Plasma in Cancer Treatment

In the last decade, research on cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has significantly advanced our understanding of the effect of CAP on cancer cells and their potential for cancer treatment. This effect is due to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) created by plasma. This has been demonstrated for different cancer cell lines and the first clinical trials showed promising results. In addition, plasma could be combined with other treatments—such as immunotherapy—to boost its anticancer activity. The addition of new research tools to study the response of cancer cells to CAP—such as 3D in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo models and in silico approaches—as well as the use of -OMICS technologies could aid in unravelling the underlying mechanisms of CAP in cancer treatment. In order to progress towards widespread clinical application of CAP, an integrated study of the multidimensional effect of CAP in cancer treatment is essential. In this book, reviews and original research papers are published that provide new insights into the mechanisms of cold atmospheric plasma in cancer treatment, based on in vitro and in vivo experiments, clinical studies, as well as computer modeling

From Benchtop to Beside: Patient-specific Outcomes Explained by Invitro Experiment

Study: Recent analyses show that females have higher early postoperative (PO) mortality and right ventricular failure (RVF) than males after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation; and that this association is partially mediated by smaller LV size in females. Benchtop experiments allow us to investigate patient-specific (PS) characteristics in a reproducible way given the fact that the PS anatomy and physiology is mimicked accurately. With multiple heart models of varying LV size, we can directly study the individual effects of titrating the LVAD speed and the resulting bi-ventricular volumes, shedding light on the interplay between LV and RV as well as resulting inter-ventricular septum (IVS) positions, which may cause the different outcomes pertaining to sex. Methods: In vitro, we studied the impact of the heart size to IVS position using two smaller and two larger sized PS silicone heart phantoms derived from clinical CT images (Fig. 1A). With ultrasound crystals that were integrated on a placeholder inflow cannula, the IVS position was measured during LV and RV volume changes (dV) mimicking varying ventricular loading states (Fig. 1B). Figure 1 A Two small (blue) and two large PS heart phantoms (orange) on B benchtop. C Median septum curvature results. LVEDD/LVV/RVV: LV enddiastolic diameter/LV and RV volume. Results: Going from small to large dV, at zero curvature, the septum starts to shift towards the left; for smaller hearts at dV = -40 mL and for larger hearts at dV = -50 mL (Fig. 1C). This result indicates that smaller hearts are more prone to an IVS shift to the left than larger hearts. We conclude that smaller LV size may therefore mediate increased early PO LVAD mortality and RVF observed in females compared to males. Novel 3D silicone printing technology enables us to study accurate, PS heart models across a heterogeneous patient population. PS relationships can be studied simultaneously to clinical assessments and support the decision-making prior to LVAD implantation

Nanoprobes for Tumor Theranostics

This book reports cutting-edge technology in nanoprobes or nanobiomaterials used for the accurate diagnosis and therapy of tumors, involving a multidisciplinary of chemistry, materials science, oncology, biology, and medicine

PLGA Based Drug Carrier and Pharmaceutical Applications

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is one of the most successful polymers used for producing therapeutic devices, such as drug carriers (DC). PLGA is one of the few polymers that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for human administration due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. In recent years, DC produced with PLGA has gained enormous attention for its versatility in transporting different type of drugs, e.g., hydrophilic or hydrophobic small molecules, or macromolecules with a controlled drug release without modifying the physiochemical properties of the drugs. These drug delivery systems have the possibility/potential to modify their surface properties with functional groups, peptides, or other coatings to improve the interactions with biological materials. Furthermore, they present the possibility to be conjugated with specific target molecules to reach specific tissues or cells. They are also used for different therapeutic applications, such as in vaccinations, cancer treatment, neurological disorder treatment, and as anti-inflammatory agents. This book aims to focus on the recent progress of PLGA as a drug carrier and their new pharmaceutical applications

Patterns of injury and violence in Yaoundé Cameroon: an analysis of hospital data.

