Ebola Virus RNA Stability in Human Blood and Urine in West Africa’s Environmental Conditions

We evaluated RNA stability of Ebola virus in EDTA blood and urine samples collected from infected patients and stored in West Africa’s environmental conditions. In blood, RNA was stable for at least 18 days when initial cycle threshold values were <30, but in urine, RNA degradation occurred more quickly.     

Analysis of arterial hypertension pharmacotherapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

IntroductionObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often connected with arterial hypertension and it could also be a cause of secondary hypertension. Treatment of arterial hypertension and optimal blood pressure level are important for prevention of cardiovascular complications. It is not well known how to treat patients with OSA and arterial hypertension. Also many patients with OSA suffer from metabolic syndrome which worsen their prognosis.AimThe aim of our study was to assess arterial hypertension compensation in patients with metabolic syndrome and moderate to severe OSA and to analyze used pharmacotherapy.Materials and methods85 hypertensive patients (75 men) with metabolic syndrome, average age 53.6 ± 9.3 years, were evaluated using overnight sleep study with diagnosis of OSA, average apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) 56.3 ± 23. Patients underwent 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and their current pharmacotherapy data were obtained. Appropriate combinations of antihypertensive drugs (patients with metabolic syndrome) were derived from ESH/ESC 2013 guidelines.ResultsArterial hypertension was well compensated in only 11.8% of the patients. 24.7% patients were treated according to current guidelines. Fisher's exact test with analysis of adjusted residues has found higher rate of blood pressure subcompensation in patients treated with triple+ combination of drugs (p = 0.035, 51.4% vs 10%).ConclusionOnly a small number of patients had optimal blood pressure level and were treated according to current ESH/ESC guidelines. We have to constantly appeal to all physicians to perform ABPM in patients with OSA.     

血清血管紧张素转换酶的水平在阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征患者中的变化研究

目的检测阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)患者中血清血管紧张素转换酶(ACE)水平的变化及其临床意义。方法设置OSAHS组(n=40)和健康对照组(n=40),测定并比较患者的血压、血脂和血清ACE水平在两组间的差异;分析ACE水平与患者病情变化、血压、血脂的相关性。结果 OSAHS患者在体重、BMI指数、颈围、腰围、AHI、收缩压、舒张压、TC、LDL-C和血清ACE方面高于健康人(P体重=0.002,P颈围=0.024,P腰围=0.038,PBMI=0.019,PAHI=0.001,P收缩压=0.001,P舒张压=0.001,PTC=0.017,PLDL-C=0.010,PACE=0.039),在LSa O2上低于健康人(PLSa O2=0.001)。OSAHS患者的收缩压、TC、ACE在轻中度和中重度之间均存在统计学差异(P收缩压=0.018、0.043,PTC=0.045、0.034,PACE=0.030、0.001),相关性分析显示,OSAHS患者中血清ACE与收缩压和TC均呈正相关(r=0.35,P=0.017;r=0.28,P=0.044)。结论 OSAHS患者血清ACE能反映患者病情的变化,并与血压和血脂具有一定相关性。     

8周基础军训对入伍新兵红细胞及其相关指标的影响

目的探讨8周基础军训(basic military training,BMT)对入伍新兵血像中红细胞及其相关指标的影响,为指导科学的军事训练提供参考。方法数据来自新疆边防部队2015年度入伍的50名男性新兵,分别在BMT前后测定并记录受试新兵的红细胞计数、血红蛋白浓度及血清铁蛋白等。结果经过8周的BMT,新兵血液中血红蛋白浓度、红细胞计数及血清铁蛋白均显著下降(P0.05,P0.01)。结论 8周BMT可能导致入伍新兵发生运动性贫血,铁缺乏可能是其主要原因。     

逐瘀止血汤加减治疗慢性子宫内膜炎气虚血瘀证的疗效观察

目的 评价逐瘀止血汤加减对慢性子宫内膜炎（CE）气虚血瘀证患者妊娠结局的影响及对免疫炎症因子的调节作用。方法 将144例患者随机按数字表法分为观察组和对照组各72例。观察组脱落、失访4例，剔除2例，完成66例；对照组脱落、失访3例，剔除5例，完成65例。两组均给予抗感染治疗14 d。对照组口服妇科千金片，6片/次，3次/d。观察组内服逐瘀止血汤加减，1剂/d。两组疗程均为3个月，并随访6个月。记录治疗前后月经经量、经期和周期变化情况；进行治疗前后宫腔镜和阴道彩色多普勒超声检查，评价子宫内膜形态、子宫内膜容受性（CP）［子宫内膜厚度、阻力指数（RI），搏动指数（PI）和血流指数（FI）］等，并进行子宫内膜病理检查；进行治疗前后气虚血瘀证评分；检测治疗前后月经血白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β），IL-6和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平和外周血测T淋巴亚群（CD3⁺，CD4⁺，CD8⁺）水平；随访记录妊娠情况和流产情况。进行安全性评价。结果 治疗后观察组经量、经期、周期和月经完全正常率均高于对照组（P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜厚度和FI均高于对照组（P<0.01），RI和PI均低于对照组（P<0.01）；观察组月经血IL-1β，IL-6和TNF-α水平均低于对照组（P<0.01）；观察组CD3⁺，CD4⁺水平和CD4⁺/ CD8⁺均高于对照组（P<0.01），CD8⁺水平低于对照组（P<0.01）；在6个月随访期间，观察组妊娠率46.97%（31/66），高于对照组的27.69%（18/65）（χ²=5.197，P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜形态疗效总有效率为96.97%（64/66），高于对照组的86.15%（56/65）（χ²=4.981，P<0.05）；观察组子宫内膜病理组织疗效总有效率为95.45%（63/66），高于对照组的84.62%（55/65）（χ²=4.304，P<0.05）；观察组综合临床疗效总有效率为93.94%（62/66），高于对照组的81.54%（55/65）（χ²=4.696，P<0.05）；两组治疗期间均未发现与中药相关不良反应。结论 逐瘀止血汤加减治疗CE气虚血瘀证患者，可调经月经、减轻临床症状，改善宫腔镜下内膜形态，调节全身和局部的免疫炎症反应，提高了CP，从而改善了妊娠结局，有着较好的综合疗效，且安全。     

The Importance of Venous Return in Starling‐Like Control of Rotary Ventricular Assist Devices

Rotary ventricular assist devices (VADs) are less sensitive to preload than the healthy heart, resulting in inadequate flow regulation in response to changes in patient cardiac demand. Starling‐like physiological controllers (SLCs) have been developed to automatically regulate VAD flow based on ventricular preload. An SLC consists of a cardiac response curve (CRC) which imposes a nonlinear relationship between VAD flow and ventricular preload, and a venous return line (VRL) which determines the return path of the controller. This study investigates the importance of a physiological VRL in SLC of dual rotary blood pumps for biventricular support. Two experiments were conducted on a physical mock circulation loop (MCL); the first compared an SLC with an angled physiological VRL (SLC‐P) against an SLC with a vertical VRL (SLC‐V). The second experiment quantified the benefit of a dynamic VRL, represented by a series of specific VRLs, which could adapt to different circulatory states including changes in pulmonary (PVR) and systemic (SVR) vascular resistance versus a fixed physiological VRL which was calculated at rest. In both sets of experiments, the transient controller responses were evaluated through reductions in preload caused by the removal of fluid from the MCL. The SLC‐P produced no overshoot or oscillations following step changes in preload, whereas SLC‐V produced 0.4 L/min (12.5%) overshoot for both left and right VADs. Additionally, the SLC‐V had increased settling time and reduced controller stability as evidenced by transient controller oscillations. The transient results comparing the specific and standard VRLs demonstrated that specific VRL rise times were improved by between 1.2 and 4.7 s ( = 3.05 s), while specific VRL settling times were improved by between 2.8 and 16.1 seconds ( = 8.38 s) over the standard VRL. This suggests only a minor improvement in controller response time from a dynamic VRL compared to the fixed VRL. These results indicate that the use of a fixed physiologically representative VRL is adequate over a wide variety of physiological conditions.     

How Do Students Source and Supply Drugs? Characteristics of the University Illegal Drug Trade

Background: It is widely known that a proportion of university students use drugs. However, much less is known about how they source and supply their drugs. Objectives: In this article, we investigate student drug trading activity, including how they obtained their drugs, whether they sold drugs, and the extent to which their drug trading might be described as a form of “social supply”. Methods: A survey was conducted of all students across seven of the nine universities of Wales. In total, 7855 students submitted a questionnaire and 1877 of these reported drug use in the current academic year. All students who reported using one or more illegal drugs in the current academic year were asked how they obtained their drugs, how they funded their drug use, whether they had sold, traded or given away illegal drugs, along with their motives for drug trading. Results: The results showed that about half of users obtained drugs solely from friends and associates and one-fifth obtained them solely from external dealers. One-quarter used friends and associates as well as external markets. In many cases, supplying drugs amounted to sharing them or giving them away. However, over one-third of students said that they had sold drugs. Conclusions: Overall, the methods of sourcing and supplying drug among university students shares features of both “social supply” and “traditional” drug markets. We conclude that the student drug market investigated is best described as a “hybrid” combination of both.