纳米载体逆转肿瘤耐药的研究进展

联合化疗对恶性肿瘤患者有积极的意义,但肿瘤细胞产生的耐药性又是肿瘤化疗失败最常见而又最难解决的问题之一。肿瘤细胞产生耐药性是多方面的,其中以多药耐药性(Multidrug resistance,MDR)最为常见。MDR使药物从靶细胞中清除或阻断发挥药效的途径,是癌症治疗的重大障碍之一。纳米颗粒药物传递系统(DDS)是一种潜在的逆转MDR的工具,可以通过靶向针对多药耐药的肿瘤细胞本身或肿瘤的内皮细胞来实现功能。本文就逆转MDR中DDS的应用进行了综述。     

Recent progress in GABAergic excitation from mature brain

The excitatory effect of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been recognized in very young animals and in seizure generation, but not so much in animals after weaning age or in adults. The existence of this phenomenon in mature brain is still controversial. In the course of debate, creative studies have identified and characterized the phenomenon in suprachiasmatic nucleus, cortex, hippocampus and basolateral amygdala, albeit mostly in single neurons. In neural circuit activity, presumed GABAergic excitation was observed in basolateral amygdala during the study of a neuropeptide, cholecystokinin. Though the functional meaning of this phenomenon in vivo remains to be uncovered, it may be implicated in epilepsy or anxiety in the adult brain.     

Recent progress in automatically extracting information from the pharmacogenomic literature

The biomedical literature holds our understanding of pharmacogenomics, but it is dispersed across many journals. In order to integrate our knowledge, connect important facts across publications and generate new hypotheses we must organize and encode the contents of the literature. By creating databases of structured pharmocogenomic knowledge, we can make the value of the literature much greater than the sum of the individual reports. We can, for example, generate candidate gene lists or interpret surprising hits in genome-wide association studies. Text mining automatically adds structure to the unstructured knowledge embedded in millions of publications, and recent years have seen a surge in work on biomedical text mining, some specific to pharmacogenomics literature. These methods enable extraction of specific types of information and can also provide answers to general, systemic queries. In this article, we describe the main tasks of text mining in the context of pharmacogenomics, summarize recent applications and anticipate the next phase of text mining applications.     

Recent progress in drug delivery

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are defined as methods by which drugs are delivered to desired tissues, organs, cells and subcellular organs for drug release and absorption through a variety of drug carriers. Its usual purpose to improve the pharmacological activities of therapeutic drugs and to overcome problems such as limited solubility, drug aggregation, low bioavailability, poor biodistribution, lack of selectivity, or to reduce the side effects of therapeutic drugs. During 2015–2018, significant progress in the research on drug delivery systems has been achieved along with advances in related fields, such as pharmaceutical sciences, material sciences and biomedical sciences. This review provides a concise overview of current progress in this research area through its focus on the delivery strategies, construction techniques and specific examples. It is a valuable reference for pharmaceutical scientists who want to learn more about the design of drug delivery systems.     

Recent progress in akathisia]

Neuroleptic-induced akathisia should be definitely diagnosed as acute, tardive, withdrawal, and chronic. The diagnostic assessment must be identified from the subjective report and objective features. Various assessments of measuring akathisia can be clinically used by instrumental methods and rating scales. The pharmacological basis of neuroleptic-induced akathisia is the inhibition of the dopamine receptors in the brain. The pathogenesis of neuroleptic-induced akathisia may involve GABAergic hypoactivity, noradrenergic hyperactivity, and serotonergic dysfunction in CNS. Iron deficiency and hyperglycemia may be risk factors of neuroleptic induced akathisia in relation to the dopamine function in the brain. Neurological disorders may be associated with the development of a syndrome resembling drug-induced akathisia. The lesion of the thalamic nuclei would originally produce the syndrome. The difference between acute and tardive akathisia on the strategy of the drug treatment should be sufficiently comprehended. In particular, the long-term use of anticholinergic drugs and benzodiazepines should not be prevailed.     

抗凝治疗新进展

抗凝治疗在预防和治疗血栓栓塞性疾病中发挥重要作用。肝素和华法林是最经典的抗凝药物。近年来新的抗凝药物进展很快。新的抗凝药物的优点是:(1)有的经静脉应用,起效快;有的口服,使用方便。(2)可用于肾功能不全患者。(3)使用剂量较稳定,不需实验室监测。(4)出血不良反应小。AVE5026、艾比肝素、奥米沙班、RB006、达比加群酯、AZD0837、利伐沙班、阿哌沙班、依度沙班等为目前研究和临床应用较多的新的抗凝药物。     

Recent progress in tissue engineering

Tissue engineering is a newly emerging biomedical technique that involves the artificial manipulation of cells to promote tissue and organ regeneration. Its medical significance will undoubtedly increase in the 21st century. This review summarizes recent progress that has been made in tissue engineering as well as its future implications.     

Recent progress in plantibody technology

Antibodies are an important class of proteins that can be used for the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of many diseases. Consequently, there is an intense and growing demand for recombinant antibodies, placing immense pressure on current production capacity which is based largely on microbial cultures and mammalian cells. Alternative systems for cost effective antibody production would be very welcome, and plants are now gaining widespread acceptance as green bioreactors with advantages in terms of cost, scalability and safety. Several plant-produced antibodies (plantibodies) are undergoing clinical trials and the first commercial approval could be only a few years away. The performance of the first generation of products has been very encouraging so far. In terms of product authenticity, differences in glycosylation between plantibodies and their mammalian counterparts have been defined, and the scientific evaluation of any possible consequences is underway. Ongoing studies are addressing the remaining biochemical constraints, and aim to further improve product yields, homogeneity and authenticity, particularly where the antibody is intended for injection into human patients. A remaining practical challenge is the implementation of large-scale production and processing under good manufacturing practice conditions that are yet to be endorsed by regulatory bodies. The current regulatory uncertainty and the associated costs represent an entry barrier for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the favourable properties of plants are likely to make the plant systems a useful alternative for small, medium and large scale production throughout the development of new antibody-based pharmaceuticals.     

