The Chinese acupuncture doesn't only belong to China but rather to the world.The boom of overseas acupuncture education and scientific research as well as the satisfactory working environment compels us to reflect the Chinese traditional medicine education in our country.Especially in higher education specialty courses of acupuncture should not be subdivided;meanwhile,much attention should be paid to elementary education of western medicine.

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of integrating 3D photos and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)images and to assess the degree of error that may occur during the above process,and to analyze soft and hard tissue changes after orthognathic surgery using this new method.Methods:Ten patients with maxillofacial deformities were chosen.For each patient,CBCT scans and stereophotographic images were taken before and 3 months after surgery.3D photos were superimposed onto the CBCT skin im-ages using relatively immobile areas of the face as a reference.3D color maps and mean distances were used to evaluate the errors that might occur during the process.Two reference planes were set up using cer-tain points.The distances between Prn (pronasale),Sn (subnasale),Ls (labrale superior),ANS (anterior nasal spine),A (subspinale),UIE (upper incisor edge)to the coronal plane were calculated before and af-ter surgery.In order to verify the repeatability of this method,we examined the distances twice at two-week intervals.Paired t test was used to evaluate the reproducibility.Results:CBCT and 3D photos could be successfully fused with clinically acceptable errors.This new method could be used to evaluate soft and hard tissue changes after orthognathic surgery.The 3D color maps showed that the two images could be fused with minimal errors.The mean distances were within 0.3 mm,and the locations of landmarks on maxilla and mandible such as Ls,ANS,A,UIE changed significantly after orthognathic surgery (P <0.05). Landmarks on the nose such as Prn,Sn had little changes after surgery (P >0.1 ).The paired t test showed that the mean value and standard deviation were (0.08 ±0.98)mm.Conclusion:Fusing of CBCT and 3D stereophotographic images used as a new method in evaluating soft and hard tissue changes after orthognathic surgery was feasible and accurate.The virtual 3D composite craniofacial models permitted concurrent assess-ment of hard and soft tissues during diagnosis and treatment planning.Maxillary and mandibular locations had significant association with orthoganthic surgery while the nasal tissue was not simp affected by surgery.

Objective To develop a quality standard for Dongfengju oral liq ui d (DOL). Methods Atalantia buxjfolia, Radix Scrophulariae, Fructus Aurantii in DOL was identified by TLC. Results The obtained TLC spots of Atalantia buxj folia, Radix Scrophulariae, Fructus Aurantii in DOL occurred at the correspond ing positions compared to the controls. Conclusion The method is proved to be simple, sensitive, precise and reproducible and can be used for the quality con trol of DOL.

OBJECTIVETo explore the methods of estimating measurement reliability and their limitations.

METHODSAccording to the given examples, reliabilities of measurement were calculated and limitations of the methods of estimating reliability were analyzed.

RESULTSThe Kappa value of interobserver reliability was 0.793 between two pathologists. Between the two populations with different prevalence rates, the values of Kappa were 0.800 and 0.137 respectively, and with big difference. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of compositive index for A type behavior was 0.55.

CONCLUSIONThe Kappa index and alpha coefficient were both inherently population-specific. Before generalizing to different populations, the reliability needs to be measured.

Algorithms ; Data Collection ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Epidemiologic Measurements ; Observer Variation ; Reproducibility of Results ; Time Factors

Objective To analyze the sequence of microsatellite and the flanking sequence from four populations of Oncomelania hupensis. Methods We cloned 159 SSR-PCR amplification products of a commonly used primer, (CA)8RY, using O. hupensis genomie DNA as template, and sequenced 82 products Results The sequences obtained were novel O. hupensis genomic sequences but not repeat simple sequence. It was observed that 36 out of 82 clones contained microsatellites between priming sites.The flanking sequences of certain microsatellite were invariant. Both (GA/CT). and (TTAGGG/CCCAA)n were found in four populations of O. hupensis. However, (CAA)n were found only in O. hupensis from Fuqing,Fujian province and (TCTCTG), were found only in O. hupensis from Guichi,Anhui province and (GAA/TTC)n, (CAA/TTG)n, (CAT), were found only in O.hupensis from Puge,Sichuan province. Conclusion The results obtained by SSR-PCR should not be interpreted as the amplification of microsatellite loci, and analytical rules similar to those for Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA should be used. SSR-PCR could not make the most of the priority of microsatellite. It seems better to amplify the microsatellites with the primers designed on the basis of the flanking sequence.

Facing current situation of integrative medicine (IM), authors put forward that clinical and diagnosis program of IM could be carried out from clinical path, pathogenesis, treatment theory and philosophy, and so on, but with different integration degrees. Meanwhile, formulation of concrete program should be disease-targetedly set up, and adjusted from person to person, from place to place, from time to time. As for settled IM program , authors could evaluate it from whether Chinese medicine and Western medicine have formed complementary, synergistic, excitatory actions, and toxicity attenuation; whether more problems could be solved in efficacy, safety, practicability, and economy than previous single mode.
Critical Pathways ; Integrative Medicine ; trends ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; trends

OBJECTIVETo explore the biases and confoundings in Spatial Epidemiological studies.

