ABSTRACT
The meridian tropism of acupoints is an important academic way to recognize and deal with the relationship between acupoints and meridians in acupuncture medicine. The Huatuo Jiaji (EX-B 2) (Jiaji for short) acupoint family consisting of 34 points has long been considered to be an important extra-acupoint since the ancient times of China and is widely employed in clinical practice through continuous development in Chinese past generations. The present paper introduces 1) historical origin and development of EX-B 2, and 2) intercorrelation among the EX-B 2, spine and the Governor Vessel in anatomical positions. On the basis of these, we also discuss the possibility of that EX-B 2 is assigned to the Governor Vessel, its academic significance including common features and actions in physiological and pathological aspects and clinical significance in diagnosis and treatment of disorders.
ABSTRACT
This review summarised and compared the contents and methods of America,s Health Rankings (AHR)and the County Health Rankings(CHR)in the United States by using literature review.AHR and CHR are the currently widely used population health assessment index ranking systems in the United States,respectively,which provided an analysis of population health on a state-by-state basis and a county-by-county basis by evaluating a histori-cal and comprehensive set of health outcomes and health determinants data to determine the health benchmarks and state/county rankings.The selection criteria of each indicator take into account of reliability, availability, stability, and intervention.The determination of weights of each indicator took into considerations the literature review,a histori-cal perspective,weights used by other rankings,internal analyses of the variation in outcomes explained by each factor, and pragmatic issues involving communications and stakeholder engagement.By comparison, it was found that AHR and CHR have a higher level of accuracy in the classification as they are well -defined by population demographics and geography respectively.The evaluation of health cities and health villages and towns in China is more complicated. There are few studies on village and town health rankings systems.This article reviewed the evaluation methods of AHR and CHR with a view to providing a reference for research on the evaluation system of City Health Rankings and the Village and Town Health Rankings in China.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>There has been an increase in the incidence of breast cancer in China, but no definite risk and protective factors for breast cancer have been identified in Chinese females. This study was designed to identify the risk factors for female breast cancer in North and East China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A 1:3 matched, case-control study was conducted. All of the subjects in the case and control groups were selected from a previous epidemiological survey of 122 058 females aged 25 to 70 years. Single and multiple Logistic regression analyses were used to study potential factors in the development of breast cancer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant differences at the level of α=0.20 between case and control groups were observed for the following factors: economic status, social status, family annual income, bean product consumption, body mass index (BMI), family history of breast cancer in the first or second degree, number of miscarriages, menstrual pattern, benign breast disease history, nipple leakage, inverted nipple, history of diabetes mellitus, history of hypertension, history of ovarian cyst, physical exercise, current and global quality of life satisfaction, healthy behavior and prevention, and scores of breast cancer-related knowledge. After Cox-regression model analysis (α=0.10), six factors were found to be significantly related to breast cancer, of which the ORs and 95%CIs were: BMI, 1.696 (1.169-2.460, P=0.005); benign breast disease history, 2.672 (0.848-8.416, P=0.093); family history of breast cancer, 7.080 (1.758-28.551, P=0.006); number of miscarriages, 1.738 (1.014-2.978, P=0.044); global quality of life satisfaction, 3.044 (1.804-5.136, P=0.000); healthy behavior and prevention, 3.294 (1.692-6.412, P=0.000).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A comprehensive range of factors related to breast cancer was identified. Women should be educated about a healthy lifestyle, especially those with a family history of breast cancer or a personal history of benign breast disease.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Breast Neoplasms , Epidemiology , Case-Control Studies , China , Epidemiology , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyse the efficacy and side-effects of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin A (CsA) as the first-line therapy for childhood severe aplastic anemia (SAA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-one childhood SAA patients treated with rabbit ATG + CsA as first line therapy were retrospectively analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seventy-one SAA patients, including 38 SAA and 33 very severe aplastic anemia (VSAA), were enrolled. The median age was 12 years. Of these patients, 3 died within 3 months after the immunosuppressive therapy (IST). The overall response rate was 67.6% (46/68) and the median time to transfusion independent was 53 days. Thirty-three patients (48.5%) obtained remission in 3 months after the IST and 45 (67.2%) in 6 months. The response rates were 57.7% (15/26), 56.5% (13/23) and 94.7% (18/19) for patients less than 10 years old, 10 - 15 year-old and 15 - 18 year-old, respectively. Sixty patients suffered from serum sickness on the IST. Three patients relapsed and another 3 unrespond patients received retreatment of IST, and one patient progressed to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rabbit ATG in combination with CsA as first line therapy for childhood SAA/VSAA can lead to overall response rate of 67.6% with minor adverse effects.</p>