1.PRMT1-mediated asymmetric dimethylation of arginine residue 602 in DDX1 promotes cholangiocarcinoma progression
Wenzheng LIU ; Yangwei LIAO ; Yiyang KUAI ; Xin GAO ; Xingmin YAN ; Jingjing LI ; Junsheng CHEN ; Jukun SU ; Jingcong ZHOU ; Yizhu KONG ; Siqin HUANG ; Zhiwei ZHANG ; Feng PENG ; Bing WANG ; Yongjun CHEN
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):843-865
Background/Aims:
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a primary malignant neoplasm with an extremely poor prognosis. While combined chemoradiotherapy has been demonstrated to delay CCA progression to a certain extent, the absence of specific molecular biomarkers or targets significantly hinders the diagnosis and treatment of CCA.
Methods:
Through cross-analysis of proteomics and ADMA modificationomics, we identified DDX1 overexpressed in CCA with elevated R602-ADMA modifications. HPLC-MS/MS identified PRMT1 as the methyltransferase and USP10 as the deubiquitinating enzyme for DDX1. Immunofluorescence and nuclear-cytoplasmic partitioning experiments confirmed DDX1’s nuclear localization. GO and KEGG analyses clarify the biological functions of DDX1 in response to hypoxia. RNA-seq transcriptomics analyzed key pathways influenced by DDX1. A hydrodynamic in situ CCA mouse model was established to validate the chemopreventive effects of the PRMT1-specific inhibitor GSK715 on CCA development.
Results:
DDX1 promotes CCA progression both in vivo and in vitro and can be inhibited by GSK715. Mechanistically, PRMT1 mediates ADMA modification at position R602 of DDX1. This modification promotes DDX1 nuclear localization by recruiting USP10 to deubiquitinate DDX1, while simultaneously inhibiting PRMT1 degradation. DDX1 promotes the transcription of PRMT1 and USP10 by binding to the mRNA 3’UTR region, establishing a positive feedback regulatory pathway. This mechanism promotes the occurrence and development of CCA and can serve as a target for the inhibitor GSK715 to suppress CCA progression.
Conclusions
Our study identified DDX1-R602-ADMA modification as a novel ADMA modification in CCA. It further confirmed its pivotal role in CCA progression. Targeting the USP10-PRMT1-DDX1 axis may represent a significant therapeutic approach for CCA.
2.Clinical Efficacy of Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Combination with Chinese Herbal Medicine for Rheumatoid Arthritis:A Retrospective Study and A Meta-analysis
Chenguang ZHAN ; Shengqin YANG ; Xin LI ; Yu WEN ; Peng ZHANG ; Xingrui YAN ; Haifang DU ; Maojie WANG ; Xiaodong WU ; Liyan MEI ; Xiumin CHEN ; Yanlin LI ; Runyue HUANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(5):534-543
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors combined with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MethodsClinical data from 169 RA patients were retrospectively collected. Among them, 71 cases received JAK inhibitors as the control group, while 98 cases received JAK inhibitors plus CHM as the observation group, both treated for 24 weeks. The rheumatoid factor (RF), cyclic citic peptide antibody (anti-CCP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell count (WBC) were recorded before and after treatment. Databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed and Web of Science were searched from inception till August 31st, 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the combined use of JAK inhibitors and CHM for RA. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias assessment tool. Meta-analyses were performed for RF, anti-CCP, ESR, CRP, 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28), overall clinical effective rate, and incidence of adverse events. Sensitivity analysis were also performed. ResultsThe retrospective study demonstrated that after treatment, ESR, CRP, and anti-CCP levels decreased in the observation group, while ESR and CRP levels decreased in the control group (P<0.05). Moreover, ESR and RF levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). A total of 9 RCTs involving 770 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that the JAK inhibitors plus CHM group was superior to the JAK inhibitors group in reducing RF (MD=-8.97, 95%CI -15.01 to -2.94, P=0.004), CRP (MD=-3.34, 95%CI -3.82 to -2.86, P<0.001), ESR (MD=-5.33, 95%CI -7.98 to -2.69, P<0.001), and DAS28 score (MD=-0.54, 95%CI -0.74 to -0.34, P<0.001), as well as in improving the overall clinical effective rate (OR=4.53, 95%CI 2.55 to 8.03, P<0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in anti-CCP levels (SMD=-2.08, 95%CI -4.41 to 0.24, P=0.080) or incidence of adverse events (OR=0.93, 95%CI 0.55 to 1.57, P=0.790). ConclusionThe combination of JAK inhibitors and CHM demonstrates remarkable efficacy in treating RA, contributing to improved disease activity and reduced inflammatory markers with a favorable safety profile.
3.Exploration of pharmacodynamic substances and potential mechanisms of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in treatment of gouty arthritis based on UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology and network pharmacology.
Yan XIAO ; Ting ZHANG ; Ying-Jie ZHANG ; Bin HUANG ; Peng CHEN ; Xiao-Hua CHEN ; Ming-Qing HUANG ; Xue-Ting CHEN ; You-Xin SU ; Jie-Mei GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):444-488
Based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS) technology and network pharmacology, this study explored the pharmacodynamic substances and potential mechanisms of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of gouty arthritis(GA). UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS technology was used to identify the components in Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction, and the qualitative analysis of its active ingredients was carried out, with a total of 184 active ingredients identified. A total of 897 active ingredient targets were screened through the PharmMapper database, and 491 GA-related disease targets were obtained from the OMIM, GeneCards, CTD databases. After Venn analysis, 60 intersecting targets were obtained. The component target-GA target network was constructed through the Cytoscape platform, and the STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network, with 16 core targets screened. The core targets were subjected to Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and the component-target-pathway network was constructed. It was found that the main active ingredients of the formula for the treatment of GA were phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, and the key targets were SRC, MMP3, MMP9, REN, ALB, IGF1R, PPARG, MAPK1, HPRT1, and CASP1. Through GO analysis, it was found that the treatment of GA mainly involved biological processes such as lipid response, bacterial response, and biostimulus response. KEGG analysis showed that the pathways related to the treatment of GA included lipids and atherosclerosis, neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs), IL-17, and so on. In summary, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids may be the core pharmacodynamic substances of Huazhuo Sanjie Chubi Decoction in the treatment of GA, and the pharmacodynamic mechanism may be related to SRC, MMP3, MMP9, and other targets, as well as lipids and atherosclerosis, NETs, IL-17, and other pathways.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Network Pharmacology
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Arthritis, Gouty/metabolism*
;
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods*
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Humans
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Mass Spectrometry/methods*
;
Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
4.Functional characterization of flavonoid glycosyltransferase AmGT90 in Astragalus membranaceus.
Guo-Qing PENG ; Bing-Yan XU ; Jian-Ping HUANG ; Zhi-Yin YU ; Sheng-Xiong HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1534-1543
Astragalus membranaceus(A. membranaceus), a traditional tonic, contains flavonoids as one of its main bioactive components and key indicators for quality standard detection. These compounds predominantly exist in glycosylated forms after glycosylation modification within the plant. The catalytic products of flavonoid glycosyltransferases in A. membranaceus have been reported to be mostly monoglycosides, and only AmUGT28 catalyzes luteolin to form diglycosides. In this study, we cloned a glycosyltransferase gene, AmGT90, from A. membranaceus, with an ORF length of 1 335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids, and the protein had a relative molecular mass of 50.5 kDa. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that AmGT90 belongs to the UGT74 family. In vitro enzymatic reaction showed that AmGT90 had broad substrate specificity and could catalyze the glycosylation of various flavonoids, including isoflavones, flavones, flavanones, and chalcones. AmGT90 not only catalyzed the formation of monoglycosides but also diglycosides. In addition, the mechanism of AmGT90 catalyzing the formation of diglycosides from luteolin was preliminarily explored. The experimental results showed that AmGT90 may preferentially recognize C4'-OH of luteolin and then recognize C7-OH to form diglycosides. This study reported a glycosyltransferase from A. membranaceus capable of converting flavonoids into monoglycosides and diglycosides. This finding not only enhances our understanding of the biosynthetic pathways of flavonoid glycosides in A. membranaceus but also introduces a new component for glycoside production through synthetic biology.
Glycosyltransferases/chemistry*
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Flavonoids/chemistry*
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Astragalus propinquus/classification*
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Phylogeny
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Glycosylation
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Plant Proteins/chemistry*
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Substrate Specificity
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Cloning, Molecular
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Amino Acid Sequence
5.Scientific characterization of medicinal amber: evidence from geological and archaeological studies.
Qi LIU ; Qing-Hui LI ; Di-Ying HUANG ; Yan LI ; Pan XIAO ; Ji-Qing BAI ; Hua-Sheng PENG ; Lu-Qi HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):2905-2914
Amber and subfossil resins are subjects of interdisciplinary research across multiple fields. However, due to their diverse origins and complex compositions, different disciplines vary in their definitions and functional interpretations. In traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), amber has been utilized as a medicinal material since ancient time, with extensive historical documentation. However, its classification, provenance, and nomenclature remain ambiguous, and authentic medicinal amber artifacts are exceedingly rare. This study employed Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) to characterize amber and subfossil resins from various geological sources and commercially "medicinal amber". Additionally, historical literature and market surveys were analyzed to explore their provenance, composition, and functional attributes. The results indicate that amber and subfossil resins from different sources and with different compositions exhibit distinct fingerprint characteristics in the FTIR spectral range of 1 800-700 cm~(-1). "Medicinal amber" available in the market primarily consists of subfossil or modern resins, significantly differing in composition and structure from geological amber. This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research on amber identification and resource management. It is essential to establish a systematic database of amber and subfossil resin characteristics and integrate modern analytical techniques to enhance research on their composition, pharmacological mechanisms, and potential therapeutic effects, thereby promoting the standardized utilization of amber resources and advancing the modernization of TCM.
Amber/history*
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Archaeology
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Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
6.Identification of characteristics, supply channels, and imperial court processing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court.
Feng-Yuan LI ; Hua-Sheng PENG ; Xue-Ling GUAN ; Yan JIN ; Ting YAO ; Yuan YUAN ; Lu-Qi HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):2924-2930
Qing court records show that Arecae Semen was extensively applied. The royal medical records of the Qing Dynasty document nine types of Arecae Semen, with the Palace Museum preserving seven kinds, totaling twelve cultural relics. Historical documents and physical artifacts corroborate each other, providing evidence for the study of the supply channels and court processing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court. According to relevant Qing court archival records, the sources of Arecae Semen used in the imperial court were diverse, including tributes from foreign countries such as Vietnam and Gurkha, annual tributes from local governments in Guangdong, gifts from close aides, and commodities purchased by the Imperial Household Department from civilian shops. The imperial physicians of the Qing court placed great emphasis on the specifications of Arecae Semen slices and were extremely meticulous about their processing. The variety of Arecae Semen slices used in the Qing palace exceeded those recorded in the botanical texts of the era. Compared with the commonly used processing methods for Arecae Semen in the Qing Dynasty, the imperial physicians adjusted the properties and efficacy of the herbs through different processing techniques, based on the patient's condition, constitution, and other factors, in order to meet the clinical treatment needs of the court. The slicing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court required strict control of thickness, with an average thickness of 0.44 mm, which is significantly thinner than the Arecae Semen slices found in today's markets. The texture was softer, making them easier to chew and absorb. Both the Qing court Arecae Semen slices and the Muxiang Binglang Pills focused on the use of authentic medicinal materials, ensuring the quality of the medicine and enhancing the efficacy of Arecae Semen through meticulous selection and preparation.
China
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history*
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Humans
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*
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History, 19th Century
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History, Ancient
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History, 17th Century
;
History, 18th Century
7.Application Value of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy in Patients with EGFR-mutant Resectable Lung Adenocarcinoma.
Shijie HUANG ; Mengying FAN ; Kaiming PENG ; Wanpu YAN ; Boyang CHEN ; Wu WANG ; Tianbao YANG ; Keneng CHEN ; Mingqiang KANG ; Jinbiao XIE
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2025;28(7):487-496
BACKGROUND:
The proportion of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations is relatively high in China. However, these patients currently lack significant benefits from available neoadjuvant treatment options. This study aims to explore the potential application value of neoadjuvant targeted therapy by evaluating its efficacy and safety in patients with EGFR-mutant resectable lung adenocarcinoma.
METHODS:
A multicenter retrospective study was used to analyze the treatment effect of patients with stage IIA-IIIB EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection after receiving neoadjuvant targeted therapy from July 2019 to October 2024.
RESULTS:
A total of 24 patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma from three centers were included in this study. All patients successfully underwent surgery and achieved R0 resection of 100.0%. The objective response rate (ORR) was 83.3% (20/24) . The major pathologic response (MPR) rate was 37.5% (9/24), with 2 patients (8.3%) achieving pathological complete response (pCR). During neoadjuvant therapy, 13 out of 24 patients (54.2%) experienced adverse events of grade 1-2, with no occurrences of ≥ grade 3. The most common treatment-related adverse events were rash (n=4, 16.7%), mouth sores (n=2, 8.3%), and diarrhea (n=2, 8.3%). The median follow-up time was 33.0 months, no deaths occurred in all patients, and the overall survival (OS) rate was 100.0%. The 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 91.1%, and the 2-year DFS rate remained at 86.2%.
CONCLUSIONS
The application of neoadjuvant targeted therapy in patients with EGFR-mutant resectable lung adenocarcinoma is safe and feasible, and is expected to become a highly promising neoadjuvant treatment option for the patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma.
Humans
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ErbB Receptors/metabolism*
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Male
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Female
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Middle Aged
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Adenocarcinoma of Lung/surgery*
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Neoadjuvant Therapy
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Lung Neoplasms/surgery*
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Aged
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Retrospective Studies
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Mutation
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Adult
8.Electroacupuncture Promotes Gastric Motility by Suppressing Pyroptosis via NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD Signaling Pathway in Diabetic Gastroparesis Rats.
Hao HUANG ; Yan PENG ; Le XIAO ; Jing WANG ; Yu-Hong XIN ; Tian-Hua ZHANG ; Xiao-Yu LI ; Xing WEI
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(5):448-457
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) by inhibiting the activation of Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and pyroptosis mediated via NLRP3/cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1)/gasdermin D (GSDMD) signaling pathway.
METHODS:
Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups including the control, DGP model, EA, and MCC950 groups. The DGP model was established by a one-time high-dose intraperitoneal injection of 2% streptozotocin and a high-glucose and high-fat diet for 8 weeks. EA intervention was conducted at Zusanli (ST 36), Liangmen (ST 21) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) with sparse-dense wave for 15 min, and was administered for 3 courses of 5 days. After intervention, the blood glucose, urine glucose, gastric emptying, and intestinal propulsive rate were observed. Besides, HE staining was used to observe histopathological changes in gastric antrum tissues, and TUNEL staining was utilized to detect DNA damage. Protein expression levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC), pro-caspase-1, caspase-1 and GSDMD were measured by Western blot. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to assess the activity of GSDMD-N. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were detected by using a biochemical kit.
RESULTS:
DGP rats showed persistent hyperglycemia and a significant decrease in gastrointestinal motility (P<0.05 or P<0.01), accompanied by pathological damage in their gastric antrum tissues. Cellular DNA was obviously damaged, and the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins were significantly elevated, along with enhanced fluorescence signals of GSDMD-N and increased LDH release (P<0.01). EA mitigated hyperglycemia, improved gastrointestinal motility in DGP rats and alleviated their pathological injury (P<0.05). Furthermore, EA reduced cellular DNA damage, lowered the protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1 and GSDMD, suppressed GSDMD-N activity, and decreased LDH release (P<0.05 or P<0.01), demonstrating effects comparable to MCC950.
CONCLUSION
EA promotes gastrointestinal motility and repairs the pathological damage in DGP rats, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis mediated by NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD pathway.
Animals
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Electroacupuncture
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NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism*
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Pyroptosis
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Caspase 1/metabolism*
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Gastroparesis/physiopathology*
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Signal Transduction
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Male
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Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/physiopathology*
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Phosphate-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
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Gastrointestinal Motility
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Rats
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism*
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Diabetes Complications/physiopathology*
;
Gasdermins
9.Potential profile analysis of social participation of young and middle-aged stroke patients from the perspective of ICF
Ying PENG ; Xiaojiao HUANG ; Fengxia YAN
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(13):46-51
Objective To explore the potential profile characteristics and influencing factors of social participation in young and middle-aged stroke patients based on the theoretical framework of international classification of functioning,disability and health,so as to provide a basis for formulating personalized intervention measures.Methods From May to October 2024,convenience sampling was used to select young and middle-aged stroke patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University as research objects.The data were collected through the general information questionnaire,impact on participation and autonomy questionaire and stroke stigma scale.The potential profile analysis was used to classify the patients' social participation level,and the disordered multinomial Logistic regression was used to analyze its influencing factors.Results The social participation of young and middle-aged stroke patients could be divided into three types:independent social life type(47.87%),limited social interaction type(28.20%)and weakened family responsibility type(23.93%).Stigma,stroke type and personal history of stroke were the influencing factors of different types of social participation(P<0.05).Conclusion There is heterogeneity in the level of social participation in young and middle-aged stroke patients.Medical staff should provide personalized rehabilitation guidance according to different potential categories to improve the level of social participation and quality of life of patients.
10.Influence of different phantoms on quality control of CBCT for breast
Jianyu WANG ; Jianwei LIAO ; Peng RAO ; Yan ZHANG ; Haibo HUANG ; Yiwei SU ; Chengyi LI ; Zhi WANG
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(7):21-24
Objective:To investigate influence of different phantoms on the results of quality control for the images of cone beam computed tomography(CBCT)for breast on the basis of quality control for breast CBCT.Methods:Five different manufacturers'phantoms were selected,and they were placed at the position of testing breast in clinical examination to conduct position for phantom according to the method of the national health industry standard WS 818-2023

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