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Cancer is the most important leading cause of death worldwide, with about 10 million deaths caused by cancer in 2020. In situ gel drug delivery systems have attracted much attention in the field of pharmacy and biotechnology due to their good histo-compatibility, excellent injectability, high drug delivery capacity, slow-release drug delivery, and less influence by the in vivo environment. Meanwhile, in situ gel can be combined with chemotherapy, photo-thermal therapy, chemokinetic therapy, immunotherapy and so on to deliver drugs into the tumor site in a less invasive way without surgical operation, forming a semi-solid gel reservoir in the tumor site to realize in situ tumor combined therapy. In this paper, the author summarized the research progress of anti-tumor in situ gel delivery system in the past 10 years, introduced its commonly used polymer materials, classification principles and specific application examples, and finally summarized and discussed the key issues, in order to provide reference for the development of new anti-tumor drug delivery system in the future.
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Brain delivery of drugs remains challenging due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). With advances in nanotechnology and biotechnology, new possibilities for brain-targeted drug delivery have emerged. Biomimetic nano drug delivery systems with high brain-targeting and BBB-penetrating capabilities, along with good biocompatibility and safety, can enable 'invisible' drug delivery. In this review, five different types of biomimetic strategies are presented and their research progress in central nervous system disorders is reviewed. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for biomimetic nano drug delivery systems in intracerebral drug delivery are summarized.
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AIM: To measure the depths of different regions of the anterior chamber (AC) in healthy Chinese adults, and to explore possible correlations with age or gender. METHODS: The AC was imaged by swept-source optical coherence tomography in healthy Chinese adults. The horizontal scan of the right eye was used to measure the anterior chamber depth (ACD) at 199 points. RESULTS: A total of 309 images from 309 subjects were analyzed. The ACD values at nearly all locations were negatively correlated with age (all P<0.05), except for ACD1, 2, 198, and 199 (correspond to the iris roots). The mean annual decrease 0.013±0.005 mm/y for all ACDs combined, 0.008±0.004 mm/y for the peripheral region, 0.017±0.003 mm/y for the middle peripheral region, and 0.014±0.001 mm/y for the central region. The mean annual decrease was significantly different among these three regions (P<0.001). The ACD was greater in males than in females (P<0.05). The mean difference in ACD between males and females was 0.081±0.025 mm. CONCLUSION: This study showed that optical coherence tomography can be used to measure the ACD of different regions of the AC. We found reductions in ACD with age, although the reduction varied among different points, in healthy Chinese adults.
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Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (D. officinale) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). A mixture of D. officinale and American ginseng has been shown to enhance cell-mediated immunity, humoral immunity, and monocyte/macrophage functions in mice. Here, the effects of a D. officinale and American ginseng mixture on the structure of gut microbial community in dogs were examined using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The data revealed that while the mixture did not change the diversity of gut microbial community significantly, differences among individuals were significantly reduced. Furthermore, the mixture-responsive operational taxonomic units (OTUs) exhibited a phase-dependent expression pattern. Fifty-five OTUs were found to exhibit a mixture-induced expression pattern, among which one third were short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing genera and the others were probiotic genera included Lactobacillus spp., Sutterella, Alistipes, Anaerovorax, Bilophila, Coprococcus, Gordonibacter, Oscillibacter, among others. By contrast, 36% of the OTUs exhibiting a mixture-repressed expression pattern were disease-associated microorganisms, and six genera, namely Actinomyces, Escherichia/Shigella, Fusobacterium, Slackia, Streptococcus and Solobacterium, were associated with cancer. In addition, five genera were closely associated with diabetes, namely Collinsella, Rothia, Howardella, Slackia and Intestinibacter. Our results indicate that this D. officinale and American ginseng mixture may be used as a prebiotic agent to enhance SCFA-producing genera and prevent gut dysbiosis.
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AIM: To investigate changes in the rabbit retina after short-term and small amounts tamponade of perfluorooctane (PFO). METHODS: New Zealand rabbits were used, and 48 eyes were randomly and evenly assigned into four different groups. The PFO groups received a residue of 0.1 mL of PFO for ophthalmic surgery or 0.1 mL of F-Octane at the end of surgery; eyes from the pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) group were filled with balanced salt solution and those having not received surgical intervention served as controls. Eyes were collected at 1, 4 and 12wk and studied. RESULTS: Under a microscope, nuclear counts of the inner nuclear layer (INL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL) did not differ among the four groups at all time points; however, slight disarrangement of the ONL and occasional vacuolization of the INL were found in the inferior retina only at 12wk in two PFO groups. Four of the groups had similar results of Caspase-3 and TNF-α staining at all time points. Alternatively, IL-8 was increased in PFOa and PPV control groups at 4wk and in all three PPV groups at 12wk; also, the apoptotic index (%) was similarly increased in all three PPV groups at 4 and 12wk. CONCLUSION: Both PFOs are well tolerated in rabbit eyes for up to 12wk, which suggests that they can be used safely as intraoperative tools or for short-term and small amounts tamponade after surgery.
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Exosomes are membranous vesicles that are actively secreted by cells. They can be isolated from various cell culture media and animal body fluids. Exosomes are mainly composed of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. They have small molecular structure and high biocompatibility with size of 40-100 nm. In addition, exosomes are natural endogenous nanocarriers that can transport lipids, proteins, DNA and RNA. Studies have shown that exosomes play an important role in long-distance communication between cells, in physiological and pathological processes. This article introduces the composition and physiological functions of exosomes, and summarizes the relevant content of exosomes as drug delivery vehicles. The applications of exosomes in central nervous system diseases, especially brain diseases and tumors are summarized.
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This paper reports a severe case of Strongyloides stercoralis infection during routine sputum smear examinations, due to cough and shortness of breath, so as to improve clinicians' awareness of strongyloidiasis to avoid and reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.
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Strongyloides stercoralis , Estrongiloidiasis , Animales , Tos/etiología , Disnea/etiología , Humanos , Esputo/parasitología , Estrongiloidiasis/diagnóstico , Estrongiloidiasis/patologíaRESUMEN
Anti-tumor antibiotics exhibit great application potential in the anti-tumor therapy. Some drugs have become the first-line medication clinically. However, there are always various problems associated with anti-tumor antibiotics, such as poor solubility and instability as well as severe systemic side effects. It is important to choose suitable delivery carriers for a reasonable delivery system for a good targeting ability, enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and reduced adverse effects of the anti-tumor antibiotics, especially in the smart delivery systems. This review summarizes the carriers and the advances in the delivery systems of anti-tumor antibiotics, including anti-tumor antibiotic drugs currently on the market, in the clinical research stage and in the basic research stage.
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This paper reports a severe case of Strongyloides stercoralis infection during routine sputum smear examinations, due to cough and shortness of breath, so as to improve clinicians’ awareness of strongyloidiasis to avoid and reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.
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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate associations of 3 common polymorphisms in the VEGF gene, -2578C>A, -634C>G, and 936C>T, with risk of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) in Chinese Han children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 2010 to June 2013, a total of 400 pediatric subjects were recruited, including 160 cases with TOF (TOF group) and 240 healthy controls (control group). The genotypes of 3 common VEGF polymorphisms, -2578C>A, -634C>G, and 936C>T, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. All data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 software. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in body mass index or sex between TOF patients and controls (both P>0.05), but significant differences in age and family history of TOF were observed between the 2 groups (both P<0.05). The AA genotype in -2578C>A of VEGF was correlated with a significantly increased risk of TOF, and TOF risk in A allele carrier was 1.54-fold higher than that of C allele carrier (OR=1.54, 95%CI=1.14-2.09, P=0.005); the statistical significance was still present after Bonferroni correction (Pc=0.045). GG genotype in -634C>G of VEGF gene was also associated with an increased risk of TOF, and TOF risk in patients with G allele was 1.62-fold higher compared to patients with C allele (OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.19-2.21, P=0.002); the statistical significance was still present after Bonferroni correction (Pc=0.018). Interestingly, T allele in VEGF 936C>T polymorphism is associated with a decreased TOF risk (OR=0.65, 95%CI=0.49-0.87, P=0.003, the statistical significance was still present after Bonferroni correction (Pc=0.027). The result of logistic regression analysis revealed that -2578C>A, -634C>G, and 936C>T genotypes are independently related to the prevalence of TOF (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed that VEGF genetic polymorphisms, -2578C>A and -634C>G, may be associated with an increased TOF risk, while 936C>T polymorphism may be associated with decreased TOF risk.
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Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Tetralogía de Fallot/sangre , Tetralogía de Fallot/genética , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/genética , Alelos , Biomarcadores/sangre , Niño , Preescolar , China , Ecocardiografía Doppler , Femenino , Frecuencia de los Genes , Genotipo , Heterocigoto , Humanos , Lactante , Desequilibrio de Ligamiento , Masculino , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Polimorfismo de Longitud del Fragmento de Restricción , Factores de Riesgo , Programas Informáticos , Tetralogía de Fallot/diagnóstico por imagen , Tetralogía de Fallot/cirugía , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/sangreRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To prepare aziditaxel-loaded mPEG-PLA polymeric micelles, investigate its pharmaceutical characteristics and study its anti-tumor effects in vitro. METHODS: Aziditaxel-loaded polymeric micelles were prepared by thin-film dispersion method. The morphology of aziditaxel-loaded micelles was observed under transmission electron microscope. The particle size distribution and Zeta potential of aziditaxel-loaded micelles were determined by dynamic light scattering method using a Malvern Zetasizer Nano ZS90 analyzer.The technical reproducibility and reconstitution stability of aziditaxel-loaded micelles were also checked. The drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were measured by HPLC. Dialysis method was used to investigate the in vitro release of aziditaxel-loaded micelles, and the release manner was fitted using the mathematic models.The in vitro anti-tumor activities were evaluated by proliferation inhibition and cycle block experiment. RESULTS: Aziditaxel-loaded polymeric micelles were prepared successfully.Aziditaxel-loaded polymeric micelles showed spherical shape with a mean particle size of 24.50 nm, polydispersity index of 0.117 and Zeta potential of -10.06 mV. The mean drug loading and entrapment efficiency were (16.00±0.15)% and (95.80±0.10)%, respectively.The preparation reproducibility was fine, and the reconstitution solution of lyophilized preparation of aziditaxel-loaded polymeric' micelles maintained stable within 6 h.The release behavior of aziditaxel-loaded micelles conformed to the ambiexponent model. Drug-loaded micelles could obviously inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines in vitro, and induce significant G2/M cycle arrest and apoptosis on MCF-7 cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Aziditaxel-loaded mPEG-PLA polymeric micelles are successfullv prepared. The preparation method is simple, and the pharmaceutical properties of the products conform to the requirements of the subsequent study. The prepared aziditaxel-loaded polymeric micelles exhibit good application prospect with favourable in vitro anti-tumor activities.
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Although previous studies showed that transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can be used to guide transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD), whether TTE can be used to guide transcatheter closure of secundum ASD with a deficient superior-anterior rim is unknown and this critical issue was addressed in the present study. A total of 280 patients with secundum ASD who underwent transcatheter ASD closure were recruited and divided into groups A and B depending on ASD superior-anterior rim>4 mm (nâ=â118) or ≤4 mm (nâ=â162). TTE was used to guide Amplatzer-type septal occluder (ASO) positioning and assess residual shunt. Procedure success was defined as no, trivial and small residual shunt immediately after the procedure as assessed by color Doppler flow imaging. Group A and group B did not differ in complication rate (8.55% vs.7.55%), procedure success rate (98.3% vs. 95.0%) or complete closure rate immediately after the procedure (89.7% vs. 89.3%) or at 6-month follow-up (98.3% vs. 96.8%). The mean procedure and fluoroscopy time in group B were much longer than those in group A. In conclusion, the absence of a sufficient superior-anterior rim in patients undergoing percutaneous closure of secundum-type ASDs using fluoroscopic and TTE guidance is associated with slightly greater device malposition and migration as well as increased procedural and fluoroscopic times, but the overall complication rate did not differ with TTE guidance when compared to historical controls that used TEE guidance.
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Catéteres , Defectos del Tabique Interatrial/diagnóstico por imagen , Defectos del Tabique Interatrial/cirugía , Seguridad , Cirugía Asistida por Computador/efectos adversos , Cirugía Asistida por Computador/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios de Factibilidad , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Defectos del Tabique Interatrial/patología , Defectos del Tabique Interatrial/fisiopatología , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Ultrasonografía , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship of plasma ghrelin and adenohypophyseal hormone levels in female precocious puberty.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 84 patients aged from 6 to 9 years were enrolled in this study. They were divided into idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) and premature thelarche(PT)groups according to their secondary sexual characteristics, bone age, volumes of uterus and ovary, and results of GnRH test. Plasma ghrelin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. ACTH, TSH, PRL, GH, LH and FSH were measured by chemoluminescence technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ghrelin levels in ICPP group were Log (2.42+/-0.26) ng/L, which were significantly lower than those in PT group and controls [Log (2.62+/-0.21) ng/L and Log (2.58+/-0.44) ng/L, respectively, P<0.05]. However there was no significant difference between PT group and controls(P>0.05). Ghrelin levels of ICPP girls with Tanner III were Log (2.31+/-0.24) ng/L, significantly lower than those of ICPP girls with Tanner II [Log (2.53+/-0.24) ng/L, P<0.05]. By bivariate correlation analysis, ghrelin levels in precocious puberty girls were negatively correlated with ACTH, PRL and LH15, LH30 and LH60 in GnRH test(r=-0.248, -0.235, -0.445, 0.405, 0.398, respectively, P<0.05). No significant correlation was found between ghrelin and GH, LH0(-2), FSH0(-2), and FSH15, FSH30 and FSH60 in GnRH test.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ICPP girls have lower plasma ghrelin levels, which are decreased with the development of Tanner stage. The plasma ghrelin levels are negatively correlated with ACTH, PRL and LH.</p>
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Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica , Sangre , Ghrelina , Sangre , Gonadotropinas Hipofisarias , Sangre , Hormona Luteinizante , Sangre , Pubertad Precoz , SangreRESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of bone turnover markers and bone mass in children with growth hormone (GH) deficiency before and after recombinant human GH replacement therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum levels of bone turnover markers (OC, BAP and ICTP), IGF1 and distal radius bone mass (SOS SDS) of 37 cases with complete growth hormone deficiency (CGHD), 31 partial growth hormone deficiency (PGHD) and 31 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were measured. Twenty-nine patients received rhGH replacement therapy at dose of 0.03 mg/kg. day and the above parameters were measured every 3 or 6 months after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with the control, baseline serum levels of BAP, ICTP and IGF1 in CGHD group were significantly decreased (P<0.05), so was IGF1 in PGHD group (P<0.05). Significantly positive correlation was found between IGF1 and ICTP (r=0.32, P=0.01) in CGHD group. There was no significant difference between GHD group and the control in other biochemical parameters. All bone turnover markers and IGF1 increased significantly in both CGHD and PGHD children after rhGH replacement therapy for 3 months (P<0.05). ICTP and IGF1 were increasing with the prolonged rhGH replacement therapy. A tendency of increase in distal radius SOS SDS was also seen after rhGH-treatment, though not statistically significant (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with the control, bone turnover markers BAP and ICTP are lower in children with CGHD, with lower IGF1 but unchanged bone mass in both CGHD and PGHD. All bone turnover markers can be significantly improved in GHD children after rhGH replacement treatment for 6 months, with a tendency of increase in bone mass.</p>