neo-Clerodane Diterpenoids from the Aerial Parts of Scutellaria barbata with Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

The bioactivity-guided isolation on the Scutellaria barbata extract resulted in the purification of four undescribed neo-clerodane diterpenoids, scuttenlines A-D (1-4), alone with 20 known diterpenoids (5-24). The chemical structures of them were elaborated by extensive spectroscopic means, including 1D, 2D-NMR and HR-MS. The anti-inflammatory potential ability of 1-24 was screened in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mouse RAW 264.7 cells. Scuttenline C (IC50 =1.9 µM) and 18 (IC50 =3.7 µM) exhibited potent activity to inhibit NO production.

Dental caries status of students from migrant primary schools in Shanghai Pudong New Area.

BACKGROUND: In China, there is a large migrant population. A significant proportion of children of the migrant population in China are not able to attend public schools due to the lack of local household registration (HuKou). They turn to privately-operated migrant schools, which are usually under-funded, have bad environmental facilities and are inadequately staffed compared to public schools. This study aims to describe the dental caries status of students from migrant primary schools in Shanghai Pudong New Area and factors that influence their caries status. METHODS: Children (7-12 years old) from migrant primary schools in Shanghai Pudong New Area were randomly selected through a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Following the recommendation of the World Health Organization, caries experiences were recorded using the dmft index. A questionnaire to survey the children's socio-demographic characteristics and oral health-related behaviours was completed by the children's parents or guardians. RESULTS: A total of 1385 children in migrant primary schools were invited, of which 1323 joined the survey (95.5 %). Among all the surveyed subjects, the prevalence rate of dental caries was 74.7 % (65.7 % for primary teeth and 28.1 % for permanent teeth). The mean (SD) dmft scores were 3.17 (3.12), 2.74 (3.02) for the primary teeth and 0.44 (0.84) for the permanent teeth, and 99.5 % of the carious teeth received no treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Students from migrant primary schools in Shanghai Pudong New Area had bad conditions of dental caries and most of the carious teeth were left untreated. The caries experience was associated with tooth brushing habits, snacking habits, dental visit and gender.

Factors Associated with Relapse among Heroin Addicts: Evidence from a Two-Year Community-Based Follow-Up Study in China.

BACKGROUND: Many countries including China are facing a serious opiate dependence problem. Anti-drug work effectiveness was affected by the high relapse rate all over the world. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing heroin addict relapse, and to provide evidence for generating relapse prevention strategies. METHODS: A community-based follow-up study was conducted in China between October 2010 and September 2012. A total of 554 heroin addicts in accordance with the inclusion criteria from 81 streets in 12 districts of Shanghai, China were divided into 4 groups: group 1--daily dosage taken orally of 60 mL of methadone or under combined with psychological counseling and social supports (n = 130); group 2--daily dosage taken orally of over 60 mL of methadone combined with psychological counseling and social supports (n = 50); group 3--JTT (Jitai tablets) combined with psychological counseling and social supports (n = 206); group 4--JTT combined with social supports (n = 168). RESULTS: Log-rank test results showed that the cumulative relapse rate differences among four groups during the two-year follow-up period were not statistically significant (χ² = 5.889, p = 0.117). Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that only three independent variables were still statistically significant, including compliance with participation in psychological counseling (OR = 3.563, p = 0.000), the years of drug use (OR = 1.078, p = 0.001)and intervention model. CONCLUSIONS: Using the detoxification medications combined with appropriate psychological counseling and social support measures will help improve the effectiveness of relapse prevention, which is a kind of alternative community detoxification pattern. Appropriate and standard psychological counseling is very important for anti-drug treatment. The longer the drug addiction lasts, the longer the anti-drug treatment takes.

The effectiveness comparison of Jitai tablets versus methadone in community-based drug treatment: a 1-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of Jitai tablets (JTT) versus methadone in a community drug treatment program. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted with 386 eligible subjects from 7 districts to 65 communities in Shanghai. The subjects were placed into the JTT group (n=206) or the methadone group (n=180). The data were collected at 8-, 26- and 52-week follow-ups. RESULTS: The retention rates of the methadone group at the 8-, 26-, and 52-week follow-ups were 97.78%, 91.67%, and 85.00%, respectively. The retention rates of the JTT group at these follow-ups were 90.78%, 83.50%, and 74.27%, respectively. A Chi-square test indicated a significant difference, and the P values were 0.0037, 0.0161, and 0.0095 for each follow-up. The relapse rates for the JTT group were 3.88%, 6.31% and 11.17% for each follow-up, and those for the methadone group were 1.11%, 2.78%, and 7.78% for each follow-up. The Chi-square test indicated no significance, and the P values were 0.1128, 0.1005 and 0.2594. A survival analysis indicated that the relapse survival curve had no significant difference between the two groups (log-rank test, P=0.188). CONCLUSION: Methadone and JTT combined with psychological intervention and social support provided effective maintenance treatment and relapse prevention in a community drug treatment program. The retention rate in the methadone group was higher, but the JTT group had the same relapse prevention as the methadone group. JTT can be recommended to clinical doctors and drug addicts.

[A Monte-Carlo study for propensity score methods].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the statistical property of the estimators on exposure effect and value of propensity score methods in practical use. METHODS: Simulation data, propensity score methods (PSM) were conducted to assess bias and efficiency, under both with/without model misspecification conditions. RESULTS: Under model misspecification conditions, propensity score methods had better robustness than model based methods. CONCLUSION: For large and complicated data, propensity score methods had more flexibility in practical use than model based methods.

[Mensuration of life quality in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the cataract surgery].

Quality of life (QOL), a kind of mensuration which reflect all sorts of actions and capabilities of the patients, cover with many aspects such as the human body function, psychology, psychosis status and social activities, therefore QOL is become an important parameter in the evaluation the results of clinical treatment. The effect of the cataract surgery should be materialized not only in the aspects of visual acuity and the visual function, but also in the improvement of the QOL, fundamentally. Here, the author make a summary include mensuration and questionnaire of the cataract related Quality of life, result of the QOL and it's affect factor after the cataract surgery, the relationship between the QOL and other visual test, and the attentions while using the QOL measure, etc.