Novel Tumor-Targeted Self-Nanostructured and Compartmentalized Water-in-Oil-in-Water Polyurethane-Polyurea Nanocapsules for Cancer Theragnosis.

Encapsulation of water-soluble bioactive compounds for enabling specific accumulation in tumor locations, while avoiding premature clearance and/or degradation in the bloodstream, is one of the main hallmarks in nanomedicine, especially that of NIR fluorescent probes for cancer theragnosis. The herein reported technology furnishes water-dispersible double-walled polyurethane-polyurea hybrid nanocapsules (NCs) loaded with indocyanine green (ICG-NCs), using a versatile and highly efficient one-pot and industrially scalable synthetic process based on the use of two different prepolymers to set up the NCs walls. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy confirmed that both ICG-loaded NCs internalized in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs). The in vivo analysis of xenograft A375 mouse melanoma model revealed that amphoteric functionalization of NCs' surface promotes the selective accumulation of ICG-NCs in tumor tissues, making them promising agents for a less-invasive theragnosis of cancer.

Vaccines for Non-Viral Cancer Prevention.

Cancer vaccines are a type of immune therapy that seeks to modulate the host's immune system to induce durable and protective immune responses against cancer-related antigens. The little clinical success of therapeutic cancer vaccines is generally attributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment at late-stage diseases. The administration of cancer-preventive vaccination at early stages, such as pre-malignant lesions or even in healthy individuals at high cancer risk could increase clinical efficacy by potentiating immune surveillance and pre-existing specific immune responses, thus eliminating de novo appearing lesions or maintaining equilibrium. Indeed, research focus has begun to shift to these approaches and some of them are yielding encouraging outcomes.

Is There a Safe and Effective Way to Treat Trigeminal Neuralgia Associated with Vertebrobasilar Dolichoectasia? Presentation of 8 Cases and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) associated with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia is challenging. We analyze the treatments for this disease, discussing the advantages and drawbacks, and present our own technique and series. METHODS: This retrospective study covered the period January 2006 through January 2016. Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia deviation from midline, basilar artery (BA) and vertebral artery diameter, and BA apex distance above the posterior clinoid process were measured on preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. The BA was repositioned and kept in place with coagulation of the clival dura, Teflon pledgets, and fibrin glue. We also performed a thorough literature review using PubMed. RESULTS: Our cases included 5 men and 3 women with mean age 64.88 years ± 10.32 (range, 48-81 years); 7 cases were TN, and 1 case was painful tic convulsif. Pain was on the left side in 6 cases and on the right in 2 cases. All cases affected cranial nerve V2 and/or V3 divisions. Both V2 and V3 were affected in 4 cases, V3 was affected in 3 cases, and V2 was affected in 1 case. Hypertension was present in 5 cases. TN disappeared postoperatively in all cases. One patient took clonazepam 2 mg/24 hours for 3 months because of facial dysesthesia. Postoperative complications included hearing loss in 1 patient; facial paresis plus diplopia in 1 patient, which resolved in 3 months; and arterial hypertension. Postoperative arterial hypertension improved in all affected patients, although only 2 patients discontinued antihypertensive medications. Mean follow-up time was 56.50 months ± 40.08 (range, 14 months to 9 years 9 months). No patient showed pain recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: TN associated with vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia can be treated surgically with minimal morbidity. BA repositioning has the highest success rate. Our technique of inducing a dural scar to fix the BA in its new position away from the trigeminal nerve is simple, not technically demanding, and highly effective.

Very Early Presentation of Extrahepatic Portal Vein Obstruction Causing Portal Hypertension in an Infant: Uncertainties in the Management and Therapeutic Limitations.

Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction, although rare in children, is a significant cause of portal hypertension (PHT) leading to life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding in the pediatric age group. PHT may also lead to other complications such as hyperesplenism, cholangyopathy, ascites, and even hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension that may require organ transplantation. Herein we report the case of an asymptomatic 11-month-old infant wherein a hepatomegaly and cavernous transformation of the portal vein was detected by liver ultrasound. Neither signs of thrombosis in arteriovenous system, nor affectation of biliary tract were identified in the magnetic resonance imaging study. A significant enlargement of the caudate lobe of the liver was reported. No risk factors were detected. The differential diagnosis performed was extensive. Inherited thrombophilia and storage disorders were especially considered. Liver biopsy was normal. Upper gastrointestinal esophagogastroduodenoscopy detected two small varicose cords on the distal third of the esophagus. Finding a cavernous transformation of the portal vein with evidence of collateral circulation in such an early age is a challenging condition for professionals, since PHT may lead to severe complications during childhood and can compromise growth and development. Evidence-based guidelines for the management of PHT in adults have been published. However, follow-up and treatment of pediatric patients have not yet been standardized. Moreover, management of PHT in infants faces particular difficulties such as technical restrictions that could hinder their treatment.