Cascade-Targeting of Charge-Reversal and Disulfide Bonds Shielding for Efficient DOX Delivery of Multistage Sensitive MSNs-COS-SS-CMC.

Background: Although pH and redox sensitiveness have been extensively investigated to improve therapeutic efficiency, the effect of disulfide bonds location and pH-triggered charge-reversal on cascade-targeting still need to be further evaluated in cancer treatment with multi-responsive nanoparticles.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to design multi-responsive DOX@MSNs-COS-NN-CMC, DOX@MSNs-COS-SS-CMC and DOX@MSNs-COS-CMC-SS and systematically investigate the effects of disulfide bonds location and charge-reversal on the cancer cell specificity, endocytosis mechanisms and antitumor efficiency.

Results: In vitro drug release rate of DOX@MSNs-COS-SS-CMC in tumor environments was 7-fold higher than that under normal physiological conditions after 200 h.

Amphiphilic poly(caprolactone--hydroxyethyl acrylamide) micelles for controlled drug delivery.

To increase the bioavailability and water solubility of hydrophobic medicine, an amphiphilic block copolymer, polycaprolactone--polyhydroxyethyl acrylamide (PCL--PHEAA), was synthesized. The copolymer can self-assemble into micelles by dialysis. The micelles were characterized by the Tyndall effect, static drop method, fluorescence spectrometry, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Use of high-fidelity 3-dimensional-printed models for training novice residents in basic nasal endoscopic skills.

Background: The use of 3-dimensional (3D)-printed models is promising in nasal endoscopic technique training. Here, we aimed to develop postsurgical simulants for use in conjunction with 3D-printed nasal models and to assess their usefulness in helping residents transfer basic endoscopic skills acquired during simulation training to clinical situations.

Methods: The secretion simulant was prepared via a crosslinked reaction between sodium alginate and acrylamide, whereas the packing simulant was prepared using a superabsorbent polymer.

Cell Type-Dependent Specificity and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Charge-Reversible MSNs-COS-CMC for Targeted Drug Delivery in Cervical Carcinoma.

The surface charge of nanocarriers inevitably affects drug delivery efficiency; however, the cancer cell specificity, anti-inflammatory effects, and charge-reversal points remain to be further addressed in biomedical applications. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the cancer cell specificity of DOX-loaded mesoporous silica-chitosan oligosaccharide-carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (DOX@MSNs-COS-CMC) in MCF-7 and HeLa cells, inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, and improve the drug accumulation in the tumor site. Intracellular results reveal that the retention time prolonged to 48 h in both HeLa and MCF-7 cells at pH 7.

pH-Triggered Charge-Reversal Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Stabilized by Chitosan Oligosaccharide/Carboxymethyl Chitosan Hybrids for Effective Intracellular Delivery of Doxorubicin.

Surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) is a promising way to enhance therapeutic efficacy and minimize side effects of anticancer drugs. In this work, MSNs with reduced particle size and optimum pore diameter were obtained and catalyzed by ammonia/triethanolamine. In view of the negatively charged carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and positively charged chitosan oligosaccharide (CS), the pH-triggered charge-reversal CS/CMC bilayer was designed as a stimuli-responsive switch for MSNs via the protonation and deprotonation effect.

Creation and validation of three-dimensional printed models for basic nasal endoscopic training.

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printed models have been shown to be promising in surgical training in rhinology. The objectives of this study were to develop a set of 3D-printed models including the pediatric and adult nasal cavity, and the postsurgical paranasal sinuses, and to assess the face and content validity in endoscopic training.

Methods: The computed tomography (CT) data of a pediatric patient without nasal disorders and an adult patient with nasal septal deviation were selected to produce the models of the pediatric and adult nasal cavity, and the CT data of an adult patient who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery 4 months ago was chosen to create the paranasal sinus model.

[Clinical features of hepatitis A in 1,629 children].

Background: To investigate the clinical features of hepatitis A in 1 629 children under 14 years of age treated in our department at various periods of time.

Methods: The patients were divided into two groups: 1. Group A consisted of 883 patients treated from January 1984 to December 1990; 2.