Objective To optimize spray drying process of Anshen bumian granules. Methods By using orthogonal design method, moisture content, powder rate and berberine hydrochloride content were indexes, and optimum technological conditions were determined. Results Proportion of microcrystalline cellulose, lactose and maltodextrin was 2??1??2. The extract was fed in at 6%. Optimum feeding in/out temperature for spray drying is 145 ℃ /85 ℃, liquid velocity was 30 mL??min-1 , and relative density of extract was 1. 15. Conclusion The process is reasonable and practical, has strong stability and good controllability, and it provides a basis for industrialized production.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult critically ill patients with COVID-19 and identify the risk factors correlated with in-hospital deaths. METHODS: This study was conducted among 20 confirmed adult cases of COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Honghu People's Hospital in Jingzhou City, Hubei Province. According to the final outcome, the patients were divided into survivor group and death group with 10 patients each. The demographic data, clinical manifestations and signs, laboratory findings, treatment measures and clinical outcomes were obtained from electronic medical records to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes between the two groups. Univariate logistic analysis was used to analyze the risk factors associated with in-hospital death. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with confirmed COVID-19 was 70 ± 12 years, and 40% of them were male. The patients were admitted to ICU 11 ± 9 days after symptom onset. The most common symptoms on admission were cough (19 cases), fatigue or myalgia (18 cases), fever (17 cases) and dyspnea (16 cases). Eleven (55%) of the patients had underlying diseases, among which hypertension was the most common (11 cases), followed by cardiovascular disease (4 cases) and diabetes (3 cases). Six (30%) of the patients received invasive mechanical ventilation and continued renal replacement therapy but eventually died. Acute cardiac injury was the most common complication (19 cases). Half of the patients died between the 2nd and 19th day after ICU admission. Compared with dead patients, the surviving patients had a lower average body weight (61.70±2.36 68.60±7.15 kg, =0.01) and a higher Glasgow Coma Index (14.69 ± 0.70 12.70 ± 2.45, =0.03), and were less likely to develop shock (2 10, =0.001) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (2 10, =0.001). CONCLUSIONS Critically ill patients with COVID-19 are generally older. A higher body weight and a lower lymphocyte count are potentially associated with a greater likeliness of fatality in ICU patients with COVID-19.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Critical Illness ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; Retrospective Studies

Although widely applied in treating hematopoietic malignancies, transplantation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is impeded by HSPC shortage. Whether circulating HSPCs (cHSPCs) in steady-state blood could be used as an alternative source remains largely elusive. Here we develop a three-dimensional culture system (3DCS) including arginine, glycine, aspartate, and a series of factors. Fourteen-day culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) in 3DCS led to 125- and 70-fold increase of the frequency and number of CD34⁺ cells. Further, 3DCS-expanded cHSPCs exhibited the similar reconstitution rate compared to CD34⁺ HSPCs in bone marrow. Mechanistically, 3DCS fabricated an immunomodulatory niche, secreting cytokines as TNF to support cHSPC survival and proliferation. Finally, 3DCS could also promote the expansion of cHSPCs in patients who failed in HSPC mobilization. Our 3DCS successfully expands rare cHSPCs, providing an alternative source for the HSPC therapy, particularly for the patients/donors who have failed in HSPC mobilization.
Antigens, CD34/metabolism* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism* ; Peptides/metabolism*