Current applications of molecular imaging and luminescence-based techniques in traditional Chinese medicine

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is fundamentally different from Western medicine, has been widely investigated using various approaches. Cellular- or molecular-based imaging has been used to investigate and illuminate the various challenges identified and progress made using therapeutic methods in TCM. Insight into the processes of TCM at the cellular and molecular changes and the ability to image these processes will enhance our understanding of various diseases of TCM and will provide new tools to diagnose and treat patients.

Materials and methods

Various TCM therapies including herbs and formulations, acupuncture and moxibustion, massage, Gua Sha, and diet therapy have been analyzed using positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, functional magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound and optical imaging. These imaging tools have kept pace with developments in molecular biology, nuclear medicine, and computer technology.

Results

We provide an overview of recent developments in demystifying ancient knowledge - like the power of energy flow and blood flow meridians, and serial naturopathies - which are essential to visually and vividly recognize the body using modern technology.

Conclusions

In TCM, treatment can be individualized in a holistic or systematic view that is consistent with molecular imaging technologies. Future studies might include using molecular imaging in conjunction with TCM to easily diagnose or monitor patients naturally and noninvasively.     

ATBG-5肠杆菌药敏条对超广谱β-内酰胺酶的检测分析

目的了解ATB xpression全自动微生物鉴定药敏分析仪检测大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、产酸克雷伯菌和胸水培养中分离的奇异变形杆菌产超广谱β-内酰胺酶的可靠性。方法同时应用CLSI推荐的纸片扩散确证法和ATB Expression全自动微生物鉴定药敏分析仪对临床标本分离的140株大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌、产酸克雷伯菌和胸水培养中分离的奇异变形杆菌进行ESBLs检测。结果仪器法、确证法检测ESBLs菌株阳性率分别为39．2％、37．9％;仪器法检测ESLBs的灵敏度和特异性分别为98．2％、100％。结论ATB Expression ATBG-5肠杆菌药敏条分析是检测ESBLs准确快速的检测方法,ATB Expression全自动微生物鉴定药敏分析仪高级专家系统的ESLBs判定结果准确可靠。     

对比分析DHPA法及ATB法鉴定微球菌

[目的]对比分析双歧层次鉴定法（DHPA法）与ATB法对微球菌鉴定的准确性与可比性。[方法]用DHPA法、ATB法及ID32 SYAPH试条鉴定微球菌。[结果]DHPA法和ATB法对微球菌科35个KIU鉴定的正确性分别为100％与94.3％;对331株临床分离微球菌的鉴定符合率为83.4％。在55株两种方法鉴定不符合的菌株中,有10株为ATB缺码,占鉴定不符合菌株的18.2％,而DHPA法无缺码现象。[结论]DHPA法解决了ATB法存在的缺码或不能鉴定问题,是微球菌准确、快速、简便、经济和实用的鉴定方法。     

Evaluation of the Rapid ID 32 Strep system

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of the Rapid ID 32 Strep system in the hands of clinical microbiologists without expert knowledge of streptococci or enterococci.
Methods: One hundred and twenty-two strains of streptococci and enterococci conventionally identified in a reference laboratory were sent under code numbers to a clinical microbiology laboratory and identified with the Rapid ID 32 Strep system.
Results: Regardless of whether automatic reading and identification or visual reading with identification using tables were done, 75–77% of the 122 examined strains were correctly identified, 7% were misidentified and 16–18% could not be identified with certainty to the species level. The system correctly identified the majority of the examined pyogenic streptococci and enterococci, but only two-thirds of the viridans streptococcal strains.
Conclusions: In a routine laboratory, the Rapid ID 32 Strep system can be used to give a rapid preliminary identification of streptococci and enterococci, but with viridans streptococci one would have to accept a certain risk of misidentification. The assay can, however, be used to biotype viridans streptococci in order to attempt to establish identity between separate isolates, e.g. from blood in patients suspected of having endocarditis.     

Prognostic value of long non-coding RNA ATB in digestive system cancers: A meta-analysis

BackgroundThe present meta-analysis has evaluated the association between lncRNA ATB, prognosis and clinicopathological parameters in patients with digestive cancers.MethodsEligible studies were gathered from Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WanFang databases and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (up to October 15, 2019). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the prognosis and clinicopathological parameters of lncRNA ATB in patients with digestive cancers.ResultWe divided this study into two groups, pancreatic cancer (PC, downregulation) and non-pancreatic cancer (non-PC, upregulation). In the non-PC group, high expression levels of lncRNA ATB were significantly related to poor OS (pooled HR = 2.19, 95 % CI 1.68–2.85, P＜0.00001). In contrast, increased levels of lncRNA ATB in pancreatic cancer tissue were favorable factors in OS (HR = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.32−0.69, P = 0.0001). The pooled data suggested that high expression levels of lncRNA ATB predicted a poor DFS in CRC and a poor RFS in HCC. Increased expression of lncRNA ATB was correlated with negative lymph node metastasis and TNM stage in the non-PC group. In contrast, lncRNA ATB were favorable factors for LNM and TNM stages in pancreatic cancer.ConclusionLncRNA ATBs, whether cancer promoters or suppressors, were potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for digestive system cancers.