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Ngoc Ha Hoang,1,* Taehoon Sim,1,* Chaemin Lim,1 Thi Ngoc Le,1 Sang Myung Han,1 Eun Seong Lee,2 Yu Seok Youn,3 Kyung Taek Oh11College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06974, Korea; 2Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 14662, Korea; 3School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon City 16419, Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: A very common and simple method (known as the blending method) to formulate drug delivery systems with required properties is to physically mix amphiphilic block copolymers with different hydrophobicity. In addition to its simplicity, this blending strategy could help avoid the time and effort involved in the synthesis of block copolymers with the desired structure required for specific drug formulations.Purpose: We used the blending strategy to design a system that could overcome the problem of high hydrophobicity and be a good candidate for drug product development using PEG-PLA-PEG triblock copolymers.Methods: Two types of PEG-PLA-PEG triblock copolymers with similar (long) PLA molecular weights (MWs) and different PEG MWs were synthesized. The micellar formulations were prepared by blending the two block copolymers in various ratios. The size and stability of the blending systems were subsequently investigated to optimize the formulations for further studies. The loading properties of doxorubicin or paclitaxel into the optimized blending system were compared to that in mono systems (systems composed of only a single type of triblock copolymer). In vitro and in vivo anti-cancer effects of the preparations were evaluated to assess the use of the blending system as an optimal nanomedicine platform for insoluble anticancer agents.Results: The blending system (B20 system) with an optimized ratio of the triblock copolymers overcame the drawbacks of mono systems. Drug uptake from the drug-loaded B20 system and its anticancer effects against KB cells were superior compared to those of free drugs (doxorubicin hydrochloride and free paclitaxel). In particular, doxorubicin-loaded B20 resulted in extensive doxorubicin accumulation in tumor tissues and significantly higher in vivo anti-cancer effects compared to free doxorubicin.Conclusion: The blending system reported here could be a potential nanoplatform for drug delivery due to its simplicity and efficiency for pharmaceutical application.Keywords: blending system, block copolymer, triblock copolymer, drug delivery, nanomedicine, cancer

Chaemin Lim,1,* Junseong Moon,1,* Taehoon Sim,1 Ngoc Ha Hoang,1 Woong Roeck Won,1 Eun Seong Lee,2 Yu Seok Youn,3 Han-Gon Choi,4 Kyungsoo Oh,1 Kyung Taek Oh1 1College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Division of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Republic of Korea; 3School of Pharmacy, SungKyunKwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea; 4College of Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Blending micellar systems of different types of polymers has been proposed as an efficient approach for tailor-made drug formulations. The lamellar structure of hydrophobic polymers may provide a high drug loading capacity, and hydrophilic polymers may provide good colloidal stability. Methods: In this study, the anticancer model drug docetaxel was loaded onto a nanosized blending micellar system with two pluronics (L121/F127). To achieve increased antitumor activity, the cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid tripeptide (cRGD) as an active tumor targeting ligand was conjugated to the blending system.Results: The docetaxel-loaded Pluronic blending system exhibited a higher drug loading capacity than that of F127 and showed high colloidal stability with a spherical structure. cRGD conjugates demonstrated enhanced drug cellular uptake and anticancer activity against αvβ3 integrin-overexpressing U87MG cancer cells. In vivo animal imaging also revealed that the prepared cRGD-conjugated nanoparticles effectively accumulated at the targeted tumor site through an active and passive targeting strategy. Conclusion: Accordingly, the prepared nanosized system shows potential as a tailor-made, active targeting, nanomedicinal platform for anticancer therapy. We believe that this novel nanoplatform will provide insights for advancement of tumor therapy. Keywords: blending micellar system, docetaxel, cyclic RGD, Pluronic L121/F127, active targeting, nanomedicine

Chaemin Lim,1 Taehoon Sim,1 Ngoc Ha Hoang,2 Chan Eun Jung,1 Eun Seong Lee,3 Yu Seok Youn,4 Kyung Taek Oh1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea; 2Department of Pharmaceutics, Ha Noi University of Pharmacy, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 3Division of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, Bucheon, 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea Abstract: A polyelectrolyte nanoparticle composed of PEG-PLL(-g-Ce6, DMA)-PLA was developed for nanomedicinal application in photodynamic therapy. These nanoparticles formed stable aggregates through the hydrophobic interaction of poly(lactic acid) and demonstrated pH-dependent behaviors such as surface charge conversion and enhanced cellular uptake at acidic pH, resulting in improved phototoxicity. In vivo animal imaging revealed that the prepared PEG-PLL(-g-Ce6, DMA)-PLA nanoparticles effectively accumulated at the targeted tumor site through enhanced permeability and retention effects. Reversible surface charge for PEG-PLL(-g-Ce6, DMA)-PLA nanoparticles allows the nanoparticles to escape the immune system and concentrate on the tumor tissue. Tumor growth in the nude mice treated with the nanoparticles decreased significantly and the hydrophobic interaction in the poly(lactic acid) block could allow the incorporation of multiple drugs. Therefore, the PEG-PLL(-g-Ce6, DMA)-PLA nanoparticles could have considerable potential as a nanomedicinal platform for photodynamic therapy. Keywords: apoptosis, chlorin e6, polyelectrolyte, pH sensitive, charge conversion, nano­medicine

Gyoyeon Hwang,1,2,* Hyeonhye Kim,1,* Hojong Yoon,1 Chiman Song,1 Dong-Kwon Lim,3 Taebo Sim,1,3 Jiyeon Lee1,2 1Chemical Kinomics Research Center, Materials and Life Science Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 2Bio-Med, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 3KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) play an important role in determining cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival. Although a variety of small-molecule FGFR inhibitors have been developed for cancer therapeutics, the interaction between FGFRs and FGFR inhibitors has not been well characterized. The FGFR–inhibitor interaction can be characterized using a new imaging probe that has strong, stable signal properties for in situ cellular imaging of the interaction without quenching. We developed a kinase–inhibitor-modified quantum dot (QD) probe to investigate the interaction between FGFR and potential inhibitors. Especially, turbo-green fluorescent protein-FGFR3s were overexpressed in HeLa cells to investigate the colocalization of FGFR3 and AZD4547 using the QD-AZD4547 probe. The result indicates that this probe is useful for investigating the binding behaviors of FGFR3 with the FGFR inhibitor. Thus, this new inhibitor-modified QD probe is a promising tool for understanding the interaction between FGFR and inhibitors and for creating future high-content, cell-based drug screening strategies. Keywords: quantum dot, fibroblast growth factor 3, AZD4547, kinase–inhibitor, in situ imaging

This Statement on Practice Research is a work in progress. It emerges out of deliberations from three international conferences on defining and operationalizing practice research. It seeks to capture both a process and outcome in which practitioners, researchers, service users, and educators collectively engage in a negotiated process of inquiry. One of the goals of this form of research is to place equal emphasis on improving practice and improving services. Practice research also seeks to rebalance the power relations in terms of integrating the voices of service users, service providers, service researchers, and instructors preparing future and current service providers. This third statement emerges out of the most recent international conference in New York City (2012) and continues the construction of the social science and social philosophy foundation of practice research. It seeks to expand the dialogue on practice research to include more international voices while also searching for linkages with the evolving process of defining the mixed methods approach to evidence-informed practice. This Statement provides a platform for the 4th International Conference on Practice Research planned for Hong Kong in 2017.

Online learning is on the rise, and it is becoming an important mode of learning in higher education. However, there are limited models that explain the link between learners’ characteristics, learning processes, and outcomes in an online learning environment. This study aims to examine the influence of online self-regulation on the experiences and engagement of students during online learning processes and their outcomes in terms of satisfaction and academic performance. A quantitative correlational design was used to achieve the objective of this study. Data collection was carried out using an online survey. A total of 609 undergraduates from four public and private universities in Malaysia were sampled. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was run to analyze the obtained data. The results showed that online self-regulation is a presage factor affecting online learning processes. It significantly and positively affects students’ experiences and engagement in an online environment. These three factors explained more than two thirds of the variance in satisfaction, a key learning outcome of online learning. However, its predictive value for academic performance was weaker. The developed model can be used as a framework to promote positive online learning outcomes among undergraduate students. The implications of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed in this paper.

Introduction Lifestyle interventions are effective in preventing type 2 diabetes, but genetic background may influence the individual response. In the Finnish gestational diabetes prevention study, RADIEL, lifestyle intervention during pregnancy and first postpartum year was effective in preventing gestational diabetes (GDM) and postpartum glycemic abnormalities only among women at highest genetic risk of type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to assess whether still 5 years postpartum the genetic risk modifies the association between lifestyle and glycemic health.Research design and methods The RADIEL study (randomized controlled trial) aimed to prevent GDM with a lifestyle intervention among high-risk women (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 and/or prior GDM). The follow-up study 5 years postpartum included anthropometric measurements, laboratory assessments, device-measured physical activity (PA), and questionnaires. A Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) indicated adherence to lifestyle goals (PA, diet, smoking) and a polygenic risk score (PRS) based on 50 type 2 diabetes risk alleles depicted the genetic risk.Results Altogether 314 women provided genetic and glycemic data 5 years postpartum. The PRS for type 2 diabetes was not associated with glycemic abnormalities, nor was HLS in the total study sample. There was, however, an interaction between HLS and type 2 diabetes PRS on glycemic abnormalities (p=0.03). When assessing the association between HLS and glycemic abnormalities in PRS tertiles, HLS was associated with reduced risk of glycemic abnormalities only among women at the highest genetic risk (p=0.008).Conclusions These results extend our previous findings from pregnancy and first postpartum year demonstrating that still at 5 years postpartum, healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of prediabetes/diabetes only among women at the highest genetic risk of type 2 diabetes.

A review of social work practice research in Hong Kong identified 969 articles published over 50 years. Four main areas of their content were analyzed: (a) authorship, (b) practice area, (c) target clientele, and (d) research method. Our results showed that academics had produced most of the research publications (81%). The most common practice areas were children and youth (20%), mental health (19%), family (19%), and the elderly (11%). Youth (22%), the elderly (14%), and family and parents (14%) were the top three client groups. The majority of the methods (47%) used were quantitative, comprising mostly correlational methods (41%). The future development of Hong Kong's social work practice research should build on current achievements and promote more practitioner–researcher collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each human being exhibits their own personality traits and each aspect of stress and coping is essential and related. The relationship between the big five personality traits, coping mechanisms and stress level among final year medical students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) was investigated in this study. In this cross-sectional study, 152 final year medical students batch 2017/2018, were randomly selected, excluding those who had chronic diseases, married and repeated final year. The questionnaires used were Big Five Personality Inventory and 12-Item General Health Questionnaire. An open-ended question was used to determine how the respondents cope with their stress. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Agreeableness was the most common personality trait portrayed among the students, whereas Openness to Experience appeared to be the least. The relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits and coping mechanisms (p=0.016; p<0.05) were significantly related. Students with Neuroticism personality had the highest rate of practicing avoidant coping mechanism, while students with Extraversion personality had the highest rate of practicing active coping mechanism. Total score of stress were significantly difference between the different personality traits (p<0.001; p<0.05). However, the p value of 0.359 (p>0.05) and 0.94 (p>0.05) for the Big Five Personality Traits and level of stress showed no significant results on academic performance. Identified own personality were beneficial for final year medical students as it helps to identify the most effective coping mechanism in reducing stress during studying medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the effect of conditioning of dentinal surfaces on the sealing capability of a light-curing glass-ionomer restorative material, Fuji II LC. The in vitro evaluation measured gap formation at the tooth-restoration interface. The control specimens were restored with Fuji II LC after dentinal surface treatment with a polyacrylic acid solution, while the experimental specimens were restored without pretreatment. The sealing ability of the material to dentin was assessed by measuring the gap between the restorative material and tooth structure. The control group registered a mean marginal gap of 7.75 µm, and the experimental group registered a mean gap of 10.75 µm, but statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the two groups. Dentinal surface treatment prior to restoration with the light-curing glass-ionomer cement used in this study resulted in a smaller gap at the dentin-restoration interface, but this difference was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]