Biofunctional Inorganic Layered Double Hydroxide Nanohybrid Enhances Immunotherapeutic Effect on Atopic Dermatitis Treatment.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread, recurrent, and chronic inflammatory skin condition that imposes a major burden on patients. Conventional treatments, such as corticosteroids, are associated with various side effects, underscoring the need for innovative therapeutic approaches. In this study, the possibility of using indole-3-acetic acid-loaded layered double hydroxides (IAA-LDHs) is evaluated as a novel treatment for AD. IAA is an auxin-class plant hormone with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Following the synthesis of IAA-LDH nanohybrids, their ability to induce M2-like macrophage polarization in macrophages obtained from mouse bone marrow is assessed. The antioxidant activity of IAA-LDH is quantified by assessing the decrease in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The anti-inflammatory and anti-atopic characteristics of IAA-LDH are evaluated in a mouse model of AD by examining the cutaneous tissues, immunological organs, and cells. The findings suggest that IAA-LDH has great therapeutic potential as a candidate for AD treatment based on its in vitro and in vivo modulation of AD immunology, enhancement of macrophage polarization, and antioxidant activity. This inorganic drug delivery technology represents a promising new avenue for the development of safe and effective AD treatments.

Traumatic hematoma-based pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery in a 7-year-old boy: a case report.

The superficial temporal artery (STA), the terminal branch of the external carotid artery, is divided into the frontal (anterior) and parietal (posterior) branches. The frontal branch of the STA is located superficially on the anterior region of the scalp, making it especially susceptible to trauma. Here, we report a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the STA in a 7-year-old boy who was injured in a minor car accident. A physical examination showed only a small bruise on the patient's forehead, and all vital signs were stable at the emergency room of our medical center. A facial computed tomography scan showed no significant findings. However, the boy later re-visited the hospital with slight swelling on the right forehead, and an ultrasonography scan revealed a hematoma near the right temporal artery. The resected hematoma (approximately 2 cm) was diagnosed as a traumatic pseudoaneurysm. Awareness of the possibility of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm in the STA may prevent a circumspect diagnosis in the future.

Nanoparticle-Based Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Adoptive cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells (CAR-Ts) has emerged as an innovative immunotherapy for hematological cancer treatment. However, the limited effect on solid tumors, complex processes, and excessive manufacturing costs remain as limitations of CAR-T therapy. Nanotechnology provides an alternative to the conventional CAR-T therapy. Owing to their unique physicochemical properties, nanoparticles can not only serve as a delivery platform for drugs but also target specific cells. Nanoparticle-based CAR therapy can be applied not only to T cells but also to CAR-natural killer and CAR-macrophage, compensating for some of their limitations. This review focuses on the introduction of nanoparticle-based advanced CAR immune cell therapy and future perspectives on immune cell reprogramming.

Reprogramming the tumor microenvironment with biotechnology.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a unique environment that is developed by the tumor and controlled by tumor-induced interactions with host cells during tumor progression. The TME includes immune cells, which can be classified into two types: tumor- antagonizing and tumor-promoting immune cells. Increasing the tumor treatment responses is associated with the tumor immune microenvironment. Targeting the TME has become a popular topic in research, which includes polarizing macrophage phenotype 2 into macrophage phenotype 1 using Toll-like receptor agonists with cytokines, anti-CD47, and anti-SIPRα. Moreover, inhibiting regulatory T cells through blockades and depletion restricts immunosuppressive cells in the TME. Reprogramming T cell infiltration and T cell exhaustion improves tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, such as CD8+ or CD4+ T cells. Targeting metabolic pathways, including glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolisms, can suppress tumor growth by restricting the absorption of nutrients and adenosine triphosphate energy into tumor cells. In conclusion, these TME reprogramming strategies exhibit more effective responses using combination treatments, biomaterials, and nanoparticles. This review highlights how biomaterials and immunotherapy can reprogram TME and improve the immune activity.

Biofunctional Layered Double Hydroxide Nanohybrids for Cancer Therapy.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with two-dimensional nanostructure are inorganic materials that have attractive advantages such as biocompatibility, facile preparation, and high drug loading capacity for therapeutic bioapplications. Since the intercalation chemistry of DNA molecules into the LDH materials were reported, various LDH nanohybrids have been developed for biomedical drug delivery system. For these reasons, LDHs hybridized with numerous therapeutic agents have a significant role in cancer imaging and therapy with targeting functions. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in the preparation of LDH nanohybrids for cancer therapeutic strategies including gene therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and combination therapy.

Cervical chondrocutaneous remnant: a case report.

