1.Evidence-based analysis of the current research status of the competence of clinical department heads and nurse managers in Chinese hospitals
Qingyu LI ; Wanxing KANG ; Huiqin ZHANG ; Longfu CHEN ; Jianrong ZHANG
Modern Hospital 2024;24(7):1091-1095
Objective This study aims to conduct an evidence-based analysis of the research progress and management status of the competence of clinical department heads and nurse managers in China,providing reliable references for further devel-oping their management research and improving the human resource management in Chinese hospitals.Methods The VIP,CNKI,WANFANG Chinese databases,online resources,and relevant official websites were searched to retrieve literature related to the competence of clinical department directors and nurse managers in China.Descriptive analysis was conducted using biblio-metrics and evidence-based principles and methods.Results A total of 82 articles were included,mainly focusing on the con-ceptual theories of clinical department directors and nurse managers,the construction of competence models,and application re-search.The research on the competence of clinical department directors and nurse managers in China started relatively late and showed a trend of initial growth followed by decline.The distribution of journals was relatively scattered,and the literature mainly came from higher education institutions and medical institutions.The research development has stagnated at the stage of empirical research and has not progressed to the stage of evaluative research.Conclusion The research on the competence of clinical de-partment directors and nurse managers in China is still in the stage of application and practice,lacking systematic research.It is mainly led by higher education institutions and medical institutions,and the attention from the national government in terms of competence of clinical department directors and nurse managers in hospitals needs to be strengthened.
2.Optimization of simulated localizable CT scanning parameters for pediatric body radiotherapy
Guiyuan LI ; Xinyuan CHEN ; Liang ZHAO ; Xiaohong WANG ; Yuan TIAN ; Jianrong DAI ; Junlin YI
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(5):534-540
Objective On the premise of meeting the image quality requirements of simulated location for pediatric radiotherapy,the simulated localizable CT parameters are optimized through phantom scanning to reduce the radiation dose.Methods CatPhan700 phantom was used to simulate the child's body,Philip 24-row large-aperture spiral simulated localizable CT was performed,and the CT images were obtained by scanning the phantom at different mAs and tube voltages.The mAs range was set at 60-400 mAs,the scanning was performed every 20 mAs interval,and the kV was set at 80,100,and 120 kV.Image evaluation was carried out using parameters such as image noise(N10 and mean SD),uniformity,low contrast resolution,high contrast resolution,and the stabilities of HU values of Air,Acrylic,50%bone,LDPE,20%bone,Teflon,Polystyrene,DelrinTM,Lung,PMP and Water.The CTDIVol and DLP automatically calculated by the simulated localizable CT system were read to evaluate the radiation dose.Results At 100 kV,as mAs increased,both CTDI and DLP showed upward trends,and the fitting results were linear correlated,with slopes of 0.034 5 and 0.932 4.Image noise was decreased nonlinearly with the increasing mAs.When mAs increased from 60 to 140 mAs,N10 decreased from 0.25%to 0.14%,and SD reduced from 3.74 HU to 2.54 HU.When mAs reached 180 mAs or higher,N10 fluctuated between 0.1%and 0.12%,the mean SD fluctuated between 2.0 and 2.5 HU,and the downward trends obviously slowed down.When mAs increased from 60 to 200 mAs,the low contrast resolution of the image dropped from 0.53 to 0.29.The image uniformity,high contrast resolution and HU values of different substances were less affected by mAs.The image quality of 100 kV and 200 mAs scanning was close to that of 120 kV scanning,but the image quality of 80 kV scanning failed to meet the clinical requirements.Conclusion In order to reduce the radiation dose as much as possible,the mAs should be set at 200 mAs when the tube voltage is set at 100 kV for a simulated cylinder with a diameter of 20 cm.In the actual simulation scanning for pediatric radiotherapy,the scanning parameters should be fine-tuned according to the phantom results and the actual physical characteristics of children to satisfy the optimization principle for radiation protection.
