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Why are death penalty provisions, convictions and executions so prevalent in China? This article aims to answer this question by way of defining China as a 'state power'- based society characterized by a socialist social system. The prevalence of the death penalty in China can be explained in terms of the following factors: first, the death penalty is a political issue of state power; second, the death penalty is a crucial part of criminal policy in a 'state power'-based society; third, the issue of whether to retain the death penalty is a political rather than a legal matter. The Chinese government has improved its death penalty system in recent years; however, the situation has not fundamentally changed. The future of death penalty policy and practice in China will depend primarily on legal rather than democratic developments. The death penalty serves as a focal point that can help illuminate issues of punishment and society in East Asia. Accordingly, this article will elaborate my theories regarding the death penalty in contemporary China, with the primary intent of elucidating the relationship between punishment and society in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Hobukesar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, (China), a mass-screening programme for human cystic echinococcosis (CE) was performed during 1995 and 1996. After the survey 51 cases were followed-up using ultrasound scan and serology for 1–8 years (1996–2003). These included 20 CE cases treated by surgery (endocystectomy), four CE cases treated by percutanous drainage (PAIR), six untreated CE cases, five ultrasound ‘query’ cases, eight cases of isolated hepatic calcifications, four previous CE surgery cases whose ultrasound was now normal, and four seropositive cases who exhibited a normal hepatic ultrasound. Follow-up results indicated that in the untreated CE patients, one case exhibited a spontaneous cure within 4 years, another case changed from a hepatic hydatid cyst that contained a floating laminated membrane (type CE3) to a cyst that contained daughter cysts (type CE2) within 1 year of follow-up. In the 20 surgically treated cases, two recurrent CE cases occurred within 4 years, and five cases had had residual cavities for more than 4 or 8 years. Of the 4 PAIR treated cases, two recurrent cases of CE occurred within 4 or 8 years of follow-up. Serological follow-up data showed that specific IgG antibody levels were persistently positive in most CE cases, but exhibited a decreasing tendency in cases that were effectively treated by surgery; In contrast, serum IgG levels in the PAIR group or in the recurrent CE cases after surgery exhibited an increasing tendency. At least one persistant seropositive case with an isolated hepatic calcification was considered to be abortive CE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To determine the true community prevalence of human cystic (CE) and alveolar (AE) echinococcosis (hydatid disease) in a highly endemic region in Ningxia Hui, China, by detecting asymptomatic cases., Methods: Using hospital records and "AE-risk" landscape patterns we selected study communities predicted to be at risk of human echinococcosis in Guyuan, Longde and Xiji counties. We conducted community surveys of 4773 individuals from 26 villages in 2002 and 2003 using questionnaire analysis, ultrasound examination and serology., Findings: Ultrasound and serology showed a range of prevalences for AE (0-8.1%; mean 2%) and CE (0-7.4%; mean 1.6%), with the highest prevalence in Xiji (2% for CE, 2.5% for AE). There were significant differences in the prevalence of CE, AE and total echinococcosis between the three counties and villages (with multiple degrees of freedom). While hospital records showed 96% of echinococcosis cases attributable to CE, our survey showed a higher prevalence of human AE (56%) compared to CE (44%). Questionnaire analysis revealed that key risk factors for infection were age and dog ownership for both CE and AE, and Hui ethnicity and being female for AE. Drinking well-water decreased the risk for both AE and CE., Conclusion: Echinococcosis continues to be a severe public health problem in this part of China because of unhygienic practices/habits and poor knowledge among the communities regarding this disease.

Our previous work has shown that a number of genes locating on 1q21 were down-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and they may involve in carcinogenesis. To determine whether chromosome 1q LOH occurs in ESCC, we analyzed LOH in 61 ESCCs using 18 microsatellite markers on chromosome 1q. Forty-six of 61 (75.4%) tumors presented LOH at one or more loci. A significant association was found between chromosome 1q LOH and histopathological grade. LOH on D1S3466 had a negative correlation with family history, whereas LOH on D1S2777 positively correlated with smoking. These results suggest this region harbor putative tumor suppressor gene(s) contributing to tumorigenesis and differentiation in ESCC.