Responsiveness of the Chinese Quality of Life Instrument in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

Objective： The Chinese Quality of Life Instrument （ChQOL） was developed as a valid generic health status instrument based on the well-established theory of health in Chinese medicine. Psychometric properties of the ChQOL were good. In the present study, the responsiveness of the ChQOL in patients with congestive heart failure （CHF） were investigated and compared with two generic questionnaires, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey （SF-36） and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment （WHOQOL-BREF）, as well as one disease-specific questionnaire, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire （MLHF）. Methods： Thirty-nine in-patients with CHF who had undergone treatment with integrative medicine were recruited. The health status measurements were performed at enrolment and after a 4-week treatment. The following responsiveness indices were used： the effect size （ES） and standardized response mean （SRM）. All patients were classified into those groups with stable measures and those groups with changes after a 4-week treatment, based upon both the doctor＇s global rating of changes in heart function tests, and the patient＇s global rating of changes in overall quality of life. Results： All domains of the ChQOL showed significant improvement. In the comparison of the responsiveness indices, the ChQOL was regarded as more responsive than the WHOQOL-BREF or SF-36 utility, but it was less responsive than the MLHF. Conclusions： The ChQOL was better in sensitivity and responsiveness for assessing congestive heart failure as a generic measure than the SF-36 and WHOQOL-BREF. The ChQOL is considered suitable as an outcome measure for clinical trials in patients with congestive heart failure.

6-Benzylaminopurine treatment maintains the quality of Chinese chive(Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Spreng.) by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity

Chinese chive usually develops an off-flavor after a short storage time. To explore effective ways to maintain the postharvest quality of Chinese chive, the effect of exogenous application of 6-benzylaminopurine（6-BA） on postharvest quality and antioxidant activity of chive was evaluated, and the mechanism of the physiological responses of chive to 6-BA treatment was explored. Chives were sprayed for 10 min with 100, 300, or 500 mg L–1 6-BA or with alkaline solution as the control, then stored at（2±1）°C with a relative humidity（RH） of 80–85%. We found that 300 mg L–1 6-BA significantly delayed yellowing and chlorophyll degradation, maintained the total phenolic and flavonoid content, and improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase（SOD）, catalase（CAT） and peroxidase（POD）. In conclusion, we identified exogenous application of 6-BA as an effective method for maintaining postharvest quality of Chinese chive. In addition, our finding that the activities of antioxidant enzymes increase in response to exogenous 6-BA provides new insights into the mechanism of cytokinin-based postharvest fresh-keeping.

Effects of different dietary energy and protein levels and sex on growth performance,carcass characteristics and meat quality of F1 Angus x Chinese Xiangxi yellow cattle

Background：The experiment evaluated the effect of nutrition levels and sex on the growth performance,carcass characteristics and meat quality of F1 Angus × Chinese Xiangxi yellow cattle.Methods：During the background period of 184 d,23 steers and 24 heifers were fed the same ration,then put into a2×2×2 factorial arrangement under two levels of- dietary energy（TON：70/80%DM）,protein（CP：11.9/14.3%DM）and sex（S：male/female） during the finishing phase of 146 d.The treatments were-（1） high energy/low protein（HELP）,（2） high energy/high protein（HEHP）,（3） low energy/low protein（LELP） and（4） low energy/high protein（LEHP）.Each treatment used 6 steers and 6 heifers,except for HELP- 5 steers and 6 heifers.Results：Growth rate and final carcass weight were unaffected by dietary energy and protein levels or by sex.Compared with the LE diet group,the HE group had significantly lower dry matter intake（DMI,6.76 vs.7.48 kg DM/d）,greater chest girth increments（46.1 vs.36.8 cm）,higher carcass fat（19.9 vs.16.3%） and intramuscular fat content（29.9 vs.22.8%DM）.The HE group also had improved yields of top and medium top grade commercial meat cuts（39.9 vs.36.5%）.The dressing percentage was higher for the HP group than the LP group（53.4 vs.54.9%）.Steers had a greater length increment（9.0 vs.8.3 cm）,but lower carcass fat content（16.8 vs.19.4%） than heifers.The meat quality traits（shear force value,drip loss,cooking loss and water holding capacity） were not affected by treatments or sex,averaging 3.14 kg,2.5,31.5 and 52.9%,respectively.The nutritive profiles（both fatty and amino acid composition） were not influenced by the energy or protein levels or by sex.Conclusions：The dietary energy and protein levels and sex significantly influenced the carcass characteristics and chemical composition of meat but not thegrowth performance,meat quality traits and nutritive profiles.

Bio-characteristic profiling related to clinic:A new technology platform for quality evaluation of Chinese materia medica

Quality evaluation is a bottleneck restricting the modernization and internationalization of Chinese materia medica (CMM). Due to characteristics of multi-component, multi-efficacy, multi-target, the existing quality evaluation system still cannot fully meet quality control needs of CMM. Hence, the author put forward “Bio-characteristic profiling related to clinic, BPRC” academic concept, meanwhile, fully take the advantage of analysis method with clinical monitoring superiority or profiling characteristics, build up “BPRC” new technology platform, in order to realize “real-time, dynamic and full-range monitoring” new technologies of CMM quality evaluation system and promote the further development of CMM industry.

Quality of Life and Chinese Medicine──The Development of Health Status Measures for Chinese Medicine

Quality of Life (QOL) is a multiphase conception, including physical, mental and social factors, and can overall reflect health status of the human. At present, QOL has become a relevant measure of efficacy of treatment in clinical trials. Its use is spreading, and its importance is growing as a valid indicator of whether or not a medical treatment is

Quality of Chinese Export Toys Is Trustworthy

On September 4th, 2007, AQSIQ and the Press Office of the State Council invited 13 media representatives from countries such as America, Britain, France, Japan, Canada, Singapore to visit the Technical Center Toy Laboratory of Guangdong Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Zhentai (China) Industrial Limited Company and Guangdong Xinboxing Toys Limited Company.……

The Quality of Chinese Pens Upgraded

During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, (1991-95), China’s pen industry maintained sustained, rapid, stable and sound development with the further promotion of product quality and grade in production, and its technological advancement. At the same time, new varieties of products and more patterns and specifications were developed. The industry also further developed its business ties with clients abroad and ex-

Certification Becomes Important for the Quality and Safety Supervision of the Chinese Liquor Sector

The end of 2007, over 200 unit products of more than 80 Chinese firms have passed the quality grade certification for liquor products. These products involve distilled spirits, beer, wine, yellow wine, fruit syrup wine and others, and cover over 80% of the national top-branded liquor products.……

Quality Marker Concept Inspires the Quality Research of Traditional Chinese Medicines

Traditional Chinese medicines （TCMs） have been used in China for thousands of years for the treatment of various diseases, highly treated as the Chinese cultural heritage. It has played the pivotal role in maintaining the health of Chinese people and even the entire globe.

Quality Assessment of Clinical Research on Liver Cancer Treated by Intra-Arterial Infusion of Chinese Medicine

Objective：To assess the methodological quality of clinical research on Chinese medicine（CM）applied by infra-arterial infusion in treating primary liver cancer（PLC）.Methods：Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials（CENTRAL）,PubMed,and three Chinese databases,including Chinese BioMedical Database（CBM）,China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）and China Academic Journal（VIP）were searched.Chinese articles were also searched manually in 16 journals.Two reviewers independently selected studies,the quality of literatures were assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration method of quality assessment.Results：A total of 14 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review.Only three of these articles described the randomization method used.None of the studies was blinded.All of the articles didn＇t report the calculation of the sample size.Only six studies mentioned adverse reactions.All of the studies were of grade C according to the Cochrane Collaboration method.Six studies reported results of survival,and only two of these reported better efficacy in the treatment groups.Conclusions：The quality of studies concerned intra-arterial infusion of CM in treating with PLC was poor and the exact effect of these medicines still need evaluation.Well designed RCTs with large sample sizes,adequate follow-up data and reliable methods of assessment are needed to better appraise the real effect of CMs in the treatment of PLC patients.

Assessing the Quality of the First Batch of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Objective: To assess the quality of the first batch of Chinese evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. Methods: Evidence-based CPGs in TCM supported by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO/WPRO) and whose development was organized by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences were identified and manually retrieved. CPGs were assessed using the AGREE instrument, and the data in each CPG were analyzed in terms of the six domains in the AGREE instrument: scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, clarity and presentation, applicability, and editorial independence. Results: Twenty-eight CPGs were identified, of which 26 were included in the study. The AGREE instrument rated the 26 CPGs in terms of the six domains. The assessment results showed the following average scores: for editorial independence, 84.16%; for rigor of development, 80.95%; for scope and purpose, 79.96%; for clarity and presentation, 70.88%; for stakeholder involvement, 61.28%; for applicability, the average score was only 27.09%. In summary, nine CPGs were rated as "strongly recommended", six as "recommended with provision or alternation", and 11 as "unsure". Conclusion: Most of the first batch of Chinese evidence-based CPGs in TCM had significant shortcomings in applicability. It is suggested that special attention be paid to enhancing the quality of applicability when developing evidence-based CPGs in TCM.

Clinical and Psychometric Validation of the Quality of Life Assessment System for Advanced Gastric Cancer Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Objective： To establish questionnaire scaling and reliability and examine the clinical and psychometric validity of the quality of life assessment based on Traditional Chinese Medicine for advanced gastric cancer（QLASTCM-Ga）. Methods： The QLASTCM-Ga was developed based on programmed decision procedures with multiple nominal and focus group discussions, in-depth interview, pretesting and quantitative statistical procedures. The questionnaire was administered to 240 patients diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer before and after treatment. Structured group methods were employed to establish a general and a specific module respectively. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated with respect to validity, reliability and responsiveness. Results： The three identified scales of the QLASTCM-Ga and the total score demonstrated good psychometric properties. Test-retest reliability of the total scale and all domains ranged from 0.90 to 0.94, and internal consistency ranged from 0.86 to 0.93. Correlation and factor analysis demonstrated good construct validity. Significant difference in the subscales and the total score were found among groups differing in traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, supporting the clinical sensitivity of the QLASTCM-Ga. Statistically significant changes were found for each scale and the total score. Responsiveness was also good. Conclusions： The QLASTCM-Ga demonstrates good psychometric and clinical validity to assess quality of life in patients with advanced gastric cancer undergoing traditional Chinese medicine therapy. This study is an important first step for future research in this area.

Health related quality of life:is it another comprehensive evaluation indicator of Chinese medicine on acquired immune deficiency syndrome treatment?

Health related quality of life(HRQOL) can better reflect changes in acquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS) patients and inform economic evaluation of AIDS treatment services,and the assessment of HRQOL can help us to detect problems that may influence the progression of the disease,hence HRQOL has become a particularly important assessment indictor for HIV comprehensive interventions.Being a multi-angle,multi-level,and diversified complex intervention,roles of Chinese medicine(CM) in AIDS treatment have been recognized and accepted by more and more patients,and HRQOL has been widely used to evaluate the comprehensive management effects of CM on AIDS.In this article,the authors analyze the definition and measurement of HRQOL,measurement of HRQOL of HIV/AIDS patients and effects of CM on AIDS,and give some reasonable advices for the usage of the scale of HRQOL.The authors hold that some new HRQOL instruments specific for CM treatment of AIDS should be developed and further prospective studies should be carried out to demonstrate the practicality,reliability and validity of HRQOL as an evaluation indictor for CM treatment of AIDS.

Biopotency Assays:an Integrated Application to Quality Control of Chinese Materia Medica

The current quality control（QC） pattern for Chinese materia medica（CMM） lacks suitable methods and indicators to evaluate their safety and efficacy effectively, which impedes the smooth development of CMM. In this review, main problems of the current QC pattern for CMM, principally focused on the content determination of constituents,were summarized and the inspiration from the QC of biological products was introduced. With the aim at introducing a suitable tool to the QC of CMM, biopotency assay and its feasibility in the QC pattern for CMM were analyzed and confirmed by relevant researches with years of practice. From the applications of biopotency assays in the QC of CMM in the last 10 years, we propose that biopotency assays should be an integral part of the QC pattern for CMM, for these assays can make the QC indicators related to the clinical safety and efficacy, supplementing the existed QC system of CMM.

Survey and Practice of Reporting Quality of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials on Traditional Chinese Medicine

Evidence obtained from randomized controlled trials （RCTs） has been generally accepted as the gold standard in the evaluation of clinical effectiveness. Readers need to understand the trial design, implementation, results, analysis and interpretation, so as to fully Jnderstand the results of RCTs. Thus, the investigators of RCTs have to report these items in a complete, accurate and clear manner. Since 1998, we have conducted several evaluations on the reporting quality of RCTs published in Chinese journals on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and results have shown that there is an urgent need for higher quality RCTs on TCM.

QUALITY CONTROL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINES: INVESTIGATION ON CHEMICAL MARKERS

Traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs)have played an important role in the treatment of diseases for thousands of years.With the rise of the combination therapy for multi-gene diseases,TCMs attracted more attentions gradually.However,TCMs is a complex system which could contain tens,or even hundreds of compounds.Selection of chemical markers is thus a key to the

State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine(Macao University of Science and Technology)

The State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine （Macao University of Science and Technology） was formally established on January 25, 2011 upon approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. It is so far the only State Key Laboratory （SKL） specifically in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） over the country. It is also the jothed-laboratory partner of the State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs at the Peking University.

State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine(Macao University of Science and Technology)

The State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine （Macao University of Science and Technology） was formally established on January 25, 2011 upon approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. It is so far the only State Key Laboratory （SKL） specifically in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） over the country. It is also the joined-laboratory partner of the State Key Laboratory of Natural and Bimnimetic Drugs at the Peking University.

MHC-2D LC STRATEGY FOR THE HOLISTIC QUALITY CONTROL OF NOTOGINSENG-CONTAINING CHINESE PATENT MEDICINES

Current China Pharmacopoeia(ChP)standards employ diversified and case-dependent assay methods to evaluate the quality of different Chinese patent medicines(CPM)that contain Panax notoginseng as the monarch drug.These conventional HPLC-based approaches utilizing complex sample preparation procedure can easily result in low analytical efficiency and possible component loss.We thereby propose a'monomethodheterotrait matrix'(MHM)