level on these competencies.ResultsThe analysis revealed significant correlations among the different dimensions of digital competencies, indicating that proficiency in one area often contributes to the development of skills in other areas. The integrative nature of digital technologies within the academic environment was evident, with a high level of internal consistency observed across the competencies assessed. Notably, differences were found based on gender and academic level, suggesting that these demographic factors influence technological exposure and training, with certain groups displaying higher competency levels in specific areas.DiscussionThe findings highlight the importance of promoting integrative educational strategies that consider the diverse backgrounds of faculty members to ensure equitable development of digital competencies. The observed gender and academic level disparities underline the need for targeted interventions that address the specific needs of different faculty groups. By fostering a more balanced development of digital skills, institutions can enhance overall teaching effectiveness and better prepare faculty to meet the demands of modern educational environments. These results contribute to the ongoing discourse on digital competency development in higher education and suggest avenues for further research on how to bridge existing gaps in digital skills among faculty.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that usually presents in young adults with painful abscesses in intertriginous areas. We present a case of severe hidradenitis suppurativa (Hidradenitis Suppurativa Investigator Global Assessment (HS-IGA) = 5; Hurley stage III) investigated by cardiology and respirology specialists for dyspnea. The patient’s symptoms required right-sided cardiac catheterization via the right femoral vein in the inguinal area. The patient was able to undergo this invasive cardiac procedure without infectious complications using multidisciplinary management (dermatology, cardiology, respirology, internal medicine, and infectious diseases specialists), intravenous ertapenem 1 g/day for 6 weeks perioperatively, biologic therapy, and treatment of diabetes with semaglutide. The administration of ertapenem preoperatively and postoperatively of an invasive procedure can be beneficial, particularly when the upcoming intervention requires access to skin areas severely affected by hidradenitis suppurativa. Comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes should be addressed as their treatment might contribute to improve hidradenitis suppurativa.

BackgroundPatient safety is a fundamental aspect of health care practice across global health systems. Safe practices, which include incident reporting systems, have proven valuable in preventing the recurrence of safety incidents. However, the accessibility of this tool for health care discipline students is not consistent, limiting their acquisition of competencies. In addition, there is no tools to familiarize students with analyzing safety incidents. Gamification has emerged as an effective strategy in health care education. ObjectiveThis study aims to develop an incident reporting system tailored to the specific needs of health care discipline students, named Safety Incident Report System for Students. Secondary objectives included studying the performance of different groups of students in the use of the platform and training them on the correct procedures for reporting. MethodsThis was an observational study carried out in 3 phases. Phase 1 consisted of the development of the web-based platform and the incident registration form. For this purpose, systems already developed and in use in Spain were taken as a basis. During phase 2, a total of 223 students in medicine and nursing with clinical internships from universities in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Spain received an introductory seminar and were given access to the platform. Phase 3 ran in parallel and involved evaluation and feedback of the reports received as well as the opportunity to submit the students’ opinion on the process. Descriptive statistics were obtained to gain information about the incidents, and mean comparisons by groups were performed to analyze the scores obtained. ResultsThe final form was divided into 9 sections and consisted of 48 questions that allowed for introducing data about the incident, its causes, and proposals for an improvement plan. The platform included a personal dashboard displaying submitted reports, average scores, progression, and score rankings. A total of 105 students participated, submitting 147 reports. Incidents were mainly reported in the hospital setting, with complications of care (87/346, 25.1%) and effects of medication or medical products (82/346, 23.7%) being predominant. The most repeated causes were related confusion, oversight, or distractions (49/147, 33.3%) and absence of process verification (44/147, 29.9%). Statistically significant differences were observed between the mean final scores received by country (P

Liver and heart disease are major causes of death worldwide. It is known that metabolic alteration causing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) coupled with a derangement in lipid homeostasis, may exacerbate hepatic and cardiovascular diseases. Some pharmacological treatments can mitigate organ dysfunctions but the important side effects limit their efficacy leading often to deterioration of the tissues. It needs to develop new personalized treatment approaches and recent progresses of engineered RNA molecules are becoming increasingly viable as alternative treatments. This review outlines the current use of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), RNA interference (RNAi) and RNA genome editing as treatment for rare metabolic disorders. However, the potential for small non-coding RNAs to serve as therapeutic agents for liver and heart diseases is yet to be fully explored. Although miRNAs are recognized as biomarkers for many diseases, they are also capable of serving as drugs for medical intervention; several clinical trials are testing miRNAs as therapeutics for type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver as well as cardiac diseases. Recent advances in RNA-based therapeutics may potentially facilitate a novel application of miRNAs as agents and as druggable targets. In this work, we sought to summarize the advancement and advantages of miRNA selective therapy when compared to conventional drugs. In particular, we sought to emphasise druggable miRNAs, over ASOs or other RNA therapeutics or conventional drugs. Finally, we sought to address research questions related to efficacy, side-effects, and range of use of RNA therapeutics. Additionally, we covered hurdles and examined recent advances in the use of miRNA-based RNA therapy in metabolic disorders such as diabetes, liver, and heart diseases.

Implant-supported prostheses could serve as a reliable restorative option for partial edentulism. Various restorative materials have been utilized in fabricating these prostheses, impacting both esthetics and peri-implant health. The present systematic review aimed to assess the survival rate and mechanical complications of zirconia ceramic compared to metal-ceramic implant-supported multiunit fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). We conducted searches in online databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane up until December 2022. A risk-of-bias assessment was done for all the included studies. Data extraction was performed based on the following parameters: author, year, study design, number of implants, abutment material, age range, observation period, incidence of mechanical complications, and survival rate. This systematic review included six studies (four randomized controlled trials and two retrospective studies). The meta-analysis significantly favored metal-ceramic restorations regarding mechanical complications with a risk ratio (RR) value of 1.64 and P = 0.001. Meta-analysis showed no difference in metal-ceramic FDPs in prostheses survival rate (P = 0.63; RR: 1.27, 95% confidence interval: 0.52–3.37; heterogeneity: P = 0.65; I2: 0%). While metal-ceramic multiunit implant-supported prostheses exhibited fewer mechanical complications compared to zirconia-ceramic prostheses, there was no significant difference in terms of prosthesis survival rate between the two. Hence, both treatments appear to be viable options for long-term implant-supported prostheses.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance are major obstacles in the long-term efficacy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment. Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is common and has been proposed as an independent predictor of HNSCC recurrence and disease-free survival. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for these negative patient outcomes are unknown. To assess the effects of SHS exposure on cisplatin efficacy in cancer cells, three distinct HNSCC cell lines were exposed to sidestream (SS) smoke, the main component of SHS, at concentrations mimicking the nicotine level seen in passive smokers’ saliva and treated with cisplatin (0.01–100 µM) for 48 h. Compared to cisplatin treatment alone, cancer cells exposed to both cisplatin and SS smoke extract showed significantly lower cisplatin-induced cell death and higher cell viability, IC50, and indefinite survival capacity. However, SS smoke extract exposure alone did not change cancer cell viability, cell death, or cell proliferation compared to unexposed control cancer cells. Mechanistically, exposure to SS smoke extract significantly reduced the expression of cisplatin influx transporter CTR1, and increased the expression of multidrug-resistant proteins ABCG2 and ATP7A. Our study is the first to document that exposure to SHS can increase cisplatin resistance by altering the expression of several proteins involved in multidrug resistance, thus increasing the cells’ capability to evade cisplatin-induced cell death. These findings emphasize the urgent need for clinicians to consider the potential role of SHS on treatment outcomes and to advise cancer patients and caregivers on the potential benefits of avoiding SHS exposure.

Abstract: Smoking is a myocardial infarction (MI) risk factor among people with HIV (PWH). Questions persist regarding the role of smoking behaviors and measurements (e.g., intensity, duration) on MI risk. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to compare the association of smoking parameterization with incidents of type 1 and type 2 MI and whether smoking intensity or duration improves MI risk prediction among PWH. Among 11,637 PWH, 37% reported currently smoking, and there were 346 MIs. Current smoking was associated with type 1 (84% increased risk) but not type 2 MI in adjusted analyses. The type 1 MI model with pack years had the best goodness of fit compared with other smoking parameterizations. Ever or never parameterization and smoking diagnosis data had significantly poorer model fit. These results highlight the importance of differentiating MI types and performing patient-based smoking assessments to improve HIV care and research rather than relying on smoking status from diagnoses., (Copyright © 2024 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.)

Abstract: "Sick quitting," a phenomenon describing reductions in alcohol consumption following poor health, may explain observations that alcohol appears protective for frailty risk. We examined associations between frailty and reductions in drinking frequency among people with HIV (PWH). At six Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) sites between January 2012 and August 2021, we assessed whether frailty, measured through validated modified frailty phenotype, precedes reductions in drinking frequency. We associated time-updated frailty with quitting and reducing frequency of any drinking and heavy episodic drinking (HED), adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics in Cox models. Among 5,654 PWH reporting drinking, 60% reported >monthly drinking and 18% reported ≥monthly HED. Over an average of 5.4 years, frail PWH had greater probabilities of quitting (HR: 1.56, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] [1.13-2.15]) and reducing (HR: 1.35, 95% CI [1.13-1.62]) drinking frequency, as well as reducing HED frequency (HR: 1.58, 95% CI [1.20-2.09]) versus robust PWH. Sick quitting likely confounds the association between alcohol use and frailty risk, requiring investigation for control., (Copyright © 2024 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.)