Search

To investigate a prebiotic fiber-enriched nutritional formula on health-related quality of life and metabolic control in type 2 diabetes.This was a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with an unblinded dietary advice only comparator arm. Participants were randomized 2:1:1 to a prebiotic fiber-enriched nutritional formula (Active), a placebo fiber-absent nutritional formula (Placebo), or non-blinded dietary advice alone (Diet). Primary endpoint was change in core Type 2 Diabetes Distress Assessment System (cT2-DDAS) at week 12. HbA1c change was a key secondary endpoint.192 participants were randomized. Mean age was 54.3 years, HbA1c 7.8%, and BMI 35.9 kg/mA microbiome-targeting nutritional formula significantly improved cT2-DDAS and HbA1c, suggesting the potential for prebiotic fiber as a complement to lifestyle and/or pharmaceutical interventions for managing type 2 diabetes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Xanthan is an extracellular bacterial polysaccharide. It is manufactured commercially by fermentation of Xanthomonas campestris and used extensively in food and other industries to control the viscosity and texture of various products. Its useful properties stem from its occurrence both as a relatively rigid double-helical polymer and as a branched polymer network presumably crosslinked by the same noncovalent interactions that stabilize the double-helical form. Interconversion of these two forms can be achieved through heating and cooling processes. This paper describes a model for this thermally induced transformation under conditions of very dilute aqueous polymer concentration, where the characteristics of double-helical and crosslinked aggregates can be studied experimentally using light scattering. Because xanthan is a regularly repeating copolymer, there is no requirement for specific registration of the two strands of the duplex structure as is required in naturally occurring nucleic acid double helices. Here, we demonstrate the important role of the resulting xanthan structural degeneracy in dictating the characteristics of the temperature-induced conformational transition.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible coronavirus responsible for the pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has had a devastating impact on society. Here, we summarize proteomic research that has helped elucidate hallmark proteins associated with the disease with respect to both short- and long-term diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, we review the highly variable humoral response associated with COVID-19 and the increased risk of autoimmunity.

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether race predicts fear of falling (FOF) in older adults with a history of previous fall(s) while controlling for mobility performance, activity of daily living (ADL) independence, age, gender, and education. METHODS: We examined predictors of FOF among community-dwelling older adults using data from two longitudinal randomized controlled trials that implemented fall prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-nine participants were included in the analysis; 145 reported low FOF, while 59 reported high FOF. After controlling for mobility performance, ADL independence, and sociodemographic factors, Black older adults were more likely to report FOF (OR = 2.17) compared to White older adults. Overall, older adults with lower mobility performance/functioning scores were more likely to have FOF (OR = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults (aged ≥65 years) who are at higher risk, based on a prior history of fall(s), are more susceptible to developing FOF, as evidenced by the older adults within this study, due to limited mobility performance and functioning. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Black older adults may be at greater risk of FOF than their White counterparts based on previous fall history and level of functional mobility. Incorporating measures of objective performance-based function along with measures of psychological factors are viable methods to identify and address FOF within Black older adult populations.

This invited commentary further explores the viewpoints offered by Lavalley and Johnson (2020), and deepens the analysis of collective and anti-racist occupations. The intent is to illuminate sever...

Seawater lithium stable isotope ratios, represented by δ 7 Li sw (‰), hold key information about the evolution of global climate and the carbon cycle over geologic time. Reconstructions based on foraminifera suggest an ∼9‰ increase in δ 7 Li sw over the past 60 m.y., interpreted as reflecting changes in the silicate weathering regime that may have contributed to global cooling over this time. However, culture experiments suggest that vital effects in foraminifers might cause varied δ 7 Li fractionation that could have affected past records. Thus, other archives are needed to determine whether the observed rise in foraminifer δ 7 Li values over the Cenozoic indeed reflects secular changes in δ 7 Li sw . Such archives would also open possibilities for robust determination of δ 7 Li sw deeper in geologic time. We analyzed δ 7 Li compositions in modern brachiopods ( n = 34) and found a relatively narrow range of +24.2 ‰ to +28.8‰ (mean = +26.8‰; 1σ = 0.5‰), similar to the range reported for inorganic calcite precipitated from seawater. These results confirm that brachiopods are good candidates for providing a representative record of δ 7 Li sw . We present data from fossil specimens dating from 65 Ma to ca. 700 ka, finding that fossilized brachiopods record a similar magnitude of change in δ 7 Li sw as foraminifers. These results are the first to corroborate the ∼9‰ increase in Cenozoic δ 7 Li sw and open possibilities for generating robust records of δ 7 Li sw in deep time, prior to foraminifer evolution.

