1.A prospective study of impact of spicy food intake on risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease in residents aged 30-79 years
Ziyang LUO ; Xiaofang CHEN ; Xiaofang CHEN ; Xia WU ; Xiaoyu CHANG ; Zhuo WANG ; Xueli ZHANG ; Jun LYU ; Canqing YU ; Pei PEI ; Dianjianyi SUN ; Xianping WU
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(7):1150-1159
Objective:To explore the association between spicy food intake and the risk for cardio/cerebrovascular diseases.Methods:Data were collected from the China Kadoorie Biobank project conducted in Pengzhou, Sichuan Province. Using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, we analyzed the associations of the frequency of spicy food intake, spicy level, types of spicy food, and the age when regular intake of spicy food began (intake in 1 day/week), with the risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease. Furthermore, the associations with the risks for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular diseases, as well as the risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS) were analyzed.Results:A total of 54 859 study participants were included in the study, in whom 49 320 had spicy food intake (89.90%). In these participants, 37 680 (68.69%) had spicy food intake in 6-7 days/week, 5 036 (9.18%) had spicy food intake in 1-5 days/week, and 6 604 (12.03%) had spicy food intake once a week; 5 539 (10.10%) had never/almost never had spicy food intake. After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, compared with those who never/almost never had spicy food intake, intake of spicy food was associated with reduced risks for IHD (intake in 6-7 days/week: HR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.78-0.95), cerebrovascular diseases (intake in 6-7 days/week: HR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96), and IS (intak in 6-7 days/week: HR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). With the increase of spicy food intake frequency, the risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease decreased (intake in 1-5 days/week: HR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.98; intake in 6-7 days/week: HR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.84-0.94) (trend test P<0.001). However, no statistical association was found between spicy food intake and the risk for HS. In terms of spicy level, after adjusting for multiple confounding factors, compared with those who never/almost never had spicy food intake, intake of spicy food was associated with reduced risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease (moderate: HR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.82-0.90) and cerebrovascular disease (moderate: HR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.84-0.97). With the increase of spicy level, the risk for IHD decreased (moderate: HR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.79-0.93; strong: HR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.95) (trend test P<0.001). After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, compared with those who never/almost never had spicy food intake, intake of any type of spicy food was associated with reduced risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease, IHD, and cerebrovascular disease. Regulat intake of spicy food from age 0-10 years was associated with reduced risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease, IHD, and cerebrovascular disease. Regular intake of spicy food from age 11-20 years reduced the risk for cardio/cerebrovascular disease and IHD. There was no significant association between the regular intake of spicy food from age 21-79 years and the risks for cardio/cerebrovascular disease, IHD and cerebrovascular disease. Conclusion:The intake of spicy food could reduced the risk for cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, IHD, cerebrovascular diseases and IS in residents aged 30-79 years in Sichuan.
2.A prospective study of the effect of physical activity on mortality risk in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Sichuan Province
Ying ZHANG ; Xiaofang CHEN ; Xiaofang CHEN ; Xia WU ; Xiaoyu CHANG ; Zhuo WANG ; Xu HAN ; Jun LYU ; Canqing YU ; Pei PEI ; Dianjianyi SUN ; Xianping WU
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(8):1347-1353
Objective:To investigate the effect of physical activity on mortality risk in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Sichuan Province.Methods:Based on baseline data from 2004 to 2008 from the China Kadoorie Biobank project site in Pengzhou City, Sichuan Province, a total of 8 501 COPD patients aged 30-79 years were enrolled and followed up for a long period to determine mortality outcomes. Quartiles were used to group physical activity levels. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the effect of physical activity level on mortality outcomes.Results:As of December 31, 2017, the cumulative follow-up of the participants totaled 85 600.58 person-years (mean follow-up duration: 10.07 years). During this period, a total of 2 000 deaths were recorded, yielding a cumulative mortality rate of 23.53%. Among these deaths, 665 were attributed to COPD, corresponding to a cumulative mortality rate of 7.82%; and 1 116 were attributed to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CVD), corresponding to a cumulative mortality rate of 13.13%. The Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis revealed that, after adjusting for confounding factors, total physical activity was associated with a reduced risk of mortality from COPD, CVD, and all causes in patients with COPD. Compared with the low-level group of total physical activity, the medium-high-level group had the lowest risk of COPD mortality, with an HR of 0.39 (95% CI: 0.30-0.49). The high-level group had the lowest risk of CVD death and all-cause death, with HRs of 0.46 (95% CI: 0.37-0.56) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.48-0.64), respectively. The lowest risk of COPD death and CVD death was found in the medium-high level of work-based physical activity group, with HRs of 0.36 (95% CI: 0.28-0.46) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.36-0.51), respectively; the risk of all-cause mortality was lowest in the medium-high and high-level groups, with HRs values of 0.53 (95% CI: 0.46-0.61) and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.45-0.61). The risk of COPD death was lowest in the high-level transportation physical activity group, with an HR of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.53-0.83), and the risk of CVD and all-cause death was lowest in the medium-high level group, with HRs of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.53-0.76) and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.64-0.84), respectively. The risk of COPD death and CVD death was the lowest in the high-level domestic physical activity group, with HRs of 0.66 (95% CI: 0.49-0.89) and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.61-0.95), respectively, and the risk of all-cause death was the lowest in the medium-high level group, with an HR of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72-0.94). There is no statistical association between leisure physical activity and the risk of death from three types of diseases. Conclusions:Total physical activity, including work-based, transportation-based, and domestic physical activity, reduced the risk of COPD, CVD, and all-cause mortality in patients with COPD in Sichuan Province. The magnitude of mortality risk was influenced by the type and level of physical activity.
3.Construction of an ultrasound dynamic image segmentation model for thyroid nodules
Junpu HU ; Jialu LI ; Mengjie DOU ; Gang WANG ; Keyan LI ; Xiaofang FU ; Hao SUN ; Changqin SUN ; Duo SHI ; Yan LIAO ; Qiong WANG ; Faqin LYU
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(6):518-524
Objective:To construct a thyroid nodule segmentation model using ultrasound dynamic images and explore its potential for assisting in the screening of thyroid nodules.Methods:A total of 126 patients with thyroid nodules(comprising 150 nodules)who were diagnosed and treated at Xuzhou Cancer Hospital from April 2024 to December 2024 were prospectively enrolled. Two-dimensional ultrasound was performed to capture short-axis and long-axis video images of thyroid nodules,forming a dynamic ultrasound image dataset. The dataset was divided into training,validation,and test sets in a ratio of 6∶1∶3. After the training loss curve converged,the model that performed well on the validation set was selected for testing. Three-fold cross-validation was employed for training and testing. All 300 ultrasound videos were divided into three subsets. In each experiment,two subsets were used as the training set,and one subset was used as the test set to evaluate the model's generalization ability. A collaborative spatiotemporal diffusion model was established based on the dynamic trends and tissue texture details of thyroid nodules. Six widely used segmentation metrics were employed to evaluate the model's application capabilities.Results:The study included 126 patients with 150 thyroid nodules,300 dynamic ultrasound images,and video lengths of 3-4 seconds per nodule,resulting in 12 312 segmented images. The size of the thyroid nodules was(10.7 ± 10.6)mm(transverse diameter)×(8.4 ± 6.3)mm(anteroposterior diameter). Among the nodules,62(41.3%)had clear boundaries,while 88(58.7%)had indistinct boundaries;61(40.7%)exhibited regular shapes,while 89(59.3%)were irregular;66(44.0%)had a taller-than-wide aspect ratio;and 70(46.7%)showed microcalcifications. The collaborative diffusion model based on dynamic ultrasound image segmentation achieved the following scores:a Jaccard score of(69.22 ± 0.03)%,a Dice score of(79.16 ± 0.18)%,a Precision score of(86.70 ± 0.17)%,a Recall score of(77.82 ± 0.04)%,an Sα score of(85.26 ± 0.01)%,and an Eθmn score of(90.58 ± 0.17)%. Compared to other models,this model demonstrated significant improvements across all evaluation metrics,achieving the highest values in each metric with increments of over 8% and 1%,respectively. Conclusions:The collaborative diffusion model with a dynamic controller,constructed based on dynamic ultrasound images of thyroid nodules,demonstrates excellent performance in ultrasound image segmentation. It improves the accuracy of thyroid nodule screening,thereby providing a valuable auxiliary diagnostic tool for clinical practice.
