Overall approaches to cardiac tumors:Still an unsolved enigma?

Cardiac tumors are neoplasms involving heart structures at any level,meaning the myocardium,valves,and cardiac chambers.When considering cardiac masses,it is not uncommon for surgeons to be surprised when they diagnose one.The real incidence of this complex group of diseases has been explored only after cardiac diagnostic tools became more appropriate.Despite differential diagnosis being relevant,surgical indication is usually requested for all malignant cardiac tumors and also for many types of benign tumors.The development of cardiac imaging techniques,therefore,has been the key point for a better understanding of the history of cardiac tumors and especially of the relevance of surgical indication in such conditions.Systematic and combined applications of echocardiography,cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance allow in the majority of case a clear definition of the nature of a newly discovered cardiac mass.The presence of a Li-Fraumeni syndrome seems to be the trigger aspect in accelerating the propensity of developing a cardiac tumor.Despite the revolutionary usefulness of the cardiac imaging techniques available,it is still considered a hazard to diagnose a malignant cardiac mass just with radiological imaging;the mainstay of the final diagnosis stands in surgical excision of the mass and histopathological report.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Automated Diagnosis Based on Knowledge Graph Reasoning

Syndrome differentiation is the core diagnosis method of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM).We propose a method that simulates syndrome differentiation through deductive reasoning on a knowledge graph to achieve automated diagnosis in TCM.We analyze the reasoning path patterns from symptom to syndromes on the knowledge graph.There are two kinds of path patterns in the knowledge graph:one-hop and two-hop.The one-hop path pattern maps the symptom to syndromes immediately.The two-hop path pattern maps the symptom to syndromes through the nature of disease,etiology,and pathomechanism to support the diagnostic reasoning.Considering the different support strengths for the knowledge paths in reasoning,we design a dynamic weight mechanism.We utilize Naïve Bayes and TF-IDF to implement the reasoning method and the weighted score calculation.The proposed method reasons the syndrome results by calculating the possibility according to the weighted score of the path in the knowledge graph based on the reasoning path patterns.We evaluate the method with clinical records and clinical practice in hospitals.The preliminary results suggest that the method achieves high performance and can help TCM doctors make better diagnosis decisions in practice.Meanwhile,the method is robust and explainable under the guide of the knowledge graph.It could help TCM physicians,especially primary physicians in rural areas,and provide clinical decision support in clinical practice.

Clinical distribution and molecular profiling on postoperative colorectal cancer patients with different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes

Background:Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome,also named syndrome,are comprehensive and integral analyses of clinical information which helps to guide different individualized treatment prescriptions.Methods:Thirty healthy controls and 80 colorectal cancer(CRC)patients(including 33 Spleen Qi Deficiency syndrome,23 Dampness Heat syndrome,17 Blood Stasis syndrome and 7 other syndrome)were enrolled into this study.Human mRNAs were extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.The gene expression for CRC patients with different TCM syndrome was determined by microarray and qRT-PCR.Results:Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis were the most common syndromes in CRC patients.There is a significant difference was found in mRNA expression levels(especially for PIK3CA,STAT3,SOX9 and KDM5C)among Spleen Qi Deficiency,Dampness Heat and Blood Stasis syndrome groups.The higher mRNA levels of JNK1,TP53,MLH1,MSH6,PMS2,SOCS3,TCF7L2,FAM123B,PSAP,FBXW7,SALL4 and the lower expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 were found in Spleen Qi Deficiency group but not other syndrome types.The higher mRNA levels of KRAS,MUC16,EGFR,GRASP65,PIK3CA,MAPK7,CD24,STAT3,SLC11A1,Bcl-2,TXNDC17 and some inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-23,TNF-a,CXCR4)were found in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types.Blood Stasis syndrome showed higher expression of SOX9,MLH1,MSH6,KDM5C,PCDH11X,PSAP and SALL4,and lower mRNA levels of PIK3CA,CD24,STAT3,CXCR4,TXNDC17 and TP53.The CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis than other syndrome types.Conclusion:The identification of syndrome conditions had different impacts on CRC prognosis,and which might be related with different mRNA expression levels.Some oncogenes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were highly expressed in Dampness Heat group but not other syndrome types,suggesting that the CRC patients with Dampness Heat syndrome might have a poor prognosis.Our results prelimitarily uncovered the molecular basis of syndrome differences in CRC prognosis,a better understanding for TCM treatment of CRC.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES USING CLONAL ANALYSES

