ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the methodological quality and measurement properties of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome efficacy evaluation scales， and to provide evidence-based references for selecting high-quality assessment tools in TCM clinical practice. MethodsChina National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data， VIP Database， Chinese Biomedical Literature Database （CBM）， PubMed， the Cochrane Library， Embase， and Web of Science were searched from inception to April 2， 2025， for studies evaluating the measurement properties of TCM syndrome efficacy evaluation scales. Data were extracted， and the methodological quality and measurement properties of the included scales were assessed according to the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments （COSMIN）. Recommendation levels were formulated based on the grading of evidence. ResultsA total of 46 studies were included， involving 22 generic syndrome efficacy evaluation scales and 24 disease-specific syndrome efficacy evaluation scales. None of the scales reported cross-cultural validity or measurement error. According to the recommendation grades， 2 scales met Grade A recommendations and are suggested for clinical use； 38 scales were classified as Grade B， indicating potential applicability but requiring further validation； and 6 scales were classified as Grade C， suggesting the need for further refinement. ConclusionExisting TCM syndrome efficacy evaluation scales exhibit substantial variability in methodological quality， incomplete reporting of measurement properties， and insufficient attention to scale revision. Future efforts should emphasize standardized design in the development of TCM syndrome scales， strengthen validation procedures for key measurement properties， and prioritize dynamic revision of scales， thereby providing high-quality tools to support the precise evaluation of syndrome efficacy.

Objective To investigate the radon activity concentrations in subways of Nanning City and assess the average annual effective doses for subway staff and passengers due to radon exposure. Methods Sixty-three stations across the subway lines 2, 3, and 5 were selected as study sites. Radon activity concentrations were measured using the scintillation counting method with scintillation vials. Results The radon activity concentrations in subway lines 2, 3, and 5 were 7.9-24.4, 12.0-26.2, and 12.6-18.2 Bq/m³, respectively. The average radon activity concentrations for these three lines were (17.4 ± 4.6), (19.1 ± 4.1), and (14.6 ± 1.7) Bq/m³, respectively. Statistical analysis using SPSS 26.0 software revealed a significant difference in radon activity concentrations among these stations (P<0.01). Considering the data in previous research, the average radon activity concentration across all stations in the subway lines of Nanning City was determined to be 17.4 Bq/m³. The estimated average annual effective dose due to radon exposure was 0.131 mSv for subway staff and 0.033 mSv for passengers. Conclusion The radon activity concentrations in the subway lines of Nanning City were significantly lower than the national standard limit (400 Bq/m³). The annual effective doses from radon exposure for both subway staff and passengers were below the limits specified in the Basic Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (GB18871—2002). The health impact of radon and its progeny on subway staff and passengers in the subway lines of Nanning City was extremely low and can be considered negligible.

OBJECTIVE To formulate Guidelines for the standardized implementation of pharmacist-managed clinics （ 2026 edition ） in response to the challenges faced by such clinics in China， including uneven development， large discrepancies in service specifications， insufficient patient awareness， and limited medical insurance coverage. METHODS Led by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Professional Committee of the Chinese Hospital Association， the Evidence-based Pharmacy Professional Committee of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association， and the Hospital Pharmacy Professional Committee of the Cross-strait Medical and Health Exchange Association， a total of 19 domestic hospital pharmacy experts were organized. Through a systematic review of national policies and literature research， current practical experience was summarized. Consensus on the contents of the guidelines was reached after in-depth discussions. RESULTS &CONCLUSIONS The guidelines covered five sections： definition and connotation of pharmacist-managed clinics， establishment requirements， implementation and management， post competency， and practical research. Firstly， the definition and connotation included three operational forms of pharmacist-managed clinics （independent mode， physician-pharmacist joint mode， and online pharmacist-managed clinic mode） and classified service modes （specialty-specific， drug-specific， and disease-specific pharmacist-managed clinics）. The establishment requirements were further refined， covering system construction （pharmaceutical service management system， quality control and assessment mechanism）， personnel qualifications （professional credentials， continuing education and professional training， etc）， service recipients， as well as service venues and facilities. Subsequently， the implementation and management of pharmacist-managed clinics were proposed， involving service procedures， intervention measures， documentation and records， patient education and follow-up， humanistic care， as well as risk management and quality control. Finally， post competency encompassed the competency requirements for pharmacists providing services in pharmacist-managed clinics， as well as the suggestions on teaching methods； practical research encouraged the conduct of high-quality pharmaceutical practice in the setting of pharmacist-managed clinics. The guidelines provide valuable guidance for the standardized implementation of pharmacist-managed clinics in China in terms of establishment， management， teaching， and research， fill the guideline gap in this field， and can promote the high-quality development of pharmacist-managed clinics.

“Zinc overload” has emerged as a promising strategy in tumor nanomedicine, wherein exogenous modulation of metal ion homeostasis selectively triggers cancer cell death. Among various bioactive ions, zinc (Zn²⁺) stands out due to its unique ability to simultaneously disrupt energy metabolism, damage mitochondria, degrade mutant p53, and activate antitumor immunity. Notably, tumor cells exhibit greater sensitivity to Zn²⁺ overload while normal cells maintain higher tolerance. This review systematically summarizes design strategies for achieving “zinc overload” using biodegradable zinc-based nanomaterials, focusing on two fundamental questions: how to specifically deliver Zn²⁺ to tumors (targeted delivery), and how to trigger controlled release at the tumor site (release strategies). Current challenges are critically analyzed and future perspectives are offered. For targeted delivery, the strategies are categorized into passive, active, and biomimetic approaches. Passive targeting relies on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect but suffers from poor enrichment efficiency and rapid clearance. Active targeting conjugates ligands (e.g., folic acid, hyaluronic acid) to recognize overexpressed receptors, significantly enhancing cellular uptake. It is emphasized that hyaluronic acid-modified ZIF-8 can co-deliver siRNA for GLUT1 silencing, achieving systematic energy exhaustion. Biomimetic delivery using cell membranes confers immune evasion, prolonged circulation, and homologous targeting, exhibiting the lowest off-target toxicity. This approach is considered to guide future nanocarrier design. For Zn²⁺ release, 4 mechanisms are discussed. Endogenous environment-responsive release exploits acidic pH to degrade materials like ZIF-8 or ZnO, causing mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, and autophagic blockade. Incorporation of other ions (Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺) enables synergistic metabolic interference and immune activation. Exogenous responsive release using near-infrared light offers spatiotemporally precise activation. For example, a nanorobot combining black phosphorus with ZIF-8 accelerates Zn²⁺ release under dual acid and light stimuli. Ion exchange represents an elegant trigger: zinc complexes (e.g., Zn-carnosine) have higher affinity for Cu²⁺; competitive coordination releases Zn²⁺ while depleting Cu²⁺, dually inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. This mechanism is proposed to hold promise for overcoming metabolic reprogramming. Finally, biological regulation—silencing the ZnT1 zinc transporter to block Zn²⁺ efflux—represents a paradigm shift from passive delivery to active homeostatic disruption. This “block and attack” strategy may prevent acquired resistance. The therapeutic consequences of zinc overload are multifaceted. Zn²⁺ causes lysosomal membrane permeabilization and impaired SNARE complex formation, blocking autophagic flux and inducing a distinct cell death termed “zincosis”. In mitochondria, Zn²⁺ inhibits glutathione reductase, causing oxidative stress and electron transport chain blockade. Meanwhile, Zn²⁺ suppresses glycolytic enzymes (GAPDH, LDHA), leading to ATP depletion and reversing drug resistance by downregulating P-glycoprotein. Moreover, zinc overload triggers immunogenic cell death, promoting dendritic cell maturation and CD8⁺ T cell infiltration. Combined with cGAS-STING activation, this reshapes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and inhibits distant metastasis. These interconnected mechanisms endow zinc overload with a unique advantage over single-modality treatments. Despite remarkable preclinical efficacy, challenges remain: systemic toxicity from off-target release, potential zinc tolerance via metallothionein upregulation, and insufficient pharmacokinetic data. Future directions should prioritize: (1) intelligent stimuli-responsive materials; (2) combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors;(3) theragnostic integration; (4) deeper mechanistic studies; and (5) artificial intelligence-assisted screening. Zinc overload therapy is expected to become an indispensable component of integrated tumor treatment.

Tumor drug resistance is an important problem in the failure of chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, which is a complex process involving chromatin remodeling. SWI/SNF is one of the most studied ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in tumorigenesis, which plays an important role in the coordination of chromatin structural stability, gene expression, and post-translation modification. However, its mechanism in tumor drug resistance has not been systematically combed. SWI/SNF can be divided into 3 types according to its subunit composition: BAF, PBAF, and ncBAF. These 3 subtypes all contain two mutually exclusive ATPase catalytic subunits (SMARCA2 or SMARCA4), core subunits (SMARCC1 and SMARCD1), and regulatory subunits (ARID1A, PBRM1, and ACTB, etc.), which can control gene expression by regulating chromatin structure. The change of SWI/SNF complex subunits is one of the important factors of tumor drug resistance and progress. SMARCA4 and ARID1A are the most widely studied subunits in tumor drug resistance. Low expression of SMARCA4 can lead to the deletion of the transcription inhibitor of the BCL2L1 gene in mantle cell lymphoma, which will result in transcription up-regulation and significant resistance to the combination therapy of ibrutinib and venetoclax. Low expression of SMARCA4 and high expression of SMARCA2 can activate the FGFR1-pERK1/2 signaling pathway in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma cells, which induces the overexpression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 and results in carboplatin resistance. SMARCA4 deletion can up-regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating YAP1 gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer. It can also reduce the expression of Ca²⁺ channel IP3R3 in ovarian and lung cancer, resulting in the transfer of Ca²⁺ needed to induce apoptosis from endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria damage. Thus, these two tumors are resistant to cisplatin. It has been found that verteporfin can overcome the drug resistance induced by SMARCA4 deletion. However, this inhibitor has not been applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is a promising research direction to develop SWI/SNF ATPase targeted drugs with high oral bioavailability to treat patients with tumor resistance induced by low expression or deletion of SMARCA4. ARID1A deletion can activate the expression of ANXA1 protein in HER2+ breast cancer cells or down-regulate the expression of progesterone receptor B protein in endometrial cancer cells. The drug resistance of these two tumor cells to trastuzumab or progesterone is induced by activating AKT pathway. ARID1A deletion in ovarian cancer can increase the expression of MRP2 protein and make it resistant to carboplatin and paclitaxel. ARID1A deletion also can up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of EGFR, ErbB2, and RAF1 oncogene proteins.The ErbB and VEGF pathway are activated and EMT is increased. As a result, lung adenocarcinoma is resistant to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Although great progress has been made in the research on the mechanism of SWI/SNF complex inducing tumor drug resistance, most of the research is still at the protein level. It is necessary to comprehensively and deeply explore the detailed mechanism of drug resistance from gene, transcription, protein, and metabolite levels by using multi-omics techniques, which can provide sufficient theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of poor tumor prognosis caused by mutation or abnormal expression of SWI/SNF subunits in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Spicy food consumption has been reported to be inversely associated with mortality from multiple diseases. However, the effect of spicy food intake on the incidence of vascular diseases in the Chinese population remains unclear. This study was conducted to explore this association. METHODS: This study was performed using the large-scale China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) prospective cohort of 486,335 participants. The primary outcomes were vascular disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), major coronary events (MCEs), cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and non-stroke cerebrovascular disease. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the association between spicy food consumption and incident vascular diseases. Subgroup analysis was also performed to evaluate the heterogeneity of the association between spicy food consumption and the risk of vascular disease stratified by several basic characteristics. In addition, the joint effects of spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of vascular disease were also evaluated, and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the association results. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 12.1 years, a total of 136,125 patients with vascular disease, 46,689 patients with IHD, 10,097 patients with MCEs, 80,114 patients with cerebrovascular disease, 56,726 patients with stroke, and 40,098 patients with non-stroke cerebrovascular disease were identified. Participants who consumed spicy food 1-2 days/week (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [0.93, 0.97], P <0.001), 3-5 days/week (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = [0.94, 0.99], P = 0.003), and 6-7 days/week (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = [0.95, 0.99], P = 0.002) had a significantly lower risk of vascular disease than those who consumed spicy food less than once a week ( Ptrend <0.001), especially in those who were younger and living in rural areas. Notably, the disease-based subgroup analysis indicated that the inverse associations remained in IHD ( Ptrend = 0.011) and MCEs ( Ptrend = 0.002) risk. Intriguingly, there was an interaction effect between spicy food consumption and the healthy lifestyle score on the risk of IHD ( Pinteraction = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support an inverse association between spicy food consumption and vascular disease in the Chinese population, which may provide additional dietary guidance for the prevention of vascular diseases.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Vascular Diseases/etiology* ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: By analyzing the hormone secretion of the adenohypophysis, thyroid glands, gonads, and adrenal cortex in patients with hematological diseases before and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), this study aims to preliminarily explore the effect of HSCT on patients' hormone secretion and glandular damage. METHODS: The baseline data of 209 hematological disease patients who underwent HSCT in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2023, as well as the data on the levels of hormones secreted by the adenohypophysis, thyroid glands, gonads and adrenal cortex before and after HSCT were collected, and the changes in hormone levels before and after transplantation were analyzed. RESULTS: After allogeneic HSCT, the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and estradiol (E2) decreased, while the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH) increased. The T3 level of patients with decreased TSH after transplantation was lower than that of those with increased TSH after transplantation. In female patients, the levels of prolactin (PRL), progesterone (Prog), and testosterone (Testo) decreased after HSCT. Testo and PRL decreased when there was a donor-recipient sex mismatch, and the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (COR) decreased when the HLA matching was haploidentical. The levels of T3, FT3, and PRL decreased after autologous HSCT. In allogeneic HSCT patients, the levels of TSH, T4, T3, FT3, and ACTH in the group with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were significantly lower than those in the group without GVHD. Logistic regression analysis showed the changes in hormone levels after transplantation were not correlated with factors such as the patient's sex, age, or whether the blood types of the donor and the recipient are the same. CONCLUSION HSCT can affect the endocrine function of patients with hematological diseases, mainly affecting target glandular organs such as the thyroid, gonads, and adrenal glands, while the secretory function of the adenohypophysis is less affected.
Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Female ; Male ; Hematologic Diseases/blood* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Triiodothyronine/blood* ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood* ; Thyroid Gland/metabolism* ; Estradiol/blood* ; Thyrotropin/blood* ; Gonads/metabolism* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/blood* ; Hormones/metabolism* ; Adrenal Cortex/metabolism* ; Prolactin

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.08.005.].

According to General Chapter 1145 of Division IV in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition), the test for depressor substances is a common method for drug testing. It determines whether the level of depressor substances in a test sample complies with the specified standards by comparing the extent of blood pressure reduction in anesthetized cats induced by the histamine reference substance and the test sample. If an out-of-specification (OOS) result occurs in the test for depressor substances, it may be caused by inherent quality issues of the drug or errors in the testing process. Therefore, analyzing the causes of OOS is particularly important for confirming the test results and evaluating drug quality. Cats are used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances. Compared with conventional laboratory animals, they are less stable, surgery procedures are more challenging, and the testing process is more complex. These factors make it more difficult to investigate the causes of OOS in this test. Based on a review of the literature and practical work experience, this article analyzes the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances from the following five aspects: (1) an analysis of the impact of drug standards on OOS from three aspects: standard determination, standard content, and standard drafting; (2) personnel qualifications, including pre-employment training, compliance with standard operating procedures during experimental operations, and the ability to operate instruments; (3) factors related to cats, used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances, including physiological characteristics, genetic background, and abnormal conditions during the experiment; (4) reference substances, reagents, test samples, and key instruments such as the multi-channel physiological signal instrument; (5) experimental operations including animal anesthesia, arterial and venous catheterization, drug administration, and data processing. This article aims to provide reference approaches for professionals engaged in the testing of pharmaceuticals and biological products when analyzing the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances.