Paclitaxel-conjugated PEG and arginine-grafted bioreducible poly (disulfide amine) micelles for co-delivery of drug and gene

We developed a paclitaxel-conjugated polymeric micelle, ABP-PEG(3.5k)-Paclitaxel (APP) consisting of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and arginine-grafted poly (cystaminebisacrylamide-diaminohexane) (ABP) for the co-delivery of gene and drug. The APP polymer self-assembled into cationic polymeric micelles with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) value of approximately 0.062?mg/mL, which was determined from measurements of the UV absorption of pyrene. The micelles have an average size of about 3?nm and a zeta potential of about?+14?mV. Due to the positive surface charge, APP micelles formed polyplexes with plasmid DNA approximately 200?nm in diameter. The luciferase gene and mouse interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene was used to monitor gene delivery potency. APP polyplexes showed increased gene delivery efficiency and cellular uptake with higher anticancer potency than paclitaxel alone. These results demonstrate that an APP micelle-based delivery system is well suitable for the co-delivery of gene and drug.     

Multicenter Study of Robotic Thyroidectomy: Short-Term Postoperative Outcomes and Surgeon Ergonomic Considerations

Background  

Robotic thyroidectomy (RT) has recently emerged as a viable approach to thyroid surgery, resulting in better functional and cosmetic outcomes than afforded by open thyroidectomy (OT). The present multicenter study assessed the perioperative outcomes of RT and compared physician perspectives on the musculoskeletal ergonomic parameters associated with OT, endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET), and RT.     

Radiographic results of an accelerometer-based, handheld surgical navigation system for the tibial resection in total knee arthroplasty

In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), intramedullary and extramedullary tibial alignment guides are not proven to be highly accurate in obtaining alignment perpendicular to the mechanical axis in the coronal plane. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of an accelerometer-based, handheld surgical navigation system in obtaining a postoperative tibial component alignment within 2° of the intraoperative goal in both the coronal and sagittal planes. A total of 151 TKAs were performed by 2 surgeons using a handheld surgical navigation system to perform the tibial resection. Postoperatively, standing anteroposterior hip-to-ankle radiographs and lateral knee-to-ankle radiographs were performed to determine the varus/valgus alignment and the posterior slope of the tibial components relative to the mechanical axis in both the coronal and sagittal planes. Findings showed that 95.3% of the tibial components were placed within 2° of the intraoperative goal in the coronal plane and 96.1% of the components were placed within 2° of the intraoperative goal in the sagittal plane. Overall, mean postoperative lower-extremity alignment was -0.3°±2.1°, with 97% of patients having an alignment within 3° of a neutral mechanical axis. The handheld surgical navigation system improves the accuracy of the tibial resection and subsequent tibial component alignment in TKA. It is able to combine the accuracy of computer-assisted surgery systems with the ease of use and familiarity of conventional, extramedullary alignment systems, and the ability to adjust both the coronal and sagittal alignments intraoperatively may prove clinically useful in TKA.