Targeting nanoparticle (NP) carriers to sites of disease is critical for their successful use as drug delivery systems. Along with optimization of physicochemical properties, researchers have focused on surface modification of NPs with biological ligands. Such ligands can bind specific receptors on the surface of target cells. Furthermore, biological ligands can facilitate uptake of modified NPs, which is referred to as ‘active targeting’ of NPs. In this review, we discuss recent applications of biological ligands including proteins, polysaccharides, aptamers, peptides, and small molecules for NP-mediated drug delivery. We prioritized studies that have demonstrated targeting in animals over in vitro studies. We expect that this review will assist biomedical researchers working with NPs for drug delivery and imaging.

We have generated 47 DNA pools and 235 subpools from 21,049 T-DNA insertion lines of rice. DNA pools of 500-1,000 lines were adequate for screening a T-DNA insertion within a 2-kb region. To examine the efficacy of the DNA pools, we selected MADS-box genes, which play an important role in controlling various aspects of plant development. A total of 34 MIKC-type MADS-box genes have now been identified from rice sequence databases. Our PCR screening for T-DNA insertions within 12 MADS-box genes resulted in the identification of five insertions in four different genes. These DNA pools will be valuable when isolating T-DNA insertional mutants in various rice genes. The DNA pool screening service and the mutant seeds are available upon request to genean@postech.ac.kr.

In-depth knowledge of disinfection and sterilization is a key component of infection control. Sterilization completely removes a spore, whereas disinfection cannot. Disinfectants are classified as oxidants and non-oxidants. The decision regarding which method to apply is based on Spaulding's classification. In this article, disinfection and sterilization are thoroughly reviewed, and extensive information from basic to practical points is discussed.

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This study shows that therapeutic drug monitoring is indicated in patients with a voriconazole-related SAE and that dose adjustment is required if the trough concentration of voriconazole exceeds 5.83 mg/l.

BackgroundGenetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 enzymes, especially CYP2C19 influence voriconazole pharmacokinetics. However, the impact of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms on the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of voriconazole therapy are not well established.Materials and MethodsIn this prospective observational study, we analyzed all consecutive adult patients with hematologic diseases who were treated for invasive aspergillosis (IA) with voriconazole between January 2011 and June 2012. CYP2C19 genotype and routine therapeutic drug monitoring of voriconazole were performed. The target range for voriconazole trough levels was 1-5.5 mg/L.ResultsA total of 104 consecutive patients were enrolled, including 39 homozygous extensive metabolizers (EMs, 38%), 50 heterozygous extensive metabolizers (HEMs, 48%), and 15 poor metabolizers (PMs, 14%). The initial voriconazole trough levels were 1.8, 2.7, and 3.2 mg/L in EMs, HEMs, and PMs, respectively (P = 0.068). Out-of-range initial trough levels were most frequently observed in EMs (46%) followed by HEMs (26%) and PMs (0%) (P = 0.001). The frequency of initial trough levels < 1 mg/L but not > 5.5 mg/L differed significantly among the 3 groups (P = 0.005). However, treatment response, all-cause and IA-attributable mortality, and the occurrence of voriconazole-related adverse events did not differ significantly among the 3 groups (P = 0.399, P = 0.412, P = 0.317, and P = 0.518, respectively).ConclusionsWhile none of the initial voriconazole trough levels in PMs was outside the target range, subtherapeutic initial trough levels were frequent in EMs. Although there was no significant relationship between CYP2C19 genotype and either the clinical outcomes of IA or toxicity of voriconazole, further large-scale multicenter studies using clinical data from homogeneous populations are required.

Nanoparticles (NPs) play a key role in nanomedicine in multimodal imaging, drug delivery and targeted therapy of human diseases. Consequently, due to the attractive properties of NPs including high stability, high payload, multifunctionality, design flexibility, and efficient delivery to target tissues, nanomedicine employs various types of NPs to enhance targeting and treatment efficacy. In this review, we primarily focus on light-responsive materials, such as fluorophores, photosensitizers, semiconducting polymers, carbon structures, gold particles, quantum dots, and upconversion crystals, for their biomedical applications. Armed with these nanomaterials, NPs represent a growing potential in biophotonic imaging (luminescence, photoacoustic, surface enhanced Raman scattering, and optical coherence tomography) as well as targeted therapy (photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and light-responsive drug release).

Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER (ginseng) is one of the most common herbal medicines in the Orient used for the treatment of disease. Ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) are the major active components in ginseng and possess anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective activity. [1][2][3] Of the ginsenosides, Rk1, Rg3, Rg5, F4 2 , etc. are isolated from heat-processed ginseng, Sun Ginseng (SG), but they are not detected in raw or air-dried ginseng. 4,5) The enhanced antitumor activity of SG is attributed to the generation of ginsenosides due to heat processing. 4,6) The molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor activity of SG-derived ginsenosides have not been comprehensively investigated.High telomerase activity is found in the vast majority of human malignant tissues and many immortal cell lines. The fundamental components of telomerase are telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), telomerase RNA (hTR), and telomerase-associated proteins.7) Of these, hTR and telomerase-associated proteins are expressed ubiquitously in both normal and cancerous tissues, 8) whereas hTERT is expressed at high levels in human tumors and either not at all or at very low levels in normal tissues.7) The rate-limiting component of telomerase is hTERT, and thus, the expression level of hTERT correlates with telomerase activity.Fas-associated death domain (FADD) interacts with the cytosolic tail of the Fas/APO-1 receptor by binding to the COOH-terminal death domain (DD) to expose the NH 2 -terminal death effector domain (DED).9,10) Recruitment of caspases-8 and -10 by DED forms the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), resulting in the oligomerization of these proteases and their subsequent cleavage and activation. 11)Phosphorylation of FADD at Ser194 is involved in the G2/M phase arrest in Burkitt lymphoma and breast cancer cells. 12,13) Members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family represent one type of serine/threonine protein kinase, and are key modulators of cell activation, including apoptosis and cell cycle progression. To date, three major MAPKs, extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38, have been identified. ERK is generally activated by growth factors and is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation.14,15) Activation of ERK is often associated with cell cycle arrest. 16,17) In this study, the mechanism underlying the anti-tumor activity of the ginsenoside Rk1 was investigated by examining the effects of Rk1 on cell growth, telomerase activity, and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS ChemicalsThe ginsenoside Rk1 (Fig. 1) was isolated from SG as previously described 6) and confirmed by NMR and MS spectroscopic analysis. The compound was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at a concentration of 20 mM and stored at Ϫ20°C. When required, the compound was diluted with medium to the appropriate concentration.Cell Culture and Treatment The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was purchased from the American Type Cultu...