Gender differences in income among psychiatrists in China: Findings from a national survey.

Background: Gender income disparity in healthcare settings is a longstanding issue around the globe, but such evidence among Chinese psychiatrists is scarce. This study investigated whether gender income differences exist among physicians in China. Methods: Data came from the 2019 national survey data of 4,520 psychiatrists in major public psychiatric hospitals across China. Self-reported monthly income after tax (in Chinese Yuan, CNY) by participants at all professional ranks was assessed. Average monthly income by gender was reported. Adjusted income differences between male and female psychiatrists were examined using multivariable regression models, adjusting with inverse probability of treatment weights and controlling for psychiatrist demographics (e.g., gender, professional rank, marital status, educational level, and work hours) and hospital fixed effects. Results: The unadjusted mean difference in monthly income after tax by gender was 555 CNY (about $86; 95% CI, -825 to -284; mean [SD] for men: 8,652 [4,783] CNY and for women: 8,097 [4,350] CNY) in all psychiatrists. After regression adjustments, the income difference by gender among all psychiatrists reduced substantially and became insignificant. However, gender income difference was still observed among senior-level psychiatrists, where female psychiatrists earned 453 CNY (about $70; 95% CI, -810 to -95) significantly less than male psychiatrists. Conclusion: China achieved gender equity in income for psychiatrists overall, the observed income differences among senior level psychiatrists, however, reveal the persistence of gender inequity at the highest level of professional hierarchy. These findings call for policy attention to the issue of gender income disparity among psychiatrists in China's healthcare system.

A Study on Nurse Manager Competency Model of Tertiary General Hospitals in China.

(1) Background: The nurse manager competency model is widely used in hospitals in the management of nursing human resources. This study aimed to construct a scientific and practical model of nurse manager competency, which can be used as a tool by hospitals to select nurse managers. (2) Methods: The nurses' competency indicators were first collected through a literature review and behavioral event interview, and the preliminary screening of competency elements was based on the Delphi method. Then, questionnaires and statistical analyses were used to determine the elements of the model. The reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha. Factor analysis was used to delineate the dimensions of the model. (3) Results: The results of the factor analysis show that the 22 competency elements were grouped into the four dimensions of leadership and management ability, personal traits, professional quality, and professional ability. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the four dimensions ranged from 0.745 to 0.885, which indicated a high level of reliability. The result of the factor analysis indicated a high structural validity and fitting effect. (4) Conclusions: Our study indicates that the nurse manager competency model of tertiary general hospitals is an instrument with fair reliability and validity that fully reflects the characteristics of nurses in Chinese public hospitals.

Quality marker identification based on standard decoction of differently processed materials of Ephedrae Herba.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The quality control of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a scientific problem and an industrial issue, which hampers the development of evidence based TCM. The concept of quality markers (Q-markers) is proposed and has been applied to the quality evaluation of TCM based on its clinical efficacy. However, more specific methods are needed to put this idea into practice. The standard decoction is a representative of decoction used in clinical practice and it can be used for the discovery of Q-markers related to the clinical efficacy of TCM. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, a systemic strategy was established to discover Q-markers related to the clinical efficacy of TCM Ephedrae Herba (EH), dried stem of Ephedra sinica Stapf. The different processed materials of EH have different clinical applications, though originating from the same medicinal herb. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The standard decoction of each of the processed materials was prepared and a 1HNMR metabolomics approach and total polysaccharide analysis were used to identify potential Q-markers related to the different clinical applications of EH. Correlation analysis was made of the measured biological activity and the holistic chemical profile. RESULTS: The results showed that total polysaccharides and alkaloids were Q-markers for EH preparations. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the standard decoction is a reasonable research objective to explore chemical markers that correlate with the clinical efficacy of TCM.

[Quality evaluation of decoction of single medicinal herb--a case of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos].

Decoction of single medicinal herb is a reference for the standardization of different dosage form of Chinese medicine and it provides a new direction for solving the problems existing in the quality of Chinese medicinal granules such no uniform dosage forms and no clear quality standard. There are few reports on the idea, method and preparation of single herb standard decoction. Our country is in urgent need of that information in order to improve the consistency and stability of traditional Chinese medicine products. Here, Lonicerae Japinicae Flos was selected as an example to elucidate the preparation and quality evaluation of Chinese single herbal medicine decoction. Twelve batches of representative Lonicerae Japinicae Flos were collected, UPLC fingerprints were established, and the chemical structures of main peaks were identified with UPLC-QTOF-MS and standard compounds. The main components in the decoction are organic acids and iridoids. The extract rate of the standard decoction was (34.2±2.9)% and the transfer rate is (78.6±8.4)% in the form of chlorogenic acid, within the range of 75%-125% of mean. This paper established a method for the quality evaluation of standard decoction of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos and provided reference for the quality control method of terminal products from decoction of Lonicerae Japinicae Flos.

[Establish quality evaluation system for standard Ephedrae Herba decoction].

To establish the quality control methods for the standard decoction of Ephedrae Herba, and provide the reference for quality evaluation method of all Chinese herbal medicine decoction.Standard decoction of Ephedrae Herba was prepared, and UPLC-UV fingerprint was established to determine the total contents of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Then UPLC-QTOF/MS was used to confirm the major common peaks in the fingerprint to clarify the main chemical constituents in the decoction. In addition, the stability of the process was evaluated by calculating the parameters such as the extraction ratio, transfer rate of the index components and the pH values.In the decoction of Ephedrae Herba, the total average concentration of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was (2.11±0.70) g•L⁻¹; the similarities of all the fingerprints were more than 0.85; there were 10 major common peaks in the fingerprint, including alkaloids, flavonoids and organic acids; the extraction ratio was (17±3.2)%, and the overall transfer rate of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was (32.4±8.1)%.The method for evaluating the quality of standard decoction of Ephedrae Herba was established in this article, providing reference for the quality control of products which were stemmed from the water extract of Ephedrae Herba.

NMR-based metabonomics and correlation analysis reveal potential biomarkers associated with chronic atrophic gastritis.

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is one of the most important pre-cancerous states with a high prevalence. Exploring of the underlying mechanism and potential biomarkers is of significant importance for CAG. In the present work, 1H NMR-based metabonomics with correlative analysis was performed to analyze the metabolic features of CAG. 19 plasma metabolites and 18 urine metabolites were enrolled to construct the circulatory and excretory metabolome of CAG, which was in response to alterations of energy metabolism, inflammation, immune dysfunction, as well as oxidative stress. 7 plasma biomarkers and 7 urine biomarkers were screened to elucidate the pathogenesis of CAG based on the further correlation analysis with biochemical indexes. Finally, 3 plasma biomarkers (arginine, succinate and 3-hydroxybutyrate) and 2 urine biomarkers (α-ketoglutarate and valine) highlighted the potential to indicate risks of CAG in virtue of correlation with pepsin activity and ROC analysis. Here, our results paved a way for elucidating the underlying mechanisms in the development of CAG, and provided new avenues for the diagnosis of CAG and presented potential drug targets for treatment of CAG.