1.Association of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure with platelet parameters across different glycemic states: The moderating role of a healthy lifestyle
Zhuo CHEN ; Huilin LOU ; Taimeng CHEN ; Fangyuan LIN ; Xueyan WU ; Yao GUO ; Haoran XU ; Mengke CHENG ; Peihan CHEN ; Yilin ZHOU ; Zhenxing MAO ; Xin TANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):535-541
Background Platelet parameters are important indicators of cardiovascular risk, and environmental pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may impair platelet function through oxidative stress. Objective To investigate the differential effects of single and mixed exposure to PCBs on platelet parameters among individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to evaluate the potential modifying role of a healthy lifestyle. Methods This study included 2249 participants (including 707 with NGT, 759 with IFG, and 783 with T2DM). Plasma PCB concentrations were measured using triple quadrupole gaschromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear regression was used to assess the associations between individual PCB congeners and platelet parameters. Quantile g-computation (QGC) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to evaluate the overall effects of PCBs mixture exposure on platelet parameters across different glycemic states, as well as its interaction with healthy lifestyle score (HLS). Results Generalized linear regression analyses showed significant differences in the effects of PCBs on platelet parameters across different glycemic states (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders, PCBs mixture exposure was significantly associated with lower platelet counts (PLT) in individuals with NGT (b=−10.60, 95%CI: −16.48, −4.71) and IFG (b=−12.91, 95%CI: −18.90, −6.92), whereas no significant association was observed in individuals with T2DM (P=0.051). Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) increased significantly with higher PCBs exposure levels across all three groups (P<0.05). BKMR analysis showed a positive association between PCBs mixture exposure and P-LCR, with the strongest association observed in the NGT group. Furthermore, a significant interaction was observed between HLS and PCBs mixture exposure, and a higher HLS attenuated the effects of PCBs on P-LCR. Conclusion Glycemic glycemic states may modify the effects of PCBs on platelets. Individuals with NGT appear more sensitive to PCBs exposure, whereas the T2DM state may attenuate this effect. Moreover, healthy lifestyles, including not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, maintaining moderate-to-high physical activity, a healthy diet, and an appropriate body mass index (BMI), may mitigate the adverse effects of most PCBs on platelet parameters.
2.Association of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure with platelet parameters across different glycemic states: The moderating role of a healthy lifestyle
Zhuo CHEN ; Huilin LOU ; Taimeng CHEN ; Fangyuan LIN ; Xueyan WU ; Yao GUO ; Haoran XU ; Mengke CHENG ; Peihan CHEN ; Yilin ZHOU ; Zhenxing MAO ; Xin TANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):535-541
Background Platelet parameters are important indicators of cardiovascular risk, and environmental pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may impair platelet function through oxidative stress. Objective To investigate the differential effects of single and mixed exposure to PCBs on platelet parameters among individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to evaluate the potential modifying role of a healthy lifestyle. Methods This study included 2249 participants (including 707 with NGT, 759 with IFG, and 783 with T2DM). Plasma PCB concentrations were measured using triple quadrupole gaschromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear regression was used to assess the associations between individual PCB congeners and platelet parameters. Quantile g-computation (QGC) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to evaluate the overall effects of PCBs mixture exposure on platelet parameters across different glycemic states, as well as its interaction with healthy lifestyle score (HLS). Results Generalized linear regression analyses showed significant differences in the effects of PCBs on platelet parameters across different glycemic states (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounders, PCBs mixture exposure was significantly associated with lower platelet counts (PLT) in individuals with NGT (b=−10.60, 95%CI: −16.48, −4.71) and IFG (b=−12.91, 95%CI: −18.90, −6.92), whereas no significant association was observed in individuals with T2DM (P=0.051). Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet-large cell ratio (P-LCR) increased significantly with higher PCBs exposure levels across all three groups (P<0.05). BKMR analysis showed a positive association between PCBs mixture exposure and P-LCR, with the strongest association observed in the NGT group. Furthermore, a significant interaction was observed between HLS and PCBs mixture exposure, and a higher HLS attenuated the effects of PCBs on P-LCR. Conclusion Glycemic glycemic states may modify the effects of PCBs on platelets. Individuals with NGT appear more sensitive to PCBs exposure, whereas the T2DM state may attenuate this effect. Moreover, healthy lifestyles, including not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, maintaining moderate-to-high physical activity, a healthy diet, and an appropriate body mass index (BMI), may mitigate the adverse effects of most PCBs on platelet parameters.
3.Deep learning for subtype recognition of Yang deficiency tongue images in traditional Chinese medicine
Tongbin Zhang ; Haoran Xu ; Ziyi Wang ; Chuanjun Pan ; Zheng Wang ; Lei Wang
Digital Chinese Medicine 2026;9(2):197-210
Objective:
To address the lack of fine-grained clinical recognition for specific Yang deficiency syndrome subtypes and the limitations of conventional object detection models in extracting irregular, low-contrast tongue phenotypes. This study aims to develop an objective subtype recognition framework based on an improved You Only Look Once nano (YOLO11n) architecture, using a standardized visual phenotype matrix to translate macroscopic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) descriptions into quantifiable clinical targets.
Methods:
This cross-sectional diagnostic study consecutively enrolled adult inpatients admitted to the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical University (Yijishan Hospital), between September 1, 2024 and June 1, 2025, who were suspected of having Yang deficiency constitution based on initial TCM consultation. Clinical tongue image data were collected for analysis. Based on an Expert Visual Phenotype Annotation Matrix, a five-category recognition system was established, including the following TCM syndrome subtypes: spleen-dampness exuberance syndrome, mild kidney Yang deficiency syndrome, upper heat and lower cold syndrome, simultaneous Yin-Yang deficiency syndrome, and Yin deficiency and fluid depletion syndrome (negative control). The proposed Yang deficiency YOLO (YD-YOLO) model, built upon the YOLO11n baseline, integrates the Cross Stage Partial with kernel size 2 (C3k2)-GhostBottleneck-Dynamic Convolution (GBDC) module into the backbone to adaptively extract low-contrast features, and embeds the multipath aggregation coordinate attention (MACA) mechanism into the neck to suppress background interference through multi-scale spatial coordination. Gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) was used to visualize feature attribution and evaluate the biological plausibility of the model’s focus. Model performance was evaluated through ablation and comparative experiments using mean average precision (mAP), precision, recall, F1 score, inference speed (frames per second, FPS), overall accuracy, Cohen’s kappa, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC).
Results:
Based on the final inclusion of 1 186 clinical cases, the YD-YOLO model had an overall accuracy of 91.5%, a Cohen’s kappa of 0.912, and an mAP@50 of 0.731 [higher than the YOLO11n baseline (0.681)], with AUC ranging from 0.91 to 0.97 across all TCM syndrome subtypes. Among the TCM syndrome subtypes, the mild kidney Yang deficiency syndrome had the highest mAP@50 (0.900), and the inference speed reached 89.00 FPS. Grad-CAM analysis showed that the model localized activation to key TCM pathological features, such as marginal tooth marks and focal root coatings, while suppressing non-diagnostic oral background noise.
Conclusion
The YD-YOLO model demonstrates the feasibility of deep learning for the fine-grained classification of TCM Yang deficiency subtypes. By integrating visual phenotype quantification with model interpretability, the proposed framework provides an objective basis for syndrome differentiation, supporting the development of standardized digital diagnostic systems and the provision of clinical decision support in TCM practice.
4.Research progress on the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation
Kankan SHUI ; Haoran ZHOU ; Ye XU ; Qiulin LUO ; Tengfang LI ; Hedong ZHANG ; Longkai PENG ; Helong DAI
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):9-15
Organ transplantation is an effective alternative treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, the shortage of donor organs has limited the widespread application of clinical transplantation. In recent years, breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology have overcome the barrier of hyperacute rejection in xenotransplantation, offering a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis. Rejection remains a critical factor affecting graft survival. Antigen-presenting cells play a vital role in the initiation and progression of rejection and immune regulation in xenotransplantation. Therefore, in-depth investigation into the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation is of great significance. This article summarizes the roles and therapeutic strategies of professional antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells in xenotransplantation, aiming to provide insights for future research on immune regulation mechanisms in this field.
5.Mechanistic study of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside in improving nephrotic syndrome via regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 pathway
Yifan TAO ; Chundong SONG ; Xu WANG ; Chong ZHANG ; Ying SU ; Xidong JIA ; Haoran JIANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):602-606
OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside (TWM) on nephrotic syndrome in rats. METHODS The nephrotic syndrome model was established by intravenous injection of adriamycin via the tail vein. The modeling rats were randomly divided into the model group (distilled water), prednisone group (10 mg/kg), and TWM high- and low-dose groups (10 and 5 mg/kg, respectively). Additionally, blank group (distilled water) without model induction was established. Each group consisted of 9 rats. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or distilled water by gavage, once a day, for 6 consecutive weeks. The histopathological morphology of kidney tissues in rats was observed; the levels of 24-hour urinary protein (24 h-UTP) and serum biochemical indicators [albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), cholesterol (CHOL), and triglyceride (TG)] in rats were determined; the levels of oxidative stress indicators [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)] in kidney tissue of rats were determined; expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/microRNA-155-5p (miR-155-5p)/nuclear factor erythriod 2- related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway-related mRNA and protein in the renal tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited disordered renal tissue structure, with a small amount of glomerular necrosis and edema of the renal tubular epithelial cells. 24 h-UTP, serum levels of SCr, BUN, CHOL and TG, MDA content, mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α and Keap1 as well as the expression of miR-155-5p in renal tissues were increased significantly ( P <0.05). Serum level of ALB, SOD level in renal tissue as well as mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 were decreased significantly ( P <0.05). Compared with the model group, TWM high-dose and low-dose groups exhibited significant improvements in renal injury, with notable reversals in the levels of the above quantitative indicators ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS TWM can alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and thereby improve nephrotic syndrome in rats by regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
6.Clinical characteristics and molecular function of ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 in soft tissue sarcoma
Yijin YAN ; Huan WANG ; Yifan DING ; Haoran XU ; Weihua HU ; Huang FANG
Journal of Clinical Surgery 2025;33(7):735-740
Objective To explore the expression pattern and molecular function of ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1(UHRF1)gene in soft tissue sarcoma(STS),as well as its correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis of STS.Methods RNA data and related clinical data of 263 STS tissues were obtained from Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to analyze correlation between two groups of data;Spearman correlation coefficient analyzed the top 35 co-expressed genes positively and negatively correlated with UHRF1 expression in STS database,ggplot2 statistical package displayed co-expressed gene heatmap,Pearson correlation coefficient showed correlation between UHRF1 expression and expression of the top 10 genes in the heatmap;different UHRF1 gene expression groups in STS were analyzed using DESeq2 package,ggplot2 package was used to draw volcano plots,gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyzed differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and protein functions,ggplot2 package for visualization,and cluster Profiler package for statistical analysis;STRING web was used to establish PPI network of DEGs,and the MCC algorithm in CytoHubba of Cytoscape was used to analyze hub genes.Results In STS,UHRF1 gene was significantly correlated with its histological type(liposarcoma 22.2%,synovial sarcoma 3.8%,leiomyosarcoma 40.7%,malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor 3.8%,myxofibrosarcoma 9.6%,pleomorphic sarcoma 19.9%,P=0.001),tumor necrosis(none 38.8%,focal necrosis 20.8%,moderate necrosis 33.8%,extensive necrosis 6.6%,P=0.010),and tumor metastasis(no metastasis 67%,metastasis 33%,P<0.001).In different clinical subgroups(age,gender,histological type,residual tumor,tumor necrosis,tumor depth,margin status,tumor multifocality,radiotherapy),high expression of UHRF1 led to poor prognosis of overall survival(OS),disease-specific survival(DSS),and progression-free interval(PFI);Three prognostic factors above were simultaneously shortened in the following five subgroups:namely residual tumor R0 and R1,tumor necrosis extensive,focal and moderate,tumor depth deep,positive margin status,tumor without multifocality.Analysis of the top 10 co-expressed genes associated with UHRF1 expression revealed that the associated positive genes were PAGE5,LINC01425,LCEP3,SERPINB7,AC074031.1,LCE3A,LCE2A,PAGE2B,MYF5,and AC037486.1(P<0.05);the associated negative genes were CDH19,CSN1S1,TAC3,AC103563.7,SAA1,CHST8,PRLHR,MIR202HG,IGHV1-24,and ART4(P<0.05).A total of 3 029 DEGs of UHRF1 in STS were obtained with a threshold of|log2 fold-change(FC)|>1.0 and adjusted P value<0.05,in which 1 228 genes were up-regulated and 1 801 genes were down-regulated;GO enrichment analyed primary biological processes(BP),original cellular components(CC),and original molecular functions(MF),and KEGG enrichment analyed signaling pathways.A total of 343 DEGs including 133 up-regulated genes and 210 down-regulated genes,were obtained with a threshold of|log2 fold-change(FC)|>2.0 and adjusted P value<0.05.The top 10 hub genes were analyzed.The top 3 hub genes were GCG,SST and SHH,respectively.Conclusion UHRF1 is significantly correlated with histological type,tumor necrosis,metastasis,OS,DSS,and PFI events in STS.In co expressed genes model and molecular functions of related positive and negative genes involved in multiple biological processes;The network of differentially expressed genes and protein product interactions involved in mechanisms of occurrence and development of the disease,and provided new ideas for in-depth researches on STS.
7.Application exploration of bidirectional regulation among meridian,time rhythm,and immune system in allergic rhinitis
Ke CHEN ; Bowen XU ; Xue LIANG ; Di WU ; Haoran XU ; Jie ZHU ; Jiabing TONG ; Zegeng LI
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(6):833-838
Time rhythm and the immune system play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)believes that the circulation of qi and blood in lung meridian follows the principle of"yang during the day,yin at night",which has a defensive function to protect the body from external pathogens.Qi stagnation in lung meridian and impaired qi and blood circulation can lead to the invasion of external pathogens,exacerbating allergic reactions,especially during the active period of the lung meridian,when the immune system is most sensitive to allergens.Based on this,this paper proposes the concept of"bidirectional regulation among meridian,time rhythm,and immune system",and in combination with TCM theory of midnight-noon and ebb-flow doctrine,analyzes the fluctuations of allergic rhinitis symptoms and the temporal changes of meridian qi and blood,and reveals the rhythmic relationship between meridian activity and immune response.This paper combines existing clinical and experimental studies to support this hypothesis,integrating the time dimension into traditional TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment,offering a more individualized treatment approach.This concept not only provides novel scientific evidence for TCM treatment of allergic rhinitis,but also offers theoretical support for optimizing treatment timing and intervention strategies.
8.Different surgical methods for FIGO stage IVB cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy:a population-based study
Haoran LI ; Jiao WU ; Qing XU ; Yixin CHEN ; Xi CHENG
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2025;36(3):e42-
Objective:
To assess survival differences between non-extensive surgery (NES) and extensive surgery (ES) in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IVB cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy from a population-based database, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results.
Methods:
Propensity matching was conducted to minimize heterogeneity. Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan–Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model.
Results:
A total of 154 patients met screening criteria, among whom 84 patients (84/154) underwent NES while 70 patients (70/154) underwent ES. After matching, no survival advantage was observed in ES group compared with NES group (p=0.066; hazard ratio [HR]=1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.97–2.42). Stratified analyses suggested ES prolonged overall survival in patients with histology other than squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma (p=0.028; HR=0.36; 95% CI=0.15–0.89) and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T stage T1 (p=0.009; HR=0.18; 95% CI=0.05–0.66). Despite no survival benefit after regional lymph node surgery (p=0.629; HR=0.88; 95% CI=0.53–1.47), subgroup analyses demonstrated that patients younger than 50 (p=0.006; HR=0.21; 95% CI=0.07– 0.64), with AJCC T stage T1 (p=0.002; HR=0.09; 95% CI=0.02–0.42), T3 (p=0.001; HR=0.02; 95% CI=0.00–0.21), hematogenous metastasis (p=0.036; HR=0.27; 95% CI=0.08–0.92) and without surgery of other sites (p=0.040; HR=0.01; 95% CI=0.00–0.79) might achieve longer survival after regional lymph node surgery.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ES or regional lymph node surgery may provide survival advantage for certain subgroup of FIGO IVB cervical cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.However, it deserves large scale prospective clinical trials to confirm.
