BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge. METHODS: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring. The impact of process parameters on fiber size and morphology was investigated. The structure and functions of the scaffolds were evaluated through material characterization and assessments of cellular biocompatibility. RESULTS: The new setup enabled controlled deposition of fibers in different designed orientations. The fabricated small-diameter vascular scaffolds consisted of an inner layer of longitudinally oriented fibers and an outer layer of circumferentially oriented fibers (L + C vascular scaffold). Key parameters, including rotational speed, the utilization of the auxiliary electrode, and top-to-collector distance (TCD) significantly influenced fiber orientation. Additionally, voltage, TCD, feed rate, needle size, auxiliary electrode and collector-auxiliary electrode distance affected fiber diameter and distribution. Mechanical advantages and improved surface wettability of L + C vascular scaffold were confirmed through tensile testing and water contact angle. Cellular experiments indicated that L + C vascular scaffold facilitated cell adhesion and proliferation, with human umbilical vein endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells attaching and elongating along the fiber direction of the inner and outer layer, respectively. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating fiber-aligned, thick-walled vascular scaffolds using a modified electrospinning setup. The findings provided insights into how the auxiliary electrode, specific collector influenced fiber deposition, potentially advancing biomimetic vascular scaffold engineering.

BACKGROUND: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge. METHODS: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring. The impact of process parameters on fiber size and morphology was investigated. The structure and functions of the scaffolds were evaluated through material characterization and assessments of cellular biocompatibility. RESULTS: The new setup enabled controlled deposition of fibers in different designed orientations. The fabricated small-diameter vascular scaffolds consisted of an inner layer of longitudinally oriented fibers and an outer layer of circumferentially oriented fibers (L + C vascular scaffold). Key parameters, including rotational speed, the utilization of the auxiliary electrode, and top-to-collector distance (TCD) significantly influenced fiber orientation. Additionally, voltage, TCD, feed rate, needle size, auxiliary electrode and collector-auxiliary electrode distance affected fiber diameter and distribution. Mechanical advantages and improved surface wettability of L + C vascular scaffold were confirmed through tensile testing and water contact angle. Cellular experiments indicated that L + C vascular scaffold facilitated cell adhesion and proliferation, with human umbilical vein endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells attaching and elongating along the fiber direction of the inner and outer layer, respectively. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating fiber-aligned, thick-walled vascular scaffolds using a modified electrospinning setup. The findings provided insights into how the auxiliary electrode, specific collector influenced fiber deposition, potentially advancing biomimetic vascular scaffold engineering.

Objective:To explore the clinical application value of ultrasound detection of endometrial blood flow perfusion in evaluating the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.Methods:A case-control study of 226 patients underwent preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) in the Department of Reproductive Medicine of Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital was conducted. Patients enrolled from December 2021 to August 2024 underwent three-dimensional ultrasound endometrial receptivity testing on the day before FET. According to the pregnancy outcomes, they were divided into clinical pregnancy group ( n=155) and non-pregnancy group ( n=71). The general characteristics and endometrial receptivity parameters were compared between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting pregnancy. Results:There was no significant difference in age, proportion of primary infertility, anti-Müllerian hormone, and antral follicle count between the two groups (all P>0.05). The duration of infertility in the clinical pregnancy group [(2.79±2.45) years] was significantly lower than that in the non-pregnancy group [(3.44±1.68) years, P=0.046], the basal luteinizing hormone (LH) level in clinical pregnancy group [(4.37±3.02) U/L] was higher than that in the non-pregnancy group [(3.59±2.02) U/L, P=0.047]. On the day before embryo transfer, the single-plane endometrial blood flow branch in the pregnancy group (4.83±1.57) was more than that in the non-pregnancy group (3.44±1.51), the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.001). The clinical pregnancy group had significantly different endometrial morphology types A [5.2% (8/155)], B [25.8% (40/155)], and C [69.0% (107/155)] compared with the non-pregnancy group [16.9% (12/71), 33.8% (24/71), 49.3% (35/71), P=0.003], respectively, the number of peristalsis waves in the clinical pregnancy group [1(0, 2)] was less than that in the non-pregnancy group [1(0, 4), P=0.046]. There were no significant differences in endometrial thickness, peristaltic wave classification, endometrial volume, endometrial and subendometrial blood flow pulse index/resistance index between the two groups (all P>0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the endometrial blood flow branch, endometrial peristalsis and basal LH level were independent factors affecting the pregnancy outcome of patients underwent PGT during FET cycle ( OR=1.855, 95% CI: 1.478-2.327, P=0.001; OR=0.813, 95% CI: 0.667-0.990, P=0.040; OR=1.163, 95% CI: 1.000-1.351, P=0.049). Among them, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of endometrial blood flow branches for the prediction of PGT-FET pregnancy outcome was 0.725, P=0.001. Conclusion:Endometrial blood flow branch, which represents the intensity of blood perfusion, has a good clinical value in evaluating the pregnancy outcome during FET cycle.

Objective To quantitatively evaluate the synergy level of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)"three-medical"and advance TCM revitalization and healthcare reform.Methods Sort out the quantitative evalution indictors of the"three-medical"in TCM based on policy texts.Policy-derived evaluation indicators were refined through the Delphi method.The composite system synergy degree model was applied to calculate subsystem order degrees and overall synergy degrees across seven national TCM reform demonstration zones.Results From 2021 to 2023:the mean value of the orderliness of the TCM medical system in the 7 demonstration areas increased from 0.31 to 0.72,the orderliness of the TCM health insurance increased from 0.23 to 0.74,and the orderliness of the Herbal System increased from 0.34 to 0.70.From 2022 to 2023,the average value of synergy between medical and health insurance systems in the field of Chinese medicine in 7 demonstration areas grew from 0.17 to 0.29.The synergy between medical and pharmaceutical systems in the field of Chinese medicine grows from 0.19 to 0.31.The synergy between pharmaceutical and health insurance system in the field of Chinese medicine increased from 0.17 to 0.27.The overall synergy of the"three-medical"system of TCM increased from 0.19 to 0.36.Conclusion The degree of orderliness of the"three-medical"systems of TCM is gradually rising,showing a relatively good development trend in orderliness.The degree of synergy among the"three-medical"total systems of TCM is on the rise,but is still at the level of moderate synergy or below.

Objective To study the syntactic impairment characteristics of wh-question comprehension and expression in Chinese non-fluent aphasic patients.Methods The differences in comprehension and expression be-tween 25 non-fluent aphasic patients and 25 normal subjects were tested in the form of sentence-figure matching and elicitation-repetition to analyze syntactic impairment characteristics related to sentence patterns,question objects,and question words.Results The patients with non-fluent aphasia had impaired comprehension and expression of specific interrogative sentences,and the order of correct comprehension was:(active interrogative sentence,object pseudo-split interrogative sentence)＞(subject pseudo-split interrogative sentence,passive interrogative sentence),and the order of correct expression was:active interrogative sentence＞(pseudo-split interrogative sentence,pas-sive interrogative sentence).Conclusion The pattern of impaired comprehension and expression of wh-question was similar in patients with Chinese non-fluent aphasia.The main influences on syntactic structure included the object of questioning(subject-object)and the type of sentence.Obstacles were more pronounced in sentences with wh-move-ment and non-canonical order.

Objective:It aims to examine the effects of the employee medical insurance outpatient mutual assistance on medical insurance costs for patients with diabetes mellitus,offering insights for optimizing outpatient insurance policies and chronic disease management strategies.Methods:Outpatient cost settlement data of urban employees with diabetes mellitus in Lanzhou from 2022 to 2023 was collected.Univariate analysis and interrupted time-series models were used to compare relevant medical insurance cost indicators before and after the reform.Results:The inpatient data of 765 730 diabetes mellitus patients were included in the study,and male patients account for 62.67％.After the reform,average per-visit pooling fund expenditure,average per-visit individual payment expenditures,average per-visit personal account expenditure,average per-visit eligible expense amount,average per-visit total fund payment,and the average per-visit proportion of basic medical pooling payments were decreased(P＜0.05).Moreover,average per-visit pooling fund expenditure,average per-visit individual account expenditure,average per-visit cash payment,average per-visit eligible expense amount,average per-visit total fund payment,and the average per-visit proportion of basic medical pooling payments showed a notable declining trend post-reform(P＜0.05).In contrast,the per-visit fully out-of-pocket expenditure exhibited no significant change before and after the reform(P＞0.05).Conclusion:The reform of the employee medical insurance outpatient mutual assistance system has alleviated the economic burden of disease for diabetic patients and improved the efficiency of medical insurance fund utilization,but it reduced the proportion of basic medical pooling payments.It is recommended to continuously refine the outpatient medical insurance payment system,strengthen supervision of medical expenses and service quality,and balance patient benefits with fund pressure to enhance chronic disease outpatient benefits.

Objective:It aims to examine the effects of the employee medical insurance outpatient mutual assistance on medical insurance costs for patients with diabetes mellitus,offering insights for optimizing outpatient insurance policies and chronic disease management strategies.Methods:Outpatient cost settlement data of urban employees with diabetes mellitus in Lanzhou from 2022 to 2023 was collected.Univariate analysis and interrupted time-series models were used to compare relevant medical insurance cost indicators before and after the reform.Results:The inpatient data of 765 730 diabetes mellitus patients were included in the study,and male patients account for 62.67％.After the reform,average per-visit pooling fund expenditure,average per-visit individual payment expenditures,average per-visit personal account expenditure,average per-visit eligible expense amount,average per-visit total fund payment,and the average per-visit proportion of basic medical pooling payments were decreased(P＜0.05).Moreover,average per-visit pooling fund expenditure,average per-visit individual account expenditure,average per-visit cash payment,average per-visit eligible expense amount,average per-visit total fund payment,and the average per-visit proportion of basic medical pooling payments showed a notable declining trend post-reform(P＜0.05).In contrast,the per-visit fully out-of-pocket expenditure exhibited no significant change before and after the reform(P＞0.05).Conclusion:The reform of the employee medical insurance outpatient mutual assistance system has alleviated the economic burden of disease for diabetic patients and improved the efficiency of medical insurance fund utilization,but it reduced the proportion of basic medical pooling payments.It is recommended to continuously refine the outpatient medical insurance payment system,strengthen supervision of medical expenses and service quality,and balance patient benefits with fund pressure to enhance chronic disease outpatient benefits.

Objective:To explore the clinical application value of ultrasound detection of endometrial blood flow perfusion in evaluating the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.Methods:A case-control study of 226 patients underwent preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) in the Department of Reproductive Medicine of Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital was conducted. Patients enrolled from December 2021 to August 2024 underwent three-dimensional ultrasound endometrial receptivity testing on the day before FET. According to the pregnancy outcomes, they were divided into clinical pregnancy group ( n=155) and non-pregnancy group ( n=71). The general characteristics and endometrial receptivity parameters were compared between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting pregnancy. Results:There was no significant difference in age, proportion of primary infertility, anti-Müllerian hormone, and antral follicle count between the two groups (all P>0.05). The duration of infertility in the clinical pregnancy group [(2.79±2.45) years] was significantly lower than that in the non-pregnancy group [(3.44±1.68) years, P=0.046], the basal luteinizing hormone (LH) level in clinical pregnancy group [(4.37±3.02) U/L] was higher than that in the non-pregnancy group [(3.59±2.02) U/L, P=0.047]. On the day before embryo transfer, the single-plane endometrial blood flow branch in the pregnancy group (4.83±1.57) was more than that in the non-pregnancy group (3.44±1.51), the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.001). The clinical pregnancy group had significantly different endometrial morphology types A [5.2% (8/155)], B [25.8% (40/155)], and C [69.0% (107/155)] compared with the non-pregnancy group [16.9% (12/71), 33.8% (24/71), 49.3% (35/71), P=0.003], respectively, the number of peristalsis waves in the clinical pregnancy group [1(0, 2)] was less than that in the non-pregnancy group [1(0, 4), P=0.046]. There were no significant differences in endometrial thickness, peristaltic wave classification, endometrial volume, endometrial and subendometrial blood flow pulse index/resistance index between the two groups (all P>0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the endometrial blood flow branch, endometrial peristalsis and basal LH level were independent factors affecting the pregnancy outcome of patients underwent PGT during FET cycle ( OR=1.855, 95% CI: 1.478-2.327, P=0.001; OR=0.813, 95% CI: 0.667-0.990, P=0.040; OR=1.163, 95% CI: 1.000-1.351, P=0.049). Among them, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of endometrial blood flow branches for the prediction of PGT-FET pregnancy outcome was 0.725, P=0.001. Conclusion:Endometrial blood flow branch, which represents the intensity of blood perfusion, has a good clinical value in evaluating the pregnancy outcome during FET cycle.

Objective:To compare clinical effectiveness of the ulnar flap of dorsal cutaneous branch of proper palmar digital artery (PPDA) of little finger and the perforator flap of the 4th dorsal metacarpal artery (DMA) for reconstruction of small and medium-sized defects of ulnar palm.Methods:A retrospective case-control study method was employed in this study. From March 2017 to February 2024, a total of 42 patients of small and medium-sized defects of ulnar palm were treated in the Department of Hand Surgery, the Second Hospital of Tangshan. Twenty-four defects were reconstructed by the ulnar flaps of dorsal cutaneous branch of PPDA (PPDA group) of little finger and the rest of 18 defects were reconstructed by the perforator flap of the 4th DMA (DMA group). Sizes of the defects and flaps in PPDA group were 1.5 cm×1.2 cm-5.2 cm×2.3 cm and 1.6 cm×1.3 cm-6.0 cm×2.5 cm, respectively. Dimensions of the defects and flaps in DMA group ranged from 1.7 cm×1.2 cm-5.0 cm×2.4 cm and 2.0 cm×1.5 cm-6.2 cm×2.7 cm, respectively. Donor sites in both groups were all directly closed. Survival of the flaps and wound healing of donor sites were observed between the 2 groups after surgery. And the surgical time, intraoperative blood loss and duration of follow-up of the 2 groups were recorded. Postoperative follow-up included outpatient clinic visits, telephone interviews and WeChat video-clips. Static two-point discrimination (TPD) of the flaps were measured, and appearance of flaps and donor sites were evaluated based on the Michigan Hand Function Questionnaire (MHQ) evaluation criteria and Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), respectively. The measurement and count data acquired from both groups were compared by independent sample t-test and χ2 tests or Fisher's exact test, respectively. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:All 24 flaps in PPDA group and 14 flaps in DMA group survived primarily, except 4 flaps in DMA group that had blisters and healed by dressing changes. Primary survival rate of the flaps in PPDA group (100%) was higher than that of DMA group (78%), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Donor site incisions in both groups all healed primarily. The surgery time, intraoperative blood loss and duration of follow-up in PPDA and DMA groups were 64.50 min±7.70 min, 87.08 ml±25.11 ml, 15.46 months±3.83 months, and 62.44 min±8.28 min, 91.67 ml±27.28 ml, 16.39 months±3.24 months, respectively, and of which there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). At the final follow-up, static TPD and MHQ scores for flap appearance in PPDA group were 13.71 mm±2.91 mm and 4.63±0.50, which were better than 15.78 mm±2.78 mm and 4.28±0.46 in DMA group with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). VSS scores of donor site appearance in PPDA and DMA groups were (3.38±0.97 and 3.89±1.02, respectively. Although there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups ( P>0.05), the donor sites in PPDA group were more concealed and easier accepted by patients. Conclusion:The ulnar flap of dorsal cutaneous branch of PPDA of little finger and the perforator flap of the 4th DMA are both suitable for reconstruction of small and medium-sized defects of ulnar palm. Compared with the perforator flap of the 4th DMA, the ulnar flap of dorsal cutaneous branch of PPDA of little finger has advantages in higher primary survival rate, better flap sensation and appearance with more concealed donor site.

Objective To investigate the correlation between voice fatigue index(VFI)and the subjective and objective assessment results of voice impairment.Methods Fifty-one patients with voice disorders and 48 normal subjects were selected for VFI assessment and comparison of the differences in scores between the two groups.Sub-jective voice handicap index(VHI)and objective acoustic assessment were performed on the patients with voice dis-orders to analyze the correlation between VFI scores and the results of subjective and objective assessment of voice disorders.Results There was significant difference of the VFI scores between the voice disorder patients and the control group,with the total VFI score,part Ⅰ and part Ⅱ scores higher than those of control group,and the partⅢ score lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05),and there was a strong correlation between the total and part VFI scores and the total and part VHI scores(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The VFI part Ⅰ and part Ⅱ scores were regatively correlated with the I-low(P＜0.05),but there was not a significant correlation with the other acoustics parameters and the dysphonia severity index(DSI)(P＞0.05).Conclusion Voice fatigue symptoms were more prominent in the voice-impaired population,and the VFI score was significantly correlated with the subjective voice disorder severity,but the correlation with the objective acoustic parameters was not significant.