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Analisamos a integração de tecnologia educacional na Universidade de São Paulo, focando na adoção e uso de ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem (AVA), traçando seu desenvolvimento e manutenção nas últimas duas décadas. É proposto um arcabouço analítico para situar os principais marcos do uso das tecnologias online pela USP e que busca navegar entre os extremos de determinismo tecnológico e um instrumentalismo ingênuo. As formas de uso do principal AVA da USP, a plataforma e-Disciplinas, são exploradas por meio de indicadores de adoção e tipos de uso. A pandemia de 2020 acelerou repentinamente uma tendência existente de maior adoção e usos mais complexos do sistema.

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Introduction: Skin cancer is currently the most common cancer type worldwide, and numbers are rapidly increasing. To improve primary prevention, individualised prevention strategies may be of interest as this enhances the chance of long-term behavioural change. The Sun Exposure and Protection Index (SEPI), previously validated in multiple languages, is a tool that could help identify individuals with risky behaviour and tailor interventions to the person's propensity to change. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a Dutch version of the SEPI for both usage in daily clinical practice and research. Methods: Patients were included at primary care settings and dermatology outpatient settings in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were asked to fill out the SEPI together with some baseline characteristics and the previously validated FACE-Q Skin Cancer – Sun Protection module. Construct validity was tested by comparing SEPI part I and the FACE-Q module using Spearman's Rho. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's Alpha for both SEPI parts separately. To assess test-retest reliability, the SEPI was again filled out 3 weeks later, and scores were compared with Cohen's weighted Kappa. Results: Of the 171 participants completing the first questionnaire, 147 (86.0%) participants also completed the follow-up questionnaire. Comparison between the corresponding SEPI part I and FACE-Q module questions showed good correlations regarding sun exposure habits (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.61 to 0.85). Internal consistency of SEPI part I was 0.63 and SEPI part II was 0.65. The test-retest analysis indicated reproducibility over time (weighted Kappa ranging from 0.38 to 0.76). Conclusion: In conclusion, the Dutch version of the SEPI is shown to be a valid and reliable tool for both usages in daily clinical practice and research to evaluate individual ultraviolet exposure and measure a person's propensity to limit it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) provides information on haemoglobin levels and blood oxygenation (sO2). To facilitate assessment of the variability in sO2 and haemoglobin in tumours, for example in response to therapies, the baseline variability of these parameters was evaluated in subcutaneous head and neck tumours in mice, using a PAI system (MSOTinVision-256TF). Tumours of anaesthetized animals (midazolam-fentanyl-medetomidine) were imaged for 75 min, in varying positions, and repeatedly over 6 days. An increasing linear trend for average tumoural haemoglobin and blood sO2 was observed, when imaging over 75 min. There were no significant differences in these temporal trends, when repositioning tumours. A negative correlation was found between the percent decrease in blood sO2 over 6 days and tumour growth rate. This paper shows the potential of PAI to provide baseline data for assessing the significance of intra- and inter-tumoural variations that may eventually have value for predicting and/or monitoring cancer treatment response. Keywords: Photoacoustic imaging, Hypoxia, Head and neck subcutaneous tumours, Pimonidazole, Blood sO2, Hemoglobin

Abstract Background Serial electrocardiography aims to contribute to electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnosis by comparing the ECG under consideration with a previously made ECG in the same individual. Here, we present a novel algorithm to construct dedicated deep-learning neural networks (NNs) that are specialized in detecting newly emerging or aggravating existing cardiac pathology in serial ECGs. Methods We developed a novel deep-learning method for serial ECG analysis and tested its performance in detection of heart failure in post-infarction patients, and in the detection of ischemia in patients who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention. Core of the method is the repeated structuring and learning procedure that, when fed with 13 serial ECG difference features (intra-individual differences in: QRS duration; QT interval; QRS maximum; T-wave maximum; QRS integral; T-wave integral; QRS complexity; T-wave complexity; ventricular gradient; QRS-T spatial angle; heart rate; J-point amplitude; and T-wave symmetry), dynamically creates a NN of at most three hidden layers. An optimization process reduces the possibility of obtaining an inefficient NN due to adverse initialization. Results Application of our method to the two clinical ECG databases yielded 3-layer NN architectures, both showing high testing performances (areas under the receiver operating curves were 84% and 83%, respectively). Conclusions Our method was successful in two different clinical serial ECG applications. Further studies will investigate if other problem-specific NNs can successfully be constructed, and even if it will be possible to construct a universal NN to detect any pathologic ECG change.

Aim: Thermal isoeffective dose (TID) has not been convincingly validated for application to predict biological effects from rapid thermal ablation (e.g., using >55 °C). This study compares the classical method of quantifying TID (derived from hyperthermia data) with a temperature-adjusted method based on the Arrhenius model for predicting cell survival in vitro, after either ‘rapid’ ablative or ‘slow’ hyperthermic exposures. Methods: MTT assay viability data was obtained from two human colon cancer cell lines, (HCT116, HT29), subjected to a range of TIDs (120–720 CEM43) using a thermal cycler for hyperthermic (>2 minutes, 55 °C). TID was initially estimated using a constant RCEM>43°C=0.5, and subsequently using RCEM(T), derived from temperature dependent cell survival (injury rate) Arrhenius analysis. Results: ‘Slow’ and ‘rapid’ exposures resulted in cell survival and significant regrowth (both cell lines) 10 days post-treatment for 240 CEM43 (RCEM>43°C=0.5), while 340-550 CEM43 (RCEM>43°C =0.5) delivered using ‘rapid’ exposures showed 12 ± 6% viability and ‘slow’ exposures resulted in undetectable viability. Arrhenius analysis of experimental data (activation energy ΔE = 5.78 ± 0.04 × 105 J mole−1, frequency factor A = 3.27 ± 11 × 1091 sec−1) yielded RCEM=0.42 * e0.0041*T which better-predicted cell survival than using R CEM> 43°C=0.5. Conclusions: TID calculated using an RCEM(T) informed by Arrhenius kinetic parameters provided a more consistent, heating strategy independent, predictor of cell viability, improving dosimetry of ablative thermal exposures. Cell viability was only undetectable above 305 ± 10 CEM43 using this revised measure.

Song learning in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) is a prototypical example of a complex learned behavior, yet knowledge of the underlying molecular processes is limited. Therefore, we characterized transcriptomic (RNA-sequencing) and epigenomic (RRBS, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing; immunofluorescence) dynamics in matched zebra finch telencephalon samples of both sexes from 1 day post hatching (1 dph) to adulthood, spanning the critical period for song learning (20 and 65 dph). We identified extensive transcriptional neurodevelopmental changes during postnatal telencephalon development. DNA methylation was very low, yet increased over time, particularly in song control nuclei. Only a small fraction of the massive differential expression in the developing zebra finch telencephalon could be explained by differential CpG and CpH DNA methylation. However, a strong association between DNA methylation and age-dependent gene expression was found for various transcription factors (i.e., OTX2, AR, and FOS) involved in neurodevelopment. Incomplete dosage compensation, independent of DNA methylation, was found to be largely responsible for sexually dimorphic gene expression, with dosage compensation increasing throughout life. In conclusion, our results indicate that DNA methylation regulates neurodevelopmental gene expression dynamics through steering transcription factor activity, but does not explain sexually dimorphic gene expression patterns in zebra finch telencephalon.