ABSTRACT
After more than 100 years of development， spray drying technology has become more mature and widely used， and it is of great importance in the field of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. TCM powders prepared by spray drying is the raw material of dispensing granules， and the powder properties have an important influence on subsequent molding process and product quality. As a new form of TCM， dispensing granules have been included in the management category of TCM decoction pieces， indicating a broader application market， and a consensus has also been reached on the importance of TCM powder research. Based on this， the author summarized the application progress of spray drying in the study of TCM powders， including the factors affecting spray drying process， such as liquid properties， process parameters and equipment factors， as well as the application of computational fluid dynamics （CFD） and thermodynamic model in spray drying process simulation. Moreover， some commonly used pharmaceutical excipients for the modification of TCM powders were also introduced such as maltodextrin， microcrystalline cellulose and povidone. In addition， spray drying technology can also be used as a preparation technology for new drug delivery systems such as microcapsules and solid dispersions. Through the summary of this paper， the author suggests that the future research direction of spray drying of TCM can be carried out from the aspects of application rule of the coprocessing auxiliary materials based on the "unification of medicines and excipients"， the "structure-property" relationship of spray-dried powders and the application of computer simulation and design， so as to further enrich the application of spray drying in the field of TCM powders.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore methods to measure the management level of Chinese hospitals in natural conditions of Chinese hospitals, for improvement of their operation efficiency. Methods The methodology of World Management Survey( WMS) was introduced, and the questionnaire was localized using expert consultation method. Double-blind telephone interviews were conducted to investigate the management level of Chinese hospitals in the four dimensions of standardized operation, performance monitoring, target setting and talent management. Results The management level of hospitals in China varied greatly from places. Among them, the hospital management scoring was found to range from 2. 50 to 2. 75 in most cases, averaging 2. 55. These hospitals scored relatively poor at the four specific management practices of hospital layout(2.48), performance communication(2.27), talents retention, and clarity and comparability of objectives(2. 45). Management level of a hospital was correlated to such factors as its history, ownership form, human capital and hospital size. Conclusions This study uses WMS methodology to quantify Chinese hospital management. The overall management level of Chinese hospitals is expected to improve with much gaps to cover. At this stage, it is imperative to solve the unbalanced and inadequate development of hospital management levels, among regions, hospital grades and forms of ownership.