Kidney Transplantation From Brain-Dead Donors With Hepatitis B or C in South Korea: A 2015 to 2020 Korean Organ Transplantation Registry Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: According to the current Center for Korean Network for Organ Sharing guidelines for kidney transplantation from brain-dead donors with hepatitis B or C infection, organs from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (HbsAg+) or anti-hepatitis C virus-positive (HCV+) donors can only be transplanted into HBsAg+ or anti-HCV+ recipients. We aimed to confirm the status and the outcomes of kidney transplantation from brain-dead donors with hepatitis B or C virus in Korea. METHODS: This retrospective study included all kidney transplantations from brain-dead donors in the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry database between January 2015 and June 2020, divided into 3 groups according to donor hepatitis status. Finally, kidney transplantations from 80 HBV+, 12 HCV+, and 2013 HBV-/HCV- donors were included. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed in the recipient characteristics and the transplant outcomes except the waiting time (HBV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P < .001; HCV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P = .10; HBV+ to HCV+P = .95). Five-year graft survival rates of the HBV+, HCV+, and HBV-/HCV- recipients were 95%, 83%, and 85%, respectively (HBV+ to HCV+, P = .22; HCV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P = .81; HBV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P = .02). Five-year patient survival rates of the HBV+, HCV+, and HBV-/HCV- recipients were 95%, 100%, and 76%, respectively (HBV+ to HCV+, P = .61; HCV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P = .13; HBV+ to HBV-/HCV-, P < .001). CONCLUSION: HBV+/HCV+ brain-dead donor kidney transplantation outcomes were comparable to HBV-/HCV-. South Korea should consider conditionally permitting transplantation from HBV+ or HCV+ donors to HBV- or HCV- recipients to accumulate new data and conduct further studies.

A scoping review of the different types of exercise programs proposed for the improvement of postural balance in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which is the most common type of scoliosis, is a progressive disease that occurs in children aged 10-16 years. Abnormal curvature in AIS provokes spinal asymmetry of the upper body alignment and might deteriorate postural balancing and control ability. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on balance and postural stability in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: Embase, Scopus, Pubmed (Medline) and Web of Science databases were searched using the terms idiopathic scoliosis, physiotherapy, and balance. The articles selected were published in English in peer-reviewed journals from 2012 to July 2022. RESULTS: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. The PEDro scale values ranged from 2 to 6 (mean, 3.6), indicating a low level of scientific rigor. In the sample studies, spinal stabilization exercises were most often trialed (n= 3), followed by Schroth's exercise (n= 2), stretching and self-elongation exercise (n= 2), the exercise protocol of Blount and Moe, physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercise, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercise (all n= 1). CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapists will be able to apply hippotherapy, Schroth exercise, physiotherapy scoliosis-specific exercise, trunk stabilization, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercise, spinal stabilization exercise, core stabilization exercise, and body awareness therapy to manage balance impairments in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and further studies are needed to provide stronger evidence.

Comparison of the Effects of Isometric Horizontal Abduction on Shoulder Muscle Activity During Wall Push-Up Plus and Wall Slide in Individuals With Scapular Winging.

CONTEXT: Wall push-up plus (WPP) and wall slide (WS) are commonly prescribed in early rehabilitation to increase serratus anterior (SA) muscle activity. For individuals with scapular winging (SW), synergistic muscles such as upper trapezius (UT) and pectoralis major (PM) may compensate for weak SA during scapular movement. However, no studies have applied isometric horizontal abduction (IHA) during WS in individuals with SW nor have compared it with WPP with IHA. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the effects of IHA on shoulder muscle activity during WPP and WS exercises in individuals with SW. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess the statistical significance of observed differences in SA, UT, PM, lower trapezius (LT), and infraspinatus (IS) muscle activities. SETTING: Research laboratory. PATIENTS: We recruited 30 individuals with SW comprising 20 men and 10 women. INTERVENTIONS: The individuals performed WPP and WS exercises with and without IHA using Thera-Band. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activity of the SA, UT, PM, LT, and IS during the isometric phase of WPP and WS. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions were recorded to normalize electromyographic data. RESULTS: There was no significant interaction between IHA application and exercise type for any of the shoulder muscles. IHA application increased SA (P = .008), UT (P = .001), LT (P = .009), and IS (P = .000) activities and decreased PM (P = .001) activity compared with those without IHA. WS exercises elicited higher PM (P = .017) and LT (P = .011) activities than WPP. CONCLUSION: WPP and WS with IHA may be effective in increasing the muscle activities of shoulder stabilizers and preventing overactivation of PM activity. WPP may be recommended for individuals with overactivated PM, whereas WS may be used to increase LT activity.

Development of Machine-Learning Model to Predict COVID-19 Mortality: Application of Ensemble Model and Regarding Feature Impacts.

This study was designed to develop machine-learning models to predict COVID-19 mortality and identify its key features based on clinical characteristics and laboratory tests. For this, deep-learning (DL) and machine-learning (ML) models were developed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) and F1 score optimization of 87 parameters. Of the two, the DL model exhibited better performance (AUC 0.8721, accuracy 0.84, and F1 score 0.76). However, we also blended DL with ML, and the ensemble model performed the best (AUC 0.8811, accuracy 0.85, and F1 score 0.77). The DL model is generally unable to extract feature importance; however, we succeeded by using the Shapley Additive exPlanations method for each model. This study demonstrated both the applicability of DL and ML models for classifying COVID-19 mortality using hospital-structured data and that the ensemble model had the best predictive ability.

Effect of side-sling plank exercise on trunk and hip muscle activation in subjects with gluteus medius weakness.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of side-sling plank (SSP) exercises on trunk and hip muscle activation in subjects with gluteus medius (Gmed) weakness is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To quantify muscle activation of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), erector spinae (ES), lumbar multifidus (LM), Gmed, gluteus maximus (Gmax), and tensor fasciae latae (TFL) during SSP with three different hip rotations compared to side-lying hip abduction (SHA) exercise in subjects with Gmed weakness. METHODS: Twenty-two subjects with Gmed weakness were recruited. SHA and three types of SSP exercises were performed: SSP with neutral hip (SSP-N), hip lateral rotation (SSP-L), and hip medial rotation (SSP-M). Surface electromyography was used to measure the activation of the trunk and hip muscles. RESULTS: The trunk and hip muscles activations were generally significantly higher level during three SSP than SHA. SSP-M showed significantly lower EO activation while significantly higher ES and LM activation than SSP-L. Gmed activation was significantly higher during SSP-M than during SSP-L. TFL activation was significantly lower during SSP-M than during SSP-N and SSP-L. CONCLUSIONS: SSP could be prescribed for patients who have reduced Gmed strength after injuries. Especially, SSP-M could be applied for patients who have Gmed weakness with dominant TFL.

Soft Bioelectronics Based on Nanomaterials.

Recent advances in nanostructured materials and unconventional device designs have transformed the bioelectronics from a rigid and bulky form into a soft and ultrathin form and brought enormous advantages to the bioelectronics. For example, mechanical deformability of the soft bioelectronics and thus its conformal contact onto soft curved organs such as brain, heart, and skin have allowed researchers to measure high-quality biosignals, deliver real-time feedback treatments, and lower long-term side-effects in vivo. Here, we review various materials, fabrication methods, and device strategies for flexible and stretchable electronics, especially focusing on soft biointegrated electronics using nanomaterials and their composites. First, we summarize top-down material processing and bottom-up synthesis methods of various nanomaterials. Next, we discuss state-of-the-art technologies for intrinsically stretchable nanocomposites composed of nanostructured materials incorporated in elastomers or hydrogels. We also briefly discuss unconventional device design strategies for soft bioelectronics. Then individual device components for soft bioelectronics, such as biosensing, data storage, display, therapeutic stimulation, and power supply devices, are introduced. Afterward, representative application examples of the soft bioelectronics are described. A brief summary with a discussion on remaining challenges concludes the review.

First Organ Donation after Circulatory Death Following Withdrawal of Life-sustaining Treatment in Korea: a Case Report.

In February 2018, the Withdrawal of the Life-sustaining Treatment (WLST) Decision Act was legalized in Korea. Donation after circulatory death (DCD) after WLST was classified as DCD category III. We report the first case of successful organ donation after WLST in Korea. A 52-year-old male who experienced cerebral hemorrhage was a potential brain-dead donor with donation consent. During the first brain death examination, Babinski reflex was present, which disappeared two days later. Then, electroencephalography was performed five times at intervals of 2 to 3 days, according to the recommendation of a neurologist. The patient was transferred to the OR at 19:30 July 3, 2020. At 20:00, an intensive care unit specialist performed extubation and discontinued vasopressors. Oxygen saturation fell to < 70% in 1 minute, which signaled the beginning of functional warm ischemia. At 20:15, asystole was confirmed; after 5 minutes of "no-touch time," circulatory death was declared. Organ procurement surgery was initiated, with surgeons performing the recipient surgery ready in the adjacent OR. Through the first successful DCD case, we expected that DCD will be actively implemented in Korea, saving the lives of patient waiting for transplantation and resolving the imbalance between organ receipt and donation.

Tissue-like skin-device interface for wearable bioelectronics by using ultrasoft, mass-permeable, and low-impedance hydrogels.

Hydrogels consist of a cross-linked porous polymer network and water molecules occupying the interspace between the polymer chains. Therefore, hydrogels are soft and moisturized, with mechanical structures and physical properties similar to those of human tissue. Such hydrogels have a potential to turn the microscale gap between wearable devices and human skin into a tissue-like space. Here, we present material and device strategies to form a tissue-like, quasi-solid interface between wearable bioelectronics and human skin. The key material is an ultrathin type of functionalized hydrogel that shows unusual features of high mass-permeability and low impedance. The functionalized hydrogel acted as a liquid electrolyte on the skin and formed an extremely conformal and low-impedance interface for wearable electrochemical biosensors and electrical stimulators. Furthermore, its porous structure and ultrathin thickness facilitated the efficient transport of target molecules through the interface. Therefore, this functionalized hydrogel can maximize the performance of various wearable bioelectronics.

Effects of Log-Rolling Position on Hip-Abductor Muscle Activation During Side-Lying Hip-Abduction Exercise in Participants With Gluteus Medius Weakness.

CONTEXT: Weakness of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus is associated with a variety of musculoskeletal disorders. However, activation of synergistic muscles that are not targeted should be considered when prescribing side-lying hip-abduction (SHA) exercises. Log-rolling positions may affect hip-abductor activity during SHA. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of log-rolling positions on gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and tensor fasciae latae activity during SHA in participants with gluteus medius weakness. DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. SETTING: University research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one participants with gluteus medius weakness. INTERVENTION(S): Three types of SHA were performed: frontal-plane SHA in neutral position (SHA-neutral), frontal-plane SHA in anterior log-rolling position (SHA-anterior rolling), and frontal-plane SHA in posterior log-rolling position (SHA-posterior rolling). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Surface electromyography was used to measure hip-abductor activity. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was calculated to assess the statistical significance of the muscle activity. RESULTS: The SHA-anterior rolling showed greater gluteus medius and gluteus maximus activation than the SHA-neutral (P = .003 and P < .001, respectively) and SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001 and P < .001, respectively). The SHA-neutral demonstrated greater gluteus medius and gluteus maximus activation than the SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively). The SHA-anterior rolling produced less tensor fasciae latae activation than the SHA-neutral (P < .001) and SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001). The SHA-neutral showed less tensor fasciae latae activation than the SHA-posterior rolling (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The SHA-anterior rolling may be an effective exercise for increasing activation of the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus while decreasing activation of the tensor fasciae latae in participants with gluteus medius weakness.

Electromyographic Analysis of Hip and Trunk Muscle Activity During Side Bridge Exercises in Subjects With Gluteus Medius Weakness.