Cervical chondrocutaneous branchial remnants are very rare congenital lesions of the lateral neck; thus, our knowledge of this condition derives almost entirely from occasional case reports in the literature. They are thought to originate from the branchial arches and, therefore, can be found anywhere on the pathway along which those branchial arches migrate during embryogenesis. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl presenting with a cervical chondrocutaneous branchial remnant on the right lateral neck that had existed since birth, with no other anomalies.

Cabozantinib-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles: A Potential Adjuvant Strategy for Surgically Resected High-Risk Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Patients with high-risk non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are at risk of metastatic relapse following nephrectomy. Cabozantinib (CZ), a potent multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor, interferes with angiogenesis and immunosuppression associated with surgery-induced metastasis. Here, we explored the therapeutic potential of CZ-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (CZ-PLGA-NPs) as an adjuvant strategy for targeting post-nephrectomy metastasis. A clinically relevant subline recapitulating post-nephrectomy lung metastasis of high-risk human RCC, namely Renca-SRLu5-Luc, was established through in vivo serial selection of luciferase-expressing murine RCC Renca-Luc cells. CZ was encapsulated into PLGA-NPs via the conventional single emulsion technique. The multifaceted preclinical antimetastatic efficacy of CZ-PLGA-NPs was assessed in Renca-SRLu5-Luc cells. CZ-PLGA-NPs with a smooth surface displayed desirable physicochemical properties, good CZ encapsulation efficiency, as well as controlled and sustained CZ release. CZ-PLGA-NPs exhibited remarkable dose-dependent toxicity against Renca-SRLu5-Luc cells by inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. CZ-PLGA-NPs attenuated in vitro colony formation, migration, and invasion by abrogating AKT and ERK1/2 activation. An intravenous injection of CZ-PLGA-NPs markedly reduced lung metastatic burden and prolonged lifespan with favorable safety in the Renca-SRLu5-Luc experimental lung metastasis model. The novel CZ-PLGA-NPs system with multifaceted antimetastatic effects and alleviating off-target toxicity potential is a promising adjunctive agent for patients with surgically resected high-risk RCC.

Image-guided in situ cancer vaccination with combination of multi-functional nano-adjuvant and an irreversible electroporation technique.

Cancer immunotherapy is a next-generation treatment strategy; however, its side effects limit its clinical translation. Here, a novel combination of a multi-functional nano-adjuvant (M-NA) prepared with an iron oxide/gold core and a cationic polymer shell via multilayer synthesis with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) electrostatically complexed on its surface, and irreversible electroporation (IRE) technique was developed for effective image-guided in situ cancer vaccination. The M-NA can be retained long-term in the dense tumoral extracellular matrix after intratumoral injection and internalized by antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The IRE can induce immunogenic cell death. Indeed, in a mouse tumor model, the M-NA showed longer tumor retention time than free CpG-ODN. Compared with other treatments, the combined treatment significantly inhibited tumor growth with 100% survival rate for ∼60 days. The therapy induced the activation of cytotoxic lymphocytes and the maturation of APCs in vivo. This treatment could be effective in image-guided local cancer immunotherapy.

Advances in Nanoparticles for Effective Delivery of RNA Therapeutics.

RNA therapeutics, including messenger RNA (mRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA), are genetic materials that mediate the translation of genetic direction from genes to induce or inhibit specific protein production. Although the interest in RNA therapeutics is rising globally, the absence of an effective delivery system is an obstacle to the clinical application of RNA therapeutics. Additionally, immunogenicity, short duration of protein expression, unwanted enzymatic degradation, and insufficient cellular uptake could limit the therapeutic efficacy of RNA therapeutics. In this regard, novel platforms based on nanoparticles are crucial for delivering RNAs to the targeted site to increase efficiency without toxicity. In this review, the most recent status of nanoparticles as RNA delivery vectors, with a focus on polymeric nanoparticles, peptide-derived nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, and hybrid nanoparticles, is discussed. These nanoparticular platforms can be utilized for safe and effective RNA delivery to augment therapeutic effects. Ultimately, RNA therapeutics encapsulated in nanoparticle-based carriers will be used to treat many diseases and save lives.

Usefulness of computed tomography venography in gynecologic cancer patients with lower extremity edema.

Lower extremity (LEx) edema is a common complication in gynecologic cancer patients. There are 2 main causes of edema in these patients such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and lymphedema. Early diagnosis and treatment of DVT are certainly important, but it is often difficult to evaluate proximal DVT by using ultrasound. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of computed tomography venography of the lower extremity (CTV LEx) for the diagnosis of the DVT and investigate predictive factor of DVT in gynecologic cancer patients with LEx edema.The medical records of 415 gynecologic cancer patients who were referred to the department of rehabilitation medicine with LEx edema were retrospectively reviewed in this case-controlled study. We categorized CTV LEx findings as follows: DVT proximal to the inguinal ligament (inferior vena cava or iliac vein thrombosis) and DVT distal to the inguinal ligament (femoral, popliteal, or calf vein thrombosis). We also evaluated patient characteristics including D-dimer level. We analyzed the correlation of each factor with DVT frequency and used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine the appropriate D-dimer threshold.Sixty-six patients were diagnosed with DVT; of them, 35 (53%) had DVT proximal to the inguinal ligament. Twenty-two patients were diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, of whom 15 had proximal DVT. Patients with proximal DVT tended to have pulmonary embolism (P < .001). Distal organ metastasis (odds ratio [OR], 2.88; P = .002) and a high D-dimer level (OR, 1.13; P = .001) were correlated with DVT.CTV LEx is a useful diagnostic tool for gynecologic cancer patients with LEx edema, particularly high-risk patients, that should be performed at the initial evaluation.

Anthropometric analysis of the eyeball exposure area in Koreans.

BACKGROUND: Eyelids vary in morphology and structure depending on age, sex, and race. Usually, one-dimensional measurements are used to evaluate blepharoplasty outcomes. However, in recent years, three- or four- directional enlargements of the eyelid have been used for blepharoplasty in Asian patients, and the outcomes of techniques such as lateral canthoplasty or canthotomy and medial epicanthoplasty with increased scleral area cannot be analyzed using marginal reflex distance 1 or the area of corneal exposure. Therefore, we describe the use of a measurement method based on the eyeball exposure area (EEA). METHODS: To obtain normal EEA values by age and sex, 320 individuals were recruited. The participants were divided into eight age groups (n=40 in each group: female subjects, n=20; male subjects, n=20): 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80-89 years. The EEA value was obtained by dividing the exposed area by the total eyeball area. The normal EEA values and differences in EEA according to age and sex were calculated. RESULTS: The mean EEA values for male and female subjects were 66.86% ±9.20% and 71.48%±10.48%, respectively. In each age group, the EEA values of females were higher than those of males. EEA decreased significantly with age in both male and female subjects (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We determined normal EEA values according to age and sex. EEA can be used as an indicator of the outcome of blepharoplasty.

Functional Layered Double Hydroxide Nanohybrids for Biomedical Imaging.

Biomedical investigations using layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles have attracted tremendous attentions due to their advantages such as biocompatibility, variable-chemical compositions, anion-exchange capacity, host-guest interactions, and crystallization-dissolution characters. Bio-imaging becomes more and more important since it allows theranostics to combine therapy and diagnosis, which is a concept of next-generation medicine. Based on the unique features mentioned above, LDHs create novel opportunities for bio-imaging and simultaneous therapy with LDHs-based nanohybrids. This review aims to explore the recent advances in multifunctional LDH nanohybrids ranging from synthesis to practical applications for various bio-imaging with therapeutic functions. Furthermore, their potential both as diagnostic agents and drug delivery carriers will be discussed with the improvement in noninvasive bio-imaging techniques.

Highly Crystalline Mesoporous Phosphotungstic Acid: A High-Performance Electrode Material for Energy-Storage Applications.

Heteropoly acids (HPAs) are unique materials with interesting properties, including high acidity and proton conductivity. However, their low specific surface area and high solubility in polar solvents make them unattractive for catalytic or energy applications. This obstacle can be overcome by creating nanoporosity within the HPA. We synthesized mesoporous phosphotungstic acid (mPTA) with a spherical morphology through the self-assembly of phosphotungstic acid (PTA) with a polymeric surfactant as stabilized by KCl and hydrothermal treatment. The mPTA nanostructures had a surface area of 93 m2 g-1 and a pore size of 4 nm. Their high thermal stability (ca. 450 °C) and lack of solubility in ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate (EC/DEC) electrolyte are beneficial for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Optimized mPTA showed a reversible capacity of 872 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 even after 100 cycles for LIBs, as attributed to a super-reduced state of HPA and the storage of Li ions within the mesochannels of mPTA.

The effect of Korean Red Ginseng on full-thickness skin wound healing in rats.

BACKGROUND: Panax ginseng is regarded as one of the best compounds for promoting health, and it has been used traditionally as a medicinal herb. Recently, Korean Red Ginseng (RG) has been shown to protect skin from aging and wrinkling; it can also relieve atopic dermatitis and allergy symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate RG's effects on the regeneration of the full-thickness skin wounds in rat. METHODS: Full-thickness skin wounds were generated in rats, and then RG was administered either orally or topically. The wound-healing effects of RG were investigated by assessing wound size, mRNA expression patterns of genes related to wound healing, histological staining, and measurements of lipid, moisture, and elasticity in skin tissues. RESULTS: The wound size was smaller, and tissue regeneration rate was faster in the RG-treated group than that in the control group on days 15 and 20 after initiating treatment. On postoperative day 20, skin lipid and moisture content had increased significantly in the RG-treated group. Significant increases in the gene expression levels of transforming growth factor-ß1 and vascular endothelial growth factor were found in the RG group during the early stages of wound healing. Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 showed significant increases in gene expression levels on day 20. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that RG may promote healing of full-thickness skin wounds in rats. They also provided basic insights into the effects of RG on skin regeneration, supporting its use as a dressing material for wound treatment and its development as a functional food.

Development of a UV Index Sensor-Based Portable Measurement Device with the EUVB Ratio of Natural Light.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are electromagnetic waves that account for about 5% of solar light, and when overexposed, they pose malevolent effects on human skin and health. However, with recent reports on the beneficial effects of some wavelength bands of UV rays, people's interest in UV information has increased. This has resulted in requiring not just simple information, such as the amount of UV or UV index (UVI), but detailed UV information that directly affects health, such as EUVB (erythemally weighted UVB). However, calculating EUVB, which can be done by applying the erythemal weighted function on the intensity value in wavelength, requires specialized optical measurement devices, which cannot be easily accessed by the general public; furthermore, public institutions' UV information services do not offer EUVB information for individuals. Therefore, the present study proposes a UVI sensor-based portable measurement device, with which the general public can have easy access to UV-related information. The proposed device comprises a UVI sensor that can measure the intensity of erythemal UV radiation, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module that supports communication, and a micro controller unit (MCU) for key operations. In addition, it applies the ratio of EUVB by month/time, resulting from the actual analysis of natural light to calculate the EUVB and provides the amount of UVI and EUVB to check if they meet conditions required for outdoor activities through the device and smartphone applications. The applicability of the proposed device was verified by the measurement performance comparison test with the standard device, a spectrometer (CAS 140 CT), which showed an average error of 0.045 for UVI and 0.0014 W/m². The proposed device's offering of UV-related information such as UVI and EUVB to the user is expected to prevent potential damage due to exposure to UV and to support healthy outdoor activities.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of povidone-iodine foam dressing (Betafoam), hydrocellular foam dressing (Allevyn), and petrolatum gauze for split-thickness skin graft donor site dressing.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a povidone-iodine (PVP-I) foam dressing (Betafoam) for donor site dressing versus a hydrocellular foam dressing (Allevyn) and petrolatum gauze. This prospective Phase 4 study was conducted between March 2016 and April 2017 at eight sites in Korea. A total of 106 consenting patients (aged ≥ 19 years, scheduled for split-thickness skin graft) were randomised 1:1:1 to PVP-I foam, hydrocellular, or petrolatum gauze dressings for up to 28 days after donor site collection. We assessed time to complete epithelialisation, proportion with complete epithelialisation at Day 14, and wound infection. Epithelialisation time was the shortest with PVP-I foam dressing (12.74 ± 3.51 days) versus hydrocellular foam dressing (16.61 ± 4.45 days; P = 0.0003) and petrolatum gauze (15.06 ± 4.26 days, P = 0.0205). At Day 14, 83.87% of PVP-I foam dressing donor sites had complete epithelialisation, versus 36.36% of hydrocellular foam dressing donor sites (P = 0.0001) and 55.88% of petrolatum gauze donor sites (P = 0.0146). There were no wound infections. Incidence rates of adverse events were comparable across groups (P = 0.1940). PVP-I foam dressing required less time to complete epithelialisation and had a good safety profile.

Oxide-Carbon Nanofibrous Composite Support for a Highly Active and Stable Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel-Cell Catalyst.

Well-designed electronic configurations and structural properties of electrocatalyst alter the activity, stability, and mass transport for enhanced catalytic reactions. We introduce a nanofibrous oxide-carbon composite by an in situ method of carbon nanofiber (CNF) growth by highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles that are exsoluted from a NiTiO3 surface. The nanofibrous feature has a 3D web structure with improved mass-transfer properties at the electrode. In addition, the design of the CNF/TiO2 support allows for complex properties for excellent stability and activity from the TiO2 oxide support and high electric conductivity through the connected CNF, respectively. Developed CNF/TiO2-Pt nanofibrous catalyst displays exemplary oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) activity with significant improvement of the electrochemical surface area. Moreover, exceptional resistance to carbon corrosion and Pt dissolution is proven by durability-test protocols based on the Department of Energy. These results are well-reflected to the single-cell tests with even-better performance at the kinetic zone compared to the commercial Pt/C under different operation conditions. CNF/TiO2-Pt displays an enhanced active state due to the strong synergetic interactions, which decrease the Pt d-band vacancy by electron transfer from the oxide-carbon support. A distinct reaction mechanism is also proposed and eventually demonstrates a promising example of an ORR electrocatalyst design.

Excellent supercapacitance performance of 3-D mesoporous carbon with large pores from FDU-12 prepared using a microwave method.

Highly ordered and three-dimensional (3-D) mesoporous carbon materials were prepared through a nano-hard templating approach using FDU-12 silica with tunable pore sizes as a template, which was synthesized via a microwave-assisted method. Powder XRD and microscopic techniques such as HR-TEM, HR-SEM, and N2 adsorption-desorption techniques were employed to characterize the structure and textural properties of the prepared mesoporous carbon samples. The characterization results reveal that all the mesoporous carbon samples show a 3-D porous mesostructure with tunable pore diameters (5.7 to 9.4 nm) and a large specific surface area in the range from 451 to 1251 m2 g-1. The supercapacitive behavior of the cubic structured mesoporous carbons was determined using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance and charge-discharge measurements. The cubic mesoporous carbon materials exhibit a superior capacitive performance with a high specific capacitance value of 315.3 F g-1 at the current density of 1 A g-1, which is much higher than that of hexagonally-ordered mesoporous carbon with large pore diameters, activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes. The materials also show excellent cyclic stability and extremely low resistance. The superior specific capacitance of these materials is attributed to the combination of excellent surface properties such as large specific surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore diameter, spherical morphology, and a 3-D porous system with cage-type pores.

Measurement of the Area of Corneal Exposure Using Digital Image and Its Application During Assessment for Blepharoplasty.

BACKGROUND: The normal morphological and functional values of orbits vary according to race, sex, and age. We measured the palpebral fissure using the marginal reflex distance (MRD1), marginal limbal distance (MLD), and vertical height of the palpebral fissure (VHPF). Unfortunately, these measurements are all one-dimensional figures that measure the distance between two points; they have limitations when it comes to measuring the three-dimensional ocular surface. Therefore, this study used the area of corneal exposure (ACE), which shows a two-dimensional area, to measure changes between the sizes of eyes according to age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted using preoperative photographs of Koreans in Daegu city, Korea, who underwent plastic surgery in our department except for eyelid surgery. We divided the subjects into eight groups, including ten males and ten females in each decade of age, from age 10 to over 80 years. A total of 160 people were recruited who were followed up for photograph analysis using Adobe Photoshop 7.0 software. RESULTS: In terms of the mean value, the ACEs were 73.3 ± 2% in male subjects and 77.1 ± 2% in female subjects, and values for female subjects were greater than those for male subjects (p < 0.05). Significant differences in ACEs were observed according to age. The peak level of growth in the ACE was reached between 20 and 29 years of age. After the 20 s, a gradual decrease was observed (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The peak level of growth in the ACE was reached between 20 and 29 years of age. The growth pattern can be classified as continuously decreasing after reaching the peak level. The data from this study are significant in that they can be used as comprehensive data for normal eyelid values according to age. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Highly Crystalline Mesoporous C60 with Ordered Pores: A Class of Nanomaterials for Energy Applications.

Highly ordered mesoporous C60 with a well-ordered porous structure and a high crystallinity is prepared through the nanohard templating method using a saturated solution of C60 in 1-chloronaphthalene (51 mg mL-1 ) as a C60 precursor and SBA-15 as a hard template. The high solubility of C60 in 1-chloronaphthalene helps not only to encapsulate a huge amount of the C60 into the mesopores of the template but also supports the oligomerization of C60 and the formation of crystalline walls made of C60 . The obtained mesoporous C60 exhibits a rod-shaped morphology, a high specific surface area (680 m2 g-1 ), tuneable pores, and a highly crystalline wall structure. This exciting ordered mesoporous C60 offers high supercapacitive performance and a high selectivity to H2 O2 production and methanol tolerance for ORR. This simple strategy could be adopted to make a series of mesoporous fullerenes with different structures and carbon atoms as a new class of energy materials.