Automatic localization of macular area based on structure label transfer.

AIM: To explore feasibility and practicability of macula localization independent of macular morphological features. METHODS: A novel method was proposed to identify macula in fundus images by using structure label transfer. Its main idea was to match a processed image with the candidate images with known structures, and then transfer the structure label representing the macular to the processed image as a result of macula localization. In this way, macula localization couldn't be influenced by lesion or other interference any more. RESULTS: The average success rate in four datasets was 98.18%. For accuracy, the average error distance in four datasets was 0.151 optic disc diameter (ODD). Even for severe lesion images, the proposed method can still maintain high success rate and high accuracy, e.g., 95.65% and 0.124 ODD in the case of STARE dataset, respectively, which indicated that the proposed method was highly robust and stable in the complicated situations. CONCLUSION: The proposed method can avoid the interference of lesion to macular morphological features in macula localization, and can locate macula with high accuracy and robustness, verifying its feasibility.

[Study on dosage rules of Aconitum herbs in oral prescriptions based on efficacy-toxicity relation].

Based on the relation of efficacy and toxicity, this study mined the dosage rules and characteristics of Aconitum herbs in oral prescriptions from 48 traditional ancient books from Eastern Han dynasty to Qing dynasty, to provide the basis for strengthening the clinical risk pharmacovigilance. In the 48 traditional ancient books, 4 521 prescriptions with clear daily oral dosage were included to establish a database. SPSS 20.0 software was used for statistics and analysis of the daily dosage characteristics with different kinds of herbs, indications, dose forms, processing, use in special population, and other aspects. The results showed that 67% prescriptions contained Aconitum carmichaeli(Fuzi), and 90% of them was less than 14.87 g·d⁻¹; The dosage of A. carmichaeli(Chuanwu) and A. kusnezoffii(Caowu) were less than 3.14 g·d⁻¹. In the prescriptions for treating typhoid, epidemic, edema and phlegm, the dosage of Aconitum was larger. There dosage in the decoction and vinum was significantly higher than that in the pill and powder. With the dynastic evolution, the dosage of Aconitum herbal medicines prescriptions and the application percentage of superposition drug also had decreased. For the special populations that with different metabolism process, such as old people, children, pregnant and lactating women, the application of Aconitum was not only with relatively small ratio, but also with lower dose. Therefore, based on the data-mining of ancient books, the dosage of Aconitum should not exceed the limit prescribed by the current China Pharmacopoeia, and also should be strictly controlled by considering various factors, which will ensure the balance of efficacy and toxicity.

[Enlightenment of adverse reaction monitoring on safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines].

The adverse reaction monitoring is important in warning the risks of traditional Chinese medicines at an early stage, finding potential quality problems and ensuring the safe clinical medication. In the study, efforts were made to investigate the risk signal mining techniques in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines, particularly the complexity in component, processing, compatibility, preparation and clinical medication, find early risk signals of traditional Chinese medicines and establish a traditional Chinese medicine safety evaluation system based on adverse reaction risk signals, in order to improve the target studies on traditional Chinese medicine safety, effective and timely control risks and solve the existing frequent safety issue in traditional Chinese medicines.

[Safety and risk factor analysis on Polygoni Multiflori Radix base on ancient traditional Chinese medicine literatures].

Traditional Chinese medicine Polygoni Multiflori Radix is dried roots of Polygonaceae Polygortum multiflorum Thunb. Its clinical application records were first discovered in literatures of the Tang dynasty. The origins, efficacy, toxicity, processing and taboos of Polygoni Multiflori Radix have been discussed in many ancient herb literatures. In recent years, with the increase in the public awareness in health, Polygoni Multiflori Radix admits preparations have been more widely applied in the treatment and prevention of diseases. However, there have been more and more reports about Polygoni Multiflori Radix induced liver injury, the safety of Polygoni Multiflori Radix has increasingly attracted attention of the society. In this paper, the authors summarized and analyzed the toxicity and medication risk factors of Polygoni Multiflori Radix recorded in ancient herb literatures, and proposed that more attention shall be given to the effect of the planting and processing methods on the components and toxicity of Polygoni Multiflori Radix in safety studies, which provides clues for the further studies.

Network analysis of microRNAs, genes and their regulation in mantle cell lymphoma.

The pathogenesis of mantle cell lymphoma, a special subtype of lymphoma that is invasive and indolent and has a median survival of 3 to 4 years, is still partially unexplained. Much research about genes and miRNAs has been conducted in recent years, but interactions and regulatory relations of genetic elements which may play a vital role in genesis of MCL have attracted only limited attention. The present study concentrated on regulatory relations about genes and miRNAs contributing to MCL pathogenesis. Numerous experimentally validated raw data were organized into three topology networks, comprising differentially expressed, associated and global examples. Comparison of similarities and dissimilarities of the three regulating networks, paired with the analysis of the interactions between pairs of elements in every network, revealed that the differentially expressed network illuminated the carcinogenicity mechanism of MCL and the related network further described the regulatory relations involved, including prevention, diagnosis, development and therapy. Three kinds of regulatory relations for host genes including miRNAs, miRNAs targeting genes and genes regulating miRNAs were concluded macroscopically. Regulation of the differentially expressed miRNAs was also analyzed, in terms of abnormal gene expression affecting the MCL pathogenesis. Special regulatory relations were uncovered. For example, auto-regulatory loops were found in the three topology networks, key pathways of the nodes being highlighted. The present study focused on a novel point of view revealing important influencing factors for MCL pathogenesis.

[Opportunity and challenge of post-marketing evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine].

Post-marketing evaluation is a process which evaluate the risks and benefits of drug clinical application comprehensively and systematically, scientific and systematic results of post-marketing evaluation not only can provide data support for clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine, but also can be a reliable basis for the supervision department to develop risk control measures. With the increasing demands for treatment and prevention of disease, traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used, and security issues are also exposed. How to find risk signal of traditional Chinese medicine in the early stages, carry out targeted evaluation work and control risk timely have become challenges in the development of traditional Chinese medicine industry.

[Advance in studies on toxicity of aristolochic acid and analysis on risk factors].

The renal toxicity and mutagenicity of aristolochic acid (AA) as well as its carcinogenicity on upper urinary tract transitional epithelial cells have been widely known. Since 2003, drug regulatory departments have successively cancelled the quality standards for AA-containing medicines such as Aristolochiae Radix, Aristolochiae Manshuriensis Caulis and Aristolchiae Fangchi Radix, and adopted measures for strengthening regulation and revising package insert or quality standards for other AA-containing medicines, including Aristolochia Cinnabarina Radix, Aristolochiae Fructus, Aristolochiae Mollissimae Herba, in order to control its safety risk. In recent years, domestic and foreign studies on AA have mainly involved action mechanism and clinical performance of AA toxicity, early-stage diagnosis and treatment method. In this paper, authors gave a brief summary and evaluation on risk factors for using AA-containing medicines, and offered measures and suggestions for preventing and controlling AA toxicity.

[Identification and early diagnosis for traditional Chinese medicine-induced liver injury based on translational toxicology].

Recently traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-induced liver injury has been an unresolved critical issue which impacts TCM clinical safety. The premise and key step to reduce or avoid drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is to identify the drug source of liver injury in early stage. Then the timely withdrawal of drug and treatment can be done. However, the current diagnosis of DILI is primarily governed by exclusive method relying on administering history supplied by patients and experience judgment from doctors, which lacks objective and reliable diagnostic indices. It is obvious that diagnosis of TCM-induced liver injury is especially difficult due to the complicated composition of TCM medication, as well the frequent combination of Chinese and Western drugs in clinic. In this paper, we proposed construction of research pattern and method for objective identification of TCM-related DILI based on translational toxicology, which utilizes clinical specimen to find specific biomarkers and characteristic blood-entering constituents, as well the clinical biochemistry and liver biopsy. With integration of diagnosis marker database, bibliographic database, medical record database and clinical specimen database, an integrative diagnosis database for TCM-related DILI can be established, which would make a transformation of clinical identification pattern for TCM-induced liver injury from subjective and exclusive to objective and index-supporting mode. This would be helpful to improve rational uses of TCM and promote sustainable development of TCM industry.

Maleopimaric acid acetic acid solvate.

The title compound, C(24)H(32)O(5)·C(2)H(4)O(2), is a derivative of abietic acid. The two fused and unbridged cyclo-hexane rings have chair conformations and the anhydride ring is planar. Of the other three six-membered rings, two have boat conformations and one has a twist-boat conformation. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter-molecular O-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

13-Ethoxy-carbonyl-16-(1-methyl-ethyl)-17,19-dinoratis-15-ene-4,14-dicarboxylic acid monohydrate: a new derivative of maleopimaric acid.

The title compound, C(26)H(38)O(6)·H(2)O, is a mono-ester of a derivative of maleopimaric acid, an abietic-type acid. The two fused and unbridged cyclo-hexane rings adopt approximate chair conformations while the three other three six-membered rings have boat conformations.

1-Azido-ethoxy-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-ß-d-glucoside.

In the title compound, C(16)H(23)N(3)O(10), the galactopyran-oside ring adopts a chair conformation. All the non-H substituents are situated in equatorial positions. There are short intramol-ecular C-H⋯O contacts and an intermolecular C-H⋯O inter-action in the structure.