Air ; analysis ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Esters ; analysis ; Phthalic Acids ; analysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture plus moxibustion in treating infantile cerebral palsy. Method Eighty eligible patients with infantile cerebral palsy were randomized into a treatment group of 42 cases and a control group of 38 cases. The control group was intervened by physiotherapy (PT), while the treatment group was given electroacupuncture at scalp acupoints, body acupuncture, and moxibustion along the Governor Vessel in addition to the treatment given to the control group. The two groups were treated once a day, 6 months in total. The comprehensive ability and the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) were evaluated before and after the interventions in the two groups, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result After 6-month treatment, the total effective rate was 92.9% in the treatment group versus 78.9% in the control group, and the total effective rate of the treatment group was superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). The motor function and activities of daily living were significantly improved in both groups after the interventions (P<0.05,P<0.01); after the treatment, there were significant differences in comparing the motor function and activities of daily living between the two groups (P<0.05). The GMFM scores of each domain were significantly changed after the treatment in both groups (P<0.05); after the treatment, there were significant differences in comparing the GMFM scores of each domain between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Compared with being used alone, conventional PT can more significantly benefit the improvement of motor function of cerebral palsy patients when electroacupuncture and moxibustion were added.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating cognitive deficits in insomnia rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on microglia in thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Methods: Thirty rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and an acupuncture group, with 10 rats in each group. The insomnia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) once a day for 2 d. Rats in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of normal saline. Rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) for 5 consecutive days. The CLOCKLAB 2 data acquisition system was used to dynamically observe the sleep of the rats throughout the experiment. The cognition of rats was evaluated by event-related potentials (ERPs). After intervention, brain tissue was extracted. Immunofluorescence was used to test the fluorescence expression in TRN region. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: After intraperitoneal injection of PCPA suspension, the spontaneous activity in light period of rats in the model group and acupuncture group increased significantly compared with the control group (both P<0.01). After acupuncture treatment, the rats in the acupuncture group had much less spontaneous activity during the light period than those in the model group (P<0.01), and the results indicated that acupuncture could effectively improve the sleep quality of insomnia rats. Compared with the control group, rats in the model group showed that the P3 latency, the average optical density of microglia, and the concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α increased significantly (all P<0.05), and the P3 amplitude decreased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, rats in the acupuncture group presented that the P3 latency, the average optical density of microglia, and the concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly decreased (all P<0.05), and the amplitude of P3 was significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture possesses an ability to improve the cognitive state in insomnia rats. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the microglial activation, diminishing the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators like IL-1β and TNF-α, and promoting the recovery of central nervous system function.

Structure of natural product-ursolic acid was modified for increasing its antitumor activity. Ursolic acid was acylated, esterified, hydrolized or oxidized to obtain target pentacyclic triterpenoid compounds with different substitutes. Sixteen derivatives of ursolic acid were designed and synthesized including eleven new compounds. Anti-tumor activities of ursolic acid and these derivatives against HeLa, SKOV3 and BGC-823 cells in vitro were investigated by MTT assay. The results indicated that compounds 7a and 8a were found to have stronger cell growth inhibitory than ursolic acid on HeLa cells and SKOV3 cells separately, and are worth to be intensively studied further.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Triterpenes ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the prevalence of asthma and asthma related symptoms among children aged 0-14 years in three Chinese cities and to obtain a crude estimation of the trend of childhood asthma prevalence in China.

METHODSA cross-sectional, population-based survey of prevalence of asthma was conducted in children aged from 0 to 14 years in 3 major cities of China (Beijing, Chongqing, and Guangzhou) with different geographic locations. All the subjects were randomly selected by a multi-stage sampling method. Three to five schools and kindergartens in 2 urban districts in each city were randomly selected for the survey, and a validated questionnaire that included the core questions of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, Phase III questionnaire and several additional questions were used. All questionnaires were completed by parents or guardians of the selected children. Children whose parents responded affirmatively to the question "Has your child ever been diagnosed as asthma by a doctor" were recognized as victims of asthma.

RESULTSThe prevalence of asthma in Beijing, Chongqing, and Guangzhou was 3.15%, 7.45%, and 2.09%, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those obtained 10 years ago in the national epidemiological survey in 2000 which used the same method of investigation and the same diagnotic criteria (χ²=3.938, P=0.047; χ²=73.506, P≤0.001; χ²=11.956, P=0.001, in each city). Of the asthmatic children 57.21%, 69.91%, and 60.00% had their first attack before the age of 3 in Beijing, Chongqing, and Guangzhou, respectively. Wheezing was the primary clinical manifestation for all asthmatic children, followed by persistent cough and repeated respiratory infections. Both the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms were statistically higher in males than in females.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of childhood asthma is statistically higher than that 10 years ago in the three Chinese cities.

Asthma ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVEIn recent years, the incidence of allergic diseases in China is increasing. With serious influence on the patients' quality of life and even life-threatening, now allergic diseases have become an important public health problem in our country. This survey aimed to obtain a general epidemic outline of children's major allergic diseases, i.e., childhood asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in the downtown of Beijing, Chongqing and Guangzhou.

METHODChildhood asthma questionnaire was established by Delphi method based on guidelines for childhood asthma diagnosis and prevention made by Chinese medical association in 2008 with reference to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire (ISAAC). This study was carried out from Oct. 2008-Mar. 2009, in Beijing, Chongqing and Guangzhou by a multi-stage sampling method, covering a sample of 24 290 children aged 0 - 14 years by a multi-stage sampling method, the population of children surveyed in the downtown of Beijing Chongqing and Guangzhou was 10 372, 9874 and 4072 respectively; of whom males were 5545, 5258, 2159, and females were 4917, 4588, 1877; the ratio of males to females in the three cities were 1.11:1, 1.15:1, 1.15:1; the average age of surveyed children were 7.63, 8.74 and 8.30 years old. All the questionnaire was filled in by the parents of children or other guardian of children.

RESULTThe self-reported prevalence of asthma in Beijing, Chongqing and Guangzhou was 3.15%, 7.45%, 2.09%, the self-reported prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 14.46%, 20.42%, 7.83%, and the prevalence of eczema was 20.64%, 10.02%, 7.22%. In the survey, asthma combined with allergic rhinitis had the highest rate, 49.54%, 50.14%, 34.83%, respectively in the 3 cities. The self-reported prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis was significantly higher in male than female. Besides, the self-reported prevalences of asthma and allergic rhinitis were relatively lower in children under 1 year and over 10 years of age.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema and other allergic diseases in children 0 - 14 years of age in the three cities gradually increased, and the prevalence of allergic diseases in Chongqing was relatively higher.

Adolescent ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cities ; Eczema ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; epidemiology ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo evaluate prognostic factors in patients with stage IB-IIA of cervical carcinoma treated by surgery.

METHODSBetween December 1992 and December 2001, 111 patients with stage IB-IIA cervical cancer surgically treated were analyzed. Median age 40 years. According to 1994 FIGO Staging System: IB 80 (IB1 40, IB2 40) and IIA 31. There were 93 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (83.5%), 17 cases of adenocarcinoma (15.3%) and one case of small cell carcinoma. All patients were treated by radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, 74 patients had preoperative adjuvant radiotherapy, 24 patients had postoperative adjuvant treatment. Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the survival, the related prognostic factors were assessed by Cox regression and chi(2) test.

RESULTSThe overall 5-year survival rate was 85.9%, being 89.1%, 90.7% and 78.4% for stage IB1, IB2 and IIA, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that tumor size (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.479, P = 0.152), tumor type (HR = 1.440, P = 0.264), clinical stage (HR = 1.380, P = 0.354), adjuvant treatment (HR = 1.210, P = 0.450), lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.432, P = 0.540), endocervical involvement (HR = 2.244, P = 0.036), depth of myometrial invasion (HR = 3.295, P = 0.06) and multiple sexual partners during pregnancy (HR = 10.172, P = 0.000) were of prognostic significance. The latter two were the most important factors indicative of poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONThe depth of myometrial invasion and multi-partners combined with pregnancy are closely related to the prognosis while the pre- and/or postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered for stage IB-IIA cervical cancer with deep myometrial invasion and in pregnant patients with multiple sexual partners.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; prevention & control ; Adult ; China ; Drug Users ; psychology ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Needs Assessment ; Preventive Health Services ; utilization ; Risk-Taking ; Sentinel Surveillance

Objective To understand the knowledge and attitudes towards second hand smoking(SHS) among restaurant or bar patronage in five cities in China. Methods 405 restaurants and bars were conveniently selected in 5 cities as Beijing, Wuhan, Xi'an, Kunming and Guiyang. From each of these hospitality venues, at least 3 patrons, including one smoker, one female non-smoker and one male nonsmoker were asked to answer a questionnaire on their knowledge and attitudes towards SHS and smoking policies in public places. Results 43.1% of the respondents had good knowledge on SHS hazards. 65%reported that those who smoked around them had never asked for their permission, and about 60%admitted that they had never asked others to stop smoking in front of them. There were almost two thirds of patrons reporting that they once felt discomfort of SHS in restaurants or bars, nearly half of whom chose free restaurants and bars' initiations were only 30.0% and 19.8%, respectively. In Beijing, logistic regression model analyses showed that those who supporting 100 % smoke-free restaurants and bars tended to be non-smokers, aged 25 years or older and to have had at least college education. Also in Beijing, those being female, having at least college education or non-smokers were more likely to choose restaurants and bars with smoking restrictions. Conclusion Though knowledge on SHS hospitality patronage was still not high or popular for the public to refuse SHS exposure, banning smoking in hospitality venues was public's inclination and would become a trend in public health endeavor.

Objective:To summarize the development of a patient with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after distal radius fracture and the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with conventional rehabilitation on it. Methods:One patient with CRPS after left distal radius fracture was treated with rTMS combined with conventional rehabilitation for three weeks. The pain degree was evaluated with Visual Analogue Score (VAS), the edema was assessed with volume of hand and circumference of finger, and motion of joint was measured with passive range of motion. The activities of daily living was assessed with modified Barthel Index (MBS). Results:Before treatment, the VAS score was 8, the volume of left hand was 330 ml, the temperature of skin was 36.8 ℃. The activity of flexion and extension of left elbow joint, pronation and supination of left forearm, the flexion, extension, ulnar deviation and temporal deviation of left wrist, and metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP), proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) and distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) of left hand were all limited. The circumference of left finger was larger than right finger, and the score of MBI was 85. After three weeks of treatment, the VAS score was 2, the volume of the left hand was 310 ml, the temperature of the skin was 33.8 ℃. The activities of left elbow joint, left wrist joint and left MCP, PIP, and DIP were better than before. The score of MBI was 100. Conclusion:rTMS combined with conventional rehabilitation is effective on CRPS after distal radius fracture, in the range of motion and edema of upper extremity, and activities of daily living.