Objective:To systematically evaluate the fairness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) healthcare resource allocation at the prefecture-level in China using the healthcare resource agglomeration degree (HRAD) method, so as to provide empirical evidence for optimizing resource distribution.Methods:Data on TCM healthcare resources (including the number of TCM institutions, public TCM hospitals, TCM hospital beds, and TCM healthcare technicians) were collected from 333 prefecture-level regions in 2023. The HRAD method was employed to assess fairness in geographic allocation (HRAD i) and population-based allocation (HRAD i/PAD i). A multi-indicator comprehensive evaluation was conducted using the entropy weight method to determine weighting coefficients. Results:Significant disparities were observed in the geographic agglomeration of TCM resources (HRAD i) in China. Resource-rich regions (HRAD i>5) were primarily concentrated in eastern and some central-western provinces, while resource-scarce regions (HRAD i<1) were mainly distributed in western, northeastern, and parts of central and eastern provinces. Analysis of population-based fairness (HRAD i/PAD i) revealed that most prefecture-level cities nationwide had ratios<1, with only 8 provinces having more cities with ratios>1 than<1. The comprehensive evaluation showed that top-ranked cities in the east (e.g., Hangzhou, Dongying, Shenzhen), central region (e.g., Taiyuan, Zhengzhou), and west (e.g., Hainan Prefecture, Alxa League) were predominantly core cities or sparsely populated areas. Conclusions:China′s prefecture-level TCM healthcare resource allocation exhibits significant geographic and population-based inequities, with excessive concentration in provincial capitals and developed cities. Urgent strategies are needed to optimize resource allocation, enhance fairness and accessibility, including promoting the decentralization of high-quality resources, strengthening regional collaborative support, enhancing talent attraction in underdeveloped areas, and leveraging information technology to improve efficiency.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the fairness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) healthcare resource allocation at the prefecture-level in China using the healthcare resource agglomeration degree (HRAD) method, so as to provide empirical evidence for optimizing resource distribution.Methods:Data on TCM healthcare resources (including the number of TCM institutions, public TCM hospitals, TCM hospital beds, and TCM healthcare technicians) were collected from 333 prefecture-level regions in 2023. The HRAD method was employed to assess fairness in geographic allocation (HRAD i) and population-based allocation (HRAD i/PAD i). A multi-indicator comprehensive evaluation was conducted using the entropy weight method to determine weighting coefficients. Results:Significant disparities were observed in the geographic agglomeration of TCM resources (HRAD i) in China. Resource-rich regions (HRAD i>5) were primarily concentrated in eastern and some central-western provinces, while resource-scarce regions (HRAD i<1) were mainly distributed in western, northeastern, and parts of central and eastern provinces. Analysis of population-based fairness (HRAD i/PAD i) revealed that most prefecture-level cities nationwide had ratios<1, with only 8 provinces having more cities with ratios>1 than<1. The comprehensive evaluation showed that top-ranked cities in the east (e.g., Hangzhou, Dongying, Shenzhen), central region (e.g., Taiyuan, Zhengzhou), and west (e.g., Hainan Prefecture, Alxa League) were predominantly core cities or sparsely populated areas. Conclusions:China′s prefecture-level TCM healthcare resource allocation exhibits significant geographic and population-based inequities, with excessive concentration in provincial capitals and developed cities. Urgent strategies are needed to optimize resource allocation, enhance fairness and accessibility, including promoting the decentralization of high-quality resources, strengthening regional collaborative support, enhancing talent attraction in underdeveloped areas, and leveraging information technology to improve efficiency.

OBJECTIVE To understand the development status and existing problems of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)pharmacists in public TCM hospitals in China,aiming to provide suggestions for the competent departments to formulate management policies for TCM pharmacists and promote the healthy development of TCM.METHODS The data on the number and professional titles of TCM pharmacists in public TCM hospitals in China from 2019 to 2023 were collected.Descriptive analysis was employed to analyze the number,distribution and professional titles of TCM pharmacists in public TCM hospitals across the country,and to measure the quantity shortfalls of the number of TCM pharmacists in these hospitals.RESULTS From 2019 to 2023,the number of TCM pharmacists in public TCM hospitals in China grew slowly,with an average annual growth rate of 2.56%.However,the proportion of TCM pharmacists to the total number of pharmacists in public TCM hospitals gradually decreased,with an average annual growth rate of-0.65%.In terms of hospital grades,the number of TCM pharmacists in tertiary public TCM hospitals showed positive growth,while those in secondary and primary public TCM hospitals showed negative growth.In terms of hospital types,the average annual growth rate of TCM pharmacists in TCM hospitals was 2.22%,in integrated Chinese and Western medicine hospitals it was 7.97%,and in ethnic minority medicine hospitals it was 2.74%.The development of TCM pharmacists in different provinces was uneven.The annual growth rate of TCM pharmacists in Guizhou exceeded 10%,while the growth rate in Hunan and Heilongjiang was negative.In 2023,the number of TCM pharmacists per thousand population in public TCM hospitals was 0.03,indicating a relatively low staffing level.The professional titles of TCM pharmacists in public TCM hospitals were mainly primary and intermediate,with a total of 67.33%.According to the calculation that the proportion of TCM pharmacists to pharmacists was not less than 60%,public TCM hospitals and hospitals of integrated TCM and Western medicine should be reconfigured with TCM pharmacists 6 212 and 1 288 people,respectively.CONCLUSIONS The number of TCM pharmacists in public TCM hospitals is growing slowly,with insufficient staffing levels,relatively low professional titles,and uneven distribution and development across provinces.It is suggested that relevant competent departments strengthen policy guidance,increase the attention given by the state level to TCM pharmacists,strengthen the construction of the talent team for TCM pharmacists,improve the quality and optimize the allocation of TCM pharmacist talents in order to promote the high-quality development of TCM services.

Glucose transporters (GLUTs) are widely expressed in the endometrium, mediate glucose uptake, and regulate energy metabolism of endometrial stromal cells, as well as decidual immune metabolism and other related processes. GLUTs also interact with important signaling pathways during decidualization, affecting embryo implantation. In this paper, the aspects of GLUTs expression and mechanism during decidualization are reviewed in order to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of infertility and pregnancy-related diseases.

The endometrial immune inflammatory microenvironment, composed of immune cells and cytokines, exhibits acute, low-grade, and transient pro-inflammatory characteristics during the embryo implantation window period. During this period, implantation capability is achieved by regulating blastocyst activation, promoting the endometrium to establish a receptive state, and mediating the positioning, adhesion, and invasion of the embryo. Abnormalities in the number and proportion of endometrial immune cells were associated with embryo implantation failure and altered characteristics of the immunoinflammatory microenvironment led to embryo implantation failure. The research progress on the mechanism of endometrial immunoinflammatory microenvironment regulating embryo implantation is now reviewed.

Glucose transporters (GLUTs) are widely expressed in the endometrium, mediate glucose uptake, and regulate energy metabolism of endometrial stromal cells, as well as decidual immune metabolism and other related processes. GLUTs also interact with important signaling pathways during decidualization, affecting embryo implantation. In this paper, the aspects of GLUTs expression and mechanism during decidualization are reviewed in order to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of infertility and pregnancy-related diseases.

The endometrial immune inflammatory microenvironment, composed of immune cells and cytokines, exhibits acute, low-grade, and transient pro-inflammatory characteristics during the embryo implantation window period. During this period, implantation capability is achieved by regulating blastocyst activation, promoting the endometrium to establish a receptive state, and mediating the positioning, adhesion, and invasion of the embryo. Abnormalities in the number and proportion of endometrial immune cells were associated with embryo implantation failure and altered characteristics of the immunoinflammatory microenvironment led to embryo implantation failure. The research progress on the mechanism of endometrial immunoinflammatory microenvironment regulating embryo implantation is now reviewed.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have confirmed that healing of in vivo tendon is the outcome of interaction between endogenous healing and exogenous healing. Exogenous healing is a main reason for tendon adhesion, and affects the recovery of tendon function.OBJECTIVE: To explore application of tissue engineering technique and its materials in prevention and treatment of tendon adhesion induced by movement injury.METHODS: Using the key words of "movement injury, biomaterial, tissue engineering, tendon adhesion", we retrieved randomized animal controlled studies and clinical application literatures addressing tendon biomechanics function, adsorbable biomaterial polyglycolic acid, tendon cells-constructed tissue engineered tendon in vitro, biomembrane, chitosan, adsorbable antistick membrane, sodium hyaluronate, bioprotein gel and so on in prevention of tendon adhesion in Chinese Journal Full-text Database published from January 1990 to December 2000. By aggregate analysis of literature data, follow-up and function evaluation, this article summarized clinical application of tissue engineered techniques and materials in prevention of tendon adhesion.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of 61 literatures were primarily obtained. Following reading titles and abstracts, 31 literatures of irrelevant objectives and contents, and 9 literatures of repetitive contents were excluded. Totally 21 literatures were included for analysis. Tendon adhesion refers to hyperplasia and invasion of surrounding tissues during repair of tendon damage. With the deep understanding of tendon repair healing, application of tissue engineering to preventing tendon adhesion became more and more. Tendon healing is an interaction between endogenous healing and exogenous healing, and mainly endogenous healing, which was simultaneously associated with tendon sheath, vincula tendinum and synovial fluid. Tendon adhesion is mainly induced by excessive action of exogenous healing and damage to surrounding tissues. Tissue engineering is a novel technique. Novel biomaterials are widely used in tissue engineering performance to solve problems such as tendon injury andchondronecrosis. Presently, it Is important to reconstruct tissues, which can reach clinical outcomes of preventing adhesion.