9.Construction of a machine learning model based on the Ki67 positive index to predict the recurrence risk of hepatocellular carcinoma
Haoran LI ; Yan YU ; Fangying FAN ; Wenzhen DING ; Hui FENG ; Minghua YING ; Jiawei LI ; Qingqing SUN ; Lele BIAN ; Haokai XU ; Zhanyue CHEN ; Jie YU ; Ping LIANG
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2025;33(9):898-909
Objective:To screen the optimal machine learning model for predicting the recurrence condition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at different time points post-surgery, based on the cutoff value of the Ki67 positive proliferation index condition calculated from recurrence-free survival and combined with various clinical features.Methods:retrospective study included initially treated patients with solitary HCC who underwent radical surgery at the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from January 2013 to March 2023. Data included general clinical data, preoperative laboratory parameters, and surgical pathology information about the subjects. The postoperative recurrence status was assessed by querying the medical record system or by telephone follow-up. The Ki67 positive index cutoff value was determined by the X-tile software based on the patient's recurrence-free survival status and time analysis. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and survival curves were plotted. The study population was randomly divided into training and testing groups in a 7:3 ratio using a computer-generated random number method. The minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) method was used for feature variable selection. Predictive models for postoperative HCC recurrence conditions in patients with HCC were constructed using random forest, support vector machine, logistic regression, and gradient boosting decision tree machine learning algorithms. Inter-group comparisons for continuous data were performed using the t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Inter-group comparisons of enumeration data were performed using the Pearson χ2 test, continuity-corrected χ2 test, or Fisher's exact test. Results:The cutoff values for the Ki67 positivity index were 0.3 and 0.5 in 510 cases, with a follow-up time ranging from 1.2 to 11.4 years (median: 6.2 years). The recurrence-free survival time was between 1 and 135 months (median: 32 months), with recurrence-free survival rates post-surgery at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years were 87.5%, 77.1%, 61.2%, and 54.5%, respectively. The top five variables predicted HCC recurrence and non-recurrence conditions following surgical follow-up at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and beyond 2 years, in accordance with information obtained by the mRMR screen out. The Ki67 positivity index screened a successfully constructed machine learning model to predict HCC recurrence and non-recurrence conditions following surgical follow-up at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and beyond 2 years. The machine learning model based on the gradient boosting decision tree algorithm had the best prediction performance among them (areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting HCC recurrence within six months in the training and validation sets were 0.996 and 0.946, and accuracies were 0.972 and 0.935, respectively).Conclusion:A machine learning model was successfully constructed using the Ki67 positivity index combined with four readily available clinical features to predict HCC recurrence. The machine learning model based on the gradient boosting decision tree algorithm demonstrated the best performance in terms of predicting HCC recurrence within six months after surgery.
10.Thoughts on nearly a decade of high-quality development in specialized nursing for venous thromboembolism
Xiaojie WANG ; Yufen MA ; Yuan XU ; Lei WANG ; Liyun ZHU ; Yu WANG ; Qiaodan LU ; Ranxun AN ; Xinyi ZHOU ; Ning ZHANG ; Haoran SHI ; Haibo DENG
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(8):992-998
This paper summarizes the achievements of China's venous thromboembolism specialized nursing career in the past decade in nursing management, clinical nursing, talent cultivation, and discipline construction, and puts forward the outlook for the future work, with a view to providing reference for promoting the high-quality development of China's venous thromboembolism specialized nursing career.

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