Objective: To evaluate the applications and problems of statistical methods for articles published in《Chinese Circulation Journal》. Methods: We reviewed the statistical methods for original articles published in《Chinese Circulation Journal》in 2010, 2011 and 2015; general status with problems was analyzed and the situations were compared among different years. Results: A total of 404 articles were enrolled, statistical hypothesis testing was performed in 366 of them, 32 had descriptive statistics only and 6 articles were meta-analysis. The most frequently used statistical methods were student'st-test (57.4%), followed by chi-squared analysis (56.7%), analysis of variance (35.2%) and regression analysis (23.0%). The main statistical problems in Methods included in described method un-matched to really used method and insufifcient or wrong description. The proportion of insufifcient or wrong description in 2010 and 2011 was 36.6% (71/194), while in 2015 was 26.2% (55/210),P=0.02. The major wrong application of statistical approach was ignoring design with improper method and using unsatisifed precondition for speciifc analysis. The proportion of improper statistical method application in 2010 and 2011 was 19.1% (33/173), in 2015 was 19.7% (38/193),P=0.88. Conclusion: The quality of statistics was improved in 2015 than 2010 and 2011 for articles published in《Chinese Circulation Journal》; while there were still problems at certain degree, enhanced statistical review should be conducted in medical journals.

Objective: To construct a competency evaluation model for health managers based on the grounded theory, so as to provide insights into the training and evaluation of health managers. Methods: From December 2022 to March 2023, health managers with three years and more of working from health management center of a tertiary hospital, a health management enterprise and a university with a top-tier ranking for the major of "Health Services and Management" were invited, and a semi-structured interview on competency was conducted based on grounded theory. Coding techniques were applied to analyze the interview data, including open coding, axial coding, selective coding and theoretical saturation testing using NVivo12 software. Based on the coding results and drawing inspiration from McClelland's "Iceberg Competency Model Structure", a competency evaluation model for health managers was formulated. Results: Twenty-one health managers participated in the study, including 8 participants from the hospital, 7 participants from the enterprise and 6 participants from the university, 14 females, 17 participants with 3-10 years of working, and 6 participants with the rank of associate senior professional title or above. The interview yielded 5 main categories, from which the competency evaluation model for health managers was developed with five dimensions: professional development, health management capability, communication and coordination, humanistic care, and personal traits. professional development and health management capability constituted the overt competencies of health managers, while communication and coordination, humanistic care, and personal traits formed their implicit competencies. Conclusions The competency evaluation model for health managers constructed in this study includes explicit competency and implicit competency, which is expected to serve as a reference for the effective selection and cultivation of health managers.

Objective To analyze the long?term efficacy of intensity?modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with or without chemotherapy in treatment of 454 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its influencing factors. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 454 patients with non?metastatic NPC who received IMRT with or without chemotherapy in our center from 2007 to 2012. Prescribed doses of 69. 96?73. 92 Gy in 33 fractions, 69. 96 Gy in 33 fractions, 60. 06 Gy in 33 fractions, and 50. 96 Gy in 28 fractions were applied to nasopharyngeal gross tumor volume, cervical metastatic lymph nodes, high?risk drainage area, and low?risk drainage area, respectively. In all patients, 438 received induction chemotherapy, 420 concurrent chemotherapy, and 216 adjuvant chemotherapy, most of which were based on cisplatin and taxol. The Kaplan?Meier method was used for calculating survival rates and the log?rank test was used for survival difference analysis and univariate prognostic analysis. The Cox model was used for the multivariate prognostic analysis. Results The 3?year sample size was 210. The 3?year overall survival ( OS ) , local recurrence?free survival, nodal relapse?free survival, progression?free survival, and distant metastasis?free survival ( DMFS) rates were 88. 1%, 91. 0%, 90. 7%, 80. 5%, and 85. 1%, respectively. Age, T stage, and N stage were influencing factors for the OS rate ( P=0. 011;P=0. 005;P=0. 033);T stage and N stage were influencing factors for the disease progression?free survival ( P=0. 017;P=0. 005) and DMFS ( P=0. 012;P=0. 019) . The grade≥3 acute and late adverse reactions included hematological toxicity , oral mucositis , xerostomia , dysphagia , and brain injury . Conclusions IMRT promotes the long?term survival rates in patients with NPC. The distant metastasis is the major reason for treatment failure. The adverse reactions induced by IMRT combined with chemotherapy are tolerable.

A 57-year-old man was admitted to hospital with diarrhea for 10 months and dizziness for 4 months. The patient had 1-2 liters watery stool per day, without pyogenic blood or abnormality in gastroenteroscopy examination. The level of hemoglobin and albumin was generally normal, and fasting test was positive. At the same time, he was accompanied with hyperalgesia of lower limbs and orthostatic hypotension. After the discussion of multiple disciplinary teams, the patient was diagnosed with amyloidosis by sural nerve biopsy, myocardial MRI, and the assays of urine immunoelectrophoresis and serum free light chain. Light chain amyloidosis was confirmed after excluded the diagnosis of familial amyloidosis. The patient was improved after courses of chemotherapy with melphalan and dexamethasone.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of radiation dose on survival for stage Ⅳ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemotherapy and thoracic three-dimensional radiotherapy (CCTTRT).Methods From Jan.2003 to Jul.2010,201 Stage Ⅳ NSCLC patients were enrolled.Nineteen patients who received only one cycle chemotherapy were not included in survival analysis.Of the 182 patients eligible for survival analysis,all patients received platinum-based chemotherapy of two drugs.The median number of cycles was 4.The median dose to planning target volume of primary tumor ( DTPTV )was 63 Gy. Survival was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the Logrank. Cox regression models were used to examine the effect of DTPTV on overall survival.ResultsThe follow-up rate of 201 patients was 97.5％.with 201,170 and 134 patients finished ＜ 1,1 -2 and ≥3 years' follow-up.The 1-,2-,3-year overall survival rate and median survival time was 20％,14％,0％ and 7.1 months;27％,10％,3％ and 9.6 months;and 59％,22％,16％ and 14.9 months,respectively for patients treated with DTPTV ＜ 45.0 Gy,45.0 - 62.1 Gy and ≥63.0 Gy,respectively ( χ2 =27.88,P =0.000 ) ;43％,19％,0％and 1 1 months and 2 0 ％,1 1％,5 ％ and 8 months,respectively for those received 2 - 3 cycles of chemotherapy and radiation dose ≥63 Gy and ＜ 63 Gy,respectively (χ2 =2.99,P =0.084) ;66％,23％,19％ and 16 months and 29％,12％,0％ and 8.8 months,respectively for those received 4 - 5 cycles chemotherapy and radiation dose ≥ 63 Gy and ＜ 63 Gy,respectively (χ2=15.87,P=0.000).No significant difference was found for patients received 2 - 3 cycles chemotherapy concurrently with DTP,Tv ≥63 Gy and 4 -5 cycles chemotherapy concurrently with DTPTV ＜63 Gy,respectively (χ2 =1.93,P =0.165).Multivariate analysis showed that 4 -5 cycles chemotherapy concurrently with DTPTv ≥63 Gy ( β =0.243,P =0.019),and improved KPS after treatment ( β =1.268,P =0.000) were independent favorable factors for survival.ConclusionChemotherapy concurrent with CCTTRT can prolong survival time of patients with stage Ⅳ NSCLC,especially for those treated with DTPTV ≥63 Gy.

Objective To assess the antiangiogenic role of recombinant human endostatin combined with chemoradiotherapy and the capacity,and to explore the early tumor response as measured by comparing the change of MRI perfusion parameter.Methods From May 2012 to March 2013,22 locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who received recombinant human endostatin combined with chemoradiotherapy following induction chemotherapy,were included in the prospective study group.The other 25 patients,who received chemoradiotherapy following induction chemotherapy alone in the same period,were included in the control group.The perfusion parameters including blood volume(BV),blood flux(BF),mean transit time (MTT) were obtained by carrying out MR perfusion scanning at 3 time points:before induction chemotherapy,after induction chemotherapy,the end of concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Results Compared with before induction chemotherapy,the perfusion parameters including BV and BF obviously decreased in the study group (F =3.05,3.85,P ＜ 0.05).The parameter of MTT had no obviously change in the study group(P ＞0.05).In the control group,the change of BV,BF and MTT of nasopharyngeal lesions area during the treatment showed no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).To make comparison between the two groups,at the end of concurrent chemoradiotherapy,BF of nasopharyngeal lesions area in the study group was 0.72 ± 0.56 and 1.92 ± 1.26 in the control group,the former showing significantly declined results (t =-3.056,P =0.012).Conclusions Recombinant human endostatin might be a good indicator of local tumor microvascular changes and the treatment-related toxicity could be tolerated.Magnetic resonance perfusion imaging maybe assessed the capacity of anti-angiogenesis therapy to induce early tumor response.Clinical trial registration Chinese clinical trial registry,ChiCRTONRC-12002394.

Objective:To investigate the outcomes of the regimen with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (TPF regimen) in chrono-chemotherapy, and evaluate the feasibility of reducing the toxicity and immunological damage in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with distant metastasis at preliminary diagnosis, then to compare the advantages and disadvantages between chrono-che-motherapy and traditional chemotherapy. Methods:A total of 46 NPC patients with distant metastasis at preliminary diagnosis (UICC 2010 stage IVc) were enrolled in this study. These NPC patients were randomly divided into chrono-chemotherapy and conventional chemotherapy groups, with 23 cases for each group. TPF neo-adjuvant chemotherapy was conducted in both groups for two cycles, with 21 days to 28 days for each cycle. The following regimen was used for the chrono-chemotherapy group:docetaxel 75 mg/m2, infu-sion, d1;cisplatin 75 mg/m2, 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., continuous infusion, d1-d5;and fluorouracil 750 mg/(m2 · d), 10:00 p.m.-10:00 a. m., continuous intravenous infusion, d1-d5. The following regimen was used for the conventional chemotherapy group:docetaxel 75 mg/m2, infusion, d1;cisplatin 75 mg/m2, infusion, d1;and fluorouracil 750 mg/(m2· d), continuous infusion, d1-d5, 120 h. Patients who obtained therapeutic efficacy via induction chemotherapy were provided with intensity-modulated radiotherapy as a concurrent radio-therapy and chemotherapy (DDP 100 mg/m2, infusion, d1-d2, with 21 days each cycle and a total of two courses). One month after con-current chemoradiation, an adjuvant chemotherapy with the same regimen as the induction chemotherapy was employed for a total of two courses. Acute and late toxicities were graded in accordance with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0 scor-ing. Tumor response was evaluated using the 2000 Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The effective rates included complete and partial responses. Relevant data were analyzed by SPSS16.0 statistical software. Results:More emesis was observed at Grade 2 or above in the conventional chemotherapy group than in the chrono-chemotherapy group, with statistical significance between the two groups (P=0.035). After chemotherapy, the value of CD4/CD8 increased in the chrono-chemotherapy group and decreased in the con-ventional chemotherapy group, with statistical significance between the two groups (P=0.033). Conclusion:The proposed chrono-che-motherapy outperforms conventional chemotherapy in reducing the occurrence of severe vomiting. This chrono-chemotherapy may be advantageous in reducing severe bone marrow depression and may play a positive role in the immune function of NPC patients.

Objective:To evaluate the role of spinal Rac1 signaling pathway in the maintenance of bone cancer pain (BCP) in rats.Methods:Sixty-four clean-grade adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 180-200 g, were divided into 4 groups using a random number table method: sham operation group (group S, n=8), BCP group ( n=40), BCP plus normal saline group (group BCP+ Veh, n=8), and BCP plus NSC23766 group (group BCP+ NSC, n=8). BCP was induced by injecting Walker 256 mammary gland cancer cell suspension 5 μl (1×10 5 cells/μl) into the bone marrow of the right tibia of rats in BCP, BCP+ Veh and BCP+ NSC groups, while the equal volume of inactivated tumor cells were injected in group S. On 9-11 days after BCP, specific Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 (5 μg/5 μl) was intrathecally injected once a day in group BCP+ NSC, and the equal volume of normal saline (5 μl) was given once a day in group BCP+ Veh.The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (MWT) was measured at 1 day before BCP (T 0) and 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days after BCP (T 1-5). Eight rats in each group were sacrificed after measurement of MWT at each time point in BCP group or after the last measurement of MWT in S, BCP+ Veh and BCP+ NSC groups, and the lumbar segment (L 4-6) of the spinal cord was removed for determination of the expression of Rac1 signaling pathway-related proteins Rac1, GTP-Rac1, PAK1 and p-PAK1 using Western blot. Results:Compared with group S, MWT was significantly decreased at T 3-5 in BCP, BCP+ Veh and BCP+ NSC groups, and the expression of GTP-Rac1 and p-PAK1 was up-regulated at T 3-5 in group BCP ( P<0.05). Compared with group BCP+ Veh, MWT was significantly increased at T 4, 5, and the expression of GTP-Rac1 and p-PAK1 was down-regulated in group BCP+ NSC ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Spinal Rac1 signaling pathway is involved in the maintenance of BCP in rats.

Objective:To explore the effects of Onodera′s prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on the prognosis of locally advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-OPSCC) after induction chemotherapy followed by sequential chemoradiotherapy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 52 LA-OPSCC patients receiving induction chemotherapy followed by sequential chemoradiotherapy in The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University during 2014-2018. The PNI values of all the patients at different treatment phases were statistically analyzed, and the ROC curve was employed to determine the optimal critical value of PNI. The patients in this study were divided into a well-nourished group ( n = 27) and a poorly-nourished group ( n = 25). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. The Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to analyze the relationships between different nutritional status and prognosis. Clinical features and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results:The PNI values decreased significantly after radiotherapy, with an optimal critical value of 42.4. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the well-nourished group (PNI ≥ 42.4) were 62.6% and 60.9%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those (30.1% and 29.7%) of the poorly-nourished group (PNI < 42.4, χ2 = 11.12, 5.74, P < 0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that PNI was an independent prognostic factor for the OS after radiotherapy ( HR = 2.752, 95% CI: 1.095-6.917, P = 0.031). The LA-OPSCC patients aged over 60 years or those who did not respond to induction chemotherapy accounted for a higher proportion of malnutrition after chemoradiotherapy ( χ2 = 4.89, 5.05, P < 0.05). Conclusions:PNI after radiotherapy can be used as a prognostic factor in the evaluation of LA-OPSCC patients receiving induction chemotherapy followed by sequential chemoradiotherapy. The LA-OPSCC patients aged over 60 years or those who do not respond to induction chemotherapy should receive more nutritional support during the chemoradiotherapy.

Objective:To evaluate the application of digital visualization in preoperative planning for surgical clearance of vertebral infection lesions following percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 13 patients with infectious spondylitis following PVP who had undergone one-stage posterior debridement and interbody bone grafting combined with instrumentation at Department of Spinal Surgery, Zhengzhou Orthopaedics Hospital from January 2016 to December 2022. They were 4 males and 9 females with an age of (71.4±6.5) years. Before surgery, the CT raw data of the patients were imported into software Mimics to reconstruct a three-dimensional model of the spine. After the distribution of bone cement in the model and its relationships with the vertebral plate, pedicle, articular process, and spinal cord were observed, a safe area for spinal canal surgery was designed. Intraoperative operations were carried out according to the preoperative planning. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, improvements in American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading, and postoperative complications were recorded. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by comparisons of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analogue scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) between preoperation, 2 weeks and 3 months postoperation, and the last follow-up.Results:Surgery went on successfully in all the 13 patients according to the preoperative planning. The surgical time was (275.9±28.3) min and the intraoperative blood loss (865.4±183.0) mL. All patients were followed up for (24.7±9.4) months. The levels of ESR, CRP, VAS, and ODI at 2 weeks, 3 months and the last follow-up were significantly lower than those before surgery ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, X-ray and CT examinations showed good positions of internal fixation and sufficient bone graft fusion. The ASIA grading recovered from preoperative D to E in 5 patients. No incision infection, sinus formation, worsening of neurological symptoms, loosening or rupture of internal fixation, or worsening of neurological dysfunction were found. Conclusion:With the assistance of 3D visualization, the spinal cord, bone cement, and debridement area can be visualized directly to reduce nerve injury complications so that a safe and effective preoperative planning can be made for surgical clearance of vertebral infection lesions following PVP.