Effect of Quarantine on Body Weight Among Residents of Assisted Living Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Assisted living facility (ALF) residents are at greater risk of declining health and death from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to advanced age, frailty, chronic conditions, and transmission prevention methods. One method, room quarantine, can lead to isolation and potential weight changes. Continuous room quarantine was mandated by the state for all nursing home and ALF residents. The objective of the current study was to determine the degree and significance of weight loss during quarantine through retrospective chart review and use these findings to guide a quality improvement project. Pre-and post-COVID-19 weights were compared for 53 house call program residents. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used. This small convenience sample demonstrated significant weight loss for 40% of ALF residents quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Males showed a greater risk of significant weight loss. Weight loss of 5% in 1 month is considered problematic in older adults. As quarantine measures continue to be used for COVID-19 outbreaks, weight changes, particularly among males, need to be monitored and reported for intervention. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(9), 29-34.].

The proton-activated G protein-coupled receptor GPR4 regulates the development of osteoarthritis via modulating CXCL12/CXCR7 signaling.

Inflammatory diseases decrease the extracellular environmental pH. However, whether proton-activated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can regulate the development of osteoarthritis (OA) is largely unknown. In this study, we report that proton-activated GPR4 is essential for OA development. We found a marked increase in expression of the proton-activated GPR4 in human and mouse OA cartilage. Lentivirus-mediated overexpression of GPR4 in mouse joints accelerated the development of OA, including promotion of articular cartilage damage, synovial hyperplasia, and osteophyte formation, while Gpr4 knockout effectively attenuated the development of posttraumatic and aging-associated OA in mice. We also found that inhibition of GPR4 with the antagonist NE52-QQ57 ameliorated OA progression in mice, promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and protected cartilage from degradation in human articular cartilage explants. Moreover, GPR4 overexpression upregulated matrix-degrading enzymes' expression and inflammation factors under pro-inflammatory and slightly acidic conditions. Mechanistically, GPR4 suppressed chondrocyte differentiation and upregulated cartilage homeostasis through NF-κB/MAPK signaling activation by regulating CXCR7/CXCL12 expression. Together, our results take the lead to illustrate that proton-activated GPCR acts as a key regulator for OA pathogenesis in vivo, and support that GPR4 could be a promising therapeutic target for OA treatment.

The Binary System of Ibuprofen-Nicotinamide Under Nanoscale Confinement: From Cocrystal to Coamorphous State.

Coamorphous systems have gained success in stabilizing amorphous drugs and improving their solubility and dissolution. Here we proposed to confine a binary mixture of drug and coformer (CF) within nanopores to obtain a nanoconfined coamorphous (NCA) system. For proving feasibility of this proposal, a poorly water-soluble drug (ibuprofen) and a frequently used pharmaceutical CF (nicotinamide) were loaded into nanopores of mesoporous silica microspheres. The solid state of NCA system was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectrum, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. With large numbers of nanopores, mesoporous silica microspheres appear to be a feasible carrier to transform a cocrystal system into coamorphism by nanoscale confinement. Benefiting from both nanoscale confinement and CF, the NCA system of ibuprofen achieved synchronic increase in dissolution properties and physical stability. Consequently, the NCA strategy is effective in achieving coamorphous state and offers a promising alternative for formulating poorly water-soluble drugs.

Facile large-scale preparation of mesoporous silica microspheres with the assistance of sucrose and their drug loading and releasing properties.

Mesoporous silica microspheres (MSMs) with a pore-size larger than 10nm and a large pore-volume have attracted considerable attention for their application in delivering poorly water-soluble drugs. Here we developed a simple method for large-scale synthesis of MSMs using sodium silicate as silica precursor. The novelty of this approach lies in the use of sucrose solution to achieve large size and volume of nanopores. The highest values of pore size and pore volume are 13.2 nm and 1.97 cm(3)/g, respectively. Importantly, the method is reliable and easily upscalable. The blank and drug-loaded MSMs were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Ibuprofen and resveratrol were successfully loaded into the nanopores of MSMs in amorphous and nanocrystalline form and showed high drug-loadings and enhanced dissolution rates. This kind of MSMs appears to be a promising candidate as a new oral drug delivery vehicle providing a rapid drug release.