Recent biomedical advancements in graphene oxide- and reduced graphene oxide-based nanocomposite nanocarriers.

Recently, nanocarriers, including micelles, polymers, carbon-based materials, liposomes, and other substances, have been developed for efficient delivery of drugs, nucleotides, and biomolecules. This review focuses on graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as active components in nanocarriers, because their chemical structures and easy functionalization can be valuable assets for in vitro and in vivo delivery. Herein, we describe the preparation, structure, and functionalization of GO and rGO.

Ultrasound assessment of the prevalence of increased gastric contents and volume in elective pediatric patients: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Though pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents occurs mainly in the setting of emergency surgery, it may also occur in children scheduled for elective surgery without any obvious clinical risk factor. Increased gastric content volume is one the predisposing factors for pulmonary aspiration that could affect such children and may be identified using ultrasound examination of the gastric antrum.

Aims: We aimed to assess the prevalence of "at-risk stomach" defined by ultrasound visualization of any solid content in the antrum and/or by calculated gastric fluid volume > 1.

Risk of cytomegalovirus infection and disease after umbilical cord blood transplantation in children.

Background: Pediatric data regarding cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in pediatric patients receiving umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation are sparse.

Objective: To determine whether UCB transplantation increases the risk of CMV infection and disease compared with other graft sources.

Methods: The medical files of patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at CHU Ste-Justine (Montreal, Quebec) from April 2000 to December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed.

Factors influencing neurological outcome of children with bacterial meningitis at the emergency department.

We performed a cohort study of children who survived bacterial meningitis after the neonatal period at a single pediatric center in France over a 10-year period (1995-2004) to identify predictors of death and long-term neurological deficits in children with bacterial meningitis. We performed multivariate regression to determine independent predictors of death and neurologic deficits. We identified 101 children with bacterial meningitis of which 19 died during initial hospitalization.