In this paper, optimization of the conditions of microwave technique in extraction process of Guizhi Fuling capsule in the condition of a pilot scale was carried out. First of all, through the single factor experiment investigation of various factors, the overall impact tendency and range of each factor were determined. Secondly, L9 (3(4)) orthogonal test optimization was used, and the contents of gallic acid in liquid, paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, benzoyl paeoniflorin, amygdalin of the liquid medicine were detected. The extraction rate and comprehensive evaluation were calculated with the extraction effect, as the judgment basis. Theoptimum extraction process of Guizhi Fuling capsule by microwave technology was as follows: the ratio of liquid to solid was 6: 1 added to drinking water, the microwave power was 6 kW, extraction time was 20 min for 3 times. The process of the three batch of amplification through verification, the results are stable, and compared with conventional water extraction has the advantages of energy saving, time saving, high efficiency advantages. The above results show the optimum extracting technology of high efficiency, stable and feasible.
Capsules ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; Microwaves ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of elbasvir/grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C in the real-world.Methods:This was an open-label, single-center, retrospective real-world study. A total of 103 genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C patients who were treated with EBR/GZR in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from May 2018 to October 2019 were enrolled.And the clinical baseline characteristics of patients and the effectiveness and safety of antiviral therapy were respectively evaluated.Results:A total of 103 patients were enrolled in the study with an age of (47.6±13.9) years. Fifty-five (53.4%) patients were male and 48(46.6%) were female. One point nine percent (2/103) patients were genotype 1a hepatitis C and 98.1%(101/103) were genotype 1b hepatitis C. Seventeen genotype 1b hepatitis C patients were previously treated with interferon, and three patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Among the 103 cases, 35 had underlying diseases and 26 had combined medication. Ninty-eight cases completed 12-week treatment and 89 cases completed 12-week follow-up after treatment.Overall, 89 cases achieved sustained virological response. The overall incidence of adverse reactions was 20.4%(21/103), and the main adverse reactions were fatigue, insomnia and anxiety. No serious adverse event occurred. The three patients with HBV co-infection had no hepatitis B activation after treatment.Conclusion:EBR/GZR is effective and safe in the patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C in China.

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors of road traffic injury (RTI), and to provide evidence for stretagy development on the prevention and control of RTI.

METHODSCase-crossover study was used. 402 drivers were face to face interviewed by specially designed questionnaire including the items as drinking alcohol before driving, onset anger scale (OAS), anxiety/irritation, Stanford sleepiness scale (SSS), vehicle breakdown, carelessness, violating the rules on right of way and traffic signs when driving. Tables related to case-control study on 1:1 matching was used for single factor analysis, and conditional logistic regression was used for multifactor analysis.

RESULTSThe risk factors that were associated with RTI including high OAS (OAS = 5-7, OR = 114.88, 95% CI:4.29-3074.86), violating the rules on right of way (OR = 46.96, 95% CI:12.74-173.11), violating traffic signs when driving(OR = 24.57, 95% CI: 8.69-69.45), carelessness (OR = 14. 54,95% CI: 6.85-30.86), unsafe distance between vehicles( OR = 14.30,95% CI: 3.68-55.60), wrong judgement (OR = 14.67,95% CI:4.88-44.10), vehicle breakdown (OR = 8.57, 95% CI: 1.38- 53.27) and improper measure ( OR = 8.46, 95% CI: 2.46-29.14) etc.

CONCLUSIONImproper driving behaviors, abnormal psychological status and driving skills of drivers were related to RTI, suggesting that it was necessary to carry out continous traffic security education to the drivers.

Accidents, Traffic ; statistics & numerical data ; Adult ; Cross-Over Studies ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; etiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of different patterns of intermittent hypoxia on the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) of vascular endothelial cell.

METHODSThe human umbilical vein endothelial cells of the line ECV304 were used to set up the cells model. The experiment cell strains contained one control group and eight experimental groups, 1 constance normoxia group (control group), 3 different intermittent hypoxia (IH) degree groups (10% O₂ group, 1.5% O₂ group, 0.5% O₂ group with 12 times/h), 4 different IH frequency groups (40 times/h, 20 times/h, 12 times/h, 9 times/h and 6 times/h with 0.5%O2). The specimen were put into a program-controlled gas delivery system with different level and frequency of IH respectively. Then enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine the levels of IL-6 and IL-8.