CONTEXT: Side bridge exercises strengthen the hip, trunk, and abdominal muscles and challenge the trunk muscles without the high lumbar compression associated with trunk extension or curls. Previous research using electromyography (EMG) reports that performance of the side bridge exercise highly activates the gluteus medius (Gmed). However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous research has investigated EMG amplitude in the hip and trunk muscles during side bridge exercise in subjects with Gmed weakness. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the EMG activity of the hip and trunk muscles during 3 variations of the side bridge exercise (side bridge, side bridge with knee flexion, and side bridge with knee flexion and hip abduction of the top leg) in subjects with Gmed weakness. DESIGN: Repeated-measures experimental design. SETTING: Research laboratory. PATIENTS: Thirty subjects (15 females and 15 males) with Gmed weakness participated in this study. INTERVENTION: Each subject performed 3 variations of the side bridge exercise in random order. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surface EMG was used to measure the muscle activities of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, longissimus thoracis, multifidus, Gmed, gluteus maximus, and tensor fasciae latae (TFL), and Gmed/TFL muscle activity ratio during 3 variations of the side bridge exercise. RESULTS: There were significant differences in Gmed (F2,56 = 110.054, P < .001), gluteus maximus (F2,56 = 36.416, P < .001), and TFL (F2,56 = 108.342, P < .001) muscles among the 3 side bridge exercises. There were significant differences in the Gmed/TFL muscle ratio (F2,56 = 20.738, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Among 3 side bridge exercises, the side bridge with knee flexion may be effective for the individuals with Gmed weakness among 3 side bridge exercises to strengthen the gluteal muscles, considering the difficulty of the exercise and relative contribution of Gmed and TFL.

Advances in drug delivery technology for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a particularly aggressive and malignant type of brain tumor, notorious for its high recurrence rate and low survival rate. The treatment of GBM is challenging mainly because several issues associated with the GBM microenvironment have not yet been resolved. These obstacles originate from a variety of factors such as genetics, anatomy, and cytology, all of which collectively hinder the treatment of GBM. Recent advances in materials and device engineering have presented new perspectives with regard to unconventional drug administration methods for GBM treatment. Such novel drug delivery approaches, based on the clear understanding of the intrinsic properties of GBM, have shown promise in overcoming some of the obstacles. In this review, we first recapitulate the first-line therapy and clinical challenges in the current treatment of GBM. Afterwards, we introduce the latest technological advances in drug delivery strategies to improve the efficiency for GBM treatment, mainly focusing on materials and devices. We describe such efforts by classifying them into two categories, systemic and local drug delivery. Finally, we discuss unmet challenges and prospects for the clinical translation of these drug delivery technologies.

Effect of Isometric Hip Abduction on Foot and Ankle Muscle Activity and Medial Longitudinal Arch During Short-Foot Exercise in Individuals With Pes Planus.

CONTEXT: The improvement of hip joint stability can significantly impact knee and rearfoot mechanics. Individuals with pes planus have a weak abductor hallucis (AbdH), and the tibialis anterior (TA) may activate to compensate for this. As yet, no studies have applied isometric hip abduction (IHA) for hip stability during short-foot exercise (SFE). OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of IHA on the muscle activity of the AbdH, TA, peroneus longus (PL), and gluteus medius (Gmed), as well as the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) angle during sitting and standing SFE. DESIGN: Two-way repeated analyses of variance were used to determine the statistical significance of AbdH, TA, PL, and Gmed electromyography activity, as well as the change in MLA angle. SETTING: University research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two participants with pes planus. INTERVENTION(S): The participants performed SFE with and without isometric hip abduction in sitting and standing positions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surface electromyography was used to measure the activity of the AbdH, TA, PL, and Gmed muscles, and Image J was used to measure the MLA angle. RESULTS: Significant interactions between exercise type and position were observed in terms of the PL muscle activity and in the change in MLA angle only, while other muscles showed significant main effects. The IHA during SFE significantly increased the AbdH muscle activity, while the TA muscle activity was significantly lower. The muscle activity of Gmed and PL was significantly increased in the standing position compared with sitting, but there was no significant difference with or without IHA. The change in the MLA angle was significantly greater in SFE with IHA in a standing position than in the other SFE conditions. CONCLUSIONS: IHA may be an effective method for reducing compensatory TA activity and increasing AbdH muscle activity during SFE for individuals with pes planus.

