1.Research progress on effects, toxic mechanisms, and risk assessment of organophosphate flame retardants on blood system
Ziyuan LI ; Lin LU ; Xiaoting JIN ; Yuxin ZHENG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(4):509-515
Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have been widely used as the main alternatives to bromine-based flame retardants, resulting in their widespread detection in environmental media and even in human blood. The potential health risks arising therefrom, particularly the direct impacts on the blood system, have become a focus in the field of environmental health. This article systematically reviewed the latest research progress on the hematotoxicity of OPFRs, covering three core aspects: the toxic effects aspect, which systematically elaborated on the bidirectional interference of OPFRs with coagulation function, their toxic effects on the hematopoietic system, and their disruptive effects on blood biochemical metabolism; the mechanistic analysis aspect, which dissected the multi-pathway, multi-target toxic mechanism network of OPFRs, including common pathways based on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, the direct and indirect regulation of coagulation function mediated by nuclear receptors and endocrine disruption, and the disturbance of blood cell production at the source through disruption of the hematopoietic microenvironment; and the risk assessment aspect, which, in response to the limitations of traditional methods, focused on the application prospects and core advantages of novel approaches based on structure-activity relationships in filling data gaps and achieving precise risk prediction. This review aims to systematically summarize the research progress on the mechanisms of OPFR-induced hematotoxicity, providing systematic theoretical support for subsequent in-depth mechanistic studies, targeted epidemiological investigations, and the optimization of risk assessment models.
2.Influencing factors for cognitive function among aluminum workers based on a quantile regression model
XIN Yulu ; LI Mujia ; DING Xiaohui ; LU Yang ; LI Wenjing ; WANG Linping ; LU Xiaoting ; SONG Jing
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(4):382-385,389
Objective:
To investigate the influencing factors for cognitive function among aluminum workers, so as to provide the basis for intervention and prevention of cognitive function among aluminum-exposed populations.
Methods:
From July to August 2019, male aluminum workers in the electrolytic aluminum workshop of an aluminum factory in Shanxi Province were selected using the cluster sampling method. Demographic information, prevalence of chronic diseases, lifestyle behaviors, night shifts, and sleep quality were collected through questionnaire surveys. Blood aluminum levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Cognitive function was investigated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Factors affecting cognitive function among aluminum workers were analyzed by a quantile regression model.
Results:
A total of 142 aluminum workers were surveyed, including 57 workers aged 20 to <40 years (40.14%) and 85 workers aged 40 to 60 years (59.86%). The median blood aluminum level was 38.23 (interquartile range, 21.82) μg/L. The median cognitive function score was 24.00 (interquartile range, 3.00) points. Quantile regression analysis revealed that older age (βQ5=-0.186, 95%CI: -0.269 to -0.102), lower educational level (βQ5=1.933, 95%CI: 1.029 to 2.838; βQ10=1.743, 95%CI: 0.480 to 3.006; βQ50=1.038, 95%CI: 0.141 to 1.935; βQ75=1.006, 95%CI: 0.437 to 1.575; βQ90=1.111, 95%CI: 0.291 to 1.930), smoking (βQ5=-2.056, 95%CI: -3.264 to -0.849), alcohol consumption (βQ5=-1.821, 95%CI: -3.247 to -0.396) and higher blood aluminum level (βQ5=-0.075, 95%CI: -0.110 to -0.040; βQ10=-0.078, 95%CI: -0.127 to -0.029; βQ50=-0.075, 95%CI: -0.110 to -0.040; βQ75=-0.057, 95%CI: -0.079 to -0.035; βQ90=-0.067, 95%CI: -0.099 to -0.035) were associated with cognitive function decline among aluminum workers.
Conclusions
Educational level and blood aluminum level are the main factors affecting the cognitive function among aluminum workers. Among those with lower cognitive function scores, age, smoking and alcohol consumption are also associated with cognitive function.
3.Advances in mechanisms of damage to cardiovascular system by exposure to micro-nano plastics
Guangzhen LU ; Xiaoting WANG ; Xinye WANG ; Hong ZHUANG ; Mengmeng CUI ; Gang ZHAO
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(10):1260-1267
This review described the potential health threats to the cardiovascular system from micro-nano plastics (MNPs) and their multifaceted toxicity mechanisms. The article reviewed the environmental distribution of MNPs, exposure pathways, and their toxic effects on the cardiovascular system, and summarized the specific mechanisms of MNPs involving oxidative stress, inflammatory response, mitochondrial damage, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy dysregulation. Meanwhile, the combined toxic effects of MNPs with other environmental pollutants (e.g., heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), including synergistic, antagonistic, and dual effects, were analyzed, and the potential risks of MNPs as carriers of microorganisms and toxic chemicals were pointed out. The widespread presence of MNPs and their complex toxicity mechanisms may make them important triggers for cardiovascular diseases, but current research still suffers from unbalanced studies across environmental systems, incomplete understanding of plastic properties, and limited knowledge of long-term biological effects. Future research should focus on the long-term effects of MNPs, the joint toxicity mechanisms with other pollutants, and the differential effects across population subgroups. It is suggested to accelerate plastic recycling technology innovation, promote biodegradable materials, and optimize waste treatment process to mitigate the potential threat of MNPs pollution to human health. Through multidisciplinary collaboration and in-depth research, combining innovative concepts from toxicology, public health policy, and environmental science, it is expected to provide new methods and approaches for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases associated with MNPs.
4.Effects of a virtual reality rehabilitation support system on discharge readiness among caregivers of post-laryngectomy patients
Li LI ; Yongling LIU ; Yang ZHANG ; Meng LIAN ; Yuehong WANG ; Shunli LU ; Chen YANG ; Tingting LI ; Yiran HE ; Xiaoting JIN ; Feilong XU ; Zirong TIAN
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(20):2451-2457
Objective To develop a virtual reality rehabilitation support system and evaluate its effects on improving discharge readiness in caregivers of laryngectomy patients.Methods The system is equipped with a virtual reality-based home nursing skills guidance module for post-laryngectomy patients and an evidence-based artificial intelligence Q&A module.A convenience sampling method was adopted to select 64 caregivers of patients who underwent laryngectomy for the first time in the otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery department of a tertiary A hospital in Beijing from July 2024 to January 2025 for a systematic study on application effects.To avoid cross-contamination between an experimental group and a control group,ward-based grouping was applied.A coin toss was used to assign Ward 1 to an experimental group and Ward 2 to a control group,with 32 cases in each group.The experimental group received discharge guidance based on the virtual reality technology,while the control group was provided with conventional verbal and written discharge instructions.The readiness for hospital discharge and the quality of discharge teaching scores of caregivers were compared between the 2 groups after the intervention.Results No sample detachment.After the intervention,the patient caregivers in the experimental group scored significantly higher than those in the control group in terms of discharge readiness and quality of discharge guidance,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.001).Conclusion This study developed the virtual reality rehabilitation system for laryngeal cancer patients demonstrated good feasibility and effectiveness.The application of this system for discharge education significantly improved discharge readiness of caregivers and quality of discharge guidance for post-laryngectomy patients.It also helped with the optimization of health education models,enhancement of nursing resource utilization efficiency,and improvement of transitional care.
5.Construction of a health education checklist for safety management of oral antitumor drugs in tumor patients
Hongli LI ; Hong ZHANG ; Yuhan LU ; Zhichao FENG ; Miaoning YOU ; Xiaoting HOU ; Liyan ZHANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Dong PANG ; Hong YANG
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(21):2906-2911
Objective:To construct a health education checklist for safety management of oral antitumor drugs in tumor patients, so as to provide a guidance for clinical nurses in practice, thereby improving the drug safety of patients taking oral antitumor drugs.Methods:Based on the cognition-behavior theoretical framework, a preliminary draft of a health education checklist for safety management of oral antitumor drugs in tumor patients was developed through literature review. The Delphi method was used to conduct consultations with 17 experts from July to September 2024 to revise and add or delete the contents of the checklist based on the experts' assignments of importance to the indicators at each level and the textual comments made.Results:A total of two rounds of expert consultation were conducted. The final established health education checklist for safety management of oral antitumor drugs in tumor patients included 4 primary and 28 secondary indicators. In the two rounds of consultation, the positive coefficient of experts was 100.0%, the coefficient of expert authority was 0.93, the coefficients of variation for the two rounds of expert ratings were 0 to 0.173 and 0 to 0.151, and the coefficients of Kendall's concordance were 0.141 (χ 2=74.461, P<0.001) and 0.113 (χ 2=59.549, P=0.002) , respectively. Conclusions:The health education checklist for safety management of oral antitumor drugs in tumor patients has good scientific, reliable and clinical practical value, which can provide scientific, standardized and convenient practical guidance for clinical nurses to implement health education on drug safety management for patients taking oral antitumor drugs.