This study explored an academic Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition (IGCC) experience with a focus on medically underserved populations. Our aims were to assess: the perceptions of and knowledge of older adult populations; and the overall IPE (Interprofessional Education) experience of the IGCC participants. A multi-method study approach was used, the Facts on Aging Quiz assessed knowledge and the Carolina Opinions on Care of Older Adults (COCOA) assessed perceptions. A qualitative thematic approach was utilized to explore the themes of the IPE experience. There was a moderate correlation (0.37, p .001) between perception and knowledge data of the respondents (N = 94), current professionals (54%) and enrolled students (46%). The three emerged themes were as follows: interprofessional/holistic practice; culturally responsive/older adult centered practice; and the impact of Covid-19. The implementation of IPE that centers medically underserved populations has the potential to: enhance students learning, influence the quality of care, and provide pathways to working within these specific populations.

The role played by magnetic field during star formation is an important topic in astrophysics. We investigate the correlation between the orientation of star-forming cores (as defined by the core major axes) and ambient magnetic field directions in 1) a 3D MHD simulation, 2) synthetic observations generated from the simulation at different viewing angles, and 3) observations of nearby molecular clouds. We find that the results on relative alignment between cores and background magnetic field in synthetic observations slightly disagree with those measured in fully 3D simulation data, which is partly because cores identified in projected 2D maps tend to coexist within filamentary structures, while 3D cores are generally more rounded. In addition, we examine the progression of magnetic field from pc- to core-scale in the simulation, which is consistent with the anisotropic core formation model that gas preferably flow along the magnetic field toward dense cores. When comparing the observed cores identified from the GBT Ammonia Survey (GAS) and Planck polarization-inferred magnetic field orientations, we find that the relative core-field alignment has a regional dependence among different clouds. More specifically, we find that dense cores in the Taurus molecular cloud tend to align perpendicular to the background magnetic field, while those in Perseus and Ophiuchus tend to have random (Perseus) or slightly parallel (Ophiuchus) orientations with respect to the field. We argue that this feature of relative core-field orientation could be used to probe the relative significance of the magnetic field within the cloud., 18 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

Occupational scientists have long examined the challenges of discrimination within societies, and this paper utilizes qualitative research to examine a) occupational justice and how it relates to t...

Importance: Adults aging with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to face barriers to participation in meaningful occupation; moreover, the increased life expectancy of adults with IDD intensifies the need for age- and environment-specific support. Objective: To map and categorize transdisciplinary literature on environmental modifications and supports for adults aging with IDD. Data Sources: Studies published between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2019, identified through PubMed and Scopus. Study Selection and Data Collection: Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria and contained information specific to occupational participation based on environmental modification (e.g., physical space, technology, universal design, type of living setting), social supports (e.g., family members, caretakers, peer groups, health care professionals, policies, organizational infrastructure), or both and adults age ≥35 yr with IDD. Findings: Eleven studies met the criteria for this scoping review. Thematic coding was used to examine the articles within one or more themes: definition of need, environmental risk and assessment, environmental setting, intervention and program planning, use of technology, and bureaucracy. Conclusions and Relevance: This review highlights collective and individual outcomes in the areas of assessment, intervention, and advocacy. Further research is needed within the scope of occupational therapy and disability studies that examines environmental factors and participation outcomes in this population. What This Article Adds: The authors define the interconnectedness of adults aging with IDD and environmental factors, identify barriers to participation, and guide occupational therapy practitioners’ logic on how to positively affect environmental change and supports through intervention.

Background Accurate discovery assay workflows are critical for identifying authentic circulating protein biomarkers in diverse blood matrices. Maximizing the commonalities in the proteomic workflows between different biofluids simplifies the approach and increases the likelihood for reproducibility. We developed a workflow that can accommodate 3 blood-based proteomes: naive plasma, depleted plasma and dried blood. Methods Optimal conditions for sample preparation and data independent acquisition-mass spectrometry analysis were established in plasma then automated for depleted plasma and dried blood. The mass spectrometry workflow was modified to facilitate sensitive high-throughput analysis or deeper profiling with mid-throughput analysis. Analytical performance was evaluated by the linear response of peptides and proteins to a 6- or 7-point dilution curve and the reproducibility of the relative peptide and protein intensity for 5 digestion replicates per day on 3 different days for each biofluid. Results Using the high-throughput workflow, 74% (plasma), 93% (depleted), and 87% (dried blood) displayed an inter-day CV Conclusion The standardized workflows established here allows for reproducible and quantifiable detection of proteins covering a broad dynamic range. We envisage that implementation of this standard workflow should simplify discovery approaches and facilitate the translation of candidate markers into clinical use.

Combined loading of doxorubicin (DOX) and resveratrol (RSV) in polymeric micelles enabled an increased loading of DOX into a micellar drug delivery system. Herein, we report the coloading of DOX and RSV in amphiphilic diblock copolymer micelles of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(e-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(γ-benzyl-e-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PBCL) for which an increase in the loading efficiency and increased in vitro cytotoxicity was observed. The increased loading was attributed to the favorable interactions of DOX and RSV as well as to the interaction with benzyl substituents of PEG-b-PBCL diblock copolymer micelles. Combination loaded micelles made of PEG-b-PBCL diblock copolymer showed a dramatic improvement in DOX loading in comparison to DOX-only loaded PEG-b-PBCL with an increase in encapsulation efficiency of DOX from 31.0 to 87.7%. Combination loaded micelles also showed increased cytotoxicity to HeLa cells as compared to that of DOX-only loaded micelles. Optimization of...

Block copolymers synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone (ME3CL), γ-2-methoxyethoxy-e-caprolactone (ME1CL), and e-caprolactone (CL) are reported. Previously, diblock copolymers of PME3CL-b-PME1CL displayed excellent thermoresponsive tunability (31–43 °C) and self-assembled into micelles with moderate thermodynamic stability. In this report, two strategies are employed to enhance thermodynamic stability of PME3CL/PME1CL-type block copolymer micelles while maintaining their attractive thermoresponsive qualities: modification of the end group position and alteration of hydrophobic block composition by using both ME1CL and CL. These new thermoresponsive amphiphilic block copolymers showed lower critical micelle concentration (CMC) values by one order of magnitude and formed thermodynamically stable micelles. Furthermore they demonstrated good biocompatibility and up to 4.97 wt% doxorubicin loading, more than double the amount loaded into the PME3CL-type polymeric micelles previously reported.

BackgroundBirthing people of color are more likely to deliver low birthweight and preterm infants, populations at significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Birthing people of color are also at higher risk for mental health conditions and emergency mental healthcare utilization postpartum. Although this group has been identified as high risk in these contexts, it is not known whether racial and ethnic disparities exist in mental healthcare utilization among birthing people who have delivered preterm.ObjectiveWe sought to determine if racial and ethnic disparities exist in postpartum mental healthcare-associated emergency department visits or hospitalizations for birthing people with preterm infants in a large and diverse population.Study designThis population-based historic cohort study used a sample of Californian live-born infants born between 2011 and 2017 with linked birth certificates and emergency department visit and hospital admission records from the California Statewide Health Planning and Development database. The sample was restricted to preterm infants (

The short chain fatty acid, 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA), is used for the treatment of urea cycle disorders and sickle cell disease as an endoplasmic reticulum stress inhibitor. PBA is also known as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi). We report here the effect of combination therapy on HeLa cancer cells using PBA as the HDACi together with the anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). We synthesized γ-4-phenylbutyrate–ε-caprolactone monomer which was polymerized to form poly(γ-4-phenylbutyrate–ε-caprolactone) (PPBCL) homopolymer using NdCl3·3TEP/TIBA (TEP = triethyl phosphate, TIBA = triisobutylaluminum) catalytic system. DOX-loaded nanoparticles were prepared from the PPBCL homopolymer using poly(ethylene glycol) as a surfactant. An encapsulation efficiency as high as 88% was obtained for these nanoparticles. The DOX-loaded nanoparticles showed a cumulative release of >95% of DOX at pH 5 and 37 °C within 12 h, and PBA release was monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The efficiency of the combination therapy can notably be seen in the cytotoxicity study carried out on HeLa cells, where only ~20% of cell viability was observed after treatment with the DOX-loaded nanoparticles. This drastic cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells is the result of the dual action of DOX and PBA on the DNA strands and the HDAC enzymes, respectively. Overall, this study shows the potential of combination treatment with HDACi and DOX anticancer drug as compared to the treatment with an anticancer drug alone.

This study was performed to investigate the changes over time in polypropylene (PP) mesh explants from women with stress urinary incontinence originally treated with a midurethral PP sling. Following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, 10 PP explants removed for pain or obstructive symptoms between January and June 2016 were analyzed through various techniques to determine the degradation of the material in vivo. Exclusion criteria were exposed or infected mesh sling or sling in place for less than six months. One pristine control was studied for comparison. The explant samples were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy to visualize the surface defects as well as infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to determine if the degradation was oxidative in nature. The results show qualitative and quantitative bioerosion over the surface of the explant samples and an increase in the content of oxygen pointing toward oxidative degradation occurring in vivo.

The purpose of this study was to examine policies and practices that affect the sexual health of adolescents in Forrest County, a southeast Mississippi community. Community members participating in a series of community conversations shared perspectives on needs and problems related to adolescent sexual health; policies and practices affecting adolescent sexual health; and their own roles in, and contributions toward, improving adolescent sexual health. Qualitative analysis of conversations yielded five overarching themes related directly to: education, health, environment, communication, and parental involvement. Community members expressed a strong desire to improve adolescent sexual health by offering specific recommendations and action plans.

Background The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with substance use disorder identification and follow-up rates among samples of members of a private health insurance plan. Methods In an observational study, samples of claims data for 2017 for Commercial and Medicare members from a private health insurer were accessed and analyzed using descriptive statistics, decision tree analysis, and linear regression models. Results Commercial and Medicare members differed in age. Medicare members had higher rates of inclusion in a measure of substance use disorder than Commercial members, lower rates of initial short term follow-up, more opioid prescriptions from primary care provides, fewer prescriptions for opioid treatment, and higher rates of selected comorbid conditions. Mental health diagnoses and substance use disorder co-occurred frequently and to a greater extent in the Medicare sample. Among commercial members, there were primarily alcohol problems that increased with age, while opioid problems at about 10% peaked in the mid-twenties. More males were included among all substance types. The overall rate for an initial short term follow-up visit indicating initiation of treatment was 30%. There were large differences in the follow-up rates across settings with a very low rate (4.6% for alcohol and 6.9% for opioid) in primary care settings. Conclusions These results suggest that increased attention in primary care to young adult males and to older adults, may help to reduce substance use disorder rates, especially alcohol use disorders.

The incorporation of functional groups into the side chains of polythiophenes can improve the phase separation of polymer : nanoparticle hybrid solar cells (HSCs). Our results showed that by introducing 17 mol% thiol functionality in the polymer, the Jsc and Voc can be increased by twofold in polymer : CdSe quantum dot (QD) HSCs.