Highly selective microglial uptake of ceria-zirconia nanoparticles for enhanced analgesic treatment of neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic and pathological pain caused by injury or dysfunction in the nervous system. Pro-inflammatory microglial activation with aberrant reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the spinal cord plays a critical role in the development of neuropathic pain. However, the efficacy of current therapeutic methods for neuropathic pain is limited because only neurons or neural circuits involved in pain transmission are targeted. Here, an effective strategy to treat pain hypersensitivity using microglia-targeting ceria-zirconia nanoparticles (CZ NPs) is reported. The CZ NPs are coated with microglia-specific antibodies to promote their delivery to microglia, and thus to improve their therapeutic efficacy. The targeted delivery facilitates the elimination of both pro-inflammatory cytokines and ROS in microglia, enabling the rapid and effective inhibition of microglial activation. As a result, greatly ameliorated mechanical allodynia is achieved in a spinal nerve transection (SNT)-induced neuropathic pain mouse model, proving the potent analgesic effect of the microglia-targeting CZ NPs. Given the generality of the approach used in this study, the microglia-targeting CZ NPs are expected to be useful for the treatment of not only neuropathic pain but also other neurological diseases associated with the vicious activation of microglia.

Synergistic Oxygen Generation and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging by Manganese Ferrite/Ceria Co-decorated Nanoparticles for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment.

Poor O2 supply to the infiltrated immune cells in the joint synovium of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) up-regulates hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α) expression and induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, both of which exacerbate synovial inflammation. Synovial inflammation in RA can be resolved by eliminating pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and inducing anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Because hypoxia and ROS in the RA synovium play a crucial role in the induction of M1 macrophages and reduction of M2 macrophages, herein, we develop manganese ferrite and ceria nanoparticle-anchored mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MFC-MSNs) that can synergistically scavenge ROS and produce O2 for reducing M1 macrophage levels and inducing M2 macrophages for RA treatment. MFC-MSNs exhibit a synergistic effect on O2 generation and ROS scavenging that is attributed to the complementary reaction of ceria nanoparticles (NPs) that can scavenge intermediate hydroxyl radicals generated by manganese ferrite NPs in the process of O2 generation during the Fenton reaction, leading to the efficient polarization of M1 to M2 macrophages both in vitro and in vivo. Intra-articular administration of MFC-MSNs to rat RA models alleviated hypoxia, inflammation, and pathological features in the joint. Furthermore, MSNs were used as a drug-delivery vehicle, releasing the anti-rheumatic drug methotrexate in a sustained manner to augment the therapeutic effect of MFC-MSNs. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of MFC-MSNs that simultaneously generate O2 and scavenge ROS, subsequently driving inflammatory macrophages to the anti-inflammatory subtype for RA treatment.

Enzyme-Based Glucose Sensor: From Invasive to Wearable Device.

Blood glucose concentration is a key indicator of patients' health, particularly for symptoms associated with diabetes mellitus. Because of the large number of diabetic patients, many approaches for glucose measurement have been studied to enable continuous and accurate glucose level monitoring. Among them, electrochemical analysis is prominent because it is simple and quantitative. This technology has been incorporated into commercialized and research-level devices from simple test strips to wearable devices and implantable systems. Although directly monitoring blood glucose assures accurate information, the invasive needle-pinching step to collect blood often results in patients (particularly young patients) being reluctant to adopt the process. An implantable glucose sensor may avoid the burden of repeated blood collections, but it is quite invasive and requires periodic replacement of the sensor owing to biofouling and its short lifetime. Therefore, noninvasive methods to estimate blood glucose levels from tears, saliva, interstitial fluid (ISF), and sweat are currently being studied. This review discusses the evolution of enzyme-based electrochemical glucose sensors, including materials, device structures, fabrication processes, and system engineering. Furthermore, invasive and noninvasive blood glucose monitoring methods using various biofluids or blood are described, highlighting the recent progress in the development of enzyme-based glucose sensors and their integrated systems.

Device-assisted transdermal drug delivery.

Transdermal drug delivery is a prospective drug delivery strategy to complement the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems including oral and injectable methods. This delivery route allows both convenient and painless drug delivery and a sustained release profile with reduced side effects. However, physiological barriers in the skin undermine the delivery efficiency of conventional patches, limiting drug candidates to small-molecules and lipophilic drugs. Recently, transdermal drug delivery technology has advanced from unsophisticated methods simply relying on natural diffusion to drug releasing systems that dynamically respond to external stimuli. Furthermore, physical barriers in the skin have been overcome using microneedles, and controlled delivery by wearable biosensors has been enabled ultimately. In this review, we classify the evolution of advanced drug delivery strategies based on generations and provide a comprehensive overview. Finally, the recent progress in advanced diagnosis and therapy through customized drug delivery systems based on real-time analysis of physiological cues is highlighted.

General and Facile Coating of Single Cells via Mild Reduction.

Cell surface modification has been extensively studied to enhance the efficacy of cell therapy. Still, general accessibility and versatility are remaining challenges to meet the increasing demand for cell-based therapy. Herein, we present a facile and universal cell surface modification method that involves mild reduction of disulfide bonds in cell membrane protein to thiol groups. The reduced cells are successfully coated with biomolecules, polymers, and nanoparticles for an assortment of applications, including rapid cell assembly, in vivo cell monitoring, and localized cell-based drug delivery. No adverse effect on cellular morphology, viability, proliferation, and metabolism is observed. Furthermore, simultaneous coating with polyethylene glycol and dexamethasone-loaded nanoparticles facilitates enhanced cellular activities in mice, overcoming immune rejection.

Multifunctional nanoparticles as a tissue adhesive and an injectable marker for image-guided procedures.

Tissue adhesives have emerged as an alternative to sutures and staples for wound closure and reconnection of injured tissues after surgery or trauma. Owing to their convenience and effectiveness, these adhesives have received growing attention particularly in minimally invasive procedures. For safe and accurate applications, tissue adhesives should be detectable via clinical imaging modalities and be highly biocompatible for intracorporeal procedures. However, few adhesives meet all these requirements. Herein, we show that biocompatible tantalum oxide/silica core/shell nanoparticles (TSNs) exhibit not only high contrast effects for real-time imaging but also strong adhesive properties. Furthermore, the biocompatible TSNs cause much less cellular toxicity and less inflammation than a clinically used, imageable tissue adhesive (that is, a mixture of cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol). Because of their multifunctional imaging and adhesive property, the TSNs are successfully applied as a hemostatic adhesive for minimally invasive procedures and as an immobilized marker for image-guided procedures.

Ceria-Zirconia Nanoparticles as an Enhanced Multi-Antioxidant for Sepsis Treatment.

The two oxidation states of ceria nanoparticles, Ce3+ and Ce4+ , play a pivotal role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, Ce3+ is largely responsible for removing O2- and . OH that are associated with inflammatory response and cell death. The synthesis is reported of 2 nm ceria-zirconia nanoparticles (CZ NPs) that possess a higher Ce3+ /Ce4+ ratio and faster conversion from Ce4+ to Ce3+ than those exhibited by ceria nanoparticles. The obtained Ce0.7 Zr0.3 O2 (7CZ) NPs greatly improve ROS scavenging performance, thus regulating inflammatory cells in a very low dose. Moreover, 7CZ NPs are demonstrated to be effective in reducing mortality and systemic inflammation in two representative sepsis models. These findings suggest that 7CZ NPs have the potential as a therapeutic nanomedicine for treating ROS-related inflammatory diseases.

Surface design of magnetic nanoparticles for stimuli-responsive cancer imaging and therapy.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been extensively studied for their potential applications to cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, various obstacles limit the use of nanoparticles for delivery in the tumor microenvironment. As a viable solution to such obstacles, advances in nanoparticle surface engineering augmented by a profound understanding of cancer physiology present new opportunities for MNP-based imaging and therapeutic agents. Stimuli-responsive ligands, rationally designed to interact with various physicochemical aspects, can improve the performance of MNPs in cancer-targeted imaging and therapy. In this review, we highlight recent progress in the design of MNP-based stimuli-responsive nanomaterials and their applications to cancer diagnosis and treatment.