Asians ; China ; Humans ; Hypertension/drug therapy* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Writing

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of basal ATP concentration in CD4 T lymphocytes instead of CD4/CD8 ratio in assessing the immune status of tuberculosis-infected patients. MethodsIn this study， the CD4 and CD8 cells in the same volume of whole blood were separated by magnetic beads method， and the basal ATP concentration of CD4 and CD8 cells was calculated to evaluate the immune status of tuberculosis-infected patients. Quantiferon Monitor （QFM） assay was used as a control. ResultsOur study confirmed that traditional CD4/CD8 ratio andCD4 T cell counting methodswerenot suitable for TB patients. Using the basal ATP concentration of CD4 cells to monitor active tuberculosis patients and healthy people， when the cut-off value was 290.7×10^-6 g/L， the sensitivity was 86.21%， and the specificity was 76.19%， and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.000 1）.【Conclussions】In this study， to the best of our knowledge， we have for the first time used the basal ATP concentration in CD4⁺ T lymphocytes to evaluate the immune status of tuberculosis-infected patients under non-external stimulation conditions. It is suggested that the basal ATP concentration of CD4⁺ T lymphocytes can be better used to evaluate the immune status of tuberculosis patients than CD4/CD8 ratio.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties of dental zirconia manufactured by digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing and the clinical application prospects of this material. METHODS: The experiment (DLP) group was zirconia manufactured by DLP 3D printing, and the control (MILL) group was milled zirconia. The density, grain size, and phase composition were measured to study the microstructure. Flexural strength was measured by using three-point bending tests, while Vickers hardness was determined through a Vickers hardness tester. Fracture toughness was tested using the single-edge V-notched beam method. RESULTS: Zirconia density of the DLP group was (6.019 8±0.021 3) g·cm CONCLUSIONS Zirconia manufactured by DLP 3D printing had microstructure and mechanical properties similar to those of the milled zirconia. Only the flexural strength and the Vickers hardness of the experimental zirconia were slightly lower than those of the milled zirconia. Therefore, DLP-manufactured zirconia has a promising future for clinical use.
Dental Porcelain ; Materials Testing ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Zirconium

