Scientometric trends and knowledge maps of global health systems research.

BACKGROUND: In the last few decades, health systems research (HSR) has garnered much attention with a rapid increase in the related literature. This study aims to review and evaluate the global progress in HSR and assess the current quantitative trends. METHODS: Based on data from the Web of Science database, scientometric methods and knowledge visualization techniques were applied to evaluate global scientific production and develop trends of HSR from 1900 to 2012. RESULTS: HSR has increased rapidly over the past 20 years. Currently, there are 28,787 research articles published in 3,674 journals that are listed in 140 Web of Science subject categories. The research in this field has mainly focused on public, environmental and occupational health (6,178, 21.46%), health care sciences and services (5,840, 20.29%), and general and internal medicine (3,783, 13.14%). The top 10 journals had published 2,969 (10.31%) articles and received 5,229 local citations and 40,271 global citations. The top 20 authors together contributed 628 papers, which accounted for a 2.18% share in the cumulative worldwide publications. The most productive author was McKee, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, with 48 articles. In addition, USA and American institutions ranked the first in health system research productivity, with high citation times, followed by the UK and Canada. CONCLUSIONS: HSR is an interdisciplinary area. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries showed they are the leading nations in HSR. Meanwhile, American and Canadian institutions and the World Health Organization play a dominant role in the production, collaboration, and citation of high quality articles. Moreover, health policy and analysis research, health systems and sub-systems research, healthcare and services research, health, epidemiology and economics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, primary care research, health economics and health costs, and pharmacy of hospital have been identified as the mainstream topics in HSR fields. These findings will provide evidence of the current status and trends in HSR all over the world, as well as clues to the impact of this popular topic; thus, helping scientific researchers and policy makers understand the panorama of HSR and predict the dynamic directions of research.

[Preparation and stuctural behavior of the inclusion complex of beta-cyclodextrin and coptisine hydrochloride].

OBJECTIVE: To optimize the preparation of Coptisine hydrochloride/beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) inclusion complex and analyze the structure of the inclusion complex. METHODS: With encapsulation rate as the index of evaluation, different factors influencing the inclusion complex e. g. temperature, inclusion time and cooling time were investigated; UV-vis, DSC, 1H-NMR, and solubilization experiment were utilized to analyze the inclusion complex. RESULTS: The optimum process was as follows: coptisine hydrochloride: beta-CD (mol/mol) = 1: 2, 40 degrees C, agitating for 2h and then cooling for 3d. Inclusion rate was 90. 64%. Various characterization results showed that the inclusion equilibrium constant Ka was 3.11 x 10(6) M(-1) at 298K, the benzene ring of coptisine hydrochloride was included into the cavity of beta-CD, furthermore, the thermal stability and water-solubility of coptisine hydrochloride was improved when it was included with beta-CD. CONCLUSION: The 2:1 (molar ratio) complexes between beta-CD and coptisine hydrochloride is formed, which improves the bioavailability of coptisine hydrochloride.

[Effects of Changjishu soft elastic capsule in treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel patients with liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome: a randomized double-blinded controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Changjishu soft elastic capsule, a new Chinese herbal medicine for smoothing liver, invigorating spleen and regulating qi activity, on diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) patients with liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, and positive control method was adopted. One hundred and four cases of D-IBS conforming to the inclusive criteria were randomly divided into treatment group (78 cases) and control group (26 cases). Patients in the treatment group were treated with Changjishu soft elastic capsule, four capsules once daily and three times a day. Patients in the control group were treated with glutamine compound enteric capsule, three capsules once daily and three times a day. After 21-day treatment, the efficacy of Changjishu soft elastic capsule was evaluated by the changes of single symptom such as abdominal pain or discomfort, defecation frequency, and stool characteristics. The safety of Changjishu elastic capsule was assessed by laboratory data and adverse events. RESULTS: Abdominal pain or discomfort scores at days 7, 14, 21 and the declined score at day 21 in the treatment group significantly decreased as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Defecation frequency score at day 14 and the declined score at day 21 in the treatment group significantly decreased as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Stool characteristics score and the declined score at day 21 in the treatment group significantly decreased as compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). Rugitus scores and the declined scores at days 14 and 21 significantly decreased as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The total response rates in the treatment and control groups were 71.62% and 40.91%, and the recovery rates were 20.27% and 13.64%, respectively. There existed significant differences between the two groups in therapeutic effect (P < 0.01). The therapeutic effect of Changjishu elastic capsule was better than that of glutamine compound enteric capsule. Side effects and adverse events were not found in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Changjishu soft elastic capsule is effective and safe for treatment of D-IBS patients with liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome.