Objective: To design the proficiency testing (PT) project (No. NIFDC-PT-183) for assays of bismuth potassium citrate capsules and organize to assess the proficiency of complexometric titration in laboratories, and provide some technical analyses and advices.
Methods: Two groups of samples with different concentration were prepared. The uniformity was evaluated with one-way analysis of variance and the stability was confirmed with t-test, whose results all conformed the requirements. The samples with three combinations were randomly distributed to 279 laboratories. The determination was performed according to the assays of bismuth potassium citrate capsules in Volume Ⅱ of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015. The median value and normalized interquartile range (NIQR) of robust statistical analysis was adopted and Z-scores were used to evaluate the results from each of laboratories.
Results: Among 279 laboratories, 240 laboratories results were satisfactory, 23 were questionable, and the other 16 were unsatisfied. The satisfaction rate was 86.0%.
Conclusion: The overall capacity of national laboratories for assays of bismuth potassium citrate capsules is good while a portion of participants require further improvement.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of extended hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) of Bismuth-Cor-lette typesⅢandⅣ(the longitudinal invasion degree along the biliary system is the main criteria). Methods:The clinical data of 61 patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types III and IV admitted in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the First Affiliated Hos-pital of Bengbu Medical College from January 2008 to May 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 61 cases, 22 underwent hepatectomy with half or over half of the liver removed or hepatic caudate lobectomy (regarded as the extended hepatectomy group), whereas 39 cases underwent irregular hepatectomy on the hepatic hilar region (regarded as the limited hepatectomy group). Results:Compared with those in the limited hepatectomy group, the patients in the extended hepatectomy group underwent longer duration of operation and experienced more bleeding during the procedure. The complication incidence rate for the extended hepatectomy group was lower than that for the limited hepatectomy group. No patient died during the perioperative period in the extended hepa-tectomy group, whereas two patients died in the limited hepatectomy group. Moreover, R0 resection was performed on 21 cases in the extended hepatectomy group, with a resection rate of (21/22) 95.5%, and on 20 cases in the limited hepatectomy group (P<0.05), with a resection rate of (20/39) 51.3%. Actuarial 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 77.27%, 36.36%, and 13.64%, respectively, in the extended hepatectomy group, and 69.23%, 20.51%, and 1.64%, respectively, in the limited hepatectomy group (P<0.05). Conclusion:Extended hepatectomy for patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette typesⅢandⅣcould effectively increase the resection rates of R0 and the survival rate. Meanwhile, the prognosis of patients could be improved.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of early efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)in patient with breast cancer via full quantitative parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI).Methods Forty patients with breast cancer were selected.The 18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT)and DCE-MRI were performed before and after two cycles of NAC.According to the decrease rate of maximum standardized uptake value(ΔSUVmax)of PET/CT before and after two cycles of NAC,all patients were divided into two groups,including good response group(24 cases)(ΔSUVmax>40%)and general response group(16 cases)(ΔSUVmax≤40%).The changes of full quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI between the two groups were observed and analyzed.Results There were statistically significant differences in changes of Ktrans and Kep between the two groups(P<0.05),however,there was no significant difference in the change of Ve between the two groups(P>0.05).There was a significant positive correlation between ΔKtrans and ΔSUVmax(r=0.850,P<0.001).There was a high positive correlation between ΔKtrans and ΔKep(r=0.727,P<0.001).Conclusion The full quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI are helpful to evaluate the early efficacy of NAC in breast cancer,which can reflect the changes of microcirculation in the lesion,further reflect the therapeutic effect of NAC,guide the clinical optimization of treatment plan in time,and achieve accurate evaluation and individualized treatment.

Health literacy serves as the foundation of health for all. Hence the authors introduced the connotation and extension of health literate health care organization(HLHO) and related concepts. On such basis, the paper presented the construction method of HLHO from the perspective of health policy, healthcare organizations and inter-institutional cooperation, in order to improve the health literacy of the Chinese people and implement the Healthy China initiative(2019—2030).

Objective:To investigate the biological characteristics of Kerstersia gyiorum and to support the rapid and accurate identification of Kerstersia gyiorum on mass spectrometry by using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for self-built libraries. Methods:From November 2020 to February 2022, thirty-eight strains of Kerstersia gyiorum isolated from clinical patients of the General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command were collected and identified by the fully automated microbial analysis system (Vitek-2 Compact), the automatic microbial mass spectrometry detection system (Vitek-MS) and the 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Thirteen strains were randomly selected and mass spectra were obtained by using Vitek-MS. The SARAMIS software was used to construct a Kerstersia gyiorum library, and the remaining 25 strains were used to validate the constructed library. Results:The Vitek-2 Compact and Vitek MS were unable to identify Kerstersia gyiorum; 13 strains were successfully built into a self-built library of Kerstersia gyiorum by SARAMIS software, and 25 validated strains were identified as Kerstersia gyiorum with a confidence level of more than 99.0% and 100% (25/25) accuracy. Conclusion:Kerstersia gyiorum has unique mass spectrometry profile, which can be identified as species quickly and accurately by the establishment of the self-constructed library of profiles.

Objective:To translate the health literate healthcare organization 10 item questionnaire(HLHO-10) into Chinese and examine its reliability and validity.Methods:The Chinese version of HLHO-10 questionnaire(HLHO-10-C) was developed by following the Brislin translation model of translation, back translation, cultural adaptation and questionnaire epistemological survey.Five experts and 1 071 medical staff from 24 healthcare organizations in Zhejiang province were selected to conduct the validity and reliability test of the HLHO-10-C.Results:The content validity indices at the item level and total questionnaire level of HLHO-10-C were from 0.8 to 1.0 and 0.96 respectively, and the results of the exploratory factor analysis showed good structural validity.Conclusions:HLHO-10-C proves adequate reliability and validity to serve as a tool for healthcare organizations in evaluating and becoming HLHO. It can also help the implementation of the Healthy China Initiative(2019—2030), which is a performance assessment mechanism for health education and promotion of healthcare providers and health care organizations.

Objective:To construct the concept and its conceptual framework of hospital health literacy(HHL) for exploring the HHL promotion mechanism in the country.Methods:Based on the proceduralised grounded theory, twelve middle or senior managers of hospitals were selected for in-depth interviews and three hospitals were selected for field research from July 2021 to February 2022. Open coding, axial coding, and selective coding were used in data analysis, establishing the concept of HHL and its conceptual framework in China.Results:The conceptual framework of HHL was composed of an internal driver mechanism(hospitals improve their health literacy promotion management system, staff-led health literacy promotion, health literacy promoting physical environment construction), and an external driver mechanism(cooperate with external organizations and institutions to conduct health literacy promotion). The concept of HHL in China was derived as follows: the combination of supportive environments and human resources that health care organizations have in place can improve access and understandability of health information and simplify healthcare services to help patients of different health literacy levels more easily obtain, process, and understand health information as well as to make the most of medical services.Conclusions:Hospital health literacy promotion mechanism in China is a synergy between internal and external driver mechanisms.

Inflammation, abnormal cholesterol metabolism, and macrophage infiltration are involved in the destruction of the extracellular matrix of the nucleus pulposus (NP), culminating in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Whether nimbolide (Nim), a natural extract, can alleviate IDD is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that Nim promotes cholesterol efflux and inhibits the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways by activating sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) during inflammation. Thus, Nim balanced matrix anabolism and catabolism of NPCs. However, the inhibition of SIRT1 significantly attenuated the effects of Nim. We also found that Nim promoted the expression of SIRT1 in RAW 264.7, which enhanced the proportion of M2 macrophages by facilitating cholesterol homeostasis reprogramming and impeded M1-like macrophages polarization by blocking the activation of inflammatory signaling. Based on these results, Nim can improve the microenvironment and facilitate matrix metabolism equilibrium in NPCs. Furthermore, in vivo treatment with Nim delayed IDD progression by boosting SIRT1 expression, modulating macrophage polarization and preserving the extracellular matrix. In conclusion, Nim may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treating IDD.