This study was aimed to apply the electronic nose (E-nose) in the research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The discussion was made on difficulties of using E-nose. The solution plan was proposed and the discrimination model was established. It provided a simple, rapid and effective analysi method in the identification of TCM. It also provided new ideas for the research and application of gas sensor arrays. E-nose was used in the ex-traction of TCM scent characteristics. Based on ion mobility spectrometry of MOS sensor, the fingerprint of TCM scent was established. The maximum response value of the sensor was used as analysis index. According to the diffi-culties of identification, two solution plans were proposed. Firstly, different detectors were employed to complete the classification. Secondly, radial basis function (RBF) and random forests (RF) were combined and then a cascade classifier was constructed in order to achieve the maximum of information obtained in conditions where the number of measurements, metal oxide semiconductor sensors in E-nose was limited. The results showed that both plans were accurate and practical with relatively high upper correct judge rate and better cross-validation (The highest upper correct judge rates were 95% and 100%, 96% and 80%, respectively). It was concluded that this study firstly ap-plied cascade classifier in the establishment of TCM identification by E-nose. With limited amount of sensors, the maximum information was received through data mining. Using E-nose in the identification of TCM was rapid and accurate. The established pattern recognition method was maneuverable with accurate identification rate and stability compared to conventional sensory identification method. It provided a simple and rapid analysis method for the iden-tification of TCM.

Objective To compare the efficacy of the conventional PPD skin test and a new enzymelinked immunospot assay(TSPOT-TB)for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI)in patients with rheumatic diseases.Methods Two hundred and sixty rheumatic patients were enrolled,and all were screened for LTBI based on clinical history,chest X-ray,PPD skin test or TSPOT.Results The positive rate of TSPOT assay was 24.1%and that of PPD skin test was 39.4%.The overall concordance rate between the 2tests was 61.0%.Among PPD negative patients (n=149).29 were TSPOT(+)(19.5%).Among PPD(+)patients(n=98),69 were TSPOT(-)(70.0%).The patients who got BCG vaccination or had history of tuberculosis infection showed a significantly higher rate of positive result of PPD skin test than those who did not (P<0.05 or P<0.01).While in TSPOT assay,the BCG vaccination or history of tuberculosis infection did not show influence on TSPOT results(P>0.05).Of the 127 patients who received biological agents after screening for LTBI,9 patients were pretreated with isoniazide.Twenty-seven patients stopped biological agent treatment because of the positive results of PPD or TSPOT.Twenty three patients who had positive PPD but negative TSPOT results received biological agent treatment without isoniazide,and none of them developed active tubereulosis after 6 to 18 months of follow-up.Conclusion BCG vaccination affects the result of PPD test in rheumatic patients,but has no influence on TSPOT results.The infection rate of latent tuberculosis of rheumatic patients in our research is 23.8%detected by TSPOT.

Objective:To observe short-term therapeutic effect and prognosis of levosimendan or milrinone on patients with decompensated heart failure(DHF).Methods:A total of 120 DHF patients treated in our hospital were equal-ly divided into levosimendan group(received levosimendan based on routine anti-HF treatment)and milrinone group (received milrinone based on routine anti-HF treatment),both groups were treated for one week continuously.Lev-el of brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and 6min walking distance(6MWD) were compared between two groups before and after treatment.Results:Compared with before treatment,on one week after treatment,there was significant reduction in BNP level and significant rise in LVEF in two groups,P=0.001 all;compared with milrinone group after one-week treatment,there was significant reduction in BNP level [(224.45 ± 29.45)pg/ml vs.(197.41 ± 27.65)pg/ml]and significant rise in LVEF[(37.72 ± 2.03)% vs.(44.33 ± 1.94)%]in levosimendan group,P=0.001 both.Compared with before treatment after three-month treatment, there was significant rise in 6MWD in two groups(P=0.001),and 6MWD of levosimendan group was significantly longer than that of milrinone group[(441.76 ± 75.45)m vs.(409.63 ± 73.56)m],P=0.02. Conclusion:Short-term therapeutic effect and prognosis of routine anti-HF medication combined levosimendan are significantly better than those of combined milrinone treatment in DHF patients.

The purpose of the present work was to study the role of unilateral hippocampal neural network in hippocampal epileptogenesis and its cellular mechanisms. Experiments were performed on 45 Sprague-Dawley adult rats. Acute tetanization (60 Hz, 2 s, 0.4 - 0.6 mA) of the right posterior dorsal hippocampus (ATPDH) was used to induce hippocampal epilepsy. The single unit discharges and the depth electrographs were synchronously recorded with a glass microelectrode and a pair of stainless concentric electrodes in the ipsilateral anterior dorsal hippocampus (HPC). The results demonstrated that: (1) some primary unit after-discharges were synchronized with electrographic after-discharges in the anterior dorsal HPC network after eight or nine tetanic trains were administered. Others desynchronized with 5 - 90 Hz primary depth electrographic after-discharges; (2) primary electrographic after-discharges were driven by primary unit after-discharges in the anterior dorsal HPC; (3) primary unit after-discharges were induced by brief primary electrographic after-discharges; and (4) plasticity of primary electrographic after-discharges and inhibition of single neuron firing were induced by repetitive ATPDH. The results suggest that hippocampal pathophysiologic network along the temporal-septal axis of the HPC is re-established by the repetitive ATPDH. There are plastic interactions between single neurons and its network during this re-establishment, which may be involved in the generation of "seizure oscillation". Over-activation of an intrinsic inhibition of the HPC along its temporal-septal axis might be involved in hippocampal network epileptogenesis.
Animals ; Electric Stimulation ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; physiopathology ; Evoked Potentials ; Hippocampus ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nerve Net ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Abstract: Objective　To analyze the emergency response and long-term intervention effects after the detection of infectious snails epidemic by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays in Hannan District, Wuhan City, and to explore the application of LAMP in early surveillance and early-warning of schistosomiasis transmission. Methods Snails picked up by the risk monitoring system in Hannan District were examined by anatomical microscopy and LAMP technology to identify the schistosomiasis infection. Emergency response and intensive intervention were initiated in the environment where positive snails appeared, and the long-term effects were evaluated. Results In May 2018, the infectious snails were detected by LAMP technology in Hannan District, and the positive snails were located in Zhujiacha, Dongzhuang Village, Obstacles and weeds were removed and buried by machine in Zhujiacha. 12 700 m2 of snails were killed by drugs, and the mortality rate of snails was more than 80%; no new seropositive persons were found in the emergency examination within 500 m of the positive snail sites. 506 people were examined in Dong Zhuang Village at the end of the year, and 30 positive IHA cases were detected with a blood positive rate of 5.93%, no positive fecal test was found, and all positive blood test patients took preventive medication. The monitoring results of sentinel rats and wild feces were all negative. Health education was carried out, 7 warning signs were deployed and refreshed, and 500 publicity brochures were distributed. After nearly three years of intensified intervention and monitoring in the villages where the positive environment is located, and the density of snails on the stubborn snail has dropped from 0.094/frame to 0.027/frame, and the positive rate of blood test in Dongzhuang Village has steadily dropped from 5.93% to 3.74%. Conclusions The infected snails missed by microscopy were detected by LAMP in Hannan District, which created conditions for the rapid emergency treatment of environment and elimination of positive snail and improved the sensitivity of the surveillance and early warning system in transmission-interrupted areas.

Aim To analyze the composition of immune cells in the inflammatory microenvironment of early atherosclerotic mice.Methods ApoE mice fed with high fat diet were userl to establish early athero¬sclerotic mouse model, and C57BL/6 mice fed normal diet were used as control.Oil red 0 staining, Masson's staining anrl biochemical analyzer were used to evaluate the success of the model construction.Infiltration of in¬nate immune cells and adaptive immune cells in aorta, peripheral blood, spleen and bone marrow of mice was detected and analyzed by flow cytometry.Results Compared with C57 mice, lipids infiltration in aortic root of ApoE mice increased and lipids level signifi¬cantly increased ( P < 0.01 ).Compared with those of C57 mice, the proportions of neutrophils, mast cells, natural killer cells and monocytes/macrophages in the aorta and peripheral blood of ApoE mice signifi¬cantly increased (P < 0.05 ) and the infiltrated mono¬cytes/ macrophages were mainly pro-inflammatory M1 monocytes/macrophages ( P < 0.05 ).The percentages of infiltrating CD3 4 T cells, Thl7 cells and Tel7 cells in the aorta, peripheral bloorl and spleen of ApoE mice significantly increased ( P < 0.05) or had an in¬creasing tendency.Conclusions At the early stage of atherosclerosis, a variety of innate immune cells and a- daptive immune cells promote the formation of inflam¬matory microenvironment, which plays an important role in the initiation of atherosclerosis.

The present study was to determine the effect of c-SRC on the viability of human cervical cancer HeLa cells and the expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (p-STAT3) of the cell. Post-transfection of c-SRC RNA interference vector, RT-PCR and Western blot were utilized to observe the contents of c-SRC mRNA and protein, respectively, in HeLa cells. The MTT was used to observe the viability of the cells. Cell cycle was observed by flow cytometry. The content of p-STAT3 in the cells was also investigated after knockdown of c-SRC. Knockdown of c-SRC significantly decreased the contents of c-SRC mRNA and protein in the cells. The viability of the cells decreased by 23.1%, 29.3%, 38.6% and 45.0% (all P < 0.05), respectively, after the cells were transfected with c-SRC RNA interference vector for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. The number of S-phase cells decreased by 5.6%, 10.0%, 15.2% and 19.9% (all P < 0.05), respectively, after transfection of c-SRC RNA interference vector for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. The content of p-STAT3 also decreased when c-SRC was knockdowned. Compared with the control group, after treatment of HeLa cells with STAT3 inhibitor Piceatannol for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, the cell viability decreased by 23.8%, 29.7%, 37.3% and 45.4% (all P < 0.05), respectively, while increase of c-SRC content could not reverse the inhibitory effect. These results suggest that the inhibited viability of HeLa cells caused by knockdown of c-SRC is associated with the decreased content of p-STAT3 protein.
Cell Survival ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Genes, src ; genetics ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo research the optimal conditions for the callus induction of anther culture and the plant regeneration of Angelica dahurica var. formosana.

METHODCallus was induced from the anther of A. dahurica from Sichuan province on a MS medium. The effects of callus induction and plant regeneration of different pretreatment hours under low temperature (4 degrees C), different culturing conditions under darkness and illumination, and different culture with different hormone contents and ratios were studied.

RESULTThe results showed that A. dahurica anthers without low temperature pretreatment reached the highest induction rate then under the pretreatment under low temperature (4 degrees C) for two days. The optimal culturing condition was under the darkness. The culturing efficiency reached 38.89% on the medium of MS + 2.0 mg x L(-1) 2,4-D + 1.0 mg x L(-1) 6-BA. The optimum medium for differentiate anther callus was MS + 0.5 mg x L(-1) NAA + 1.5 mg x L(-1) KT + 10 mg x L(-1) AgNO3. 1/2MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg x L(-1) IBA could well promote seedings to take roots.

CONCLUSIONAn efficient system for callus induction of anther culture and plant regeneration of A. dahurica was preliminarily established.

Angelica ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Flowers ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

AIMTo investigate the neural network and cellular mechanisms of hippocampal epileptogenesis contralateral or ipsilateral to the side of acute tetanization (60 Hz, 2 s, 0.4 - 0.6 mA) of the posterior dorsal hippocampus (ATPDH).

METHODS10 trains of the ATPDH were administered into the CA1 basal dendritic region of the right hemisphere at an interval of 10 minutes.

RESULTS(1) The firing rate of CA1 single neuron in the right or the left hippocampus was inhibited respectively after the ATPDH, and the effects weakened gradually while the trains of the ATPDH increased. The inhibited firing rate and the transformed firing pattern from tonic one to clonic one were more obvious at the side contralateral to the stimulation (62.94% +/- 3.68%, 36.61% +/- 3.14%, P < 0.01). (2) Synchronous primary afterdischarges of depth EEG and single unit discharges were more commonly observed at the side ipsilateral to the ATPDH (P < 0.01). (3) Primary or secondary hippocampal network afterdischarges at high frequency were only found in CA1 region ipsilateral to the ATPDH. (4) Secondary afterdischarges of CA3 basal dendritic neural network were completely synchronized with those of subicular single neuron, which reoccurred and persisted several hours.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible that post-inhibition bursting of single neuron and recurrent network seizures in the hippocampus contralateral to the artificial focus be the important manifestation of the formation of "epileptic networks" across from one hemisphere to another.

Animals ; Electric Stimulation ; Hippocampus ; physiology ; Male ; Neural Pathways ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo explore a treatment program for increasing therapeutic effect on rheumatoid arthritis at active stage.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-six cases were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 74) and medicine control group (n = 72). The treatment group were treated by electroacupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4), Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. , combined with meloxicam, sulfasalazine and MTX. The control group treated by simple the Western medicines. Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 79.73% in the treatment group and 51.39% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P< 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture combined with medicine has a better therapeutic effect than the simple medicine on rheumatoid arthritis at active stage.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Medicine