In comparison to the conjugated polymers synthesized from thiophene or thiophene derivatives, furan and its derivatives are promising alternative building units due to their desirable properties such as smaller heteroatom size, more electronegative heteroatom, and larger dipole moment. Considering the advantages of furan units, conjugated polymers synthesized from furan and its derivatives show a higher degree of conjugation with reduced twisting between adjacent units, smaller π-stacking distance, and improved solubility. To date, despite research on polymers constructed from furan derivatives gaining attention, conjugated polymers made up of only furan or its derivatives are still rare. Herein, we report a new conjugated polymer, poly(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)furan-2-yl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuran-alt-2,5-didodecyl-3,6-di(furan-2-yl)pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4(2H,5H)-dione), P(BDF-FDPP), for organic solar cells. The smaller oxygen atom in furan of P(BDF-FDPP) results in a planar conjugated backbone with negligible torsion (dihedral angle < 0.1°) determined by density functional theory. P(BDF-FDPP) exhibits broad absorption up to 940 nm with HOMO and LUMO located at −5.19 eV and −3.63 eV, respectively. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.55% with a high fill factor (FF) of 0.73 was obtained for the devices fabricated using DPE as an additive. The substantial changes in photovoltaic performance of the device fabricated with or without additives was further investigated with grazing incident wide-angle X-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy experiments. Preferential face-on orientation of P(BDF-FDPP) and sophisticated interpenetrated network for P(BDF-FDPP)/PC71BM blend films enabled relatively good PCEs and high FF in solar cell devices.

Temperature responsive drug carriers are attractive due to their ability to provide controlled release of the encapsulated cargo based on the use of external stimuli. In this work, 4- and 6-arm thermoresponsive star-like block copolymers were synthesized through the ring-opening polymerization of γ-substituted e-caprolactone monomers γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone (MEEECL) and γ-ethoxy-e-caprolactone (ECL) using pentaerythritol and myo-inositol as multifunctional initiators. These amphiphilic block copolymers were shown to self-assemble into micelles and were characterized in terms of their feasibility as drug carriers. Both polymers were shown to be thermodynamically stable and demonstrated temperature responsivity in a desirable range for drug delivery, with lower critical solution temperatures of 39.4 °C and 39.8 °C for the 4- and 6-arm polymers, respectively. It was shown that the 6-arm star polymer had a higher drug loading capability and better stability in vitro, allowing it to function as a better vehicle for drug delivery in cytotoxicity experiments. These star polymers show promise as drug carriers due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and temperature controlled release of doxorubicin.

Linear and star-like amphiphilic diblock copolymers were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactone and γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone monomers using zinc undecylenate as a catalyst. These polymers have potential applications as micellar drug delivery vehicles, therefore the properties of the linear and 4-arm star-like structures were examined in terms of their molecular weight, viscosity, thermodynamic stability, size, morphology, and drug loading capacity. Both the star-like and linear block copolymers showed good thermodynamic stability and degradability. However, the star-like polymers were shown to have increased stability at lower concentrations with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 5.62 × 10−4 g L−1, which is less than half the concentration of linear polymer needed to form micelles. The star-like polymeric micelles showed smaller sizes when compared with their linear counterparts and a higher drug loading capacity of doxorubicin, making them better suited for drug delivery purposes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 3601–3608

Fear of falling (FOF) is a common issue and health concern reported by adults 65 years of age and older.There is mixed evidence about potential disparity in fall incident rates due to race and FOF, and it is unclear if and under what circumstance falls rates and risks differ by racial ethnicity. The purpose of this study is to determine if race predicts fear of falling in older adults at greater risk for falls; and to examine the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) and mobility performance measures with FOF. A cross-sectional observational study was used to examine predictors of FOF among community dwelling-older adults using data from two longitudinal randomized clinical trials (RCT). Participants (N=259) had a mean age of 75.7 ±7.4, 78.8% female, 80.64% Black, and 77.03% White or Other, with ≥ 1 fall in the last 12 months. Subjects completed a demographic profile; the Tinetti and Short Falls Efficacy Scale to assess FOF; and activities of daily living (ADL) and mobility performance scales to assess function. The chi square analysis revealed Black older adults were two times more likely to report FOF (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.14, 4.15; p=.05) in comparison to White older adults. The regression analysis demonstrated that race is a significant factor to predict FOF (OR = .67, 95% CI = 1.21, 3.24; p=.05); and the descriptive analysis revealed significantly worse ADL and mobility function scores within the high FOF group.