Recent progress in dendrimer-based nanocarriers

A large number of drug delivery systems--mostly in the form of liposomes, microspheres, nanoparticles and hydrogels--have been designed to achieve targeted delivery and sustained release of drugs by exploiting the inherent properties of polymers. The size, shape, and surface properties of the polymer are used to modulate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior of drugs conjugated with or encapsulated in the polymeric carrier. Recently, a class of well-defined, monodisperse, and tree-like polymers called dendrimers has attracted attention because of the flexibility they offer in terms of their size, shape, branching, length, and surface functionality. A unique characteristic of dendrimers is that they can act as a particulate system while retaining the properties of a polymer. Drugs and diagnostic agents can be encapsulated in the central core or bound to the surface of the dendrimer by noncovalent or covalent interaction. Dendritic polymers can significantly improve pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of low molecular weight and protein-based therapeutic agents. Furthermore, fluorescent antibodies and imaging contrast agents can be bound to these new polymers and the resulting complexes can be used for analyzing biological fluids and for diagnosis. Because of their size, shape, and ability to conjugate with a wide range of chemical entities, dendrimers have found many applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. This review focuses on the unique carrier properties of biomimetic dendrimers and discusses a wide range of applications of dendrimers in drug delivery, including their use as drug solubilizers, absorption enhancers, release modifiers, and carriers for targeting drugs and diagnostic agents.     

疫苗技术的研究进展

疫苗是预防和控制传染病最经济、有效的手段,疫苗接种是通过诱导机体产生保护性免疫反应来预防和控制人类和动物疾病的常规方法。面对当今重大、复杂、突发、高变病原体,传统疫苗学方法难以满足需求,新型疫苗技术是应对未来全球健康挑战的有利武器。未来疫苗技术要着眼于更合理、更精准和更高效,保证安全性的同时,最大程度提高疫苗效力。此文梳理了目前疫苗技术的研究进展,并指出了未来的发展趋势,有利于提升对未知病原体的探索和主动防御的共识,促进创新性疫苗技术体系的发展。     

索拉非尼研究进展

索拉非尼（sorafenib）是一种口服的多激酶抑制荆,可以抑制肿瘤细胞增殖和血管增生,对肾癌和肝细胞癌均有效,对非小细胞肺癌、恶性黑色素瘤、甲状腺癌、乳腺癌、前列腺癌等的临床试验均在进行中。本文就索拉非尼的药代动力学、临床试验研究现状进行综述。     

Recent progress in Glinus oppositifolius research

Context: Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC. (Molluginaceae), a perennial subshrubs herb, grows at low altitudes in the southern part of Taiwan, and is used in traditional Chinese medicine for herpes zoster and herpangina.

Objective: This study describes nutritional and therapeutic potential of Glinus oppositifolius and summarizes scientific evidence that supports traditional claims; recent progress in research for this plant is reviewed herein.

Materials and methods: The literature has been retrieved from the web-based online systems including PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar. The articles related to phytochemistry, pharmaceutical biology and ethnopharmacology have been excluded.

Results and discussion: In clinical practice, the plant has been extensively investigated in a broad range of studies to provide scientific evidence for folklore claims or to find new therapeutic uses. The present review may arouse related research and make a more valid display for Taiwanese native medicinal plants.     

Recent progress in tumour vaccine development

Immunotherapy offers an exciting opportunity to treat human cancer. Analysis of tumour-associated antigens is progressing. Assisted by animal models, such knowledge can be used to design tumour vaccines. By including adjuvants to increase immunogenicity, several tumours previously thought to be non-immunogenic are now considered targets for tumour vaccines. Newly acquired knowledge regarding dendritic cell physiology is incorporated in newly designed vaccines that are currently in Phase I and II trials. Such assessment provides the overall conclusion that tumour vaccines are safe and deserve a more prominent place in the sequel of treatments for human cancer.     

Recent progress in tumour vaccine development

Immunotherapy offers an exciting opportunity to treat human cancer. Analysis of tumour-associated antigens is progressing. Assisted by animal models, such knowledge can be used to design tumour vaccines. By including adjuvants to increase immunogenicity, several tumours previously thought to be non-immunogenic are now considered targets for tumour vaccines. Newly acquired knowledge regarding dendritic cell physiology is incorporated in newly designed vaccines that are currently in Phase I and II trials. Such assessment provides the overall conclusion that tumour vaccines are safe and deserve a more prominent place in the sequel of treatments for human cancer.     

壳聚糖纳米粒制备的研究进展

载药纳米粒作为药物、基因传递和控释的载体,是近年来出现的药物控释和缓释的新剂型。壳聚糖具有较好的生物黏附性、促吸收效应和酶抑制载体作用等特性。壳聚糖纳米粒作为一种新型药物载体,已成为目前国内外研究开发的热点。本文就壳聚糖纳米粒制备的研究进展情况进行了综述。