Objective To explore the relationship of the severity of coronary-artery stenosis with plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and Meprin-α.Methods Totally 237 patients in our hospital were divided into control group (CON group), stable angina group (SA group) and acute coronary syndrome group (ACS group), according to coronary artery angiography.Patients with acute coronary syndrome were divided into 3 subgroups: unstable angina (UA) group, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) group and ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) group.Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were divided into 3 subgroups: low-score, medium-score and high-score groups, according to coronary angiography and Syntax score.BNP and Meprin-α levels were determined in patients with coronary artery disease, and the degree of coronary artery stenosis was evaluated.The differences in above indexes were analyzed and compared among the three groups.Results Plasma levels of BNP and Meprin-α were higher in ACS group than in CON group [(233.16± 78.22)ng/L vs.(33.48 ± 13.71)ng/L, (26.89 ± 6.45) nmol/L vs.(12.83±0.66)nmol/L, both P＜0.05].Compared with UA group, plasma levels of BNP and Meprin-α were increased in NSTEMI and STEMI groups (all P＜0.05).Compared with the control group, plasma levels of BNP and Meprin-α in the Syntax scores-divided subgroups were increased (all P＜ 0.05).The plasma levels of BNP and Meprin-α in CAD patients were significantly increased along with the increase of Syntax Score.Spearman correlation analysis showed that low density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, BNP and Meprin-α levels had positive correlations with the occurrence of coronary heart disease, while high density lipoprotein level was negatively correlated with the occurrence of coronary heart disease (all P＜0.05).Conclusions BNP and Meprin-α levels in peripheral blood are significantly elevated in patients with coronary heart disease, and they are correlated with Syntax score.The risk of ACS is increased along with the increased BNP and Meprinα levels.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Humans

Objective: To construct a competency evaluation model for health managers based on the grounded theory, so as to provide insights into the training and evaluation of health managers. Methods: From December 2022 to March 2023, health managers with three years and more of working from health management center of a tertiary hospital, a health management enterprise and a university with a top-tier ranking for the major of "Health Services and Management" were invited, and a semi-structured interview on competency was conducted based on grounded theory. Coding techniques were applied to analyze the interview data, including open coding, axial coding, selective coding and theoretical saturation testing using NVivo12 software. Based on the coding results and drawing inspiration from McClelland's "Iceberg Competency Model Structure", a competency evaluation model for health managers was formulated. Results: Twenty-one health managers participated in the study, including 8 participants from the hospital, 7 participants from the enterprise and 6 participants from the university, 14 females, 17 participants with 3-10 years of working, and 6 participants with the rank of associate senior professional title or above. The interview yielded 5 main categories, from which the competency evaluation model for health managers was developed with five dimensions: professional development, health management capability, communication and coordination, humanistic care, and personal traits. professional development and health management capability constituted the overt competencies of health managers, while communication and coordination, humanistic care, and personal traits formed their implicit competencies. Conclusions The competency evaluation model for health managers constructed in this study includes explicit competency and implicit competency, which is expected to serve as a reference for the effective selection and cultivation of health managers.

Objective To investigate the roles of somatostatin(SS)positive intemeurons in the development and compensation of temporal lobe epilepsy.Methods Piloearpine-induced epilepsy rat model was established.Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect number changes and axonal sprouting of SS positive intemeurons in different domains of the hippocampus at difierent time points.Degeneration of SS positive interneurons and their neurophils were detected by the double immunofluorescence staining with SS and Fluoro-Jade B(FJB)at 7 and 60 days after status epilepticus (SE).Results In the exoerimental rat group,the number of SS positive neurons decreased in each hippocampal domain,and it reached the lowest at 7 days post-SE(There were 11.1±3.3 in hilus,2.8±0.9 in CA1region and 1.8±0.7 in CA1region,t=13.519,9.644 and 8.808,all P<0.01).In chronic phase,the number of SS neurons gradually recovered,and exceeded the control group in CA1 area at 60 days post-SE(12.8±1.5 vs 8.8±1.3,t=-4.506,P<0.01),however,the number of SS neurons in the hilus(25.5±4.6)and CA1 area(4.8±0.8)remained significantly less than normal levels(t value were 4.691 and 3.953.both P<0.01).Increased SS positive fibers were found in the lacunosum-molecular (1m)layer and outer molecular layer of dentate gyrus after 30 days post-SE,and numerous SS positive fibers were seen threnghout the layers of area CA1 at 60 days post-SE.Double immunofluuorescence revealed that a few SS positive interneurons and fibers were also labeled by FJB in area CA1 at 7 days post-SE and in CA domain/hilus at 60 days post-SE.Conclusions SS intemeurons loss plays an important role in the development of temporal lobe epilepsy.The loss is partially caIlsed by the degeneration and death of neurons;SS positive neurophils increase within area CA1 in chronic phase may play a significant role in the generation and compensation of temporal lobe epilepsy.

The content of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) which as the enzymatic hydrolysis product of benzyl glucosinolate through thioglucosidase was determined by HPLC. The content of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) which as the enzymatic hydrolysis product of benzyl glucosinolate through thioglucosidase was determined by HPLC. The chromatography condition was as follows: Kaseisorb LC ODS 2000 (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 min) column with the mobile phase of acetonitrile(A)-water( B) under gradient elution (0-5 min, 3%-8% A; 5-9 min, 8%-48% A; 9-23 min, 48%-62% A; 23-28 min, 62%-99% A); the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1) with 10 microL injection volume; detection wavelength was 246 nm and temperature of column was 40 degrees C. The content of benzyl glucosinolate was in the range of 10.76-17.91 g x L(-1). The method is simple, accurate and good reproducibility which can be used for the determination of benzyl glucosinolate in Lepidium meyenii, effectively.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Glucosinolates ; analysis ; Lepidium ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis

Objective To evaluate the preliminary outcome of stable vitiligo treatment with ReCell(R )technique.Methods Six patients with stable vitiligo were treated with ReCell(R ) technique.In each patient,a thin razor-thickness cutaneous biopsy was harvested from uninvolved area near the vitiligo patches.It was then processed through the ReCell(R ) system and 1 ml autologous epidermal cell suspension was obtained.The lesion area was dermabraded using a diamond fraise wheel to the dermoepidermal junction.The cell suspension was then sprayed on the wound and covered with non-adhering dressings.Results The patients were followed up for 6 months.5 patients presented with repigmentaion in the treated area.There was no significant response in one patient who was diagnosed as systematic vitiligo.Conclusions The ReCell(R ) technique is an alternative treatment for stable vitiligo patients.The clinical outcome will be satisfactory when appropriate patients are selected.

The oil content and fatty acid composition of Ganoderma lucidum collected from different producing areas, varieties, tissue types and growth periods were measured and analyzed. The results showed that the oil content was 23. 61%-34.17% in different domestic producing areas of China; the oil content of fruiting bodies from major varieties cultured in Zhejiang province were 0.81%-1.87%, wall-unbroken spores were 0.07%-0.24%, wall-broken spores were 27.54%-34.17%, so the oil content of wall-unbroken spores were much higher than fruiting bodies, and wall-breaking treatment would increase the oil extraction rate 150-340 times. G. lucidum spores oil was mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acid composition. oleic acid and linoleic content were 53.26%-58.16% and 10.69%-16.87% respectively. Fatty acid composition ratio of spores and fruiting bodies were significantly different by PLS-DA. Determining the composition of fatty acid, especially the content of oleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid, could identify the tissue types of G. lucidum products' sources. In addition, the study result showed that the spores and fruiting bodies collected in the first year contained richer oil and fatty acid than second year's samples from the same variety of G. lucidum.
Fatty Acids ; analysis ; Oils ; analysis ; Reishi ; chemistry

Objective To explore the feasibility of artificial silastic framework(SF)in repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.Methods Twenty healthy adult dogs with tracheal defects for 2.5 cm?6.0 cm-3.0 cm?6.0cm were randomly and equally divided into experimental group(repaired with SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae)and control group(repaired with T-silastie tubule combined with sternohyoid fascial flap).After the operation,the animals were sacrificed at the 4th,8th,16th,24th, and 48th weeks respectively for harvesting the tracheae that were used for tracbeoscopically observing in- flammatory reaction of the repaired defect area and light microscopically observing epithelium healing on the repaired defect area.Results In the experiment group,the repaired trachea was smooth,without proliferation of granulation;and at the 8th week,the repaired defect area was covered with epithelial cells,with good functional recovery of respiration,phonation and deglutition.In the control group,there was obvious proliferation of granulation on the tracheal surface near anterior and posterior ends of T-silas tic tubule.The animals were under asphyxia to die with extraction of T-silastic tubule.Conclusions SF has excellent tracheal skeletal function.In the meantime,SF combined with sternohyoid fasciae is a simple but effective method for repair of large area of tracheal wall defects.

Objective To evaluate the biocompatibility of vessel extracellular matrix (VECM) with bladder smooth muscle cells of rabbits,and to discuss the feasibility of vessel extracellular matrix as a matrix for urinary tract reconstruction.Methods Primary cuhured bladder smooth muscle cells (RBSMCs) iso- lated from New Zealand rabbits were implanted on VECM (1?10~6 cells/ml).The effect of VECM on meta- bolic activity,attachment,proliferation of RBSMCs were monitored in vitro by inverted light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The extracts of VECM and emulsion were prepared as experimental group and positive controls separately.The culture medium was used as negative control,and simple culture medium without cells was used as blank control.The cell viability was monitored by MTT method after 1-,3-,5-d see- ding.The in vivo tissue response to VECM was investigated by implanting into the subcutaneous sites of the rabbits.Results VECM exhibited nontoxic and bioactive effect on RBSMCs.RBSMCs could be attached to and proliferated on VECM and remained their morphologies.The cell proliferation rates of experimental group were 95.61%、98.34%、102.91%,respectively,after 1,3,5 d;those of negative control group were 100.00% ,respectively;and those of positive control group were 35.14%、38.95%、32.66%,respectively. There was significant difference in the rate between experimental group and positive control (P＜0.01),and no significant difference in the rate between experimental group and negative control (P＞0.05).In vivo, VECM demonstrated favorable tissue compatibility without tissue necrosis and fibrosis.Conclusions VECM exhibits nontoxic and bioactive effects on primary cultured bladder smooth muscle cells.It is a suit- able material for urinary tract reconstruction.

Objective To discuss the histology change,apoptosis state and Bcl-2,Bax expression after the bone cement leakage into the intervertebral disc in vertebroplasty.Methods Eight majority canis familiaris were studied.Three lumbar intervertebral discs(L2 to L5)in each dog were randomly classified into three groups(control group,PMMA group,and CPC group),the canine discs were stabbed by 18-gauge needle,and 0.1 ml cement was injected into them.Control discs were only stabbed and injected with nothing.Histology of all discs was studied 24 weeks after the operation.Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling(TUNEL)and immunohistochemisty were used to detect apoptosis and Bcl-2,Bax expression in the discs.The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 12.0.Results Intervertebral disc degeneration was not found in control groups.In bone cement groups,however,ruptured or serpentine patterned fibers,decreased cellularity of the nucleus pulposus and condensed matrix of the nucleus pulposus were found in histologic results.The Bax protein decreased in the order of control group, CPC group,and PMMA group.However,the Bcl-2 protein increased in the order of control group,CPC group,and PMMA group.The histology grade was significantly different among the three groups under ANOVA analysis(P