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Background: Vaginal laxity and sexual dysfunction are commonly experienced by women, but are typically stigmatized and considered inappropriate to discuss openly. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TTCRF), in addressing these concerns. The study used a single-blinded randomized sham-control design. Aims and Objectives: The aim was to study the role of TTCRF for vaginal rejuvenation using subjective and objective measurements. Materials and Methods: Two hundred parous women were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n = 110) or a sham group (n = 90). Participants who were between 35 and 55 years of age and reported complaints of vaginal laxity, as well as those who presented symptoms such as vaginal flatus or sexual issues, were included. The treatment group was administered TTCRF therapy, whereas the sham group had a placebo procedure to ensure blinding was maintained. The outcome measures included subjective assessments, such as the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Vaginal Laxity Questionnaire (VLQ), the Vaginal Flatus Score (VFS), and the Vaginal Laxity and Bother Score (VLBS), as well as objective measurements, such as the Modified Oxford Score (MOS) and the Genital Hiatus (GH) questionnaire. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. Significant improvements in FSFI, VLQ, and VLBS were noted in the treatment group compared to sham at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. The MOS improvements did not reach statistical significance, suggesting potential limitations in its use as an objective measure. VFS showed improvement in both the groups, indicating a potential placebo effect. No significant changes were observed in GH. Adverse events were mild and transient, with no serious incidents reported. Conclusion: Despite societal taboos, TTCRF demonstrated notable improvements in subjective measures of vaginal laxity and sexual dysfunction over a 6-month period. The safety and outpatient feasibility of TTCRF were established. The findings contribute to understanding the role of TTCRF in managing these sensitive concerns among women.

Background: Community-based doula support for women and gender-diverse birthing people has a range of benefits in improving maternal outcomes and experiences. However, there is limited research on how doula services operate in Australia. Birth for Humankind is an Australian community-based volunteer doula service, which provides free doula support for women and gender diverse birthing people experiencing social discrimination and financial disadvantage. The aim of this study was to understand facilitators and barriers to implementation and sustainability of a community-based doula service delivered to clients concurrently receiving care at a major maternity hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study consisting of 30 in-depth interviews with doulas and managers of the community-based doula service Birth for Humankind, and midwives, doctors and social workers from a maternity hospital. Data were inductively thematically analysed, and themes were then deductively categorised using the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation (COM-B) model and Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to understand behavioural influences and facilitators and barriers to implementing and sustaining the doula service within a hospital setting. Results: Facilitators to implementation of the doula service included: collaborative relationships; having sound knowledge of referral processes; and being a valued professional doula service with dedicated volunteers. Barriers to implementation included: limited knowledge of the doula service from hospital staff; difficulty in retaining volunteer doulas; being a small non-profit doula service; and limited capacity of hospitals to financially support the doula service. Advocacy for renumerating doulas may be one means to strengthen and sustain existing doula-provider service relationships. Conclusion: Consideration of establishing strategic partnerships between the doula service and hospitals may create financially-sustainable pathways to enable provision of high-quality, community-based doula support for women and gender diverse birthing people to continue.

Abstract Introduction The rapid increase in e-cigarette use over the past decade has triggered an important public health question on the potential association between e-cigarette use and combustible cigarette smoking. Following AMSTAR 2 and PRISMA guidelines, this evidence synthesis sought to identify and characterize any associations between e-cigarette use among individuals not smoking cigarettes and initiation of cigarette smoking. Methods The protocol was registered on September 24, 2018 (PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018108540). Three databases were queried from January 01, 2007 to April 26, 2023. Search results were screened using the PICOS review method. Results Among 55 included studies (40 “good” and 15 “fair”; evidence grade: “high”) that adjusted for gender, age, and race/ethnicity between groups, generally, there was a significant association between non-regular e-cigarette use and initiation of cigarette smoking, further supported by the meta-analytic results (AOR 3.71; 95% CI 2.86–4.81). However, smoking initiation was most often measured as ever/current cigarette smoking. Two studies (quality: 2 “good”) evaluated progression to regular cigarette smoking among individuals with regular use of e-cigarettes, and generally found no significant associations. One study (“good”) evaluated smoking initiation among individuals with regular use of e-cigarettes, finding an increasing probability of ever smoking cigarettes with increased e-cigarette use. Twelve studies (10 “good” and two “fair”) examining progression to regular smoking among individuals with non-regular use of e-cigarettes reported inconsistent findings. Conclusions Numerous methodological flaws in the body of literature limit the generalizability of these results to all individuals who are not smoking cigarettes with few studies measuring established/regular use/smoking of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Further, studies did not control adequately for specific confounding variables representing common liabilities between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking, nor did they account for sufficient follow-up durations. Collectively, these flaws limit the generalizability of findings to the question of an association between e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking initiation.