3.Test for geometric accuracy of imaging for magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy
Ji ZHU ; Xinyuan CHEN ; Shirui QIN ; Zhuanbo YANG ; Ying CAO ; Kuo MEN ; Jianrong DAI
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(8):925-930
Objective To evaluate the effects of the multiple factors especially image geometric accuracy of the imaging system on the segmentations of target areas and organs-at-risk.Methods The study used phantoms to test the imaging performance of the 1.5T magnetic resonance(MR)linear accelerator system,including the assessments of MR image geometric distortion and the segmentation errors caused by factors such as image geometric distortion.Model 604-GS large field MR image distortion phantom was used to explore the geometric distortion of the MR images for MR-guided radiotherapy;and CIRS Model 008z upper abdominal phantom was used to analyze the segmentation errors of target areas and organs-at-risk.Results The average geometric distortion and maximum distortion of 3D T1WI-FFE images vs 3D T2WI-TSE images were 0.54 mm vs 0.53 mm and 1.96 mm vs 1.68 mm,respectively;and the control points of the large distortions were distributed at the edges of the phantom,which was consistent with the MR imaging characteristics previously reported.Compared with CT-based segmentation contour,the MDA was 1.17 mm and DSC was 0.91 for 3D T1WI-FFE,while MDA was 0.86 mm and DSC was 0.94 for 3D T2WI-TSE.Conclusion The study quantitatively assesses the geometric accuracy of the imaging system for MR-guided radiotherapy.The phantom-based contour analysis reveals that with CT image as gold standard,the segmentation error in MRI images meets the clinical requirements,and that 3D T2WI-TSE image is advantageous over 3D T1WI-FFE image in segmentation accuracy.
4.Simulation study of proton radiography based on pixel sensors
Minghui LI ; Yilun CHEN ; Hu RAN ; Jianrong DAI ; Kuo MEN ; Chengxin ZHAO ; Chuanmeng NIU ; Hongkai WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(9):1064-1069
Using high-energy proton to image the region of interest can directly obtain the accurate estimation of the proton stopping power of the lesions,which is of great significance to reduce the range uncertainty in proton therapy.As a fundamental function of proton computed tomography(CT),radiographic imaging plays a crucial role in assisting clinical positioning.The study develops a compact proton CT detector based on an active array pixel CMOS chip in Monte-Carlo simulation toolkit Geant4,and evaluates the radiographic imaging capability of the system using 180 MeV protons.The angles of tracks are successfully reconstructed.CTP404,CTP528,and the CTP515 of specific materials are used for simulation,obtaining the spatial and density resolutions,and measuring the proton relative stopping power(RSP).The image signal-to-noise ratio is improved when using 2° proton scattering angle cut-off value.The spatial resolution is 3-4 lp/cm measured using CTP528 module.The density resolution is better than 0.05 g/cm3,and the RSP resolution is within 5%when CTP404 module is used.Through the imaging of CTP515 phantom of specific material,it is demonstrated that the system has potential for imaging common human tissues.
5.Acceptance testing for MR simulator:guideline-based practice and result analysis
Cuiyun YUAN ; Xinyuan CHEN ; Chenbin LIU ; Yang LI ; Enzhuo QUAN ; Jianrong DAI
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(10):1199-1205
Objective Magnetic resonance simulator(MR Sim)is a novel type of simulation equipment utilized in radiotherapy.Acceptance testing is an essential quality assurance procedure prior to the clinical use of the MR Sim.The report provides the detailed procedures and result analysis of acceptance testing for an MR Sim.Methods The acceptance testing scheme was developed following the recently published AAPM TG284 report and the NCC/T-RT 002-2023 guidelines.Quality control equipments such as ACR(American College of Radiology)large phantom and geometric distortion measurement phantom were used for evaluating various aspects of the MR Sim,including the effectiveness of shielding,the functionality of imaging system,the image quality,the performance of radio frequency coils,the geometric accuracy of large field imaging,the precision of external laser markings,the couch movement accuracy,and the image transmission accuracy.Results The shielding effectiveness at a frequency of 150 MHz exhibited an average value of 105 dB.All of 8 image quality indices,namely geometric accuracy,slice position accuracy,slice thickness accuracy,image uniformity,artifact ratio,signal-to-noise ratio,high-contrast spatial resolution,and low-contrast resolution,fell within recommended tolerances.The maximum geometric distortion observed across a 25 cm field of view was less than 2 mm.The errors in external laser markings and couch movement accuracy were both less than 1 mm.The couch levelness was less than 1°.Both radio frequency coils and image transmission passed the required tests.Conclusion MR Sim is high-precision and complex.To ensure its precise application in radiotherapy,the acceptance testing for an MR Sim should be meticulously designed and executed following the established guidelines and accounting for its unique performance characteristics.
6.Feasibility analysis of dose calculation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy planning using MRI-only simulation
Xuejie XIE ; Guoliang ZHANG ; Siqi YUAN ; Yuxiang LIU ; Yunxiang WANG ; Bining YANG ; Ji ZHU ; Xinyuan CHEN ; Kuo MEN ; Jianrong DAI
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2024;33(5):446-453
Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of using MRI-only simulation images for dose calculation of both photon and proton radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases.Methods:T 1-weighted MRI images and CT images of 100 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. MRI images were converted to generate pseudo-CT images by using deep learning network models. The training set, validation set and test set included 70 cases, 10 cases and 20 cases, respectively. Convolutional neural network (CNN) and cycle-consistent generative adversarial neural network (CycleGAN) were exploited. Quantitative assessment of image quality was conducted by using mean absolute error (MAE) and structural similarity (SSIM), etc. Dose assessment was performed by using 3D-gamma pass rate and dose-volume histogram (DVH). The quality of pseudo-CT images generated was statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results:The MAE of the CNN and CycleGAN was (91.99±19.98) HU and (108.30±20.54) HU, and the SSIM was 0.97±0.01 and 0.96±0.01, respectively. In terms of dosimetry, the accuracy of pseudo-CT for photon dose calculation was higher than that of the proton plan. For CNN, the gamma pass rate (3 mm/3%) of the photon radiotherapy plan was 99.90%±0.13%. For CycleGAN, the value was 99.87%±0.34%. The gamma pass rates of proton radiotherapy plans were 98.65%±0.64% (CNN, 3 mm/3%) and 97.69%±0.86% (CycleGAN, 3 mm/3%). For DVH, the dose calculation accuracy in the photon plan of pseudo-CT was better than that of the proton plan.Conclusions:The deep learning-based model generated accurate pseudo-CT images from MR images. Most dosimetric differences were within clinically acceptable criteria for photon and proton radiotherapy, demonstrating the feasibility of an MRI-only workflow for radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal cancer. However, compared with the raw CT images, the error of the CT value in the nasal cavity of the pseudo-CT images was relatively large and special attention should be paid during clinical application.
7.Study on Mechanism of Xiaojin Pills in Treatment of Breast Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification
Delian NIU ; Dongyin LIAN ; Qin HU ; Lihua SUN ; Ying CHEN ; Hongping HOU ; Guangping ZHANG ; Jianrong LI ; Zuguang YE ; Bo PENG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(2):41-49
Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of Xiaojin Pills in the treatment of breast cancer using an integrated network pharmacology and experimental verification.Methods The chemical components and potential targets of Xiaojin Pills were obtained from TCMSP,TCM-ID,ETCM and SwissTargetPrediction databases.Breast cancer related targets were collected from GeneCards,OMIM and KEGG databases.The overlapped targets were imported into STRING database to analysis a protein-protein interaction(PPI).The key targets of PPI networks were screened based on node topology parameter values through Cytoscape 3.8.0.DAVID database was used to analyze the GO and KEGG pathway enrichment to build drug-chemical components-key targets-signaling pathway network.The breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 were used to study the effects of Xiaojin Pills extract on cell apoptosis,migration and invasion,and to verify the key pathway obtained by enrichment analysis.Results Totally 181 chemical components in Xiaojin Pills were obtained,including quercetin,myricetin,pinocembrin and β-sitosterol.615 potential targets were identified for the anti-breast cancer effects of Xiaojin Pills.After overlapping,170 key targets against breast cancer were identified based on the topological analysis,which included SRC,ERK1/2,AKT1,EGFR,etc.KEGG analysis enriched pathways including pathways in cancer,MAPK signaling pathway,endocrine resistance,PI3K-AKT signaling pathway,EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance,apoptosis,and HIF-1 signaling pathway,which may play important roles in the therapeutic effects of Xiaojin Pills against breast cancer.GO enrichment was involved in protein phosphorylation,inflammatory response,negative regulation of apoptosis,and positive regulation of ERK1 and ERK2 cascades.Cell experiments showed that Xiaojin Pills further induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways.At the same time,the expressions of ZO-1 and β-catenin increased,and the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation process was reversed to inhibit the metastasis of breast cancer cells.Conclusion The key targets and signaling pathways of Xiaojin Pills in the treatment of breast cancer are studied through network pharmacology combined with in vitro experiments,which provided a basis for further study of its pharmacodynamic material basis,mechanism of action and clinical application.
8.Feasibility of acceptance of multiple accelerators using Elekta AGL standard procedures
Liang ZHAO ; Guiyuan LI ; Xiaohong WAN ; Xinyuan CHEN ; Kuo MEN ; Jianrong DAI ; Yuan TIAN
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2024;33(3):244-249
Objective:To verify the feasibility of using Elekta accelerated go live (AGL) standard process for the acceptance of multiple accelerators.Methods:The beams of three accelerators were adjusted by PTW Beamscan three-dimensional water tank to reach the AGL standard. Dose verification was performed for three accelerators that met AGL standards. A simple field test example from Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was used to compare the MapCheck 3 surface dose measurement results with the surface dose calculated by the same accelerator model. Images of 10 patients including head and neck, esophagus, breast, lung and rectum were randomly selected. volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment techniques were used for planning design, and the measured dose of ArcCheck was compared with the planned dose calculated by the same accelerator model. One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyze the passing rates of two-dimensional and three-dimensional dose verification.Results:The 6 MV X-ray percentage depth dose at 10 cm underwater (PDD 10) of three accelerators was 67.45%, 67.36%, 67.47%, and the maximum deviation between the three accelerators was 0.11%. The 6 MV flattenting filter free (FFF) mode X-ray PDD 10 was 67.33%, 67.20%, 67.20%, and the maximum deviation between the three accelerators was 0.13%. All required discrete point doses on each energy 30 cm×30 cm Profile spindle of the three accelerator X-rays deviated less than ±1% from the standard data. Absolute γ analysis was performed on the results of MapCheck 3 two-dimensional dose matrix validation. Under the 10% threshold of 2 mm/3% standard, the average passing rate of the test cases in Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was above 99%, and the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Absolute γ analysis was performed on the ArcCheck verification results. Under the 10% threshold, the pass rate of 2 mm/3% was all above 95%, the maximum average passing rate of the three accelerators with different energy and different treatment techniques was 0.28% (6 MV, VMAT), 0.19%(6 MV FFF, VMAT), 0.56% (6 MV, IMRT) and 0.05% (6 MV FFF, IMRT), and the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with traditional accelerator acceptance process, the acceptance time of each accelerator is shortened by 4-6 weeks by using the AGL standard process, and the radiotherapy plan of patients can be interchangeably executed among different accelerators.
9.Analysis of the monitoring results of nail snails in the Tongjiang River channel of Zhenjiang section on the south bank of Yangtze River from 2019 to 2023
WANG Zhiqin ; CHEN Xingchen ; SHEN Xuehui ; DAI Jianrong ; LI Aihua ; WANG Lin ; LI Yefang ; LI Zhiwei
China Tropical Medicine 2024;24(1):53-
Objective To timely understand the current status and distribution of nail snails (Oncomelania hupensis) in Tongjiang River channels in Zhenjiang City, providing a scientific basis for achieving the goal of eliminating schistosomiasis. Methods From 2019 to 2023, nine Tongjiang River channels on the south bank of the Yangtze River under the jurisdiction of Zhenjiang City were selected as the monitoring area. Snail monitoring was carried out onshore and beach nail snails floats in the Tongjiang River channels, nail snails on attachments in hardened areas, snails induced by straw curtains, and snails carried by boats and domestic animals. Results The monitoring results of shoreline snail from 2019 to 2023 showed that the snail situation in the Tongjiang River channel and its outer river bank remained relatively stable from 2019 to 2020; however, in 2021, under the influence of the Yangtze River flooding disaster in 2020, the area of snails increased significantly. In 2021, the area with snails in the Tongjiang River channel and the outer river bank increased by 45.70% (11.95/26.15) and 100.00% (20.00/20.00) compared to 2020; the average density of nails snails in the Tongjiang River channel and the outer river bank and the emergence rate of snail frames both showed a significant increase, rising by 94.73% (0.18/0.19) and 68.08% (8.68/12.75) compared to 2020, and by 122.73% (0.81/0.66) and 102.78% (43.26/42.09), respectively. The differences in the increase in the occurrence rate of spiked frames in the Tongjiang River channel Chili River and Renmin River were not statistically significant (χ2=0.329, P>0.05; χ2=0.646, P>0.05). From 2022 to 2023, the density of nail snails and the occurrence rate of framed snails in the Tongjiang River channel showed a decreasing trend (F=4.72, P=0.04 and χ2=372.58, P<0.01). The area of nail snails, density of live snails, and occurrence rate of framed snails in the outer river bank showed a decreasing trend (F=13.96, P=0.02; F=23.43, P<0.01; χ2=1 029.69, P<0.01). During the five years, no nail snails were detected in the ancient canal and 11 tributaries. From 2019 to 2023, 180 times of 3 003 kg of floating objects were salvaged, with a total of 148 live snails detected. A total of 17 live snails were captured on attachments in the hardened berm area; a total of 11 live snails were captured by straw curtain snail baiting;112 boats were inspected, and no snails were found; there were 112 boats surveyed, and no snails were found; 97 cattle were observed, and 2 cattle were found to carry 1 live snail on their hooves; 321 sheep were observed, and no snails were found on their hooves; and no infectious snails were found in the monitoring area in 5 years. Conclusions Nail snails continue to exist in the Tongjiang River channel, and the risk factors for schistosomiasis transmission have not been completely eliminated. It is still necessary to carry out accurate monitoring of the snail situation in the Tongjiang River and the river bank, so as to grasp the risk of transmission in time and take emergency measures.
10.An Approach for Grading Syndrome Suitability of Dietary Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Lixia YUAN ; Jianrong CHEN ; Xunxun YUAN ; Sheng XU ; Weifeng ZHU ; Xu ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(18):1888-1894
Clarifying the applicability (indications or contraindications) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) dietary regimens to different syndromes is a guarantee for the rational application and safety of TCM dietary therapy. By considering evidence from ancient literature, modern research and experts' experience, the Grading System for Syndrome Suitability of Dietary Therapy in TCM (GRADE-SSD) has been constructed. According to the currently available highest-quality evidence, GRADE-SSD classified the applicability of TCM dietary therapy to various TCM syndromes into 2 categories and 4 grades: "definitely" applicable/contradicted (Grade A), "very likely" applicable/contradicted (Grade B), "possibly" applicable/contradicted (Grade C), and insufficient evidence to determine (Grade D). When applying, first, systematically search the currently available ancient books and clinical research evidence. For different types of evidence (ancient TCM books, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses), use the prescribed tools to evaluate the quality of the evidence, and then determine the applicability level of TCM syndromes of dietary therapy based on the principle of "taking the highest" quality. If there is a lack of direct evidence, GRADE-SSD supports a downgraded evaluation based on indirect evidence of "similar prescriptions". When there is a lack of ancient books and clinical research, the GRADE-SSD plan can evaluate the quality of evidence from peer consensus or expert opinions for the applicability level of TCM syndromes of dietary therapy. Based on the requirements for the safety of TCM dietary therapy, when there is both "applicable" and "contradicted" evidence, it should be considered as "contradicted" evidence. GRADE-SSD also provides an evidence certainty update plan based on new evidence in the future. The evaluation results of GRADE-SSD can provide a basis for setting inclusion/exclusion criteria in clinical trials of TCM dietary therapy and stating the applicability of each syndrome in the labels of dietary therapy products.

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