Designing a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in face-to-face sessions. A blended design to teach practical histology.

Teaching histology, through virtual microscopy in educational strategies, undeniably moved towards the digitization and distancing of teaching. The setting up of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled "Introduction to Histology: exploring the tissues of the human body" made it possible to exploit the potential to share digital resources with a wider audience while being integrated into the teaching on-campus students. This article described the pedagogical choices prevailing during the design of the MOOC and its combination with face-to-face sessions to achieve specific learning outcomes. The pedagogical alignment of learning outcomes described according to their cognitive levels, with online and face-to-face learning activities and evaluation methods has been demonstrated. The impact of such a blended design into an academic program has been ascertained using perception and performance data. Student satisfaction and engagement as well as motivational cues were identified. The level of performance was maintained in the educational strategy implemented and made it possible to achieve the objectives expected by the teachers. The benefits of integrating a MOOC with classroom-based teaching were highlighted, as well as barriers that could hinder the successful implementation.

A methodological evaluation of volumetric measurement techniques including three-dimensional imaging in breast surgery.

Breast surgery currently remains very subjective and each intervention depends on the ability and experience of the operator. To date, no objective measurement of this anatomical region can codify surgery. In this light, we wanted to compare and validate a new technique for 3D scanning (LifeViz 3D) and its clinical application. We tested the use of the 3D LifeViz system (Quantificare) to perform volumetric calculations in various settings (in situ in cadaveric dissection, of control prostheses, and in clinical patients) and we compared this system to other techniques (CT scanning and Archimedes' principle) under the same conditions. We were able to identify the benefits (feasibility, safety, portability, and low patient stress) and limitations (underestimation of the in situ volume, subjectivity of contouring, and patient selection) of the LifeViz 3D system, concluding that the results are comparable with other measurement techniques. The prospects of this technology seem promising in numerous applications in clinical practice to limit the subjectivity of breast surgery.

Assessment of the cutaneous immune response during Arthroderma benhamiae and A. vanbreuseghemii infection using an experimental mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytoses are common but poorly understood skin infections. Most in vivo studies have been performed using the guinea pig as the experimental animal model, which has several limitations. OBJECTIVES: To develop a mouse model of dermatophytosis suitable for multiple purposes, including the investigation of immunity against dermatophytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two peculiar fungal species, Arthroderma benhamiae and A. vanbreuseghemii, isolated from tinea in humans having contact with rodents were used for epicutaneous inoculation. During the infection, clinical and histopathological follow-up were performed. The recruitment of immune cells was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and the levels of cytokine mRNA were quantified by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the skin of infected mice. RESULTS: The skin symptoms and microscopic lesions, including the colonization of keratinized epidermal and follicular structures by both dermatophytes, were highly similar to those observed in guinea pig infection models and in natural infections, mimicking acute superficial tinea in humans. The dermal inflammatory cellular infiltrate consisted of macrophages, dendritic cells and especially polymorphonuclear neutrophils, which are one of the histological 'clues' to the diagnosis of dermatophytosis. The in situ cytokine profile was characterized by the overexpression of transforming growth factor-ß, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 mRNA during infection, suggesting a role of the T-helper 17 pathway in the establishment of immunity. CONCLUSIONS: Our new reproducible and validated mouse model of dermatophytosis is a modern in vivo tool that allows a more in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of human dermatophyte infections.

Mechanisms of skin adherence and invasion by dermatophytes.

Dermatophytes are keratinophilic fungi that can be pathogenic for humans and animals by infecting the stratum corneum, nails, claws or hair. The first infection step consists of adherence of arthroconidia to the stratum corneum. The mechanisms and the kinetics of adherence have been investigated using different in vitro and ex vivo experimental models, most notably showing the role of a secreted serine protease from Microsporum canis in fungal adherence to feline corneocytes. After germination of the arthroconidia, dermatophytes invade keratinised structures that have to be digested into short peptides and amino acids to be assimilated. Although many proteases, including keratinolytic ones, have been characterised, the understanding of dermatophyte invasion mechanisms remains speculative. To date, research on mechanisms of dermatophyte infection focused mainly on both secreted endoproteases and exoproteases, but their precise role in both fungal adherence and skin invasion should be further explored.

FDC-B1: a new monoclonal antibody directed against bovine follicular dendritic cells.

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) are a unique population of accessory cells located in the light zone of the germinal centres of lymphoid follicles. Their involvement in the generation of humoral immune responses implies a potential role for these cells in many disorders. Indeed, in prion diseases, FDCs seem to be the major sites of extraneuronal cellular prion protein expression and the principal sites of the infectious agent accumulation in lymphoid organs. The identification of FDC is useful for the analysis of their distribution in reactive lymphoid tissue as well as in pathological conditions. The production and characterisation of a new mouse monoclonal antibody directed against bovine follicular dendritic cells (FDC-B1) is reported. The antigen detected by FDC-B1 is expressed exclusively on the surface of FDCs in ruminant lymphoid organs. The antigen has an approximate molecular weight of 28 kDa.