1.Current Research Status,Challenges,Differentiation and Treatment Strategies of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Fengyun WANG ; Mi LYU ; Bingduo ZHOU ; Beihua ZHANG ; Yi WANG ; Tingting XU ; Cong HE ; Xiaokang WANG ; Xin LIU ; Yang WANG ; Kaiyue HUANG ; Lusi XU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):392-396
This article systematically reviews the current research status as well as diagnosis and treatment strategies of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies demonstrate that TCM, based on the "disease-syndrome combination" approach, exhibits multi-target advantages in alleviating symptoms of various GERD subtypes, promoting mucosal repair, regulating emotions, and facilitating the reduction of western medication. To address clinical challenges such as symptom overlap and limited therapeutic efficacy, strategies have been proposed including "treating different diseases with the same method" and integrated regulation based on viscera correlation. Future efforts should focus on elucidating the mechanisms of compound prescriptions, promoting TCM drug development under the "three-combination" evaluation framework that integrates TCM theory, human experience and clinical trial evidence, and optimizing integrated traditional and western medicine models to enhance GERD management.
2.Current Status,Strategies and Prospects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Yandong WEN ; Zhi YANG ; Shaogang HUANG ; Zhongyu LI ; Xiangxue MA ; Qing XU ; Liqing DU ; Bochao YUAN ; Yibing TIAN ; Wentong GE ; Xiaofan ZHAO ; Chang LIU ; Xudong TANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(4):404-409
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized primarily by abdominal pain and altered defecation habits. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made progress in multiple aspects of IBS research and treatment, including syndrome distribution, development of TCM formulas, clinical efficacy evaluation, external therapies, and psychosocial regulation. However, it still faces challenges such as over-reliance on symptomatic manifestations rather than biomarkers for diagnostic criteria, and the lack of high-quality evidence-based data supporting the efficacy of TCM formulas in treating IBS. This paper proposed that TCM diagnosis and treatment of IBS should adhere to the strategy of integrating the holistic concept with syndrome differentiation and treatment, combining TCM external therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion and acupoint application), and emphasizing individualized diagnosis and treatment for psychosomatic abnormalities. Future research should integrate multi-omics technologies, artificial intelligence and other methods to deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBS and the mechanisms of TCM formulas, so as to promote the standardization and internationalization of TCM in the diagnosis and treatment of IBS.
3.Construction and clinical application exploration of an artificial intelligence-based high-quality lung cancer surgery dataset
Xuhua HUANG ; Yunfeng NIE ; Liang SHEN ; Pengxu KONG ; Xin TAN ; Zihao LI ; Wang LV ; Min ZHOU ; Xudong LV ; Jian HU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(05):717-727
Objective To construct a lung cancer surgery-oriented disease-specific database covering the entire perioperative care pathway, thereby improving the quality and usability of key surgical data elements. Methods Real-world clinical data were extracted from a single-center thoracic surgery department. A standardized data model was established based on the open electronic health record (openEHR) standard. Large language model (LLM), optical character recognition (OCR), and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven techniques were employed to extract, structure, and perform quality control on unstructured clinical narratives, imaging reports, and radiological data, with a focus on capturing surgically relevant perioperative indicator. Results A multimodal database comprising 19 917 patients was established, including 7 930 males and 11 987 females, with ages ranging from 15 to 97 (61.7±9.7) years. The database includes 582 structured data variables, textual report data corresponding to 69 clinical indicators, 13 000 pulmonary function test PDF reports, and chest CT imaging data from 16 884 patients. This database comprehensively covers major information relevant to surgical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, significantly improving the completeness and granularity of surgical detail data. Large language models (LLMs) and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies enhanced the efficiency of converting unstructured data into structured formats, while a multi-level manual verification process ensured data accuracy and traceability. The database supports real-world research including comparisons of surgical procedures, prediction of postoperative complications, prognosis assessment, and multimodal data association analyses.
4.Research progress on ocular accommodative function in the mechanism of axial elongation
Jiale DIAO ; Peng WU ; Jiantao REN ; Shuai SHENG ; Xudong HUANG
International Eye Science 2026;26(7):1210-1215
Accommodative dysfunction, particularly accommodative lag, acts as a core hub connecting near work activity to myopic axial elongation. This review thoroughly explores the multidimensional biological mechanisms by which accommodative function drives axial growth. In addition to the classic pathway where hyperopic defocus signals induce retinal-choroidal-scleral biochemical remodeling, two other mechanisms are highlighted: a biomechanical pathway involving direct mechanical traction on the equatorial sclera caused by sustained ciliary muscle contraction, and a neural pathway where abnormal accommodative micro fluctuations degrade retinal image quality, thereby triggering abnormal ocular growth. Based on these comprehensive mechanisms, this paper systematically analyzes the principles of pharmacological(atropine), optical(orthokeratology, defocus lenses), and vision therapy interventions. Myopia progression results from the integrated regulation of optical defocus, mechanical stress, and neural dynamics. Future myopia control should advance toward precise, personalized combination strategies tailored to individual accommodative and genetic profiles.
5.Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome:Based on the Theory of "Zi Wu Liu Zhu (子午流注)"
Ting ZHENG ; Kaiyue HUANG ; Jiayan LI ; Fengyun WANG ; Xudong TANG ; Lin LYU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(16):1728-1733
Based on the theory of Zi Wu Liu Zhu (子午流注, the ebb and flow of midnight and midday) and the clinical characteristics of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) that its symptoms mainly occur during chou (丑) period (01:00—03:00), mao (卯) period (5:00—7:00), and si (巳) period (9:00—11:00), this paper proposes a temporal pathogenesis chain of "liver constraint during chou period, intestinal stagnation during mao period, and spleen deficiency during si period". Within this chain, liver constraint serves as the initiating factor, and intestinal stagnation manifests as the branch, while spleen deficiency constitutes the root of the disease. Accordingly, a chronotherapeutic principle of "soothing the liver, regulating the intestines, and fortifying the spleen" is proposed, establishing a corresponding time-based syndrome differentiation and treatment system. During chou period, the treatment should focus on soothing the liver to relieve constraint and calming the mind to tranquilize the spirit, thereby blocking the mechanism of liver constraint overacting on the spleen. During mao period, the focus is regulating qi to resolve dampness and harmonizing the intestine to alleviate the branch symptoms of morning abdominal pain and diarrhea. During si period, the suggested method is fortifying the spleen and supplementing qi to drain dampness and stop diarrhea, thereby restoring the pivot of spleen-stomach transportation and transformation. These methods are complemented by strategies to optimize medication compliance, thereby providing a new chronotherapeutic approach for clinical diagnosis and treatment of IBS-D.
6.Applications of Digital Intelligence Technologies in Rare Disease Etiology Research
Yixuan GUO ; Yi GAO ; Hongrui ZHANG ; Anqi HUANG ; Yujie LI ; Xudong ZHANG ; Yaofang ZHANG ; Jian GUO ; Shuyang ZHANG
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2026;5(3):390-398
Digital intelligence technology is a comprehensive technical system with data as the key element and artificial intelligence as the core driving force. It provides innovative methodological support for addressing core bottlenecks in rare disease etiology research, including sample scarcity, high-dimensional datacomplexity, intricate pathogenic mechanisms, and challenges in causal validation. This paper systematically reviews the application pathways and current implementation of digital intelligence across four major stages of rare disease research, including etiological clue mining, causal inference, mechanism analysis, and clinical translation. Furthermore, it summarizes the technical strengths, existing limitations, and developmental challenges, aiming to inform optimization of the research paradigm and promote the sustainable advancement of rare disease research.
7.Advances in artificial intelligence for benign-malignant differentiation and risk-stratified management of pulmonary nodules
Xuhua HUANG ; Yiqing WANG ; Xudong LÜ ; ; Jianmin WU ; Ping WANG ; Wang LÜ ; ; Jian HU ; Luming WANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(10):1559-1572
With the increasing use of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in lung cancer screening and health examinations, the clinical goal of pulmonary nodule management has shifted from detecting nodules to identifying lesions that warrant intervention while avoiding overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk disease. Artificial intelligence (AI) has consequently evolved from computer-aided detection and segmentation to benign-malignant differentiation, longitudinal growth assessment, invasiveness prediction, risk stratification, and closed-loop workflow support. This review outlines the developmental trajectory of AI for pulmonary nodules and summarizes advances in detection and segmentation, radiomics, end-to-end deep learning, longitudinal modeling, and multimodal integration across incidentally detected, screening-detected, subsolid, and multiple-nodule scenarios. Particular attention is given to real-world failure modes and their causes, including data and label bias, scanner- and protocol-related distribution shift, spectrum bias and overfitting in subsolid nodules, missed atypical lesions, automation bias, and management of discordance between AI outputs and guideline-based recommendations. Current evidence suggests that AI may improve detection efficiency and risk reclassification in selected settings; however, evidence regarding cross-population calibration, patient-relevant outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and post-deployment monitoring remains limited. AI should therefore be positioned as a human-in-the-loop adjunct within guideline-governed pathways, supported by scenario-specific validation, transparent reporting, interpretability and accountability, continuous performance auditing, and multidisciplinary decision-making.