RESULTSHigher level of IL-6 and IL-8 were found in 3 different IH degree groups than in control group (F were 1961.100 and 103.855 respectively, P all < 0.001). The level of IL-6 and IL-8 was gradually increased with the decreasing of IH degree. The difference of IL-6 and IL-8 levels between each two different groups in IH degree was significant (P all < 0.05). The level of IL-6 and IL-8 groups was significantly different in severe IH exposure (F were 544.396 and 149.328 respectively, P all < 0.001 in both groups). There was a trend as the IH frequency decreased, the level of IL-6 and IL-8 was tenderly increased in 20/hour group (P < 0.05), highest in 12/hour group (P < 0.05), decreased in 9/hour group (P < 0.05), and decreased further in 6/hour group (P < 0.05) in severe IH expose. There was statistical significance between each two different frequency IH groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntermittent hypoxia caused significant inflammatory reaction in vascular endothelial cells. The secreted level of IL-6 and IL-8 depended on the degree of hypoxia. There was a trend as the level of IH frequency decreased, the level of IL-6 and IL-8 gradually increased at first, and then decreased in the same way.

Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Line ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; secretion ; Interleukin-8 ; secretion ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the safety and curative effects of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in the treatment of silicosis.

METHODSThe protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the hospital, and ten patients with silicosis who had given written consent were enrolled in this study. BMSCs isolated from 100 ml of bone marrow for each case were purified and cultured. In each case the 3rd generation of qualified BMSCs (5 × 10(7)) were intravenously administered weekly for 3 weeks. Three cases among 10 patients were treated with BMSCs modified by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene. The clinical symptoms, chest films, chest CT, pulmonary functions, T cells, serum IgG and ceruloplasmin (CP) were observed in 6 or 9 months after treatment.

RESULTSNo obvious sub-effect was observed in cases treated with BMSCs, the clinical symptoms (such as cough, sputum and chest tightness) basically disappeared in 9 months after treatment. Pulmonary function tests showed that FVC increased from 71.2% ± 17.0% to 84.0% ± 10.9% (P < 0.01) and FEV1.0 increased from 67.5% ± 17.7% to 80.6% ± 14.9% (P < 0.01). The levels of serum CP and IgG significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Further, the chest films and CT in cases treated with autologous BMSCs modified by HGF gene were improved to different extent.

CONCLUSIONTreatment with autologous BMSCs modified by HGF gene exhibit a beneficial effect on silicosis.

Adult ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Female ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Silicosis ; surgery ; Transfection ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDRecent advances in real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) offer the potential to assess the left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony simultaneously by analyzing the 17 segments time-volume curves. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and accuracy of RT3DE for quantitative evaluation of left ventricular systolic synchronicity.

METHODSTwenty-four patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and twenty-five healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Full volume RT3DE was performed by using Philips IE33 with X3-1 probe. The global and 17-segmental time-volume curves were obtained by the on-line Qlab software (version 4.2). The time to minimal systolic volume in each segment (T(msv)) was taken to derive the following indexes of systolic asynchrony: T(msv) 16-SD, T(msv) 16-Dif, T(msv) 12-SD, T(msv) 12-Dif, T(msv) 6-SD and T(msv) 6-Dif, which meant the standard deviation or the maximal difference of T(msv) among the 16, 12 and 6 segments of the left ventricle respectively. The software also provided with each of the above parameters as a percentage of the cardiac cycle.

RESULTST(msv) 16-SD, T(msv) 12-SD and T(msv) 6-SD were all significantly larger in the DCM group than those of the control group [T(msv) 16-SD: (52.9 +/- 40.6) ms vs (8.8 +/- 6.2) ms; T(msv) 12-SD: (29.5 +/- 30.8) ms vs (6.9 +/- 4.0) ms; T(msv) 6-SD: (28.9 +/- 34.6) ms vs (7.0 +/- 4.7) ms, all P < or = 0.001]. T(msv) 16-Dif, T(msv) 12-Dif and T(msv) 6-Dif were also significantly larger in the DCM group. There were close negative relations between the LVEF determined by RT3DE and each of the indexes of systolic asynchrony, among which the indexes of T(msv)-16-SD% and T(msv)-16-Dif% correlated most closely (r = -0.703 and r = -0.701, respectively). The DCM patients had significantly larger EDV and ESV, with significantly reduced LVEF compared with the healthy subjects.

CONCLUSIONRT3DE provides a simple, useful and unique approach to assess the systolic synchronicity of all the left ventricular segments simultaneously.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke Volume ; Systole ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of gender factor on the candidate gene study of essential hypertension (EH).

METHODSThe polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to analyze the ACE gene I/D polymorphism of hypertensive patients (50 men and 50 women) and normal controls (50 men and 50 women). The investigation was further focused on possible influence of sex proportion on the conclusion of this kind of research.

