Castleman Disease ; complications ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; complications ; Pemphigus ; complications

With the deepening of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the method of quantification and standardization of TCM (i.e., quantitative characterization of TCM) has been more and more widely accepted by researchers. Chemometrics processes complicated data of TCM through applied mathematics, statistics and com-puter technology. And multivariable study was introduced into the quantitative characterization of TCM with great achievements. This article reviewed existed problems of quantitative characterization in TCM, the principles, char-acteristics, limitations, commonly used statistical methods and application conditions on quantitative characteriza-tion of TCM. With this review, a reference for further study of quantitative characterization of TCM was provided and a further research idea of combination with main methods of chemometrics was given.

Background: Integrative traditional Chinese and western medicine may be a new approach to improve the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp).Aims: To compare the efficacy and safety of Weifuchun tablet versus bismuth combined with standard triple regimen as the first-line therapy of Hp infection.Methods: A total of 141 patients with Hp infection and na(i)ve to treatment were randomly assigned into 3 groups receiving a 14-day eradication therapy.In standard triple therapy group, esomeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin were given twice a day;while in Weifuchun group and bismuth group, Weifuchun tablet and bismuth potassium citrate were added, respectively, to the standard triple therapy.Hp eradication was assessed by 13C-urea breath test at least 6 weeks after the end of treatment.Hp isolates were tested for resistance to antibiotics.Results: One hundred and twenty-eight patients completed the study.Hp eradication rates in Weifuchun group, bismuth group and standard triple therapy group were 83.7%, 91.8% and 79.1%, respectively by ITT analysis and 88.4%, 97.8% and 84.6%, respectively by PP analysis.The eradication rate of Weifuchun group was lower than that of bismuth group and higher than that of standard triple therapy group, but the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05).Only PP eradication rate of bismuth group was significantly higher than that of standard triple therapy group (P<0.05).The resistant rates of Hp to clarithromycin, amoxicillin and metronidazole were 33.3%, 2.9% and 70.5%, respectively.For eradication of clarithromycin resistant strains, bismuth group was superior to Weifuchun group and standard triple therapy group (100% vs.60.0% and 66.7%, P all <0.05).All three eradication regimens showed good compliance, and no significant difference in incidence of adverse events was found between the three regimens (P>0.05).Conclusions: Weifuchun tablet combined with standard triple regimen is safe and effective for use as first-line treatment for Hp infection, however, the eradication rate is relatively low in cases infected with clarithromycin resistant strains.Bismuth combined with standard triple regimen is a good alternative in areas with high clarithromycin resistance and regions where tetracycline is unavailable.

Objective To investigate the effect of abnormal lipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.Methods Thirty women with severe preeclampsia who delivered by cesarean section in the International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital from November 1,2011 to June 30,2012,were included as the study group.Thirty normal pregnant women delivered during the same period by cesarean section were included as the control group.The mRNA levels of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and endothelial lipase (EL) in the placentas were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction.The expression of LPL/EL protein was detected by Western-blot assay and the distribution on the placenta was determined by immunohistochemical staining.The maternal serum level of lipid markers was detected by automatic biochemical analyzer.Difference between the two groups was compared with t-test or rank-sum test.Results (1) The triglyceride (TG) concentration [(3.35±0.80) mmol/L vs (2.75± 0.92) mmol/L,t =3.082,P=0.003] and atherosclerosis index (AI) (2.76±0.46 vs 2.47±0.34,t=3.066,P=0.003) increased in the study group compared with the control group,while the concentration of high-density lipoprotein-cholestrol (HDL-c) decreased[(1.64 ± 0.34) mmol/L vs (1.85 ± 0.22) mmol/L,t=-3.157,P =0.003].(2) The median level of LPL mRNA expression in placenta of the study group was higher than that of the control [1.26 (0.46-1.58) vs 0.52 (0.34-0.84),Z=-2.587,P=0.010],whereas the expression of EL mRNA was lower [0.65 (0.48-0.76) vs 1.32 (0.94-1.62),Z=-4.154,P=0.000].(3) Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the placenta EL and LPL located in cytoplasm of syncytiotrophoblast cells at the materno-placental interface and of endothelial cells at the feto-placental interface.(4) Compared with the control group,the median level of LPL protein expression in placenta inthe study group increased [0.68(0.46-0.83) vs 0.31(0.15-0.55),Z=3.335,P=0.001],and the expression of EL protein decreased [0.13 (0.11 0.16) vs 0.70(0.56 0.81),Z=-5.711,P=0.000].The expression of LPL protein was negatively correlated with that of EL protein (r=-0.501,P=0.000).Conclusions Abnormal lipid metabolism contributes to the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia.

Objective To evaluate the effect of peer educatio n program by the application of the peer education on human immunodeficiency vir us/aeguired immune deficiency syndrome(HIV/AIDS) prevention and the analysis of the change on knowledge, attitude and behavior about HIV/AIDS among technical sc hool students in Shanghai. Methods Three technical schools in Shanghai were selected randomly. Two classes of each school were selected randomly as education group and the students added up to 284.Two hundred and sixty-one students of another 2 classes in each school were selected as the interior control group. Some freshmen came from medical un iversity were carefully trained as peer educators to conduct the education inclu ding 6 models. The same questionnaires were carried before and after the educati on in both groups. Results After peer education the score of average knowledge abo ut reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, STD was significantly higher than before (P 0.05). Conclusions The conduction of the peer education on HIV/AIDS pr evention among technical school students is effective in promoting the knowledge level,but the change of attitude and behavior is a long term. So we highly adv ocate that not only the health education for HIV/AIDS especially safe sex shall be given and strengthened among technical school students in order to promote t he notion of self-protection but also the conception of care others especially t he HIV/AIDS. J Appl Clin Pediatr,2005,20(2):167-169

Objective To investigate the prevalence of nodular gastritis,duodenal ulcer before and after eradicative treatment of helicobactor pylori(Hp) infection in children with gastroscopy.Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 1 275 children,age ranging 1 to 16 years old,collected from our hospital in recent 10 years,detecting rates of before eradicative treatment and after eradicative treatment were analyzed.Gastroscopes were analyzed with regard to a possible association with the infection.Results The detecting rate(11.89%) of duodenal ulcer after eradicative treatment was lower than that(17%) before eradicative treatment(P

0.05).There was significant difference of curative effect before and after treatment of children with RAP(?2=6.74,P

Objective To investigate the status and requirement of knowledge of reproduction and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)/sexually transmited disease (STD) in pregnant adolescents with abortion in order to conduct proper interventions. Methods Two hundred and ninety-one unmarried pregnant adolescents below 22 years old with abortion completed questionnaires which involved the information on individual social-demographics characteristics, knowledge of reproduction, AIDS/STD and sex-related beliefs, attitudes and partners. Results Among these 291 adolescents, 37.7% experienced first sexual intercourse before 19 years old, 69.1% performed well in the knowledge of reproduction, and 62.6% and 43.5% did well in the knowledge of AIDS and the knowledge of the other STD, respectively. The rate of implementation of contraception was far less than that of awarenesss of contraception(P<0.05). These pregnant adolescents were not enthusiastic for seeking reproductive knowledge, and 45.0% would like to acquire the knowledge from professionals. Conclusion The knowledge of reproduction and AIDS/STD in the pregnant adolescents is not adequate, and they fail to carry out the proper behaviors of contraception. More education should be conducted on AIDS/STD prevention and contraception among pregnant adolescents.

Pesticides, especially chemistry pesticides with high toxicity, high residue, and difficult degradation are a kind of important environment pollutants and pesticide degradation by microorganisms is one of the powerful means to treat pesticide pollution. Many researchers conducted lots of studies on it. Types of pesticide degraders, construction of genetically engineered microorganisms, degrading mechanisms, degradation characteristics, influencing factors, applying effect and so on were summarized in this article. The research trend of degradation of pesticides by microorganisms and problems to be solved were also put forward.

Objective:To conduct health economic evaluation of Chinese population-based screening and opportunistic testing strategies for the prevention of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori)-related diseases. Methods:The Markov models of H.pylori infection caused non-ulcer dyspepsia, peptic ulcer (PU) and gastric cancer were established. The cost and effects of the population-based screening, opportunistic testing, and non-intervention strategies in 100 000 population of our country were simulation calculated. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for statistic analysis. Single factor sensitivity analysis was performed to analyze the impact of single parameter uncertainty on cost-effectiveness. Probability sensitivity was used to analyze the impact of common uncertainty of all parameters on cost-effectiveness. Results:Compared with opportunistic testing strategy and non-intervention strategy, the total cost of population-based screening strategy was reduced by 0.43 million yuan(-6.63 million yuan to 7.19 million yuan) and 4.45 million yuan(-8.60 million yuan to 27.93 million yuan), quality adjusted life years (QALY), life years and asmptomatic months were prolonged by 888.00 (479.86 to 1 574.10) and 3 032.78 (1 756.04 to 5 007.84), 651.82 (294.73 to 1 211.94) and 1 868.64 (1 045.88 to 3 148.34), 28 381.91 (19 109.54 to 43 736.72)and 102 537.13 (58 649.18 to 176 868.77) respectively, gastric cancer, deaths from gastric cancer, deaths from PU and deaths from various causes were reduced by 115 cases(52 cases to 232 cases) and 464 cases(266 cases to 803 cases), 74 cases(33 cases to 148 cases) and 260 cases(149 cases to 453 cases), 46 cases(25 cases to 72 cases) and 369 cases(210 cases to 710 cases), 80 cases(42 cases to 126 cases) and 501 cases(331 cases to 772 cases) respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=1.99, 10.54, 27.39, 27.39, 27.37, 27.39, 27.39, 27.39, 27.21, 27.28, 27.22, 27.28, 27.38, 27.39, 27.39 and 27.39, all P<0.05). Compared with the non-intervention strategy, the opportunistic testing strategy reduced the total cost by 3.89 million yuan(-2.79 million yuan to 18.18 million yuan), QALY, life years and asymptomatic months were prolonged by 1 764.77 (888.70 to 3 406.62), 1 044.16 (524.46 to 1 912.75) and 62 568.69 (30 054.07 to 129 892.76) respectively, gastric cancer, deaths from gastric cancer, deaths from PU and deaths from various causes were reduced by 311 cases(164 cases to 563 cases), 164 cases (87 cases to 301 cases), 325 cases(162 cases to 644 cases) and 399 cases(234 cases to 684 cases) respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=14.20, 27.39, 27.38, 27.39, 27.25, 27.25, 27.39 and 27.39, all P<0.01). The results of singlefactor sensitivity analysis showed that the uncertainty of any parameter did not affect the cost-effectiveness of three strategies. The results of probability sensitivity analysis indicated that the probability of cost-effectiveness advantage of the population-based screening strategy was 100% and the common uncertainty of all parameters had no effect on cost-effectiveness. Conclusions:For preventing H.pylori-related diseases, the population-based screening strategy has the lowest average cost and the best average effect. However, non-intervention strategy has the highest average cost and the worst average effect. Population-based screening strategy is worthy of promotion throughout China, and opportunistic testing strategy has a higher clinical practical value.