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Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol 2021 Apr 19;225(2):183-187. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that was first isolated in Wuhan, China, and resulted in a rapidly spreading pandemic worldwide. Currently there is only limited evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on pregnant women.

Case: Here we present one of the first serious COVID-19 cases in pregnancy at term with subsequent delivery. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2021 Apr 16;139:111563. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Neurobiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is globally considered as one of the most debilitating disorders, which interferes with daily activities and life of the affected patients. Despite many developments in related recognizing and treating procedures, post-SCI neuropathic pain (NP) is still a clinical challenge for clinicians with no distinct treatments. Accordingly, a comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and national database (SID and Irandoc). Read More

Mol Immunol 2021 Apr 16;135:73-83. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Infectious Diseases and Immunology in Global Health Program (IDIGH), The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada; Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada. Electronic address:

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane-bound "delivery trucks" that are present in the extracellular environment, including biological fluids. EVs are capable of inducing changes in the physiological status of neighboring cells through the transfer of key macromolecules, and are thought to play a role in a number of pathological processes. Leishmaniasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania, is an important example. Read More

Asian J Psychiatr 2021 Apr 6;60:102646. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Clinical Psychology and Behavioural Health Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Centre for Healthy Ageing and Wellness (H-CARE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Background: The effects of aging and its associated cognitive decline is particularly acute in Asia given the exponential growth of older adults as a proportion of the population as a whole. Many structured cognitive interventions have been proposed to prevent the cognitive decline typically seen in older age, but their utility as a viable means of achieving these goals is questionable.

Objectives: To summarize and synthesize evidence on the utility and methodological quality of cognitive-based interventions on cognitive performance and associated secondary outcomes among healthy older adults in Asia, as well as novel, culture-specific components of cognitive interventions across the region. Read More

Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2021 Apr 16;292:102416. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Food Materials and Process Design Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. Electronic address:

The unique properties of graphene and graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites make them suitable for a wide range of medical, industrial, and agricultural applications. The addition of graphene or GO to a polymeric matrix can ameliorate its thermo-mechanical, electrical, and barrier characteristics. The present paper reviews the literature on graphene/GO-based bio-nanocomposites and examines the various fabrication methods, such as chemical vapor deposition, chemical synthesis, microwave synthesis, the solvothermal method, molecular beam epitaxy, and colloidal suspension. Read More

J Colloid Interface Sci 2021 Mar 26;597:278-288. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Biological Physics and Soft Matter Group, Department of Physics, King's College London, London, WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Liquid lipid nanoparticles (LLN) are oil-in-water nanoemulsions of great interest in the delivery of hydrophobic drug molecules. They consist of a surfactant shell and a liquid lipid core. The small size of LLNs makes them difficult to study, yet a detailed understanding of their internal structure is vital in developing stable drug delivery vehicles (DDVs). Read More

J Colloid Interface Sci 2021 Apr 8;597:223-232. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK.

The formation of surface multilayer structures, induced by the addition of multivalent counterions in dilute surfactant solutions, has been widely observed in a range of anionic surfactants. The phenomenon is associated with the ability to manipulate surface properties, especially in the promotion of enhanced surface wetting, and in the presence of an extensive near surface reservoir for rapid surface delivery of surfactant and other active components.

Hypothesis: In the single alkyl chain anionic surfactants, such as sodium dodecysulfate, SDS, sodium alkylethoxylsulfate, SAES, and alkylestersulfonate, AES, surface multilayer formation is promoted by trivalent counterions such as Al, and is generally not observed with divalent counterions, such as Ca or with monovalent counterions. Read More

Food Chem 2021 Mar 31;357:129732. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China. Electronic address:

The stabilizing effect of pecan protein (PP)/xanthan gum (XG) complex on the Pickering high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) has been examined in this study. Shear viscosity of HIPEs increased with respect to XG concentration due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between PP and XG. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging showed fairly even distribution and polygonal shapes of oil droplets (30-70 μm). Read More

J Surg Res 2021 Apr 16;265:27-32. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire; Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire; The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Background: At any given time, almost 2 million individuals are in prisons or jails in the United States. Incarceration status has been associated with disproportionate rates of cancer and infectious diseases. However, little is known about the burden emergency general surgery (EGS) in criminal justice involved (CJI) populations. Read More

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021 Apr 11;203:111760. Epub 2021 Apr 11.

Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre (VUMC), 2215 Garland Avenue, 1075 Lab Suite MRB IV, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Biomedical Parasitology and Nano-immunology Lab, CSIR Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), CH, India. Electronic address:

The present study was designed to develop pH-sensitive lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (pHS-LPHNPs) for specific cytosolic-delivery of docetaxel (DTX). The pHS-LPHNPs-DTX formulation was prepared by self-assembled nano-precipitation technique and characterized for zeta potential, particle size, entrapment efficiency, polydispersity index (PDI), and in vitro drug release. In vitro cytotoxicity of pHS-LPHNPs-DTX was assessed on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and compared with DTX-loaded conventional LPHNPs and bare DTX. Read More

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021 Apr 14;203:111769. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, South Korea; Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, South Korea. Electronic address:

The present study aims to evaluate the synthesis of nanohydroxyapatite/collagen-loaded fucoidan-based composite hydrogel and characterized its physico-chemical properties for targeted drug delivery to gastrointestinal cancer cells. The nanomaterial is fabricated and characterized as small spherical nanosheets with a high thermal stability by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis spectrophotometry (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). in vitro cytotoxicity, BrdU cell proliferation, and scratch assays demonstrate that the nanohydroxyapatite/collagen-loaded fucoidan-based nanomaterial exhibits non-toxicity and increases cell proliferation and migration. Read More

Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biopharmaceutics, Uppsala University, Sweden. Electronic address:

Accurate in vivo predictions of intestinal absorption of low solubility drugs require knowing their solubility in physiologically relevant dissolution media. Aspirated human intestinal fluids (HIF) are the gold standard, followed by simulated intestinal HIF in the fasted and fed state (FaSSIF/FeSSIF). However, current HIF characterization data vary, and there is also some controversy regarding the accuracy of FaSSIF and FeSSIF for predicting drug solubility in HIF. Read More

Int J Pharm 2021 Apr 16:120582. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan; Advanced Transdermal Drug Delivery System Center, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan; Division of Biotechnology, Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. Electronic address:

Human skin contains numerous antigen-presenting cells that are a potential target for several immune-based therapies, including vaccination and cancer immunotherapy. However, the outermost layer of the skin-the stratum corneum-acts as a major physical barrier against the permeation of antigens that have a molecular weight > 500 Da. In this study, an ionic liquid-assisted delivery system (ILDS) was developed, which enabled the successful transdermal delivery of an antigenic protein, ovalbumin (OVA), with a toll-like receptor agonist, imiquimod, as an adjuvant, to stimulate a specific immune response. Read More

J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Division of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Eur J Pharm Sci 2021 Apr 16:105855. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Charles University, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove 500 05, Czech Republic.

As proven in clinical trials, superficial fungal infections can be effectively treated by single topical application of terbinafine hydrochloride (Ter-HCl) in a film forming system (FFS). Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) derivatives, originally synthesized with intention to get carriers with optimized properties for drug delivery, and multifunctional plasticizers - ethyl pyruvate, methyl salicylate, or triacetin - were used for formulation of Ter-HCl loaded FFSs. After spraying, a biodegradable, transparent, adhesive, and occlusive thin layer is formed on the skin, representing drug depot. Read More

Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK. Electronic address:

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are biological nanoparticles naturally secreted by cells, acting as delivery vehicles for molecular messages. During the last decade, EVs have been assigned multiple functions that have established their potential as therapeutic mediators for a variety of diseases and conditions. In this review paper, we report on the potential of EVs in tissue repair and regeneration. Read More

J Control Release 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China. Electronic address:

J Control Release 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Biologic Therapeutics Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. Electronic address:

For the developing field of gene therapy the successful address of the basic requirement effective gene delivery has remained a critical barrier. In this regard, the "Holy Grail" vector envisioned by the field's pioneers embodied the ability to achieve efficient and specific in vivo gene delivery. Functional linkage of antibody selectivity with viral vector efficiency represented a logical strategy but has been elusive. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Quebec, Canada.

Background: Surveillance of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) is important to identify temporal trends, evaluate the impact of clinical practice changes or interventions, and to monitor quality of care. A common source for SMM surveillance is hospital discharge data. On October 1, 2015 all hospitals in the United States transitioned from International Classification of Disease Version 9 Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) to International Classification of Disease Version 10 Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) coding for diagnoses and procedures. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK; Regional Intensive Care Unit, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK. Electronic address:

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical and Research Centre, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

The majority of patients with Crohn's disease and a proportion of patients with ulcerative colitis will ultimately require surgical treatment despite advances in diagnosis, therapy, and endoscopic interventions. The surgical procedures that are most commonly done include bowel resection with anastomosis, strictureplasty, faecal diversion, and ileal pouch. These surgical treatment modalities result in substantial alterations in bowel anatomy. Read More

ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Buk-gu, Daehak-ro 80, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea.

Here, biocompatible graphene (G) nanocarriers decorated with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were prepared using 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA). For this, we report the use of graphite directly instead of graphene oxide or reduced graphene oxide. Graphene nanocarrier ( GIOPMPC) was prepared in one-pot by copolymerization of MPC and PEGMA monomers in the presence of IONPs and G. Read More

Bioconjug Chem 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.

Intracellular protein delivery is a transformative tool for biologics research and medicine. Delivery into the cytosol allows proteins to diffuse throughout the cell and access subcellular organelles. Inefficient delivery caused by endosomal entrapment is often misidentified as cytosolic delivery. Read More

J Perinat Med 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy accounts for a substantial proportion of maternal morbidity and mortality and is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, most of which can be mitigated by appropriate surveillance and management protocols. The aim of this study was to review and compare recommendations of published guidelines on this condition. Thus, a descriptive review of influential guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand, the International Society of Hypertension, the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy, the European Society of Cardiology, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on chronic hypertension in pregnancy was conducted. Read More

J Clin Nurs 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Aims And Objectives: To synthesise qualitative research evidence on the experience of stroke survivors and informal caregivers in hospital-to-home transitional care.

Background: Due to a shortened hospital stay, stroke survivors/caregivers must take over complex care on discharge from hospital to home. Gaps in the literature warrant a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on perceived enablers and barriers during this crucial period. Read More

Photochem Photobiol 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Araraquara, 14801-903, Brazil.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is promising for oral decontamination. Curcumin has been used as photosensitizer, however, the hydrophobic properties can negatively affect aPDT. This study evaluated the aPDT efficacy using Cur-loaded Pluronic F-127 micelles against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans biofilms. Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 mask-wearing on hematological laboratory components and obstetrical outcomes among women delivering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Laboratory results and obstetrical outcomes of women with singleton gestations, admitted for delivery during the COVID-19 mask-wearing period (4-6/2020) were compared to those delivering during the parallel period in 2019 and to a larger cohort derived from nine pre-pandemic years (3/2011-4/2020).

Results: Overall, 1,838 women delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth, Mater Research Institute - University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Background: Stillbirth is a major public health problem that is slow to improve in Australia. Understanding the causes of stillbirth through appropriate investigation is the cornerstone of prevention and important for parents to understand why their baby died.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess compliance with the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) Perinatal Mortality Clinical Practice Guidelines (2009) for stillbirths. Read More

G3 (Bethesda) 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research and Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

The free-living nematode C.elegans remains one of the most robust and flexible genetic systems for interrogating the complexities of animal biology. Targeted genetic manipulations, such as RNA interference (RNAi), CRISPR/Cas9- or array-based transgenesis, all depend on initial delivery of nucleic acids. Read More

Am J Nurs 2021 May;121(5):56-61

Lucille Hughes is director of diabetes education and Maura Caragher is inpatient diabetes education coordinator at Mount Sinai South Nassau, Oceanside, NY. Contact author: Lucille Hughes, The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

Background: Hospitalized patients who have diabetes often experience hospital-acquired hypoglycemia, a potentially serious adverse event; as a result, management of this condition has become an important quality of care indicator in the inpatient environment. A growing body of research and evidence-based clinical guidelines support proper timing of point of care (POC) blood glucose (BG) measurements, mealtime insulin administration, and meal delivery to reduce the incidence of both hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events. Monitoring and improving the timing of these three patient care interventions are recognized as a crucial step in the safe and effective care of patients with diabetes. Read More