Recent research on machine learning in the diagnosis and treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates / 中国当代儿科杂志

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with the main manifestations of bloody stool, abdominal distension, and vomiting, is one of the leading causes of death in neonates, and early identification and diagnosis are crucial for the prognosis of NEC. The emergence and development of machine learning has provided the potential for early, rapid, and accurate identification of this disease. This article summarizes the algorithms of machine learning recently used in NEC, analyzes the high-risk predictive factors revealed by these algorithms, evaluates the ability and characteristics of machine learning in the etiology, definition, and diagnosis of NEC, and discusses the challenges and prospects for the future application of machine learning in NEC.

Tissue Distribution of 14 Bioactive Components After Oral Administration of Gegen Qinlian Tang in Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the tissue distribution of major bioactive components from Gegen qinlian Tang(GQT) in rats,and to reveal the mechanism for the efficacy of GQT by the tissue targeting of its bioactive ingredients in vivo. Method:After oral administration of GQT in rats,tissues were collected at different time points,including small and large intestine,liver,heart,spleen,lung,and kidney.Samples were prepared for determination of 14 bioactive components of GQT in tissue homogenate by HPLC-MS/MS.The chromatography separation was performed on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 column(2.1 mm×100 mm,3.5 μm) with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid in water for gradient elution.Electrospray ionization(ESI) was applied and operated in the positive ion mode.Meanwhile,naringin was used as the internal standard for determining. Result:HPLC-MS/MS for simultaneous determination of 14 components from GQT in tissue homogenate was developed and validated by specificity,calibration curves,recovery test,matrix effect,precision,accuracy,and stability.In the small intestine,the the area under the curve(AUC0-10 h) of major isoflavonoids(puerarin,3'-hydroxypuerarin,and daidzein) were 22 174.9,15 893.1,3 882.5 h·mg·L-1,major flavonoids(baicalein,wogonin,wogonoside,and baicalin) were 15 423.6,15 408.4,7 017.3,3 697.7 h·mg·L-1,and major alkaloid(berberine) was 2 544.0 h·mg·L-1,respectively.The distribution of these ingredients in the small intestine was significantly higher than that in other tissues. Conclusion:The effective ingredients of GQT are mainly distributed in the intestinal tissues,which speculates that the anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of GQT may be related to its targeting in the intestine.

Analysis of Mechanism of Artesunate in Treatment of Liver Cancer Based on Metabolomics / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To study on the antitumor mechanism of artesunate in the treatment of liver cancer based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Method: CellTiter-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay was used to detect activity of artesunate with different concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 μmol·L-1) on human liver cancer Huh7, SMMC-7721 cells for 24, 48, 72 h. GC-MS was employed to analyze the changes of metabolites of artesunate in two kinds of hepatoma cells (Huh7, SMMC-7721) for 24 h. The data was preprocessed by Postrun Analysis 4.41 workstation. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to analyze two sets of differential metabolites and to analyze metabolic pathways of differential metabolites based on MetaboAnalyst 3.0 software. Result: Compared with the normal group, after two kinds of liver cancer cells was treated by artesunate, a total of 39 identical metabolites in the cells have undergone significant changes, which were mainly related to five metabolic pathways,including biosynthesis of aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA), metabolism of alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid, metabolism of glycine, serine and threonine, metabolism of arginine and proline, metabolism of glutathione. Conclusion: Artesunate (12.5-100 μmol·L-1) can inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells (Huh7, SMMC-7721), it mainly involves five metabolic pathways, which may be the pathway of artesunate against liver cancer.

Antipyretic and anti-asthmatic activities of traditional Chinese herb-pairs, Ephedra and Gypsum / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Mahuang-Shigao herb-pair is a famous formula composed of Ephedra and Gypsum. The herb-pair is frequently used for treating cold symptoms and bronchial asthma in the clinical practice of Chinese medicine (CM). In the present study, we evaluated evidence for the benefit of combined use of Ephedra and Gypsum by analyzing the antipyretic and anti-asthmatic activities of Ephedra-Gypsum.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The antipyretic effects of Ephedra-Gypsum were evaluated in yeast-induced hyperthermia test. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including control group, standard aspirin group, and 3 Ephedra- Gypsum groups of different doses (6, 12, 24 g/kg). Ephedra-Gypsum extract and asprin were administered orally 6 h after the injection of yeast solution and body temperature was measured every 1 h for 8 h. The antiasthmatic effects of Ephedra-Gypsum were evaluated using an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic rat model. Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Rats were alternately sensitized and OVA+Al(OH) challenged by exposure to mists of ovalbumin. Ephedra-Gypsum extracts (6, 12, 24 g/kg) or dexamethasone were administered 45 min prior to the allergen challenge for 8 days. Latent period and the weight of wet to dry ratio of lung were determined. In addition, the eosinophils in blood and white blood cell (WBC) were counted by an YZ-Hemavet Analyzer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The Ephedra-Gypsum extracts at test dose (6, 12, 24 g/kg) significantly and dose-dependently attenuated yeast-induced fever in rats. The Ephedra-Gypsum extracts also prolonged the latent period, reduced OVA-induced increases in eosinophils and WBC, and decreased the wet and dry weight ratio of the lungs in the anti-asthmatic test.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These findings indicate that the Ephedra-Gypsum extract has antipyretic and anti-asthmatic properties. Hence, the results support additional scientific evidence in prescriptions.</p>

Study on material basis of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin decoction for anti-inflammation and immune suppression based on combined method of serum pharmacochemistry and serum pharmacology / 中国中药杂志

To investigate me material basis of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin decoction (MFXD) for anti-inflammation and immune-suppression based on the combined method of serum chemical and serum pharmacological. The LC-MS/MS fingerprints of MFXD, drug-containing serum and blank serum were compared to define the components in plasma. Histamine, β-hexosaminidase released from RBL-2H3 cell infulenced by drug-containing serum at different time points were measured by ELISA. The effect of drug-containing serum on lipopolysaccharide-induced splenocyte proliferation at different time points were determined by MTT. A correlation analysis was made on components of MFXD and pharmacological indexes based the stepwise regression method. After the intragastrical administration with MFXD, 32 components were discovered in rat serum, including 27 prototype components (10 from Mahuang, 13 from Fuzi and four from Xixin) and five unknown components. Compared with blank serum, drug-containing serum could reduce the release of histamine from RBL-2H3 induced by antigen at different time points (P < 0.05); except the 4-hour drug-containing serum, all of the remaining drug-containing serums could inhibit the RBL-2H3 mastocyte degranulation induced by antigen at different time points (P < 0.05). Drug-containing serum could significantly lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse splenocyte proliferation at 15 and 30 min (P < 0.05). A regression analysis was made on the chemical data of components absorbed into blood and pharmacological indexes, i. e. release rate of histamine, release rate of β-hexosaminidase and inhibition rate of splenocyte. This suggested the close correlations among methyl pseudo-ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and histamine released from RBL-2H3 induced by antigen; pseudoephedrine, hypaconine, methyl pseudoephedrine and β-hexosaminidase released from RBL-2H3 induced by antigen; as well as benzoyl hypaconine, benzoylaconine, 14-benzoyl-10-OH-mesaconine, mesaconine and lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse splenocyte proliferation. Methylpseudoephedrine, pseudoephedrine, benzoyl hypaconine, benzoylaconine and mesaconine may be part of material basis of MFXD on anti-inflammation and immune suppression.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of Jatropha curcas leaf extracts prepared by supercritical fluid CO2 extraction / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the bioactive components in Jatropha curcas leaves using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The bioactive components were extracted from J. curcas leaves by supercritical fluid CO2 extraction and analyzed by using GC-MS.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventy peaks were detected by GC-MS, and 43 compounds were identified (61.43%). Among the identified compounds, 16 had a content of more than 1%, and the total contents of these 16 compounds reached 81.36%. The four most abundant components were 22,23-dihydro-stigmasterol (16.14%), alpha-tocopherol (15.18%), beta-amylin (7.73%) and dotriacontanol (7.02%). The content of gamma-tocopherol reached 2.88% and vitamin E reached 18.06% in the extract.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>J. curcas leaves contain multiple compounds with anti-tumor, anti-virus and antimicrobial activities.</p>