Transitioning to Single Use Gender Neutral Restrooms: Elevating Our Facilities

Background : The Lamar Soutter Library serves the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Existing facilities in the library include 6 single use restrooms spread out over 3 floors, with 2 on each floor (1 for men, 1 for women). The library averages 500 visitors a day, and our 1st floor area is the most highly trafficked. Admission trends indicate that class sizes are increasing, and the number of women students is trending up; we decided to look at ways to increase the number of facilities that could be used by anyone regardless of gender by making some of the restrooms gender neutral. Description : Library management were early and necessary champions of this project, taking the idea to school administration and getting approval for changes and expenditures. We also consulted the Diversity and Inclusion Office and the LGBTQ Resource group lent support and offered opinions on signage choice and goals for implementation. The MLA LGBTQIA SIG also offered information on how their libraries managed this transition, providing examples of signage that conveyed the message that the restroom was for anyone without also enforcing the gender binary. The building manager led discussions on what was possible with the existing space and building codes, and worked with us to preserve handicap access. Conclusion : While our renovation is not complete at this time, when it is we will assess user satisfaction with the space in general, as well as whether there is an increase in how many users we average daily. Another measure of success would be whether other areas of the school follow suit and offer gender neutral restrooms. We would also be interested in converting the remaining 4 restrooms in the library. We hope to create an environment that is flexible and welcoming, and accommodates all of our users

Relación entre el gesto social y el cuerpo extra-cotidiano como procedimiento de construcción estética.

El siguiente escrito da cuenta del proceso de investigación realizado en el Trabajo Final de la Licenciatura en Teatro de la UNC, y desarrolla la relación entre el gesto social y el cuerpo extra-cotidiano como procedimiento de construcción escénica. Mostramos de qué forma se lleva adelante nuestro proceso de creación y las reflexiones a las que arribamos vinculando la teoría con la práctica, para abrir nuevos interrogantes en torno a la problemática planteada. Nuestra inquietud en torno al tema de investigación surge con el propósito de seguir explorando sobre el gesto y las actitudes sociales de nuestra vida cotidiana, indagando sobre la relación entre teatro y danza contemporánea, para introducirnos en la problemática que establece el vínculo entre ambas disciplinas. La idea comenzó cuando, siendo estudiantes de cuarto año de la Licenciatura en Teatro, nos presentamos con el proyecto “Cuerpo Espeso” en la Convocatoria CePIABIERTO 2012, creando la obra “Un Universo Nunca Ha Sido tan Pequeño” del grupo Trémulo, unTeatroqueDanza. Teniendo como antecedente esta línea de trabajo, encontramos interesante continuar el desarrollo de la relación entre teatro-danza y gestualidad, ya que nos permite colocar el cuerpo en el centro de atención, posibilitando su uso como materialidad escénica con el fin de generar multiplicidad de sentidos. A través de la comunicación corporal o gestual cada espectador puede formar su propia experiencia

E-Cigarettes - a review of the evidence - harm versus harm reduction

The World Health Organization estimates there are 1.1 billion cigarette smokers across the globe and that tobacco related deaths number 7 million per year. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are available to contribute options for smoking cessation and include e-cigarettes, e-hookahs, vape pens, mods, and vaping. The growing use of ENDS, or e-cigarettes, in the US and globally across populations is dramatic. Although users may think that e-cigarettes are less harmful than combustible tobacco products, the evidence shows that there are known risks and harms for users. E-cigarettes have varying amounts of toxicants, nicotine, and carcinogens and put the user at risk for lung diseases and COVID-19 similar to smokers. Currently, most governing bodies have not approved e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool but do state if a person has failed conventional smoking cessation treatments that e-cigarettes used alone for the short term may help those to quit combustible tobacco and nicotine. A shared decision-making approach should be used when discussing e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool. More studies and long-term data are needed to assess potential benefits and harms. What is known is that prevention efforts and policy are needed to avoid adolescents and other vulnerable populations from initiating tobacco or e-cigarette use

Well-Conceived and Ill-Drawn: Hosting “Ill-Conceived and Well-Drawn,” an NLM Exhibition

Background: The Lamar Soutter Library serves the UMass Memorial Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which consists of the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Biomedical Sciences. In pursuit of our mission to help our community in the “creation of knowledge, intellectual growth, and enrichment of the academic experience” the library plans activities, programs, and exhibitions. We recently hosted an NLM traveling Exhibition, “Ill-Conceived and Well-Drawn,” and partnered with the NNLM-NER to create an enriched experience for our users. Description: The NLM’s traveling exhibit consists of 6 free standing posters and seeks to introduce the concept of graphic medicine. Graphic medicine uses the medium of comics to explore themes of illness, healthcare, and health information from the perspective of the caregiver, the patient, or family members. Graphic medicine can also be used for science communication. While the exhibition was on display in the library, we worked to create programming around the topic of graphic medicine to engage our users and community. Conclusion: As a direct result of hosting the exhibition, the library saw an increase in traffic in the library compared to similar time periods in the past. We also recorded an increase in the use of our graphic medicine collection’s circulation statistics. One particularly successful program was a visit by Matteo Farinella, author of Neurocomic and The Senses. Because we hosted the NLM’s exhibition, we were able to engage targeted populations in meaningful ways and promote library resources

Non frequent porphyrias in the argentinean population

Las Porfirias son consecuencia de fallas en el metabolismo del Hemo. Se clasifican según el tipo de sintomatología clínica prevalente o el órgano donde se expresa preferencialmente la falla metabólica. En general la deficiencia enzimática  está asociada a mutaciones en los genes que codifican para cada una de las enzimas. Están descriptos 7 tipos de Porfiria diferentes. Se transmiten por carácter autosómico dominante a excepción de la PCE, la PHE y la NPA que son recesivas. Sin embargo, están reportadas variantes homocigotas para el resto de las Porfirias de pronóstico y evolución mucho más grave que la forma heterocigota. La descripción de estos casos poco frecuentes, sus tratamientos y evolución, facilitarían tanto el diagnóstico diferencial de la Porfiria como el conocimiento de las posibilidades terapéuticas en cada caso. Asimismo para las Porfirias heterocigotas con manifestación infantil, su identificación temprana y tratamiento aseguraría una mejor evolución minimizando los riesgos asociados. Se han diagnosticado 5 casos de Porfirias Agudas en niñas: 2 de PAI, 2 de PV y 1 de CPH. Entre las Porfirias Cutáneas se presentan 25 casos de PCT infantil, el primer caso de PHE en Argentina, 4 casos de PCE infantil y 1 en un adulto y 2 casos de PPE con compromiso hepatobiliar.The Porphyrias are a group of diseases resulting from partial deficiencies in one of the heme biosynthetic enzymes. These disorders can be classified on the basis of their clinical manifestations or according the organ where the metabolic deficiency is mainly expressed. In general this enzyme deficiency is associated with mutations in the genes which codify each enzyme. There are 7 types of Porphyrias. They are autosomal dominant disorders with the exception of PCE, PHE and NPA which are recessive. However, some rare and severe cases with recessive inheritance have also been reported. The description of these infrequent cases and their treatments and evolution would make easier the differential diagnosis of Porphyrias as well as the therapeutic possibilities to be applied in each case. Moreover, it is very important the early identification and treatment of infantile heterozygous porphyrias to avoid the risks of associatedd complications. In the CIPYP we have diagnosed 5 cases of infantil Acute Porphyrias: 2 PAI, 2 PV and 1 CPH. In the group of Cutaneous Porphyrias we present 25 cases of infantil PCT, the first case of PHE in Argentina, 4 cases of infantil PCE and 1 adult PCE and 2 cases of PPE with hepatic failure.Fil: Melito, Viviana Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction assay for pathogenic Leptospira detection in stored urine

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. is the etiological agent of leptospirosis, a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease that causes jaundice, hemorrhages, renal failure and abortion in susceptible species. Urine is one of the preferred clinical samples for the detection of the agent. However due to its reliability, detection of leptospires in stored samples is challenged. Here we evaluated the capability of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detecting pathogenic leptospira DNA in a non-sterile collected urine, stored at different times and temperatures. Our results indicate that the PCR protocol used detect pathogenic leptospira DNA but not non-pathogenic serovars or other non-leptospiral microorganisms. The sensitivity of the assay was of 100 Leptospira interrogans in 10 mL refrigerated neutralized urine within 72 h post collection. This protocol could be of considerable interest for public health workers, field veterinarians and laboratory scientists, in sampling and processing urine for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp

Role of ABCB1 and glutathione S‑transferase gene variants in the association of porphyria cutanea tarda and human immunodeficiency virus infection

In Argentina, porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is strongly associated with infection with human immunodefi-ciency virus (HIV); however, whether the onset of this disease is associated with HIV infection and/or the antiretroviral therapy has not been determined. The ABCB1 gene variants c.1236C>T, c.2677G>T/A and c.3435C>T affect drug efflux. The GSTT1 null, GSTM1 null and GSTP1 (c.313A>G) gene variants alter Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity, modifying the levels of xenobiotics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of genetic variants in initia-tion of PCT and to analyze the genetic basis of the PCT-HIV association. Control individuals, and HIV, PCT and PCT-HIV patients were recruited, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to genotype the ABCB1 and GSTP1 variants, and multiplex PCR was used to study the GSTM1 and GSTT1 variants. The high frequency of c.3435C>T (PCT and PCT-HIV) and c.1236C>T (PCT) suggested that the onset of PCT were not specifically related to HIV infection or antiret-roviral therapy for these variants. c.2677G>T/A frequencies in the PCT-HIV patients were higher compared with the other groups, suggesting that a mechanism involving antiretroviral therapy served a role in this association. PCT-HIV patients also had a high frequency of GSTT1 null and low frequency for GSTM1 null variants; thus, the genetic basis for PCT onset may involve a combination between the absence of GSTT1 and the presence of GSTM1. In conclusion, genes encoding for proteins involved in the flow and metabolism of xenobiotics may influence the PCT-HIV association. The present study is the first to investigate the possible role of GST and ABCB1 gene variants in the triggering of PCT in HIV-infected indi-viduals, to the best of our knowledge, and may provide novel insights into the molecular basis of the association between PCT and HIV.Fil: Pagnotta, Priscila Ayelén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Melito, Viviana Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Lavandera, Jimena Veronica. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Bromatología y Nutrición; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Zuccoli, Johanna Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Buzaleh, Ana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Clinical, biochemical, and genetic characterization of acute hepatic porphyrias in a cohort of Argentine patients

Background: Acute Hepatic Porphyrias (AHPs) are characterized by an acute neuroabdominal syndrome including both neuropsychiatric symptoms and neurodegenerative changes. Two main hypotheses explain the pathogenesis of nervous system dysfunction: (a) the ROS generation by autooxidation of 5-aminolevulinic acid accumulated in liver and brain; (b) liver heme deficiency and in neural tissues that generate an oxidative status, a component of the neurodegenerative process. Methods: We review results obtained from Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP) and Variegate Porphyria (VP) families studied at clinical, biochemical, and molecular level at the CIPYP in Argentina. The relationship between the porphyric attack and oxidative stress was also evaluated in AHP patients and controls, to identify a marker of neurological dysfunction. Results: We studied 116 AIP families and 30 VP families, 609 and 132 individuals, respectively. Genotype/phenotype relation was studied. Oxidative stress parameters and plasma homocysteine levels were measured in 20 healthy volunteers, 22 AIP and 12 VP individuals. Conclusion: No significant difference in oxidative stress parameters and homocysteine levels between the analyzed groups were found.Fil: Martinez, María del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Cerbino, Gabriela Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Granata, Bárbara Xoana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Acute Intermittent Porphyria in a Man with Dual Enzyme Deficiencies

Porphyrias are a heterogeneous group of metabolic disorders that result from the altered activity of specific enzymes of the hemebiosynthetic pathway and are characterized by accumulation of pathway intermediates. Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is the mostcommon porphyria and is due to deficient activity of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROD). Acute intermittent porphyria(AIP) is the most common of the acute hepatic porphyrias, caused by decreased activity of hydroxymethylbilane synthase(HMBS). An Argentinean man with a family history of PCT who carried the UROD variant c.10_11insA suffered severe abdominalpain. Biochemical testing was consistent with AIP, and molecular analysis of HMBS revealed a de novo variant:c.344 + 2_ + 5delTAAG. *is is one of the few cases of porphyria identified with both UROD and HMBS mutations and the firstconfirmed case of porphyria with dual enzyme deficiencies in Argentina.Fil: Cerbino, Gabriela Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Abou Assali, Lubna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Varela, Laura Sabina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Tomassi, L.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Parera, Victoria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; ArgentinaFil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentin

Differences in Proinflammatory Cytokines and Monocyte Subtypes in Older as Compared With Younger Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Background:The number of elderly patients with end-stage kidney disease requiring kidney transplantation continues to grow. Evaluation of healthy older adults has revealed proinflammatory changes in the immune system, which are posited to contribute to age-associated illnesses via "inflamm-aging." Immunologic dysfunction is also associated with impaired control of infections. Whether these immunologic changes are found in older kidney transplant recipients is not currently known, but may have important implications for risk for adverse clinical outcomes. Methods:Three months after transplant, innate immune phenotype was evaluated by flow cytometry from 60 kidney transplant recipients (22 older [≥60 years] and 38 younger [<60 years old]). Multiplex cytokine testing was used to evaluate plasma cytokine levels. Younger patients were matched to older patients based on transplant type and induction immune suppression. Results:Older kidney transplant recipients demonstrated decreased frequency of intermediate monocytes (CD14++CD16+) compared with younger patients (1.2% vs 3.3%, P = 0.007), and a trend toward increased frequency of proinflammatory classical monocytes (CD14++CD16-) (94.5% vs 92.1%) (P = 0.065). Increased levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were seen in older patients. Conclusions:In this pilot study of kidney transplant recipients, we identified differences in the innate immune system in older as compared with younger patients, including increased levels of IFN-γ. This suggests that age-associated nonspecific inflammation persists despite immune suppression. The ability to apply noninvasive testing to transplant recipients will provide tools for patient risk stratification and individualization of immune suppression regimens to improve outcomes after transplantation