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the application value of CT-based radiomics features for the ascending and descending types of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: A total of 217 NPC patients (48 ascending type and 169 descending type), who obtained CT images before radiotherapy in Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University from February 2015 to October 2017, were analyzed retrospectively. All patients were randomly divided into a training set (=153) and a test set (=64). Gross tumor volume in the nasopharynx (GTVnx) was selected as regions of interest (ROI) and was analyzed by radiomics. A total of 1 300 radiomics features were extracted via IBEX. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression was performed to choose the significant features. Support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF) classifiers were built and verified. RESULTS: Six features were selected by the LASSO from 1 300 radiomics features. Compared with SVM classifier, RF classifier showed better classification performance. The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.989, 0.941, 1.000, and 0.924, respectively for the training set; 0.994, 0.937, 1.000, and 0.924, respectively for the validation set. CONCLUSIONS CT-based radiomics features possess great potential in differentiating ascending and descending NPC. It provides a certain basis for accurate medical treatment of NPC, and may affect the treatment strategy of NPC in the future.
Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The aim of this paper was to study the curative effect of Huotan Jiedu Tongluo (HTJDTL) decoction on a rabbit model with early atherosclerosis (AS),and furtherly to explore whether it could inhibit the BH4/eNOS uncoupling ROS or not. Twenty-four Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, HTJDTL decoction group and atorvastatin group. Rabbit models with early atherosclerosis were established by high fat diet, nitrogen drying and carotid artery balloon injury. The rabbits were sacrificed at 7th days after balloon injury and several parameters were measured. The pathological morphology of the common carotid artery was observed by HE staining. The blood lipids were detected by peroxidase method. The ratio of vascular eNOS dimer and monomer was measured by Western blot. The ELISA and biochemical technology were respectively used for testing BH4 and ROS levels in serum. The results showed that compared with the sham operation group, the model group had mild stenosis of the common carotid artery lumen, uneven intimal hyperplasia, lipid deposition in the intima and media, and obvious hyperplasia of the adventitia with inflammatory cell infiltration. The HTJDTL decoction could significantly inhibit the intimal hyperplasia compared with the model group, meanwhile, reduce the lipid deposition of the media and the infiltration of the adventitial cells. Compared with the sham operation group, the blood lipids and ROS of the model animals significantly increased, but BH4 and the ratio of eNOS dimer/monomer decreased. Compared with the model group, HTJDTL decoction significantly reduced the TC, ox-LDL and ROS levels, and also up-regulated eNOS dimer/monomer ratio, but it increased BH4 trend without statistical difference. According to the results, it was found that HTJDTL decoction couldsignificantly prevent and improve the vascular remodeling of rabbits model with early atherosclerosis. The mechanism of decoction may largely be related to the inhibition of BH4/eNOS uncoupling and the reduction of oxidative stress.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Carotid Arteries ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Fluorescence intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is a potential alternative for identifying anatomical variation and preventing iatrogenic bile duct injuries by using the near-infrared probe indocyanine green (ICG).However,the dynamic process and mechanism of fluorescenceIOC have not been elucidated in previous publications.Herein,the optical properties of the complex of ICG and bile,dynamic fluorescence cholangiography and iatrogenic bile duct injuries were investigated.The emission spectrum of ICG in bile peaked at 844 nm and ICG had higher tissue penetration.Extrahepatic bile ducts could fluoresce 2 min after intravenous injection,and the fluorescence intensity reached a peak at 8 min.Inaddition,biliary dynamics were observed owing to ICG excretion from the bile ducts into the duodenum.Quantitative analysis indicated that ICG-guided fluorescence IOC possessed a high signal to noise ratio compared to the surrounding peripheral tissue and the portal vein.Fluorescence IOC was based on rapid uptake of circulating ICG in plasma by hepatic cells,excretion of ICG into the bile and then its interaction with protein molecules in the bile.Moreover,fluorescence IOC was sensitive to detect bile duct ligation and acute bile duct perforation using ICG in rat models.All of the results indicated that fluorescence IOC using ICG is a valid alternative for the cholangiography of extrahepatic bile ducts and has potential for measurement of biliary dynamics.

BACKGROUNDDiabetes management could be improved by diabetes education, through influencing attitudes towards diabetes, knowledge and behaviors of patients. The purpose of this study was to characterize the impact of diabetes education on glycemic control, and to assess the attitude, knowledge and self-care behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes in China.

METHODSThis questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 50 medical centers across China from April to July of 2010. The patients with type 2 diabetes were eligible for the study. The information of glycemic control and diabetes education was collected. The diabetes attitude scale-3 formulae, a questionnaire of diabetes knowledge and Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities scale were used to assess attitude, knowledge and the self-care of patients, respectively.

RESULTSAmong the 5961 eligible respondents (3233 males; mean age (59.50 ± 12.48) years; mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (8.27 ± 2.23)%), most patients (79.8%) considered themselves educated on diabetes. Compared with patients without diabetes education, their educated counterparts showed significant lower value of HbA1c, after controlling for age, gender, body mass index and duration of diabetes (P < 0.01). The patients who received diabetes education also performed significant higher scores on attitude, knowledge and self-care than their uneducated counterparts. Patients with lower income or education level tended to have higher glucose levels, and showed lower percentage of patients received diabetic education.

CONCLUSIONSChinese patients with diabetes education achieved better glycemic control than un-educated patients. Our study indicates effort is required to provide professional education to patients, with emphasis on lower income and lower education level populations.

Aged ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Data Collection ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Self Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To develop a new method for the simultaneous determination of two hydrophilic components and two lipophilic components of Radix et Rhizoma Salviae Miltiorrhizae. Methods: The HPLC-DAD method was employed using a column of Agilent Zorbax TC C18 (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with a mobile phase of methanol -2% acetic acid. The gradient elution program was as follow:0-15 min, 30% B-40% B; 15-20 min, 40% B-60% B; 20-25 min, 60% B-90% B; 25-40 min, 90% B. The detection wavelength was set at 281 nm and the temperature was 35°C. Results: The linearity was obtained over 3.76-120.20 μg · ml-1 (r=0.999 9) for rosmarinic acid, 34.20-109 4.5 μg · ml-1 (r=0.999 9) for salviamolic acid B, 0.64-20.32 μg · ml-1 (r=0.999 9) for clyptotanshinon, and 1.02-32.72 μg · ml-1 (r=0.999 6) for tanshinone II A. The RSDs of precision and stability of the sample were both less than 1% in 48 hours. The average recovery was between 99.72%-100.63%. Conclusion: The present method is simple and has satisfactory efficacy; it can simultaneously determine multiple hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive components in Salvia miltiorrhiza from different areas.

AIMTo determine calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, astragaloside IV and formononetin in Radix Astragali and other relative samples by HPLC-MS.

METHODSHPLC was carried out with Agilent 1100LC/MSD, equipped with Agilent Zorbax SB C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm ID, 5 microm) and mass spectrum detector. The mobile phase (CH3CN-H2O) was eluted in gradient mode.

RESULTSThe calibration curves of calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, astragaloside IV and formononetin were linear in the range of 0.03 - 1.21 microg x mL(-1), 0.35 - 13.86 microg x mL(-1) and 0.38 - 15.22 microg x mL(-1), respectively. These recoveries of samples were from 95% to 105% with RSD less than 1.5%.

CONCLUSIONThe method was employed to analyse 25 samples of Radix Astragali and other relative samples, including Radix Astragali slice, Radix Astragali Preparata, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand. -Mazz, Astragalus ernestii Comb. The contents of three constituents vary greatly because of the species, place of collection and season of harvesting. This method could apply to evaluate the quality of Radix Astragali and it is simple, sensitive and reliable.

Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Glucosides ; analysis ; Isoflavones ; analysis ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Reproducibility of Results ; Saponins ; analysis ; Seasons ; Species Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods ; Triterpenes ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo understand the epidemiologic characters of influenza in China from 2001 to 2003.

METHODSData of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) each week and outbreaks of influenza were collected through National Influenza Surveillance Network, which includes 11 northern and 12 southern provinces of China. Samples were collected in the outpatients of ILI from 2001 to 2003 and influenza viruses were isolated and identified.

RESULTSEpidemiological and laboratory surveillance data showed that the annual seasonality of influenza epidemic was clear. The peak of epidemic of influenza in northern areas was in winter season, during December to January. However, there were three peaks distributed to Spring (Apr.-May.), Summer (Jun.-Aug.) and Winter (Dec.-Jan.) seasons in the southern areas. In the peak months, the number of ILI visits per day and per surveillance hospital had increased two-fold in northern and by 37% in southern China. The baseline of percentages for ILI visits, which calculated with 75th percentiles (P75), was 13.68% in the north and 13.08% in southern China. The age distribution of ILI was related to seasonal types of influenza. When the predominated strain of the season was influenza B virus, the ratio of the ILI visits younger than 15 year-old, increased obviously. When the predominated stains became influenza A virus, the ratio of patient visits for ILI aged over 25 year-old increased. Of 63 outbreaks of influenza, 92% of them occurred at primary and middle schools and usually occurred in May (32%). The type of strains usually changed around June.

CONCLUSIONThe quality of national influenza surveillance system is reliable since it was matched between percentages of ILI visits and rates of influenza virus isolation. The different epidemiologic characteristics in north and south of China was noticed. Peak in spring was shown in southern area and which called for more analysis. The change of the types of strains in the outbreaks during April to June in the southern China could provide data for better understanding on the trend of epidemics in the next season.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza B virus ; Influenza Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Population Surveillance ; Seasons ; Vaccination