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Introduction: Colorectal adenocarcinoma is rare in children and adolescents and tends to present with nonspecific signs and symptoms, leading to late diagnoses. Objectives: Our aim was to describe the clinical presentation and progression in children and adolescents with colorectal adenocarcinoma treated at our hospital and detect possible predisposing conditions of this disease. Materials and methods: Eight patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma were followed at the Hospital Posadas within the time frame of January 2000 and December 2021. We searched for diseases predisposing to this cancer. Results: The mean patient age was 16 years (between 11 and 17 years of age). Clinical presentation was abdominal pain in the 8 patients; 4 of them had pain in the right hypochondrium, 3 had abdominal tumor, 4 had rectal bleeding, and 3 had weight loss. Mean symptom duration was 9 weeks (range: 1-24 weeks). None of the patients showed predisposing illnesses. One patient presented with polyposis, with no cases in any other family member. Histology showed mucinous adenocarcinoma in all the patients, 4 of whom had the signet ring cell subtype. The primary tumor was located in the right colon in 6 patients. At diagnosis, staging according to the modified Dukes classification was: I: one patient; IIb: one patient; IIIb: one patient; IIIc: one patient; and IV: 4 patients. All patients except 2 received chemotherapy and one patient received radiotherapy. Overall survival at 3 years was 25%. Conclusions: All patients presented with mucinous adenocarcinoma, no predisposing diseases were found, and the children with colorectal cancer had a very poor prognosis. Colorectal cancer diagnosis should be considered in children presenting with acute abdominal pain, abdominal tumor, or lower gastrointestinal bleeding, especially if there is weight loss. Resumen: Introducción: El adenocarcinoma colorrectal es infrecuente en niños y jóvenes y suele presentarse con signos y síntomas inespecíficos, lo que lleva a diagnósticos tardíos. Objetivos: Describir la presentación clínica y evolución de los niños y adolescentes con adenocarcinoma colorrectal atendidos en nuestro hospital, y detectar posibles condiciones predisponentes de esta enfermedad. Materiales y métodos: Se presentan 8 pacientes con adenocarcinoma colorrectal seguidos en el Hospital Posadas entre enero de 2000 y diciembre de 2021. Buscamos enfermedades predisponentes a esta patología. Resultados: Edad mediana: 16 años (entre 11 y 17 años). Presentación clínica: dolor abdominal 8 pacientes (dolor en hipocondrio derecho: 4), tumor abdominal en 3, sangrado rectal en 4 y pérdida de peso en 3. Duración media de los síntomas: 9 semanas (rango: 1-24). Ningún paciente mostró enfermedades predisponentes. Un paciente presentó poliposis, sin otros casos familiares. La histología presentó adenocarcinoma mucinoso en todos los pacientes,con células tipo anillo de sello en 4. El tumor primario se ubicó en el colon derecho en 6. Estadificación según la clasificación de Dukes modificada, al diagnóstico: I:1; IIb: 1; IIIb: 1; IIIc: 1; IV: 4. Todos los pacientes, excepto dos, recibieron quimioterapia, y uno, radioterapia. La supervivencia global fue del 25% a los 3 años. Conclusiones: 1. Todos los pacientes presentaban adenocarcinoma mucinoso. 2. No encontramos ninguna enfermedad predisponente. 3. La evolución de los niños con cáncer colorrectal fue muy mala. 4. Se debe considerar el diagnóstico de cáncer colorrectal en niños con dolor abdominal agudo, tumor abdominal o hemorragia digestiva baja, particularmente si tienen pérdida de peso.

Abstract Traditional measurements of gait are typically performed in clinical or laboratory settings where functional assessments are used to collect episodic data, which may not reflect naturalistic gait and activity patterns. The emergence of digital health technologies has enabled reliable and continuous representation of gait and activity in free-living environments. To provide further evidence for naturalistic gait characterization, we designed a master protocol to validate and evaluate the performance of a method for measuring gait derived from a single lumbar-worn accelerometer with respect to reference methods. This evaluation included distinguishing between participants’ self-perceived different gait speed levels, and effects of different floor surfaces such as carpet and tile on walking performance, and performance under different bouts, speed, and duration of walking during a wide range of simulated daily activities. Using data from 20 healthy adult participants, we found different self-paced walking speeds and floor surface effects can be accurately characterized. Furthermore, we showed accurate representation of gait and activity during simulated daily living activities and longer bouts of outside walking. Participants in general found that the devices were comfortable. These results extend our previous validation of the method to more naturalistic setting and increases confidence of implementation at-home.

Abstract Digital health technologies (DHTs) are increasingly being adopted in clinical trials, as they enable objective evaluations of health parameters in free-living environments. Although lumbar accelerometers notably provide reliable gait parameters, embedding accelerometers in chest devices, already used for vital signs monitoring, could capture a more comprehensive picture of participants’ wellbeing, while reducing the burden of multiple devices. Here we assess the validity of gait parameters measured from a chest accelerometer. Twenty healthy adults (13 females, mean ± sd age: 33.9 ± 9.1 years) instrumented with lumbar and chest accelerometers underwent in-lab and outside-lab walking tasks, while monitored with reference devices (an instrumented mat, and a 6-accelerometers set). Gait parameters were extracted from chest and lumbar accelerometers using our open-source Scikit Digital Health gait (SKDH-gait) algorithm, and compared against reference values via Bland–Altman plots, Pearson’s correlation, and intraclass correlation coefficient. Mixed effects regression models were performed to investigate the effect of device, task, and their interaction. Gait parameters derived from chest and lumbar accelerometers showed no significant difference and excellent agreement across all tasks, as well as good-to-excellent agreement and strong correlation against reference values, thus supporting the deployment of a single multimodal chest device in clinical trials, to simultaneously measure gait and vital signs. Trial Registration: The study was reviewed and approved by the Advarra IRB (protocol number: Pro00043100).

Anil Tarachandani,1 Fikret Isik Karahanoglu,1 Andrew Messere,1 Lisa Tarasenko,2 Ann-Marie LaRonde-Richard,3 Nancy Kessler,4 Michelle Rossulek,3 Hans Plate,5 Kim Mahoney,5 Mar Santamaria1 1Early Clinical Development, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA; 2Global Medical Affairs, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA; 3Internal Medicine Research Unit, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA; 4Business Analytics and Insights, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA; 5Pensari LLC, Baltimore, MD, USACorrespondence: Mar Santamaria, Early Clinical Development, Pfizer Inc., 610 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA, Tel +1 617 852 5637, Fax +1 845 474 5357, Email Mar.Santamaria@Pfizer.comPurpose: The objective of this study was to gain insights into the patients’ perspectives on the impact of cancer cachexia on physical activity and their willingness to wear digital health technology (DHT) devices in clinical trials.Patients and Methods: We administered a quantitative 20-minute online survey on aspects of physical activity (on a 0– 100 scale) to 50 patients with cancer cachexia recruited through Rare Patient Voice, LLC. A subset of 10 patients took part in qualitative 45-minute web-based interviews with a demonstration of DHT devices. Survey questions related to the impact of weight loss (a key characteristic in Fearon’s cachexia definition) on physical activity, patients’ expectations regarding desired improvements and their level of meaningful activities, as well as preferences for DHT.Results: Seventy-eight percent of patients reported that their physical activity was impacted by cachexia, and for 77% of them, such impact was consistent over time. Patients perceived most impact of weight loss on walking distance, time and speed, and on level of activity during the day. Sleep, activity level, walking quality and distance were identified as the most meaningful activities to improve. Patients would like to see a moderate improvement of activity levels and consider it meaningful to perform physical activity of moderate intensity (eg, walk at normal pace) on a regular basis. The wrist was the preferred location for wearing a DHT device, followed by arm, ankle, and waist.Conclusion: Most patients reported physical activity limitations since the occurrence of weight loss compatible with cancer-associated cachexia. Walking distance, sleep and quality of walk were the most meaningful activities to moderately improve, and patients consider moderate physical activity as meaningful. Finally, this study population found the proposed wear of DHT devices on the wrist and around the waist acceptable for the duration of clinical studies.Keywords: physical activity, patients’ expectations, meaningful activities, walking, DHT device

Herein, we developed an innovative and easily accessible solid-phase synthetic protocol for Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) oligomers by systematically investigating the ultrasonication effects in all steps of the PNA synthesis (US-PNAS). When compared with standard protocols, the application of the so-obtained US-PNAS approach succeeded in improving the crude product purities and the isolated yields of different PNA, including small or medium-sized oligomers (5-mer and 9-mer), complex purine-rich sequences (like a 5-mer Guanine homoligomer and the telomeric sequence TEL-13) and longer oligomers (such as the 18-mer anti-IVS2-654 PNA and the 23-mer anti-mRNA 155 PNA). Noteworthy, our ultrasound-assisted strategy is compatible with the commercially available PNA monomers and well-established coupling reagents and only requires the use of an ultrasonic bath, which is a simple equipment generally available in most synthetic laboratories.

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most frequent cause of food allergy in the first months of life. Despite the fact that there are different guidelines and recommendations on the management of children with CMPA, there continues to be great variability in diagnostic and therapeutic criteria in Latin America. The Food Allergy Working Group of the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition summoned a group of Latin American experts to reach a consensus and formulate a document to unify diagnostic and therapeutic criteria for CMPA. Three teams were formed, each with a coordinator, and the members of each team developed a series of statements for their corresponding module: a) clinical manifestations and diagnosis; b) diagnostic tools, and c) treatment. A search of the medical literature was carried out to support the information presented in each module and 28 statements were then selected. The statements were discussed, after which they were evaluated by all the experts, utilizing the Delphi method. Their opinions on statement agreement or disagreement were anonymously issued. The final statements selected were those with above 75% agreement and their corresponding recommendations were formulated, resulting in the document presented herein. Resumen: La alergia a las proteínas de leche de vaca (APLV) constituye la causa más frecuente de alergia alimentaria en los primeros meses de vida. A pesar de la existencia de diferentes guías y recomendaciones sobre el manejo de niños con APLV, en Latinoamérica sigue observándose una gran variabilidad de criterios diagnósticos y terapéuticos. El grupo de trabajo de Alergia Alimentaria de la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica se dio a la tarea de convocar a un grupo de expertos de la región, realizar un consenso y elaborar un documento con el objetivo de unificar criterios diagnósticos y terapéuticos para APLV. Se dividió el grupo en tres equipos bajo un coordinador para cada equipo, y los miembros de cada grupo formularon una serie de enunciados correspondientes a uno de tres módulos diferentes: a) manifestaciones clínicas; b) herramientas diagnósticas, y c) tratamiento. Se buscó la información en la literatura médica para sustentar la información de cada uno de ellos, y posteriormente se seleccionaron 28 enunciados, los cuales fueron discutidos y posteriormente evaluados por todos los expertos, a través de método Delphi, quienes emitieron su opinión sobre acuerdo o desacuerdo sobre las mismas de forma anónima. Todos los enunciados obtuvieron porcentajes de acuerdo mayores al 75%, por lo que permanecieron, y con base en ellos se elaboraron las recomendaciones y se presentan.

Resumen: La alergia a las proteínas de leche de vaca (APLV) constituye la causa más frecuente de alergia alimentaria en los primeros meses de vida. A pesar de la existencia de diferentes guías y recomendaciones sobre el manejo de niños con APLV, en Latinoamérica sigue observándose una gran variabilidad de criterios diagnósticos y terapéuticos. El grupo de trabajo de Alergia Alimentaria de la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica se dio a la tarea de convocar a un grupo de expertos de la región, realizar un consenso y elaborar un documento con el objetivo de unificar criterios diagnósticos y terapéuticos para APLV. Se dividió el grupo en tres equipos bajo un coordinador para cada equipo, y los miembros de cada grupo formularon una serie de enunciados correspondientes a uno de tres módulos diferentes: a) manifestaciones clínicas; b) herramientas diagnósticas, y c) tratamiento. Se buscó la información en la literatura médica para sustentar la información de cada uno de ellos, y posteriormente se seleccionaron 28 enunciados, los cuales fueron discutidos y posteriormente evaluados por todos los expertos, a través de método Delphi, quienes emitieron su opinión sobre acuerdo o desacuerdo sobre las mismas de forma anónima. Todos los enunciados obtuvieron porcentajes de acuerdo mayores al 75%, por lo que permanecieron, y con base en ellos se elaboraron las recomendaciones y se presentan. Abstract: Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most frequent cause of food allergy in the first months of life. Despite the fact that there are different guidelines and recommendations on the management of children with CMPA, there continues to be great variability in diagnostic and therapeutic criteria in Latin America. The Food Allergy Working Group of the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition summoned a group of Latin American experts to reach a consensus and formulate a document to unify diagnostic and therapeutic criteria for CMPA. Three teams were formed, each with a coordinator, and the members of each team developed a series of statements for their corresponding module: a) clinical manifestations and diagnosis; b) diagnostic tools, and c) treatment. A search of the medical literature was carried out to support the information presented in each module and 28 statements were then selected. The statements were discussed, after which they were evaluated by all the experts, utilizing the Delphi method. Their opinions on statement agreement or disagreement were anonymously issued. The final statements selected were those with above 75% agreement and their corresponding recommendations were formulated, resulting in the document presented herein.

The present review focuses on synthetic peptide‐based vaccine strategies in the context of anticancer intervention, paying attention to critical aspects such as peptide epitope selection, adjuvant integration, and nuanced classification of synthetic peptide cancer vaccines. Within this discussion, we delve into the diverse array of synthetic peptide‐based anticancer vaccines, each derived from tumor‐associated antigens (TAAs), including melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 (Melan‐A or MART‐1), mucin 1 (MUC1), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER‐2), tumor protein 53 (p53), human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), survivin, folate receptor (FR), cancer‐testis antigen 1 (NY‐ESO‐1), and prostate‐specific antigen (PSA). We also describe the synthetic peptide‐based vaccines developed for cancers triggered by oncovirus, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Additionally, the potential synergy of peptide‐based vaccines with common therapeutics in cancer was considered. The last part of our discussion deals with the realm of the peptide‐based vaccines delivery, highlighting its role in translating the most promising candidates into effective clinical strategies. Although this discussion does not cover all the ongoing peptide vaccine investigations, it aims at offering valuable insights into the chemical modifications and the structural complexities of anticancer peptide‐based vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) are crucial for supporting the nutritional needs of pediatric populations, particularly those with medical conditions or dietary deficiencies. Bioactive compounds within ONSs play a pivotal role in enhancing health outcomes by exerting various physiological effects beyond basic nutrition. However, the comprehensive understanding of these bioactives in pediatric ONSs remains elusive. Objective: This systematic narrative review aims to critically evaluate the existing literature concerning bioactive compounds present in oral nutritional supplements from a pediatric standpoint, focusing on their types, sources, bioavailability, physiological effects, and clinical implications. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across the major academic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, employing predefined search terms related to oral nutritional supplements, bioactives, and pediatrics. Studies published between 2013 and 2024 were considered eligible for inclusion. Data extraction and synthesis were performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Results: The initial search yielded 558 of articles, of which 72 met the inclusion criteria. The included studies encompassed a diverse range of bioactive compounds present in pediatric ONS formulations, including, but not limited to, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, prebiotics, probiotics, and phytonutrients. These bioactives were sourced from various natural and synthetic origins and were found to exert beneficial effects on growth, development, immune function, gastrointestinal health, cognitive function, and overall well-being in pediatric populations. However, variations in bioavailability, dosing, and clinical efficacy were noted across different compounds and formulations. Conclusions: Bioactive compounds in oral nutritional supplements offer promising avenues for addressing the unique nutritional requirements and health challenges faced by pediatric populations. However, further research is warranted to elucidate the optimal composition, dosage, and clinical applications of these bioactives in pediatric ONS formulations. A deeper understanding of these bioactive compounds and their interplay with pediatric health may pave the way for personalized and effective nutritional interventions in pediatric clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Technological advances in multimodal wearable and connected devices have enabled the measurement of human movement and physiology in naturalistic settings. The ability to collect continuous activity monitoring data with digital devices in real-world environments has opened unprecedented opportunity to establish clinical digital phenotypes across diseases. Many traditional assessments of physical function utilized in clinical trials are limited because they are episodic, therefore, cannot capture the day-to-day temporal fluctuations and longitudinal changes in activity that individuals experience. In order to understand the sensitivity of gait speed as a potential endpoint for clinical trials, we investigated the use of digital devices during traditional clinical assessments and in real-world environments in a group of healthy younger (n = 33, 18–40 years) and older (n = 32, 65–85 years) adults. We observed good agreement between gait speed estimated using a lumbar-mounted accelerometer and gold standard system during the performance of traditional gait assessment task in-lab, and saw discrepancies between in-lab and at-home gait speed. We found that gait speed estimated in-lab, with or without digital devices, failed to differentiate between the age groups, whereas gait speed derived during at-home monitoring was able to distinguish the age groups. Furthermore, we found that only three days of at-home monitoring was sufficient to reliably estimate gait speed in our population, and still capture age-related group differences. Our results suggest that gait speed derived from activities during daily life using data from wearable devices may have the potential to transform clinical trials by non-invasively and unobtrusively providing a more objective and naturalistic measure of functional ability.

Introduction: Frailty is conventionally diagnosed using clinical tests and self-reported assessments. However, digital health technologies (DHTs), such as wearable accelerometers, can capture physical activity and gait during daily life, enabling more objective assessments. In this study, we assess the feasibility of deploying DHTs in community-dwelling older individuals, and investigate the relationship between digital measurements of physical activity and gait in naturalistic environments and participants' frailty status, as measured by conventional assessments. Methods: Fried Frailty Score (FFS) was used to classify fifty healthy individuals as non-frail (FFS = 0, n/female = 21/11, mean ± SD age: 71.10 ± 3.59 years), pre-frail (FFS = 1–2, n/female = 23/9, age: 73.74 ± 5.52 years), or frail (FFS = 3+, n/female = 6/6, age: 70.70 ± 6.53 years). Participants wore wrist-worn and lumbar-worn GENEActiv accelerometers (Activinsights Ltd., Kimbolton, UK) during three in-laboratory visits, and at-home for 2 weeks, to measure physical activity and gait. After this period, they completed a comfort and usability questionnaire. Compliant days at-home were defined as follows: those with ≥18 h of wear time, for the wrist-worn accelerometer, and those with ≥1 detected walking bout, for the lumbar-worn accelerometer. For each at-home measurement, a group analysis was performed using a linear regression model followed by ANOVA, to investigate the effect of frailty on physical activity and gait. Correlation between at-home digital measurements and conventional in-laboratory assessments was also investigated. Results: Participants were highly compliant in wearing the accelerometers, as 94% indicated willingness to wear the wrist device, and 66% the lumbar device, for at least 1 week. Time spent in sedentary activity and time spent in moderate activity as measured from the wrist device, as well as average gait speed and its 95th percentile from the lumbar device were significantly different between frailty groups. Moderate correlations between digital measurements and self-reported physical activity were found. Conclusions: This work highlights the feasibility of deploying DHTs in studies involving older individuals. The potential of digital measurements in distinguishing frailty phenotypes, while unobtrusively collecting unbiased data, thus minimizing participants' travels to sites, will be further assessed in a follow-up study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective: Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease described in case series and publications worldwide. Over the past twenty years, the authors of different studies have attempted to evaluate its incidence and prevalence. The objetive of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children seen at 36 pediatric gastroenterology centers in ten Latin American countries. Materials and methods: A multicenter, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted that estimated the period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in children seen at outpatient consultation and that underwent diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for any indication at 36 centers in 10 Latin American countries, within a 3-month time frame. Results: Between April and June 2016, 108 cases of eosinophilic esophagitis were evaluated. Likewise, an average of 29,253 outpatient consultations and 4,152 diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were carried out at the 36 participating centers. The period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in the population studied (n = 29,253) was 3.69 cases × 1,000 (95% CI: 3.04 to 4.44), and among the children that underwent routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (n = 4,152), it was 26 x 1,000 (95% CI: 22.6 to 29.4). Conclusions: The general period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children evaluated at 36 Latin American pediatric gastroenterology centers was 3.69 × 1,000, and in the children that underwent endoscopy, it was 26 × 1,000. There was important prevalence variability between the participating countries and centers. The present analysis is the first study conducted on the prevalence of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis in Latin America. Resumen: Introducción y objetivo: La esofagitis eosinofílica es una enfermedad crónica, mediada inmunológicamente, descrita en series y publicaciones alrededor del mundo. En los últimos 20 años diversos estudios han intentado evaluar la incidencia y prevalencia de la enfermedad. El objetivo del presente trabajo es estimar la prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica en un grupo de niños atendidos en 36 centros de gastroenterología pediátrica de 10 países latinoamericanos. Materiales y métodos: A través de un protocolo multicéntrico, observacional y transversal se estimó la prevalencia de período de esofagitis eosinofílica entre los niños atendidos en consulta externa y sometidos a endoscopia superior diagnóstica por cualquier motivo en 36 centros de 10 países latinoamericanos durante un período de 3 meses. Resultados: Entre abril y junio de 2016 108 casos de esofagitis eosinofílica fueron evaluados. Asimismo, un promedio de 29,253 consultas ambulatorias y 4,152 endoscopias superiores de carácter diagnóstico fueron realizadas en los 36 centros participantes. La tasa de prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica en la población estudiada (n = 29,253) fue de 3,69 casos × 1,000 (IC 95%: 3.04 a 4.44) y entre los niños sometidos a endoscopia superior de rutina (n = 4,152) fue de 26 x 1,000 (IC 95%: 22.6 a 29.4). Conclusión: La tasa general de prevalencia de período de esofagitis eosinofílica en un grupo de niños evaluados en 36 centros latinoamericanos de gastroenterología pediátrica resultó de 3,69 × 1,000, y entre aquellos sometidos a endoscopia fue de 26 × 1,000. La prevalencia mostró una importante variabilidad entre los países y centros participantes. Este es el primer estudio de prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica pediátrica en Latinoamérica. Keywords: Esophagitis, Eosinophilic, Children, Prevalence, Latin America, Palabras clave: Esofagitis, Eosinofílica, Niños, Prevalencia, Latinoamérica

Resumen: Introducción y objetivo: La esofagitis eosinofílica es una enfermedad crónica, mediada inmunológicamente, descrita en series y publicaciones alrededor del mundo. En los últimos 20 años diversos estudios han intentado evaluar la incidencia y prevalencia de la enfermedad. El objetivo del presente trabajo es estimar la prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica en un grupo de niños atendidos en 36 centros de gastroenterología pediátrica de 10 países latinoamericanos. Materiales y métodos: A través de un protocolo multicéntrico, observacional y transversal se estimó la prevalencia de período de esofagitis eosinofílica entre los niños atendidos en consulta externa y sometidos a endoscopia superior diagnóstica por cualquier motivo en 36 centros de 10 países latinoamericanos durante un período de 3 meses. Resultados: Entre abril y junio de 2016 108 casos de esofagitis eosinofílica fueron evaluados. Asimismo, un promedio de 29,253 consultas ambulatorias y 4,152 endoscopias superiores de carácter diagnóstico fueron realizadas en los 36 centros participantes. La tasa de prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica en la población estudiada (n = 29,253) fue de 3,69 casos × 1,000 (IC 95%: 3.04 a 4.44) y entre los niños sometidos a endoscopia superior de rutina (n = 4,152) fue de 26 x 1,000 (IC 95%: 22.6 a 29.4). Conclusión: La tasa general de prevalencia de período de esofagitis eosinofílica en un grupo de niños evaluados en 36 centros latinoamericanos de gastroenterología pediátrica resultó de 3,69 × 1,000, y entre aquellos sometidos a endoscopia fue de 26 × 1,000. La prevalencia mostró una importante variabilidad entre los países y centros participantes. Este es el primer estudio de prevalencia de esofagitis eosinofílica pediátrica en Latinoamérica. Abstract: Introduction and objective: Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease described in case series and publications worldwide. Over the past twenty years, the authors of different studies have attempted to evaluate its incidence and prevalence. The objetive of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children seen at 36 pediatric gastroenterology centers in ten Latin American countries. Materials and methods: A multicenter, observational, and cross-sectional study was conducted that estimated the period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in children seen at outpatient consultation and that underwent diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for any indication at 36 centers in 10 Latin American countries, within a 3-month time frame. Results: Between April and June 2016, 108 cases of eosinophilic esophagitis were evaluated. Likewise, an average of 29,253 outpatient consultations and 4,152 diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were carried out at the 36 participating centers. The period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in the population studied (n = 29,253) was 3.69 cases × 1,000 (95% CI: 3.04 to 4.44), and among the children that underwent routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (n = 4,152), it was 26 x 1,000 (95% CI: 22.6 to 29.4). Conclusions: The general period prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis in a group of children evaluated at 36 Latin American pediatric gastroenterology centers was 3.69 × 1,000, and in the children that underwent endoscopy, it was 26 × 1,000. There was important prevalence variability between the participating countries and centers. The present analysis is the first study conducted on the prevalence of pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis in Latin America. Palabras clave: Esofagitis, Eosinofílica, Niños, Prevalencia, Latinoamérica, Keywords: Esophagitis, Eosinophilic, Children, Prevalence, Latin America

The field research involved a survey in the contexts of school canteens, with the aim of identifying methods and good practices in school catering. 23 schools in the Marche region of Italy were involved in the survey, and the research reached 600 pupils, 81 teachers and 48 canteen operators. The research was designed and carried out by a group of 23 students from the course of Educational Psychology of the University of Macerata, with a survey methodology that saw a desk research on the Italian regulations dedicated to the school catering sector, the use of a structured observation checklist for canteens, the administration of semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. The analysis of the data describes a fragmented framework in the organization of school canteens, which, from a regulatory point of view, respect the parameters and rules of school catering, from the point of view of the educational approach to food have different characteristics. The research seems to confirm the lack of a common approach to food education, affirmed by the Ministry of Education itself in a national research on school catering (MIUR, FoodEdu 2018), highlighting strengths and weaknesses on which to leverage on aim to pursue the goal of a programmed and widespread and high quality nutrition education in all schools in Italy. As an answer to the issues raised from the data harvesting, we propose a food education project called Edueat - promoted by the training company Laboratorio delle Idee S.r.l. and scientifically supervised by the University of Macerata. The project aims to promote food education through the use of the senses, play and skills development, within the framework of the major theoretical references of Developmental and Educational Psychology.