4.Automatic recognition and segmentation of brachial plexus in ultrasonic images based on deep learning
Duo SHI ; Han ZHANG ; Peipei LIU ; Ruichao ZHANG ; Qingyu LIU ; Hao SUN ; Xiaofang FU ; Mengjie DOU ; Junpu HU ; Changqin SUN ; Keyan LI ; Jianqiu HU ; Guangquan ZHOU ; Ligang CUI ; Ping ZHOU ; Faqin LYU
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(9):737-744
Objective:To propose a deep learning(DL)-based ultrasound imaging auxiliary tool for automatic segmentation and recognition of the brachial plexus(BP),and to enhance the accuracy and safety of clinical procedures.Methods:It was a multicenter study that collected 773 healthy subjects from Peking University Third Hospital and its branch campuses,the Third Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital,and Shanghai Eighth People's Hospital between August 2024 and February 2025. Brachial plexus(BP)images in the interscalene groove were captured used high-frequency ultrasound by senior sonographers,a dataset comprising 1 289 standardized images were constructed and the improved model(CHA-TransUNet)was trained. The test set was input into 6 different models(CHA-TransUNet,R50-Unet,TransUnet,SegFormer,SwinUnet,MISSFormer)for segmentation. Segmentation accuracy was evaluated using metrics including the Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),95% Hausdorff distance(HD95)and mean intersection over union(mIoU),and was compared with the segmentation results of 3 ultrasound physicians with varying experience levels(junior physicians and senior physicians)to validate the model's segmentation efficacy.Results:The CHA-TransUNet model established based on a dataset of 1 289 standardized images achieved segmentation results for the BP with a DSC of 90.15%,mIoU of 91.02%,and HD95 of 8.08. Its accuracy was higher than other mainstream models(DSC:90.15% vs. 87.60%,87.77%,81.35%,84.78%,84.55%),significantly better than junior physicians(DSC:90.15% vs. 68.73%, Z=-127.76, P<0.001),and approached the level of senior physician(DSC:90.15% vs. 86.15%, Z=-31.33, P=0.549). The model demonstrated superior boundary recognition in complex anatomical structures(e.g.,C6/C7 nerve roots)compared to ultrasound physicians(junior and senior)(HD95:8.08 vs. 26.34,17.44,56.80). Conclusions:This study proposes an analysis model for BP ultrasound images,CHA-TransUNet. This model achieves segmentation and recognition of the BP with relatively complex pathways and structures. The model exhibits high accuracy and stability,outperforming current mainstream network models and junior physicians while approaching the performance level of senior physicians. It assists junior physicians or trainees in more accurately identifying and localizing the BP.
5.Flipped classroom and traditional lecture-based classes in pediatrics clerkship: analysis of teaching effectiveness feedback and optimization strategies
Xiaofang HUANG ; Tian SANG ; Yan SUN ; Lili LIU ; Xinlin HOU
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2025;24(4):446-452
Objective:To investigate feedback on teaching effectiveness and optimization strategies for flipped classrooms in pediatric probation of eight-year clinical medicine programs, and to provide insights for enhancing the educational quality of pediatric probation.Methods:From June to September 2022, eight-year clinical medicine students from the class of 2018 undergoing pediatric probation were included in the study using purposive sampling. The subjects participated in one-on-one, offline, semi-structured, in-depth interviews to provide feedback on traditional lectures and flipped classroom teaching. The sample size was determined based on the principle of data saturation, with nine students participating in-depth interviews. NVivo 12 software was used for coding and classifying the interview data, which were then analyzed using thematic framework analysis to identify key themes.Results:Analysis of the interview data revealed three themes and ten sub-themes. Specifically, theme 1: The flipped classroom enhanced learning effectiveness but increased students' workload; theme 2: The current pediatric probation was scientifically designed but could be improved; theme 3: Several strategies exist for optimizing the flipped classroom teaching in pediatric probation.Conclusions:The flipped classroom in pediatric probation is in its early stages. While offering some benefits, further exploration and optimization are needed in curriculum design, student motivation, and supervision and evaluation methods.
6.Survey and recommendations for gastrointestinal endoscope cleaning and disinfection quality in 74 medical institutions in Yangzhou of Jiangsu Province
Xiaofang YE ; Jianping SUN ; Ying QIN ; Qi LIU ; Shuping DONG ; Ting MENG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(7):122-126
Objective To investigate the current situation of personnel training,material alloca-tion,process implementation and quality monitoring of gastrointestinal endoscopy cleaning and disin-fection in medical institutions at all levels in Yangzhou City,so as to provide reliable data for further improving the quality management of digestive endoscopy cleaning and disinfection in the city.Meth-ods According to the latest industry standards,a questionnaire was designed to carry out an online questionnaire survey on the status quo of digestive endoscopy cleaning and disinfection in 74 medical institutions of different levels in Yangzhou City,and the results were analyzed.Results 50%of the city's hospitals adopt the way of self-training within the department,and only 22 people have obtained the provincial or above professional cleaning and disinfection certificate.In 21.62%of hospitals,cleaning and disinfection personnel were not assessed before starting work.13.51%of the hospitals did not use purified water for terminal rinsing,and 44.59%of the hospitals did not have a cleaning and disinfection machine.79.73%of hospitals recorded by hand.71.62%of the hospitals failed to carry out standard cleaning quality monitoring,83.78%of the hospitals did not implement biofiltra-tion monitoring method.In addition,in the biological monitoring in 2023,14.86%of hospitals had the problem of excessive microorganisms.Conclusion The implementation of endoscope cleaning and disinfection standards varied significantly among medical institutions in Yangzhou,with level one and level two hospitals posing potential hospital infection risks.It is recommended to establish a pro-fessional entry system for endoscope cleaning and disinfection personnel citywide,increase investment in hardware facilities,and strictly enforce monitoring standards.
7.SAE1 promotes tumor cell malignancy via SUMOylation and liquid-liquid phase separation facilitated nuclear export of p27.
Ling WANG ; Jie MIN ; Jinjun QIAN ; Xiaofang HUANG ; Xichao YU ; Yuhao CAO ; Shanliang SUN ; Mengying KE ; Xinyu LV ; Wenfeng SU ; Mengjie GUO ; Nianguang LI ; Shiqian QI ; Hongming HUANG ; Chunyan GU ; Ye YANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1991-2007
Most cancers are currently incurable, partly due to abnormal post-translational modifications (PTMs). In this study, we initially used multiple myeloma (MM) as a working model and found that SUMOylation activating enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1) promotes the malignancy of MM. Through proteome microarray analysis, SAE1 was identified as a potential target for bioactive colcemid or its derivative colchicine. Elevated levels of SAE1 were associated with poor clinical survival and increased MM proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, SAE1 directly SUMOylated and upregulated the total protein expression of p27, leading to LLPS-mediated nuclear export of p27. Our study also demonstrated the involvement of SAE1 in other types of cancer cells, and provided the first monomer crystal structure of SAE1 and its key binding model with colchicine. Colchicine also showed promising results in the Patient-Derived Tumor Xenograft (PDX) model. Furthermore, a controlled clinical trial with 56 MM patients demonstrated the clinical efficacy of colchicine. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which tumor cells evade p27-induced cellular growth arrest through p27 SUMOylation-mediated nuclear export. SAE1 may serve as a promising therapeutic target, and colchicine may be a potential treatment option for multiple types of cancer in clinical settings.
8.A Randomized Controlled Trial of Stone Needle Thermocompression and Massage for Treating Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in the Shoulder and Back:A Secondary Analysis of Muscle Elasticity as a Mediator
Jingjing QIAN ; Yuanjing LI ; Li LI ; Yawei XI ; Ying WANG ; Cuihua GUO ; Jiayan ZHOU ; Yaxuan SUN ; Shu LIU ; Guangjing YANG ; Na YUAN ; Xiaofang YANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(9):935-940
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of stone needle thermocompression and massage compared to flurbiprofen gel patch in relieving chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back, and to explore the potential mediating mechanism through muscle elasticity. MethodsA total of 120 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back were randomly assigned to either stone needle group or flurbiprofen group, with 60 patients in each. The stone needle group received stone needle thermocompression and massage for 30 minutes, three times per week; the flurbiprofen group received flurbiprofen gel patch twice daily. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. Pain improvement, as the primary outcome, was assessed using the Global Pain Scale (GPS) at baseline, after 2 weeks of treatment, and again 2 weeks post-treatment. To explore potential mechanisms, a mediator analysis was conducted by measuring changes in superficial and deep muscle elasticity using musculoskeletal ultrasound at baseline and after the 2-week treatment period. ResultsThe stone needle group showed significantly greater pain relief than the flurbiprofen group 2 weeks post-treatment. After adjusting for confounders related to pain duration, the between-group mean difference was -8.8 [95% CI (-18.2, -0.7), P<0.05]. Part of the therapeutic effect was mediated by changes in deep muscle elasticity, with a mediation effect size of -1.5 [95% CI (-2.0, -0.9), P = 0.024], accounting for 17.9% of the total effect. ConclusionStone needle thermocompression and massage can effectively relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back, partly through a mediating effect of improved deep muscle elasticity.
9.Dual regulation mechanism, clinical value of lncRNA in PCOS and intervention role of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Baosong LIU ; Caixia LI ; Yingying SUN ; Xiaofang ZHANG ; Mengfan PENG
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(1):77-84
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age, which can cause metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and other complications, seriously endangering the health of the body. China has become one of the countries with the fastest increasing prevalence of PCOS, but its complex pathogenesis leads to highly heterogeneous clinical manifestations, making it difficult to completely cure. Therefore, clarifying the potential pathogenesis of PCOS is of great significance for early clinical screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a dual role in the pathogenesis of PCOS and is a potential novel biomarker and intervention target. The characteristics of multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway action in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are consistent with the biological properties of lncRNA, which have diverse types, dual roles, and diverse locations. However, research on lncRNA mediated PCOS and how TCM can improve PCOS by regulating lncRNA is relatively scattered, which is not conducive to the recognition of its clinical value. Therefore, this article provides a systematic review of the dual regulatory mechanism, clinical value, and TCM intervention research of lncRNA in the occurrence and development of PCOS, aiming to clarify how lncRNA affects the occurrence and development of PCOS and potential treatment strategies, in order to provide new ideas for the clinical prevention and treatment of PCOS.
10.The application of two item response modes in the Worker-Occupation Fit Inventory
Keyao LYU ; Yajia LAN ; Xiaofang CHEN ; Ruican SUN
Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases 2025;43(5):324-331
Objective:To evaluate the application effects of two different item response modes in the Worker-Occupation Fit Inventory (WOFI) .Methods:From June to October 2022, a stratified cluster sampling method was adopted to collect and evaluate on-site data on worker-occupation fit among medical workers in two tertiary grade A general hospitals in Sichuan Province and Henan Province (1162 participants). Ordinal categorical item response (hierarchical item response) and dichotomous item response are two commonly used item response modes in psychometric measurement. Item response theory was used to analyze and compare the evaluation effects of the two item response modes in the WOFI. The generalized partial credit model and the 2-parameter logistic model were used to compare the item difficulty, discrimination, and scale information volume under different response modes.Results:The discrimination values range of the items in the WOFI under the hierarchical item response and dichotomous item response modes was 0.98 to 2.06 and 1.24 to 2.72, respectively, and the item difficulty values range was -4.61 to 1.15 and -1.25 to 0.08, respectively. Under the hierarchical item response mode, the amount of information on the WOFI was concentrated in the range of θ (the real ability or trait level of the subject) of -4 to 2, while under the dichotomous item response mode, it was concentrated in the range of θ of-2 to 2. The scale information volume was insufficient when θ was greater than 2 for both response modes. Conclusion:The discrimination of the items of the WOFI is relatively close under the two item response modes, and the overall information volume meets the evaluation criteria. However, under the hierarchical item response mode, the item difficulty range and information volume distribution are wider. Therefore, the WOFI is more effective and reliable when using the hierarchical item response mode.

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