Nanoparticles are heterologous small composites that are usually between 1 and 100 nanometers in size. They are applied in many areas of medicine with one of them being drug delivery. Nanoparticles have a number of advantages as drug carriers which include reduced toxic effects, increased bioavailability, and their ability to be modified for specific tissues or cells. Due to the exciting development of nanotechnology concomitant with advances in biotechnology and medicine, the number of clinical trials devoted to nanoparticles for drug delivery is growing rapidly. Some nanoparticles, lipid-based types, in particular, played a crucial role in the developing and manufacturing of the two COVID-19 vaccines—Pfizer and Moderna—that are now being widely used. In this analysis, we provide a quantitative survey of clinical trials using nanoparticles during the period from 2002 to 2021 as well as the recent FDA-approved drugs (since 2016). A total of 486 clinical trials were identified using the clinicaltrials.gov database. The prevailing types of nanoparticles were liposomes (44%) and protein-based formulations (26%) during this period. The most commonly investigated content of the nanoparticles were paclitaxel (23%), metals (11%), doxorubicin (9%), bupivacaine and various vaccines (both were 8%). Among the FDA-approved nanoparticle drugs, polymeric (29%), liposomal (22%) and lipid-based (21%) drugs were the most common. In this analysis, we also discuss the differential development of the diverse groups of nanoparticles and their content, as well as the underlying factors behind the trends.

Neurological diseases can significantly reduce the quality and duration of life. Stem cells provide a promising solution, not only due to their regenerative features but also for a variety of other functions, including reducing inflammation and promoting angiogenesis. Although only hematopoietic cells have been approved by the FDA so far, the number of trials continues to expand. We analyzed 492 clinical trials and illustrate the trends in stem cells origins, indications, and phase and status of the clinical trials. The most common neurological disorders treated with stem cells were injuries of brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves (14%), stroke (13%), multiple sclerosis (12%), and brain tumors (11%). Mesenchymal stem cells dominated (83%) although the choice of stem cells was highly dependent on the neurological disorder. Of the 492 trials, only two trials have reached phase 4, with most of all other trials being in phases 1 or 2, or transitioning between them (83%). Based on a comparison of the obtained results with similar works and further analysis of the literature, we discuss some of the challenges and future directions of stem cell therapies in the treatment of neurological diseases.

Objectives: Diagnosing brain tumors is critical due to their complex nature. This review explores the potential of in situ hybridization for diagnosing brain neoplasms, examining their attributes and applications in neurology and oncology.Methods: The review surveys literature and cross-references findings with the OMIM database, examining 513 records. It pinpoints mutations suitable for in situ hybridization and identifies common chromosomal and gene anomalies in brain tumors. Emphasis is placed on mutations’ clinical implications, including prognosis and drug sensitivity.Results: Amplifications in EGFR, MDM2, and MDM4, along with Y chromosome loss, chromosome 7 polysomy, and deletions of PTEN, CDKN2/p16, TP53, and DMBT1, correlate with poor prognosis in glioma patients. Protective genetic changes in glioma include increased expression of ADGRB3/1, IL12B, DYRKA1, VEGFC, LRRC4, and BMP4. Elevated MMP24 expression worsens prognosis in glioma, oligodendroglioma, and meningioma patients. Meningioma exhibits common chromosomal anomalies like loss of chromosomes 1, 9, 17, and 22, with specific genes implicated in their development. Main occurrences in medulloblastoma include the formation of isochromosome 17q and SHH signaling pathway disruption. Increased expression of BARHL1 is associated with prolonged survival. Adenomas mutations were reviewed with a focus on adenoma-carcinoma transition and different subtypes, with MMP9 identified as the main metalloprotease implicated in tumor progression.Discussion: Molecular-genetic diagnostics for common brain tumors involve diverse genetic anomalies. In situ hybridization shows promise for diagnosing and prognosticating tumors. Detecting tumor-specific alterations is vital for prognosis and treatment. However, many mutations require other methods, hindering in situ hybridization from becoming the primary diagnostic method.

Recovery after an ischemic stroke depends not only on neuronal survival but also on inflammatory mechanisms that determine secondary injury and reparative plasticity. This review summarizes the evidence on hypoxic conditioning, permissive hypercapnia, and their combined application as modulators of neuroinflammation and neurorehabilitation. This review does not aim to describe the fundamental mechanisms of neuroinflammation, but rather to examine how hypoxia, hypercapnia, and their interaction provide potential targets for its modulation. Prolonged or severe hypoxia exacerbates neuroinflammation through NF-κB activation, NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and microglial activation. In contrast, controlled intermittent hypoxia in pre-/postconditioning protocols suppresses inflammatory processes, promotes reparative microglial phenotypes, activates PI3K/Akt-dependent survival pathways, and modulates the fractalkine/CX3CR1 axis. Permissive hypercapnia also has context-dependent immunomodulatory properties: moderate exposure may reduce NF-κB-driven inflammation, oxidative damage, apoptosis, and blood–brain barrier disruption, whereas prolonged hypercapnia, especially with hypoxemia, may enhance inflammasome activation and microglial reactivity. Therefore, combined intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia may act as a therapeutic stimulus integrating anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, barrier-stabilizing, and neuroplastic mechanisms. Clinical evidence regarding ischemic stroke and cerebral palsy is encouraging but limited. Future studies should determine optimal gas exposure protocols, precisely define the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects, and establish whether pharmacological potentiation using modulators of the NLRP3, PI3K/Akt, BDNF/TrkB, and JNK signaling pathways is feasible.