Development of puerarin-loaded poly(lactic acid) microspheres for sustained ocular delivery: In vitro/vivo evaluation.

Diabetic retinopathy, an ocular complication of diabetes, is an important cause of blindness in adults. Puerarin is considered to have promising potential for clinical use in treating diabetic retinopathy. In this study, we designed a novel puerarin-loaded poly(lactic acid) sustained-release microspheres suitable for ocular administration, and we assessed itsin vitro and in vivo properties.

Design and Evaluation of Ophthalmic Thermosensitive In Situ Gel of Compound Salvia.

The compound Salvia Recipe has been shown to have a relatively significant curative effect in management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This work aimed to prepare a thermosensitive in situ gel (ISG) delivery system that utilizes Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for ocular administration of the compound Salvia recipe to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The central composite design-response surface method was utilized to improve the prescription of the gel.

Preparation, characterisation, pharmacokinetics and distribution of esculin microspheres administered via intravitreal injection into rabbit brain.

This study explored the distribution of esculin microspheres in rabbit brain tissue following intravitreal injection and investigated the possibility of direct entry of the drug into the brain through the eye, to develop a formulation with enhanced therapeutic efficacy against Parkinson's disease.Chitosan microspheres of esculin were prepared an emulsification cross-linking method and their characteristics were evaluated, including angle of repose, bulk density, and swelling ratio. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic parameters and brain tissue distribution in rabbits were compared among groups administered esculin eye drops, intravitreal esculin solution, and intravitreal esculin microspheres, to determine whether esculin could enter the brain through an ocular route.

Development and Assessment of Acyclovir Gel Plaster Containing Sponge Spicules.

Acyclovir is an acyclic purine nucleoside analog that is highly effective in inhibiting the herpes simplex virus. However, topical acyclovir has poor efficacy because of its low skin permeability. This study aimed to develop an acyclovir gel plaster containing sponge spicules (AGP-SS) to achieve synergistic improvements in skin absorption and deposition of acyclovir.

Transdermal administration of ibuprofen-loaded hexagonal liquid crystal gel for enhancement of drug concentration in the uterus: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common disease in women, and oral administration of Ibuprofen (IBU) is associated with first-pass effects and gastrointestinal irritation. Here, we developed ibuprofen-loaded hexagonal liquid crystal (IBU HLC) gel for transdermal administration. In this study, the structure of prepared IBU HLC was characterized using polarizing microscopey (PLM) and small angle X ray diffraction (SAXS).

A Novel Molecular Reservoir Based on Reverse Self-Assembled Liquid Crystals - A New Strategy for Prolonging the Duration in Action of Analgesics.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop liquid crystal (LC) precursors to obtain novel long-acting analgesics for injection based on depot systems and compare the difference between the cubic and hexagonal precursors in delivering Diclofenac sodium (DS).

Methods: Diclofenac sodium liquid crystal precursor injections were prepared and characterized, followed by in vitro release, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic studies.

Results: The optimal formulations were prepared with a ratio of Phytantriol/ethanol/water as 76:19:5 for cubic LC precursors, and a ratio of Phytantriol/ethanol/water/Vitamine-E acetate as 72:18:5:5 for hexagonal, both loading various drug dosages (2.

In situ formation of injectable organogels for punctal occlusion and sustained release of therapeutics: design, preparation, in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

The treatment of dry eye mainly includes instillation of cyclosporine A (CsA) nanoemulsion or the use of punctal plugs. Therefore, in this study, a novel injectable in situ organogel plug was developed using CsA as a model drug, stearic acid, injectable soybean oil, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) (1.25:10:0.

Development of a Thermosensitive In-Situ Gel Formulations of Vancomycin Hydrochloride: Design, Preparation, In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to develop a thermosensitive in situ gel delivery system based on Poloxamer 407 and Poloxamer 188 for ocular administration of vancomycin to treat systemic diseases. The vancomycin thermosensitive in situ gel was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, rheological and drug release analyses. Additionally, pharmacokinetic studies and irritation tests of the gel were conducted after ocular administration in rabbits.

The predictive value of blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis following ABO-incompatible liver transplantation.

Background: The study was designed to assess the role of preoperative neutrophil, lymphocyte, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting survival outcomes of ABO-incompatible liver transplantation (LT).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively collected the demographic and clinical characteristics of 71 patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis following ABO-incompatible LT in this study. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox multiple factors regression analysis were performed to determine the independent risk factors from preoperative blood parameters for poor prognosis.

FAM83D associates with high tumor recurrence after liver transplantation involving expansion of CD44+ carcinoma stem cells.

To investigate the potential oncogene promoting recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following liver transplantation (LT), throughput RNA sequencing was performed in a subgroup of HCC patients. The up-regulated FAM83D in HCC tissues was found and further verified in 150 patients by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. FAM83D overexpression significantly correlated with high HCC recurrence rate following LT and poor HCC characteristics such as high AFP, poor differentiation.

MicroRNA-452 promotes stem-like cells of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting Sox7 involving Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

The decrease of microRNA-452 (miR-452) in gliomas promoted stem-like features and tumorigenesis. However, the role of miR-452, especially in regulating cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains ambiguous. We enriched stem-like HCC cells by serial passages of hepatospheres with chemotherapeutic agents.

High neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio indicates poor prognosis for acute-on-chronic liver failure after liver transplantation.

Aim: To investigate the significance of pre-transplant neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in determining the prognosis of liver transplant (LT) recipients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Methods: Data were collected from the liver transplantation data bank. The NLR values and other conventional inflammatory markers were evaluated for their ability to predict the prognosis of 153 patients with ACLF after LT.

Absolute lymphocyte count recovery at 1 month after transplantation predicts favorable outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and the recovery of ALC after treatment have been identified as a prognostic biomarker for several malignancies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic role of peritransplant ALC and ALC recovery after liver transplantation (LT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods: A total of 269 HCC patients undergoing LT were enrolled in our study.

Role of overexpression of MACC1 and/or FAK in predicting prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

Background: Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) acts as a promoter of tumor metastasis; however, the predictive value of MACC1 for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT) remains unclear.

Methods: We examined the expression of MACC1 and its target genes MET and FAK by quantitative PCR in 160 patients with HCC that was undergone LT.

Results: The patients with MACC1(high) or FAK(high) in HCCs showed a significantly shorter overall survival and higher cumulative recurrence rates after liver transplantation (LT), compared with MACC1(low) or FAK(low) group.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 gene predict the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after transplantation.

Background: The newly identified metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) gene is involved in angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasiveness, and metastasis in a variety of malignancies. Overexpression of MACC1 gene is a prognostic marker for poor outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the association between genetic polymorphisms of MACC1 gene and poor outcome in HCC has been not been performed.

Bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: While bisphosphonates (BPs) are commonly used in clinical treatment for osteoporosis, their roles on osteoporosis treatment for rheumatic patients remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of BPs on fractures prevention and bone mass preserving in rheumatic patients.

Methodology/principal Findings: We searched PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant literatures with a time limit of Jan.

Prognostic role of C-reactive protein in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) which used to be a prototypical inflammatory cytokine has been identified involving in the progression of tumor-promoting inflammation. Several studies have indicated that CRP is a predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the results are controversial.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of ten studies (1885 patients) to examine the association of high serum CRP expression with overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in HCC patients by meta-analysis.

Reduced expression of DACT2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression: involvement of methylation-mediated gene silencing.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies in humans, and its prognosis is generally poor even after surgery. Many advances have been made to understand the pathogenesis of HCC; however, the molecular mechanisms that lead to hepatocarcinogenesis and progression are still not clearly understood.

Methods: The expression of DACT2 in specimens from 30 paired HCCs and an additional 61 HCC patients after liver transplantation was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis.

Doxorubicin-eluting bead versus conventional TACE for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Background/aims: Doxorubicin-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE) has recently been developed as a novel therapy option for HCC. However, the clinical efficacy of DEB-TACE is still unclear. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of DEB-TACE compared with conventional TACE (cTACE).