Lack of efficacy of a herbal preparation (RCM-102) for seasonal allergic rhinitis: a double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND: A herbal preparation, known as RMIT Chinese Medicine 102 (RCM-102) consisting of eight herbs which demonstrates inhibition of the release of key inflammatory mediators associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) was used. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of RCM-102 for SAR. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of RCM-102 for SAR. METHODS: This randomised placebo-controlled trial involved subjects aged between 18 and 65 who were randomly assigned to either RCM-102 or a placebo group. After a two-week baseline period, all subjects took either RCM-102 or placebo capsules (two capsules each time, three times daily with a four hour interval) for a period of eight weeks. The primary end-points were the Five-Point Scale symptom scores. Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, relief medication usage, adverse events, kidney and liver function tests and full blood examination were secondary end-points. Intention-to-treat analysis was applied. RESULTS: One hundred and four subjects were randomised with 52 in each group. Ninety-five subjects (47 and 48 subjects in RCM-102 and placebo groups) completed the trial. Nine subjects withdrew from the study prior to the end of the second treatment week. At the end of the trial, there were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to all outcome measures. There were no liver or kidney function abnormalities reported. CONCLUSION: This mechanism-based RCM-102 was safe but not more beneficial than placebo for patients with SAR.

Neomycin robertson’s cooked meat medium (N.RCM) for the selective isolation of anaerobes.

As Robertson’s cooked meat medium (RCM) promotes the simultaneous multiplication of facultative anaerobes along with anaerobes, it may be interfered with the isolation rate of anaerobes. In the present study RCM was made selective to overcome this difficulty by the incorporation of Neomycin. The efficacy of modified RCM was evaluated by growing stock cultures of various anaerobes and aerobes well as by inoculating clinical specimen directly and comparing the results with routine RCM. Among the 160 stock cultures of aerobes 8 of the 28 neomycin resistant aerobes grew in N.RCM but none of the 132 neomycin sensitive aerobes. Out of the 150 clinical samples tested in the study,77 anaerobes and 97 aerobes were isolated from routine RCM whereas 89 anaerobes and 8 Neomycin resistant aerobes from NRCM (i.e. NRCM inhibited 91.7% of aerobes and gave an increased yield of 13.5% anaerobes).These findings suggest that NRCM can be employed to suppress the aerobes and at the same time to enhance the isolation of anaerobes.

Study on management mode of reliability maintenance of military medical equipment / 医疗卫生装备

As an important part of the health service security system,military medical equipment has important strategic position in wartime.Under the condition of high technology,the modern warfare has also laid higher requirement to the reliability guarantee of medical equipment.With the modernization development of military equipment,traditional medical equipment maintenance management mode does not meet the requirements of modern military medical equipment and its maintenance.Therefore,based on the reliability guarantee theory,the "Reliability Centered Maintenance(RCM)" management mode for military medical equipment is studied in order to achieve the purpose of improving the equipment reliability and the integrity of combat readiness.