Risultati per: CRISP: Create nanoparticelle che modificano il genoma

To the Editor A recent Editorial by editors representing the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) highlighted the pressing issues surrounding predatory journals. Although the challenges posed by predatory journals are not new, they are becoming increasingly acute. Although some resources are in place to help counter their activities, we believe that the ICMJE could further address these issues. The ICMJE’s current practice of listing journals that self-declare adherence to the ICMJE recommendations may be exploited by predatory journals because this declaration does not guarantee adherence to the required standards.

Effetti anche dopo 20 anni. Parte reclutamento in 7 regioni

Massimo impatto da fumo e attività fisica, ma pesa anche il reddito

Rispettata la scadenza del Pnrr. Mancano gli infermieri

Cnr, nuovo approccio potrebbe migliore sopravvivenza pazienti

Progetto Linking Italian,base nuove app Intelligenza artificiale

Introduction
People with type 2 diabetes can experience diabetes distress which can negatively affect health outcomes. Non-pharmacological interventions such as mindfulness can help address diabetes distress. However, face-to-face programmes can be constrained by cost, poor accessibility and lack of availability. Mobile apps for mindfulness may overcome these issues but evidence of their effectiveness is limited, and some have poor interface design with basic visualisations and feedback.

Methods and analysis
Our study will explore using virtual reality (VR) as an immersive and interactive technology that could support mindfulness practice to help reduce diabetes distress. We will use a mixed-methods design to pilot a new co-design process called Artificial Intelligence-informed Experience-Based Co-Design. Phase 1 will identify and evaluate existing VR mindfulness apps, followed by interviews with mindfulness experts to gain their perspectives on practising mindfulness in virtual settings. This will be followed by a participatory design phase with a series of five co-design workshops where adults with type 2 diabetes will (1) discuss diabetes distress and learn about mindfulness, (2) evaluate commercially available VR mindfulness apps, (3) employ artistic methods to produce a personalised mindfulness experience, (4) create digital content for a virtual mindfulness experience via generative artificial intelligence tools and (5) prioritise key design features, functionality and content for a tailored VR mindfulness app. The final phase will focus on developing a bespoke VR mindfulness app and evaluating it with adults with type 2 diabetes using interviews, questionnaires and VR app analytics to determine if the new digital mental health intervention can help reduce diabetes distress and improve quality of life.

Ethics and dissemination
We received ethical approval from The University of Manchester (2024-18262-32710 and 2024-21170-37093). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Dissemination will include scientific publications and presentations, social media, knowledge translation events and educational resources for teaching students.

This Viewpoint proposes a messaging framework called CREATE TRUST to improve written communication with patients.

Finanziate da Telethon e Cariplo per 3,2 milioni di euro

Dei centri di ricerca coinvolti, 14 su 22 si trovano in Lombardia. Gli altri sono dislocati in Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Marche, Piemonte e Toscana

Objective
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with the majority of cases initiated by inactivation of the APC tumour suppressor. This results in the constitutive activation of canonical WNT pathway transcriptional effector ß-catenin, along with induction of WNT feedback inhibitors, including the extracellular palmitoleoyl-protein carboxylesterase NOTUM which antagonises WNT-FZD receptor-ligand interactions. Here, we sought to evaluate the effects of NOTUM activity on CRC as a function of driver mutation landscape.

Design
Mouse and human colon organoids engineered with combinations of CRC driver mutations were used for Notum genetic gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies. In vitro assays, in vivo endoscope-guided orthotopic organoid implantation assays and transcriptomic profiling were employed to characterise the effects of Notum activity. Small molecule inhibitors of Notum activity were used in preclinical therapeutic proof-of-principle studies targeting oncogenic Notum activity.

Results
NOTUM retains tumour suppressive activity in APC-null adenomas despite constitutive ß-catenin activity. Strikingly, on progression to adenocarcinoma with P53 loss, NOTUM becomes an obligate oncogene. These phenotypes are Wnt-independent, resulting from differential activity of NOTUM on glypican 1 and 4 in early-stage versus late-stage disease, respectively. Ultimately, preclinical mouse models and human organoid cultures demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of NOTUM is highly effective in arresting primary adenocarcinoma growth and inhibiting metastatic colonisation of distal organs.

Conclusions
Our findings that a single agent targeting the extracellular enzyme NOTUM is effective in treating highly aggressive, metastatic adenocarcinomas in preclinical mouse models and human organoids make NOTUM and its glypican targets therapeutic vulnerabilities in advanced CRC.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Ahead of Print.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Ahead of Print.

Circulation, Volume 148, Issue 13, Page 1055-1056, September 26, 2023.

Al Broad Institute di Mit e Harvard, verso nuovi farmaci

Objective
This study aimed to develop a tool to measure the extent of national efforts in policies, services, research and programmes implemented to cultivate and harness the benefits of a potential demographic dividend in six sub-Saharan African countries.

Design
The survey was self-administered online using the SurveyMonkey platform. The survey questionnaire covered six key sectors: family planning, maternal and child health, education, women’s empowerment, labour market, and governance and economic institution. Each sector-specific questionnaire was structured around five practice domains: policymaking, services and programmes, advocacy, research and civil society. Each item was scored from 1 to 10. Factor analysis was used to select the items to be retained for final score estimation. Simple averages were computed to estimate sectoral and domain scores and overall country scores were estimated using weighted country mean scores. Internal consistency, construct validity and reliability were examined using factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha.

Setting
Sub-Saharan Africa.

Participants
A total of 440 knowledgeable informants from six countries; namely, Ethiopia (73), Kenya (69), Nigeria (67), Rwanda (54), Senegal (81) and Tanzania (96).

Results
Based on the results from factor analysis, 38 items were dropped from the analysis and Cronbach’s alpha results ranged from 0.84 to 0.98 across domains. The overall demographic dividend effort index (DDEI) scores ranged between 5.4 (95% CI 5.1 to 5.8) in Ethiopia to 7.7 (95% CI 7.5 to 8.0) in Rwanda. In most countries, the disaggregated scores by sector revealed low scores in the labour market and women’s empowerment.

Conclusion
The DDEI scores highlight important gaps in key health and development sectors. The DDEI proved to be a reliable and internally consistent tool for effort measurement in key demographic dividend sectors. The DDEI can serve as a self-evaluation tool for local actors and may complement existing quantitative tools such as the Global Gender Gap and the Human Capital Index.