Antecedentes: La lesión traumática más común en el mundo entre personas mayores es la fractura de cadera, con mayor incidencia hacia los 70 años y en mujeres (de 80 a 85 %). Objetivo: Describir los egresos hospitalarios por fractura de cadera en personas mayores atendidas en el sector público de salud de México entre 2013 y 2022. Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo de los datos abiertos de egresos hospitalarios del sector público de salud dados a conocer por la Dirección General de Información en Salud de la Secretaría de Salud de México. Se consideraron reportes por fractura de cadera en personas ≥ 60 años de uno u otro sexo, y se describieron variables demográficas, del egreso hospitalario y entidades federativas donde se realizó la atención. Resultados: Entre 2013 y 2022 se llevaron a cabo 230 060 egresos por fractura de cadera en personas ≥ 60 años en el sector público de salud en México (2.11 %), más frecuentemente en personas ≥ 80 años y mujeres (69.2 %). El Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social reportó mayor número de egresos (n = 126 093), con alta proporción por mejoría (93.7 %). Conclusiones: La fractura de cadera es un problema preocupante que requiere mayores recursos de atención en México.

Ciencia y Tecnología para un Proyecto Nacional

It has long been difficult to treat vulvovaginal laxity, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, stress urine incontinence, overactive bladder (OAB), and other indications of sexual dysfunction because women traditionally find it difficult to discuss these difficulties with clinicians and because society generally accepts these diseases. Originating in esthetic medicine, noninvasive feminine rejuvenation that targets vaginal tissue with energy-based methods has recently become more popular. A more youthful-looking vulva, the restoration of vaginal elasticity and “tightness,” a significant improvement in stress urinary incontinence, a reduction in symptoms of OAB, and a decrease in sexual dysfunction are all benefits of transcutaneous temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TTCRF) therapy at the vulvovaginal region. It is also becoming more popular as a mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence and OAB noninvasive therapy option. Women will likely always be appreciative of their gynecologist for managing stress urinary incontinence with TTCRF therapy without making an incision, it would appear.

As e-cigarette use has steadily increased over the recent years, the public health interest in the potential implications of e-cigarette use on cigarette smoking has grown in parallel. With strict adherence to PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review examined the potential associations between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking among former cigarette smokers. The protocol was registered on November 06, 2018 (PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018115674). Literature searches were executed from January 01, 2007 to August 20, 2022 and search results were screened according to the PICOS review method. One RCT and 10 adjusted studies examined relapse to cigarette smoking (evidence grade “moderate”) among regular e-cigarette users, reporting mixed and inconsistent findings according to varying definitions of e-cigarette use and relapse. Findings were similarly inconsistent among the 8 adjusted studies examining relapse to cigarette smoking among non-regular e-cigarette users. The inconsistency in findings among studies evaluating regular measures of e-cigarette use, combined with the numerous methodological flaws in the overall body of literature, limit the generalizability of results associated with a causal association between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking. Based on findings from this review, more robust studies are required to determine whether a causal association exists between e-cigarette use and relapse to cigarette smoking. Future studies should apply consistent measures of regular e-cigarette use to examine causality with future use patterns, and sufficiently account for known or suspected confounding variables to support inform determinations related to e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking behaviors.

Introducción: los estudiantes de medicina son vulnerables al malestar psicológico y se enfrentan a una serie de factores estresantes como las presiones académicas, las preocupaciones económicas y las dificultades en las relaciones interpersonales. La calidad de su formación educativa también puede influir en su salud mental y bienestar subjetivo. Este fue un estudio descriptivo, transversal y observacional que incluyó estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Campus Santa Rosa del Aguaray, Paraguay, y tuvo como objetivo describir su percepción de bienestar subjetivo y el impacto de la formación médica en su propia salud mental. Metodología: se encuestó a 119 estudiantes de medicina y se les administró la "Encuesta de percepción sobre vocación, hábitos de vida y recreación, formación y actitudes profesionales", el cuestionario CAGE, el Trastorno de Ansiedad Generalizada-7 (TAG-7) y el Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente-2 (PHQ-2). Resultados: la edad media de los estudiantes fue de 22,5±2,28 años y el 59,7 % de los participantes eran mujeres; sus hábitos de vida se calificaron como aceptables, y el empleo de teléfonos móviles y redes sociales osciló entre el 76 y el 99 %; el 24,1 % reconoció un consumo problemático de alcohol, el 67,2 % manifestó ansiedad según el TAG-7, y el 49,6 % depresión según el PHQ-2. Los síntomas de ansiedad eran frecuentes entre las mujeres y eran mayores cuando la calidad percibida de la formación y la proporción alumnos/profesor eran menores. Discusión: la percepción por parte de los estudiantes de una menor calidad de la formación y de los recursos parecía estar asociada a mayores niveles de ansiedad, lo que puede sugerir que las políticas y los recursos educativos deberían revisarse y aplicarse cuidadosamente para mejorar la salud y el bienestar de los estudiantes.

Associations between cigarette smoking and increased risk of cardiovascular disease are well established. However, it is unclear whether the association is mediated by exposure to nicotine and/or to other constituents in cigarette smoke. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials (RCTs) was to identify any potential associations between exposure to nicotine and the risk of clinically diagnosed adverse cardiovascular events in adult current users and nonusers of tobacco products. Among 1,996 results, 42 studies, comparing nicotine and non-nicotine groups, were included and were both qualitatively and quantitatively synthesized across the outcomes of arrhythmia, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death. The majority of studies evaluating nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death reported no events that occurred in either the nicotine or non-nicotine control groups. Among the studies that reported events, rates of adverse events were similarly low between both groups. Consistent with findings from previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses, pooled data showed that rates for arrhythmia, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death were not significantly different between nicotine and non-nicotine groups. The overall quality of the body of evidence for each of the four outcomes of interest was graded as “moderate,” limited only by the imprecision of results. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that, with moderate certainty, there are no significant associations between the use of nicotine and the risk of clinically diagnosed adverse cardiovascular events—specifically, arrhythmia, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death.

Abstract Aim Multicenter collaborative research accelerates patient recruitment and strengthens evidence. Nevertheless, the factors influencing emergency and critical care physicians’ involvement in such research in Japan remain unclear. Methods A nationwide web‐based survey conducted in early 2023 targeted emergency physicians working a minimum of 3 days per week in Japan. The survey descriptively assessed their backgrounds, work and research environments, experiences, and perceived impediments and motivators for multicenter research. Results Of the 387 respondents, 348 were included in the study, yielding a 5.1% response rate. Women comprised 11% of the participants; 33% worked in university hospitals, 65% served in both emergency departments and intensive care units, and 54% did shift work. Only 12% had designated research time during working hours, with a median of 1 hour per week (interquartile range 0–5 h), including time outside of work. While 73% had participated in multicenter research, 58% noted barriers to participation. The key obstacles were excessive data entry (72%), meeting time constraints (59%), ethical review at each facility (50%), and unique sample collection, such as bronchoalveolar lavage specimens or pathological tissues (51%). The major incentives were networking (70%), data sets reuse (65%), feedback on research results (63%), and recognition from academic societies (63%). Financial rewards were not highly prioritized (38%). Conclusions While valuing clinical research, emergency physicians face barriers, especially data entry burden and limited research time. Networking and sharing research findings motivate them. These insights can guide strategies to enhance collaborative research in emergency and critical care in Japan.

Background Community-based doulas share the same cultural, linguistic, ethnic backgrounds or social experiences as the women they support. Community-based doulas may be able to bridge gaps for migrant and refugee women in maternity settings in high-income countries (HICs). The aim of this review was to explore key stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences of community-based doula programmes for migrant and refugee women during labour and birth in HICs, and identify factors affecting implementation and sustainability of such programmes.Methods We conducted a mixed-method systematic review, searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase and grey literature databases from inception to 20th January 2022. Primary qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies focusing on stakeholders’ perspectives and experiences of community-based doula support during labour and birth in any HIC and any type of health facility were eligible for inclusion. We used a narrative synthesis approach to analysis and GRADE-CERQual approach to assess confidence in qualitative findings.Results Twelve included studies were from four countries (USA, Sweden, England and Australia). There were 26 findings categorised under three domains: (1) community-based doulas’ role in increasing capacity of existing maternity services; (2) impact on migrant and refugee women’s experiences and health; and (3) factors associated with implementing and sustaining a community-based doula programme.Conclusion Community-based doula programmes can provide culturally-responsive care to migrant and refugee women in HICs. These findings can inform community-based doula organisations, maternity healthcare services and policymakers. Further exploration of the factors that impact programme implementation, sustainability, strategic partnership potential and possible wider-reaching benefits is needed.

Problem considered: Despite promotion for adequate declarations of conflicts of interests (COI), clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) continuously fail to provide suitable statements. It was our aim to investigate the frequency of COI reporting in Philippine CPGs and possible associations of COI disclosure and use of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation or GRADE methodology. Methods: Eighty-seven CPGs developed in the Philippines before 2017 were appraised for adequate COI disclosures using Item-23 of the AGREE II instrument. Explanatory variables included indications of use of GRADE, professional organization that led the development of the CPG, and year of CPG completion. Results: Only 12 CPGs (13.8%) had a COI score above the base COI score, with a mean COI score of 5.5 (SD: 1.5). COI disclosure was not statistically different between CPGs that reported or did not report using GRADE (p = 0.2196). Similarly, there was no difference in COI reporting by surgical versus non-surgical organizations (p = 0.5264). The increase in the number of Philippine CPGs was strongly correlated with COI reporting (r = 0.82, p = 0.0001). There was a steady increase of COI reporting through the years, from 5.3% in 1999–2006 to 35.3% in 2016 (p = 0.03427). Conclusion: Despite improving levels of compliance in reporting COIs in recent years, the overall number of disclosures remain low even when GRADE methodology was reportedly implemented. The findings indicate the need for better GRADE training, a clearinghouse for monitoring disclosures, and future studies on the impact of COI disclosures on quality of recommendations.

The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of migration to study medicine in Peru. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Red-LIRHUS study (2011-2012). We included 3 680 Peruvian students. Approximately, 23.2% migrated for medical school. Less than 1% were international migrants. We found a higher proportion of migrant students in Universities outside of Lima than in Universities in Lima (27.1% vs. 15.8%). There was also a higher proportion of migrants in private universities (28.3% vs. 16.0%) Migrant students were more likely to live alone (27.4% vs. 6.4%) and to report having failed a module/course (51.0% vs. 38.6%) compared to non-migrant students. It is necessary to evaluate potential interventions for the preservation of the well-being of people who migrate for their medical training.

Background/objectives: Thyroid eye disease (TED), which can lead to severe sequelae, can involve either one eye or both eyes. The importance of knowing the distinction between laterality rests on the risk that either presentation is associated with a more severe form. It is our aim to investigate differences in patient characteristics and presentations between unilateral and bilateral TED. Methods: Cross-sectional study on clinically diagnosed TED patients from December 2013 to April 2018. Patients’ sociodemographic factors, medical history, presentation, severity, and activity between unilateral TED and bilateral TED were compared. Results: 65 patients were included (unilateral TED: n = 40, 61.5%; bilateral TED: n = 25, 38.5%). Unilateral and bilateral TED were not different with regards to age, gender, family history of thyroid disease, comorbidities, and smoking status. There was nearly six times the likelihood of methimazole intake being associated with bilateral TED (odds ratio [OR] = 5.80, p = 0.02). Both groups were similar in almost all general presentation, orbital inflammation signs, and manifestations of lid retraction. The exception being blurred vision that was more common among bilateral TED patients (OR = 4.80, p = 0.04). There were also no differences between both groups in terms of thyroid hormones (TSH: p = 0.84; freeT4: p = 0.12), severity (p = 0.61), and activity (p = 0.99). Conclusions: Our study found unilateral TED to be more prevalent, while ongoing methimazole treatment and blurred vision are associated with bilateral TED. Our findings add to the growing evidence suggesting that the laterality of TED is not a factor in differentiating levels of activity or severity.

Del 26 al 29 de octubre del año 2021, se realizó de manera virtual la séptima versión de este importarte evento con su lema “Agroindustria y Sostenibilidad”, el cual consolidó el Congreso como una plataforma de transferencia de tecnología y adopción del conocimiento para agrupar, integrar y dinamizar el sector agroindustrial en un modelo continuo de mejora.

Presentasi dalam arsitektur memiliki perkembangan dari masa ke masa. Dari awalnya menggunakan gambar tangan beralih menggunakan visual yang diciptakan oleh komputer. Semakin berkembangnya teknologi, semakin menarik presentasi yang dihasilkan. Hasil presentasi juga semakin nyata, sehingga mendekati objek rancangan aslinya. Perkembangan teknologi semakin maju, penggunaan teknologi Virtual Reality banyak digunakan hampir di semua bidang, tidak luput di bidang Arsitektur. Dalam Arsitektur, penggunaan Virtual Reality sebagai alat presentasi sudah cukup banyak dilakukan. Namun, metode yang diterapkan membutuhkan biaya yang cukup besar dan masih terlalu rumit untuk di aplikasikan. Penelitian ini menemukan penerapan Virtual Reality secara sederhana dan dapat diterapkan secara umum maupun praktisi arsitektur. Metode yang digunakan yaitu simulasi dengan beberapa perangkat yang pendukung. Kesimpulan dalam penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa, Virtual Reality dapat diterapkan dengan penerapan sederhana. Kata kunci: Penerapan Sederhana, Virtual Reality, Presentasi Arsitektur

The Philippine community internship program, originally created to supplement the country’s thinning health workforce while providing training to student doctors, poses a legal and ethical challenge for medical interns. Inherent characteristics of the program—such as financial disparities and burdens, the lack of supervision by senior doctors, the competence of student doctors, and short rotation times—can predispose interns to cause harm to the patients and communities they serve. As currently designed, the internship program has the capacity to leave interns unsupervised, at risk of legal ramifications, constantly questioning the correctness of their interventions, and perpetually straddling conflicting role virtues. By failing to ensure that the community internship program has appropriate safeguards in place, the government not only jeopardizes the welfare of interns but also threatens the quality and continuity of care that patients and communities receive, potentially violating their right to the highest attainable standard of health. One medical school recently started a novel internship program that could address the issues mentioned.

La Red Iberoamericana de Instituciones de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, organización que integra el Comité Internacional Cruz Roja, acordó una Guía de Principios Éticos. Sus objetivos son establecer una base mínima consensual sobre los aspectos éticos del trabajo de la Medicina Legal y las Ciencias Forenses en el contexto regional, así como ofrecer un marco axiológico de referencia para las instituciones y los profesionales forenses. Los nueve principios desarrollados en la Guía giran en torno a la obligación del respeto y promoción de los derechos humanos, la calidad técnica del trabajo, la necesaria formación en Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, el trabajo en equipo respetando los perfiles disciplinares, la independencia técnica, los posibles conflictos de interés, los conflictos deontológicos cuando se actúa bajo dependencia, la confidencialidad y el consentimiento informado. Las Guías asumen también los principios consagrados en diversos documentos internacionales y en los códigos de ética nacionales. En Uruguay, el documento fue aprobado por la Facultad de Medicina y el Consejo Directivo Central de la Universidad de la República dispuso su más amplia difusión entre todos los servicios, especialmente a aquellos que participan en actividades forenses.

Life-threatening thrombotic events and neurological symptoms are prevalent in COVID-19 and are persistent in patients with long COVID experiencing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection1-4. Despite the clinical evidence1,5-7, the underlying mechanisms of coagulopathy in COVID-19 and its consequences in inflammation and neuropathology remain poorly understood and treatment options are insufficient. Fibrinogen, the central structural component of blood clots, is abundantly deposited in the lungs and brains of patients with COVID-19, correlates with disease severity and is a predictive biomarker for post-COVID-19 cognitive deficits1,5,8-10. Here we show that fibrin binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, forming proinflammatory blood clots that drive systemic thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19. Fibrin, acting through its inflammatory domain, is required for oxidative stress and macrophage activation in the lungs, whereas it suppresses natural killer cells, after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fibrin promotes neuroinflammation and neuronal loss after infection, as well as innate immune activation in the brain and lungs independently of active infection. A monoclonal antibody targeting the inflammatory fibrin domain provides protection from microglial activation and neuronal injury, as well as from thromboinflammation in the lung after infection. Thus, fibrin drives inflammation and neuropathology in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fibrin-targeting immunotherapy may represent a therapeutic intervention for patients with acute COVID-19 and long COVID.

This music score was submitted for Resonate 2024: An Open Access Call for Scores by the UCLA Music Library.