6.Textual Research on Key Information and Modern Clinical Application of Classical Famous Formula Liumotang
Xinyu ZHANG ; Chong LI ; Yixuan HU ; Luming LIANG ; Ye ZHAO ; Xiaoting LU ; Yu WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):201-212
Liumotang comes from the Yuan dynasty's Effective Prescription Handed Down for Generations of Physicians. It is composed of six medicinal materials: Arecae Semen, Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum, Aucklandiae Radix, Linderae Radix, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, and Aurantii Fructus. It is a classical formula for treating abdominal pain due to Qi stagnation and constipation accompanied by heat. This study systematically collated the records of Liumotang in ancient medical books and modern clinical literature and conducted in-depth analysis and textual research on its formula source, main diseases, composition, dosage, medical books, container capacity, processing, preparation method, usage, drug basis, formula meaning, and other key information, so as to provide a powerful reference for the development and clinical application of compound preparations of the classical formula Liumotang. The results show that Liumotang was first seen in Effective Prescription Handed Down for Generations of Physicians, and many medical books of the past dynasties have imitated this. In terms of drug basis, the dried and mature seeds of the palm plant Areca catechu, resin-containing wood of the Daphneaceae plant Aquilaria sinensis, the dried roots of the Asteraceae plant woody Aucklandia lappa, the dried tuber root of the Lauraceae plant Lindera aggregata, the dried roots and rhizomes of the knotweed plant, R. palmatum, R.tangutikum, and R. officinale, and the dried and unripe fruits of the citrus genus C. aurantium and its cultivated varieties from the family Rutaceae were selected. In terms of dosage, through the textual research on bowls in the Ming and Qing dynasties, combined with the conversion of medicines and bowl capacity in the Qing dynasty, it was estimated that the dosage of each drug in the Yuan dynasty was 10.86 g. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the dosage of drugs was mostly equal, but the dosage of drugs was somewhat different. In terms of processing, preparation method, and usage, in the medical books of the past dynasties, the processing of drugs has slightly changed, but raw drugs are used in all preparations. The preparation method and usage did not change much during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, except for certain differences in dosage. In terms of syndrome, Liumotang was first used to treat abdominal pain due to Qi stagnation and constipation accompanied by heat. Medical books of the past dynasties often omit the symptoms of heat. In modern clinical practice, Liumotang is mainly used in the digestive system and urinary system diseases and is mostly used to treat constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, biliary reflux gastritis, functional constipation, slow transit constipation, and other diseases, with no adverse reactions found yet. The above results provide a reliable scientific basis for the development and clinical treatment of Liumotang compound preparations.
7.Differential expression and prognostic significance of exosomal miRNA derived from bone marrow stromal cells in the bone marrow supernatants of patients with AML
Wei Dai ; Xiaoting Wang ; Wenjuan Fu ; Qiushuang Li ; Tianhui Zhou ; Mengyuan Lu ; Huifang Huang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(11):2113-2123
Objective:
To investigate the aberrant alterations of microRNAs ( miRNAs) in exosomes derived from bone marrow stromal cells ( BMSCs) in the bone marrow supernatants of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and their impact on the prognosis of AML patients .
Methods:
Bone marrow supernatant samples were col- lected from three AML patients and three healthy donors . Exosomes were isolated using a commercial kit , identif- ying the morphology and marker expression , and subjected to miRNA sequencing to determine differentially ex- pressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) . The DE-miRNAs were then intersected with the exosomal miRNA expression pro- files of primary AML cells (GSE64029) to exclude AML cell - derived signals and to identify BMSC-derived DE - miRNAs . Subsequently , candidate miRNAs were identified through Cox regression and Lasso regression analyses based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) . A prognostic risk model for AML was constructed , and pa- tients were stratified into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the median risk score . The prognostic value and clinical relevance of the model were further validated . Finally , the target genes of the candidate miRNAs were pre- dicted , followed by pathway enrichment analysis , construction of key regulatory networks , and correlation analysis between the expression levels of key miRNAs and their corresponding target genes .
Results:
Isolated exosomes ex- hibited a typical cup-shaped morphology with intact structures with particle size of 30 - 150 nm , and expressed exo- somal markers CD63 , ALIX , and TSG101 . miRNA sequencing identified 103 DE-miRNAs in AML patients com- pared with healthy donors; after intersection with the GSE64029 dataset , 83 BMSC-derived DE-miRNAs were re- tained . Among these , five candidate miRNAs ( miR-25-3p , miR-532-5p , miR-194-5p , miR-10a-5p , and miR- 20a-5p) were used to construct the prognostic model . Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significantly lon- ger overall survival in the low-risk group compared with the high-risk group (P < 0. 05) . The areas under the ROC curve for the training/validation cohorts were 0. 80/0. 74 , 0. 80/0. 78 , and 0. 79/0. 64 at 1 , 2 , and 3 years , re- spectively . The prognostic model was significantly associated with risk stratification , patient age , and FAB classifi- cation (P < 0. 05) . KEGG pathway enrichment revealed that target genes of the candidate miRNAs were closely linked to cancer-related signaling pathways , including hepatocellular carcinoma , breast cancer , and non-small cell lung cancer. Correlation analysis indicated that the candidate miRNAs were significantly associated with key genes such as HIF1A , CREB1 , PIK3CA , IGF1R , PIK3R1 , TIAM1 , CRK , and PTEN (P < 0. 05) .
Conclusion
AML patients exhibit distinct miRNA expression profiles in BMSC-derived exosomes . A five-miRNA signature ( miR-25 - 3p , miR-532-5p , miR-194-5p , miR-10a-5p , and miR-20a-5p) demonstrates robust prognostic performance , sup- porting its potential clinical utility in risk stratification and outcome prediction for AML.
8.Effect of surface treatment on dentin rebonding after laser non-destructive removal of zirconia prosthesis
LI Xiaoting ; JIANG Lei ; LU Zhicen ; CAI Chunyan ; YU Hao
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2025;33(3):195-202
Objective:
To investigate the changes of dentin surface and the effects of different surface treatments on the rebonding effect following non-destructive restoration removal by an Er:YAG laser and to provide reference for oral clinical operation
Methods:
This study was approved by the ethics review committee of the unit. Using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, 102 zirconia specimens (4 mm × 4 mm × 1.5 mm) were fabricated. In total, 110 impacted third molar teeth were extracted, and 102 dentine blocks (4 mm × 4 mm × 2 mm) were prepared. The zirconia specimen and dentin blocks were bonded with resin cement before removal with an Er: YAG laser. Three disassembled dentin blocks were randomly selected, and the components of dentin surface elements were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The removed dentin blocks were randomly divided into three groups (n = 33) based on the different surface treatments: control group (no treatment), sandblasting group (50 μm, Al2O3 sandblasting), and laser irradiation group (Er: YAG laser irradiation, parameters were set to 10 Hz, 60 mJ, 0.6 W). Three dentin blocks were randomly selected in each group for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, and the residual resin on dentin surface of remaining 30 dentin blocks in each group were observed under an optical microscope at 20 times magnification. Scores were obtained using the adhesive remnant index (ARI) method. Three groups of dentin blocks (n = 30) that underwent different surface treatments were rebonded with resin cement according to standard procedures and then divided into two subgroups for aging (n = 15). One subgroup was subjected to a 37 ℃ water bath for 24 h, and the other subgroup was subjected to 5 000 thermal cycles after a 37 ℃ water bath for 24 h, and the micro-shear bonding strength of each group was measured. The microshear bonding strength of each group was measured, and fracture modes were analyzed. The differences of dentine surface ARI between the three groups, as well as the inter-group differences in fracture mode, and bonding strength, and the intra-group differences before and after aging were compared between the three groups.
Results:
When zirconia was removed by Er: YAG laser, there was no obvious damage on the dentin surface, but C and Si elements in dentin increased significantly. After different surface treatments, the ARI scores of the sandblasting and laser irradiation groups were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05), while ARI was not significantly different between the sandblasting and laser irradiation groups (P>0.05). The dentin surface morphology was also different. There was a large amount of residual resin on the dentin surface of the control group. In the sandblasting group, the residual resin was lower, the dentin surface was rough, and the dentin tubules were visible. A large amount of residual resin was observed on the dentin surface of the laser irradiation group. After 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃, the bonding strengths of the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group were (6.13 ± 2.40) MPa, (9.39 ± 2.00) MPa, and (5.85 ± 1.44) MPa, respectively, and the bonding strength of the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05). After being subjected to 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃ and 5 000 thermal cycles, the bonding strengths of the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group were (5.39 ± 0.83) MPa, (8.45 ± 1.20) MPa and (4.84 ± 1.43) MPa, respectively. The bonding strength of the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that of the other two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group before and after 5 000 thermal cycles following 24 h of water bath at 37 ℃ (P>0.05). In the control group, sandblasting group, and laser irradiation group, cohesive fracture was not observed. The fracture mode was mainly adhesive fracture. Before and after 5 000 thermal cycles, the frequency of mixed fracture in the sandblasting group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Er: YAG laser removal of zirconia does not damage dentin, but a large amount of resin remains on the dentin surface after removal. The sandblasting process can effectively remove these residual resins, thereby improving the dentine rebonding effect.
9.Clinicopathological features and prognosis of rectal neuroendocrine tumor with grade 2
Zhenkai LUO ; Qi ZHANG ; Xiaoting MA ; Renshen XIANG ; Shuaibing LU ; Deyang KONG ; Yu SUN ; Yingying FENG ; Wei PEI ; Lin FENG ; Yuelu ZHU ; Lin YANG ; Haizeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(1):108-117
Objective:To explore the clinicopathological features of rectal neuroendocrine tumor (R-NET) G2, identify prognostic factors, and summarize treatment experience.Methods:The clinical data of patients diagnosed with R-NET G2 by pathological diagnosis admitted to Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2003 to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier curves were performed to analyze the association between pathological features and prognosis.Results:A total of 22 patients were enrolled in this study and 21 patients were followed up for a period of 6-98 months with a median follow-up time of 42 months. 5 patients died due to tumor progression during the follow-up period. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the whole group were 100.0%, 92.9%, and 69.6%, respectively. Of the 22 patients, 20 underwent surgical treatment, of which 15 underwent postoperative adjuvant therapy; 2 underwent medical treatment for liver and bone multiple metastases. The 5-year survival rates of patients with tumours ≥2 cm in length, T2-3 stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis (57.1%, 68.8%, 66.7%, and 63.6%, respectively) were shorter than those of patients with tumours <2 cm in length, T1 stage, no lymph node metastasis, and no distant metastasis (all 100.0%, P<0.001). In addition, patients with liver metastases had larger primary tumor diameters and higher T-stages compared with those without distant metastasis ( P<0.05). Conclusions:R-NET G2 has a high degree of malignancy compared with G1 and a high propensity for metastasis. Clinicians should formulate appropriate diagnostic and treatment strategies based on factors such as tumor size, depth of invasion, lymph node status, presence of distant metastasis, and the location and extent of distant metastasis.
10.Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its influencing factors among male workers in an aluminum factory in Shanxi Province
Mujia LI ; Yulu XIN ; Yang LU ; Xiaohui DING ; Linping WANG ; Xiaoting LU ; Jing SONG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(11):1358-1363
Background Some studies have suggested that exposure to multiple metals is closely linked to the development of metabolic syndrome (MS) in the populations, but the effect of aluminum exposure on MS remains unclear. Objective To analyze the prevalence and influencing factors of MS among employees with aluminum exposure in Shanxi Province. Methods Cluster sampling was employed to survey male frontline workers in an aluminum factory in Shanxi Province. Data on general demographic information, lifestyle, occupational history, medical history, and family history of chronic diseases were collected through questionnaires. The concentration of fasting blood glucose was determined using the glucose oxidase technique, and blood lipid levels were determined using the peroxidase method. Serum aluminum levels were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and blood biochemical indicators were measured using the peroxidase method. Based on the China's 2020 diagnostic criteria for MS, the participants were and divided into an MS group anda non-MS group. Variables with statistical significance in univariate analysis were included to construct a logistic regression model. Results A cohort of 312 workers participated in this research, with 84 individuals diagnosed with MS, yielding a prevalence rate of 26.92%. The logistic regression model revealed that body mass index (BMI)≥24.0 kg·m−2 (OR=1.967, 95%CI: 1.057, 3.659), alcohol consumption (OR=1.883, 95%CI: 1.063, 3.336), experiencing major life event (OR=3.886, 95%CI: 1.509, 10.008), family history of hypertension (OR=2.112, 95%CI: 1.162, 3.837), serum aluminum concentration (OR=1.024, 95%CI: 1.012, 1.035), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (OR=1.032, 95%CI: 1.011, 1.054), and white blood cell (WBC) count (OR=1.210, 95%CI: 1.001, 1.465) were significant influencing factors for MS. Conclusion BMI≥24.0 kg·m−2, alcohol consumption, experiencing major life event, family history of hypertension, elevated serum aluminum concentration, increased ALT level, and elevated WBC count are risk factors for MS among occupationally aluminum-exposed workers.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail