The study is to prepare taste masking and enteric-coated clarithromycin granules by melting and fluid bed coating technology. Clarithromycin and matrix materials were melted at a certain temperature, and then made into particles by fluidized bed coating. X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify the crystal and morphology of drug loading granules. In vitro dissolution method was used for the observation of the drug release behavior. The results showed that the drug particles size range was 0.2 - 0.6 mm; the crystal form of clarithromycin in the granule did not change; enteric-coated granules accumulated release in 0.1 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid in 2 h was less than 10%, while in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer in 1 h was more than 80%. The taste masking and enteric-coated clarithromycin granules not only have good taste masking effect, but also have a good release behavior. It is expected to have better clinical application.

Objective To determine the effect of treadmill exercise on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in rats follow-ing traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Fifty-five male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to sham (n=15), control (n=20) and exercise (n=20) groups, the later two groups subjected to unilateral cortical contusion injury (CCI). All the rats were assessed with foot-fault test 6, 12, 18 and 24 days after CCI. Evans blue perfusion was used to evaluate the integrity of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) 48 hours after CCI. Protein expression of MMP-2 was determined with Western blotting one week after CCI. Results The score of foot-fault test improved more in the exercise group than in the control group 12, 18 and 24 days after CCI (F>4.793, P<0.05). Evans blue extravasa-tion was less in the exercise group than in the control group (t=-8.091, P<0.001), as well as the expression of MMP-2 (t=-13.12, P<0.001). Conclusion Early treadmill exercise can improve the motor function in rats with TBI, which may associate with inhibition of MMP-2 ex-pression to protect BBB integrity.

Background and purpose:Radiotherapy is the main method to manage head and neck tumors.About half of the patients with malignant tumor in head and neck could obtain long term survival through radiotherapy or other therapy combined with radiotherapy.However,it is necessary to clinically detect whether carotid stenosis is a major sequela of head and neck irradiation,especially in long term survivors such as patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.We analyzed this injury and the degree of carotid stenosis,and its related factors to provide information to reduce and delay the incidence of this injury.Methods:We analyzed the degree of arterial stenosis of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who received radiotherapy and had survived more than three years in Cancer Hospital Fudan University,compared with newly diagnosed as nasopharyngeal carcinoma before radiotherapy.The degree of carotid artery injury was observed and the clinical factors which affect its occurrence and development.All patients were low differentiated squamous cell carcinoma confirmed by pathology.All patients were examined with color doppler ultrasound to detect the carotid artery.The main end points were the diameter of carotid artery,the peak systolic and end diastolic velocities.Results:Arterial stenosis was more common in the reserch group than the control group(80% vs 20%,P＜0.001).The common and internal carotid arteries were most commonly involved(70% vs 20%,P＜0.001;6313% vs 10%,P＜0.001),followed by the external carotid artery(30% vs 3.3%,P=0.015).Significant stenosis was only found in the research group,common carotid arteries 36.7%,internal carotid arteries 23.3%,external carotid arteries10%.Conclusion:This study showed that radiation could cause significant carotid stenosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who had received radiotherapy more than 3 years previously.Carotid stenosis developed more frequently in the common carotid artery and intemal carotid artery on the side that had received radiotherapy.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is useful as a host for genetic engineering, since it allows the folding and glycosylation of expressed heterologous eukaryotic proteins and can be subjected to many genetic manipulations. Recent advancements in the yeast cell surface engineering developed strategies to genetically immobilize amylolytic, cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes on yeast cell surface for the production of fuel ethanol from biomass. We reviewed the basic principle and progress of S. cerevisiae cell-surface engineering and gave an insight into the recent technological developments in the production of bioethanol using surface engineered yeast.
Biofuels ; analysis ; microbiology ; Ethanol ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Metabolic Engineering ; methods ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; genetics ; metabolism

