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Abstract Unlike micro-local studies on turn allocation, this study combines macro- and micro-local (Traverso, 2004) perspectives to explore turn allocation of the multi-participant medical-service-seeking 1 (MSS) party composed of the patient and his/her companion in accompanied medical consultations in China. Through both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the transcription of 20 audio recorded consultations in China, the talk distribution within the MSS party is examined in terms of the structural organization of a medical visit. Features of the talk distribution in different phases of the medical consultation and factors influencing turn allocation are explored. It is found that talk is not equally distributed within the MSS party, and all phases other than the opening and the closing witness a significant or marginally significant difference in talk contribution by the patient and the companion. Factors influencing turn allocation within the MSS party vary from phase to phase: epistemic gradient, sick-role-triggered activity transfer and coalition to offset power asymmetry are among the most important. The paper sheds light on the study of polylogue, enables cross-cultural comparisons of medical consultations, and has methodological implications for further studies of medical conversations. Highlights 1. Turn allocation in accompanied medical consultations operates at two levels: between parties and within a party. 2. The talk distribution within the treatment-seeking party between the patient and the companion varies from phase to phase. 3. The intra-party turn allocation is tacitly or overtly negotiated between the patient and the companion influenced by a range of factors, such as epistemic gradient, sick role-triggered activity transfer, and coalition to offset power asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of hyperuricemia and gout has been increasing year by year, and it is showing a younger trend. However, the first-line drugs currently used for hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis have serious side effects that limit their clinical application. Amomum villosum Lour. has been widely used in China for thousands of years as a traditional medical and edible plant, and previous screening showed that the ethanol extract of Amomum villosum Lour. could effectively inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase. Based on this discovery, this paper had achieved in-depth mechanism research. The results showed that the ethanol extract of Amomum villosum Lour. could treat hyperuricemia by reducing the production of uric acid via inhibition of xanthine oxidase and increasing the excretion of uric acid via regulation of urate transporters. Meanwhile, the extract also showed a certain protective effect on hepatic and renal damage caused by hyperuricemia. With the formation of extensive uric acid, gouty arthritis will be induced by the deposition of monosodium urate in the joint. The extract could also relieve the inflammation by reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, the extract deserves focused research and development as a potential medicine, health care product or supplemented food for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. [Display omitted] • The EA could reduce the production of uric acid via inhibition of xanthine oxidase. • The EA could increase the excretion of uric acid via regulation of urate transporters. • The EA showed a certain protective effect on hepatic and renal damage caused by hyperuricemia. • The EA could relieve the gouty arthritis by reducing the expression of inflammatory cytokines. • The EA deserves focused research as a potential medicine for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In clinical treatment processes, inpatient length of stay (LOS) is not only a readily available indicator of hospital activity, but also a reasonable proxy of resource consumption. Accurate inpatient LOS prediction has strong implications for health service delivery. Major techniques proposed (statistical approaches or artificial neuronal networks) consider a priori knowledge, such as demographics or patient physical factors, providing accurate methods to estimate LOS at early stages of the patient (admission). However, unexpected scenarios and variations are common places of clinical treatment processes that have a dramatical impact on the LOS. Therefore, these predictors should deal with adaptability, considering the temporal evolution of the patient. In this paper, we propose an inpatient LOS prediction approach across various stages of clinical treatment processes. This proposal relies on a kind of regularity assumption demanding that patient traces of the specific treatment process with similar medical behaviors have similar LOS. Therefore, this approach follows a Case-based Reasoning methodology since it predicts an inpatient LOS of a partial patient trace by referring to the past traces of clinical treatment processes that have similar medical behaviors with the current one. The proposal is evaluated using 284 patient traces from the pulmonary infection CTPs, extracted from Zhejiang Huzhou Central Hospital of China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In clinical treatment processes, inpatient length of stay (LOS) is not only a readily available indicator of hospital activity, but also a reasonable proxy of resource consumption. Accurate inpatient LOS prediction has strong implications for health service delivery. Major techniques proposed (statistical approaches or artificial neuronal networks) consider a priori knowledge, such as demographics or patient physical factors, providing accurate methods to estimate LOS at early stages of the patient (admission). However, unexpected scenarios and variations are commonplaces of clinical treatment processes that have a dramatical impact on the LOS. Therefore, these predictors should deal with adaptability, considering the temporal evolution of the patient. In this paper, we propose an inpatient LOS prediction approach across various stages of clinical treatment processes. This proposal relies on a kind of regularity assumption demanding that patient traces of the specific treatment process with similar medical behaviors have similar LOS. Therefore, this approach follows a Case-based Reasoning methodology since it predicts an inpatient LOS of a partial patient trace by referring to the past traces of clinical treatment processes that have similar medical behaviors with the current one. The proposal is evaluated using 284 patient traces from the pulmonary infection CTPs, extracted from Zhejiang Huzhou Central Hospital of China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper introduces a new service model in cloud computing – the knowledge as a service (KaaS) that facilitates the interoperations among members in a knowledge network. In this study, the KaaS is modeled as a framework of a knowledge cloud system which aims for the development of collaborative networks in medical service industry. The framework is applied in a case study of radiotherapy dynamic treatment service. The collaborative activities supported by knowledge cloud system are analysed. This study has investigated the essential components for the success of a private knowledge network for business network collaboration. This study shows the best practices of the formation of collaborative network facilitating by the knowledge cloud system in medical service industry which can be transferred to other industries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The concept of Health has been discussed a lot in urban planning field in recent years. This paper presents the application of health idea in urban planning practice. By analyzing a case of petrochemical industry park planning, It attempts to explain the implement of health ideas in practice. As progressively of modern urbanization, modern city is becoming homogenization and unhealthy. It''s easy to get lost while pursuing economic benefits in city construction. It has become a key problem in urban management that how to keep city''s healthy and sustainable development. Health City, as well as Low-Carbon City, are the popular concepts based on health idea. Its essence is to pursue the harmony and coexistence of economy, society and environment. Popular concepts reflect the transformation of urban planning ideas, while the point is how to put these ideas into practice to guide urban construction. In this article, the author chooses petrochemical industry as an example, summarized how to apply health idea into urban planning practice. It is considered synthetically how to carry out the health idea in the planning of this industrial space, based on the deep study and understanding of goals and connotation of these concepts, like health city and low-carbon city, taking the particularity of petrochemical industry into account with the space functions, industrial structure and spatial arrangement together. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]