Study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes is a key to the research of TCM modernization, and the core is the classification and diagnostic criteria of syndromes. The purpose of this article is to review the usage of classification algorithms of data mining in TCM syndrome researches, and comprehensively analyze the main features of algorithms and their applications. The appropriate classification algorithm should be chosen according to different research purposes. Rough sets and cluster analysis are suitable for exploratory research without requiring a prior knowledge. Fuzzy sets theory, neural networks and decision tree are suitable for syndrome diagnostic criteria research when the classification goal is clear, because they require a prior knowledge. Among them, fuzzy sets theory could be used in combination with other classification algorithms. Thus, some new methods such as fuzzy clustering, fuzzy rough sets or fuzzy decision tree might be more suitable for TCM algorithm classification research. It is suggested that some novel classification algorithms need to be developed to fit the condition of TCM syndrome, based on the interdisciplinary theories and technologies.

This text is based on the analysis of the arteries that reported in the literatures over the past 10 years and combines with the chinese medicine practice of theory and clinical. It researches the etiology and pathogenesis of chronic aplastic anemia and the chinese medicine therapy from the kidney, and comes up with the treatment countermeasure of nourishing the kidney and marrow and invigorating the blood, then we formulate a proprietary named Bushenyisui Huoxuefang.

Objective To observe the protective effect of Panaxadiol Saponins (PDS)on rabbit heart failure model induced by acute alcohol infusion, and to explore its action mechanism of protecting myocardium. Methods 1 5 healthy rabbits were randomly divided into control group, model group and PDS group, 5 rabbits in each group.The rabbits in control group were given 0.2 g·mL-1 saline by intravenous drip at constant speed,the rabbits in model group were given 20% ethanol with same method, and the rabbits in PDS group were given 0.025 g·kg-1 PDS by intravenous injection before intravenous drip of 20% ethanol.The hemodynamic changes were observed by ventricular intubation;the levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CKMB)were determined by colormetric method.The level of malondialdehyde (MDA)in myocardial tissue homogenate,the activities of superoxide dismutase (T-SOD),glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)and catalase (CAT)were also detected.Results Compared with control group,the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP)of the rabbits in model group was significantly decreased at 30 min(P<0.05);the serum LDH,CK and CKMB levels were increased(P<0.05),the MDA level in myocardial tissue homogenate was increased(P<0.05),and the T-SOD,GSH-Px and CAT activities were decreased (P<0.05).Compared with model group,the LVEDP of the rabbits in PDS group was increased,the serum LDH,CK,and CKMB levels were decreased(P<0.05),the MDA level was decreased(P<0.05),and the activities of T-SOD,GSH-Px and CAT were increased(P<0.05).Conclusion PDS has protective effect on heart failure induced by acute alcohol infusion,and its mechanism may be related to the improvement of cardiac peroxidation.

Objective To investigate the effect of caspases-3 on doxepin-induced apoptosis in rat neurons.Methods The PC12 cells seeded in culture plates were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =10 each) using a random number table:normal control group (group C);doxepin group (group D);caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK group (group Z);doxepin + Z-DEVD-FMK group (group DZ).In group C,the cells were continuously incubated for 24 h.In group D,doxepin was added with the final concentration of 120 μmol/L,and the cells were continuously incubated for 24 h.In group Z,Z-DEVD-FMK was added with the final concentration of 10 μmol/L,and the cells were continuously incubated for 24 h.In group DZ,doxepin and Z-DEVD-FMK with the final concentrations of 120 and 10 μmol/L,respectively,were added,and the cells were continuously incubated for 24 h.After 24 h of incubation,the cell viability was detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay,the cell morphology was observed under inverted microscope,and the neuronal apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry.Apoptosis rate was calculated.Results Compared with group C,the cell viability was significantly decreased,and apoptosis rate was increased in D and DZ groups (P＜0.01),and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group Z (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with group D,the cell viability was significantly increased,and apoptosis rate was decreased in group DZ (P＜ 0.01).The morphological changes were significantly mitigated in group DZ as compared with group D.Conclusion Caspases-3 may mediate doxepin-induced apoptosis in rat neurons.

The relationship between tyrosine phosphorylation (TP) and protein expression of insulin receptor (InsR) and insulin resistance (IR) in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was investigated. The InsR expression and TP in skeleton muscle tissue were determined by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation in women with GDM (GDM group, n=22), normal pregnant women (normal pregnancy group, n=22) and normal non-pregnant women (normal non-pregnant group, n=13). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting insulin (FINS) were measured by oxidase assay and immunoradioassay. The results showed that the levels of FPG (5.61±0.78 mmol/L), FINS (15.42±5.13 mU/L) and Homeostasis model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) (1.21±0.52) in GDM group were significantly higher than those in normal pregnancy group (4.43±0.46 mmol/L, 10.56±3.07 mU/L and 0.80±0.31 respectively) (P<0.01). The levels of FINS and HOMA-IR in normal pregnancy group were significantly higher than those in normal non-pregnant group (7.56±2.31 mU/L and 0.47±0.26 respectively) (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the InsR expression level among the three groups (P>0.05). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation was significantly decreased in GDM group (0.20±0.05) as compared with normal pregnancy group (0.26±0.06) (P<0.01). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation in normal pregnancy group was lower than that in normal non-pregnant group (0.31±0.06) (P<0.01). TP of InsR with insulin stimulation was negatively related with HOMA-IR in GDM group (r=-0.525, P<0.01). There was no correlation between the protein expression of InsR and HOMA-IR in GDM group (r=-0.236, P>0.05). It was suggested that there is no significant correlation between the protein expression of InsR in skeletal muscle and IR in GDM, but changes in TP of InsR are associated with IR in GDM.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of live-attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (LM)-based vaccines expressing the gene encoding a melanoma differentiation antigen,MART-1,on malignant melanoma and their mechanism.Methods The constructed plasmid pERL3-MART-1 was used to transform live-attenuated LM by electroporation to construct recombinant LM.i.e.△inlB LM-MART-1 and △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1.The half lethal dose (LD50) of attenuated listeria strains was determined by concentration gradient dilution method.C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups,namely PBS group,△inlB LM-MART-1 group and △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1 group.Mice were inoculated by intraperitoneal injection of O.1 LD50 of each rLM strain or PBS only.One week later,the mice were injected subcutaneously with 1×105 B16F10 cells(a mouse melanoma cell strain)in 200μl of PBS.Reimmunization was performed on day 14 and 21.Subsequently,the growth of tumor and survival of tumor bearing mice were observed.All mice were killed on day 28,and tumor tissue as well as splenocytes were obtained from these mice for the detection of MART-1 gene expression by real-time quantitative PCR and the percentage of CD4+CD25+T cell by flow cytometry.Results The recombinant △inlB LM-MART-1 and △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1 were constructed successfully.The LD50 of △inlB LM and △actA/△inlB LM was lower than LM-EGDe by 100 and 10 000 times respectively.Compared with PBS,the tumor growth was inhibited with △inlB LM-MART-1 by 46.95%(F=6.3,P<0.05),and by 83.96% with △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1(F=37.8,P<0.01).The relative expression level of MART-1 in △inlB LM-MART-1 group and △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1 group was 8.988±0.207 and 11.315±0.445 times that in PBS group (both P<0.05).The percentage of CD4+CD25+T cells in splenocytes was (2.52±0.20)%,(1.14±0.13)% and (0.44±0.15)% in PBS group,△ialB LM-MART-1 group and △actA/△inlB LM-MART-1 group,respectively;the differences were statistically significant between the three groups (all P

OBJECTIVETo observe whether formalin inflammatory pain can induce neuron apoptosis in rats spinal cord or not and the effects of nitric oxide on the spontaneous pain reaction and neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain.

METHODSFormalin-induced paw licking time was used to reflect the degree of spontaneous pain of rats, and the flow cytometry was used to detecte neuron apoptosis rate of spinal cord.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the apoptosis ratio of spinal neuron was increased in the rats with formalin inflammatory pain, and peaked at 3d after formalin injection. Pre-intrathecal injection of NOS inhibitor L-NAME inhibited the nociceptive behavioural response in double phases induced by fonnrmalin injection and cut down the neuron apoptosis ratio of spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Nociceptive behavioural response and incraesed neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord were induced by intrathecal injection of L-Arg in normal rats.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicated that formalin inflammatory pain could induce the apoptosis of spinal neurons. The neurons apoptosis was the most significant on the third day after formalin injection. The increased pruduction of NO in spinal cord could promote the transmit of nociceptive information and participate the induction of neuronal apoptosis during the formalin inflammatory pain.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Formaldehyde ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Pain ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; physiopathology

Objective To investigate the association of HLA-A and -B alleles with syphilis in Shandong Han population. Methods The allele frequencies of HLA-A and -B were detected in 205 patients with syphilis and 5844 normal human controls by PCR-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP)method. Results The patients with syphilis showed a higher frequency of HLA-A*02, B*15, B*40 alleles(all P＜0.01, Pc＜0.05) and a lower frequency of HLA-A*26 allele (P= 0.003, Pc = 0.039) than the normal human controls did. There was an increased frequency of HLA-B*15 and B*40 alleles in patients with symptomatic syphilis (both P＜0.01, Pc＜0.05), as well as an elevated frequency of HLA-A*02, 11, 29, B*15 and 40 alleles (all P＜0.01, Pc＜0.05) and a decreased frequency of HLA-A*30 and 33 in patients with asymptomatic syphilis(P=0.002, 0.026, Pc=0.001, 0.013 respectively), compared with the normal human controls. The frequency of HLA-A*30 allele was significantly higher in patients with symptomatic syphilis than in those with asymptomatic syphilis (P = 0.001, Pc = 0.013). Conclusions There seems to be an association between HLA-A*02, B* 15 and B*40 alleles and syphilis, between HLA-A*30 allele and symptomic syphilis, and between HLA-A*02, 11 and 29 alleles and asymptom1atic syphilis, in Shandong Han population.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of Achillon for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture (AATR).

METHODSFrom April 2009 to April 2010, 19 patients with AATR who were treated with Achillon were retrospectively analyzed. There were 17 males and 2 females, with an average age of 40.2 years (30 to 58 years). There were 9 cases of sports injury, and 2 case of fall injury. The time from injury to surgery ranged from 0 to 8 days (2.2 days on average). The results of Thompson test and single heel rise test were positive in 19 cases. Clinical data were assessed with the patient satisfaction and the AOFAS hindfoot score during follow-up.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 12 to 28 months (19.9 months on average). The average operation time was 41 minutes. There were no wound infections, recurrent rupture, or sural nerve complications. At the latest follow-up, 18 patients were totally satisfied with the surgical result, 1 patient feel generally due to mild pain when running. None of the patients were dissatisfied with the final results the latest follow-up. At the latest follow-up, the AOFAS score was 98.42 +/- 3.29 (89 to 100). All the patients regained normal range of motion and were able to resume their previous activities at six months after operation, with a high rate of satisfaction. Average decreased of mid-calf circumference was (0.82 +/- 0.85) cm (ranged from 0 to 3 cm).

CONCLUSIONTreatment with Achillon is safe, effective for AATR with low incidence of complications and early active rehabilitation can be carried out. It is a good method to treat AATR.

Achilles Tendon ; injuries ; surgery ; Acute Disease ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Suture Techniques ; instrumentation ; Tendon Injuries ; surgery

Ligustrazine, one of the major effective components of the Chinese traditional medicinal herb Ligusticum Chuanxiong Hort, has been reported plenty of biological activities, such as protect cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, neuroprotection and anti-tumor, et al. Because of its remarkable effects, studies on structural modification of ligustrazine have attracted much attention. Ligustrazine synthetic derivatives reported in recent decades are mainly derived from four primary intermediates (TMP-COOH, TMP-OH, TMP-NH2, HO-TMP-OH). To explore the neuroprotection activitiy of ligustrazine intermediates, six ligustrazine intermediates (2, 5, 8, 11, 12, 13) were synthesized and their protective effects against CoCl2-induced neurotoxicity in differentiated PC12 cells were studied. The target compounds were prepared via different chemical methods, including oxidation, substitution, esterification and amidation without changing the structure nucleus of ligustrazine. Compared with TMP (EC50 = 56.03 micromol x L(-1)), four compounds (2, 5, 12 and 13) exhibited higher activity (EC50 < 50 micromol x L(-1)) respectively, of which, compound 2 displayed the highest protective effect against the damaged PC12 cells (EC50 = 32.86 micromol x L(-1)), but target compounds 8 and 11 appeared lower activity (EC50 > 70 micromol x L(-1)). By structure-activity relationships analysis, the introduction of carboxyl, amino to the side chain of ligustrazine and appropriately increase the proportion of ligustrazine may contribute to enhance its neuroprotective activity, which provides a reference for the design, synthesis and activity screening of relevant series of ligustrazine derivatives in the future.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic ; Cobalt ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Neuroprotective Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Neurotoxins ; toxicity ; PC12 Cells ; Pyrazines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Rats