[Incidence of postoperative complications in Chinese patients with gastric or colorectal cancer based on a national, multicenter, prospective, cohort study].

Objective: To investigate the incidence of postoperative complications in Chinese patients with gastric or colorectal cancer, and to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative complications. Methods: This was a national, multicenter, prospective, registry-based, cohort study of data obtained from the database of the Prevalence of Abdominal Complications After Gastro- enterological Surgery (PACAGE) study sponsored by the China Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgical Union. The PACAGE database prospectively collected general demographic characteristics, protocols for perioperative treatment, and variables associated with postoperative complications in patients treated for gastric or colorectal cancer in 20 medical centers from December 2018 to December 2020. The patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of postoperative complications. Postoperative complications were categorized and graded in accordance with the expert consensus on postoperative complications in gastrointestinal oncology surgery and Clavien-Dindo grading criteria. The incidence of postoperative complications of different grades are presented as bar charts. Independent risk factors for occurrence of postoperative complications were identified by multifactorial unconditional logistic regression. Results: The study cohort comprised 3926 patients with gastric or colorectal cancer, 657 (16.7%) of whom had a total of 876 postoperative complications. Serious complications (Grade III and above) occurred in 4.0% of patients (156/3926). The rate of Grade V complications was 0.2% (7/3926). The cohort included 2271 patients with gastric cancer with a postoperative complication rate of 18.1% (412/2271) and serious complication rate of 4.7% (106/2271); and 1655 with colorectal cancer, with a postoperative complication rate of 14.8% (245/1655) and serious complication rate of 3.0% (50/1655). The incidences of anastomotic leakage in patients with gastric and colorectal cancer were 3.3% (74/2271) and 3.4% (56/1655), respectively. Abdominal infection was the most frequently occurring complication, accounting for 28.7% (164/572) and 39.5% (120/304) of postoperative complications in patients with gastric and colorectal cancer, respectively. The most frequently occurring grade of postoperative complication was Grade II, accounting for 65.4% (374/572) and 56.6% (172/304) of complications in patients with gastric and colorectal cancers, respectively. Multifactorial analysis identified (1) the following independent risk factors for postoperative complications in patients in the gastric cancer group: preoperative comorbidities (OR=2.54, 95%CI: 1.51-4.28, P<0.001), neoadjuvant therapy (OR=1.42, 95%CI:1.06-1.89, P=0.020), high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores (ASA score 2 points:OR=1.60, 95% CI: 1.23-2.07, P<0.001, ASA score ≥3 points:OR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.25-0.73, P=0.002), operative time >180 minutes (OR=1.81, 95% CI: 1.42-2.31, P<0.001), intraoperative bleeding >50 mL (OR=1.29,95%CI: 1.01-1.63, P=0.038), and distal gastrectomy compared with total gastrectomy (OR=0.65,95%CI: 0.51-0.83, P<0.001); and (2) the following independent risk factors for postoperative complications in patients in the colorectal cancer group: female (OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.44-0.80, P<0.001), preoperative comorbidities (OR=2.73, 95%CI: 1.25-5.99, P=0.030), neoadjuvant therapy (OR=1.83, 95%CI:1.23-2.72, P=0.008), laparoscopic surgery (OR=0.47, 95%CI: 0.30-0.72, P=0.022), and abdominoperineal resection compared with low anterior resection (OR=2.74, 95%CI: 1.71-4.41, P<0.001). Conclusion: Postoperative complications associated with various types of infection were the most frequent complications in patients with gastric or colorectal cancer. Although the risk factors for postoperative complications differed between patients with gastric cancer and those with colorectal cancer, the presence of preoperative comorbidities, administration of neoadjuvant therapy, and extent of surgical resection, were the commonest factors associated with postoperative complications in patients of both categories.

CHOP THERAPY INDUCED MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE ALTERATION IN NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA XENOGRAFTS.

We are interested in investigating whether cancer therapy may alter the mitochondrial redox state in cancer cells to inhibit their growth and survival. The redox state can be imaged by the redox scanner that collects the fluorescence signals from both the oxidized-flavoproteins (Fp) and the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) in snap-frozen tissues and has been previously employed to study tumor aggressiveness and treatment responses. Here, with the redox scanner we investigated the effects of chemotherapy on mouse xenografts of a human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line (DLCL2). The mice were treated with CHOP therapy, i.e., cyclophosphamide (C) + hydroxydoxorubicin (H) + Oncovin (O) + prednisone (P) with CHO administration on day 1 and prednisone administration on days 1-5. The Fp content of the treated group was significantly decreased (p = 0.033) on day 5, and the mitochondrial redox state of the treated group was slightly more reduced than that of the control group (p = 0.048). The decrease of the Fp heterogeneity (measured by the mean standard deviation) had a border-line statistical significance (p = 0.071). The result suggests that the mitochondrial metabolism of lymphoma cells was slightly suppressed and the lymphomas became less aggressive after the CHOP therapy.

Imaging the redox states of human breast cancer core biopsies.

Currently, the gold standard to establish benign vs. malignant breast tissue diagnosis requires an invasive biopsy followed by tissue fixation for subsequent histopathological examination. This process takes at least 24 h resulting in tissues that are less suitable for molecular, functional, or metabolic analysis. We have recently conducted redox scanning (cryogenic NADH/flavoprotein fluorescence imaging) on snap-frozen breast tissue biopsy samples obtained from human breast cancer patients at the time of their breast cancer surgery. The redox state was readily determined by the redox scanner at liquid nitrogen temperature with extraordinary sensitivity, giving oxidized flavoproteins (Fp) an up to tenfold discrimination of cancer to non-cancer of breast in our preliminary data. Our finding suggests that the identified metabolic parameters could discriminate between cancer and non-cancer breast tissues without subjecting tissues to fixatives. The remainder of the frozen tissue is available for additional analysis such as molecular analysis and conventional histopathology. We propose that this novel redox scanning procedure may assist in tissue diagnosis in ex vivo tissues.

Guar gum as potential film coating material for colon-specific delivery of fluorouracil.

The potential of guar gum as a film coating material for colon-specific delivery of 5-fluorouracil is evaluated in this study. The guar gum-based multi-unit pellet system is prepared by coating guar gum and pH-sensitive polymer Eudragit FS30D sequentially around drug-loaded non-pareil cores in a fluid-bed coater. The outer Eudragit FS coating protects the system against gastrointestinal environment and dissolves rapidly in distal small intestine, where a lumen pH of over 7 triggers the dissolution of the enteric polymer. The inner guar gum coating works as a time-controlled retardant and offers additional protection of the pellets until it is degraded by microbial enzymes at the proximal colon. In vitro results indicate that guar gum is a feasible coating material to achieve timed and enzyme-triggered fluorouracil release. Pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs shows delayed absorption of about 5 h and limited absorption fraction as a result of guar gum and Eudragit FS coating.

[A study on pollen morphology of Dipsacus].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pollen morphology of Dipsacus L. produced in China. METHOD: Examining the pollen morphology of 17 species and 2 varieties of Dipsacus L. with light microscope and scanning electron microscope. RESULT: The shape of pollen grains is spheroidal and the aperture is tricolpate. The ornamentation of exine may be divided into 3 types: dispinulate-reticulate, dispinulate-foveolate, dispinulate-rugulate or nearly smooth. CONCLUSION: Dipsacus is a natural class group, and the slight difference of its pollen grains is useful to some extent in the division of species.

Identification of transcriptional activation and repression domains in human CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein epsilon.

Human CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein epsilon (C/EBPepsilon), a new member of the C/EBP family, significantly up-regulates both the mim-1 and human myeloperoxidase promoters, suggesting an important role for C/EBPepsilon in the transcriptional regulation of a subset of myeloid-specific genes. To elucidate the structure and function of C/EBPepsilon in transcriptional activation, amino acid residues 1-115, 147-249, or 1-249 of C/EBPepsilon were fused to the yeast GAL4 DNA binding domain. These expression vectors were cotransfected with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene and, in all cell lines tested, only the GAL-C/EBPepsilon-(1-115) fusion protein significantly activated expression from the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. Sixteen deletion mutants of C/EBPepsilon mapped the transactivation domain to amino acids 1-18 at the N terminus and revealed the presence of a transcription repression element between amino acid residues 116 and 162. Expression vectors containing the repression domain of C/EBPepsilon strongly inhibited gene transcription from TK, SV40, and adenoviral major late promoters bearing GAL4 binding sites. Fusion of this repression domain to the VP16 activation domain inhibited the transactivation function of VP16. Deletion of this repression domain increased gene transcription from a neutrophil elastase promoter-luciferase reporter. Taken together, these data suggest that C/EBPepsilon regulates transcription by utilizing both activation and repression functions.

[Pericatheter urethrography and its use in post interlocking sound urethroplasty].

21 cases of posterior urethral rupture due to pelvic fracture were treated by acute interlocking sound urethroplasty since 1982. Postoperative pericatheter urethrography was carried out to observe the recover of urethral rupture. The results showed that the time for recover of ruptured urethra varied from 4 to 13 weeks. 71% of all cases required more than 8 weeks for recovery. The patients were followed up from 1 to 9 years, and 86% of them showed satisfactory results. It is believed that pericatheter urethrography not only provides an objective proof for the recovery of ruptured urethra but also can be used as a reliable basis for the removal of stenting catheter.

[Transdermal properties of timolol and factors affecting its permeability in vitro].

V-C horizontal diffusion cell has been used to carry out the initial study of timolol across intact and stripped hairless mouse skin and human cadaver skin. Also, we have systematically studied the effect of some factors such as hydration time, medium pH value as well as various transdermal enhancers on the permeability of timolol in vitro. We investigated the determination method of timolol by RP-HPLC using YWG-C18 column with water-acetonitrile-triethylamine (87:13:1) as the mobile phase. The results indicated the feasibility of transdermal absorption of timolol. The permeabilities of timolol raised significantly with properly extending of hydration time, increasing of medium pH and with presence of various kinds of transdermal enhancers. With 10% propylene glycol and 1% azone were used conjunctly, they showed obviously synergistic effects. All these studies contributed theoretically and practically to the further development and utilization of timolol in the form of transdermal patch.

[Effect of enhancers on cutaneous permeation of piroxicam in vitro].

Enhancing effects on the permeation of piroxicam (Pir) through excised hairless mouse (inbred HRS mice) skin were investigated by measuring flux. Azone 1% was found to be the most effective enhancer studied, increasing the flux about 21 times. The effect of Azone was enhanced by the presence of propylene glycol. Oleic acid, ethylacetate, and ethanol promoted the diffusion of Pir. Other enhancers, such as DMSO, PEG 400, acetone, urea and salicylic acid, showed little or no effect. Pir-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion compound increased the flux about 3 times. The results revealed that lipophilic enhancers were more effective than lipophobic ones.

[Continuous effect of azone pretreatment on permeability of antivirotic Ara-ADA through hairless mouse skin].

In the present studies, two chamber cells were used to measure antivirotic Ara-ADA permeability through 4-6 weeks-old hairless mouse abdominal skin pretreated with Azone for 24 hours. Continuous effect of enhanced percutaneous penetration with Azone pretreatment was studied. After skin was pretreated with Azone, permeability coefficients were determined immediately and after 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 days. The results showed that increase of Permeability coefficient reached 44 times after Azone pretreatment. The enhancement can maintain for at least 8 days and lags of diffusion time were distinctly shortened.