Objective: To study the value of clonal analysis to the early diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: Four types of clonal analyses were performed on the bone marrow samples from 50 patients suspected of MDS: (1) Conventional Cytogenetics (CC) for clonal chromosomal abnormalities; (2) BrdU-Sister Chromatid Differentiation (BrdU-SCD) for cell cycle kinetics; (3) Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) for trisomy 8; (4) Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) for N-ras mutation. Results: The diagnosis of forty-three patients was compatible with the FAB criteria for MDS. The other seven cases didn’t meet the FAB criteria, with only one lineage of dyspoiesis or with no obvious dysplastic changes. Among these seven cases, two were morphologically diagnosed with suspicious refractory anemia, one with sideroblastic anemia, one with leukemoid reaction, one with hypercellular anemia and two with chronic aplastic anemia. Clonal analyses of the 7 patients showed that six cases had clonal karyotype abnormalities, four had prolonged cell cycle patterns, four had trisomy 8 of different proportions and one had mutation of the exon 1 of N-RAS. Thus, they were revaluated as MDS patients. Conclusion: The untypical MDS patients with one lineage dyspoiesis or without obvious dysplastic changes can be diagnosed early by combining multiple clonal analysis techniques such as CC, SCD, FISH and PCR-SSCR.

Decreased CD10-positive granulocytes for the differential diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome

Myelodysplastic syndromes(MDS)are highly heterogeneous myeloid neoplasms,and a large number of patients are difficult to diagnose and classify by blood and bone marrow examination.As a surface marker of granulocyte,studies have shown CD10 can be used to define the degree of granulocyte maturation in MDS patients.However,whether it can be used for differential diagnosis of MDS and other hematological diseases remains inconclusive.To explore the value of CD10 for differential diagnosis of MDS,60 newly diagnosed MDS,20 aplastic anemia(AA)patients,and 35 iron-deficient anemia(IDA)patients were selected for this study.Bone marrow(BM)specimens were processed for surface marker analysis and labeled with pre-conjugated monoclonal antibodies.Stained cells were detected by flow cytometry.Our results indicated that CD10-positive granulocytes were significantly decreased in BM of MDS patients than AA and IDA patients,and the level of CD10-positive mature granulocytes was not associated with the clinical stages of malignancy.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)areas under the curve(AUC)of CD10-positive granulocytes was 0.86 and 0.85,respectively,in MDS patients than the IDA group and AA group with good specificity and sensitivity.Further,CD10-positive granulocytes were increased after effective treatment.In conclusion,we found the decrease in CD10-positive granulocytes has a differential diagnostic value of MDS.

Can TCM Treatment be Performed on the Basis of Differential Diagnosis of the Diseases Instead of the Syndromes?

Great advances have been achieved in the integration of western and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).More and more TCM physicians in their practice accept the term 'differential diagnosis of the diseases' instead of the syndromes since western medicine has been introduced into the TCM circle.

中医智能推理辨证模型探索

虽然中医人工智能辨证诊断技术不断发展,但现有的智能辨证模型只能输出辨证诊断结果,无法展现辨证推理过程,不具有中医诊断学知识的可解释性,难以真正体现中医的辨证思维过程,这可能是困惑已久的难题。本文阐述了中医智能辨证诊断的发展历程与技术特点,探讨了当前中医智能辨证诊断研究在中医辨证思维推理解析问题上遇到的关键技术及瓶颈,提出了一种可推理解释中医辨证思维过程的新型智能辨证诊断模型架构,并阐述了模型与算法的实现过程,以及进行了详细的数据实例分析。本文将为中医的智能辨证发展提供了新的方法,为中医临床辅助决策打开了新的研究思路。

从中医脉学的发展谈“系统辨证脉学”

系统辨证脉学是现代创新脉学的典型代表,通过对中医脉学溯源,梳理从传统脉学到现代脉学的发展脉络,总结系统辨证脉学的理论体系。系统辨证脉学具有系统性和辨证性两大基本特点。从脉体、脉壁、脉搏波和血流四个方面,将25对脉象要素进行归类,形成系统辨证脉学的整体架构。手指感觉系统开发和诊查区域是其特色技术要点。从脉象要素到层次到系统形成明晰的思维过程,进而构建出脉治相应的辨证诊疗模式。系统辨证脉学丰富了中医脉学的体系内涵,为实现多学科汇通及中医药现代化起到了极大的促进作用。

孙桂芝病证结合辨证在肿瘤治疗中的应用

病证结合是孙桂芝教授治疗肿瘤病学术思想的重要组成部分,把辨证与辨病有机地结合起来,进行综合诊治,既照顾到整体,又注意到局部;辨证为先还是辨病为先在临床诊疗中要根据实际情况而定,二者互补。特别是现代科学技术的发展弥补了中医诊疗方面的不足,辨病治疗成为中医治疗学的重要部分。孙桂芝教授临证始终强调辨证与辨病紧密相连,中西手段并用,诊断疾病现代仪器和中医四诊联合,治疗上病证相参结合,攻补兼施,标本兼治,既要兼顾全局,也要重视细节。

系统辨证脉学指导下的经方临床应用

经方具有药味精简、配伍严谨、力专效显的特点,为后世所推崇,但在实际应用中却存在诸多难点,使得临床应用受限。系统辨证脉学将脉象要素与经方方证相结合,能够更全面地反映疾病病因病机,为经方的应用提供更加准确的依据。介绍1例头晕案例,详细描述其脉象要素特征及有辨证意义的“证”,将脉象要素与“方证”使用相结合,处方经典方剂,取得较好临床疗效。将脉诊与经方相结合,可以提高经方的临床应用效果,此临床辨证思路值得推广。

系统辨证脉学对《黄帝内经》脉诊命题的继承创新

系统辨证脉学遵循《黄帝内经》脉诊“可诊有过之脉”原则建立脉象信息系统,对传统脉诊定义模糊及歧义之处进行明晰,完善了脉诊信息采集的维度,形成了5个维度、25对脉象要素信息描述系统。遵循《黄帝内经》“凡诊者,必知终始”,建立脉象分析系统,依据脉象要素与机体状态的映射关系,耦合形成脉象系统。脉象系统包括体质、病因、病机、西医疾病等,各个脉象系统通过脉象要素之间的联系能够反映疾病过程中的重要节点、责任因素及内在动力学,即中医临床脉诊的“心智模型”。在脉象系统的指导下,能够灵活、准确地制定临床治疗原则,形成内在逻辑严密的临床综合治疗服务包,实现多层次、多维度指导下的综合治疗。

系统辨证脉学指导下“脉方相应”新模式的构建

方剂是中医学防治疾病的基本措施之一,其整体功效与疾病的病机相对应,以调节机体整体平衡。脉诊的目的是通过诊察脉象之所得,总结梳理病因、病机,服务于疾病的判断分析和治疗过程。通过脉象特征分析,可以推导疾病的病因、病机、预后转归,从而确定治则治法与方剂药物。脉象和方剂在病机方面存在明确的内在契合关系,通过分析此关系,临床可以达到“证从脉出,方随证立”的目的。系统辨证脉学以其客观实在性,在揭示潜在病因病机、状态性病因病机等方面有其自身的优势,分析推理结果可以直接作为选择方药、调整药味、剂量和配伍关系的依据,从而建立全新的脉方相应新模式。

唐文富教授经方治疗慢性胰腺炎临证经验举隅

反复发作、难以缓解的上腹疼痛是慢性胰腺炎的主要症状,尤其合并胰管结石、胰腺假性囊肿时,西医常规止痛治疗效果不佳,是消化系统疾病的治疗难题之一。唐文富教授剖析本病病机,结合伤寒六经辨证,以简驭繁,将慢性胰腺炎急性发作期、恢复期分型辨证论治,以期解决慢性胰腺炎难治性疼痛、脓肿、多发假性囊肿等难题。现总结唐文富教授的临证经验,旨在为慢性胰腺炎的中医诊治提供新的思路。

许家松辨治慢性肾病舌诊经验

介绍许家松教授运用温病学舌诊理论,结合“辨证论治五步法”辨治慢性肾病的经验。许师从“整体恒动观”的中医学指导思想出发,以温病学辨舌法中三焦脏腑定位、正邪关系等内容为理论基础,以方药中先生“辨证论治五步法”为临床诊疗思路,认为舌象的观察要以整体到局部为顺序,重视舌象在治疗前后的对比,总结舌象动态变化,将舌象作为慢性肾病中医临床上辨证辨病、诊疗效果、判断预后的重要客观证据之一,并重视其在治则治法选择上起到的关键作用。

中医舌诊客观化研究进展

该文对舌诊的发展进行简要介绍,阐述了舌诊图像信息的采集、预处理以及分析技术等舌诊客观化研究及近5年的关于舌诊客观化在呼吸系统、循环系统、消化系统、泌尿系统、内分泌系统等方面临床应用进行综述,旨在为舌诊客观化研究提供参考,为舌诊的深入全面发展提供新思路。

名中医李海松运用“五辨”模式治疗男性不育症临床经验

男性不育症是中医学的优势病种之一,中医药在改善男性生殖功能方面具有独特优势。然随着自然环境及人们生活习惯的改变,男性不育症的病因病机趋于复杂化及多样化,目前单一的辨证论治模式已无法满足临床的需求,因此亟需探索一种新的中医辨治模式。李海松教授经过长期的临床实践,以及结合现代医学相关研究,针对男性不育症形成了“五辨”的诊治模式,即辨病论治、辨证论治、辨精论治、辨体论治、无症可辨。以辨证论治为核心,辨病论治为前提,重视辨精论治,同时兼顾体质因素,而无症可辨者从肾虚血瘀论治,在以上多种辨治方法的协同下,能够有效提高男性不育症的整体临床疗效。

基于《伤寒杂病论》总结张机在中医外科中的辨证论治

《伤寒杂病论》是中医学的方书之祖,开辨证论治的先河,在《素问·热论篇》的基础上,总结东汉以前医家著作,结合自身临证经验,勤求古训,博采众方而完成。本书不仅论述外感热病,同时也包括内伤杂病、妇科、外科疾病的诊治,所录外科病证如痈肿肠痈、浸淫疮、阴阳毒、百合病等,其辨证治法至今仍对具有较高的应用价值和学术价值。经查阅文献发现,张机在外科疾病的诊治中具有以六经辨证为本,重视疾病传变,重视脉诊,以经方为主,采用合方,内外并重,预防为主防治结合等特点。

火热相关证候慢性失眠脉图特征研究

目的:对火热相关证候慢性失眠患者与正常人群的脉图模型及参数进行对比分析,以探寻火热相关证候慢性失眠的脉图特征。方法:应用高精度智能机械手中医脉诊信息采集分析系统,对16例火热相关证候慢性失眠患者与20例健康受试者的脉诊信息进行采集与分析。结果:两组人群的脉诊信息差异明显,参数拟合的分类判决结果正确区分率高达97%;在193个参数中共有19个参数参与了分类,包括5个脉位参数,4个时域参数,10个频域参数;双手6部脉图参数的贡献度比较,右关脉贡献最多,其次是右尺脉,左关脉贡献最少。结论:脉图参数可以将火热相关证候慢性失眠患者与正常人群进行区分,可将左手寸关尺、右关、右尺脉位沉、右尺脉位最沉作为火热相关证候慢性失眠的一个重要标志。运用脉诊仪进行诊脉客观可靠且特异性较高,能为慢性失眠的中医辨证从中医脉学角度提供客观参考依据。

从痉证论治阵发性交感神经过度兴奋综合征

阵发性交感神经过度兴奋综合征(PSH)是一种与中重度脑损伤相关的临床综合征,以同时发生的肌张力障碍及交感神经功能亢进为临床表现。目前针对PSH的临床治疗侧重于西医对症处理,中医整体观念与辨证论治思维可以兼顾多证,能够对西医治疗进行有效补充。通过临床观察发现,在西药对症治疗基础上联合中药及针灸等中医疗法有助于提高疗效,减少不良反应,同时缩短病程。但由于从发现到逐步认识PSH的时间较短,因此对其病位、病因、病机、分型及中医治疗尚无系统认识。PSH发作时的肌张力障碍表现为四肢肌张力高、角弓反张等,发作表现符合中医痉证范畴,故文章试从痉证论述PSH的中医辨治,以期为PSH的中医治疗提供理论基础。

中西医结合肿瘤“病-期-机-证-靶”诊疗新模式的构建

中医和西医是两种独立的医学体系和诊疗模式,在强调肿瘤综合治疗的现今,探索并构建一种中西医结合肿瘤诊疗新模式意义重大。传统中医治疗肿瘤重视整体观、治未病,具有整体调节机体、实现带瘤生存、预防复发转移等优势,但在现代医学背景下,其面临诊断不明确、治疗不精准、疗效不确切、机制不清楚等难题。为了切实提高肿瘤治疗的临床疗效,该文基于传统中医的特色和优势,结合现代医学研究成果,提出“病-期-机-证-靶”的诊疗思路,初步构建中西医结合肿瘤诊疗新模式,以期实现中西医优势互补、协同增效。