Exploring gold nanoparticles interaction with mucins: A spectroscopic-based study

The interaction between two mucin types (mucin from porcine stomach – PGM and mucin from bovine submaxillary glands – BSM) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) of various size (5, 20 and 40?nm) and functionalization (with cysteamine or thioglycolic acid) was studied under physiological conditions, in order to investigate the affinity of the nanoparticles to the proteins.Different methods are employed to monitor the interactions: UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime, circular dichroism and transmission electron microscopy. These studies have shown the formation of a complex between GNPs and both PGM and BSM.This aspect could be of great importance for the use of gold nanoparticles for biomedical purposes in those diseases where qualitative and quantitative mucin anomalies play an essential role in mucus composition and rheology.     

Loading dendritic cells with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) bearing HIV-peptides and mannosides enhance HIV-specific T cell responses

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) decorated with glycans ameliorate dendritic cells (DC) uptake, antigen-presentation and T-cells cross-talk, which are important aspects in vaccine design. GNPs allow for high antigen loading, DC targeting, lack of toxicity and are straightforward prepared and easy to handle. The present study aimed to assess the capacity of DC to process and present HIV-1-peptides loaded onto GNPs bearing high-mannoside-type oligosaccharides (P1@HM) to autologous T-cells from HIV-1 patients. The results showed that P1@HM increased HIV-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell proliferation and induced highly functional cytokine secretion compared with HIV-peptides alone. P1@HM elicits a highly efficient secretion of pro-T_H1 cytokines and chemokines, a moderate production of pro-T_H2 and significant higher secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF‐α and IL-1β. Thus, co-delivery of HIV-1 antigens and HM by GNPs is an excellent vaccine delivery system inducing HIV-specific cellular immune responses in HIV+ patients, being a promising approach to improve anti-HIV-1 vaccines.     

Theoretical study of the closed-shell d–d Au(I)–Cu(I) attraction in complexes in extended unsupported chains

Model compounds are used to study the metallophilic attraction between gold and copper atoms. Ab initio calculations on dimers and tetramers in different distributions of the simplified units are analyzed. An attraction is found for all models and there is a reasonable agreement between the experimental and theoretical geometries.     

金标法对ELISA法检测HBSAg弱阳性标本复查的意义

目的 总结分析金标法对ELISA法检测HBSAg弱阳性标本复查的重要性,进一步提高ELISA法手工检测的质量.方法 以0.1≤A≤0.4作为弱阳性,从4 970例ELISA手工法检测HBSAg的结果中选出37例弱阳性标本用金标法进行复检.结果 用ELISA法检测的37例弱阳性标本,用金标法复查,其中阴性7例,再次用ELISA法复查检出阳性4例.结论 ELISA法联合金标法检测HBSAg可以提高检测结果的准确性.     

益贞女金片治疗月经过少的临床观察

目的观察益贞女金片治疗月经过少的临床疗效。方法将124例月经过少患者随机分为2组,观察组62例口服益贞女金片,对照组62例口服人工周期疗法,比较2组月经量及月经持续时间。结果月经量及持续时间两组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论益贞女金片治疗月经过少安全有效。     

Public health risk assessment associated with heavy metal and arsenic exposure near an abandoned mine (Kirki,Greece)

The ‘Agios Philippos’ lead–zinc mine in the Kirki region (NE Greece) is now closed, but its legacy of heavy metal contamination remains at the site. At present, management of the contaminated land is of major concern. The area is in a reclamation process and requires immediate remediation action, whereas human risks need to be carefully evaluated. In order to assess these risks, samples from around the mine were collected and analyzed and a scenario involving the oral, dermal, and inhaled doses of arsenic and heavy metals was formulated. A Monte Carlo approach was undertaken, in order to model the average daily dose and quantify the corresponding hazard index and cancer risk. A toxicological risk was associated with samples collected in the vicinity of the mine (floatation, mine tailings) and a pronounced carcinogenic risk for arsenic was evident at the broader occupational/environmental setting. These findings urge for immediate rehabilitation actions that will mitigate population exposures and promote long-term environmental safety in the area.     

Does hormone therapy modify the position of the gold markers in the prostate during irradiation? A daily evaluation with kV-images

PurposeGold markers are frequently used for a better daily repositioning of the prostate before irradiation. The purpose of this work was to analyze if the combination of an androgen deprivation with the external irradiation could modify the position of the gold markers in the prostate.Patients and methodsTen patients have been treated for a prostate cancer, using three implanted gold markers. The variations of the intermarker distances in the prostate were measured and collected on daily OBI^® kilovoltage images acquired at 0° and 90°. Five patients had a 6-month androgen deprivation started before the external irradiation (H group) and five did not (NH group).ResultsA total number of 1062 distances were calculated. No distance variation greater than 3.7 mm was seen between two markers, in any of the two groups. The median standard deviations of the daily intermarker distance differences were 0.7 mm (range 0.3–1.2 mm) for the H group and 0.6 mm (range 0.2–1.2 mm) for the NH group. The intermarker distances variations were noted as greater than –2 mm, between –2 mm and 2 mm and greater than 2 mm in 16.4, 83.4 and 0.2% for the H group and 1.3, 98.5 and 0.2% for the NH group, respectively.ConclusionThe distance variations remained less than 4 mm in both groups and for all the measurements. In the NH group, the variation of the distance between two markers remained below 2 mm in 98.5%. In the H group, the presence of a reduction of distance above 2 mm in 16.4% of measurements could indicate the shrinkage of the prostate volume.     

高氧液院前静脉输注治疗矿井下有害气体中毒

目的 研究入院前应用高氧液静脉输注治疗矿井下有害气体中毒的疗效.方法 在入院前急救同时,应用高氧液静脉输注,院内治疗应用高压氧,结合对症支持治疗,并与常规治疗患者作对照,观察疗效.结果 73例治疗组患者均成功救治,比较2组间治疗后1、2、5d Glasgow评分,差异有统计学意义,2组中毒性脑病发病率和住院天数比较差异均有统计学意义.结论 高氧液能有效缓解矿井下有害气体中毒患者缺氧状态,减少中毒性迟发性脑病的发生率,缩短治疗时间.     

民间验方金蟾膏治疗骨髓炎的疗效观察

目的对骨髓炎患者经民间验方金蟾膏治疗的结果进行分析归纳。让人们认识一种治疗骨髓炎更好的方法。方法采用经金蟾膏治疗的245例骨髓炎患者的治疗效果。结果245例患者，233例痊愈，占95％，12例好转，总有效率100％。结论金蟾膏确实是一种治疗骨髓炎的好药，值得推广。     

Nuclear penetration of surface functionalized gold nanoparticles

Free gold nanoparticles easily aggregate when the environment conditions change. Here, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with average diameter of 3.7 nm were prepared and then modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to improve stability. The gold nanoparticles were first surface-modified with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) to form a self-assembled monolayer and subsequently conjugated with NH₂-PEG-NH₂ through amidation between the amine end groups on PEG and the carboxylic acid groups on the particles. The biocompatibility and intracellular fate of PEG-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNP@MPA-PEG) were then studied in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells. Cell viability test showed that AuNP@MPA-PEG did not induce obvious cytotoxicity. Both confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that AuNP@MPA-PEG entered into mammalian cells and the cellular uptake of AuNP@MPA-PEG was time-dependent. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and confocal microscopy imaging further demonstrated that AuNP@MPA-PEG penetrated into the nucleus of mammalian cells upon exposure for 24 h. These results suggest that surface modification can enhance the stability and improve the biocompatibility. This study also indicates that AuNP@MPA-PEG can be used as potential nuclear targeted drug delivery carrier.