BackgroundInjuries are quickly becoming a leading cause of death globally, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa, where reports on the epidemiology of injuries are extremely limited. Reports on the patterns and frequency of injuries are available from Cameroon are also scarce. This study explores the patterns of trauma seen at the emergency ward of the busiest trauma center in Cameroon's capital city.Materials and methodsAdministrative records from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007, were retrospectively reviewed; information on age, gender, mechanism of injury, and outcome was abstracted for all trauma patients presenting to the emergency ward. Univariate analysis was performed to assess patterns of injuries in terms of mechanism, date, age, and gender. Bivariate analysis was used to explore potential relationships between demographic variables and mechanism of injury.ResultsA total of 6,234 injured people were seen at the Central Hospital of Yaoundé's emergency ward during the year 2007. Males comprised 71% of those injured, and the mean age of injured patients was 29 years (SD = 14.9). Nearly 60% of the injuries were due to road traffic accidents, 46% of which involved a pedestrian. Intentional injuries were the second most common mechanism of injury (22.5%), 55% of which involved unarmed assault. Patients injured in falls were more likely to be admitted to the hospital (p < 0.001), whereas patients suffering intentional injuries and bites were less likely to be hospitalized (p < 0.001). Males were significantly more likely to be admitted than females (p < 0.001)DiscussionPatterns in terms of age, gender, and mechanism of injury are similar to reports from other countries from the same geographic region, but the magnitude of cases reported is high for a single institution in an African city the size of Yaoundé. As the burden of disease is predicted to increase dramatically in sub-Saharan Africa, immediate efforts in prevention and treatment in Cameroon are strongly warranted

Medical Robotics

The first generation of surgical robots are already being installed in a number of operating rooms around the world. Robotics is being introduced to medicine because it allows for unprecedented control and precision of surgical instruments in minimally invasive procedures. So far, robots have been used to position an endoscope, perform gallbladder surgery and correct gastroesophogeal reflux and heartburn. The ultimate goal of the robotic surgery field is to design a robot that can be used to perform closed-chest, beating-heart surgery. The use of robotics in surgery will expand over the next decades without any doubt. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is a revolutionary approach in surgery. In MIS, the operation is performed with instruments and viewing equipment inserted into the body through small incisions created by the surgeon, in contrast to open surgery with large incisions. This minimizes surgical trauma and damage to healthy tissue, resulting in shorter patient recovery time. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of the state-of-art, to present new ideas, original results and practical experiences in this expanding area. Nevertheless, many chapters in the book concern advanced research on this growing area. The book provides critical analysis of clinical trials, assessment of the benefits and risks of the application of these technologies. This book is certainly a small sample of the research activity on Medical Robotics going on around the globe as you read it, but it surely covers a good deal of what has been done in the field recently, and as such it works as a valuable source for researchers interested in the involved subjects, whether they are currently “medical roboticists” or not

Nanomedicine Formulations Based on PLGA Nanoparticles for Diagnosis, Monitoring and Treatment of Disease: From Bench to Bedside

Nanomedicine is among the most promising emerging fields that can provide innovative and radical solutions to unmet needs in pharmaceutical formulation development. Encapsulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients within nano-size carriers offers several benefits, namely, protection of the therapeutic agents from degradation, their increased solubility and bioavailability, improved pharmacokinetics, reduced toxicity, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, decreased drug immunogenicity, targeted delivery, and simultaneous imaging and treatment options with a single system.Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is one of the most commonly used polymers in nanomedicine formulations due to its excellent biocompatibility, tunable degradation characteristics, and high versatility. Furthermore, PLGA is approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pharmaceutical products. Nanomedicines based on PLGA nanoparticles can offer tremendous opportunities in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of various diseases.This Special Issue aims to focus on the bench-to-bedside development of PLGA nanoparticles including (but not limited to) design, development, physicochemical characterization, scale-up production, efficacy and safety assessment, and biodistribution studies of these nanomedicine formulations

Development of Extracellular Vesicle Isolation and Model Systems Toward Early Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics

Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized by late stage discovery and low survivability. However, when diagnosed early (Stages I or II) the 5-year survival rate is 92% up from 29%.5 The extreme dichotomy in survivability is what makes OC a prime candidate for early diagnosis techniques. Exosomes, a subtype of extracellular vesicles, may bridge the gap between early and late diagnosis, but are lacking consistent isolation and detection technologies. Here poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) capillary channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers employing an HIC protocol are investigated as a novel exosome isolation method and a quick, inexpensive, and easy-to-use platform for OC diagnosis. The cell model system, immunoaffinity protocols, and biomarker identification tools developed here will aid in the refinement of a selective PET C-CP exosome isolation. The exosome isolation and diagnostic technique developed as a result of these investigations will allow for earlier and routine diagnosis of OC and save many women from one of the deadliest cancers