OBJECTIVE To introduce the characteristics and practice of billable pharmacy service programs in the United States， aiming to provide reference for the development of clinical pharmacy service and the establishment of corresponding billing criteria in China. METHODS By searching the official websites of American Pharmacists Association， American Society of Health- System Pharmacists， Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention， and the PubMed database， the contents of American billable pharmacy service programs， corresponding service billing criteria， the approaches to being paid as pharmacists and the clinical practice evidence were summarized. RESULTS Current major billable pharmacy service programs implemented in the United States included medication therapy management， outpatient pharmacy service， transition of care management， chronic disease management， annual wellness visits， as well as diabetes self-management training/education. Except for diabetes self-management training/education， which lacked robust data on practice outcomes， all other programs mentioned above were demonstrated to have positive impact on patient outcomes， reducing health care cost and/or generating revenues. The most common approaches for pharmacists to obtain reimbursement were “incident to” billing and using procedure codes. CONCLUSIONS Billable pharmacy practice programs in the United States are achieving progress in service specialization and billing standardization. China can learn from successful cases in the United States while considering its own national context， with the ultimate goal of improving the overall health outcomes of patients， so that pharmacy services can become an important part of the medical service system.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the reliability and validity of the Dampness Syndrome Scale of Chinese Medicine （DSSCM） among patients with persistent asthma， and to explore the correlation between dampness syndrome and clinical characteristics of persistent asthma. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted. Basic information， examination results， DSSCM， Asthma Control Test （ACT）， Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 （GAD-7）， and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 （PHQ-9） scores were collected from 206 patients with persistent asthma to evaluate the reliability and validity of DSSCM and to explore the correlation between dampness syndrome and clinical characteristics. ResultsThe mean score of DSSCM among 206 patients was 14.59 ± 10.53. The overall Cronbach α coefficient and Spearman-Brown split-half reliability coefficient of the scale were both greater than 0.8， and the success rate of scale convergent and discriminant validity calibration were greater than 80%. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the χ²/df was 2.309， and the root mean square error of approximation （RMSEA） was 0.08； the root mean square residual （RMR） was 0.049， whereas the comparative fit index （CFI）， the goodness of fit index （GFI）， the adjusted goodness of fit index （AGFI）， the normed fit index （NFI） and the incremental fit index （IFI） were less than 0.9. Correlation analysis showed that DSSCM scores were positively correlated with disease duration， GAD-7 scores， and PHQ-9 scores （P＜0.05）， and negatively correlated with ACT scores （P＜0.01）. The DSSCM scores were significantly different between patients with different disease severity （H = 10.92， P = 0.01）， and the DSSCM scores of allergic patients were higher than those of non-allergic patients （Z = -4.19， P＜0.001）. ConclusionDSSCM has acceptable reliability and validity for patients with persistent asthma. The scores of DSSCM correlated with the disease duration， ACT score， GAD-7 score， PHQ-9 score， disease severity and allergic status of persistent asthmatics.

Objective:To explore the clinical value of quantitative parameters on spectral CT in predicting the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as ground-glass nodules (GGN).Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 129 patients with pathologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma who were surgically resected in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 45 males and 84 females, aged from 33 to 81. According to the pathological results, they were divided into the minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) group ( n=64) and the invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) group ( n=65). All patients underwent enhanced spectral CT within two weeks before surgery. The iodine density map, Z-Effective (Z eff) map, and electron density (ED) map were reconstructed on the post-processing workstation, and the spectral parameters, including normalized iodine concentration (NIC), arterial enhancement fraction (AEF), Z eff, and ED were measured and calculated. Conventional CT features were analyzed, including maximum diameter, CT value, nodule types, margin, lobulation sign, spiculation sign, bubble sign, pleural retraction sign, abnormal vascular sign, and air bronchial sign. The clinical features, conventional CT characteristics and spectral CT parameters of two groups were compared using the independent sample t test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the χ 2 test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors of lung adenocarcinoma invasiveness, and the model was constructed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the performance of parameters and models in predicting the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma. Results:There were significant differences between the MIA group and IAC group in maximum diameter, CT value, nodule type, margin, spiculation sign, pleural retraction sign, air bronchial sign, venous phase NIC, AEF, venous phase Z eff, arterial phase ED, venous phase ED ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the maximum diameter (OR=1.183, 95%CI 1.062-1.318), CT value (OR=1.004, 95%CI 1.001-1.007), venous phase NIC (OR=1.185, 95%CI 1.083-1.298), AEF(OR=0.975, 95%CI 0.957-0.994), venous phase Z eff (OR=0.031, 95%CI 0.005-0.196) were independent influence factors for the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma. The conventional CT model was established with the maximum diameter and CT value, and the spectral CT model was established with venous phase NIC, AEF, and venous phase Z eff. The combined model was established with all the parameters above. Areas under the ROC curve of the conventional CT model, the spectral CT model, and the combined model for predicting the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma were 0.828, 0.854, and 0.902, respectively. Conclusion:The quantitative parameters of double-layer detector spectral CT can be used as an indicator to predict the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as GGN, and AEF has the highest diagnostic efficacy. Spectral CT combined with conventional CT features can further improve the diagnostic efficiency.

BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated that platelet-rich plasma can promote osteogenesis and proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells and skeletal muscle satellite cell, but whether it can promote the proliferation and osteogenesis of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of platelet-rich plasma on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hUC-MSCs. METHODS: Passage 5 hUC-MSCs were cultured in medium containing different concentrations of platelet-rich plasma (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 2000 ng/L), respectively. Cell proliferation was detected at 1, 3, 5, 7 days after culture, and the best platelet-rich plasma mass concentration was screened. Afterwards, passage 5 hUC-MSCs were divided and cultured in complete medium (blank control group), optimal concentration of platelet-rich plasma (platelet rich plasma group), osteogenesis induction medium (osteogenic induction group), or the osteogenesis induction medium containing the optimal concentration of platelet-rich plasma (combined group). Cell activity of alkaline phosphatase was detected after cultivated for 3, 7, 14 days. Osteopontin, bone specific transcription factor, and osteocalcin mRNA relative expression levels were detected after cultivated for 7, 14, 21 days. Mineralization of the extracellular matrix was detected after cultivated for 21 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After 5 and 7 days of culture, the cell proliferation was higher in 500, 750, 1000 ng/L platelet-rich plasma groups than 0 ng/L group (P < 0.05), and 750 ng/L platelet-rich plasma showed the best effect on cell proliferation, which was used in the following experiments. Compared with the other groups, the combined group had significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity (P < 0.05), and up-regulated osteopontin, bone specific transcription factor and osteocalcin mRNA relative expression levels (P < 0.05) at different culture times. In addition, the degree of extracellular matrix mineralization in the combined group was also higher than that in the other three groups (P < 0.05).To conclude, 750 ng/L platelet-rich plasma can promote hUC-MSCs proliferation and osteogenic differentiation.

The purpose of this study was to study the effect of three different transfection reagents (Lipofectamine™ LTX & PLUS™, Lipofectamine 2000 and Nano-PAMAM-D) and three different testicular injection methods (rete testicular injection, seminiferous tubules injection and testicular interstitial injection) on the efficiency of production transgenic mice. After the mixtures of plasmid DNA (pEFP-C1) and transfection reagent were injected with different testicular injection methods, the sperm density, vitality, positive sperm rates and PCR positive transgenic mice rate were examined 30 days after injection. The results showed that the damage degree from slight to serious of three transfection reagents was Lipofectamine™ LTX & PLUS™, Lipofectamine 2000, and PAMAM-D. The sperm positive rates with green fluorescence of these three groups were 35.65%±0.69%, 12.86%±0.35% and 10.04%±0.20%, respectively. The PCR positive rates of transgenic newborn mice were 29.17%, 13.70% and 5.88%, respectively. Among the groups of different testicular injection methods, the damage degree from slight to serious was rete testicular injection, seminiferous tubules injection, and testicular interstitial injection, whereas the sperm positive rates with green fluorescence were 35.13%, 15.13%, and 0%, respectively. The PCR positive rates of transgenic newborn mice among different testicular injection groups were 33.3%, 12.5%, and 0.0%. The combination of rete testicular injection and Lipofectamine™ LTX & PLUS™ had the lowest toxicity and highest transgenic efficiency in the production of transgenic mice.
Animals ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; chemistry ; Injections ; methods ; Lipids ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Spermatozoa ; Testis ; Transfection

Objective To discuss the clinical efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS)for bilateral bullous lung disease operation.Methods VATS procedures were performed on 120 patients with bilateral ballous lung disease.56 patients were operated in one-stage with traditional incision surgery.Results 120 patients were cured.The mean duration of chest drainage after surgery was 4.7 days.Postoperative complications occurred in 14 cases,including pulmonary edema,pneumothorax again respiratory failure and so on.The mean postoperative hospital stay was 14.5 days.The patients were followed up 1 to 60 months.Conclusion VATS is an effective and preferred method for bilateral bullous lung disease.compared with conventional open techniques for bilateral bullous lung disease,the advantages of VATS include shorter hospital stays,less postoperative pain and earlier return to work.

Objective To investigate the feasibility,advantage and clinical effect of video-assisted thoracoscopic in the treatment of sharp injury hemopneumothorax.Methods 53 cases in our hospital of sharp injury hemopneumothorax who need operation treatment were divided into the observation group (VATS group) and the control group(Open group),which were treated by Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and the traditional thoracotomy surgery respectively.The clinical effects,such as operative time,intraoperative blood loss,hospital stays,postoperative chest lead flow and so on were compared.Results The operation time,bleeding volume,length of hospital stay,postoperative chest lead flow and pleural drainage days have significant difference (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion VATS has shorter operative time,less intraoperative blood loss and quicker recovery after operation,which is a better and safer treatment of sharp injury hemopneumothorax and deserves further clinical application.

Objective To study the expressions of Toll-like receptor 9 protein (TLR9) in peripheral B and T lymphocytes in newly diagnosed, untreated patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their relationship with clinical parameters. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 35 newly diag-nosed, untreated patients with SLE and 16 healthy human controls. B, T lymphocytes and TLR9 protein were labeled with fluorescent antibodies, and the expressions of TLR9 protein were detected by flow cytometry in peripheral B and T lymphocytes. The relationship between TLR9 expression and clinical parameters was assessed. Results The proportions of B and T lymphocytes expressing TLR9 in newly diagnosed, untreated patients were (53.94±17.95)% and (49.33 ± 23.30)%, respectively, compared to (29.40 ± 10.54)% and (29.18 ± 14.78)%, respectively, in healthy controls (t = 6.11,3.73, respectively, both P < 0.01). Additionally,the proportion of B lymphocytes expressing TLR9 correlated negatively with SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI)(r = -0.39, P < 0.05), but positively with the level of serum IgA antibody (r = 0.74, P < 0.01).Condnsions The expression of TLR9 is elevated in peripheral T and B lymphocytes from patients with newly diagnosed, untreated SLE, and the proportion of TLR9-expressing B lymphocytes negatively correlates with SLEDAI, but positively correlates with the serum level of IgA antibody.

Objective To investigate the factors associated with delay in decision to seek treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) in Beijing. Methods This prospective,cross-sectional,multicenter survey was conducted from November 1,2005 and December 31 ,2006. The participants consisted of 799 patients with STEMI admitted within 24 h of symptom onset to 19 hospitals in Beijing. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews and medical records review. The patients were categorized into an early decision group and the a late decision group based on the 30 min cut-off. Results The median(25%,75%) decision delay in STEMI patients was 60(20, 180)min. Factors associated with late decision in an univariate analysis were age ≥65 years, retirement or unemployment, history of myocardial infarction,symptom onset at home and intermittent symptoms, whereas presence of bystanders such as friends,coworkers or even strangers,unbearable symptoms,dyspnea,sweating,syncope and attribution of symptoms to cardiac origin were related to early decision. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that history of myocardial infarction,absence of syncope, intermittent symptoms,bearable symptoms and attribution of symptoms to noncardiac origin were independent predictors of decision delay＞30 min. Patients in the early decision group had more chances to receive acute reperfusion therapies(P=0.001) and shorter time intervals from symptom onset to reperfusion therapies(P＜0.001). Conclusions To a great extent patients with AMI in Beijing delayed in decision to seek treatment. History of myocardial infarction, symptom characteristics and symptom attribution were associated with decision delay.