CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing: from basic research to translational medicine

The recent development of the CRISPR/Cas9 system as an efficient and accessible programmable genome-editing tool has revolutionized basic science research. CRISPR/Cas9 system-based technologies have armed researchers with new powerful tools to unveil the impact of genetics on disease development by enabling the creation of precise cellular and animal models of human diseases. The therapeutic potential of these technologies is tremendous, particularly in gene therapy, in which a patient-specific mutation is genetically corrected in order to treat human diseases that are untreatable with conventional therapies. However, the translation of CRISPR/Cas9 into the clinics will be challenging, since we still need to improve the efficiency, specificity and delivery of this technology. In this review, we focus on several in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in human disease-focused research, explore the potential of this technology in translational medicine and discuss some of the major challenges for its future use in patients.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology: UID/BIM/04773/2013 1334 Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities RTI2018-094629-B-I00 Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology SFRH/BPD/100434/2014 European Union (EU) 748585 LPCC-NRS/Terry Fox grantsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Improving Awareness of Low Health Literacy and Strategies to Overcome It

This project outlines an intervention delivered at a family medicine residency program in Bangor, ME to increase residents\u27 knowledge of the impact of low health literacy and supply them with communication techniques to help improve patient understanding. Over 36% of U.S. adults have basic or below basic health literacy skills and low health literacy has been shown to lead to poorer health outcomes, increased health disparities, and increased cost. Our presentation focused on communication techniques like Teach-Back, an evidence-based strategy that assesses patient understanding by asking patients to repeat back healthcare instructions in their own words, that has been shown to improve health outcomes.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/1254/thumbnail.jp

Improving basic life support training for medical students

Mariam Lami, Pooja Nair, Karishma GadhviFaculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, London, UKAbstract: Questions have been raised about basic life support (BLS) training in medical education. This article addresses the research evidence behind why BLS training is inadequate and suggests recommendations for improving BLS training for medical students.Keywords: medical education, basic life suppor

Resistance to cisplatin and paclitaxel does not affect the sensitivity of human ovarian cancer cells to antiprogestin- induced cytotoxicity

BACKGROUND: Antiprogestin compounds have been shown to be effective in blocking the growth of ovarian cancer cells of different genetic backgrounds. Herein we studied the anti-ovarian cancer effect of a series of antiprogestins sharing the chemical backbone of the most characterized antiprogestin, mifepristone, but with unique modifications in position C-17 of the steroid ring. We assessed the effect of mifepristone-like antiprogestins on the growth of ovarian cancer cells sensitive to the standard combination therapy cisplatin-paclitaxel or made double-resistant upon six cycles of pulse-selection with the drugs used at clinically relevant concentrations and exposure times. METHODS: IGROV-1 and SKOV-3 cells were pulsed with 20 μM cisplatin for 1 h followed by 100 nM paclitaxel for 3 h once a week for six weeks. The cells that did not die and repopulate the culture after the chemotherapies were termed Platinum-Taxane-EScape cells (PTES). Parental cells were compared against their PTES derivatives in their responses to further platinum-taxane treatments. Moreover, both ovarian cancer cells and their PTES siblings were exposed to escalating doses of the various antiprogestin derivatives. We assessed cell growth, viability and sub-G1 DNA content using microcapillary cytometry. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) and cleavage of downstream caspase-3 substrate PARP were used to assess whether cell fate, as a consequence of treatment, was limited to cytostasis or progressed to lethality. RESULTS: Cells subjected to six pulse-selection cycles of cisplatin-paclitaxel gave rise to sibling derivatives that displayed ~2-7 fold reduction in their sensitivities to further chemotherapy. However, regardless of the sensitivity the cells developed to the combination cisplatin-paclitaxel, they displayed similar sensitivity to the antiprogestins, which blocked their growth in a dose-related manner, with lower concentrations causing cytostasis, and higher concentrations causing lethality. CONCLUSIONS: Antiprogestins carrying a backbone similar to mifepristone are cytotoxic to ovarian cancer cells in a manner that does not depend on the sensitivity the cells have to the standard ovarian cancer chemotherapeutics, cisplatin and paclitaxel. Thus, antiprogestin therapy could be used to treat ovarian cancer cells showing resistance to both platinum and taxanes.Fil: Gamarra Luques, Carlos Diego. University of South Dakota. Sanford School of Medicine. Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Hapon, María Belén. University of South Dakota. Sanford School of Medicine. Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Goyeneche, Alicia. University of South Dakota. Sanford School of Medicine. Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Telleria, Carlos Marcelo. University of South Dakota. Sanford School of Medicine. Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

Emergency medicine and general practice

Emergency Medicine and Immediate Medical Care are relatively new specialties. In Malta, there is quite a considerable area of overlap between these specialties and general practice. Indeed, the family physician is confronted with some sort of medical emergency quite regularly. The brief of this article is to go through recent developments in Emergency Medicine as applied to General Practice. The areas considered are Basic Life Support, Head Injury, Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Community Acquired Pneumonia, Burns and Controlled Hypotensive Resuscitation. Whenever possible, distinct practical guidelines will be suggested as an aid in the clinical management of emergency situations which the family physician may encounter. This overview of new developments is by no means comprehensive but serves to highlight the increasing importance given to the role of the first-line medical practitioner in the emergency situation.peer-reviewe

Ideas of I. M. Sechenov in aviation and space medicine

The contributions I. M. Sechenov (19th century) made to modern physiology are described, including his studies on gases in the blood (O2 and CO2), and how these studies were the basic building blocks of current efforts in aviation and space medicine. Sechenov also studied hypokinesia, which is becoming important in long duration space flights

Unga Method of Use

Description of the preparation of uses of the Unga plant. Herbs like Amla, Black Dhatura, Karanj, Unga etc. are basic herbs used in Ayurveda for treating numerous ailments. There is a well prescribed process of preparing herbs for medicinal purposes. This process may include cutting, chopping, peeling, drying, leaching and mixing with other herbs before they can be used for treatment. The Ayurvedic doctor has to be very familiar with these processes to prepare the right kind of herbal medicine. Various parts of the same plant may require collection and preparation at different periods of time. The knowledge of this process of medicine preparation can be passed on from father to son, or taught in a formal course of study. Here are vignettes of how some of these are prepared for medicinal use.xAsian StudiesSouth Asia InstituteHindi Urdu Flagshi

The final examination in medicine : time for change?

Most medical programmes culminate in a final assessment, in order that participants may be tested and graded. In June 1995, at the University of Malta, a group of 53 medical students sat for their final examination; medicine was one of the three co-equal component subjects of this statutory qualifying examination. The scope of this paper is to analyze the results obtained in the final examination in medicine and to use this data to address such issues as aims of this examination, method and quality assurance of assessment. The result obtained by candidates in the final examination in medicine was correlated with their university entry qualifications. The composite mark for each candidate was split into its components and analysis took the form of description, correlation and clustering. Computation of Cronbach’s alpha facilitated anlaysis of reliability of each of the three parts of the examination. The findings of this paper suggest that there is room for improving the quality of assessment methods. A review of methods and procedures, with the dual purpose of decreasing bias and increasing specificity and sensitivity of this statutory examination will not only benefit candidates, but ultimately also the University of Malta. The final qualifying examination in medicine should have clearly defined objectives and methods of assessment should be aimed specifically at reaching them. It needs to be able to assess the ability to think critically about diagnosis and management and to ensure that the candidate has a satisfactory base of factual knowledge. It also needs to assess objectively the adequacy of basic clinical skills and candidates’ facility of communication.peer-reviewe

Recognizing complex gestures via natural interfaces

Natural interfaces have revolutionized the way we interact with computers. They have provided in many fields a comfortable and efficient mechanism that requires no computer knowledge, nor artificial controlling devices, but allow as to interoperate via natural gestures. Diverse fields such as entertainment, remote control, medicine, fitness exercise are finding improvements with the introduction of this technology. However, most of these sensorial interfaces only provide support for basic gestures. In this work we show how it is possible to construct your own complex gestures using the underlying capabilities of these sensor devices.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec