1.Current quality status and management countermeasures of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province
Qiuliang XU ; Feng HAN ; Peng WANG ; Zhen ZHOU ; Fei LI ; Hongwei XIE ; Yong HU ; Weiming YUAN ; Lifang ZHOU ; Hua ZOU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(3):341-346
Background The quality of occupational health technical services is directly linked to the protection of workers' health rights and the efficacy of occupational disease prevention and control. However, the industry still faces critical challenges: sporadic instances of institutional non-compliance and persistent irregularities in professional practice continue to undermine overall service performance. Objective To assess the current quality status of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province and propose countermeasures for quality improvement, providing a scientific basis for policy optimization and service delivery quality enhancement. Methods A total of 69 occupational health technical service institutions in Zhejiang Province that obtained formal accreditation as of April 30, 2024, were sampled, including 3 public institutions and 66 private institutions (comprising 3 formerly Class-A, 28 formerly Class-B, 11 formerly Class-C, and 24 newly certified institutions). Following the Technical Protocol for Quality Monitoring of Occupational Health Technical Service in Zhejiang Province and the Technical Protocol for Proficiency Testing of Occupational Health Detection in Zhejiang Province, a quality assessment task force comprising national and provincial experts was established. Evaluation was conducted across four dimensions: qualification maintenance and compliance, standardization of technical services, authenticity of technical services, and proficiency testing, utilizing a combination of document review, on-site inspections, and technical skill assessments. Results The occupational health technical service institutions in Zhejiang Province were predominantly private entities (82.5%), with significant disparities in overall service quality. The pass rates for qualification maintenance and compliance, technical service standardization, technical service authenticity, and the excellence rate for laboratory proficiency testing were 81.5%, 80.7%, 97.3%, and 90.4%, respectively. Regarding qualification maintenance, the pass rates for "environmental conditions" (49.8%, 56.7%) and "instrumentation and equipment" (58.2%、65.6%) were significantly lower for formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions compared to other categories. In terms of technical standardization, "standardized on-site inspections" recorded the lowest pass rate (67.4%), with newly certified institutions at only 48.0%. Regarding technical service authenticity, formerly Class-C institutions exhibited issues such as missing raw chromatograms for blank samples (85.7% pass rate). In laboratory proficiency testing, public and formerly Class-A institutions achieved 100% excellence rates, but the performance of formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions was comparatively weak; specifically, the failure rate for organic analysis in formerly Class-C institutions reached 20%; the failure rate for dust testing items in newly certified institutions was 10.3%. Conclusion The overall quality of occupational health technical services in Zhejiang Province still requires significant improvement, particularly in basic institutional conditions, the standardization of on-site inspections, and laboratory proficiency in organic and dust analysis. Formerly Class-C and newly certified institutions should be the primary focus of quality management efforts. Differentiated regulatory strategies are recommended, alongside strengthening interim and ex-post supervision to gradually enhance the quality of occupational health technical services across all institutions.
2.Gender-specific patterns of external occipital protuberance hyperplasia: associations with nuchal ligament ossification and cervical sagittal imbalance in myelopathy patients
Zhaoyang GONG ; Hanqiu SUN ; Dachuan LI ; Xiao LU ; Siyang LIU ; Ximeng WANG ; Xinlei XIA ; Feizhou LYU ; Jianyuan JIANG ; Fei ZOU ; Hongli WANG ; Xiaosheng MA
Asian Spine Journal 2026;20(1):10-19
Methods:
Cervical radiographs were analyzed. EOP hyperplasia was classified into three subtypes with standardized length measurements. Variables encompassed demographics, ONL-related indices, and sagittal parameters. Subtype comparisons and multivariate regression analyses (with EOP length as dependent variable) were conducted.
Results:
Analysis of 187 CSM patients (64.2% male) identified gender-specific patterns: males exhibited greater EOP length (9.4±6.8 mm vs. 4.6±3.4 mm, p<0.001). Type III EOP demonstrated male predominance (82.4% vs. type I 31.8%, type II 51.4%; p<0.001), with associated longer hyperplasia length (11.6±6.6 mm vs. type II 5.1±1.9 mm, p<0.001). Type III EOP was associated with higher ONL prevalence (type III 64.8% vs. type I 45.5%, type II 41.9%; p=0.010) and longer ONL osteophyte length (type III 18.8±9.8 mm vs. type I 14.2±8.1 mm, type II 14.2±9.4 mm; p=0.046). Multivariate regression confirmed male sex (β=–3.82, p=0.009), ONL osteophyte length (β=0.16, p=0.017), T1 slope (β=0.27, p=0.041), and spino-cranial angle (β=–0.19, p=0.009) as factors independently associated with EOP length (adjusted R²=0.382).
