The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an extended-release buprenorphine injection, sold as Brixadi, as a treatment for moderate to severe opioid use disorder. The drug is available as a weekly or monthly formulation in varying doses, providing “a new option for people in recovery who may benefit from a weekly injection to maintain treatment adherence,” the FDA wrote in an announcement.
Risultati per: Le sigarette light sono più pericolose di quelle normali
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How do psychobehavioural variables shed light on heterogeneity in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance? Evidence from United States general population surveys on a probability panel and social media
Objectives
To (1) understand what behaviours, beliefs, demographics and structural factors predict US adults’ intention to get a COVID-19 vaccination, (2) identify segments of the population (‘personas’) who share similar factors predicting vaccination intention, (3) create a ‘typing tool’ to predict which persona people belong to and (4) track changes in the distribution of personas over time and across the USA.
Design
Three surveys: two on a probability-based household panel (NORC’s AmeriSpeak) and one on Facebook.
Setting
The first two surveys were conducted in January 2021 and March 2021 when the COVID-19 vaccine had just been made available in the USA. The Facebook survey ran from May 2021 to February 2022.
Participants
All participants were aged 18+ and living in the USA.
Outcome measures
In our predictive model, the outcome variable was self-reported vaccination intention (0–10 scale). In our typing tool model, the outcome variable was the five personas identified by our clustering algorithm.
Results
Only 1% of variation in vaccination intention was explained by demographics, with about 70% explained by psychobehavioural factors. We identified five personas with distinct psychobehavioural profiles: COVID Sceptics (believe at least two COVID-19 conspiracy theories), System Distrusters (believe people of their race/ethnicity do not receive fair healthcare treatment), Cost Anxious (concerns about time and finances), Watchful (prefer to wait and see) and Enthusiasts (want to get vaccinated as soon as possible). The distribution of personas varies at the state level. Over time, we saw an increase in the proportion of personas who are less willing to get vaccinated.
Conclusions
Psychobehavioural segmentation allows us to identify why people are unvaccinated, not just who is unvaccinated. It can help practitioners tailor the right intervention to the right person at the right time to optimally influence behaviour.
Un terzo degli adolescenti fuma sigarette, e-cig o tabacco
Linea guida Iss per smettere, ‘nuovi prodotti danno dipendenza’
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness: single-cell transcriptomics sheds new light on pancreas biology and disease
Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatics have drastically increased our ability to interrogate the cellular composition of traditionally difficult to study organs, such as the pancreas. With the advent of these technologies and approaches, the field has grown, in just a few years, from profiling pancreas disease states to identifying molecular mechanisms of therapy resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a particularly deadly cancer. Single-cell transcriptomics and related spatial approaches have identified previously undescribed epithelial and stromal cell types and states, how these populations change with disease progression, and potential mechanisms of action which will serve as the basis for designing new therapeutic strategies. Here, we review the recent literature on how single-cell transcriptomic approaches have changed our understanding of pancreas biology and disease progression.
Restoration of Cardiac Myosin Light Chain Kinase Ameliorates Systolic Dysfunction by Reducing Superrelaxed Myosin
Circulation, Ahead of Print. Background:Cardiac-specific myosin light chain kinase (cMLCK), encoded byMYLK3, regulates cardiac contractility through phosphorylation of ventricular myosin regulatory light chain. However, the pathophysiological and therapeutic implications of cMLCK in human heart failure remain unclear. We aimed to investigate whether cMLCK dysregulation causes cardiac dysfunction and whether the restoration of cMLCK could be a novel myotropic therapy for systolic heart failure.Methods:We generated the knock-in mice (Mylk3+/fsandMylk3fs/fs) with a familial dilated cardiomyopathy–associatedMYLK3frameshift mutation (MYLK3+/fs) that had been identified previously by us (c.1951-1G >T; p.P639Vfs*15) and the human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes from the carrier of the mutation. We also developed a new small-molecule activator of cMLCK (LEUO-1154).Results:Both mice (Mylk3+/fsandMylk3fs/fs) showed reduced cMLCK expression due to nonsense-mediated messenger RNA decay, reduced MLC2v (ventricular myosin regulatory light chain) phosphorylation in the myocardium, and systolic dysfunction in a cMLCK dose–dependent manner. Consistent with this result, myocardium from the mutant mice showed an increased ratio of cardiac superrelaxation/disordered relaxation states that may contribute to impaired cardiac contractility. The phenotypes observed in the knock-in mice were rescued by cMLCK replenishment through the AAV9_MYLK3vector.MYLK3+/fsinduced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes reduced cMLCK expression by 50% and contractile dysfunction, accompanied by an increased superrelaxation/disordered relaxation ratio. CRISPR-mediated gene correction, or cMLCK replenishment by AAV9_MYLK3vector, successfully recovered cMLCK expression, the superrelaxation/disordered relaxation ratio, and contractile dysfunction. LEUO-1154 increased human cMLCK activity ≈2-fold in theVmaxfor ventricular myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation without affecting theKm. LEUO-1154 treatment of humanMYLK3+/fsinduced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes restored the ventricular myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation level and superrelaxation/disordered relaxation ratio and improved cardiac contractility without affecting calcium transients, indicating that the cMLCK activator acts as a myotrope. Finally, human myocardium from advanced heart failure with a wide variety of causes had a significantly lowerMYLK3/PPP1R12Bmessenger RNA expression ratio than control hearts, suggesting an altered balance between myosin regulatory light chain kinase and phosphatase in the failing myocardium, irrespective of the causes.Conclusions:cMLCK dysregulation contributes to the development of cardiac systolic dysfunction in humans. Our strategy to restore cMLCK activity could form the basis of a novel myotropic therapy for advanced systolic heart failure.
Views of leaders in under-represented and equity-denied communities on organ and tissue donation in Nova Scotia, Canada, in light of the Human Organ and Tissue Donation Act: a qualitative descriptive study
Objective
To explore the views of underserved and equity-denied communities in Nova Scotia, Canada, regarding organ and tissue donation and deemed consent legislation.
Design
A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken, employing both interviews and focus groups.
Setting
The province of Nova Scotia, Canada—the first jurisdiction in North America to implement deemed consent legislation for organ and tissue donation.
Participants
Leaders of African Nova Scotian, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Two Spirit (LGBTQ2S+) and Faith-based communities (Islam and Judaism) were invited to participate (n=11). Leaders were defined as persons responsible for community organisations or in other leadership roles, and were purposively recruited by the research team.
Results
Through thematic analysis, four main themes were identified: (1) alignment with personal values as well as religious beliefs and perspectives; (2) trust and relationships, which need to be acknowledged and addressed in the context of deemed consent legislation; (3) cultural competence, which is essential to the roll-out of the new legislation and (4) communication and information to combat misconceptions and misinformation, facilitate informed decision-making, and mitigate conflict within families.
Conclusions
Leaders of African Nova Scotian, LGBTQ2S+ and Faith-based communities in Nova Scotia are highly supportive of deemed consent legislation. Despite this, many issues exemplify the need for cultural competence at all levels. These findings should inform ongoing implementation of the legislation and other jurisdictions considering a deemed consent approach to organ and tissue donation.
Tacrolimus-binding protein FKBP8 directs myosin light chain kinase-dependent barrier regulation and is a potential therapeutic target in Crohns disease
Objective
Intestinal barrier loss is a Crohn’s disease (CD) risk factor. This may be related to increased expression and enzymatic activation of myosin light chain kinase 1 (MLCK1), which increases intestinal paracellular permeability and correlates with CD severity. Moreover, preclinical studies have shown that MLCK1 recruitment to cell junctions is required for tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-induced barrier loss as well as experimental inflammatory bowel disease progression. We sought to define mechanisms of MLCK1 recruitment and to target this process pharmacologically.
Design
Protein interactions between FK506 binding protein 8 (FKBP8) and MLCK1 were assessed in vitro. Transgenic and knockout intestinal epithelial cell lines, human intestinal organoids, and mice were used as preclinical models. Discoveries were validated in biopsies from patients with CD and control subjects.
Results
MLCK1 interacted specifically with the tacrolimus-binding FKBP8 PPI domain. Knockout or dominant negative FKBP8 expression prevented TNF-induced MLCK1 recruitment and barrier loss in vitro. MLCK1-FKBP8 binding was blocked by tacrolimus, which reversed TNF-induced MLCK1-FKBP8 interactions, MLCK1 recruitment and barrier loss in vitro and in vivo. Biopsies of patient with CD demonstrated increased numbers of MLCK1-FKBP8 interactions at intercellular junctions relative to control subjects.
Conclusion
Binding to FKBP8, which can be blocked by tacrolimus, is required for MLCK1 recruitment to intercellular junctions and downstream events leading to immune-mediated barrier loss. The observed increases in MLCK1 activity, MLCK1 localisation at cell junctions and perijunctional MLCK1-FKBP8 interactions in CD suggest that targeting this process may be therapeutic in human disease. These new insights into mechanisms of disease-associated barrier loss provide a critical foundation for therapeutic exploitation of FKBP8-MLCK1 interactions.
Health visiting in the UK in light of the COVID-19 pandemic experience (RReHOPE): a realist review protocol
Introduction
Health visiting services, providing support to under 5s and their families, are organised and delivered in very different ways in different parts of the UK. While there has been attention to the key components of health visiting practice and what works well and how, there is little research on how health visiting services are organised and delivered and how that affects their ability to meet their objectives. The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly disrupted service delivery from March 2020. This realist review aims to synthesise the evidence on changes during the pandemic to identify the potential for improving health visiting services and their delivery.
Methods and analysis
This review will follow the RAMESES (Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards) quality standards and Pawson’s five iterative stages to locate existing theories, search for evidence, select literature, extract data, synthesise evidence and draw conclusions. It will be guided by stakeholder engagement with practitioners, commissioners, policymakers, policy advocates and people with lived experience. This approach will consider the emerging strategies and evolving contexts in which the services are delivered, and the varied outcomes for different groups. A realist logic of analysis will be used to make sense of what was happening to health visiting services during and following the pandemic response through the identification and testing of programme theories. Our refined programme theory will then be used to develop recommendations for improving the organisation, delivery and ongoing postpandemic recovery of health visiting services.
Ethics and dissemination
General University Ethics Panel approval has been obtained from University of Stirling (reference 7662). Dissemination will build on links to policymakers, commissioners, providers, policy advocates and the public. A range of audiences will be targeted using outputs tailored to each. A final stakeholder event focused on knowledge mobilisation will aid development of recommendations.
PROSPERO registration number
CRD42022343117.
Shedding Light on Mechanisms of Myocarditis with COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
Circulation, Ahead of Print.
Genetically Engineered Mouse Models Shine New Light on Decades-old Story of Trypsin in Pancreatitis
Abstract TP49: The Pupillary Light Reflex Detects Large Vessel Occlusion
Stroke, Volume 54, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATP49-ATP49, February 1, 2023. Introduction:The pupillary light reflex (PLR) is a well-validated biomarker for neurologic monitoring and a decision-making tool for traumatic brain injury patients. We studied a machine learning-based mobile pupillometry platform in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with a large-vessel occlusion (LVO) prior to thrombectomy, compared to healthy volunteers.Methods:Pupillometry measurements were conducted with a mobile pupillometry platform (PupilScreen) and a digital infrared pupillometer (NeurOptics) for both pre-thrombectomy AIS subjects and healthy volunteers at an academic medical center. To correct for subject age differences, comparisons used the absolute inter-eye difference in each parameter for each subject by measuring the right:left (R:L) eye ratio absolute distance away from 1. Inter-eye difference means across subjects between AIS and healthy cohorts were analyzed for PLR changes in the presence of acute LVO using a t-test for independent means.Results:Seven AIS patients (4 female, 3 male; 1 Hispanic, 6 Caucasian; mean age 60.9 years) and 32 healthy patients (19 female, 13 male; 1 Hispanic, 2 African American, 3 Native American, 5 Asian, 21 Caucasian; mean age 34.4) were enrolled. All LVOs were of the middle cerebral artery, with 3 on the left and 4 on the right. NPi value was above 3 (briskly reactive) for all subjects. However, the smartphone pupillometer demonstrated a statistically significant (p
Abstract TMP117: Housing Light Cycle Impacts Metabolic Profile, Stroke Survival, And Cognitive Outcomes In Diabetic Rats
Stroke, Volume 54, Issue Suppl_1, Page ATMP117-ATMP117, February 1, 2023. Diabetes worsens stroke outcomes and cognitive function, but the underlying reasons are not understood. Long-term experimental studies had been limited by greater mortality in diabetic cohorts. Recent studies suggested circadian rhythms may modulate brain ischemia and hence mortality/recovery. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of stroke timing and housing light cycle conditions on survival and cognitive outcomes in control and diabetic rats.Methods:Control (C) and diabetic (D) male rats (n=7/group) were randomly grouped into normal light cycle (NLC 6 am/6 pm) or reverse light cycle (RLC 12 am/12 pm) starting at 4 w of age. At 12 w of age, rats were subjected to 60 min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO, night stroke in NLC and morning stroke in RLC). A battery of behavioral tests was performed up to W8 post-stroke to assess motor, cognitive, and psychosocial status.Results:(Table). RLC conditions improved stroke surgery mortality and long-term survival in diabetic animals. Pre- and post-stroke body weight gain was affected only in the NLC/D group. High mortality in the NLC/D prevented 2×2 comparisons at W8 but suggested the worst performance the in NLC/D cohort. Comparisons of C and D rats in RLC showed a decline in recognition memory in both groups over time with trends for worse performance in diabetic animals. There was no difference in aversive learning or anxiety status.Conclusions:These results suggest that the light cycle and timing of MCAO affect the circadian rhythm, overall health state, and cognitive outcomes, especially in diabetes. RLC experiments may refine and improve the long-term studies in comorbid disease models.
Cutaneous Symptoms of Erythropoietic Protoporphyria and Associated Light Sensitivity
This cross-sectional study surveys patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria to describe the disease’s cutaneous symptoms and whether symptom severity is associated with degree of light sensitivity.
Noninvasive Sensory Stimulation With Light and Sound Tested in Alzheimer Disease
Two early clinical studies suggest that sensory stimulation with light and sound should be studied further for its potential to slow neurodegeneration and improve behavioral function in mild Alzheimer disease, according to a report in PLOS ONE.
Blue Light Phototherapy for Grover Disease
This nonrandomized clinical trial assesses treatment of patients diagnosed with Grover disease with blue light phytotherapy for several weeks.