Short-term effect of 0.01% atropine sulphate eye gel on myopia progression in children.

Aim: To investigate the effect of 0.01% atropine sulphate eye gel on myopia progression and axial elongation in a 6-month treatment in children.

Methods: Totally 185 children aged 6-12y with binocular myopia of 3.

Tear film instability is associated with weakened colocalization between occludin and MUC5AC in scopolamine-induced dry eye disease (DED) rats.

Purpose: Dry eye disease (DED) is a disease with tear film instability because of multiple factors. This study was conducted to explore roles of occludin and MUC5AC in tear film instability in DED rat model.

Methods: A total of 20 SD rats were divided into DED group (n = 10) and normal control (NC) group (n = 10).

Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease in young and middle-aged office employee: a Xi'an Study.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for dry eye disease (DED) in young and middle-aged office employee in Xi'an.

Methods: This cross-sectional study of the prevalence of and risk factors for DED investigated 486 young and middle-aged Chinese office employee in Xi'an. DED symptoms and potential risk factors were assessed using the ocular surface disease index combined with a risk factors questionnaire, and tear function was evaluated using the tear film break-up time and Schirmer's test.

Beneficial effect of traditional Chinese medicine fumigation "Bone-healing Powder" in postoperative pain and recovery of neurological function of traumatic thoracolumbar spine fractures: A case-control study.

Background: Thoracolumbar spine (TLS) fractures are commonly associated with the young healthy population, with its risk factors including both high-energy traumas and neurological deficit. The underlying mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and TLS fractures have been explored. Therefore, our prospective study was conducted in order to explore the beneficial effects of TCM fumigation "Bone-healing Powder" method in both postoperative pain as well as the recovery of the patient's neurological function following healing from their traumatic TLS fractures.

Acellular ostrich corneal stroma used as scaffold for construction of tissue-engineered cornea.

Aim: To assess acellular ostrich corneal matrix used as a scaffold to reconstruct a damaged cornea.

Methods: A hypertonic saline solution combined with a digestion method was used to decellularize the ostrich cornea. The microstructure of the acellular corneal matrix was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining.

The optimal choice of medication administration route regarding intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injection.

Background: Intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC) are the three most frequently used injection routes in medication administration. Comparative studies of SC versus IV, IM versus IV, or IM versus SC have been sporadically conducted, and some new findings are completely different from the dosage recommendation as described in prescribing information. However, clinicians may still be ignorant of such new evidence-based findings when choosing treatment methods.

Prescribing practice and evaluation of appropriateness of enteral nutrition in a university teaching hospital.

Background: A retrospective utilization study was performed to evaluate utilization patterns for enteral nutrition in a university teaching hospital.

Methods: Enteral nutrition was divided into three types according to the nitrogen source, ie, total protein type [Nutrison Fibre(®), Fresubin Energy Fibre(®), Fresubin(®), Supportan(®) (a special immunonutrition for cancer patients or patients with increased demands for omega-3 fatty acids), Fresubin Diabetes(®) (a diabetes-specific formula), Ensure(®)]; short peptide type (Peptison(®)); and amino acid type (Vivonex(®)). A pharmacoeconomic analysis was done based on defined daily dose methodology.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and prion diseases.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an important cellular organelle in eukaryotic cells, becomes dysfunctional following exposure to harmful stimuli. These stimuli can cause the ER stress response, which induces cell apoptosis due to changes in ER protein levels such as glucose-regulated protein. Current studies indicate that ER stress is closely related to the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative disorders, e.

[Tear osmolarity and dry eye].

Dry eye is a common eye disease, and its incidence rate has been escalating. The increased tear osmolarity is one of the main reasons for complaint, damage and inflammation of dry eye patients. With the breakthrough of testing technology for tear osmolarity, more research and application of tear osmolarity was reported, and papers on tear osmolarity of normal eye and dry eye in different regions were also published.

[Electricity generation and contaminants degradation performances of a microbial fuel cell fed with Dioscorea zingiberensis wastewater].

The electricity generation performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) utilizing Dioscorea zingiberensis wastewater was studied with an H-shape reactor. Indexes including pH, conductivity, oxidation peak potential and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the anolyte were monitored to investigate the contaminants degradation performance of the MFC during the electricity generation process, besides, contaminant ingredients in anodic influent and effluent were analyzed by GC-MS and IR spectra as well. The maximum power density of the MFC could achieve 118.

Effect of Sb dopant amount on the structure and electrocatalytic capability of Ti/Sb-SnO2 electrodes in the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol.

Ti/Sb-SnO2 anodes were prepared by thermal decomposition to examine the influence of the amount of Sb dopant on the structure and electrocatalytic capability of the electrodes in the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol. The physicochemical properties of the Sb-SnO2 coating were markedly influenced by different amounts of Sb dopant. The electrodes, which contained 5% Sb dopant in the coating, presented a much more homogenous surface and much smaller mud-cracks, compared with Ti/Sb-SnO2 electrodes containing 10% or 15% Sb dopant, which exibited larger mud cracks and pores on the surface.

[A study on the capability of dyslipidemia diagnosis and treatment among 42 community hospitals in Beijing].

Objective: To understand the use of lipidemia related assistant examinations and lipid-lowering agents, the clinical ability among physicians in district and community hospitals in Beijing, and to evaluate the capability of dislipidemia diagnosis and treatment in these hospitals.

Methods: A survey was carried out in 42 hospitals in Chaoyang and Haidian district, including 9 district level hospitals, and the rest were at the community level. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interview were used to collect information from the leaders of related departments in those hospitals.

[The impact of two continuing education models on competence for hypertension diagnosis and treatment of community physicians].

Objective: To compare the impact of two different continuing education models: traditional model and a new model entitled "problem-oriented and case-based" mutual pattern and "train the trainer" course, on improving hypertension diagnosis and treatment competence of community physicians.

Methods: A total of 632 physicians from 22 district and community hospitals in Haidian district (new model) and 20 district and community hospitals in Chaoyang district (traditional model) in Beijing were trained during July to October 2002. The survey was carried out before and 2 years after training with examination questionnaire.

[A cross-sectional study on knowledge and the ability of hypertension treatment among physicians in district and community hospitals].

Objective: To estimate the knowledge level and clinical ability of hypertension treatment among physicians in district and community hospitals in big and moderate cities.

Methods: 43 district and community hospitals were selected by non-random sampling in Beijing and Baotou inner-Mongolia municipality. A total of 754 physicians in those hospitals were investigated, through an examination.

[Study on the influence of knowledge about hypertension and clinical management competence among physicians treating hypertensives in district and community hospitals].

Objective: To analyze the influence of knowledge about hypertension and clinical competence among physicians in district and community hospitals on management of hypertensives.

Methods: Questionnaire investigation was used in 9 district and community hospitals in Chaoyang and Haidian district, including 181 physicians and 204 patients with hypertension.

Results: (1) The hospitals involved were divided into two groups according to our evaluation on the knowledge of hypertension and clinical competence of physicians.

[A cross-sectional study on the usage condition of hypertension related examinations and antihypertensive drugs among 40 district and community based hospitals in Beijing].

Objective: To study the use of hypertension related physical examinations, laboratory tests and anti-hypertension drugs among district and community based hospitals in Beijing and to analyze the possible hardware (examination, test, drug) problems under the application of the "China Hypertension Guide" in those hospitals.

Methods: The survey was carried out in 40 hospitals in Chaoyang and Haidian districts, including 9 district level hospitals, and the rest at community level. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interview were used to collect information from the leaders of related departments in those hospitals.