Home visits for preterm/low birthweight infants in South Africa: Qualitative evidence synthesis.

Background: Prematurity and low birth weight (LBW) are the main causes of neonatal mortality in South Africa (SA). Home visits by lay health workers (LHWs) may be effective in addressing this.

Aim: To inform a national guideline on LHW home visits as part of the Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA) project, we conducted a rapid qualitative evidence synthesis exploring the acceptability, feasibility and equitability of this intervention for preterm and LBW babies.

Nanostructured lipid carriers decorated with polyphosphate coated linear and loop cell-penetrating peptides.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the cellular uptake of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) decorated with polyphosphate coated linear and loop cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs).

Methods: Linear-CPPs and loop-CPPs were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization and anchored on the surface NLCs, followed by coating with polyphosphate (PP). These nanocarriers (NCs) were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential.

Charge-converting nanocarriers: Phosphorylated polysaccharide coatings for overcoming intestinal barriers.

For the design of charge-converting nanocarriers (NCs), cationic lipid-based NCs containing curcumin as model drug were coated with phosphorylated starch (NC-SP) and phosphorylated dextran (NC-DP). NCs showed a drug encapsulation efficiency of 94 % and had a mean size of 175 to 180 nm. The recorded zeta potential of the core NC (cNC) was +8.