: As many as one in three people worldwide have anemia, with young children at increased risk of both disease and complications. In settings without clinical laboratories, portable hemoglobinometers serve important roles in diagnosing anemia and estimating prevalence. Here, we assess the validity of two such point-of-care devices—the HemoCue Hb201 and the HemoCue Hb301—relative to the international reference standard, the cyanmethemoglobin method. In total, 428 children ages 6–60 months were recruited at health posts in Lima, Peru, and venous and capillary blood samples were collected from each participant. Venous blood was assessed with the cyanmethemoglobin method, whereas capillary blood was assessed using the Hb201 and the Hb301; 16.1% of participants were found to have anemia using the cyanmethemoglobin method. Both the Hb201 (43.7%) and the Hb301 (20.6%) overestimated this prevalence, with the former reaching statistical significance (P <0.0001 and P = 0.11, respectively). Both devices also tended to underestimate hemoglobin concentration, with the Hb201 (mean difference = −0.99 g/dL; percentage error = −8.1%) being appreciably less accurate than the Hb301 (mean difference = −0.35 g/dL; percentage error = −2.7%). Areas under the curve for the Hb201 (0.92) and the Hb301 (0.93) were statistically similar (P = 0.28); however, the Hb201 incorrectly classified 29.4% of participants compared with 11.0% for the Hb301. Both devices had more false positives than false negatives. In conclusion, the Hb301 was found to be significantly more accurate than the Hb201 at measuring hemoglobin, diagnosing anemia, and estimating anemia prevalence.

Given the growing problem of respiratory diseases, which represent a significant burden of mortality globally, the main objective of this study was to analyze the scientific production of medical devices with advanced technologies for measuring lung sounds between 2004 and 2024. A systematic review was conducted using the Scoping Review technique, employing the Scopus database to identify relevant publications. The results reveal a significant increase in research, with notable contributions from countries such as India and the United States and a predominance of articles and conference presentations. Likewise, emerging technologies, such as neural networks and spectrograms, were identified, which improve diagnostic accuracy. This study suggests that adopting advanced technologies in measuring lung sounds can optimize the early diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases, highlighting the importance of innovation and international collaboration in this field.

The metaverse in higher education offers great potential but faces significant challenges. According to the United Nations Cultural, Scientific and Educational Organization (UNESCO), less than 10% of educational institutions globally have adopted immersive technologies. In Peru, although 62% of the population is familiar with the metaverse, its application in the educational field is still limited. This study aimed to chronologically analyze the metaverses of Peruvian universities and their impact on education. Through a descriptive and comparative review, information from databases such as Scopus and Latindex and university repositories was used. Characteristics were then established to identify similarities and differences between metaverses. The results pointed to the existence of seven university metaverses developed between 2008 and 2023. The first, the Second USMP, introduced innovative academic simulations, while in 2022, UPC Cultural, ContiVerso, Meta Waka and Ingeniería VR emerged, integrating tools to foster creativity and personalize educational processes. In 2023, the UDEP Metaverse and the UCHverse were identified, the latter being the most complete for possessing all the established characteristics that include total immersion, recreation of university environments, and multiplatform access. It is concluded that Peruvian metaverses have the potential to transform higher education. However, they face barriers to accessibility and infrastructure, and it is recommended to strengthen technological training and expand public access to maximize their impact.

The neonatal mortality has remained one of the main problems, being even more recurrent in regions with vulnerable populations or high poverty rates, where most of these cases die due to inadequate, preventable care. This study seeks to explore the use of the metaverse to improve prenatal psychoprophylaxis by providing an immersive virtual environment that facilitates remote interaction between specialist physicians and pregnant women. A free methodology was used, ranging from planning and avatar selection to implementation and launch. The results demonstrated that the metaverse is a viable environment to improve accessibility, interaction, and prenatal care. In conclusion, this innovative approach could make prenatal care more interactive.

This study addresses the problem of the limited visibility and dissemination of academic and professional achievements in the university community, using as a solution a multiplatform virtual museum developed in the VRChat metaverse. The goal was to develop and implement an environment in the metaverse that allows the timeline and achievements of the University of Sciences and Humanities to be appreciated. To achieve this, the environment was planned, modeled, integrated, and tested to comply with the standards to be multiplatform. The result was a museum accessible to both Oculus Quest and PC and Android devices, and the environment was evaluated by different dimensions. In this way, the metaverse is a tool with great potential for the dissemination of knowledge, overcoming the limitations of traditional physical environments.

Psychoprophylaxis is a preparatory process provided to women while they are pregnant. Following childbirth, postpartum psychoprophylaxis refers to supportive activities, both physical and emotional support. This study discusses a development made for postnatal psychoprophylaxis in a virtual reality setting. The main goal was to create an immersive virtual experience, using VRChat, in the central plaza of Huancavelica, to provide psychoprophylaxis activities to mothers during the first weeks postpartum. A flexible methodology consisting of four phases was used, from research and planning to development of the environment, using tools such as Unity, Blender, Autodesk, VRChat, Creators Companion, and Steam. Internal validations of the environment permitted the creation of a functional virtual world in VRChat. To conclude, this study was successful in completing this work to set the stage for future research to facilitate testing the VR environment with end users.