Research on fungal culturomics based on different universal media / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective To screen out a more universally applicable culture medium for the isolation and culturing of pathogenic fungi through comparing the performance of various universal fungal culture media, to optimize the fungal culturomics technique, and to better apply it to the culturomics research of pathogenic fungi. Methods Multiple common fungal culture media Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), potato dextrose agar (PDA), modified Dixon (mDixon), modified LeemingNotman agar (MLNA), etc., and a new pan-fungal medium (PF) were used to culture 40 strains of common pathogenic fungi to determine the growth states of strains under different conditions. Based on that, PF, SDA, PDA, mDixon and MLNA, a total of 5 culture media, were used to isolate and culture a simulated sample (suspension of Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus), 10 human samples (4 fecal samples and 6 vaginal secretion samples) and 3 environmental samples. Results The positive growth rates of 40 strains of pathogenic fungi in the 7 media were as follows: PDA 95.0% (38/40), SDA 95.0% (38/40), BHI 95.0% (38/40), YPD 90.0% (36/40), mDixon 95.0% (38/40), MLNA 87.5% (35/40), PF 100.0% (40/40). For the simulated samples, PF could effectively promote the self-limited growth of filamentous fungi, performing better in isolation and culture. For the human samples and environmental samples, PF showed the same versatility as SDA and PDA. Conclusions In the isolation and culturing of pathogenic fungi, PF medium can effectively isolate and culture most fungal species. Meanwhile, PF can make the fast-growing fungi show self-limited growth and clear edges, and not easy to cross-contamination, which indicates it is conducive to the isolation and identification of single colonies. PF medium outperforms other common media in isolating strains from unknown samples in culturomics, which illustrates PF medium can be effectively used for the study of fungal culturomics.

Relationship between outdoor activity time and respiratory symptoms in junior middle school students / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the relationship between daily outdoor activity time both on and off campus and respiratory symptoms of junior middle school students, then to provide evidence for the prevention of respiratory diseases in adolescents.@*Methods@#In 2016, two middle schools were selected in Wuhan，in which a total of 860 eighth grade students were surveyed, generalized linear analysis was conducted by SAS 9.4 software. @*Results@#Average outdoor activity time out of campus during weekdays in boys and was (1.84±2.30) hours, which was higher than in girls (1.51±1.99) hours (t=2.19, P<0.05). Average outdoor activity time in campus in boys was (1.74±1.50) hours, which was significantly higher than that of girls (1.49±1.20) hours (t=2.68, P<0.05). According to the results of generalized linear analysis, after controlled for gender, age and self-perceived physical condition, the longer the time adolescents spent outside the classroom during weekday, the less likely they were to have symptoms of throat and nasal cavity(estimated value=-0.06,-0.07, P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#Adolescents who spend more time outside the classroom during weekday can effectively prevent the occurrence of respiratory related diseases.

The analysis of low cost medicine's accessibility in China: Based on the empirical study from 24 provinces and cities / 中国卫生政策研究

Objective:To analyze the satiation of low cost medicine at present and provide suggestions for im-proving the low cost medicine policy since it has been conducted. Methods: The article uses the statistics from 24 provinces and cities to analyse the accessibility of low cost medicine with the angles of general condition,procurability and affordability. Results:The accessibility of low cost medicine is high through its policy knowledge is low. For pro-curability, there are only part of low cost medicine lacking in several areas momently; for affordability, the price of low cost medicine is affordable even through its price has been raised after the performance of policy. The reasons for shortage includes low price,check price transaction,lack of raw and processed material and small quantity demand of some medicine,etc. Conclusions:We suggest that government should improve the knowledge of this policy in hospi-tals and encourage low cost medicine in clinical applications. It also should lead companies to set the appropriate price and refine the purchasing system which will avoid the too high or too low price and help to ensure the amount and standard of companies that be selected in purchasing online. At the same time, government is supposed to strengthen the supervision on supply chain of low cost medicine and establish the communication mechanism for sup-ply system in order to guarantee the regulated supply of low cost medicine.

Measuring thyroid density by energy spectrum CT / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To investigate the relationship between the single energy CT value and the tissue density and further evaluate the mass of thyroid.Methods Different substances respectively composed of liquid and solid,liquid and liquid,thyroid gland were selected,and the relationship was investigated between the single energy CT value and the tissue density.Results The CT value was closely related to the content of high atomic number substance.The CT value of thyroid was closely related to the content of iodine.Conclusion It is feasible to measure the thyroid density by the energy spectrum CT.

Estimated Financing Amount Needed for Essential Medicines in China, 2014 / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>At the present time, the government is considering to establish the independent financing system for essential medicines (EMs). However, it is still in the exploration phase. The objectives of this study were to calculate and estimate financing amount of EMs in China in 2014 and to provide data evidence for establishing financing mechanism of EMs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two approaches were adopted in this study. First, we used a retrospective research to estimate the cost of EMs in China in 2014. We identified all the 520 drugs listed in the latest national EMs list (2012) and calculated the total sales amount of these drugs in 2014. The other approach included the steps that first selecting the 109 most common diseases in China, then identifying the EMs used to treat them, and finally estimating the total cost of these drugs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results of the two methods, which showed the estimated financing amounts of EMs in China in 2014, were 17,776.44 million USD and 19,094.09 million USD, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Comparing these two results, we concluded that the annual budget needed to provide for the EMs in China would be about 20 billion USD. Our study also indicated that the irrational drug use continued to plague the health system with intravenous fluids and antibiotics being the typical examples, as observed in other studies.</p>

Comparison of response evaluation methods of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the efficiency of response evaluation by clinical examination, ultrasonograghy and mammography in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the data of 141 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Response evaluation was performed by clinical palpation, ultrasound and mammography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Only 12 (8.5%) among the 141 patients presented with a stage I tumor. The tumor size determined by palpation was often larger than that by ultrasound before therapy (P < 0.01). Among patients with suspicions axillary nodes checked by ultrasound, 88.3% (53/60) of them had positive nodes by pathology before NAC, and 34.5% (10/29) of patients with negative nodes determined by ultrasound had positive nodes by pathology. In all the 141 patients, 21(14.9%) showed pathological complete remission in both the primary tumor and lymph node. For response evaluation, the false complete remission rate judged by clinical examination was 46.8% (22/47), and the false tumor residual rate by ultrasound was 84.0% (21/25). In 53.5% (23/43) of patients the response could not be assessed by mammography due to that the tumors were undistinguishable in size. The range of microcalcification was not reduced in 5 patients with a partial response of the tumor. 25 patients experienced needle puncture during therapy. Among them, in the 9 pathologically negative patients, only 3 achieved pCR, and the other 16 positive patients didn't achieve pCR.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Using the puncture or sentinel lymph node biopsy, clinicians should pay enough emphasis on the pathological determination of the node status before chemotherapy. Clinicians will make a quite of false judgment of the tumor by clinical examination, ultrasound or mammography. They may use needle puncture during therapy to evaluate the response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the result should be analyzed synthetically.</p>

Clinical effects of ulinastatin in treating extensive burns patients of shock period / 中国基层医药

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of ulinastatin in treating extensive burns patients of shock period.Methods 15 patients with extensive burns were assigned to the treatment group(8 eases)and the control group(7 cases)randomly,patients in the control group were given the routine therapy,while those in the treatment group Were also given ulinastatin in the early stage of shock period.The life symptoms,urine amount, shock lasting time and complications were observed in the fourth day after injury.Results Compared to the control group,the life symptoms were steadier,urine amount was more of equivalent,shock lasting time was shorter,and complications were less in the treatment group.Conclusion In the early stage of the shock period for extensive burns patients,ulinastatin can help the patients live through the shock period steady.