Studying the essence of syndromes (Zheng) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a fundamental challenge in basic theoretical research of TCM. The relationship between any given syndrome and biochemical indicators is one of the important aspects of the study. As the indexes selected in each study are specific to a particular Western medical disease diagnosis, and the disease factor is inevitably introduced into the study, the effect of disease factor on the index changes cannot be assessed effectively by traditional data processing methods. This is known as "the same syndrome with different reasons", which has resulted in confusion in TCM research. This study aimed at providing a mathematical tool to address this issue. Based on information theory and the residual-split method, the syndrome information, which was covered in the index variation, was quantitatively calculated in this paper as an independent part of the disease factor. A mathematical model capable of objectively assessing and statistically testing the effect of the syndrome factor on the index changes was established. Applying this model to literature data of studies on the relationship between cyclic nucleotides and yang-deficiency syndrome showed following results. First, the values of yang-deficiency syndrome information were negative for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) while positive for cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in all included literature. This indicated that the group of yang-deficiency syndrome was correlated with an obvious trend of reduced cAMP levels and increased cGMP levels. Second, the statistical test results of yang-deficiency syndrome information of the two indexes were different among the literature included. The quality of original data was considered as a possible reason. Third, the significant differences between the yang-deficiency group of a specific disease and the normal group may, in some cases, be caused by a disease factor rather than a syndrome factor. The mathematical model provided a reasonable mathematical tool for the analysis of disease factor and syndrome factor in clinical research of TCM, suggesting that the mathematical model may give rise to innovative ideas and methods in the study of syndromes.

Knowledge Discovery in Databases is gaining attention and raising new hopes for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researchers. It is a useful tool in understanding and deciphering TCM theories. Aiming for a better understanding of Chinese herbal property theory (CHPT), this paper performed an improved association rule learning to analyze semistructured text in the book entitled Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica. The text was firstly annotated and transformed to well-structured multidimensional data. Subsequently, an Apriori algorithm was employed for producing association rules after the sensitivity analysis of parameters. From the confirmed 120 resulting rules that described the intrinsic relationships between herbal property (qi, flavor and their combinations) and herbal efficacy, two novel fundamental principles underlying CHPT were acquired and further elucidated: (1) the many-to-one mapping of herbal efficacy to herbal property; (2) the nonrandom overlap between the related efficacy of qi and flavor. This work provided an innovative knowledge about CHPT, which would be helpful for its modern research.

Objective To summarize the nursing points for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are receiving CT-guided percutaneous microwave ablation treatment. Methods A total of 77 HCC patients were enrolled in this study. CT-guided percutaneous microwave ablation treatment was carried out in all patients. High quality perioperative nursing care was implemented, and the adverse reactions were analyzed and summarized. Results CT-guided percutaneous microwave ablation was successfully accomplished in all the 77 cases. After the treatment, different degrees of pain occurred in 29 cases, liver function damage was detected in 6 cases, and pneumothorax was seen in one case. After active treatment and nursing, the clinical conditions were effectively controlled in all patients. No death occurred in perioperative period. Conclusion With the help of sufficient preoperative preparation, close intraoperative cooperation and postoperative effective treatment and nursing, the clinical condition is significantly improved, the complications have been effectively prevented and reduced, and the patient’s quality of life is also improved.

The properties of Chinese materia medica are believed to be the summarization of the effects of biological performance on the various body states. Systemic discussion of chemical-factor elements, body-condition elements, biological-performance elements and their interrelationships is needed for research into the properties of Chinese materia medica. Following the practical characteristics of Chinese medicine, the three-element mathematical model was formed by introducing some mathematical concepts and methods and was used to study the cold or hot property of Chinese medicine, and to investigate the difference in biological performances of the two properties.

The concepts of cold and hot herbal properties in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), reflecting the efficacy trends of medicinal herbs, have the Fuzzy characteristics. It is suited for the application of Fuzzy mathematics in research of herbal properties. For a comprehensive evaluation of herbal properties, this work constructed and made a practice of the Fuzzy discrimination model regarding the biological performance of Chinese materia medica.

ObjectiveTo observe the changes of uric acid level and lipid spectrum, and activities lipid metabolism related enzyme as well as uric acid metabolism-related enzymes on quail abdominal obesity model and then investigate the underlying mechanism of abdominal obesity combined with blood lipid spectrum disorder and hyperuricemia model. MethodsThe quail model of abdominal obesity was induced by feeding with high-fat diet.The body weight and abdominal fat content were measured and the abdominal fat index was calculated. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), glucose, and uric acid in serum were determined. The changes of adenosine deaminase (ADA),xanthine oxidase (XOD), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL), and total esterase (TE) activities were also determined. ResultsOn the 7th day, the body weight, abdominal fat content, and abdominal fat index were not significantly different between the model group and control group ( all P ＞0.05 ). On the 14th day, the body weight was not significantly different between these two groups ( P ＞ 0.05 ), while the abdominal fat content [(3.91 ±2. 13) vs. (2.40±0.96) g, P=0.0468] and abdominal fat index (1.92％ ±0.97％ vs. 1.22％ ±0.45％, P =0.0447) were significantly higher in the model group. On the 7th and 14th day, the levels ofTC (P =0.0042 and P =0.0006, respectively), LDL-C ( P =0.0045 and P =0.0010, respectively) in the model group were significantly higher than those in control group, while the level of TG significantly decreased ( P =0.0006 and P =0.0024, respectively ). On the 7th day, compare with the control group, the activities of ADA ( P =0.0237 )and XOD (P =0.0142) in the model group significantly increased, while the activities of LPL, HL, and TE had no significant changes. On the 14th day, compared with the control group, the activities of ADA ( P =0.0060),XOD ( P =0.0071 ), and LPL ( P =0.0419) in the model group significantly increased, while the activities of HL and TE had no significant changes. ConclusionsHigh-fat diet can induce disorders in blood lipid profiles in quail model, but also may incur abdominal obesity and multiple metabolic disorders. Changes in the activities of uric acid and lipid metabolism related enzymes may be the underlying mechanism of disorders in blood lipid profile and its associated hyperuricemia and abdominal accumulation.

Anticholesteremic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; Ezetimibe ; therapeutic use ; Humans

Objective To investigate the diagnostic significance of thin layer reconstruction with spiral CT on the pulmonary hamartoma. Methods Accepted both routine CT examination and thin layer construction,2 1 pulmonary hamartoma cases confirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively.The margin and inner features of the lesions were observed and recorded.Significant analysis was performed by using SPSS17.0 Pearson chi-square test and Fisher exact test,with P<0.05 as the significant difference criterion.Results Comparison of the display rates by routine CT and thin layer reconstruction:①the same display rate of lobulation were 57.1%(12/21);②the same display rate of calcification were 42.9% (9/21);③the display rates of fat density were 14.3%(3/21)by routine CT and 42.9% (9/21)by thin layer reconstruction.The difference was statistically significant (χ2=4.200,P<0.05);④the display rates of blood vessel throughing were 14.3%(3/21)by routine CT and 47.6% (10/21)by thin layer reconstruction.The difference was statistically significant (χ2=5.459,P<0.05).Conclusion Displaying the inner features of pulmonary hamartoma better than routine CT,the thin layer reconstruction can improve the diagnostic accuracy significantly.

Objective To study the clinical features and CT findings of pulmonary fungal infection(PFI) secondary to malignant tumor.Methods The clinical features and CT findings of PFI secondary to malignant tumor proved clinically and pathologically were analyzed retrospectively.Results In pulmonary fungal infection,pulmonary candidiasis was most common seen,which were found in 34 (68%) of 50 cases.CT findings of PFI usually consist of a mixture of patterns,ground-glass attenuation(n=31,62%)and air-space consolidation (n=29,58%) were most common CT findings. Other CT findings included nodule(n=20,40%), air cresceut sign (n=2,4%), thickening of bronchovascular bundles (n=7,14%), mass (n=1,2%),tree-in-bud appearance(n=5,10%),cavity(n=3,6%).Conclusion CT findings of PFI secondary to malignant tumor were nonspecific,which can’t distinguish from other pneumonia,to pay more attentions on it is necessary.

Objective To comparatively analyze the application of conventional echo planar imaging-diffusion weighted imaging (EPI-DWI) and readout-segmented echo-planar diffusion imaging (RESOLVE) in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods A total of 35 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma confirmed by pathology were included in this study.All patients underwent conventional EPI-DWI and RESLOVE (b=800 s/mm2) with a 3.0 T MRI scanner.ADC values of the tumors and normal nasopharyngeal tissues were calculated.Scoring (Five-point score) for imaging quality of conventional EPI-DWI and RESLOVE was independently performed by two radiologists with 5 years experiences and the agreement evaluation was performed using Kappa analysis.The numbers of cases with effectively ADC values,the ADC values of the same tissue in different sequences and the ADC values of the tumor and the normal muscle tissue in the same sequence were compared.The data was statistically analyzed by x2 test,paired sample t test and independent sample t test.Results The agreement between two radiologists was excellent.The Kappa value of the conventional EPI-DWI was 0.91 1(P＜0.01).The Kappa value of the RESOLVE was 0.827(P＜0.01).Four points or more accounted for 97.1％ (34/35) in the RESOLVE group,while only 2.9％ (7/35) images scored four points and most of them were less than four points in the conventional EPI-DWI group.The effectively ADC values can be measured in the conventional EPI-DWI,accounting for 54.3％ (19/35) cases.The ADC values could be measured in all cases of group (100.0％,35/35).The scores of imaging quality of RESOLVE were higher than those of conventional EPI-DWI,which were significantly different (x5=19.091,P＜0.001).The ADC values of the normal nasopharyngeal tissue were (1.65 ±0.13) × 10-3,(1.96±0.14) × 10-3 mm2/s and the ADC values of the tumor were (0.87±0.09) × 10-3,(0.83±0.10)× 10-3 mm2/s in the conventional EPI-DWI and the RESOLVE,respectively.The ADC values were significantly different between the tumors and the normal nasopharyngeal tissues (t=-23.284,-31.509,P＜0.05).The ADC values of the tumors were apparently lower than the normal nasopharyngeal tissues.There were no significant difference of the ADC values between the conventional EPI-DWI and the RESOLVE measuring the same tissue (t=-0.957,-0.921,P＞0.05).Conclusion Compared with conventional EPI-DWI,RESLOVE can provide a higher quality image and may be helpful to accurate diagnosis.