Nano TransMed最新文献

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are emerging as a promising platform for theranostic particles since they offer a single platform that possesses multiple important properties. These include a simple mechanism of synthesis, small size, chemical inertness, a variety of available surface functional groups, good biocompatibility, stable fluorescence, and a long fluorescence lifetime. The use of NDs to deliver anticancer drugs has been an important ND application since NDs can increase chemosensitivity, sustain drug release, and minimize drug side effects. These unique properties have stimulated the application of NDs to cancer imaging and therapy. In this review, we offer a brief introduction of ND structure and their functional properties. This is followed by a summary of recent uses of NDs for imaging purposes, including fluorescent imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other imaging technologies. Special concern is given to studies focusing on NDs use for anticancer drug delivery, anticancer gene delivery, photothermal and photodynamic therapies, and multifunctional combination therapy. We then discuss ND biocompatibility and toxicity in various cells and animal models. Finally, we also discuss the main problems to be solved by future research before NDs can be put to clinical use. The purpose of this review is to provide a side-by-side comparison of studies reporting ND-mediated cancer imaging therapy so that readers can assess the potential clinical applications of ND and have the background necessary to understand the clinical test results associated with ND-related therapy in animals and humans.

As alternatives to autografts, allografts, and xenografts, calcium phosphate (CaP)-based bone-defect-filling materials (e.g., deproteinized bovine bone (DBB, Bio-Oss®)) are widely used to repair large-volume bone defects (LVBDs) in clinic. However, most of these materials show a very low degradability due to a sintering process in their production. In this study, we synthesized a novel type of granules—biomimetically precipitated nanocrystalline calcium phosphate (BpNcCaP) by developing our previous biomimetic protocol. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of BpNcCaP by assessing the viability of L929 mouse fibroblasts using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. To characterize the physicochemical properties of the novel BpNcCaP granules, we first compared the morphology and composition of BpNcCaP with those of Bio-Oss® using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). We further compared the surface area, pore size distribution, hydrophilicity behavior, and hardness of BpNcCaP with those of Bio-Oss® granules using specific surface area, contact angle, and Vickers hardness as parameters, respectively. BpNcCaP showed no obvious cytotoxicity. In-vitro characterization data showed that BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss® granules were both comprised of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp). The Ca/P ratios of BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss® calculated from the EDS results were 1.34 and 1.66, respectively. Hence, BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss® were Ca-deficient HAp. Compared with Bio-Oss®, synthetic BpNcCaP had better hydrophilicity, higher specific surface area, lower crystallinity, and hardness. These data suggested a good performance of BpNcCaP granules in clinical applications.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore independent favorable prognostic factors for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with stage IV cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by constructing nomograms. Methods: A total of 2636 patients diagnosed with stage IV RCC from 2010 to 2015 were enrolled in the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database. Multivariate Cox hazard regression and competing risk analysis were used for searching prognosis factors in the cohort. The nomograms were constructed for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year of OS and CSS. Concordance index (C-index) and the calibration curves were used to evaluate the discrimination and accuracy of the nomograms. Results: Age, nephrectomy, histology, N stage, and brain/liver/lung metastasis were identified as independent favorable prognostic factors in OS and CSS via univariate and multivariate analyses. Other variables were further selected by clinical practice and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Finally, age, nephrectomy, histology, grade, tumor size, T stage, N stage, and bone/brain/liver/lung metastasis were chosen to construct nomograms. The C-index of the OS and CSS in nomograms were 0.697 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.683-0.711) and 0.655 (95% CI, 0.639-0.671), respectively. The calibration curves revealed high consistency between the nomograms prediction and actual observation. Conclusions: The nomograms may help clinicians to conveniently predict the survival of RCC patients with stage IV and provide guidance in choosing the suitable management.

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally, and current cancer therapies often fall short in reducing death and improving quality of life. Early detection of cancer cells and targeted drug application is crucial to optimal treatment. Nanotechnology shows promise in improving cancer diagnosis and treatment by reducing toxicity and refractory disease. In this essay, we focus on how nanotechnology can overcome resistance and hypoxic issues in cancer treatment.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate and compare the profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for characterization of biomaterial surfaces. Method: The clinically commonly used titanium (Ti) was used as the specimen. Each of the specimen was prepared by different grits of sandpapers, including 2000, 1000, 800, 600, 400, 220, 180, and 100 grits. An unpolished Ti plate served as the control. Surface characterization of the Ti specimens was examined using profilometry and AFM. Results: Both profilometry and AFM were capable of producing two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) topography. The scanning speed of profilometry (12 ± 5 s/image) was faster than that of AFM (250 ± 50 s/image) (p < 0.01). The resolution of AFM was relatively higher than profilometry. AFM produced more precise value, especially at nano-scale. When the Ti surface roughness was less than 0.2 μm, the results of surface roughness measured by profilometry and AFM were similar (mean difference = 0.01 ± 0.03, p = 0.81). When the Ti surface μm, the surface roughness measured by profilometry was slightly higher than that by AFM (mean difference = 0.43 ± 0.15, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Profilometry and AFM are both useful techniques for the characterization of biomaterial surfaces. Profilometry scanned faster than the AFM but produced less detailed surface topography. Both technologies provided similar measurement when the roughness was less than 0.2 μm. When the Ti surface roughness was more than 0.3 μm, the surface roughness measured by profilometry was slightly higher than that by AFM.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence and mortality rate worldwide. Immunotherapy is a universal treatment for lung cancer, but its overall treatment remains a challenge. Tumor immunoediting is a process in which the immune system restricts or promotes tumor development through elimination, equilibrium, and escape to change tumor immunogenicity and obtain an immunosuppressive mechanism to promote disease progression. An increasing number of immunotherapy drugs, including monoclonal antibody-targeting drugs and chimeric antigen (Ag) receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T cells), have been used in clinical therapy. Additionally, cancer vaccine development and new clustered regularly spaced short palindromes (CRISPR)- based combination therapies against cancer open up new avenues for immunotherapy. However, these immunotherapies cause autoimmune induction and non-specific inflammation, with many limitations. The development and study of nanoparticle systems have shown the possibility of localization, pharmacokinetic programming, and immunomodulator co-delivery. Rapid advances in nanotechnology over the past decade have provided a strategic impetus for cancer immunotherapy improvements. Nanotechnology advancements in various aspects, such as virus-like size, high surface-volume ratio, and surface modifications to precisely target specific cell types, can be investigated through cancer vaccine and immunomodulator delivery system development. This review presents the current immunotherapy approaches for lung cancer and emphasizes the current process and prospects of the fusion of cancer immunotherapy, nanotechnology, bioengineering, and drug delivery.

Background: Clinical features and the dynamic changes of the immune response in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients play essential roles in the disease courses. We hypothesized that clinical features and longitudinal dynamic immune response of COVID-19 patients might be associated with viral shedding duration. Methods: In this retrospective study, we documented 413 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were extracted from electronic medical records. Risk factors associated with viral shedding duration were examined using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The median duration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral shedding was 48 days (interquartile range, 40-58 days) among all patients. Fever symptom (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.46-3.44), delayed admission after symptom onset (OR, 15.33; 95% CI, 9.14-26.65), CD8⁺ T cells (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.10-3.44) were associated with prolonged viral shedding. In contrast, shorter viral shedding was associated with CD4⁺ T cells (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.16-0.88), the ratios of CD4⁺ T cells to CD8⁺ T cells (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98). Longitudinal dynamic analyses demonstrate that sustained monocyte level was associated with shorter viral shedding (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22-0.76). More importantly, the associations of CD4⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, the ratio of CD4⁺ T cells to CD8⁺ T cells, and sustained monocyte level were confined to male patients. Conclusions: Higher CD4⁺ T cells, sustained monocyte level, and lower CD8⁺ T cells might shorten the disease course. The male-specific associations supported the contribution of sex-dependent immune responses to the disease courses.