1.The current status of international health communication research and its implications for China
Lingyan YANG ; Zihan YU ; Yueqiao ZHAO ; Zhenping LI ; Jianyi YAO ; Hao LI ; Yuhui ZHOU
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):18-21
Objective To systematically review international research on health communication, and to provide valuable insights and reference for China's health communication research and practice. Methods This study included 693 articles published from January 2023 to April 2024 in two authoritative academic journals in the field of health communication, “Health Communication” and the “Journal of Health Communication”. A systematic review was conducted on the themes, theoretical foundations, research methods, and populations of international health communication research. Results The findings in this study revealed that international health communication research topics were diverse, with hotspots including social media, health information behavior, health misinformation, stigmatization, trust, and risk perception. The results showed that 34% of the articles were based on theoretical foundations, and 93.3% employed research methods, focusing on adolescents, parents, women, and other key populations. Conclusion Domestic health communication research can expand its perspective from “information transmission” to “social interaction”, innovate theories and methods from “single paradigm" to “multi-integration” and shift focus from a “mass perspective” to “targeted care” for the health of all populations. Domestic health communication practice can delve into the localization of social media health communication practices, the comprehensive management of health misinformation, and the critical application of new technologies.
2.Sex-specific effects of Semen Cuscutae aqueous extract on behavior, proteomics, and gut microbiota in rats
Zihan ZHAO ; Yaling YANG ; Junhui ZHOU ; Jie REN ; Zhiqiang LUO ; Ruibin BAI ; Jian YANG
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;4(1):50-61
Background: Sex-based differences often influence the therapeutic efficacy and safety of medications. Semen Cuscutae is a traditional tonic botanical drug with sex-specific characteristics, traditionally indicated for conditions such as impotence (exclusive to males) and restless fetus (exclusive to pregnant females). However, most existing studies have focused on a single sex. Objective: To evaluate the sex-specific biological effects of Semen Cuscutae in rats and explore its molecular mechanisms, with the aim of uncovering its pharmacological characteristics through a multiomics approach. Methods: A traditional aqueous extract of Semen Cuscutae (SCA) was used as the experimental material. Forty adult Sprague-Dawley rats (equal numbers of males and females) were randomly divided into 4 groups: male control, male SCA treatment (240 mg/kg), female control, and female SCA treatment (240 mg/kg), with 10 rats in each group. The biological effects were comprehensively evaluated using a combination of open field test, biochemical analyses, proteomics, and gut microbiota profiling. Results: As a tonic botanical drug, SCA appeared to directly affect the mental and behavioral state of rats. It significantly altered the time spent by rats in the center area during the open field test, showing a sex-dependent reversal of behaviors. Proteomic analysis of brain tissue identified 624 differentially expressed proteins across the groups, with 10 key differentially expressed proteins related to sex differences, including fibroblast growth factor receptor 3, transcription elongation factor A protein-like 1, 40S ribosomal protein S25, neural cell adhesion molecule, and anion exchange protein 2 (SLC4A2). Enrichment analysis revealed that in male rats, SCA upregulated proteins involved in biological processes such as ribosome function and energy derivation, supporting protein synthesis and enhancing energy supply, showing an overall gain effect. In contrast, in female rats, SCA downregulated proteins associated with processes such as positive regulation of target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling and vesicle transport, suggesting suppression of neuronal signaling and material transport, indicative of a shift toward a more restrained physiological state. Furthermore, SCA reduced gut microbiota diversity in female rats but increased it in males, including the abundance of Akkermansia, which may serve as a crucial mediator. Conclusion: Overall, the biological effects of SCA differ significantly between male and female rats, with evidence suggesting greater health benefits in males. These findings help elucidate the scientific basis of its traditional applications and provide guidance for the precise application of SCA as a functional health food.
3.Association between solid fuel exposure and cancer risk among middle-aged and elderly adults with different physical activity levels
Zihan ZHANG ; Jiayi ZHAO ; Guangwen CAO
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(10):842-847
ObjectiveTo determine the association between solid fuel exposure and cancer risk among middle-aged and elderly adults in China, to investigate the underlying biological pathways through selected serological markers, and to examine whether adequate physical activity can mitigate this risk by modulating these pathways. MethodsBased on baseline characteristics, health status indicators and hematological data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011‒2018), multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between solid fuel use and cancer risk, with stratified analyses conducted by physical activity levels. In addition, mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the role of serological markers including hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit in the association between solid fuel use and cancer incidence. ResultsSolid fuel use was significantly associated with an increased cancer risk (OR=1.344, 95%CI: 1.113‒1.615). This association remained significant among individuals with low levels of physical activity ( OR=1.344, 95%CI: 1.067‒1.673 ), but not statistically significant among those with adequate physical activity. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit showed a negative mediating effect between solid fuel use and cancer incidence, and this effect was stronger among those with low levels of physical activity. ConclusionIndoor solid fuel use represents an important environmental risk factor for cancer incidence in China’s middle-aged and elderly population, while regular physical activity may reduce carcinogenic risk through modulation of inflammatory levels and hematological indicators such as hemoglobin and hematocrit. Public health strategies should integrate clean energy promotion with exercise interventions to mitigate the cancer burden associated with solid fuel pollution.
