The global response: How cities and provinces around the globe tackled Covid-19 outbreaks in 2021.

Background: Tackling the spread of COVID-19 remains a crucial part of ending the pandemic. Its highly contagious nature and constant evolution coupled with a relative lack of immunity make the virus difficult to control. For this, various strategies have been proposed and adopted including limiting contact, social isolation, vaccination, contact tracing, etc.

Streamlining physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model design for intravenous delivery of nanoparticle drugs.

Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling for nanoparticles elucidates the nanoparticle drug's disposition in the body and serves a vital role in drug development and clinical studies. This paper offers a systematic and tutorial-like approach to developing a model structure and writing distribution ordinary differential equations based on asking binary questions involving the physicochemical nature of the drug in question. Further, by synthesizing existing knowledge, we summarize pertinent aspects in PBPK modeling and create a guide for building model structure and distribution equations, optimizing nanoparticle and non-nanoparticle specific parameters, and performing sensitivity analysis and model validation.

Image-guided mathematical modeling for pharmacological evaluation of nanomaterials and monoclonal antibodies.

While plasma concentration kinetics has traditionally been the predictor of drug pharmacological effects, it can occasionally fail to represent kinetics at the site of action, particularly for solid tumors. This is especially true in the case of delivery of therapeutic macromolecules (drug-loaded nanomaterials or monoclonal antibodies), which can experience challenges to effective delivery due to particle size-dependent diffusion barriers at the target site. As a result, disparity between therapeutic plasma kinetics and kinetics at the site of action may exist, highlighting the importance of target site concentration kinetics in determining the pharmacodynamic effects of macromolecular therapeutic agents.

Single trocar retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy for dysplastic poorly functioning kidney with ectopic ureter in children.

This is the first report of a single trocar nephrectomy for poorly functioning dysplastic kidney and ectopic ureter, performed in 5 patients from 2010 to 2011. The mean operative time was 63 min and mean postoperative hospital stay was 31 h. There were no perioperative complications.

Early and intermediate outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for choledochal cysts with 400 patients.

Objective: The aim of this study is to report early and intermediate outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for choledochal cysts with 400 cases.

Patients And Methods: The operation was performed using four ports. The cystic duct was identified and divided.

Thoracoscopic repair for congenital diaphragmatic hernia: experience with 139 cases.

Purpose: To analyze indications and to present details of surgical technique and outcomes of thoracoscopic repair for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in 139 patients.

Methods: We reviewed medical records of all patients with CDH who underwent thoracoscopic repair by the same surgical team from June 2001 to October 2009. Patients were placed in the lateral decubitus position.

Laparoscopic complete cyst excision and hepaticoduodenostomy for choledochal cyst: early results in 74 cases.

Objective: To report the technical details and early outcomes of complete laparoscopic cyst excision and hepaticoduodenostomy for choledochal cyst.

Methods: The operation was performed using four ports. The cystic duct was identified and divided.

Thoracoscopic repair for congenital diaphragmatic hernia: lessons from 45 cases.

Purpose: To describe the surgical technique, initial results, and overview indications of thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of patients with CDH who underwent thoracoscopic repair by the same surgeon from January 2001 to January 2005. Patients underwent surgery under general anesthesia.

Thoracoscopic pericardiectomy for purulent pericarditis: experience with 21 cases.

Purpose: We present our experience in performing thoracoscopic pericardiectomy for purulent pericarditis in 21 children.

Materials And Methods: Pericardiectomy was carried out using one optical trocar and two operating trocars. Pleural insufflation with carbon dioxide was maintained at 2-4 mm Hg.