A nested case-control study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of Chinese medicines in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, so as to explore the feasibility of using nested case-control study on effect assessment of Chinese medicine.

Objective:To study the diagnostic value of combined detection of IAA,ICA and GADA in the classification of diabetes mellitus.Methods:30 cases of patients with type 1 diabetes who were treated in our hospital from June 2015 to June 2016 were selected as A group,60 cases of patients with type 2 diabetes were selected as B group,50 cases of healthy people were selected as C group.The IAA,ICA and GADA of the three groups were detected by ELISA,and the positive rate of the three groups were compared.Results:The fasting glucose of A group was (10.12± 3.68) mmol/L,B group was (11.23± 3.26) mmol/L,A group and B group were significantly higher than that of C group (P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference between A group and B group (P＞0.05);the positive rates of GADA,ICA and IAA in A group and B group were significantly higher than those in C group (P＜0.05),and the positive rates of GADA,ICA and IAA in A group were significantly higher than those in B group (P＜0.05);the sensitivity and specificity of combined detection of IAA,ICA and GADA in type 2 and type 1 diabetes mellitus were significantly higher than that in the single test (P＜0.05).Conclusions:The combined detection of IAA,ICA and GADA has a high diagnostic value in the classification of diabetes mellitus,which is worth clinical application.

Objective To study the clinical value of using a four-point method (FP) in measuring joint angles.Method Methods Twenty-five subjects without knee dysfunction were studied.Every knee joint was tested in extension,below 90° of flexion and above 90° of flexion with the traditional three-point method (TP) and the new four-point method.X-rays were taken as a gold standard measurement.The reliability and validity were analyzed using Bland-Altman plots,which can yield 95% limits of agreement (LOA).Results (1) The joint axis centers moved with changes in joint angle.(2) The 95% LOA of inter-tester reliability was (-5.0,2.7) with the FP and (-6.5,4.4) with the TP.The 95% LOAs of intra-tester reliability were (-3.6,4.0) for tester A and (-4.1,4.8) for tester B with the FP,while (-5.0,6.4) for tester A and (-6.1,5.8) for tester B with the TP.(3) The 95% LOAs in the three positions were (3.5,2.6) in extension,(-3.3,3.6) in mild flexion and (-1.9,5.7) in greater flexion with the FP,and ( 6.8,1.1),(-4.0,7.1) and (0,8.5) with the TP.Conclusions The FP gives better reliability and validity than the TP in joint angle measurement.

With the development of translational medicine,medical equipment has become a booster of clinical and basic research,and the visualization of the Chinese traditional pulse diagnosis apparatus,NX-8-type pulse information acquisition and analysis system achieved the digital pulse diagnosis and sublimated the method of diagnosis.By using the visual sensing technology and image acquisition and processing technology,NX-8 displays the B-type ultra-sound images.With the parameter set and added,not only the pulse beat can be seen clearly,as well as border,thickness and deformation,and hens to perform direct analysis of the blood vessel elasticity,but also the objective observing and study of the dual diagnostic pulse,Anti-off pulse and other special physiological structure can be realized.By measuring pulse wave velocity (PWV) and other indicators,NX-8-type pulse information acquisition and analysis system provides diagnosis and significant prevention of arteriosclerosis,hypertension,high cholesterol,angina and other cardiovascular diseases,and is expected to achieve a digital auxiliary diagnostic equipment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Sizhen,and be applied to telemedicine and the field of space science and technology.It is like a milestone in the development of TCM diagnostic techniques.

Objective To discuss the clinical features of behavioral and psychological symptoms of demen-tia(BPSD)and the relation between different sub-clinical syndromes and cognition. Methods One hundred and sixteen dementia patients were assessed with neuropsychiatric inventory and mini-mental state examination (MMSE)and made factor analysis according to DSM-IV-R. Results Twelve common behavioral and psychological symptoms could be further divided into five sub-syndromes,including disinhibition behavior,psychosis,agitation, emotion and apathy factors. MMSE total score and years of education entered regression equation of apathy factor (P<0.05). Conclusion BPSD can be divided into five factors and apathy factor are related with cognitive function.

The public hospital reform is the main content of the new healthcare reform.Studying the diagnosis related group system and establishing a set of scientific and rational performance assessment, which is essential to strengthen the public hospitals'public and social benefits, improve the service capacity and enhance the specialized and delicacy management.The international diagnosis related group system localization and weight settlement have been proved suitable and consistent through the Shanghai Shenkang Hospital Development Centre.Hence, the severity-based DRGs should be introduced to reflect the actual hospitals operation and management outcome, which provides a proper guidance on the hospitals'specialized and delicacy management.

This study summarized the experiences of disease-specific performance appraisal at tertiary hospitals in Shanghai,which was launched since year 2013 by Shanghai Hospital Development Center (SHDC). 38 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai were included in the study. A disease-specific performance appraisal system centering on quality and performance, by means of case-mix model, classified surgery management and typical disease screening, and leveraging disease and surgery difficulties analysis, and inter-hospital performance appraisal of typical diseases. This reform has established appraisal criteria of disease difficulty management,coding criteria and data norms,guiding such hospitals to consolidate their functional positioning of focusing on difficult,urgent and complicated cases in the medical service delivery system.All these efforts have paved the way for the reforms to build a hierarchical medical service system, pricing per disease, payment per disease, and consolidate performance appraisal of medical workers.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A receptor gene C(-1019)G polymorphism and geriatric depression and Alzheimer′s disease (AD) with depressive symptoms in Han Chinese. Methods The case control study was used in the study among 106 patients with geriatric depression, 72 AD patients with depressive symptoms and 150 healthy old individuals in China. The C(-1019)G polymorphism of 5-HT1A was analyzed with the technique of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results The frequencies of 5-HT1A genotype C/G (39.6%), G/G(24.5%) and allele G (44.3%) in the patients with geriatric depression were significantly higher than those in the controls (respectively 35.3%, 13.3%, 31.0%, P < 0.05). The frequencies of 5-HT1A G allele in the AD patients with depressive symptoms (41.0%) were significantly higher than those in the controls (31.0%,X2=4.2879, P<0.05). No significant difference in distribution of (5-HT)1A C (-1019) G polymorphism between the patients with geriatric depression and the AD patients with depressive symptoms was observed (P > 0.05). Conclusion The 5-HT1A gene C (-1019)G polymorphism may be associated with geriatric depression and AD with depressive symptoms and (-1019)G allele may be a risk factor for them.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of children with Phenylketonuria(PKU)detected by newborn screening program.Methods One hundred and two children with PKU were detected and diagnosed in Shanxi Newborn Screening Center from June 2004 to September 2014.All children with PKU were followed up until December 2015.During the follow-up,the Phenylalanine(Phe)levels,physical and intellectual development, nutrition status of those children were monitored.Results Among 102 PKU children,there were 96(94.12%)with normal physical development,and 93(91.18%)with normal DQ/IQ.The average DQ or IQ score in children who started the therapy before 1 month was higher than that in those who started after 1 month old(93.07 ±9.50 vs.87.39 ±10.99,t=3.09, P=0.00).Among these children 82.47%(80/97)had zinc deficiency and 31.46%(28/89)had dyslipidemia; and the normal Phe concentration rate was(59.73 ±19.03)%.The intellectual development level was negatively correlated with the age of starting therapy(r=-0.25, P=0.01), positively correlated with the education levels of his/her father(r=0.21,P=0.03)and mother(r=0.23, P=0.02).And the intellectual development was better in urban areas than that in rural areas.Conclusions With the standardized treatment, the physical and intellectual development of children with PKU can basically reach normal levels,and the earlier treatment can make better therapeutic effect.

OBJECTIVEThis article aims to introduce the benefits of qualitative research and to discuss how such research can be applied to the study of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

DATA SOURCESRelevant articles were published in English as of May 2013 from Pubmed. Terms "polycystic ovary syndrome/PCOS, qualitative research and methodology" were used for searching.

STUDY SELECTIONArticles studying PCOS with qualitative methods were reviewed. Articles associated with the use of qualitative research in clinical research were cited.

RESULTSSix qualitative studies related to PCOS were found in the literature search. These studies addressed different aspects in PCOS women including their womanhood, lived experience, information need, and experience of treatment with acupuncture. Five of these six studies used phenomenology as guiding theory.

CONCLUSIONQuantitative research has been the dominant approach in the field so far, qualitative research is relevant to the advancement of PCOS.