METHODSPossible bias and confounding and their impact on study results in Spatial Epidemiology were analyzed in given examples.

RESULTSIn Spatial Epidemiology, biases related to ascertainment/numerator/denominator induced by the choice of the disease induction/latency period and mis-specification of exposure-disease model, exposure inaccuracy, spatial dependency, significance tests etc. were involved, as well as to ecological, socio-economic confoundings factors.

CONCLUSIONThe sources of bias in 'Spatial Epidemiology' were both numerous and complex, that might be overestimated or underestimated on the study results. Hence, careful interpretation of such studies was needed.

Bias ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Ecology ; Epidemiology ; Geographic Information Systems ; Geography ; Humans ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Space-Time Clustering

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of infection control on schistosomasis Japonicum based on selective chemotherapy.

METHODSData were derived from national surveillance of schistosomiasis from 2000 to 2002, and random effect model of Meta-analysis was used to analyze the effect of chemotherapy on controlling schistosomiasis infection.

RESULTSOne year after chemotherapy was started in the pilot villages where infection rate of schistosomiasis was more than 10%, the infection rates among residents and eggs per gram (EPG) of patients as well as population (geometric mean, GM) significantly reduced by 20.15%, 22.91% and 33.93% with 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.95 - 31.48, 14.69 - 30.34 and 11.69 - 50.68 respectively. In the pilot villages where infection rates were between 6% and 10%, the control measures largely base on chemotherapy significantly reduced the infection rate, by 24.50 (95% CI: 5.35 - 39.83). However the infection rates were no longer reduced in the pilot villages where the infection rate was less than 6%; EPG of patients and residents were maintained at the original level in the pilot villages where infection rate was 10% or less.

CONCLUSIONIn China, the rates of schistosomiasis Japonicum infection could be effectively reduced through the control measures largely based on chemotherapy, and they were kept at a relatively low level. However, it was very difficult to interrupt the transmission of schistosomiasis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anthelmintics ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasite Egg Count ; Praziquantel ; therapeutic use ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of measurement error on the associated effects under the incorrectly-measured variables when mixed with precisely measured variables.

METHODSBased on the functions of measurement error, correlation of incorrectly-measured predictors and precisely measured explanatory variables, number of precisely measured explanatory variables and associated effect, the 'R Project for Statistical Computing' method is used to analyze the impact of measurement on the validity of a study.

RESULTSUnder the scenario that the continuous response Y and the continuous explanatory Z are precisely measured but the continuous predictor X is incorrectly-measured, when focusing on inference about the effect of X on Y, the non-differential measurement error always makes the value of estimated effect less than the actual value, and the attenuation effect of measurement error more closely worsens the correlation of X and Z. Under a misclassification dichotomous predictor X with an additional precisely measured explanatory variable Z and focusing on inference about the effect of X on Y, the misclassification bias is not only related to the sensitivity and specificity of exposure measurement, but also to the correlation between X and Z and exposure proportion of X. The attenuation factor (AF) decreases gradually with the increasing correlation between X and Z. For instance, in the p = 0.5 scenario, AF is 1.419, and the estimated effect of dichotomous predictor X on continuous response Y is more than the actual effect. When it increases to 0.9, AF is 0.474, the estimated effect becomes less than the true effect.

CONCLUSIONIn the studies of the impact of measurement error in linear regression with additional precisely measured explanatory variables, the impact of measurement error on the associated effect is relatively complex, suggesting that it is necessary to control and to assess the measurement error bias in order to correctly interpret the results of a study.

Bias ; Epidemiologic Research Design ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Linear Models ; Models, Statistical

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of misclassification in binary explanatory variables on the effects associated with 'exposure-disease'.

METHODSBased upon the functions of probabilities on misclassification, effects of association and proportions of exposure, the 'R Project for Statistical Computing' method was used to analyze the impact of misclassification on the validity of a study.

RESULTSTo the linear model case, the effect of nondifferential misclassification serves as an attenuating bias. When r = 0.5, the bias is symmetric in both sensitivity and specificity but when r is not equal to 0.5, the bias is not symmetric in sensitivity and specificity. When misclassification is nondifferential, estimated odds ratio tends to be 1 while the exposure prevalence in the control tends to be 0 or 1. Bias seems to be very complex in differential misclassification than in nondifferential misclassification that can make OR tend to or be away from the null value.

CONCLUSIONThe impact of exposure misclassification on the effect associated with exposure--disease is complicated, hence necessary to understand, to control, and to assess bias of misclassification in order to correctly interpret the results of a study.

Bias ; Epidemiologic Studies ; False Positive Reactions ; Linear Models ; Odds Ratio ; Reproducibility of Results