Adrenomedullin (AM) is a novel vasoactive peptide. The actions of AM include vasodilatation, reduction of arterial pressure, inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell transference and proliferation, diuretic and natriuretic, inhibition of aldsterone secretion. Furthermore AM modulates extra cellular matrix deposition. So adrenomedullin plays an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular remodeling. This paper reviews the relationship between AM and cardiovascular remodeling.

Objective To understand the issues in the conversion of private medical institutions and explore the possible options.Methods Case study and in-depth interview were employed in 6 converted medical institutions.Results The reasons for conversion were diversified,and the process was not standardized.The attitudes towards how to deal with the net assets differed so much among the executives.The legislation and supervision by the government were still under-developed.Conclusion The process for the conversion should be standardized and the ownership of the net assets should be clearly defined.The legislation and supervision on private medical institutions should be enhanced.

In the face of conversions of private medical institutions in the United States,the federal and state governments of the United States have developed corresponding laws and policies to adapt to the situation.The paper made an analysis of the profile and causes of the changed business nature of such institutions,and an introduction to the laws on which such change took place,the roles and responsibilities of government departments,the assets disposal and tax exemption status as well as the pricing policies.

Objective of this study is to re-compute the national hospitalization rate in China using the second-hand data and explore the practical use of systematic review in health policy research field.Methods Domestic literatures on hospitalization rate in the last six years were collected and quality assessment was done.Merging analysis was used based upon systematic review approach.Results 25 reported literatures on hospitalization rate of urban and rural residents were included into the study.After merging analysis,the hospitalization rates were 4.70% for the country,5.31% for the urban and 4.26% for the rural.They are higher than the reported hospitalization rate in National Health Services Survey (NHSS)in 2003.After merging with the NHSS data,the hospitalization rate were 4.12%,4.85% and 3.82% respectively.Conclusions Systematic review can be applied in health service and policy research field.Data merging and information processing methods are diversified and could be selected upon research purpose and data attribute.Computation methods in systematic review in health policy research still need to be developed.

Uncoupling protein 4 (UCP4) is a member of the multigenic uncoupling proteins (UCPs), specific expressing in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. UCP4 plays an important role in Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, stroke, brain trauma and other central nervous system diseases by uncoupling, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential,regulating Ca2+ homeostasis and oxidative stress. This article reviews UCP4 and its roles in the central nervous system diseases in order to provide certain basis for the development of UCP4targeted medication.

This paper introduced the latest healthcare management and the service delivery system including health resources in Macao,highlighting the developed legal system,government financing policies for health sector,the well-developed medical service referral system,favorable development supports for private medical institutions,and remuneration incentive policies for health workers in Macao.These may serve as the useful implications and recommendations for health reform and development in mainland of China.

Abstract: Objective To compare the application value of metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) with traditional culture in diagnosis of pulmonary infection pathogens. Methods　The clinical documents of 310 patients with suspected pulmonary infection admitted to the General Hospital of Center Theater Command from February 2021 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The results of mNGS and traditional culture were analyzed, followed by comparison on the positive rate, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy (ACC), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) between the two methods. Results　 The study revealed that mNGS can simultaneously detect multiple pathogens, with the highest efficiency of detection for bacteria and the lowest for fungi. And the sequencing numbers of bacteria, fungi and viruses shown by mNGS were significantly different (H=70.361, P<0.001). In comparison, mNGS displayed a higher positive detection rate (88.40%) than traditional culture (29.70%) (χ2=162.373, P<0.001), but the consistency between the two methods was not significant (Kappa = -0.003, P=0.902). The sensitivity, specificity, ACC, PPV and NPV of mNGS were 91.29%, 28.26%, 81.94%, 87.96%, and 36.11% respectively, compared to corresponding 30.30%, 73.91%, 36.77%, 86.96% and 15.60% of traditional culture respectively. Through analysis, it is confirmed that the sensitivity and specificity between the two methods were statistically significant (91.29% vs 30.30%, χ2=148.120, P<0.001 and 28.26% vs 73.91, χ2=13.793, P<0.001). Conclusions　mNGS can significantly improve the detection rate of pathogens in pulmonary infections and provide a complementary tool besides to traditional culture method for accurate anti-infection therapy. Furthermore, both traditional culture and mNGS pathogen detection methods are highly dependent on sample quality and detection quality control. mNGS requires the correct interpretation of comprehensive, non-destructive pathogenic genetic information to accurately identify pathogens.

Objective To study the nuclear protein association of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1),and the effect of interaction on radiosensitivity in human breast cancer cells.Methods The protein-protein interaction was determined by immunoprecipitationWestern blot and glutathione-S-transferase capture assays.Cell growth was examined by MTT (methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium)assay and clonogenic assay.Histone deacetylase activity was analyzed by histone deacetylase assay.Results A significant increase of HMGB1 protein and radiosensitivity was observed in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells transfected with a pCMV-Tag2B expression vector carrying with a full-length of HMGB1 cDNA.HMGB1 binding to HDAC1 was demonstrated as GST (glutathione Stransferase)-pull down and immunoprecipitation Western blot assay,and the association was elevated by irradiation.An LXCXE motif was required for the HMGB1-HADC1 interaction and HMGB1 radiosensitization.A significant difference of IC50 value was observed,for example,1.8 and 2.2 Gy (wtHMGB1 transfectants,P ＜ 0.05),3.6 and 3.8 Gy (HMGB1/C103F transfectants,P ＞ 0.05),both compared with 3.9 and 4.1 Gy (pCMV-Tag2B transfectants) in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells,respectively.A specific HDAC1 inhibitor trichostatin A markedly reduced the HMGB1-mediated radiosensitivity,0.5 Gy in the presence of trichostatin A versus 1.8 Gy in absence of trichostatin A in MDA-MB-231 transfectants,1.2 Gy (with trichostatin A) versus 2.2 Gy (without trichostatin A) in MDA-MB-468 transfectants,P ＜ 0.05.Histone deacetylase activity was also detected in immunoprecipitates prepared from these cells with antibodies to HMGB1,and this activity was abolished by the histone trichostatin A.Conclusions These results suggest a previous unanticipated role for HDAC1 in modification of HMGB1-mediated radiosensitivity by its direct interaction with HMGB1.

Objective To discuss the degenerative factors, the spinal segment distribution, and the mechanism in hyperextension injury of cervical spine. Method Eighty-nine patients with hyperextension injury of cervical spine were retrospectively analyzed by observing the degenerativelesion, the spinal cord segment with high signal in T2WI, and the location of facial trauma. Results Fifty-eight cases showed the disc hemiation which was the most common lesion, followed by 8 cases showing the calcification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Besides, 7 cases presented the developmental stenosis of spinal canal, and also, 6 cases showed disc hemiation combined with the yellow ligament hypertrophy. The intervertebral level of the spinal cord with high signal in T2WI were distributed as follows:4 cases were at C2/3, of which onesuffered the forehead trauma; 12 cases were at C3/ 4, of which 10 had the forehead trauma, and one had the zygomatic trauma; 12 cases were at C4/5, of which 5 had the forehead trauma, one had both the zygomatic and the forehead trauma, and one had both the forehead and with the lower jaw trauma; 11 cases were at CS/6,of which 3 had the forehead trauma, 3 had the zygomatic trauma, and 2 had the lower jaw trauma. The location of the spinal cord with single high signal in T2WI did not correspond with the intervertebral disc level in 4 cases. For 10 cases the high signal in T2WI was found at two discontinuous segments. For 2 cases the 1 high signal in T2WI was found at over two segments. For 6 cases the high signal in T2WI was found at over three segments. Conclusions Disc hemiation is the most common underlyding factor in cervical hyperextension injury. The spinal level with high signal in T2WI was correlative to the impacted facial site. The shear force at the inflection point with or without the anterior-posterior compression force accounted for the cervical hyperextension injury.

Objective To explore neuroprotective effects of blonanserin on H2O2-induced injury in PC12 cells. Meth?ods PC12 cells were divided into four groups:control group (C group), H2O2-treated group (H group), blonanserin pretreat?ed group (B group) and positive control group (vitamin E- pretreated, E group). The effects of different concentrations of blonanserin (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 μmol·L-1) on cell proliferation in PC 12 cells were observed. MTT assay was used to detect the cell activity of different groups. The apoptotic rates of different groups were measured by TUNEL assay. The mor?phological changes were observed using inverted microscope and Hoechst 33258 staining. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) vi?ability and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detecded by biochemical methods in four groups. Results The appropriate concentration of blonanserin (0-20 μmol·L-1) can promote the growth of PC12 cells. Comparing with the C group, the apoptot?ic rate and MDA level were increased in group H, while the cell viability and the SOD viability were decreased obviously ( P<0.05). Compared with H group, the cell viability, SOD viability were significantly increased, while the MDA level and apoptotic rate were decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Blonanserin shows neuroprotective effect on H2O2-induced injury in PC12 cells.