4.Establishment of amachine learning-based precision recruitment method at the county level
Xiaoyan FU ; Zihan ZHANG ; Fang ZHAO ; Chunlan ZHOU ; Wenbiao LIANG ; Cheng YU ; Yingzhi YAN ; Wei SI ; Weibin TAN ; Hui XUE
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(12):1752-1758
Objective: To establish a machine learning-based precision blood donor recruitment model at the county level and assess its generalizability and applicability. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using blood donation and SMS recruitment data from the Taicang Branch of the Suzhou Blood Center between 2019 and 2024. Multiple machine learning algorithms were employed, including extreme gradient boosting, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbor, logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, and multilayer perceptron. These were combined with techniques such as synthetic minority oversampling, undersampling, and cost-sensitive learning (using MFE and MSFE loss functions). Model parameters were optimized through grid search to identify the best-performing model. Results: In a prospective comparative study against conventional methods, the machine learning models increased the recruitment success rate among high-willingness donors by an average of 129.15%, and the recruitment efficiency per SMS improved by 125.02% compared with the traditional method. Under full-scale SMS sending, the recruitment rate per SMS increased by 42.61%, and SMS sending efficiency improved by 31.77%, significantly enhancing recruitment performance. Conclusion: This study represents the first application of a machine learning-based precision donor recruitment model at the county-level in China. The precise recruitment framework not only improves recruitment efficiency and reduces recruitment costs but also demonstrates strong scalability and generalizability. It provides a scientific and feasible intelligent pathway to ensure the safety and sustainability of the blood supply.
5.Association between inflammation-related dietary patterns and cognitive impairment in older adults aged 65 years and above in longevity areas of China: a reduced rank regression analysis
Yang LI ; Zihan LU ; Yangyang XIONG ; Wenjing CHEN ; Jun WANG ; Zenghang ZHANG ; Chen CHEN ; Wenhui SHI ; Xi MENG ; Zhenwei ZHANG ; Zinan XU ; Yuan XIA ; Yiqi LI ; Honglin LAI ; Yujie LI ; Cuipeng ZHANG ; Yuming ZHAO ; Yuebin LYU ; Xiaoming SHI
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(5):737-745
Objective:To analyze the association between inflammation-related dietary patterns and the risk for cognitive impairment in older adults aged ≥65 years in longevity areas in China by using reduced rank regression (RRR) analysis.Methods:This study used cross-sectional data from the 2021 Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, including the information about study participants' demographic characteristics, lifestyles, daily life activities, and disease histories. Dietary intake was obtained by using a simplified food frequency questionnaire. Cognitive impairment was evaluated based on the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale combined with years of education. Fasting venous blood samples were collected to detect inflammatory markers, especially high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). RRR analysis was used to obtain inflammation-related dietary patterns using hs-CRP and PLR as response variables. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between dietary pattern score and the risk for cognitive impairment. Restricted cubic spline was used to explore the dose response relationship, and mediation analysis was used to quantify the mediating effects of hs-CRP and PLR.Results:Two dietary patterns were identified with RRR. The primary pattern was characterized by higher intakes of flour, red meat, and dairy products, and lower intake of fresh vegetables, explaining 6.84% of the variance in food intake and 0.50% of the variance in inflammatory markers. Compared with the T1 group, the T3 group had significantly higher risk for cognitive impairment ( OR=1.242, 95% CI: 1.034-1.491). Each one standard deviation increase in the dietary pattern score was associated with an 8.7% increase in the risk for cognitive impairment ( OR=1.087, 95% CI: 1.008-1.172), with a significant linear trend (overall-model P<0.001, non-linear P=0.295). Mediation analysis indicated that hs-CRP mediated 6.2% of the association between the dietary pattern and the risk for cognitive impairment. Conclusion:The inflammation- related dietary pattern characterized by higher consumption of flour, red meat, and dairy products and lower consumption of fresh vegetables is associated with an increased risk for cognitive impairment in older adults, and hs-CRP partially mediates this association.
6.Interleukin-27 exerts a protective effect against psoriasis by inhibiting the secretion of interleukin-17A from T cells: a mechanistic study
Zhiyi LAN ; Zeyu CHEN ; Zihan ZHAO ; Xilin ZHANG ; Jun GU ; Yuling SHI
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(11):1034-1041
Objective:To investigate the specific mechanisms underlying the protective effect of interleukin (IL) -27 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Methods:Five skin tissue samples from healthy individuals and 6 lesional skin samples from psoriasis patients were collected, and IL-27 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Il27ra gene knockout (KO) mice were constructed. Psoriasis-like mouse models were established with topical imiquimod in 5 wild-type (WT) mice and 6 KO mice. Mouse skin lesions were evaluated using the modified Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (mPASI), and lesional skin tissues were collected for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining to observe changes in epidermal thickness. Single-cell suspensions were prepared with skin lesions and skin-draining lymph nodes of 4 WT mice and 3 KO mice, and changes in immune cells (including T cells, γδ T cells, and neutrophils) were analyzed using flow cytometry. Additionally, skin-draining lymph node cells were isolated from 9 normal WT mice, and IL-17A expression was stimulated using a T-cell receptor agonist (CD3/28 activating antibodies, αCD3/28) or cytokines (IL-23 + IL-1β), followed by the addition of IL-27; peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 6 psoriasis patients, and IL-17A expression was stimulated using the T-cell receptor agonist, followed by the addition of IL-27; the effect of IL-27 on IL-17A expression in T cells was analyzed using flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Measurement data were compared between two groups using the t test. Results:Immunohistochemical staining revealed a significant reduction in IL-27 expression in psoriatic lesions (mean fluorescence intensity: 9.85 ± 3.07) compared with the normal skin (19.45 ± 2.51, t = 5.60, P < 0.001). Animal experiments demonstrated that the KO mice exhibited significantly aggravated psoriasis-like skin inflammation (mPASI: 4.00 ± 0.89) and significantly increased epidermal thickness (115.50 ± 7.69 μm) compared with the WT mice (mPASI: 2.80 ± 0.84, t = 2.28, P = 0.049; epidermal thickness: 92.26 ± 8.76 μm, t = 4.70, P = 0.001) ; compared with the WT mice, the KO mice showed significantly increased proportions of T cells (11.22% ± 2.76% vs. 7.08% ± 0.85%) and dermal γδ T cells (4.78% ± 0.39% vs. 2.78% ± 0.49%) among live cells in the lesions ( t = 2.91, 2.75, respectively, both P < 0.05), as well as significantly increased proportions of Th17, IL-17 + γδ T, Th22, and IL-22 + γδ T cells in the skin-draining lymph nodes (all P < 0.05), but no significant difference in the proportion of neutrophils in the lesions (WT: 13.57% ± 8.36%, KO: 14.43% ± 9.13%; t = 0.13, P = 0.902). Experiments with different stimuli showed that IL-27 significantly suppressed T-cell receptor agonist-induced IL-17A expression in murine γδ T cells (αCD3/28 group: 1.00 ± 0.11, αCD3/28 + IL-27 group: 0.76 ± 0.13; t = 3.54, P = 0.004), while there was no significant difference in IL-17A expression between cells induced by IL-23 + IL-1β with the IL-27 co-culture and those without ( t = 1.34, P > 0.05). ELISA showed that IL-27 significantly reduced the IL-17A concentration in the culture supernatant of draining lymph node cells stimulated by the T-cell receptor agonist (αCD3/28 group: 1 535.00 ± 97.76 pg/ml, αCD3/28 + IL-27 group: 1 030.00 ± 287.90 pg/ml, t = 3.29, P = 0.031), but did not reduce the IL-17A concentration induced by IL-23 + IL-1β ( t = 0.09, P > 0.05). Flow cytometry indicated that IL-27 significantly inhibited the T-cell receptor agonist-induced IL-17A expression in T cells from psoriasis patients (αCD3/28 group: 4.28 ± 3.25, αCD3/28 + IL-27 group: 3.04 ± 2.65, t = 4.46, P = 0.007) . Conclusion:IL-27 appeared to play a protective role in psoriasis by suppressing IL-17A secretion from T cells.
7.lncRNA ANK3DT affects radiosensitivity of cervical cancer cells by regulating CtIP transcription
Wenna ZHAO ; Zihan CHEN ; Fuqiang CHEN ; Jie DU ; Meijuan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2025;45(3):170-177
Objective:To explore the effect of long noncoding RNA ANK3DT (lncRNA ANK3DT) on DNA damage repair ability and radiosensitivity of cervical cancer HeLa cells.Methods:The effect of lncRNA ANK3DT on the repair efficiency of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) was analyzed by the pre-constructed quantitative assay system based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system targeting homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair. Clone formation assay, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the effects of down-regulation of lncRNA ANK3DT on cellular radiosensitivity, apoptosis and G 2/M phase arrest, and DSB repair after X-ray irradiation. Western blot, qPCR, and dual fluorokinase reporter gene plasmid was used to detect the effects of lncRNA ANK3DT on the HR repair-related protein CtIP expression and transcriptional regulation. Results:Down-regulation of lncRNA ANK3DT significantly inhibited HR repair and had no effect on NHEJ repair. The expression of lncRNA ANK3DT was significantly increased in HeLa cells at 24, 48, 72 h after X-ray irradiation ( t=-23.39, -88.83, -52.42, P<0.05). Down-regulation of lncRNA ANK3DT inhibited X-ray-induced DSB repair and increased apoptosis levels ( t=-14.63, P <0.05), prolonged G 2/M phase block ( t=-19.50, P <0.05), increased the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells (radiosensitization ratio=1.21), inhibited the CtIP promoter activity and decreased its mRNA and protein expression. Conclusions:lncRNA ANK3DT affects HR repair by regulating CtIP transcription, and down-regulation of lncRNA ANK3DT increases the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells by inhibiting DSB repair after ionizing radiation.
8.Ancient data mining on drug characteristics of knee osteoarthritis
Zihan MENG ; Yueyue YU ; Xiaoyi SHI ; Xinyu MA ; Dingding WU ; Xu ZHANG ; Heyi LI ; Jingya WANG ; Liyuan ZHANG ; Heli ZHAO
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(12):1-4,48
Objective To analyze ancient prescriptions for knee osteoarthritis(KOA),and explore their application patterns,for providing clinical reference value.Methods Prescriptions were collected from ancient documents,and a database was created by using Excel 2016 for frequency analysis.Association rules and hidden structures were analyzed by using SPSS Modeler 18.0 and Lantern 5.0.Results A total of 373 prescriptions and 421 herbs were collected,with 3894 times of frequency of medication.Danggui was the most frequently used herb.Herbs primarily tonified deficiencies,relieved exterior symptoms,and expelled wind-dampness,with warm properties and pungent,sweet,or bitter tastes,mainly targeting the spleen and kidney meridians.Thirteen strong association rules were identified,including Chuanxiong+Niuxi-Danggui,and Bixie-Niuxi.Hidden structure analysis revealed 10 variables,leading to 4 clusters and 4 core prescriptions.Common syndromes included wind-damp,wind-cold-damp,wind-damp-heat,and qi-blood deficiency.Conclusion The treatment of KOA in ancient literature focuses on dispelling wind and removing dampness,taking into account both positive deficiency and evil excess,flexible use of tonifying spleen and kidney,clearing dampness-heat,tonifying Qi and blood and other drugs.
9.The rise,development and application of patient-derived immunocompetent organoid in the treatment of bladder cancer
Zihan ZHAO ; Xiangyu WU ; Hongqian GUO ; Rong YANG
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(7):621-626
In recent years,patient-derived tumor organoid(PDTO)models have rapidly emerged as important tools in cancer research,thanks to their unique ability to preserve the characteristics of primary tumors.These models provide a reliable preclinical research platform for screening individualized chemotherapy and targeted therapies for patients.However,traditional PDTOs lack immune cells and cannot replicate the tumor immune microenvironment,which restricts their utility in evaluating immunotherapies.To address this challenge,researchers have developed composite models that incorporate both tumor cells and immune cells,known as patient-derived immunocompetent tumor organoids(PDITOs).PDITOs have shown excellent performance in the preclinical evaluation of immunotherapies,particularly with PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors,with some studies reporting up to 100%accuracy in predicting patient responses to immunotherapy.As a common malignancy of the urinary system,bladder cancer has benefited from the application of PDITOs in drug screening and personalized immunotherapy evaluation,demonstrating significant potential.This paper aims to review the rise and development of PDITOs,and compare the advantages and limitations of using different methods to construct PDITOs,so as to explore their application in the treatment of bladder cancer.
10.Application status of intraoperative neural monitoring technology during thyroid surgery
Yishen ZHAO ; Peiyao WANG ; Tie WANG ; Changlin LI ; Fang LI ; Zihan ZHAO ; Jiedong KOU ; Wen TIAN ; Kewei JIANG ; Ping WANG ; Hao ZHANG ; Hui SUN
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(6):495-499
Intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) combines electrophysiology with anatomy to monitor nerve function during thyroid surgery,and has become an important auxiliary technology for neuroprotection. After more than ten years of development,the technology has been widely applied and popularized in China,promoting the development of a number of new technologies in the industry. Combined with the questionnaire survey data of the Chinese Neural Monitoring Study Group,this paper aims to summarize the clinical effect of IONM technology, the application status and existing problems at home and abroad, and propose the possible future development direction.


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