1.Development and validation of PhenoRAG: A visualization tool for automated human phenotype ontology term annotation based on large language models and retrieval-augmented generation technology.
Wei ZHONG ; Yousheng YAN ; Kai YANG ; Yan LIU ; Xinyu FU ; Zhengyang YAO ; Chenghong YIN
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2026;43(1):36-43
OBJECTIVE:
To develop a user-friendly visualization application for the automatic annotation of Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) terms based on large language models and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technology, and to validate its performance in an authoritative case dataset.
METHODS:
By integrating the domestic open-source large language model DeepSeek-V3 with RAG technology, an interactive web application was deployed on the Streamlit cloud platform. Using only the latest official HPO dataset as the data source, the lightweight sentence-embedding model BAAI/bge-small-en-v1.5 was employed to construct a FAISS vector index. During the online phase, a four-step closed-loop process is automatically completed: multilingual translation, phenotype phrase extraction, RAG candidate retrieval, term mapping, and official database validation. 121 English case reports publicly released by BMJ Case Reports and Oxford Medical Case Reports (with a gold-standard HPO set of 1 794 terms) were selected for application validation. Precision, recall, and F1 score were calculated and compared horizontally with traditional dictionary tools, standalone large language models, and the similar application "RAG-HPO". Finally, replace the model with the more advanced ChatGPT-5 and evaluate its performance on the newly extracted dataset.
RESULTS:
An HPO term automatic annotation visualization application named PhenoRAG, based on large language models and RAG technology, was successfully developed. Users can access it directly via a web link. Across the 112 cases, a total of 2 150 HPO terms were generated; 2,064 (96.0%) were fully validated by the official database, with a hallucination rate of 1.3% and an HPO ID-name mismatch rate of 2.7%. After deduplication, 1,906 terms remained for testing. The overall precision was 63.65%, recall was 67.34%, and F1 was 65.44%, significantly outperforming traditional annotation tools (F1: 0.45-0.49, P < 0.001). Although PhenoRAG's F1 was lower than that of RAG-HPO (F1 = 0.78, P < 0.001), which relies on a manually constructed synonym database of 54 000 entries plus the HPO dataset, it requires no additional dictionary maintenance and can be used without any background in computer programming. Moreover, after switching to the GPT-5 model, PhenoRAG exhibited no hallucination rate on the new dataset, and its F1 score significantly increased (P = 0.038).
CONCLUSION
Without constructing a synonym database, the PhenoRAG achieved high-accuracy automatic mapping from clinical text to standard HPO terms. It features a low usage threshold, free access, and a Chinese-language interface, and can directly serve rare disease diagnosis, genetic counseling, and research scenarios in China and worldwide, warranting further clinical promotion and multicenter validation.
Humans
;
Phenotype
;
Biological Ontologies
;
Language
;
Software
;
Large Language Models
2.Mathematical modelling for cellular processes.
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(3):1052-1078
Biomanufacturing harnesses engineered cells for the large-scale production of biochemicals, biopharmaceuticals, biofuels, and biomaterials, playing a vital role in mitigating global environmental crises, achieving carbon peaking and neutrality, and driving the green transformation of the economy and society. The effective design and construction of these engineered cells require precise and comprehensive computational models. Recent technological breakthroughs including high-throughput sequencing, mass spectrometry, spectroscopy, and microfluidic devices, coupled with advances in data science, artificial intelligence, and automation, have enabled the rapid acquisition of large-scale biological datasets, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of cellular dynamics and the construction of mechanism-based models with enhanced accuracy. This review systematically summarises the mathematical frameworks employed in cellular modelling. It begins by evaluating prevalent mathematical paradigms, such as network topology analyses, stochastic processes, and kinetic equations, critically assessing their applicability across various contexts. The discussion then categorises modelling strategies for specific cellular processes, including cellular growth and division, morphogenesis, DNA replication, transcriptional regulation, metabolism, signal transduction, and quorum sensing. We also examine the recent progress in developing whole-cell models through the integration of diverse cellular processes. The review concludes by addressing key challenges such as data scarcity, unknown mechanisms, multi-dimensional data integration, and exponentially escalating computational complexity. Overall, this work consolidates the mathematical models for the precise simulation of cellular processes, thereby enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing cellular functions and contributing to the future design and optimisation of engineered organisms.
Models, Biological
;
Cell Physiological Phenomena
;
Cell Engineering/methods*
;
Humans
3.Advances in reconstruction and optimization of cellular physiological metabolic network models.
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(3):1112-1132
The metabolic reactions in cells, whether spontaneous or enzyme-catalyzed, form a highly complex metabolic network closely related to cellular physiological metabolic activities. The reconstruction of cellular physiological metabolic network models aids in systematically elucidating the relationship between genotype and growth phenotype, providing important computational biology tools for precisely characterizing cellular physiological metabolic activities and green biomanufacturing. This paper systematically introduces the latest research progress in different types of cellular physiological metabolic network models, including genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs), kinetic models, and enzyme-constrained genome-scale metabolic models (ecGEMs). Additionally, our paper discusses the advancements in the automated construction of GEMs and strategies for condition-specific GEM modeling. Considering artificial intelligence offers new opportunities for the high-precision construction of cellular physiological metabolic network models, our paper summarizes the applications of artificial intelligence in the development of kinetic models and enzyme-constrained models. In summary, the high-quality reconstruction of the aforementioned cellular physiological metabolic network models will provide robust computational support for future research in quantitative synthetic biology and systems biology.
Metabolic Networks and Pathways/physiology*
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Models, Biological
;
Artificial Intelligence
;
Systems Biology
;
Kinetics
;
Cell Physiological Phenomena
;
Computational Biology
;
Synthetic Biology
;
Humans
4.Data-driven multi-omics analyses and modelling for bioprocesses.
Yan ZHU ; Zhidan ZHANG ; Peibin QIN ; Jie SHEN ; Jibin SUN
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(3):1152-1178
Biomanufacturing has emerged as a crucial driving force for efficient material conversion through engineered cells or cell-free systems. However, the intrinsic spatiotemporal heterogeneity, complexity, and dynamic characteristics of these processes pose significant challenges to systematic understanding, optimization, and regulation. This review summarizes essential methodologies for multi-omics data acquisition and analyses for bioprocesses and outlines modelling approaches based on multi-omics data. Furthermore, we explore practical applications of multi-omics and modelling in fine-tuning process parameters, improving fermentation control, elucidating stress response mechanisms, optimizing nutrient supplementation, and enabling real-time monitoring and adaptive adjustment. The substantial potential offered by integrating multi-omics with computational modelling for precision bioprocessing is also discussed. Finally, we identify current challenges in bioprocess optimization and propose the possible solutions, the implementation of which will significantly deepen understanding and enhance control of complex bioprocesses, ultimately driving the rapid advancement of biomanufacturing.
Fermentation
;
Genomics/methods*
;
Biotechnology/methods*
;
Proteomics/methods*
;
Models, Biological
;
Metabolomics/methods*
;
Bioreactors
;
Multiomics
5.Effect of Rehmanniae Radix Extract on Chondrocyte Apoptosis in the Rabbit Model of Knee Osteoarthritis.
Bin YANG ; Shang-Zeng WANG ; Shun YANG ; Jun-Jie XU ; Guang-Yi TAO
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):198-206
Objective To explore the effect of rehmanniae radix extract(RRE)on chondrocyte apoptosis in the rabbit model of knee osteoarthritis(KOA)by regulating the miR-485-5p/heat shock protein 90 beta family member 1(Hsp90b1)axis.Methods New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned into control,KOA,low-dose RRE,medium-dose RRE,high-dose RRE,celecoxib,high-dose RRE+antagonist control,and high-dose RRE+miR-485-5p antagonist groups,with 12 rabbits in each group.Rabbits in other groups except the control group were modeled for KOA with the improved Hulth method.After modeling for 8 weeks,the rabbits were administrated with corresponding agents for 4 weeks.The changes in the activity rating of rabbits were recorded.ELISA was employed to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin(IL)-6 in the serum.Safranine O-fast green staining was conducted to reveal the pathological changes in the cartilage tissue and Mankin scoring was performed.TUNEL was employed to detect chondrocyte apoptosis.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was performed to determine the expression of miR-485-5p in the cartilage tissue.Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of Hsp90b1,cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3(Caspase-3),and Bcl2-associated-X(Bax)in the cartilage tissue.The dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to examine the relationship between miR-485-5p and Hsp90b1.Results Compared with the control group,the KOA group showed down-regulated expression of miR-485-5p,elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum,cartilage erosion and losses,and increases in activity rating,Mankin score,chondrocyte apoptosis rate,and protein levels of Hsp90b1,cleaved Caspase-3,and Bax(all P<0.001).Compared with the KOA group,RRE at low,medium,and high doses,and celecoxib up-regulated the expression of miR-485-5p,lowered the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum,alleviated the pathological damage to the cartilage tissue,and decreased the activity rating,Mankin score,chondrocyte apoptosis rate,and protein levels of Hsp90b1,cleaved Caspase-3,and Bax(all P<0.05).Compared with the high-dose RRE group and the high-dose RRE+antagonist control group,high-dose RRE+miR-485-5p antagonist down-regulated the expression of miR-485-5p,elevated the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the serum,exacerbated the pathological damage to the cartilage tissue,and increased the activity rating,Mankin score,chondrocyte apoptosis rate,and protein levels of Hsp90b1,cleaved Caspase-3,and Bax(all P<0.05).The results indicated that there was a targeted regulatory relationship between miR-485-5p and Hsp90b1.Conclusion RRE may inhibit the expression of Hsp90b1 by up-regulating miR-485-5p,thereby inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis in the rabbit model of KOA.
Animals
;
Rabbits
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Chondrocytes/pathology*
;
Osteoarthritis, Knee/drug therapy*
;
MicroRNAs/metabolism*
;
Rehmannia/chemistry*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood*
;
Plant Extracts/pharmacology*
;
Interleukin-6/blood*
;
HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
6.Effect of Afzelin on 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid-Induced Colitis in Mice.
Zhi-Jun GENG ; Li-Xia YIN ; Min-Zhu NIU ; Jing-Jing YANG ; Xiao-Feng ZHANG ; Jing LI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):207-218
Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of afzelin(AFZ)in treating Crohn's disease-like colitis.Methods A mouse model of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colitis was established to assess the effect of AFZ on experimental colitis in vivo.A Caco-2 cell model of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α-induced inflammation was established to evaluate the effects of AFZ on the intestinal barrier function,intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis,and mitochondrial function in vitro.The animal and cell experiments were performed to validate the regulatory role of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/silent information regulater 1(SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator(PGC)-1α pathway in the treatment of colitis with AFZ.Results AFZ reduced the disease activity index(P=0.003),weight loss(P<0.001),colon shortening(P<0.001),inflammation score(P=0.002),pro-inflammatory cytokine release(interleukin-6:P<0.001;TNF-α:P=0.010),and intestinal barrier permeability(fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran 4:P<0.001;intestinal-type fatty acid-binding protein:P=0.013).Meanwhile,AFZ increased the colonic transepithelial electric resistance(P=0.001),reduced bacterial translocation(P<0.001),and promoted the localization and up-regulated the expression of tight junction proteins [zonula occluden-1(P=0.005) and Claudin-1(P=0.024)].AFZ exerted a protective effect on the Caco-2 cells exposed to TNF-α in terms of intestinal epithelial cell permeability(P=0.017),transepithelial electric resistance(P=0.014),and tight junction protein[zonula occluden-1(P=0.014) and Claudin-1(P=0.006)] localization and expression.Furthermore,the cell and animal experiments confirmed that AFZ reduced the percentage of apoptosis(P<0.001,P=0.013)and the expression of cleaved-caspase 3(P=0.028,P=0.004)and Bax(P=0.004,P=0.020),and upregulated the Bcl2(P=0.020,P=0.006)level in intestinal epithelial cells.Additionally,AFZ increased the number of mitochondria,mitochondrial membrane potential,and copy number of mitochondrial DNA(P=0.007)in intestinal epithelial cells,while enhancing the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅰ(P=0.005)and complex Ⅳ(P=0.001).The activation of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway was involved in the protective effects of AFZ on mitochondrial function and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells.Conclusion AFZ alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells by activating the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway,thereby ameliorating intestinal barrier dysfunction and experimental colitis.
Animals
;
Colitis/drug therapy*
;
Humans
;
Caco-2 Cells
;
Mice
;
Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism*
;
Sirtuin 1/metabolism*
7.Relationship Between Cognitive Impairment and Death in Menopausal Women With Hypertension.
Ling-Juan ZHU ; Tao WANG ; Chao YU ; Wei ZHOU ; Hui-Hui BAO ; Xiao-Shu CHENG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(4):527-534
Objective To explore the relationships of cognitive impairment with cardiovascular death and all-cause death in menopausal women with hypertension.Methods A total of 4 595 natural-menopausal women with hypertension screened in Wuyuan County of Jiangxi Province from July to August 2018 were selected as the research subjects,and a follow-up investigation of death information was completed from June to August 2022.According to the baseline mini-mental state examination(MMSE)score,all subjects were allocated into a normal cognitive function group and a cognitive impairment group.The basic characteristics and the cumulative risk of death evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier curve were compared between two groups.The multivariate Cox regression model was adopted to analyze the effect of cognitive function on death,and the relationship between MMSE score and death was fitted by the restricted cubic spline.Results A total of 4 595 subjects with the mean age of(65.1±8.4)years were included in this study,in which and 1 859(40.5%)patients with cognitive impairment were detected.During a mean follow-up period of(3.9±0.4)years,199 all-cause deaths were collected,including 102 cardiovascular deaths.The normal cognitive function group and the cognitive impairment group had the cumulative all-cause death rates of 2.6%and 6.9%and the cumulative cardiovascular death rates of 1.0%and 4.0%,respectively.The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the cumulative risks of all-cause death(χ2=47.287,P<0.001)and cardiovascular death(χ2=45.169,P<0.001)in the cognitive impairment group were higher than those in the normal cognitive function group.The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that compared with the normal cognitive function group,the cognitive impairment group had increased risks of all-cause death(HR=1.75,95%CI=1.28-2.39,P<0.001)and cardiovascular death(HR=2.56,95%CI=1.61-4.09,P<0.001).The results of the restricted cubic spline curve fitting showed that the MMSE score had linearly negative correlations with the risk of all-cause death(Pall<0.001, P n o n - l i n e a r i t y=0.519)and cardiovascular death(Pall<0.001, P n o n - l i n e a r i t y=0.195).Conclusion Cognitive impairment is an independent risk factor for all-cause death and cardiovascular death in menopausal women with hypertension,and early identification of cognitive impairment in this population is essential for timely intervention.
Humans
;
Female
;
Cognitive Dysfunction
;
Hypertension/complications*
;
Aged
;
Middle Aged
;
Menopause
;
Proportional Hazards Models
;
Risk Factors
;
Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality*
;
Cause of Death
;
Kaplan-Meier Estimate
8.Effects of mild hypothermia on neurological function in rats with spinal cord injury based on adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase/Nod-like receptor protein 3 pathway.
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(11):1468-1473
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effect of mild hypothermia on neurological function in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) based on the adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK)/Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway.
METHODS:
Fifty 7-8 weeks old SPF male Sprague Dawley rats were used to establish rat model of SCI by Allen's method. Among them, 48 successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into SCI group, mild hypothermia group (SCI+mild hypothermia treatment), and Compound C group (SCI+mild hypothermia+intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg AMPK/NLRP3 pathway inhibitor Compound C), with 16 rats in each group. Another 16 normal rats with laminectomy were selected as sham-operation group. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score was used to evaluate the motor ability of rats at 1, 3, 7, 14 days after treatment. After 14 days, the rats were sacrificed, and the spinal cord histopathological morphology was observed by HE staining, the neuronal apoptosis in spinal cord tissue was detected by TUNEL assay, and the serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-6, transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF-β 1), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected by ELISA. The expressions of AMPK/NLRP3 pathway proteins in spinal cord tissue, including B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and cleaved-Caspase-9 were detected by Western blot.
RESULTS:
At 1 day after treatment, the rats in SCI group, mild hypothermia group, and Compound C group did not recover their motor ability. With the prolongation of time, the motor function of rats in each group gradually recovered. Among them, the BBB score of SCI group was significantly lower than that of sham-operation group and mild hypothermia group ( P<0.05), and the BBB score of Compound C group was significantly lower than that of mild hypothermia group ( P<0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the SCI group displayed obvious pathological changes in the spinal cord tissue, with disordered tissue architecture, inflammatory infiltration, and blurred interstitial boundaries. The neuronal apoptosis rate, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cleaved Caspase-9 expression, NLRP3 protein expression, serum IL-2, IL-6, and MDA levels were elevated, whereas serum TGF-β 1, SOD levels, and spinal cord phosphorylation AMPK/AMPK protein expression significantly decreased ( P<0.05). Compared with the SCI group, the above phenomena significantly improved in the mild hypothermia group ( P<0.05), while the Compound C group showed the opposite trend of change compared to the mild hypothermia group ( P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Mild hypothermia can attenuate neurological dysfunction after SCI in rats, potentially by activating the AMPK/NLRP3 pathway.
Animals
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/physiopathology*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Male
;
Rats
;
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism*
;
AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism*
;
Hypothermia, Induced
;
Signal Transduction
;
Spinal Cord/pathology*
;
Apoptosis
;
Interleukin-6/metabolism*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism*
;
Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism*
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism*
;
Caspase 9/metabolism*
9.Application of OpenSim musculoskeletal model in biomechanics research of orthopedics and traumatology.
Rui LI ; Yang LIU ; Zhao-Jie ZHANG ; Xin-Wei ZHANG ; Yan-Zhen ZHANG ; Yan-Qi HU ; Can YANG ; Shu-Shi MAO ; Jia-Ming QIU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(3):319-324
OpenSim is an open source, free motion simulation and gait analysis software, which can be used to dynamically simulate and analyze the complex motion of the human body, and is widely used in human biomechanical research. Since OpenSim can analyze multi-dimensional motion data such as muscle strength, joint torque, and muscle synergistic activation during human movement, it can be used to study the biomechanical mechanism of musculoskeletal imbalance diseases and various treatment methods in TCM orthopedics, and has a broad application prospect in the field of TCM orthopedics. By the analysis of the basic characteristics, elements, analysis process, and application prospects of OpenSim, it is concluded that OpenSim musculoskeletal model has a large application space in the field of traditional Chinese medicine orthopedic, which is helpful to explain the pathogenesis and mechanism of diseases, and promote the precision diagnosis and treatment of orthopedics diseases;the application of OpenSim musculoskeletal model can solve the problem that the previous research paid attention to the bone malalignment and not enough attention to the tendon, and provide a new method for the research of orthopedic diseases. At present, there are still problems in the promotion and application of OpenSim, such as large equipment requirements and high operation threshold. Therefore, multidisciplinary cooperation, clinical research, and data sharing are the basic research strategies in this field.
Humans
;
Biomechanical Phenomena
;
Orthopedics
;
Traumatology
;
Software
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Musculoskeletal System
;
Models, Biological
10.Research progress in the comparison and application of mouse models with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(3):262-270
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with diverse clinical symptoms, which involves multiple systems and organs such as the kidney, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. The main characteristic of SLE is the mistaken attacks on self-tissues by the immune system, but the specific pathogenesis is still unclear. This paper reviews and compares the modeling mechanisms and main pathological manifestations of spontaneous and experimental mouse models of SLE, which can provide evidences for selecting appropriate mouse models in studies on the pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis and treatment of SLE.
Animals
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/immunology*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Mice
;
Humans

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