Characteristics of newly diagnosed COPD in primary care / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of newly diagnosed patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Shenzhen primary care.Methods:Random sampling was conducted in 10 jurisdictions of Shenzhen, permanent residents who were over 40 years old and lived for more than 6 months were included for lung function test, COPD Population Screener (COPD-PS) questionnaire and information survey, the prevalence of COPD was estimated, and statistical comparison was made between the two groups of subjects with newly diagnosed and previously diagnosed COPD.Results:Among 3 916 subjects, 3 591 had completed the whole screening process. The results showed that 280 COPD patients were diagnosed and the estimated standardized prevalence of COPD was 5.92% (95% CI: 4.05-8.34). Among them, 251 (89.64%) were newly diagnosed COPD patients and 29 (10.36%) were previously diagnosed COPD patients. Compared with previously diagnosed COPD, the proportion of female in the newly diagnosed COPD was higher (50.20% vs 10.34%, P<0.001), educational level in the newly diagnosed COPD was lower (the proportion of primary school and below was higher, 42.23% vs 20.69%, P=0.023), the proportion of those with frequent wheezing symptoms in the newly diagnosed COPD was lower (4.78% vs 51.72%, P<0.001), the proportion of those with mild degree of airway obstruction (GOLD 1) in the newly diagnosed COPD was higher (81.67% vs 20.69%, P<0.001). The detection rates of COPD-PS in newly diagnosed COPD and previously diagnosed COPD were 43.03% and 41.38% respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of COPD-PS was 0.705. Conclusion:The phenomenon of insufficient diagnosis of COPD in Shenzhen primary care is common and we should vigorously popularize pulmonary function examination.

Preparation and performance of pH-responsive nanocarriers for mucus penetration / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective To prepare pH-responsive osmotic nanocarriers (pMPPs),observe their distribution in the genital tract mucosa in mice,and evaluate their radiosensitizing effects in tumor cells.Methods Amphiphilic polymers containing pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds were synthesized and pMPPs were prepared by ultrasonic emulsification.At the same time,the hydrophobic polymer polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer (PLGA) and the amphiphilic polymer PLGA-polyethylene glycol without hydrazine bond were selected,and the mucoadhesive nanoparticles(MPs) and mucus-penetrating particles (MPPs) were prepared in the same way.Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe the distribution of three kinds of nanocarriers labeled with fluorescent dye Cy5.5 in the genital tract mucosa.The toxicity of nanocarriers to human cervical cancer cell line HeLa was tested by thiazolyl blue assay.The amphiphilic polymer containing pH-sensitive hydrazone bond was combined with oil-soluble gold nanoparticles to form a multi-encapsulated nanocarrier,and its radiotherapy sensitization effect in HeLa cells was evaluated by thiazole blue assay.Results The pMPPs were successfully prepared with relatively uniform particle size and good dispersion.Fluorescence microscopy showed that pMPPs not only had good mucus permeability,but also could improve the endocytosis efficiency of the nanocarriers in reproductive tract mucosa.The results of thiazolyl blue test showed that when the concentration of the carrier reached to 0.80 mg/ml,the survival rate of HeLa cells in the pMPPs group was higher than 90％ which was higher than that in the MPs and the MPPs groups,indicating that pMPPs had good biosafety.The HeLa cell survival rate of the CMNa group (0.80 mg/ml) was higher than that of the multi-package nanocarrier group under different doses of X-ray irradiation (4 Gy:82.90％ vs.61.79％;8 Gy:64.75 ％ vs.42.36％).This result indicated that compared with the CMNa,a commonly used clinical radiotherapy sensitizer,the multi-encapsulated nanocarriers can more effectively enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation therapy,thereby improving the lethality of radiation therapy on tumor cells.Conclusion This study solved the conflict between mucus permeation and endocytosis design of nanocarriers in mucosal tissue application,and provided new insight for the treatment of mucosal tissue diseases.

Application of cNGR functionalized gold nanoparticle probe in CT imaging of breast cancer angiogenesis / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective To prepare polyethylene glycol/cyclic asparagines-glycine-arginine functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs-PEG@cNGR) and evaluate their effectiveness in CT imaging of breast cancer angiogenesis.Methods The GNPs were synthesized by one-step reduction of chloroauric acid by sodium citrate.The thiolated PEG and cysteine-modified cNGR were coupled to the surface of GNPs through Au-S bonds,respectively.The GNPs-PEG@cNGR was characterized by transmission electron microscopy,Zeta potential/hydration particle size analyzer,and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer.The uptake and CT imaging effect of GNPs-PEG@cNGR were assessed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human hepatoma cells (HepG2) positively expressed for aminopeptidase N (APN/CD 13).The in vivo CT imaging effects on tumor angiogenesis and biocompatibility in mice of GNPs-PEG@cNGR were studied by BALB/c mouse model of 4T1 breast cancer.Results A specific CT molecular probe,i.e.GNPs-PEG@cNGR,was successfully constructed,which can target angiogenesis.The probe was spherical,with a hydration particle size of (35.7± 1.0) nm and a Zeta potential of (-13.54± 1.12) mV,and had good stability and biocompatibility.The GNPs-PEG@cNGR has good CT imaging results and can specifically target CD13-positive HUVEC and HepG2 cells.The CT imaging results in 4T1 breast cancer mice indicated that GNPs-PEG@cNGR could be specifically enriched in the tumor tissue after injection.The CT value of tumors in GNPs-PEG@cNGRz group was higher than that of GNPs-PEG group,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusions GNPs-PEG@cNGR can specifically target CD13 positive cells and can be used as a CT contrast agent for imaging tumor angiogenesis.

Activatable ultrasmall gold nanorods for theranostics in breast cancer cells / 国际生物医学工程杂志

Objective To develop a fluorescence signal activatable multifunctional molecular probe with theranostics function through combining ultrasmall gold nanorods(UGNRs) with fluorescein,and to evaluate its therapeutic effect on photothermal therapy (PTT) in breast cancer cells.Methods The UGNRs were synthesized by the one-pot seedless method,then the functionalized modification of UGNRs were conducted using cysteamine.Finally,the activatable ultrasmall gold nanorods (AUGNRs) were synthesized by amide condensation of —NH2 of cysteamine and —COOH of carboxylated fluorescein CyS.The cell uptake ability and GSH-mediated imaging ability of AUGNRs were studied using breast cancer 4T1 cells.4T1 cells co-cultured with AUGNRs were irradiated with 808 nm excitation light,and the PTT effects were assessed by MTT colorimetric staining and calcein-AM/PI staining.Results The AUGNRs were synthesized successfully,which could be uptaken by 4T1 cells quickly and efficiently,and could achieve intracellular glutathione (GSH) triggered fluorescence recovery.No obvious cytotoxicity of AUGNRs to 4T1 cells was observed in the co-cultivation.Moreover,obvious PTT effects could be induced by 808 nm laser,which could effectively kill 4T1 cancer cells.Conclusion The fluorescence signals of AUGNRs can be induced by intracellular GSH,and tumor cell destruction can be achieved by 808 laser-excitated PTT effects.