Effect of non-spherical shape of dry powder aerosol drugs on their airway deposition distribution.

In the majority of aerosol drug deposition modelling efforts, the particles are approximated by regular spheres. However, microscope images acquired after drug formulation available in the open literature suggest that their shape is not regular in most cases. This work aimed to combine experimental measurements and numerical simulations to reveal the shape factors of the particles of commercialized aerosol drugs and the effect of non-sphericity on the lung deposition distribution of these drugs.

Ketoconazole-Fumaric Acid Pharmaceutical Cocrystal: From Formulation Design for Bioavailability Improvement to Biocompatibility Testing and Antifungal Efficacy Evaluation.

Development of cocrystals through crystal engineering is a viable strategy to formulate poorly water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients as stable crystalline solid forms with enhanced bioavailability. This study presents a controlled cocrystallization process by cooling for the 1:1 cocrystal of Ketoconazole, an antifungal class II drug with the Fumaric acid coformer. This was successfully set up following the meta-stable zone width determination in acetone-water 4:6 (/) and pure ethanol.

Efficacy of Prophylactic Antibiotics in COPD: A Systematic Review.

: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global health problem and the third leading contributor to mortality worldwide. This systematic review aims to summarize the results of previous studies tackling the question of the efficacy of long-term prophylaxis of antibiotics in COPD patients, with particular regard to exacerbation rate, time to first exacerbation, health status, airway bacterial load, inflammatory markers, cell counts in sputum samples, and potential adverse events. : Four studies found significant improvement in the exacerbation rate in patients receiving antibiotic intervention.

Sequence analysis of the 5' region of the chymotrypsin C (CTRC) gene in chronic pancreatitis.

Background/objectives: Loss-of-function chymotrypsin C (CTRC) variants increase the risk for chronic pancreatitis (CP) by reducing protective pancreatic CTRC activity. Variants in the 5' upstream region that includes the promoter might affect CTRC expression but have not been investigated to date. The aim of the present study was to address this knowledge gap.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Vascular Markers and Cognitive Functions in Early Hypertension.

: Controlling hypertension may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. A marker for the identification of hypertensive patients who are more likely to suffer cognitive impairment would be of clinical benefit. In our research, 105 patients with newly diagnosed primary hypertension were assessed at the Department of Neurology, the University of Debrecen.