Chinese expert consensus on the non-invasive imaging examination pathways of stable coronary artery disease

1 Introduction Early detection and diagnosis of stable coronary artery disease （SCAD） is essential for proactive secondary prevention of myocardial infarction （MI）, control of disease progress, and reduction of mortality. Clinical decision-making in modem medicine is increasingly dependent on cardiovascular imaging techniques. 2012 ACCF/AHA/ACP/AATS/ PCNA/SCAI/STS guideline for the diagnosis and management of patients with stable ischemic heart disease has been issued by American Heart Association （AHA）. European Society of Cardiology （ESC） has issued 2013 ESC guidelines on the management of stable coronary artery disease.

Management of liver cirrhosis between primary care and specialists

This article discusses a practical, evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of liver cirrhosis by focusing on etiology, severity, presence of complications, and potential home-managed treatments. Relevant literature from 1985 to 2010 (PubMed) was reviewed. The search criteria were peer-reviewed full papers published in English using the following MESH headings alone or in combination: "ascites", "liver fibrosis", "cirrhosis", "chronic hepatitis", "chronic liver disease", "decompensated cirrhosis", "hepatic encephalopathy", "hypertransaminasemia", "liver transplantation" and "portal hypertension". Forty-nine papers were selected based on the highest quality of evidence for each section and type (original, randomized controlled trial, guideline, and review article), with respect to specialist setting (Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Internal Medicine) and primary care. Liver cirrhosis from any cause represents an emerging health issue due to the increasing prevalence of the disease and its complications worldwide. Primary care physicians play a key role in early identification of risk factors, in the management of patients for improving quality and length of life, and for preventing complications. Specialists, by contrast, should guide specific treatments, especially in the case of complications and for selecting patient candidates for liver transplantation. An integrated approach between specialists and primary care physicians is essential for providing better outcomes and appropriate home care for patients with liver cirrhosis.

Forecasting promising technology using analysis of patent information:Focused on next generation mobile communications

In order to forecast promising technologies in the field of next generation mobile communication, various patent indicators were analyzed such as citation per patent, patent family information, patent share, increase rate, and patent activity. These indicators were quantified into several indexes and then integrated into an evaluation score to provide promising technologies. As a result of the suggested patent analysis, four technologies out of twenty two in details classification were selected, which showed outstanding technology competitiveness, high patent share and increasing rates as well as high recent-patent-ratios and triad-patent-family-ratios. Each of the selected technologies scored more than 10 points in total, and the following four technologies were suggested as promising ones in the field of next generation mobile communication: 1) 3GPP based mobile communication, 2) beyond 4G mobile communication, 3) IEEE 802.16 based mobile communication, which are in medium classification of broadband mobile communication system, and 4) testing/certification system of mobile communication, which is in medium classification of mobile communication testing/certification system.

Determination of construction art and parameters for passenger dedicated line grouting test within karst area

There are many karst areas within Wuhan-Guangzhou route. Karst grouting is one of the main construction procedures of the sub-grade construction. Through construction art tests,construction principles,water and cementation ratio,grouting construction key points and quality check requirements were determined. Grouting quantity and pressure can be determined according to different geology conditions. Recommendations for quality problems such as bad practicability of grouting,unexpected dissipation of slurry,slurry belching,and overfeeding of slurry going to non-grouting area were proposed.

Carbon Reduction Policies: A Regional Comparison of Their Contributions to CO_2 Abatement in Six Carbon Trading Pilot Schemes in China

The contributions of carbon reduction policies were evaluated and compared for six carbon trading pilot schemes in China, in four municipalities(Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing) and two provinces(Guangdong and Hubei). The carbon emissions accounting method of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was used to calculate the actual CO2 and the support vector machine model was used to predict CO2. Chinese carbon reduction policies abated CO2 in the six carbon trading pilot schemes after the comprehensive policies came into force. However, the contribution of policies to CO2 abatement varied among regions, and the effect of carbon reduction policy on municipality pilot schemes was greater than on provincial pilot schemes. The largest contribution of carbon reduction policy to CO2 abatement was 28.3%, for the pilot carbon trading scheme in Beijing, and the smallest contribution was 3.7%, for that in Hubei. It is crucial to consider "carbon leakage" and a carbon trading linking program in order to evaluate the effects of carbon reduction policies.

The Use of Tamping Machine for Diagnosising the Longitudinal Forces in Rails of CWR Track

In the novel approach to the diagnostic tests of continuous welded rail （CWR） track by the use of the tamping machine, the fundamental statement related to the recording of the curvature with a definite value of the lateral displacement being subjected to verification, can provide a basis for the determination of the longitudinal axial force in the rail. An attempt has also been made to define an alternative factor which by means of the measured signals, could be used for the determination of the axial forces in the rail sections. A power engineering approach has been adopted to this concept. Within the framework of the experimental investigations, measurements were carried out in the track test section. The investigations were based on stretching the rail sections by stretchers and on lateral displacements of the track by the tamping machine. The operation of the measuring apparatus was also tested in the experimental railway track section while carrying out the geometrical adjustments by the tamping machine. As a result of next series of the investigation carried out in 2006-2007, the authors worked out a procedure of estimating the longitudinal forces in rails of CWR track.

TEST SPECIFICATIONS AND READING ASSESSMENT——DESIGNING THE NEW TEM4 READING TEST SPECIFICATIONS

Having examined the role, format and usefulness of test specifications in test development and evaluation, this paper sets out to investigate the significance of test specifications in the process of reading assessment. In order to exemplify how test specifications facilitate the operationalization of test construct and the development of items/tasks, this paper makes a close analysis of the new TEM4 reading test specifications. It is hoped that the discussion will throw light on how to translate construct into operational terms in test design and development.

DECISION MAKING WHILE SCORING EFL TAPE-MEDIATED SPEAKING TEST PERFORMANCE

This study investigates how raters make their scoring decisions when assessing tape-mediated speaking test performance. 24 Chinese EFL teachers were trained before scoring analytically five sample tapes selected from TEM4-Oral, a national EFL speaking test designed for college English major sophomores in China. The raters' verbal reports concerning what they were thinking about while making their scoring decisions were audio-recorded and collected during and immediately after each assessment. Post-scoring interviews were used as supplements to the probe of the scoring process. A qualitative analysis of the data showed that the raters tended to give weight to the content, to punish both grammar and pronunciation errors and to reward the use of impressive and uncommon words. Moreover, the whole decision-making process was proved to be cyclic in nature. A flow chart describing the cyclic process of hypothesis forming and testing was then proposed and discussed.

RATER PERCEPTIONS OF FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE RATING OF TEM-4 ORAL TEST

A survey was carried out in this study to find out the factors that the raters perceived as affecting the rating of TEM-4 Oral Test, a large-scale tape-mediated oral English testing system in China. The findings show that what the raters perceived as affecting the rating included training, raters' interaction with the rating criteria, raters' physical and emotional conditions, raters' attitudes towards the rating work, raters' oral English proficiency level, and the recording quality. Raters' educational and research background were perceived not to affect the rating.

Chinese patent medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on principles of tonifying Qi, promoting blood circulation by removing blood stasis, and resolving phlegm: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicine(CPM) with the principle of tonifying Qi, promoting blood circulation by removing blood stasis, and resolving phlegm(TQ-PBC-RP)in the management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).METHODS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials(RCTs) identified from electronic databases and print was conducted. RCTs testing CPMs with TQ-PBC-RP against any type of controlled intervention in patients with stable COPD and assessing clinically relevant outcomes were included. Methodological quality was evaluated with the risk of bias tool according to systematic review handbook 5.0.2. Quality of evidence was estimatedby the rating approach developed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development,and Evaluation Working Group.RESULTS: Thirteen eligible RCTs with 12 oral CPMs were tested. Significant differences between groups in favor of CPMs were not reported in all trials. Most trials included were deemed to be of low methodological quality with poor evidence quality.Because of large data heterogeneity, statistical pooling was not performed for all outcomes.CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of CPM in the treatment of stable COPD is not supported by evidence. Currently, evidence from RCTs is scarce and methodologically weak. Considering the popularity of CPMs among patients undergoing COPD, rigorously designed trials are warranted.