Methods in molecular biology
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The ability to inhibit gene expression via RNA interference (RNAi) has a broad therapeutic potential for various human diseases such as infections and cancers. Recent advances in mechanistic understanding of RNAi have improved the design of functional small interfering (si) RNAs with superior potency and specificity. With respect to delivery, new developments in delivery strategies have facilitated preclinical and clinical siRNA applications. This review provides valuable insights to guide the design and delivery of therapeutic siRNAs.
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Sepsis is one of the oldest and most elusive syndromes in medicine. With the confirmation of germ theory by Semmelweis, Pasteur, and others, sepsis was considered as a systemic infection by a pathogenic organism. Although the germ is probably the beginning of the syndrome and one of the major enemies to be identified and fought, sepsis is something wider and more elusive. In this chapter clinically relevant themes of sepsis will be approached to provide an insight of everyday clinical practice for healthcare workers often not directly involved in the patient's management.
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Coronaviruses (CoVs), enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses, are characterized by club-like spikes that project from their surface, an unusually large RNA genome, and a unique replication strategy. Coronaviruses cause a variety of diseases in mammals and birds ranging from enteritis in cows and pigs and upper respiratory disease in chickens to potentially lethal human respiratory infections. Here we provide a brief introduction to coronaviruses discussing their replication and pathogenicity, and current prevention and treatment strategies. We also discuss the outbreaks of the highly pathogenic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the recently identified Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
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Oral and cervical cancers are a growing global health problem that disproportionately impacts women and men living in the developing world. The high death rate in developing countries is largely due to the fact that these countries do not have the appropriate medical infrastructure and resources to support the organized screening and diagnostic programs that are available in the developed world. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) with a fiber-optic probe can noninvasively quantify the optical properties of epithelial tissues and has shown the potential as a cost-effective, easy-to-use, and sensitive tool for diagnosis of early precancerous changes in the cervix and oral cavity. ⋯ This chapter describes a portable DRS device that is specifically designed for detection of oral and cervical cancers in resource-poor settings. The device uses an innovative smart fiber-optic probe to eliminate operator bias, state-of-the-art photonics components to reduce size and power consumption, and automated software to reduce the need of operator training. The size and cost of the smart fiber-optic DRS system may be further reduced by incorporating a smartphone based spectrometer.
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In this chapter a catalog of the various types of bias that can affect the validity of clinical epidemiologic studies is presented. The biases can be grouped into those associated with selection of subjects, misclassification or misinformation, and finally confounding. Definitions are provided for each type of bias listed.