OBJECTIVE: To construct the data envelopment analysis (DEA) inference model for word-computing. METHODS: Firstly, a syndrome assembly was established based on the Chinese medical patterns contained in Shanghanlun, then the subjective evaluation was set by the linguistic description for the corresponding patterns. Secondly, with the data of decoctions, the evaluation was modified according to the requirement of DEA to construct the inference model. Finally, the word-computing was completed by the inference function of this model. RESULTS: DEA model could describe the diagnostic thinking process of Shanghanlun theory. CONCLUSION: DEA model can upload the information embodied among the words of the corresponding classical doses and symptoms, and it provides a kind of method for modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Objective To evaluate angiogenesis of the benign and malignant solid thyroid nodules with color Doppler ultrasound and immunohistochemistry staining. Methods Fifty-six solid thyroid nodules in 55 patients (28 papillary thyroid cancer, 23 goiter, 4 adenoma, 1 Hashimoto' s disease) were observed before surgery with color Doppler ultrasound. Pathological specimens of paraffin-embedded were immunohistochemically stained with CD34 and VEGF antibody. Results There were significant differences between the benign and malignant thyroid nodules in vascular morphology and regional rich blood flow. The irregular or less irregular vessels were found in 75 % of the malignant nodules. Regional rich blood flow or suspicious regional rich blood flow were found in 64. 3% of malignant nodules. The regular vessels were found in 89. 3% of the benign nodules, non-regional rich blood flow was found in 71.4% of the benign nodules. The number of CD34 in malignant lesions [(37.31 ± 11.55)/HP] was significantly higher than benign lesions [(29. 02 ± 8.32)/HP, P = 0.04]. There was a significantly difference of VEGF expression between the benign and malignant nodules which was higher in malignant nodules than in benign nodules(P ＜ 0.01). Conclusions Compared with the benign nodules, the vessles in malignant thyroid nodules were irregular,the distribution of vessles was asymmetry and angiogenesis was active.

Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Mucocele ; Nose Diseases ; pathology ; Turbinates ; pathology

Adult ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscular Atrophy ; therapy ; Spondylosis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Background and purpose:Three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) is a new technique to investigate the vessels in the organs, but the research in thyroid is limited. The purpose of this research was to investigate three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) in differentiating malignant from benign thyroid nod-ules.Methods:This study prospectively evaluated 103 lesions in 94 patients who were scheduled for surgery. The patients underwent preoperative 3D-PDA scanning. Analysis of the 3D-PDA characteristics includes blood flow pattern, the num-ber of blood vessels, the shape of vessels, the spatial distribution of the vessels, the existence of rich local blood flow within nodules or in the parenchyma surrounding the nodules. This study also analyzed the difference between the benign lesions and the malignant lesions.Results:There were 50 benign lesions and 53 malignant lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of irregular vessels, the asymmetry spatial distribution, rich local blood flow within nodules or in the parenchyma surround-ing the nodules were 64.2%, 96.0%; 56.0%, 88.0%; 54.7%, 96.0%; 60.4% and 94.0%, respectively. The sensitivity, speci-ficity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 3D-PDA were 83.0%, 94.0%, 93.6%, 83.9% and 90.3%, respectively.Conclusion:3D-PDA provides a useful tool to investigate vascularization of thyroid leisions.This technique is feasible for clinical application and plays an important role in diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Humans ; Diverticulum, Colon/surgery* ; Cholecystectomy/adverse effects* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To raise the syndrome sequence quantification, differentiation and classification algorithm based on data envelopment analysis for solving the modeling issue of syndrome differentiation and classification of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This algorithm has three steps: first, in order to obtain basic units for explaining pathogenesis, and establish a syndrome collection on this basis mechanisms of syndrome differentiation and classification were analyzed and classified according to TCM theory, mechanisms of syndrome differentiation and classification were analyzed and classified according to TCM theory; second, regularity and syndromes of corresponding prescriptions were sought according to the incidence and development progress of syndromes, and mathematical tools of data envelopment analysis were used to calculate state data of syndromes in each stage and obtain quantitative syndrome sequence; finally, syndrome sequence was taken as the measurement standard to quantify candidate syndromes and diagnostic information, and the similarity was calculated to obtain the matching degree between diagnostic information and candidate syndromes, so as to complete the syndrome differentiation and classification calculation. According to the results of model-based reasoning, the algorithm could indicate the regularity implied in prescription materials, and grasp the dynamic process of syndromes in an all-round way, and its results were verified through calculation and analysis on clinical cases. At least, it provides an idea for quantitative modeling of TCM.
Data Mining ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Theoretical ; Phytotherapy

OBJECTIVETo propose an algorithm of the similarity between UV-spectra for controlling the quality of Chinese medical injection.

METHODThe similarity is calculated base on the data of two UV-spectrum curves, thus the sample quality is evaluated according to the average value of the similarity of the UV-spectra between sample with each of standard samples; the proposed algorithm of the similarity is compared with cosine of vectorial angle and relative coefficient; the proposed method for quality evaluation of traditional Chinese injection is discussed with the method according to the chromatographic fingerprint similarity.

RESULTThe calculated similarity with the proposed method can be sensitive to show the difference between UV-spectra. This proposed method for quality evaluation was applied for assessing quality of 14 batches of Xiangdan injection and the results well coincident with sample quality.

CONCLUSIONThe proposed method can be used to evaluate the quality of the Chinese medical injection according to the similarity of two UV-spectrum curves.

Algorithms ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Dalbergia ; chemistry ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; standards ; Injections ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Naohuandan (NHD) in treating senile dementia (SD).

METHODSClinical study: Fifty-eight patients with SD, whose diagnosis conforms to the Diagnostic Standard of DSM-IV issued by American Association of Psychiatry, were enrolled and randomly assigned into two groups. The 30 patients in the treated group were treated with NHD, 4 capsules each time, 3 times daily. The 28 patients in the control group were treated with Piracetam, 1.6 g each time, 3 times daily. The therapeutic course for both groups was 3 months. The therapeutic efficacy was estimated and compared by comprehensive scores of memory and cognition, scores of Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Experimental study: Rats were divided into the control group, the model group and the high-dosage and low-dosage NHD treated groups. The protective effect of NHD on the per-oxidative damage of hippocampal neurons in beta-amyloid protein induced SD model was observed and the related criteria were determined.

RESULTSClinical study showed that both NHD and Piracetam could improve the clinical symptoms of patients, the two medicines showing insignificant difference in total effective rate. But NHD was better in elevating MMSE score and lowering ADL score in patients than Piracetam (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Experimental study showed that (1) 24 and 72 hrs after modeling, the activity of SOD and GSH were lower and the level of MDA higher in the model group than those in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared with the model group at the corresponding time points, in the high-dosage NHD group, SOD and GSH were higher, MDA was lower (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01); but in the low-dosage NHD group, SOD at the 72nd hr was higher (P < 0.05) and MDA at 24th and 72nd hrs was lower (P < 0.01). And most of the criteria in the high-dosage NHD group was improved better than that in the low-dosage NHD group. (2) The survival rates of neurons in various groups were not different significantly (P > 0.05) 24 hrs after modeling, but that in the high-dosage NHD group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.01) and in the low-dosage NHD group 72 hrs after modeling (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNHD is an effective Chinese herbal preparation for treatment of SD, and its mechanism is related with its inhibition on peroxidative injury and protection on neurons.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Thyroid cancer is the one of the most common endocrine tumors. The biological behaviors and prognoses of the thyroid cancer of different histological types remarkably differ. The highly invasive thyroid cancer responds poorly to traditional therapies. Recent research advances in the molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer have revealed the roles of many genetic and epigenetic variations such as gene mutation, abnormal gene amplification, and abnormal gene methylation in the development of thyroid cancer, which provides new insights in the molecular diagnosis, prognosis, and target therapy of the thyroid cancer.
Carcinoma ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation ; Signal Transduction ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; genetics