• Swain Stevenson posted an update 1 week, 2 days ago

    The knowledge gained from years of optimizing RNAi reagents and characterizing the biochemical and biophysical properties of each chemical modification will hopefully accelerate the CRISPR/Cas technology into the clinic, as well as further expand the use of RNAi to treat currently undruggable diseases. This review discusses the most commonly employed chemical modifications in RNAi reagents and CRISPR/Cas guide RNAs and provides an overview of select publications that have demonstrated success in improving ON efficacy and/or mitigating undesired OTEs.RNA interference (RNAi), a natural gene silencing process, is a widely used technique in basic research, preclinical studies, and drug development strategies. Although the technique has great potential to generate new human therapies and treat undruggable diseases, the clinical application of RNAi is still challenging primarily because of the delivery problem and potential off-target effects. Over the past two decades, great efforts have been undertaken to develop delivery agents and chemical modifications to overcome these challenges. Such advances in RNA delivery and chemical modifications have benefited researchers who are developing gene-editing therapies based on CRISPR-Cas9, an RNA-guided endonuclease, which is already having a major impact on biology and medicine. Here, I review the discovery of these two interference tools, identify the technical challenges yet to be overcome and provide some perspectives on how these two RNA-based technologies can be harnessed to treat human diseases.PURPOSE To examine longitudinal associations of intuitive eating (IE), defined as eating according to internal hunger and satiety cues, with psychological health outcomes and disordered eating behaviors. GLUT inhibitor METHODS Data from a diverse sample of 1491 participants (54.1% female, 19.7% non-Hispanic white) followed from adolescence (baseline; Mage = 14.5 years) into young adulthood (follow-up; Mage = 22.2 years) came from the population-based EAT 2010-2018 (Eating and Activity over Time) study. Logistic regression models predicting psychological health outcomes and disordered eating behaviors at follow-up simultaneously included baseline IE and change in IE from baseline to follow-up as predictors, adjusting for demographic covariates, body mass index, and outcome at baseline. RESULTS Greater baseline IE and increases in IE from baseline to follow-up were both associated with lower odds of high depressive symptoms, low self-esteem, high body dissatisfaction, unhealthy weight control behaviors (e.g., fasting, skipping meals), extreme weight control behaviors (e.g., taking diet pills, vomiting), and binge eating at 8-year follow-up. Particularly strong protective associations were observed for binge eating, such that a one-point higher IE score at baseline was associated with 74% lower odds of binge eating at follow-up, and a one-point higher increase in IE score from baseline to follow-up was associated with 71% lower odds of binge eating at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that IE longitudinally predicts better psychological and behavioral health across a range of outcomes and suggest that IE may be a valuable intervention target for improving psychological health and reducing disordered eating behaviors, particularly binge eating. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, cohort study.BACKGROUND The number of original and supplemental ANDAs, BLAs, NDAs, and Biosimilars FDA drug/biologic approvals (Approvals) has risen dramatically in the recent years, incidentally, so has the number of issued FDA guidances (Guidances). It is hypothesized that if the structures of the two timeseries are similar and/or concomitantly co-evolving, then there is a relationship between the two variables that may be worthy of further investigation. METHODS Structural breakpoint (SBP) and cointegration (CI) analyses are used to provide insights into the relatedness of the two timeseries (Approvals, Guidances). Various descriptive statistics (e.g., nonparametric correlation testing, decomposition, unit testing, stationarity, and maximum order of integration) were also performed to better understand the nature of the timeseries understudy. RESULTS Structural breaks were identified with the following dates Approvals (1983, 1989, 1996, 2004, and 2012) and Guidances (1995 and 2012). Approvals and Guidances were (medium) correlative, nonstationary, and cointegrated with a maximum order of integration of one (I(1)). Descriptive statistical markers suggest additional similarities (e.g., seasonal variation) between the two timeseries. CONCLUSIONS To the author’s knowledge, this is the first work to empirically investigate Guidances and their relationship with Approvals. The similarity in the structure of the timeseries (e.g., seasonal variation, SBPs and CI) suggests a deeper relationship between Guidances and Approvals, including the existence of a “long-run” equilibrium (wherein one or more exogenous factors restrain the divergence) between the two variables. This work offers an exciting opportunity for further research into the processes influencing the rates of Approvals and Guidances. A discussion on the limitations of the approach is also presented.BACKGROUND Double-J stents are used to treat ureteric outflow obstruction. Deployed in antegrade or retrograde fashion, they relieve ureteric obstruction in several conditions including ureteric calculi, strictures and malignancy. Traditionally exchanged in an operating theatre (OT) under general anaesthetic (GA), more recently described is the technique of using fluoroscopic guidance under sedation. AIMS To assess the efficacy and safety of retrograde double-J stent exchange in an interventional radiology (IR) setting in a tertiary oncology referral centre over a 7-year period. METHODS Clinical data on 460 double-J stent exchanges in 126 female patients was acquired from the hospital electronic patient record. Four fellowship-trained interventional radiologists performed the procedures. A standard approach was used in conjunction with conscious sedation using midazolam and fentanyl. Use of the technique with certain anatomical variations is also described. RESULTS Technical success rate was 96%. The main reasons for failure included failure to snare the stent (1.