Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of intravaginal prostaglandin E1, misoprostol with ricinus oil meal for labor induction. Methods 120 patients with an indication for induction of labor were randomly assigned to two groups (60 cases each) induction with misoprotol, 50μg intravaginally every 3 hours until active labor, or with that ricinus oil meal was taken. Results The time from start of intuction to vaginal deliery was significantly shorter than in the misoprostol group [(12.2±3.5)h vs (18.1±3.2)h] (P<0.05), and fewer patients in the misoprostol group required oxytocin augmentation (10% vs 40%, P<0.05). The mean change in the Bishop score was significantly higher than in those receiving misoprotol (5.5 vs 3.1, P<0.05). Uterine tachysystole occurred more frequently in patients in the misoprostol group (16.7%) than in the ricinus oil meal group (3.0%). No significant difference was noted in the mode of delivery and patients of successful labor induction. Conclusion Vaginally administered misoprostol is an effective agent for the cervical ripening and induction of labor.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein in tuberculosis (TB). Methods ELISA was used for measuring the level of recombinant 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein in 105 TB patients (TB group,26 patients with smear-positive, 79 patients with smear-negative) and 45 controls (control group, 20 healthy volunteers and 25 subjects with pulmonary diseases other than TB). The value of the antigen for diagnosis of TB in serodiagnosis was assessed, and ROC curve evaluation system was established. Results In control group, the positive rate of anti-recombinant 16 ku-38 ku-ESAT-6 protein and commercialization of TB antibody test kit had significant difference [6.67% (3/45) vs. 51.11% (23/45)](P＜0.01);but in TB group, there was no significant difference [59.05%(62/105) vs. 64.76% (68/105)](P＞0.05). The optical density value in TB group and control group was 2.22 ± 0.58 and 1.35 ± 0.24,and there was significant difference(t = 6.06,P＜ 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test was 59.05%,93.33%,95.38%,49.41% respectively. Analyzed by ROC curve, the area under the curve was 0.751, the- value of cutoff was 2.52, and sensitivity and specificity was 65.4% and 84.8%. Conclusions Recombinant 16 ku -38 ku -ESAT-6 protein of mycobacterium tuberculosis has higher specificity, and it can significantly distinguish TB and non-TB. So it might be selected as one of diagnosis antigens of TB.