Influences of simulated gastrointestinal environment on physicochemical properties of gold nanoparticles and their implications on intestinal epithelial permeability

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) hold great promise in food, industrial and biomedical applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, influences of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), a likely route for Au NPs administration, on the physicochemical properties of Au NPs has been rarely evaluated. Here, we investigated the influence of GIT fluids on the physicochemical properties of Au NPs (5, 50, and 100?nm) and their implications on intestinal epithelial permeability in vitro. Au NPs aggregated in fasted gastric fluids and generated hydroxyl radicals in the presence of H₂O₂. Cell studies showed that GIT fluids incubation of Au NPs affected the cellular uptake of Au NPs but did not induce cytotoxicity or disturb the intestinal epithelial permeability.     

利用CNV-seq技术产前诊断Pallister-Killian综合征胎儿一例

应用拷贝数变异测序(copy number variation sequencing,CNV-seq)技术鉴别来源不明的胎儿标记染色体,明确其遗传物质的来源,并探讨此技术在产前诊断中的应用价值。讨论Pallister-Killian综合征(Pallister-Killian syndrome,PKS)的临床特征及遗传学特点,提高对此类罕见染色体疾病的认识。该病例因在妊娠中期超声发现胎儿异常而行羊水穿刺进行CNV-Seq检测,同时分析胎儿和父母的核型。羊水CNV-Seq结果示该样本12号染色体p13.33-p11.1处检测到拷贝数为3.5、片段大小为34.70 Mb的嵌合重复区域;羊水染色体核型结果为47,XY,+i(12)(p10)[58]/46,XX[42],综合上述结果考虑为PKS。通过结合超声结果,综合应用染色体G显带核型分析和CNV-seq技术能准确确认染色体异常片段来源,在产前有效诊断PKS患者。     

Simeprevir added to peginterferon and ribavirin lessens time with fatigue,depressive symptoms and functional limitations in patients with chronic hepatitis C compared with peginterferon and ribavirin: results from 1161 patients in the QUEST‐1, QUEST‐2 and PROMISE studies

The value of adding simeprevir (SMV) vs placebo (PBO) to peginterferon and ribavirin (PR) for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection was examined using patient‐reported outcomes (PROs); further, concordance of PROs with virology endpoints and adverse events (AEs) was explored. Patients (n = 768 SMV/PR, n = 393 PBO/PR) rated fatigue (FSS), depressive symptoms (CES‐D) and functional impairment (WPAI: Hepatitis C Productivity, Daily Activity and Absenteeism) at baseline and throughout treatment in three randomised, double‐blind trials comparing the addition of SMV or PBO during initial 12 weeks of PR. PR was administered for 48 weeks (PBO group) and 24/48 weeks (SMV group) using a response‐guided therapy (RGT) approach. Mean PRO scores (except Absenteeism) worsened from baseline to Week 4 to the same extent in both groups but reverted after Week 24 for SMV/PR and only after Week 48 for PBO/PR. Accordingly, there was a significantly lower area under the curve (baseline–Week 60, AUC₆₀) and fewer weeks with clinically important worsening of scores in the SMV/PR group at any time point. Incidences of patients with fatigue and anaemia AEs were similar in both groups, but FSS scores showed that clinically important increases in fatigue lasted a mean of 6.9 weeks longer with PBO/PR (P < 0.001). PRO score subgroup analysis indicated better outcomes for patients who met the criteria for RGT or achieved sustained virological response 12 weeks post‐treatment (SVR12); differences in mean PRO scores associated with fibrosis level were only observed with PBO/PR. Greater efficacy of SMV/PR enabled reduced treatment duration and reduced time with PR‐related AEs without adding to AE severity.