OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between pharmacological effects and properties of traditional Chinese medicine by the decision tree algorithm.

METHODBased on of pharmacological effects of traditional Chinese medicine, the decision tree algorithm was applied in the study on the relationship between pharmacological effects and properties of traditional Chinese medicines. A model was established with the decision tree algorithm for the purpose of predicting the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

RESULTThe established model was reliable and stable, and could be used to predict the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

CONCLUSIONThe prediction for the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components with a decision tree model could reflect the theoretical connotation of the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components to some extent and provide a new method for studying the properties of traditional Chinese medicine components.

Drug Combinations ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Untargeted metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb samples shows that the determined samples clearly clustered in to two groups, indicating that the processing procedures caused changes in the composition and/or content of components in rhubarb. Ten components were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and references, which intensity declined in rhubarb after processing. Targeted metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb samples indicated that aloe-emodin, rhein, emodin and physcion were detected with lower intensity in stewed rhubarb samples than in rhubarb samples. Metabolomics analysis of rhubarb and stewed rhubarb indicated the various components of rhubarb changed after processing.
Anthraquinones ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Emodin ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Food Handling ; methods ; Food Preservation ; methods ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Principal Component Analysis ; Rheum ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; Animals ; Hypoxia ; Iron ; Mice ; Spleen

A new hasubanan alkaloid, hernsubanine E (1), as well as two known compounds p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2) and (-)-syringaresinol (3) have been isolated from the whole plants of Stephania hernandifolia by various column chromatographic methods. Their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral analyses. Compounds 2 and 3 were isolated from the genus of Stephania for the first time.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Stephania ; chemistry

The paper is aimed to establish a methods for identication of pearl powder and conch powder from different origins. Hermetic aluminum pan was used to encapsulate samples. The optimal testing conditions were: heating rate 10 degrees C x min(-1), sample weight 3 mg and nitrogen gas flow rate 40 mL x min(-1). The enthalpy values of pearl powder and conch powder was obvious different. Identication of pearl powder and conch powder by DSC is a practical method for its accuracy, convenience and practificality.
Animal Shells ; chemistry ; Animals ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; methods ; China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Pinctada ; chemistry ; classification ; Powders ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo separate and identify the chemical constituents of Blumea riparia.

METHODThe compounds were separated and purified by repeated silica gel, Sephadex LH -20 column chromatographiy. The structures of these compounds isolated were identified by analysis of their spectral data, physical and chemical properties.

RESULTSix flavonoids were isolated from B. riparia. and their structures were identified as eriodictyol-7, 4'-dimethyl ether (1), eriodictyol-7, 3'-dimethyl ether (2), eriodictyol-7-methyl ether (3), quercetin-7, 3', 4'-trimethyl ether (4), tamarixetin (5), rhamnocitrin (6).

CONCLUSIONCompound 1-6 were obtained from B. riparia for the first time.

Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Objective To explore the relationship between cognitive function and sleep disturb-ance,depression and anxiety. Methods Totally 333 medical staff were investigated using the repetitive neu-ropsychological status questionnaire (RBANS),the Pittsburgh sleep quality index ( PSQI),the depression self-rating scale (SDS) and the anxiety self-rating scale ( SAS). Results ①The difference of visual span in gender(male:(81. 87±13. 48) vs female:(77. 12± 13. 09)) was statistically significant ( t=2. 928,P<0. 05).②Differences in immediate memory,language function,attention function and total score of RBANS among patients of different ages were statistically significant ( F=9. 654,8. 370,11. 465,11. 112, all P<0. 01).③There were significant differences in the RBANS,immediate memory,visual span,attention function and delayed memory between doctor and nurse(t=5. 374,4. 730,3. 389,4. 359,5. 675,all P<0. 01).④There were significant differences in the RBANS,immediate memory,and delayed memory between different PSQI levels ( F=3. 475,4. 892,4. 087, all P<0. 05). ⑤There were significant differences in RBANS ((88. 87±12. 47) vs (83. 69±13. 03)),immediate memory ((86. 18±16. 09) vs (80. 56±15. 38)),visual span ((79. 39±13. 32) vs (73. 47±12. 46)),and delayed memory ((89. 03±10. 26) vs (85. 49±11. 41)) between the depressive symptoms and not depressive symptoms groups( t=2. 794,2. 380,3. 042,2. 295,all P<0. 05) .⑥The total score of medical staff's RBANS was significantly negatively correlated with their PSQI,SDS and SAS scores (r=-0. 158,-0. 233,-0. 117,all P<0. 05).⑦SDS,age,occupation,education, time of sleep and PSQI entered multiple stepwise regression equations,which explain 39. 9% variation in cog-nitive function of medical staff. Conclusion The cognitive function of medical staff is affected by gender, age,occupation,education,depression,and sleep disturbance. The worse the sleep quality,the higher the de-gree of depression and anxiety,and the poorer the cognitive function.

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference between digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and type B ultrasonography in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients inflicted with high voltage electrical injury.

METHODSNineteen patients with high voltage electrical injury of upper limbs were enrolled in the study as burn group, and another 12 healthy volunteers as controls. The endovascular membrane, vascular wall thickness, intra-vascular blood flow and endovascular thrombosis formation of ulnar and radial arteries at wound site and in regions 5, 10 and 15 cm proximal to the wounds were examined by DSA and type B ultrasonography and compared with imagings of healthy volunteers as control. The injury degree of the ulnar and radial arteries was examined during operation for evaluation to corroborate with DSA and ultrasonography findings. Necrotic and/or thrombotic vessels were excised and sent for pathomorphological examination.

RESULTSBy DSA images abnormal signs as thrombosis, vascular lumen stenosis and blood flow deceleration were found in 14 ulnar and 11 radial arteries, and the signs were more pronounced in ulnar arteries. By type B ultrasonography, abnormal signs as roughing of tunica intima, swelling or exfoliation, thickening of vascular wall, lumen stenosis, decreased blood flow, even necrosis of vascular wall and thrombosis were identified in 19 ulnar and 16 radial arteries in burn group (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01). The blood flow in ulnar artery 5 cm to the approximal part of the wound edge was obvious lower than that of the control (31.60 +/- 13.90 ml/min vs 47.70 +/- 9.60 ml/min, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONType B ultrasonography and DSA could be helpful in the evaluation of vascular injury in patients inflicted with high voltage electrical injury.

Adult ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; methods ; Burns, Electric ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radial Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; Ulnar Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; methods

The essential effect of vitamin A on immune function occurs through various mechanisms including direct effect on Th1-Th2 balance modulation. However, it is unclear whether or not vitamin A can regulate Th1-Th2 balance under a strong Th1-polarizing condition. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine the effect of vitamin A metabolite all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on Th1-Th2 differentiation in CD4+ T cells under GATA-3 deficiency, which can induce Th1-polarizing condition. In the present study, GATA-3 deficiency T cells were induced by siRNA and checked by real-time quantitative PCR and western blot. GATA-3 deficiency CD4+ T cells and normal CD4+ T were treated for 48 h with or without ATRA. The expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines were detected by qPCR and ELISA. The results would contribute to clarify the knowledge of the role of vitamin A in regulating Th1-Th2 balance under some special conditions, and help to explain the mechanism of immune regulatory function of vitamin A.
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; deficiency ; Humans ; Th1-Th2 Balance ; drug effects ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate changes in apoptosis-related ligands in serum in rats with severe scald and the effect of intensive insulin therapy on the changes.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham burn (SB), scald (S) and treatment (T) groups. Rats in S and T groups were inflicted with 40% TBSA full-thickness burn, followed by intraperitoneal injection with 40 mL/kg of isotonic saline for resuscitation. Rats in T group were subcutaneously injected insulin in a dose of 0.25 U/100 g 24 hours after burn injury, and every 12 hours for 5 days (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 U/100 g each day, respectively) to control the level of blood glucose between 3 and 6 mmol/L. Rats in SB group were sham scalded at 37 degrees C without resuscitation. Blood was drawn from abdominal aorta on 1, 4, 7, 10, 14 post burn day (PBD) for determination of serum levels of TNF-alpha, soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and soluble Fas receptor (sFas) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and insulin by radioimmunity assay (RIA).

RESULTSThe serum level of TNF-alpha in S group peaked on 1 PBD (30.9 +/- 8.7) ng/L, which showed statistically significant difference when compared with that of SB and T groups (12.7 +/- 2.8) ng/L, (16.8 +/- 4.7) ng/L, respectively, P < 0.01), then lowered gradually to become similar to that of SB group on 7 PBD. The level of TNF-alpha in T group increased gradually, but was obviously lower than that of S group on 1, 4, 7 PBD (P < 0.01). The level of sFasL in S (on 7-14 PBD) and T (4-10 PBD) groups was significantly higher than that in SB group (P < 0.05), then lowered to normal level. The levels of sFas on 4-10 PBD in T group were obviously higher than that in S and SB group (P < 0.05). Ratio of sFasL to sFas in serum of S group was higher than that in SB group on 7, 10 PBD, which was higher than that in T group on 7 PBD (P < 0.05). There was significant decrease in serum level of insulin in S group compared with that of SB group on 4-10 PBD (P < 0.05). The level of insulin in T group increased on 1 PBD, peaked on 4 PBD (327 +/- 15 microU/mL), which was significantly higher than that in SB and S groups (42 +/- 15, 28 +/- 10 microU/mL, respectively, P < 0.01), then decreased gradually to normal level.

CONCLUSIONSInsulin may inhibit apoptosis after burn by down-regulating secretion of apoptotic ligands.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Burns ; blood ; drug therapy ; Fas Ligand Protein ; blood ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; fas Receptor ; blood