New Perspectives in Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a chronic respiratory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The common treatment regimens of tuberculosis are lengthy with adverse side effects, low patient compliance, and antimicrobial resistance. Drug delivery systems (DDSs) can overcome these limitations. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to summarize the latest DDSs for the treatment of tuberculosis. In the first section, the main pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic challenges posed by the innate properties of the drugs are put forth. The second section elaborates on the use of DDS to overcome the disadvantages of the current treatment of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: We reviewed research articles published in the last 10 years. DDSs can improve the physicochemical properties of anti-tuberculosis drugs, improving solubility, stability, and bioavailability, with better control of drug release and can target alveolar macrophages. However, more pre-clinical studies and robust bio-relevant analyses are needed for DDSs to become a feasible option to treat patients and attract investors.

MOOCs, an innovative alternative to teach first aid and emergency treatment: A practical study.

The fast and constant evolution of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has gained the attention of the educational community, achieving widespread popularity among many universities. However, there is very little research on the use and acceptance of MOOCs by students in disciplines such as health and medicine. The principal focus of this study is to explore the behavior of students from a MOOC on Health Emergencies, analyzing the completion and drop-out rates. The data were collected from three self-administered questionnaires; the first identified general demographic information and the students' learning preferences, the second determined the level of MOOC adoption and the level of identification and satisfaction the students had with the course content, and the third measured the completion and drop-out rates. The MOOC had more than 2114 registered participants. The enrolled students showed high levels of commitment and motivation to learn about this topic through a varied of innovative educational resources, such as videos, learning activities, and interactive animations. In general, the participants expressed their desire to continue learning with this type of methodology. However, the results also showed important issues to be considered in the design and development of a MOOC of these characteristics.