Este artículo propone un conjunto básico y común de indicadores para la vigilancia en salud ocupacional en América Latina y el Caribe e identifica las fuentes de datos disponibles para su medición. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un proceso de consenso de la Red Experta en Encuestas sobre Condiciones de Trabajo, Empleo y Salud (RED ECoTES) en dos etapas. En la primera etapa, se consensuó un primer listado de indicadores, y en la segunda etapa, se identificaron las fuentes de datos y sus características, con el fin de facilitar la comprobación de la factibilidad del cálculo real de cada indicador en 20 países de la Región. La propuesta del conjunto básico de indicadores, y sus definiciones, está conformado por 13 indicadores distribuidos en cuatro dimensiones: condiciones de empleo (tres indicadores), condiciones de trabajo (cuatro indicadores), recursos y actividades preventivas (dos indicadores) y salud (cuatro indicadores). Las principales fuentes disponibles para calcular estos indicadores en la Región fueron las encuestas permanentes de hogares, las encuestas de condiciones de trabajo, empleo y salud, las estadísticas vitales, y los sistemas de notificación de lesiones por accidentes de trabajo. En la Región existen datos para un número relevante de los indicadores propuestos. Sin embargo, un número importante de aquellos orientados a las condiciones de trabajo y actividades preventivas están ausentes en la mayoría de países. La vigilancia efectiva de la salud ocupacional en la Región exige impulsar decididamente las encuestas sobre condiciones de empleo, trabajo y salud en cada uno de los países que la conforman.

La sección “Encuentros” tiene como característica ofrecer planteos y posicionamiento temáticos en torno a las diversas miradas en el ámbito de la comunicación. En esta línea, se priorizan los paneles de cierre de los congresos anuales o la discusión que congrega a las diversas unidades académicas en torno a una línea específica de investigación, como son las mesas nacionales de discusión de áreas temáticas. La situación de emergencia sanitaria y la consecuente definición del ASPO posicionaron a la educación universitaria en espacio y tiempo escasamente desarrollados en el ámbito pedagógico. En esta sección recogemos el compromiso por sostener la educación pública como un derecho ciudadano, y lo hacemos desde el desarrollo de actividades complejas –tanto para los docentes como para los estudiantes y nodocentes– , pero con la convicción de dar una batalla desde el lugar que nos compete: la educación superior. Este es el espíritu que guía la presente publicación, en el encontraran las diversas actividades, situaciones y acciones que desarrollaron las carreras de comunicación que componen las zonas geográficas de nuestro país.

En junio de 2020 fue creada la Red de Pensamiento Latinoamericano en Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad (Red PLACTS). Conformada por integrantes del sector científico, tecnológico y universitario, impulsa una agenda que ponga el conocimiento, los recursos y el complejo CyT en proyectos destinados a resolver necesidades y problemas de nuestra sociedad. Se propone participar e incidir en las decisiones que se toman en la gestión de los organismos de CyT, contribuyendo con propuestas e ideas que aporten a construir un proyecto de país popular, igualitario, democrático, soberano, solidario, con perspectiva feminista y desde una mirada federal. Rescata y recupera en proyectos y acciones concretas los aportes de lo que fue históricamente el PLACTED (Pensamiento Latinoamericano en Ciencia, Tecnología, Desarrollo y Dependencia). En este primer documento se describen las características principales de la dinámica tecnocientífica dominante a nivel global y se presentan algunas propuestas para impulsar un estilo científico tecnológico propio en nuestro país y la región.

La Red de estudios rurales -RER- integrada por: Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad de Caldas, Universidad del Cauca, Universidad de Cundinamarca, Universidad Nacional de Colombia -sede Bogotá-, Universidad de Nariño, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia -UPTC-, Universidad Santa Rosa de Cabal -UNISARC-, Universidad del Tolima, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Universidad Agraria de Ecuador, vienen realizando desde el 2015 el Congreso Internacional de Estudios Rurales, como espacio para el intercambio entre investigadores de diferentes disciplinas, interesados en las dinámicas territoriales de espacios rurales que permita la reflexión y generación de propuestas de cambio para lograr el bienestar de las comunidades locales. Su primera edición fue realizada en la Universidad del Tolima en 2015 y la segunda versión en la Universidad de Nariño en 2017. Durante los días 18-19-20 de noviembre de 2019, se realizó en la ciudad de Medellín, Universidad de Antioquia, el III Congreso Internacional de Estudios Rurales, con el tema central "Procesos de innovación para la ruralidad y la paz territorial”. Con la participación de cuatro (4) ponentes magistrales internacionales; tres (3) ponencias nacionales, 100 ponentes de trabajos de investigación y de experiencias sobresalientes en estudios rurales, y 230 asistentes.