Nanotechnology-mediated anti-inflammatory therapy is emerging as a novel strategy for the treatment of inflammation-induced injury. However, one of the main hurdles for these anti-inflammatory nano-drugs is their potential toxic side effects in vivo. Herein, we uncovered that polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles with their structure and chemical properties similar to melanin, a natural bio-polymer, displayed a significant anti-inflammation therapeutic effect on acute inflammation-induced injury. PDA with enriched phenol groups functioned as a radical scavenger to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during inflammatory responses. As revealed by in vivo photoacoustic imaging with a H2O2-specific nanoprobe, PDA nanoparticles remarkably reduced intracellular ROS levels in murine macrophages challenged with either H2O2 or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The anti-inflammatory capacity of PDA nanoparticles was further demonstrated in murine models of both acute peritonitis and acute lung injury (ALI), where diminished ROS generation, reduced proinflammatory cytokines, attenuated neutrophil infiltration, and alleviated lung tissue damage were observed in PDA-treated mice after a single dose of PDA treatment. Our work therefore presents the great promise of PDA nanoparticles as a biocompatible nano-drug for anti-inflammation therapy to treat acute inflammation-induced injury.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the frequency of clinical features and pathological lead points in recurrent intussusception, with a special focus on the risk factors that lead to recurrent intussusception.DesignThis is a retrospective cohort study. A 5-year retrospective study was performed between January 2012 and July 2016 in the Children’s Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China, to determine the clinical features and pathological lead points of recurrent intussusception.SettingThis is a retrospective chart review of recurrent intussusception cases in a large university teaching hospital.ParticipantsThe medical records were obtained for 1007 cases with intussusception, including demographics, clinical signs and symptoms, imaging and recurrence times if available.InterventionsUnivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to measure significant factors affecting recurrent intussusception and recurrent intussusception with pathological lead points.ResultsThere were 481 total episodes of recurrence in 191 patients. Among these, 87 had one recurrence and 104 had multiple recurrences. After comparing recurrent and non-recurrent intussusception cases using univariate analysis, it was determined that the factors associated with recurrent intussusception were age (>1 year), duration of symptoms (≤12 hours), the lack of bloody stool, paroxysmal crying or vomiting, the mass location (right abdomen) and pathological lead point (P<0.05). Age (>1 year), duration of symptoms (≤12 hours), the absence of vomiting, mass location (right abdomen) and pathological lead point were significantly independently predictive of recurrent intussusception. The factors associated with recurrent intussusception with lead points present were vomiting and mass location in the right abdomen (P<0.05). Vomiting and mass location (left abdomen) were significantly predictive of recurrent intussusception with lead points.ConclusionsAge (>1 year), symptom duration (≤12 hours), the absence of vomiting, mass location (right abdomen) and pathological lead points were significantly predictive of recurrent intussusception. Vomiting and mass location (left abdomen) were significantly predictive of recurrent intussusception with lead points.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with various unique properties have attracted great attention in cancer theranostics. Herein, SWNTs are coated with a shell of polydopamine (PDA), which is further modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The PDA shell in the obtained SWNT@PDA-PEG could chelate Mn2+, which together with metallic nanoparticulate impurities anchored on SWNTs offer enhanced both T1 and T2 contrasts under magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Meanwhile, also utilizing the PDA shell, radionuclide 131I could be easily labeled onto SWNT@PDA-PEG, enabling nuclear imaging and radioisotope cancer therapy. As revealed by MR & gamma imaging, efficient tumor accumulation of SWNT@PDA-131I-PEG is observed after systemic administration into mice. By further utilizing the strong near-infarared (NIR) absorbance of SWNTs, NIR-triggered photothermal therapy in combination with 131I-based radioisotope therapy is realized in our animal experiments, in which a remarkable synergistic antitumor therapeutic effect is observed compared to monotherapies. Our work not only presents a new type of theranostic nanoplatform based on SWNTs, but also suggests the promise of PDA coating as a general approach to modify nano-agents and endow them with highly integrated functionalities.

Accurate intraoperative tissue identification is critical to tumor surgery. However, conventional methods are labor‐ and time‐intensive, which greatly delay the intraoperative decision‐making. Herein, a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)14‐activated NIR‐II nanoprobe (A&MMP@Ag2S‐AF7P) is presented for rapid unperturbed‐tissue analysis for ex vivo and in vivo neuroblastoma diagnosis. A&MMP@Ag2S‐AF7P displays negligible fluorescence in normal tissues but is activated quickly by inhibiting the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between Ag2S QDs and A1094 mediated by MMP14 overexpressed in neuroblastoma; meanwhile, the exposure of the membrane penetrating peptide R9 (TAT‐peptide) results in efficient internalization of nanoprobes in the cancer cells, providing superior tumor‐to‐normal (T/N) tissue ratio. Instant illumination of the lesion and well‐defined tumor margins make the nanoprobes a suitable rapid diagnostic reagent for cancer surgical or tissue biopsy procedures.

Background Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) is often associated with congenital choledochal cyst, protein plugs and pancreatitis. Early diagnosis and timely treatment largely depend on imaging. We assessed a series of PBM in children, comparing imaging procedure with histological and pathological findings with regard to diagnosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in 75 pediatric patients with PBM. PBM was defined as common channel at[5 mm. Two radiologists assess the shape of the bile duct and gallbladder, pancreatitis, surgical pathology, symptom profiles, operative notes and pathological records were compared with the imaging findings. Results Dilatation of the bile duct was detected in 45 subjects out of the 46 subjects who underwent computed tomography (CT) and nine was diagnosis as PBM. Forty out of 41 subjects were revealed bile duct dilatation in ultrasonography (US). Bile duct dilatation was seen in 59 out of 60 subjects receiving magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and 39 were diagnosed as PBM. Seventy-four out of 75 subjects successfully underwent intraoperative cholangiography (IOC); a diagnosis of PBM was established in 60 cases based on IOC alone. The diagnosis rate of pediatric PBM varied significantly among the four groups (P \ 0.0001). Pair-wise comparison showed a significant difference between the groups of MRCP and CT (P \ 0.0001), MRCP and US (P \ 0.0001), IOC and CT (P \ 0.0001), IOC and US (P \ 0.0001), CT and US (P = 0.0027), and there is no significant difference between the groups of IOC and MRCP (P = 0.0502). Conclusion US, IOC, CT and MRCP are valuable in showing dilatation of the bile duct and complications in pediatric PBM. MRCP is non-invasive, gives clear views of the pancreaticobiliary junction and should be the first choice for the diagnosis of PBM in children.