Self-Assembled Copper-Based Nanoparticles for Glutathione Activated and Enzymatic Cascade-Enhanced Ferroptosis and Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment.

As an emerging cancer treatment strategy, ferroptosis is greatly restricted by excessive glutathione (GSH) in tumor microenvironment (TME) and low reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency. Here, this work designs self-assembled copper-alanine nanoparticles (CACG) loaded with glucose oxidase (GOx) and cinnamaldehyde (Cin) for in situ glutathione activated and enzymatic cascade-enhanced ferroptosis and immunotherapy. In response to GSH-rich and acidic TME, CACG allows to effectively co-deliver Cu , Cin, and GOx into tumors.

Colon-targeted bacterial hydrogel for tumor vascular normalization and improved chemotherapy.

The endogenous HS plays an important role in the occurrence and development of colon cancer, and is related to the abnormal blood vessels. Here, we reported on a sulfhydryl hyaluronid-based hydrogel (HA-SH) synthesized by amide reaction and further obtained a bacterial hydrogel by loading Thiobacillus denitrificans to the hydrogel for targeting adhesion to the colon. It was found that the loaded bacteria in HA-SH hydrogel can scavenge excess HS in colon cancer, then promote tumor vascular normalization and improve the delivery of chemotherapy drug CPT to inhibit tumor progression.

The implications of an integrated management model of prenatal diagnosis/postnatal treatment for premature infants with critical congenital heart disease-a case-control study.

Background: The high death rate and medical costs of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in preterm infants has resulted in significant burdens on both countries and individuals. It is unclear how this affects the mortality of the integrated management model of prenatal diagnosis/postnatal treatment. This study explored the effects of the delivery classification scale for fetal heart and postnatal infants' CCHD on prenatal and postnatal integrated treatment strategies to improve the effectiveness of disease management in CCHD.

A heterogenic membrane-based biomimetic hybrid nanoplatform for combining radiotherapy and immunotherapy against breast cancer.

Radiotherapy is adopted to obliterate multiple malignant tumors clinically, which might also induce antitumor immune response. However, traditional radiotherapy is not enough to ablate tumors and activate long-term immunological response. Here, we developed a hybrid nanoplatform (MGTe) composed of GTe (glutathione (GSH) decorated Te nanoparticles) and fusing tumor cell membranes (TM) and bacterial outer membranes (BM).

Research progress in AIE-based crystalline porous materials for biomedical applications.

Crystalline porous materials (CPMs) not only present the precise integration of molecular building blocks into extensible structures with periodic frameworks and regular pores, but also provide limited molecular spaces for the interactions of guest molecules, electrons and photons. Incorporating aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based units into crystalline porous frameworks can result in unique luminescent properties. AIE-based CPMs have widely tunable composition, high luminescent efficiency and good photo-stability, which make them useful for biomedical applications involving bio-sensing, bio-imaging and imaging-guided therapies.

Progress of engineered bacteria for tumor therapy.

Recently, with the rapid development of bioengineering technology and nanotechnology, natural bacteria were modified to change their physiological activities and therapeutic functions for improved therapeutic efficiency of diseases. These engineered bacteria were equipped to achieve directed genetic reprogramming, selective functional reorganization and precise spatio-temporal control. In this review, research progress in the basic modification methodologies of engineered bacteria were summarized, and representative researches about their therapeutic performances for tumor treatment were illustrated.

The clinical value of ultrasonic cardiac output monitor in very-low birth-weight and extremely-low-birth-weight infants undergoing PDA ligation.

Background: Cardiorespiratory instability occurs very often in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants undergoing patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation during the early postoperative period. This study aimed to investigate ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) as a bedside tool by evaluating the hemodynamic changes in preterm infants following PDA ligation and assessing factors that may influence these changes.

Methods: This was a single-center prospective observational study at a third-level neonatal intensive care unit.

Plasma membrane targeted photodynamic O economizer for hypoxic tumor therapy.

The development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is severely limited by short half-life of singlet oxygen (O) and the hypoxic microenvironment. In this work, a plasma membrane targeted photodynamic O economizer (designated as P-POE) is developed to improve the subcellular delivery of photosensitizers and alleviate the tumor hypoxia for enhanced PDT effect. After self-assembly into nanomicelles, P-POE has a relatively high stability and a favorable photochemical performance, which are conducive to boosting the O production.

Nitric Oxide Release Device for Remote-Controlled Cancer Therapy by Wireless Charging.

Traditional phototherapies face the issue that the insufficient penetration of light means it is difficult to reach deep lesions, which greatly reduces the feasibility of cancer therapy. Here, an implantable nitric oxide (NO)-release device is developed to achieve long-term, long-distance, remote-controllable gas therapy for cancer. The device consists of a wirelessly powered light-emitting diode (wLED) and S-nitrosoglutathione encapsulated with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), obtaining the NO-release wLED (NO-wLED).

PLA-PEG Micelles Loaded with a Classic Vasodilator for Oxidative Cataract Prevention.

The only treatment for cataract in clinic is the clouded lens removal combined with artificial lens implantation. In this study, nifedipine (NFP), a classic vasodilator, was loaded in a U.S.

Comparison of decision-making in neonatal care between China and Japan.

Background: Various differences between China and Japan in approaches to medical treatment have been noted, but a few studies have examined differences in medical decision-making, especially in neonatal care. The aim of this study was to clarify these differences by means of a questionnaire.

Methods: The subjects were physicians on the staff of NICUs in China and Japan.

[Spatial point patterns and their association dynamics of forest landscapes in Maoershan region, Northeast China between 1983 and 2016.].

Researches on the dynamics of spatial point patterns and their associations of forest landscape has important implications for maintaining forest stability and making forest management decisions. Based on the four period datasets of forest resource inventory in Maoershan region in 1983, 1993, 2004, and 2016, the O-ring statistics within Programita software (version 2010) was used to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of spatial point patterns and associations. The results showed that the cover percentage of soft-wood broadleaved mixed forest (SBM) significantly decreased, the percentage of natural Quercus mongolica (NMO) increased in the beginning, and then became lower.

Versatile Supermolecular Inclusion Complex Based on Host-Guest Interaction for Targeted Gene Delivery.

A facile and targeted gene delivery system was prepared by conjugating β-cyclodextrin modified polyethylenimine (PEI-CD) and adamantyl peptide (AdGRGDS) based on host-guest interaction. With the rational design between PEI-CD and AdGRGDS, the PEI-CD/AdGRGDS gene delivery system showed excellent DNA binding capability and exhibited good ability to compact DNA into uniform spherical nanoparticles. In vitro luciferase assay showed that gene expression transfected by PEI-CD/AdGRGDS was stronger than that by PEI-CD in HeLa cells, whereas gene expression transfected by PEI-CD/AdGRGDS and PEI-CD was similar to each other in COS7 cells.

Mitochondria-targeting "Nanoheater" for enhanced photothermal/chemo-therapy.

In this work, mitochondria-targeting gold nanostar (AuNS) and anticarcinogen DOX were co-encapsulated in hyaluronic acid (HA) protective shell for tumor-targeting synergistic photothermal/chemo-therapy. Cationic peptide R and mitochondria-targeting pro-apoptotic peptide TPP-KLA were co-decorated on AuNS to form AuNS-pep via Au-S bonds. Then, electronegative HA was further coated on the surface via electrostatic interaction for cancer cell targeting.

Gold Nanocluster Decorated Polypeptide/DNA Complexes for NIR Light and Redox Dual-Responsive Gene Transfection.

Endo/lysosomal escape and subsequent nuclear translocation are recognized as the two major challenges for efficient gene transfection. Herein, nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptide sequences and oligomeric lysine sequences were crosslinked via disulfide bonds to obtain glutathione (GSH) reducible polypeptide (pNLS). The pNLS could condense DNA into compact positive-charged complexes with redox sensitivity, and then gold nanoclusters (AuNC) were further decorated to the surface via electrostatic interactions obtaining versatile pNLS/DNA/AuNC complexes.

Cucurbit[8]uril Regulated Activatable Supramolecular Photosensitizer for Targeted Cancer Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy.

Activatable photosensitizers (aPSs) have emerged as promising photodynamic therapy (PDT) agents for simultaneous imaging and selective ablation of cancer. However, traditional synthetic aPSs are limited by complex design and tedious synthesis. Here, aPS regulated by cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) for targeted cancer imaging and PDT is reported.

[Forest landscapes' spatial point patterns and associations based on Ripley L and O-ring functions].

Based-on the data of forest resource inventory in Pangu Forest Farm of Great Xing' an Mountains in northeastern China, the spatial distribution pattern and associations of the main forest landscape types [natural Larix gmelini forest (NLG), natural Betula platyphylla forest (NBP), natural coniferous mixed forest (NCM) and natural mixed broadleaf-conifer forest (NCB)] were studied by the two main spatial point pattern analysis methods (Ripley L and O-ring functions). The results showed that the spatial distribution pattern of the four forest landscape types were all consistent with each other the whole, which were all significantly clumped at small scale, and then mainly the obvious characteristics of random distribution with the increase of scale. Spatial associations of the four forest landscape types differed significantly with the Ripley L and O-ring functions.

A redox-responsive drug delivery system based on RGD containing peptide-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

In this paper, an intracellular glutathione (GSH) responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN-S-S-RGD) was developed as a drug nanocarrier by immobilizing the gatekeeper (RGD containing peptide) onto MSNs using disulfide bonds. The antitumor drug, DOX was loaded onto the porous structure of the MSNs and the DOX@MSN-S-S-RGD system has been proved to be an effective nanocarrier. It was determined that most of the drug could be entrapped with only a slight leakage.

High length-diameter ratio nanotubes self-assembled from a facial cyclopeptide.

A six-residue facial cyclopeptide was designed with the following sequence: c-[D-Leu-L-Lys-D-Ala-L-Lys-D-Leu-L-Gln] (CP). Extensive hydrogen bonding between the cyclopeptide backbones mainly regulated CP to self-assemble into single-walled nanotubes. Simultaneously, the hydrophobic interaction among facial hydrophobic side chains of CP was introduced to stabilize the hydrogen bonding, resulting in the formation of the thick-walled nanotubes with high length–diameter ratios.

Fabrication of novel reduction-sensitive gene vectors based on three-armed peptides.

To address the inherent barriers of gene transfection, two reduction-sensitive branched polypeptides (RBPs) are synthesized and explored as novel non-viral gene vectors. The introduced disulfide linkages in RBPs facilitate glutathione-triggered intracellular gene release and reduce polymer degradation-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the highly branched architecture concurrently realizes multivalency for strong DNA binding and elicits conformational flexibility for tight DNA compacting, which are beneficial for cellular entry.

Oligoamines grafted hyperbranched polyether as high efficient and serum-tolerant gene vectors.

To develop low toxic, high efficient, and excellent serum-tolerant polycation gene delivery systems, a series of oligoamines grafted hyperbranched polyether (oligoamines-g-HBP) were synthesized by conjugating different oligoamines, including triethylenetetramine (TETA) and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), onto COOH-functionalized hyperbranched poly(3-ethyl-3-oxetanemethanol). It was found that oligoamines-g-HBP exhibited good buffering capacity, strong DNA binding and high resistance against protein adsorption. In vitro cytotoxicity measurement indicated that oligoamines-g-HBP had much lower cytotoxicity as compared with 25 kDa PEI.

[Clinical study of neonatal cardiac output measurement methods].

Objective: To assess agreement between the ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) and conventional echocardiography (ECHO) in the measurement of cardiac output in newborn infants, investigate the accuracy and clinical utility of the USCOM in healthy neonates. To explore a more convenient, faster, more accurate hemodynamic monitoring method, for improving the outcome of the critically ill neonates.

Method: From October 1(st), 2011 to March 31(st), 2012, a total of 49 infants were included, 20 were term infants, 29 were preterm infants.

Measurement of systemic oxygen delivery and inotropy in healthy term neonates with the Ultrasonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM).

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the normal values for Smith-Madigan inotropy (SMI), Smith-Madigan inotropy index (SMII), oxygen delivery (DO2) and oxygen delivery index DO2I in healthy term neonates on the first day of life and during circulatory adaptation over the first three days of life.

Methods: Hemodynamics of the left heart were measured non-invasively in 71 normal full-term neonates over the first three days using the Ultrasonic Cardiac Output Monitor (USCOM). This was combined with hemoglobin concentration from umbilical cord blood and pulse oximetry to calculate DO2 and DO2I.

Effect of peptides and their introduction methods on target gene transfer of gene vector based on disulfide-containing polyethyleneimine.

To evaluate the effect of different peptides as well as their introduction methods on target gene transfer of gene vectors based on disulfide-containing polyethyleneimine (SS-PEI), a series of peptides including N(3)-GRGDSF, GRGDSF, and EEEEEEEEGRGDSF (E(8)GRGDSF) were prepared. N(3)-GRGDSF was conjugated to SS-PEI by click chemistry and SS-PEI-GRGDSF was obtained. GRGDSF was non-covalently introduced into SS-PEI/DNA mainly through hydrogen bonding to obtain SS-PEI/DNA/GRGDSF complexes, whereas E(8)GRGDSF was further non-covalently introduced to SS-PEI/DNA through electrostatic force to obtain SS-PEI/DNA/E(8)GRGDSF complexes.