RESULTSThe frequency of DD genotype in male hypertensive patients is significantly higher than that in male normal controls (chi(2) = 6.98, P = 0.004). The frequency of D allele in male EH group is significantly higher than that of male normal controls (chi(2) = 6.87, P = 0.009), while no significant difference was observed for II and ID genotype between male EH group and control group (P > 0.05). For female EH group and normal controls, there were no significant differences in frequency of genotype and allele (P > 0.05), the distribution ratio of DD genotype in male EH group is significantly different from that of female EH group (chi(2) = 4.06, P = 0.044). Furthermore, males with DD genotype in EH group had higher SBP and PP than that of males with II and ID genotype (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in DBP in all three genotypes (P > 0.05). At the same time, there was no difference in SBP, DBP and PP (P > 0.05) between II and ID genotype in male EH group. In female hypertensive patients, there was no significant difference in SBP, DBP and PP between all three genotypes (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe relationship between DD genotype in male and EH (especially SBP and PP) is closer than any other genotype-EH relationships in both male and female. The gender factor, as a probable confounding factor, can affect many candidate gene studies of essential hypertension including ACE gene I/D polymorphism, and thus biases the conclusion.

Aged ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sex Factors

Heishui county, located in northwest Sichuan province, southwestern China, is an endemic area of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and is the most intractable area. VL is never destroyed in it. Asymptomatic dogs (Leishmania parasites have been diagnosed but clinically healthy) are considered to be a potential reservoir host in zoonotic VL area, and most can lead to infection of individuals, that is a new challenge for controlling VL in humans. The present study aimed to assess the Leishmania infection rate of asymptomatic dogs in Heishui county. Total 105 asymptomatic domestic dogs were gathered from 4 districts in Heishui county to investigate the infection rate with serological and molecular methods based on ELISA and kinetoplast minicircle DNA(kDNA) PCR, respectively. Out of 105 dogs, 44 (41.9%) were positive by more than 1 method; 21 (20.0%) were positive by ELISA, and 30 (28.6%) were positive by kDNA-PCR. Our study showed that Leishmania infection of domestic dogs which is clinically healthy is prevalent in the studied district, and the asymptomatic dogs infected by Leishmania may be the primary reason for the prevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in the area.
Animals ; China* ; Dogs* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Leishmania* ; Leishmaniasis, Visceral* ; Methods ; Parasites ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence

BACKGROUNDPlantar pressure serves as a key factor for predicting ulceration in the feet of diabetes patients. We designed this study to analyze plantar pressure changes and correlating risk factors in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODSWe recruited 65 patients with type 2 diabetes. They were invited to participate in the second wave 2 years later. The patients completed identical examinations at the baseline point and 2 years later. We obtained maximum force, maximum pressure, impulse, pressure-time integral, and loading rate values from 10 foot regions. We collected data on six history-based variables, six anthropometric variables, and four metabolic variables of the patients.

RESULTSOver the course of the study, significant plantar pressure increases in some forefoot portions were identified (P < 0.05), especially in the second to forth metatarsal heads. Decreases in heel impulse and pressure-time integral levels were also found (P < 0.05). Plantar pressure parameters increased with body mass index (BMI) levels. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) changes were positively correlated with maximum force (β = 0.364, P = 0.001) and maximum pressure (β = 0.366, P = 0.002) changes in the first metatarsal head. Cholesterol changes were positively correlated with impulse changes in the lateral portion of the heel (β = 0.179, P = 0.072) and pressure-time integral changes in the second metatarsal head (β = 0.236, P = 0.020). Ankle-brachial index (ABI) changes were positively correlated with maximum force changes in the first metatarsal head (β = 0.137, P = 0.048). Neuropathy symptom score (NSS) and common peroneal nerve sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) changes were positively correlated with some plantar pressure changes. In addition, plantar pressure changes had a correlation with the appearance of infections, blisters (β = 0.244, P = 0.014), and calluses over the course of the study.

CONCLUSIONSWe should pay attention to the BMI, HbA1c, cholesterol, ABI, SCV, and NSS changes in the process of preventing high plantar pressure and ulceration. Some associated precautions may be taken with the appearance of infections, blisters, and calluses.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Foot ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Foot ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pressure ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

AIMTo investigate the effects of ramipril on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in diabetic rats, and to explore its mechanism according to the observation on myocardial ultrastructure.

METHODSStreptozotocin induced diabetic rats were divided randomly into three groups (n = 16): ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and ramipril (RAM) group. Rats in RAM group were administered by RAM(1 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) orally for 4 weeks, the others were administered by normal saline. Then all rats were subjected to myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion injury. Rats in IPC group were preconditioned before ischemia. The ECG and the infarct size were examined. The changes of myocardial morphology were examined by light and electron microscopes.

RESULTSCompared with I/R group, the elevation of ST segment and the incidence of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation during ischemia were significantly decreased, the infarct size at the end of reperfusion was remarkably reduced, the myocardial morphology were significantly improved, special structure of myofilaments and mitochondria remained clearly, blood vessels were unobstructed, injury of endothelium were decreased in PC and RAM groups.

CONCLUSIONRamipril administered for 4 weeks induces myocardial protection in diabetic rats, which is similar to that of IPC. The mechanism may be involved in protection of cardiocytes and mitochondria, and improvement of endothelial function.

Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; methods ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Ramipril ; pharmacology ; Rats