Targeted delivery of functionalized PLGA nanoparticles to macrophages by complexation with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Nanoparticles (NPs) are able to deliver a variety of substances into eukaryotic cells. However, their usage is often hampered by a lack of specificity, leading to the undesired uptake of NPs by virtually all cell types. In contrast to this, yeast is known to be specifically taken up into immune cells after entering the body. Therefore, we investigated the interaction of biodegradable surface-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles with yeast cells to overcome the unspecificity of the particulate carriers. Cells of different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were characterized regarding their interaction with PLGA-NPs under isotonic and hypotonic conditions. The particles were shown to efficiently interact with yeast cells leading to stable NP/yeast-complexes allowing to associate or even internalize compounds. Notably, applying those complexes to a coculture model of HeLa cells and macrophages, the macrophages were specifically targeted. This novel nano-in-micro carrier system suggests itself as a promising tool for the delivery of biologically active agents into phagocytic cells combining specificity and efficiency.

The effect of social support on functional recovery and wellbeing in older adults following joint arthroplasty.

Projections by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate a continual rise in the population of older adults. Along with increased dependency among older adults, chronic illness and aging may have attendant social and personal concerns in the areas of health care, community health services, and quality of life. Direct and indirect costs of osteoarthritis are $120 billion per year in medical treatment and lost wages. Every year more than 300,000 knee replacements and 120,000 hip replacements are performed in the United States (Sapountzi-Krepia et al., 2007). A large percentage of joint replacement patients have now assumed responsibility for their recovery process. This exploratory study assessed and measured social support and evaluated its impact on functional recovery and well-being in older adults after joint arthroplasty. Although social support, associated with the covariates of "living arrangements" and "age," demonstrated a positive relationship with perceived wellbeing, no relationship was demonstrated with high or low levels of social support and functional recovery.

Leading change.

Teamwork remains a big part of a rehabilitation unit's success. What do you do when there is dissension within the ranks and each shift becomes segregated, is resentful of the other, and spends a good part of each day complaining about the inadequacies of the current system? At one facility, patient falls, staff injuries, and workers' compensation cases were on the rise. Work became a chore that few looked forward to. Staff call-out rates increased, which added to the workload of the remaining staff A program was developed that provided a "tag-team" approach to care delivery for rehabilitation patients. Nurses and clinical assistants worked in pairs as they provided care. No single-person positioning and transfers were done when there was a clear need for two people. One staff member was not assigned to complete total care for patients when two staff members could complete the task more safely and efficiently. This "tag-team" approach produced positive outcomes with regard to patient and staff satisfaction.

An integrative review of the concept of well-being.

Well-being can be defined in terms of an individual's physical, mental, social, and environmental status with each aspect interacting with the other and each having differing levels of importance and impact according to each individual. A change in the different aspects of well-being of an individual may be reflected in an alteration of behavior or the performance of a task or activity. Although the current research environment has emphasized the importance of well-being, little emphasis has been placed on this concept from the individual's point of view or perspective. The definition of well-being is usually assumed or lacking in clarity with similar terms used interchangeably. Well-being has been measured in research using various scales, which may not capture the complexity of the concept. This integrative review clearly indicates the need to explore how individuals define and conceptualize health and wellness and to discover what they perceive to be the major facilitators and barriers to health and wellness for themselves and other individuals living with disability.

Surface-modified yeast cells: A novel eukaryotic carrier for oral application.

The effective targeting and subsequent binding of particulate carriers to M cells in Peyer's patches of the gut is a prerequisite for the development of oral delivery systems. We have established a novel carrier system based on cell surface expression of the ß1-integrin binding domain of invasins derived from Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All invasin derivatives were shown to be effectively expressed on the cell surface and recombinant yeast cells showed improved binding to both human HEp-2 cells and M-like cells in vitro. Among the different derivatives tested, the integrin-binding domain of Y. enterocolitica invasin proved to be the most effective and was able to target Peyer's patches in vivo. In conclusion, cell surface-modified yeasts might provide a novel bioadhesive, eukaryotic carrier system for efficient and targeted delivery of either antigens or drugs via the oral route.