Date Presented 03/28/20 Incarcerated women face challenges to community re-entry and employment, including unemployment and low wages. We explored vocational interests with women (N = 114) at a midwest US prison. Career aspirations were explored through self-reported employment history and interests, O*NET survey, and Holland codes. Findings inform the development of OT interventions and prison programming to improve postrelease employment among incarcerated women. Primary Author and Speaker: Selena Washington Additional Authors and Speakers: Lisa Jaegers

Date Presented 03/28/20 This study asked previous interprofessional clinical case competition participants (287 students) to complete a comprehensive survey to assess their perceptions and knowledge of geriatric care and older adult populations. Primary Author and Speaker: Selena Washington Additional Authors and Speakers: Gabby Tucci, Laura Handy, Haley Deters, Mehan Gahart

Date Presented 03/28/20 To address the growing number of older adults (≥ 65 years) living with multimorbidity conditions (two or more chronic diseases), OTs will need to utilize evidence-based tools to identify and manage these conditions. In addition to traditional activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and functional performance measures, the RGA has proven to be a useful assessment tool for OTs, linked to direct intervention planning and functional outcomes. Primary Author and Speaker: Selena Washington Additional Authors and Speakers: Julia Henderson - Kalb

Accurate calculations of properties such as enthalpy, entropy, and fugacity are crucial for chemical process design. These properties are calculated from equations of state in commonly used process design software such as CHEMCAD [1] , and software-based calculations of properties have been routine for decades. It is important to be able to rely on the accuracy of these calculations. Furthermore, students of thermodynamics and process engineers must be able to easily reproduce the calculations from the process simulator. In this study, we attempted to validate the compressibility factors, enthalpy, entropy, and fugacity coefficients from CHEMCAD by comparing the results of the process simulator to results from a published solution algorithm [2] . Our results show good consistency for most molecules. However, we observe large deviations for nitric oxide, water and hydrogen, and somewhat smaller deviation for a few other molecules. This report presents a detailed comparison of the thermodynamic properties of 48 molecules at two different states to demonstrate that our calculation is correct and that the deviations for hydrogen and water are real.

Evidence for relationships between seismotectonic activity and dissolved weathering fluxes remains limited. Motivated by the occurrence of new springs emerging after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake and supported by historical groundwater data, this study focuses on the long-term effect of near-surface structural deformation on the contribution of deep, highly saline fluids to the solute fluxes from the Aso caldera, Kyushu, Japan. Available hydrologic and structural data suggest that concentrated, over-pressured groundwaters migrate to the surface when new hydraulic pathways open during seismic deformation. These new springs have a hydrochemical fingerprint (including δDH2O, δ18OH2O, δ7Li, δ11B, δ18OSO4, and δ34SSO4) indistinguishable from long-established confined groundwater that likely reflects a mixture of infiltrated meteoric water with high-sulfate hydrothermal fluids. A comparison of historical hydrochemistry data and patterns of past seismicity suggests that discharge of deep fluids is associated with similar deformation structures to those observed during the Kumamoto earthquake, and that seismic activity plays an important role over historic timescales in delivering the majority of the solutes to the caldera outlet, sustaining fluxes that are amongst the world’s highest. This upwelling mechanism might be relevant for other systems too, and could contribute to the over-proportional share of active volcanic areas in global weathering fluxes.

Persistence of microorganisms in dentinal tubules after root canal chemo-mechanical preparation has been well documented. The complex anatomy of the root canal and dentinal buffering ability make delivery of antimicrobial agents difficult. This work explores the use of a novel trilayered nanoparticle (TNP) drug delivery system that encapsulates chlorhexidine digluconate, which is aimed at improving the disinfection of the root canal system. Chlorhexidine digluconate was encapsulated inside polymeric self-assembled TNPs. These were self-assembled through water-in-oil emulsion from poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid) (PEG-b-PLA), a di-block copolymer, with one hydrophilic segment and another hydrophobic. The resulting TNPs were physicochemically characterized and their antimicrobial effectiveness was evaluated against Enterococcus faecalis using a broth inhibition method. The hydrophilic interior of the TNPs successfully entrapped chlorhexidine digluconate. The resulting TNPs had particle size ranging from 140–295 nm, with adequate encapsulation efficiency, and maintained inhibition of bacteria over 21 days. The delivery of antibacterial irrigants throughout the dentinal matrix by employing the TNP system described in this work may be an effective alternative to improve root canal disinfection.

Due to the high cost and uncertain success of new drug development, tremendous effort is devoted to increasing the efficacy of established anti-cancer drugs. Development of polymer prodrug conjugates has evolved recently in the nano-medicine field for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The major advantage of using polymer drug conjugates is that the chemical and physical properties of polymers can be tuned to increase the efficacy and to reduce the toxicity of the drug. The stimuli responsiveness provides the release of the prodrug in a controlled manner which avoids undesired side effects, organ damage, and toxicity caused by the fluctuations associated with periodic administration. A large number of anti-cancer drug polymer conjugates have been studied for cancer therapy due to their promising clinical applications in chemotherapy. In this paper, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) based anti-cancer drug conjugates will be discussed followed by a review of different types of PEG-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) copolymer drug conjugates and histone deacetylase inhibitor polymer conjugates as novel therapeutics. The pH sensitive release of prodrugs will be discussed for polymer prodrug conjugates that are currently under investigation.

Poly(caprolactone)s have found extensive use in drug delivery applications due to their attractive properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to develop stimuli-responsive systems using these polymers. Through the functionalization of e-caprolactone monomers, different stimuli-responsive properties can be instilled to the resulting polymers. Poly(caprolactone)s are usually formed through the ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactone monomers, which can be accomplished through different mechanisms such as anionic, cationic, or coordination-insertion. The resulting poly(caprolactone)s can be used for various nanocarrier systems including micelles, nanoparticles, dendrimers, or polymersomes. Often, poly(caprolactone)s are used in combination with other polymers to form block copolymers that have hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments which can then form the nanocarriers through self-assembly. Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers created from poly(caprolactone)s can release the drug through either internal or external stimuli. Nanocarriers that are responsive to differences of the internal environment like reduction or pH have attracted a lot of interest in recent years. However, there has also been an interest in nanocarriers that are responsive where the application of an external stimulus, such as temperature or light, triggers the release of the drug. Recently, new effort has been focused to design nanocarriers that are sensitive to multiple stimuli. In this chapter, the extensive use of poly(caprolactone)s in stimuli-responsive nanocarriers will be discussed in detail.

In the field of drug delivery, synthetic polymers have been widely explored due to their range of properties and functions achievable by tuning their structures. Poly(e-caprolactone)s in particular have established themselves as excellent candidates for biomedical applications because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and synthetic versatility. In this review, applications of functional poly(e-caprolactone)s in drug delivery systems are highlighted. Recent studies regarding the encapsulation or direct conjugation of drugs, bioactive molecules and moieties for targeting are discussed. Also considered are advances in amphiphilic polymers with functional poly(e-caprolactone)s that exhibit stimuli-responsive behavior: pH-, thermo-, photo-, and reduction-sensitive. Ongoing research and development of functional poly(e-caprolactone)s continues to expand their potential for use in micellar drug delivery systems.

We report the fabrication and self-assembly study of solution-cast films and electrospun nanofibers of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-poly(g-benzyl-L-glutamate) (P3HT-b-PBLG) rod‐ rod diblock copolymer. X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy revealed hierarchical self-assembly in P3HT-b-PBLG with ordered structures at two length scales: block copolymer self-assembly between P3HT and PBLG (� 11nm) and molecular ordering within each block (0.4‐1.6nm). Vapor pressure of the casting solvent was proven critical in both levels of assembly for films. However, as-spun nanofibers exhibit poorly developed structures, regardless of solvent, due to rapid evaporation during electrospinning. Upon annealing, molecular structures exhibited clear signatures of both blocks in nanofibers.

Donor-acceptor semiconductor molecules can be used for imaging applications due to their tunable band gaps and optical properties. In this report, a new donor-acceptor semiconductor small molecule based on diketopyrrolopyrrole and benzodithiophene was synthesized, and it showed emission extended to the near-infrared window. The small molecule was encapsulated into poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(e-caprolactone) polymeric micelles through an oil/water emulsion method to provide aqueous solubility. After encapsulation, the absorbance broadened and shifted to a longer wavelength. The micellar system was examined for potential imaging application using A549 lung cancer cells.

Clinical Opinion www. AJOG .org GENERAL GYNECOLOGY A statement on abortion by 100 professors of obstetrics: 40 years later One Hundred Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology F orty years ago, leaders in obstetrics and gynecology published a com- pelling statement that recognized the legalization of abortion in several states and anticipated the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade. 1 They projected the numbers of legal abortions that likely would be required by women in the United States and described the role of the teaching hospital in meeting that responsibility. 1 They wrote to ex- press their concern for women’s health in a new legal and medical era of re- productive control and to define the responsibilities of academic obstetrician- gynecologists. Since then, we have advanced the fields of reproduction and family planning. Thanks to these developments, women can now prevent pregnancy with safer and more effective forms of contracep- tion (most recently long-acting revers- ible methods), with simple and sensitive hormonal and sonographic methods to determine pregnancy status and dura- tion, and with new methods of infer- tility treatment and prenatal testing that rely on the option of terminating inten- ded pregnancies that are diagnosed as abnormal. To terminate pregnancies, cli- nicians now use misoprostol and mife- pristone for “medical abortion” (which in 2009 accounted for 16.5% of termina- tions in the United States and can be office-based) and use sonographic guid- ance of intrauterine procedures along with new methods for inducing cervical dilation and uterine contraction; patients From the 100 Professors (Appendix). Received Dec. 3, 2012; revised Jan. 23, 2013; accepted March 7, 2013. The author reports no conflict of interest. Reprints not available from the authors. a 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2013.03.007 In this Journal in 1972, 100 leaders in obstetrics and gynecology published a compelling statement that recognized the legalization of abortion in several states and anticipated the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade. They projected the numbers of legal abortions that likely would be required by women in the United States and described the role of the teaching hospital in meeting that responsibility. They wrote to express their concern for women’s health in a new legal and medical era of reproductive control and to define the responsibilities of academic obstetrician-gynecologists. Forty years later, 100 professors examine the statement of their predecessors in light of medical advances and legal changes and suggest a further course of action for obstetrician gynecologists. Key words: abortion, law, teaching hospital benefit from innovations in counseling and new approaches to pain control. 2-6 Studies of abortion practice and out- comes are also much more sophisticated than they were 40 years ago. 7,8 We have had 40 years of medical progress but have witnessed political regression that the 100 professors did not anticipate. In 2011 alone, 24 states passed 92 legislative restrictions on abortion. 9 Waiting periods after consent are now law in 26 states. Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, North Car- olina, Oklahoma and Texas require pa- tients to view ultrasound images and, in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, to listen to fetal heart beats. 10 Laws in 27 states force physicians to provide deceptive counseling including false statements about risks of breast cancer, infertility and mental health. They include laws to limit second-trimester abortion under the guise of protecting the fetus from pain (Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma). 11 Laws directed specif- ically at medical education in Arizona, Kansas, and Texas prohibit abortion training in public institutions and another 7 states ban abortion in public hospitals, precluding training in them. 12 What vision of the future of legalized abortion did the 100 professors have? How accurately did they estimate the need for safe, legal abortion and antici- pate their colleagues’ willingness and commitment to meeting it? They wrote, “In view of the impending change in abortion practices generated by new state legislation and federal court de- cisions, we believe it helpful to [respond] to this increasingly liberal course of events.by contributing to the solution of an imminent problem.” 1 Forty years later, the change is not liberal. Its effects will threaten, not improve, women’s health and already obstruct physicians’ evidence-based and patient-centered practices. We review our predecessors’ 1972 statement and judge how it com- ports with what actually occurred and with legislation that has been adopted over the 40 years since their writing and the passage of Roe v Wade. The 100 professors were remarkably prescient in anticipating the need for 1 million legal abortions and today’s abortion rate of 1 in 4 pregnancies. 13,14 They predicted that teaching hospitals with specialized outpatient facilities could meet the demand and believed that abortions were the responsibility of hospitals. But today, 90% of abortions, which include the 10% that are in the second trimester, are done away from hospitals. 15 Many hospitals enforce fetal and maternal health restrictions that are not based in the law but are MONTH 2013 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology FLA 5.1.0 DTD ! YMOB9193_proof ! 15 April 2013 ! 10:46 am ! ce