The study is to prepare taste masking and enteric-coated clarithromycin granules by melting and fluid bed coating technology. Clarithromycin and matrix materials were melted at a certain temperature, and then made into particles by fluidized bed coating. X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify the crystal and morphology of drug loading granules. In vitro dissolution method was used for the observation of the drug release behavior. The results showed that the drug particles size range was 0.2 - 0.6 mm; the crystal form of clarithromycin in the granule did not change; enteric-coated granules accumulated release in 0.1 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid in 2 h was less than 10%, while in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer in 1 h was more than 80%. The taste masking and enteric-coated clarithromycin granules not only have good taste masking effect, but also have a good release behavior. It is expected to have better clinical application.
Clarithromycin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Crystallization ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Excipients ; chemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Particle Size ; Tablets, Enteric-Coated ; Taste ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of upper airway reconstructive surgery for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) with the obstructive sites determined by pressure measurements, and to evaluate the clinical value of upper airway manometry in localizing the obstructive sites.

METHODSFifty-one moderate to severe OSAHS patients were examined using whole night recording, including airway continuous pressure measurements (ApneaGraph, MRA-Medical Ltd, UK). ApneaGraph (AG) transducer catheter contains two pressure and two temperature sensors used for obstruction site determination and detection of apnoeic events during sleep. Obstructive sites were divided into upper (retropalatal region) and lower level (retroglossal region). The lower limit of obstruction was determined by AG pressure pattern. Using constituent ratio to reflect the obstructive proportion of different levels. All patients were divided into two groups (retropalatal or retroglossal) according to the primary obstructive level. The patients of retropalatal group were treated with modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), or plus hard palate shortening. The patients of retroglossal group underwent tongue and palatal surgical procedures such as UPPP, hyoid suspension, radiofrequency ablation of tongue base, genioglossus advancement etc. All patients were followed-up at least 6 months using Apneagraph. Clinical outcomes included the Epworth sleeping scale (ESS), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2).

RESULTSFive patients had moderate OSAHS and 46 were severe. Four patients had experienced UPPP failures. The ESS reduced from average 17.6 ± 4.7 to 4.3 ± 4.3 (x(-) ± s, t = 15.195, P < 0.001). The AHI reduced from average 52.4 ± 17.5 to 16.3 ± 18.2 (t = 10.873, P < 0.001). The LSaO2 increased from 0.706 ± 0.099 (x(-) ± s) to 0.823 ± 0.092 (t = -8.396, P < 0.001). The success was defined as a ≥ 50 percent reduction and final apnea-hypopnea index < 20/h, the total success rate was 76.5%. Retropalatal group had 27 patients and 24 cases were in retroglossal group.Their success rate were 81.5% and 75.0% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe upper airway pressure measurements can identify the level of obstruction accurately and prove to be effective in the treatment of OSAHS.

Adult ; Aged ; Airway Obstruction ; diagnosis ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manometry ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; methods ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

In 2013, the World Health Organization reported the first case of human infection with a new influenza A (H7N9) virus in China. This has caused damage and panic within certain areas in China. Therefore, analysis of this virus with bioinformatics technology is very necessary. Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the most important antigens of the influenza virus and an important target for anti-flu drugs. In this study, the nucleotide and protein sequences of NA gene of A/H7N9 influenza viruses were retrieved from the NCBI database, and MEGA 5.0 software was employed to construct a phylogenetic tree based on the nucleotide coding sequence; BioEdit software was used to align the nucleotide and protein sequences of NA and calculate the homologies of nucleotides and amino acids and then to analyze the important mutation sites of NA gene. The results demonstrated that the spread of influenza virus H7N9 showed certain geographical and temporal relations. The H7N9 virus isolated from China in 2013 belonged to Euroasiatic serotype, and its NA stalk region hadobvious variation, which may be one of the reasons that this virus infects human. These analyses may be very helpful for understanding the evolutionary relationship and mutation trend of A/H7N9 influenza viruses.
Databases, Genetic ; Evolution, Molecular ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; enzymology ; genetics ; Mutation ; Neuraminidase ; chemistry ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis

Objective:To analyze the incidence and risk factors of non-acute symptomatic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after endoscopic gastric variceal injection (GVI) in the treatment of liver cirrhosis with gastric variceal bleeding (GVB).Methods:66 patients with GVB who were treated with GVI for the first time from July 2017 to October 2019 in Minhang Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University were retrospectively analyzed. The data of gender, age, preoperative Child-Pugh grade, preoperative platelet count, preoperative plasma D-dimer concentration, preoperative splenic length, preoperative portal vein velocity, preoperative splenic vein velocity, preoperative portal vein diameter, preoperative splenic vein diameter, treatment times, total number of injection points, total dose of sclerosing agent and tissue adhesive agent were collected. The patients were divided into PVT group and non-PVT group according to the occurrence of non-acute symptomatic PVT within one year after GVI. Univariate analysis was performed first, and then the factors with P<0.2 were included in the binary logistic regression model to screen the risk factors of PVT after GVI. Results:There were 25 cases (37.88%) in PVT group and 41 cases (62.12%) in non-PVT group. There were significant differences in D-dimer concentration, spleen length, Child-Pugh grade and total dose of sclerosing agent between the two groups ( P<0.05). The D-dimer concentration ( OR=2.319, 95% CI:1.359-3.956), spleen length ( OR=1.044, 95% CI:1.007-1.081) and total dose of sclerosing agent ( OR=1.075, 95% CI:1.004-1.152) were independent risk factors for PVT ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Preoperative D-dimer concentration, spleen length and total dose of sclerosing agent can predict the risk of PVT after GVI. In order to reduce the risk of PVT after GVI, the dose of sclerosing agent should be reduced as much as possible.

OBJECTIVETo compare oncologic outcomes between doublet and triplet adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients undergoing radical resection.

METHODSPatients with gastric cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after radical resection from January 2004 to December 2008 were included. Doublet was defined as 5-FU 750 mg/m² (days 1-5) or capecitabine 1000 mg/m² (days 1-14) plus cisplatin 60 mg/m² (day 1) or oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² (day 1), while triplets had epirubicin 50 mg/m² (day 1) added. Chemotherapy was initiated 4-6 weeks after surgery, repeated every three weeks for 6 cycles. Patients were followed-up in the outpatient clinic until death or the most recent follow up(April 30, 2010). Cox proportional- hazard model and Chi-square test were used to test statistical difference.

RESULTSA total of 316 patients (210 received doublets, 106 received triplets) had a median follow-up time of 47 months. Seventy-seven patients died at the end of the follow-up. Two groups were comparable except for age (median age of 57 in doublets, 51 in triplets, P<0.01). The two groups had similar disease-free survival (16 months vs. 23 months, P=0.656) and 3-year overall survival(59.6% vs. 64.8%, P=0.293). There was no significant difference in severe adverse side effects between the two groups (21.9% vs. 30.2%, P=0.107).

CONCLUSIONTriplet adjuvant chemotherapy appears not to be associated with superior efficacy than doublet regimen for patients with gastric cancer after radical resection.

Capecitabine ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Care ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer, and to analyze the relevant factors of recurrent death of gastric cancer after adjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODSClinical data of 49 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer between July 2007 and June 2011 were reviewed. Preoperative staging was determined by endoscopic ultrasonography and abdominal computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Chemotherapy was administered for regimen of two or three drugs. Prognostic factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTSThe response rate was 33.3% (16/48) and disease control rate was 93.8% (45/48). Forty-four (89.8%, 44/49) patients received curative resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, among whom 90.9% (40/44) underwent D2 lymphadenctomy. Thirty-two cases had pathological response and 2 patients had pathological complete response. The average hospital stay was 11.6 days and 2 patients had longer hospitalization because of postoperative pancreatic complications. The toxicities were most in grade 1-2. All the patients were followed up postoperatively and the median follow-up was 21.6 months. Median progression-free survival was 29.6 (95%CI:24.0-35.2) months and median overall survival was 34.6 months (95%CI:29.8-39.4). Imaging response (P=0.038, RR=0.168, 95%CI:0.031-0.904) and pathological response (P=0.007, RR=0.203, 95%CI:0.064-0.642) were identified as independent prognostic factors with COX multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONSNeoadjuvant chemotherapy has quite high disease control rate and R0 resecting rate for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Imaging response and pathological response are most important prognostic factors in those patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; methods ; Preoperative Care ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome