OBJECTIVETo introduce Meta-analysis in evaluating diagnostic tests.

METHODAdjusted SROC method was used in assessing 7 diagnostic tests on fatty liver.

RESULTSThe pooled sensitivity and specificity of type B ultrasonography were 0.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87-0.92] and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.92-0.96) respectively while the Q value was 0.90 by adjusted SROC method. The results indicated that the diagnostic value of type B ultrasonography were high, thus could be regarded as an effective method for fatty liver diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONMeta-analysis on evaluating diagnostic tests could be used to assess the diagnostic test to increase the power of conclusion, and to improves its reliability.

Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; standards ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo systematically assess imaging diagnostic tests for fatty liver and provide a decision-making basis for clinical diagnosis and screening.

METHODSElectronic searches were conducted on the Chinese Biomedical Database, PubMed, and EMBASE, combining with manually searching of Chinese literature. All searches were completed until November 2002. All studies which evaluated imaging diagnostic test of human fatty liver were included. Data of diagnostic accuracy in the included studies were extracted, and methodological quality of the studies was assessed independently by two reviewers according to the established quality standard. Quantitative analysis or qualitative description were performed based on available data.

RESULTSOf 13 studies that met the eligibility criteria, 10 studies evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of B-mode ultrasound, 3 studies evaluated contrast-enhanced (helical) CT. To assess 7 diagnostic test studies for fatty liver that used liver biopsy as reference test: the pooled sensitivity of B-mode ultrasound was 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.87-0.92), specificity was 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.92-0.96) and the Q value was 0.90 by adjusted SROC method. To assess 2 diagnostic test studies for fatty liver that used CT as reference test: the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and Q value were 0.92 (95% confidence interval 0.89-0.96), 0.88 (95% confidence interval 0.84-0.92), and 0.90 respectively by adjusted SROC method.

CONCLUSIONSB-mode ultrasound method can be regarded as an effective method for fatty liver diagnosis and screening. The methodologic quality of diagnostic test needs to be improved.

Fatty Liver ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Ultrasonography

Since the research of molecular identification of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) using DNA barcode is rapidly developing and popularizing, the principle of this method is approved to be listed in the Supplement of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Based on the study on comprehensive samples, the DNA barcoding systems have been established to identify CMM, i.e. ITS2 as a core barcode and psbA-trnH as a complementary locus for identification of planta medica, and COI as a core barcode and ITS2 as a complementary locus for identification of animal medica. This article introduced the principle of molecular identification of CMM using DNA barcoding and its drafting instructions. Furthermore, its application perspective was discussed.
Animals ; China ; DNA ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; genetics ; Materia Medica ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and clinical prognosis of Kawasaki disease(KD) in Jilin pro-vince for recent 10 years.Methods The survey forms unified of standard KD epidemiology were used and sent to the province′s 32 hospitals above the county and city level with pediatric in-patients,in order to conduct a survey on the KD children during 10 years period from Jan.1,1999 to Dec.31,2008.SPSS 15.0 software was used to analyze the data.Results There were 93.75% of the survey forms came back.Five hundred and seventy-seven KD cases were reported from the 32 hospitals of 8 districts.The incidence of KD was of an increasing trend.It was 18 cases in 1999,while it was up to 122 cases in 2008.Male patients were 382 cases(66.2%),female patients were 195 cases(33.8%).The ratio of male and female was 1.96 to 1.The age of patients varied from 58 days to 14 years,those under 5 years of age accounted of 88.73%.Fourteen(2.4%) cases were found to have the sequelae of coronary artery disease.The ratio of male and female was 3.671.The younger the age,the higher the incidence of cardiac sequelae.The mainest cardiac sequelae was coronary artery ectasia.The time of visiting was(7.58?4.63) days after the onset.The KD children from 4 minority peoples including 50 cases accounted for 8.7%.The disease occurred all over the year,and had obvious season peak.Coronary artery lesions accounted for 63.26%.There was no death during acute pe-riod.The recurrence rate was 0.5%.Conclusions The incidence of KD in Jilin is in an increasing trend.The age and gender distribution are not exactly the same to pre-vious reports.There are two seasonal peaks including summer and winter,which is different to previous reports of domestic,United State,Japan.

By using the drug metabolizing enzyme inhibitors, the effects of metabolic factors on potential liver injury induced by the main component, trans-2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside(trans-SG), in Polygonum multiflorum was investigated. The main metabolic enzyme isoforms involved in trans-SG metabolism were also screened. The results showed that trans-SG at the dosage 31 mg·kg^-1 did not cause liver injury; and the combination of trans-SG with the phase I metabolic enzyme inhibitor, 1-benzylimidazole (10 mg·kg^-1), did not change the degree of liver injury(compared with LPS + trans-SG group, P > 0.05). However, the combination of trans-SG with phase II metabolic enzyme inhibitor, ketoconazole(35 mg·kg^-1), significantly increased the degree of liver injury(compared with LPS + trans-SG group, P < 0.05). The phase I metabolites of trans-SG were not detected in human liver microsomes phase I metabolism system, while the phase II trans-SG metabolites were detected in recombinant human UGT isozymes phase II metabolism system. Six isoforms of uridine diphosphate glucuronate transferase(UGT)exhibited abilities to metabolize trans-SG and the order of metabolic ability was: UGT1A1 > UGT1A9 > UGT1A7 > UGT1A10 > UGT2B7 > UGT1A8. The results showed that trans-SG was mainly metabolized by UGT in phase II metabolism. The inhibition of drug metabolizing enzymes of phase II can increase the liver injury susceptibility of trans-SG, which provides a reference to the evaluation of susceptible factors and drug incompatibility research of Polygonum multiflorum.