Conclusions
Severe EOP hyperplasia exhibits a male-predominant distribution pattern and demonstrates significant radiological associations with ONL and cervical sagittal imbalance in CSM patients. These findings advocate for EOP evaluation in clinical evaluations to identify high-risk biomechanical profiles.
3.The Ferroptosis-inducing Compounds in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Xin-Die WANG ; Da-Li FENG ; Xiang CUI ; Su ZHOU ; Peng-Fei ZHANG ; Zhi-Qiang GAO ; Li-Li ZOU ; Jun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):804-819
Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death modality discovered and defined in the last decade, is primarily induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. At present, it has been found that ferroptosis is involved in various physiological functions such as immune regulation, growth and development, aging, and tumor suppression. Especially its role in tumor biology has attracted extensive attention and research. Breast cancer is one of the most common female tumors, characterized by high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer, which lacks conventional breast cancer treatment targets and is prone to drug resistance to existing chemotherapy drugs and has a low cure rate after progression and metastasis. There is an urgent need to find new targets or develop new drugs. With the increase of studies on promoting ferroptosis in breast cancer, it has gradually attracted attention as a treatment strategy for breast cancer. Some studies have found that certain compounds and natural products can act on TNBC, promote their ferroptosis, inhibit cancer cells proliferation, enhance sensitivity to radiotherapy, and improve resistance to chemotherapy drugs. To promote the study of ferroptosis in TNBC, this article summarized and reviewed the compounds and natural products that induce ferroptosis in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. We started with the exploration of the pathways of ferroptosis, with particular attention to the System Xc--cystine-GPX4 pathway and iron metabolism. Then, a series of compounds, including sulfasalazine (SAS), metformin, and statins, were described in terms of how they interact with cells to deplete glutathione (GSH), thereby inhibiting the activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and preventing the production of lipid peroxidases. The disruption of the cellular defense against oxidative stress ultimately results in the death of TNBC cells. We have also our focus to the realm of natural products, exploring the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine extracts for TNBC. These herbal extracts exhibit multi-target effects and good safety, and have shown promising capabilities in inducing ferroptosis in TNBC cells. We believe that further exploration and characterization of these natural compounds could lead to the development of a new generation of cancer therapeutics. In addition to traditional chemotherapy, we discussed the role of drug delivery systems in enhancing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of ferroptosis inducers. Nanoparticles such as exosomes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve the solubility and bioavailability of these compounds, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic side effects. Although preclinical data on ferroptosis inducers are relatively robust, their translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages. We also emphasize the urgent need for more in-depth and comprehensive research to understand the complex mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC. This is crucial for the rational design and development of clinical trials, as well as for leveraging ferroptosis to improve patient outcomes. Hoping the above summarize and review could provide references for the research and development of lead compounds for the treatment for TNBC.
4.A case of Harel-Yoon syndrome with seizures caused by an ATAD3A variant
Qian YANG ; Zou PAN ; Chen CHEN ; Fei YIN ; Jing PENG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(12):1540-1543
A 3-year-10-month-old boy was admitted with a history of intermittent seizures for over one year.Global developmental delay,facial dysmorphism,and axial hypotonia were observed,with multiple seizure types including epileptic spasms and myoclonic seizures.Severe developmental delay was indicated by the Gesell Developmental Schedule,and electroencephalography showed generalized spikes and spike-and-slow-wave discharges.A de novo heterozygous missense variant in ATAD3A,c.1582C>T(p.Arg528Trp),was identified and classified as pathogenic,and a diagnosis of Harel-Yoon syndrome was made.After administration of antiseizure medications,seizures were controlled and motor development improved compared with baseline.To our knowledge,this seizure phenotype is the first report in the Chinese literature of Harel-Yoon syndrome due to a heterozygous ATAD3A variant.This case expands the clinical phenotypic spectrum of ATAD3A and provides a reference for diagnosis and management.
5.Research advancements of immunomodulatory role of G-MDSCs in tumor and non-tumor diseases
Yan LIU ; Fei ZHANG ; Xiaowen ZHU ; Zhuangzhuang ZHU-YANG ; Chunpu ZOU ; Zihang XU
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(4):990-997
Granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells(G-MDSCs)are the principal subsets of myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs),which involved in development and progression of a variety of tumor and non-tumor diseases.G-MDSCs mediated disfunction of immune effector cells(such as T cells and NK cells)through producing Arg-1,ROS,iNOS,etc.is major cause of its immunosuppressive function.To date,a large number of studies have focused on tumor-promoting effects of G-MDSCs.However,their complex immunomodulatory functions,especially their positive effects in diseases such as autoimmune arthritis,are often overlooked.Besides,G-MDSCs share the same origin and phenotype with neutrophils,but their immune functions are heterogeneous.Therefore,precision of G-MDSCs targeted therapy will be largely improved if the two can be accurately distinguished,though this field is still under exploration.At present,there are abundant experimental studies on G-MDSCs at home and abroad,mainly in tumors,but there are no domestic reports on the immunomodulatory function of G-MDSCs in tumors and non-tumor diseases.Therefore,in this review,we summarizes the different roles played by G-MDSCs in tumor and non-tumor diseases,in order to reveal the important and complex functions of G-MDSCs in immune regulation.
6.Establishment of a competency-oriented evaluation system for oncology practice based on entrustable professional activities
Yao LIANG ; Hua HUANG ; Bijun ZOU ; Rulin MIAO ; Jing GUO ; Fei MA ; Tao HOU ; Ming KUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2025;24(4):540-545
Objective:To construct a competency-oriented assessment index system based on entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for 5-year undergraduate clinical medical students in oncology internship.Methods:From June to December 2023, the scoping review approach and Bicomb 2.0 were used to construct and manage an item pool. The draft of EPAs and competencies was designed based on truncated word frequency. SPSS 25.0 was used for cluster analysis and UCINET 6.0 was used for visualization. Combining the characteristics and consensus of oncology, a multi-center expert group used the KJ method to draft the framework of EPAs and competencies. Subsequently, the expert group defined milestones and mapped the milestones to the framework to establish the assessment system.Results:Based on 26 included studies, a draft was created containing 19 EPA indicators and 72 competency characteristic indicators. After cluster analysis, 13 experts from 6 medical institutions established a framework including 13 EPAs and 10 competencies as well as 50 milestones, leading to the construction of the "EPAs-competencies-milestones" assessment system.Conclusions:The "EPAs-competencies-milestones" assessment system aligns with the trend of reform, demonstrating universality, specificity, and scientificity. It provides a reference for the development and assessment of oncology internship courses in medical universities.
7.Plasma ctDNA TP53 Mutation and Breast Cancer Prognosis:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Hao FAN ; Annan LIANG ; Wei ZOU ; Guangxi GAO ; Lijin LIU ; Fei LIU ; Lina ZHAO ; Zhihong WU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(4):874-885
Objective To analyze the association between plasma circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA)TP53 mutation status and survival outcomes in breast cancer patients.Methods PubMed,Embase,and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant literature published between 2000 and 2025,examining the impact of plasma ctDNA TP53 mutations on survival outcomes in breast cancer patients,including overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),or disease-free survival(DFS).Two researchers independently screened the literature according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracted relevant data.The Newcastle-Ottawa scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool were used to evaluate study quality.Meta-analysis,publication bias assessment,and sensitivity analysis were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 18.0 software.Results A total of 14 studies(13 cohort studies and 1 randomized controlled trial)in-volving 3521 breast cancer patients were included,among whom 921 had TP53 mutations.All studies were as-sessed as high-quality or low-risk.The random-effects model demonstrated that TP53 mutations were significantly associated with poorer OS(I2=77%,HR=1.82,95%CI:1.15-2.88,P=0.010),PFS(I2=63%,HR=1.68,95%CI:1.30-2.17,P<0.001),and DFS(I2=85%,HR=1.98,95%CI:1.05-3.75,P=0.040).Funnel plots indicated no significant publication bias,and sensitivity analysis confirmed the stabil-ity and reliability of the results.Subgroup analyses based on study design,breast cancer stage and molecular subtype revealed that TP53 mutations were associated with worse prognosis in prospective studies(OS:HR=2.32,95%CI:1.84-2.92,P<0.001;PFS:HR=1.83,95%CI:1.47-2.27,P<0.001),metastatic/ad-vanced breast cancer(OS:HR=2.03,95%CI:1.44-2.87,P<0.001;PFS:HR=1.90,95%CI:1.57-2.31,P<0.001),and hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative(HR+HER2-)patients(OS:HR=2.11,95%CI:1.56-2.85,P<0.001;PFS:HR=1.94,95%CI:1.62-2.33,P<0.001).Among different treatment regimens,patients with TP53 mutations receiving trastuzumab combined with paclitaxel exhibited relatively better prognosis(PFS:HR=0.08,95%CI:0.02-0.30,P<0.001).Conclusion Plasma ctDNA TP53 mutations are closely associated with survival outcomes in breast cancer patients and may serve as a potential predictor of poor prognosis,providing support for clinical manage-ment and prognostic assessment.
8.Underlying target of bullatine A in treating rheumatoid arthritis based on LiP-SMap drug target proteomics
Hao-hong ZHANG ; Nan-ting ZOU ; Chun-fei ZHANG ; Qing-yan MO ; Ming-qian JU ; Xiao-hong LI ; Shuai LIU ; Mao-kui HUANG ; Hong-yun WANG ; Chun-ping WAN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(6):1072-1078
Aim To identify the underlying target of bullatine A(BA)against rheumatoid arthritis(RA)u-sing limited proteolysis-small molecule mapping(LiP-SMap)drug target proteomics and to provide a scientif-ic basis for clinical application of Aconiti brachypodi Radix in the treatment of RA.Methods LiP-SMap drug target proteomics was employed to perform bioin-formatics analysis for comparing and validating the dif-ferential protein expression after BA intervention.A collagen-induced arthritis(CIA)model was estab-lished in DBA/1 mice using bovine type Ⅱ collagen.The mice were then divided into the CIA model group,methotrexate-positive control group(MTX group),and BA groups(10 mg·kg-1 and 20 mg·kg-1)based on their clinical scores.After drug intervention,the thera-peutic efficacy against RA was assessed by joint index scores and foot thickness measurements.Histopatholog-ical changes in the arthritic joints of CIA mice were e-valuated using hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to detect inflammatory cytokines interleukin-17(IL-17)and total IgG and IgG3 anti-collagen-spe-cific antibodies levels from the serum of CIA mice.Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression levels of intracellular Th17 cells(IL-17+CD4+T cells)and Th1 cells(IFN-γ+CD4+T cells).Fluorescent quanti-tative PCR was performed to detect the expression of genes related to differential proteins.Results The proteomic analysis identified Serpinb1a as a protein with strong binding affinity to BA,and KEGG enrich-ment analysis indicated IL-17 signaling pathway was a crucial pathway of BA in against RA.BA treatment significantly reduced clinical scores and foot thickness,improved local arthritis symptoms in CIA mice,and al-leviated inflammatory cell infiltration into arthritic joints(P<0.05).Differential protein validation re-sults showed that BA had strong affinity with Serpinb1a(-5.92 kJ·mol-1)and downregulated the expres-sion of Serpinb1a mRNA.Furthermore,the administra-tion of BA markedly reduced serum IL-17 A levels from CIA mice,inhibited the expression of intracellular IL-17 A and IFN-γ cytokines in splenic CD4+T cells(P<0.05),and significantly downregulated the transcrip-tional expression of IL-17F(P<0.05).Conclusion BA exhibits therapeutic effects on collagen-induced arthritis,and its mechanism of action may involve the regulation of Serpinb1a and the IL-17 signaling path-way.
9.Optimization of Processing Technology of Calcined Pyritum Based on QbD Concept and Its XRD Fingerprint Analysis
Xin CHEN ; Jingwei ZHOU ; Haiying GOU ; Lei ZHONG ; Tianxing HE ; Wenbo FEI ; Jialiang ZOU ; Yue YANG ; Dewen ZENG ; Lin CHEN ; Hongping CHEN ; Shilin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; Youping LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):197-205
ObjectiveBased on the concept of quality by design(QbD), the processing process of calcined Pyritum was optimized, and its X-ray diffraction(XRD) fingerprint was established. MethodsThe safety, effectiveness and quality controllability of calcined Pyritum were taken as the quality profile(QTPP), the color, hardness, metallic luster, phase composition, the contents of heavy metals and hazardous elements were taken as the critical quality attributes(CQAs), and the calcination temperature, calcination time, paving thickness and particle size were determined as the critical process parameters(CPPs). Differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction(XRD) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) were used to analyze the correlation between the calcination temperature and CQAs of calcined Pyritum. Then, based on the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation(CRITIC)-entropy weight method, the optimal processing process of calcined Pyritum was optimized by orthogonal test. Powder XRD was used to analyze the phase of calcined Pyritum samples processed according to the best process, and the mean and median maps of calcined Pyritum were established by the superposition of geometric topological figures, and similarity evaluation and cluster analysis were carried out. ResultsThe results of single factor experiments showed that the physical phase of Pyritum changed from FeS2 to Fe7S8 during the process of temperature increase, the color gradually deepened from dark yellow, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful elements decreased. The optimized processing process of calcined Pyritum was as follows:calcination temperature at 750 ℃, calcination time of 2.5 h, paving thickness of 3 cm, particle size of 0.8-1.2 cm, vinegar quenching 1 time[Pyritum-vinegar(10∶3)]. After calcination, the internal structure of Pyritum was honeycomb-shaped, which was conducive to the dissolution of active ingredients. XRD fingerprints of 13 batches of calcined Pyritum characterized by 10 common peaks were established. The similarities of the relative peak intensities of the XRD fingerprints of the analyzed samples were>0.96, and it could effectively distinguish the raw products and unqualified products. ConclusionTemperature is the main factor affecting the quality of calcined Pyritum. After processing, the dissolution of the effective components in Pyritum increases, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful substances decrease, reflecting the function of processing to increase efficiency and reduce toxicity. The optimized processing process is stable and feasible, and the established XRD fingerprint can be used as one of the quality control standards of calcined Pyritum.
10.Optimization of Processing Technology of Calcined Pyritum Based on QbD Concept and Its XRD Fingerprint Analysis
Xin CHEN ; Jingwei ZHOU ; Haiying GOU ; Lei ZHONG ; Tianxing HE ; Wenbo FEI ; Jialiang ZOU ; Yue YANG ; Dewen ZENG ; Lin CHEN ; Hongping CHEN ; Shilin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; Youping LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):197-205
ObjectiveBased on the concept of quality by design(QbD), the processing process of calcined Pyritum was optimized, and its X-ray diffraction(XRD) fingerprint was established. MethodsThe safety, effectiveness and quality controllability of calcined Pyritum were taken as the quality profile(QTPP), the color, hardness, metallic luster, phase composition, the contents of heavy metals and hazardous elements were taken as the critical quality attributes(CQAs), and the calcination temperature, calcination time, paving thickness and particle size were determined as the critical process parameters(CPPs). Differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction(XRD) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) were used to analyze the correlation between the calcination temperature and CQAs of calcined Pyritum. Then, based on the criteria importance through intercriteria correlation(CRITIC)-entropy weight method, the optimal processing process of calcined Pyritum was optimized by orthogonal test. Powder XRD was used to analyze the phase of calcined Pyritum samples processed according to the best process, and the mean and median maps of calcined Pyritum were established by the superposition of geometric topological figures, and similarity evaluation and cluster analysis were carried out. ResultsThe results of single factor experiments showed that the physical phase of Pyritum changed from FeS2 to Fe7S8 during the process of temperature increase, the color gradually deepened from dark yellow, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful elements decreased. The optimized processing process of calcined Pyritum was as follows:calcination temperature at 750 ℃, calcination time of 2.5 h, paving thickness of 3 cm, particle size of 0.8-1.2 cm, vinegar quenching 1 time[Pyritum-vinegar(10∶3)]. After calcination, the internal structure of Pyritum was honeycomb-shaped, which was conducive to the dissolution of active ingredients. XRD fingerprints of 13 batches of calcined Pyritum characterized by 10 common peaks were established. The similarities of the relative peak intensities of the XRD fingerprints of the analyzed samples were>0.96, and it could effectively distinguish the raw products and unqualified products. ConclusionTemperature is the main factor affecting the quality of calcined Pyritum. After processing, the dissolution of the effective components in Pyritum increases, and the contents of heavy metals and harmful substances decrease, reflecting the function of processing to increase efficiency and reduce toxicity. The optimized processing process is stable and feasible, and the established XRD fingerprint can be used as one of the quality control standards of calcined Pyritum.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail