OBJECTIVETo estimate the cost-effectiveness of esophageal cancer endoscopic screening once-in-a-lifetime and to predict the optimal screening age for people in high-risk areas of rural China.

METHODSA Markov model was constructed to predict and compare the effect of four esophageal cancer endoscopic screening modalities which varied with different screening ages. Long-term epidemiological effectiveness and cost-effectiveness were predicted by simulation of the model.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, strategies starting at 40, 45, 50 and 55 year-old had saved life-years of 629.51, 769.88, 738.98 and 533.21 years per 100 000 people, respectively, of which the strategy starting at 45 year-old saved the maximum life years. All strategies were cost-effective and starting at 40 year-old cost the most per life-year saved. Among all alternatives, strategies starting age at 45 year-old and 50 year-old were incremental cost-effective, and the incremental cost-effective ratios were 34 962.87 and 3 346.43 RMB per life year saved, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe strategy starting at 40 year-old implemented at present and other strategies were cost-effective in high-risk areas of rural China. However, the 45-year-old group is more aligned with the principle of cost-effectiveness. Considering the cost-effectiveness of different strategies and social economic status, 45 year-old is regarded as the optimal starting age of esophageal cancer once-in-a-lifetime endoscopic screening and is recommended in areas lacking health resources. The strategy of starting age at 40 year-old which could obtain better screening effects would be preferable in wealthy regions.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Esophagoscopy ; economics ; Humans ; Markov Chains ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVETo test and vertify the clinical efficacy of Chinese syndrome-differentiation therapy in treating stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

METHODTwo hundred and sixteen stable-COPD patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the treated group and control group, they were treated with respiratory exercises increases Chinese medicine and respiratory exercises increases placebo for 4 weeks respectively. Then evaluate the health-related quality of life of patients with stable COPD by using SF-36 before and after treatment.

RESULTComparison of the health-related quality of life before and after treatment: the health-related quality of life in treated group was significantly improved after treatment and total score of SF-36 was better than control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRespiratory exercises increases Chinese medicine could improve the health-related quality of life significantly in patients with stable COPD, moreover its efficacy was superior to respiratory exercises increases placebo.

Aged ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Quality of Life

A USB bus based data interface technology for full auto Patch-Clamp system is discussed in the article. The main controller is CY2131QC (Cypress) and the logic controller is EPM3256A (Altera). Optocouplers are used to get rid of the noise from the interface. It makes the installation of the Patch-Clamp system easier by using the USB bus, and is suitable for the new generation of the Patch-Clamp system with a high speed of 1M bytes/s.
Computer-Aided Design ; Equipment Design ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods