Objective To investigate the utilization of enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition in an inpatient pharmacy.Method The utilization of enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition formulations in our inpatient pharmacy from 2008 to 2010 was analyzed in terms of brand,volume,and cost using the defined daily dose method.Results The amount of the brands of enteral nutrition formulations increased from 7 to 9 from 2008 to 2010,with the expenditure increased from RMB 426 489 yuan in 2008 to RMB 673 717 yuan in 2010.The amount of brands of parenteral nutrition formulations increased from 43 in 2008 to 50 in 2010,with the expenditure increased from RMB 8 913 103 yuan in 2008 to RMB 13 637 343 yuan in 2010.Conclusion Parenteral nutrition remains the dominant nutritional mode in our hospital and the utilization of enteral nutrition is still low.

Objective To evaluate the cumulative irritative effect of topical retinoic acid preparations on normal skin.Methods A randomlized,doubled blind,placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out with7groups for6tested preparations.All subjects were patch tested with each preparation for24hours on Monday to Thursday,and for72hours on Friday.The patch tests were performed for3consecutive weeks.Results The minimal cumulative irritative effects were found in Group G treated with0.1%adapalene gel,with a cumulative irritative index of0.09?0.11in20days.The cumulative irritative index was significantly lower in Group G than that in Group B treated with0.1%retinoic acid(Diweishuang誖)(0.59?0.24),or in0.025%retinoic acid(Diweishuang誖)(0.41?0.22),or in0.05%retinoic acid(VITAMIN誖Cream)(0.25?0.22).Conclusion Adapalene,the third generation of retinoic acid,is characterized by lower irritative ef-fects in comparison to the first generation of topical retinoic acid agents.

OBJECTIVETo select and identify ssDNA aptamers specific to Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity isolated from clinical specimens.

METHODSSubtractive SELEX technology targeting the whole intact cells was used to screen for ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity. Radioactive isotope, flow cytometry, gene cloning and sequencing, MEME online software and RNA structure analysis software were employed to analyze the first and secondary structures of the aptamers and identify the screened aptamers.

RESULTSDetection by radioactive isotope showed sufficient pool enrichment after 9 rounds of subtractive SELEX. Flow cytometry showed that the selected aptamers H1, H16, H4, L1, L10 and H19 were capable of binding specifically with highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains but not with strains with a low cariogenicity. The aptamer H19 had the strongest binding capacity to highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains, with a dissociation constant of 69.45∓38.53 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONWe have obtained the ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates of highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains.

Aptamers, Nucleotide ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Primers ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; SELEX Aptamer Technique ; Species Specificity ; Streptococcus mutans ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo screen of high cariogenicity Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains isolated from clinical specimens preliminary.

METHODSAcidogenicity, aciduricity, extracellular polysaccharide production and adhesion of 41 strains of S. mutans isolated from clinical specimens were investigated to screen high cariogenicity S. mutans strains.

RESULTSThere were different cariogenicity among 41 strains of S. mutans, in which 3 strains of S. mutans had all high ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid, indicated there were 3 strains with high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens. Another 3 strains of S. mutans with all low ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid indicated they were low cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

CONCLUSIONWe may have obtained high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

Dental Caries ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Saliva ; Streptococcus mutans

OBJECTIVETo identify Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains from clinical samples.

METHODSPlaque samples from caries-active and caries-free sites on enamel surfaces were obtained and cultivated for S. mutans isolation. Morphology, biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction using primers homologous to surface protein antigen I/II (spaP), glucosyltransferase B (gtfB) and dextranase (dexA) were used to identify S. mutans. Genotype of isolated S. mutans was determined by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSForty-six strains of S. mutans were obtained from the 32 subjects and were identified as S. mutans by biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction. Five identical genotypes were found by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSIONForty-one strains of S. mutans with different genotype were obtained from clinical samples.

Dental Caries ; Dental Plaque ; Genotype ; Glucosyltransferases ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptococcus mutans

BACKGROUNDA number of studies have demonstrated the rates of overall and aneurysm-related mortality and morbidity in Western populations. The cardiovascular risk factors influencing postoperative outcome have been also reported. Until recently, little has been known about the prognosis in this patient cohort in the Chinese population. We evaluated the independent predictors of mortality and morbidity in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients undergoing elective surgical treatment and emphasized whether the coronary artery revascularization could have any effect on the overall mortality and morbidity in patients following the current guideline recommendation.

METHODSA total of 386 patients (174 women) undergoing surgery in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2008 to June 2010 were enrolled (mean age (70.6±10.5) years). Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to compare the mortality and morbidity of AAA patients with coronary artery revascularization and those without. A Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to identify clinical factors associated with two-year outcomes. The primary outcomes were death from any cause, the pre-specified morbidity was re-hospitalization for pulmonary conditions, congestive heart failure, angina, ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke.

RESULTSDuring the two-year follow-up, 34 patients died and 65 experienced re-hospitalization with pulmonary conditions, congestive heart failure, angina, or ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the AAA patients with cardiac revascularization had no higher incidence of overall mortality and major morbidity than those without (log-rank test P = 0.35 and P = 0.40, respectively). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that level of lowdensity lipoprotein (HR, 4.06; 95% CI: 1.19-18.7, P = 0.027) and AAA size (HR, 2.18; 95% CI: 1.28-11.65, P = 0.036) were independently associated with the incidence of overall mortality. Long-term use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, statins, AAA size and systolic blood pressure were independent predictors of the secondary pre-specified outcomes.

CONCLUSIONSCoronary artery revascularization following the guideline recommendations did not increase the mortality and morbidity of Chinese with AAA who were undergoing repair. Absence of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and statins, AAA size, and systolic blood pressure were powerful predictors of the clinical events.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal ; surgery ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; adverse effects ; Coronary Artery Disease ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Previously, we reported that Y, a new epigallocatechin gallate derivative, is efficacious in reversing doxorubicin (DOX)--mediated resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7404/DOX cells. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of Y in reversing drug resistance both and by determining its effect on the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette protein B1 transporter (ABCB1 or P-glycoprotein, P-gp). Our results showed that Y significantly sensitized cells overexpressing the ABCB1 transporter to anticancer drugs that are ABCB1 substrates. Y significantly stimulated the adenosine triphosphatase activity of ABCB1. Furthermore, Y exhibited a higher docking score as compared with epigallocatechin gallate inside the transmembrane domain of ABCB1. In addition, in the nude mouse tumor xenograft model, Y (110 mg/kg, intragastric administration), in combination with doxorubicin (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection), significantly inhibited the growth of BEL-7404/DOX cell xenograft tumors, compared to equivalent epigallocatechin gallate. In conclusion, Y significantly reversed ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance and its mechanisms of action may result from its competitive inhibition of the ABCB1 drug efflux function.