8.Effects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor on survival,proliferation,and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells
Ting HUANG ; Xiaohan ZHENG ; Yuanji ZHONG ; Yanzhao WEI ; Xufang WEI ; Xudong CAO ; Xiaoli FENG ; Zhenqiang ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(7):1380-1387
BACKGROUND:Macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)is a pleiotropic cytokine,which is secreted in different types of stem cells and can regulate the proliferation,differentiation and migration of various types of stem cells.Our previous research has confirmed that human embryonic stem cells secrete MIF and that its concentration in the culture medium is relatively stable.However,whether MIF is involved in the survival,proliferation and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of MIF on survival,proliferation,and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. METHODS:(1)Human embryonic stem cells H9 were cultured.The growth curve of cells was detected and plotted by CCK-8 assay.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the level of MIF in the medium.(2)To determine the effects of exogenous MIF on the survival and proliferation of human embryonic stem cells,different groups were established:the control group,which was cultured in stem cell medium without any modifications;the exogenous MIF group,which was treated with different concentrations(30,100,300 ng/mL)of MIF in the stem cell medium;the MIF inhibitor ISO-1 group,which was treated with different concentrations(2,7,21 μmol/L)of ISO-1 in the stem cell medium;and the MIF+ISO-1 group,which was treated with different concentrations of ISO-1 along with 100 ng/mL of MIF.Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay.(3)To further elucidate the effect of MIF gene on survival and proliferation of human embryonic stem cell,the MIF knockout H9 cell line was constructed by CRISPR-Cas 9 technology to observe the lineage establishment.(4)To determine the effect of high concentrations of MIF on human embryonic stem cell differentiation,100 ng/mL MIF and 100 ng/mL of CXCR4 neutralizing antibody were separately added to the normal stem cell culture medium.The expression levels of self-renewal factors(KLF4,c-MYC,NANOG,OCT4,and SOX2)and differentiation transcription factors(FOXA2,OTX2)were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,immunofluorescence staining,and western blot analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The logarithmic growth phase of H9 cells was between 3-6 days.Under normal growth conditions,human embryonic stem cells secreted MIF at a concentration of approximately 20 ng/mL,independent of cell quantity.(2)Compared to the control group,the addition of different concentrations of MIF had no effect on the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells(P>0.05).ISO-1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells,with a stronger inhibition observed at higher concentrations of ISO-1(P<0.05).The addition of MIF in the presence of ISO-1 reduced the inhibitory effect of ISO-1(P<0.05).(3)Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that knocking out 50%of the MIF gene resulted in a significant decrease in the growth vitality of human embryonic stem cells and failure to establish cell lines.(4)Adding 100 ng/mL exogenous MIF to the culture medium resulted in a decrease in the mRNA,protein,and fluorescence expression levels of the self-renewal transcription factor KLF4,while the mRNA,protein,and fluorescence expression levels of the differentiation factor FOXA2 increased.(5)When 100 ng/mL CXCR4 neutralizing antibody was added to the culture medium,the mRNA and protein expression levels of KLF4 increased,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of FOXA2 decreased,contrary to the expression trend observed in the MIF group.In conclusion,the endogenous secretion of MIF by human embryonic stem cells is essential for their survival.The addition of MIF to the culture medium does not promote the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells.However,it can lead to a decrease in the expression of the self-renewal factor KLF4 and an increase in the expression of the transcription factor FOXA2.This provides a clue for further investigation into the effects and mechanisms of MIF on the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.The MIF-CXCR4 axis plays a regulatory role in this process.
9.Decoding the immune microenvironment of secondary chronic myelomonocytic leukemia due to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with CD19 CAR-T failure by single-cell RNA-sequencing.
Xudong LI ; Hong HUANG ; Fang WANG ; Mengjia LI ; Binglei ZHANG ; Jianxiang SHI ; Yuke LIU ; Mengya GAO ; Mingxia SUN ; Haixia CAO ; Danfeng ZHANG ; Na SHEN ; Weijie CAO ; Zhilei BIAN ; Haizhou XING ; Wei LI ; Linping XU ; Shiyu ZUO ; Yongping SONG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(15):1866-1881
BACKGROUND:
Several studies have demonstrated the occurrence of secondary tumors as a rare but significant complication of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, underscoring the need for a detailed investigation. Given the limited variety of secondary tumor types reported to date, a comprehensive characterization of the various secondary tumors arising after CAR-T therapy is essential to understand the associated risks and to define the role of the immune microenvironment in malignant transformation. This study aims to characterize the immune microenvironment of a newly identified secondary tumor post-CAR-T therapy, to clarify its pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
METHODS:
In this study, the bone marrow (BM) samples were collected by aspiration from the primary and secondary tumors before and after CD19 CAR-T treatment. The CD45 + BM cells were enriched with human CD45 microbeads. The CD45 + cells were then sent for 10× genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify cell populations. The Cell Ranger pipeline and CellChat were used for detailed analysis.
RESULTS:
In this study, a rare type of secondary chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) were reported in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had previously received CD19 CAR-T therapy. The scRNA-seq analysis revealed increased inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and an immunosuppressive state of monocytes/macrophages, which may impair cytotoxic activity in both T and natural killer (NK) cells in secondary CMML before treatment. In contrast, their cytotoxicity was restored in secondary CMML after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
This finding delineates a previously unrecognized type of secondary tumor, CMML, after CAR-T therapy and provide a framework for defining the immune microenvironment of secondary tumor occurrence after CAR-T therapy. In addition, the results provide a rationale for targeting macrophages to improve treatment strategies for CMML treatment.
Humans
;
Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/therapy*
;
Tumor Microenvironment/genetics*
;
Antigens, CD19/metabolism*
;
Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic/genetics*
;
Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Single-Cell Analysis/methods*
;
Female
;
Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods*
;
Receptors, Chimeric Antigen
;
Middle Aged
10.A CYP80B enzyme from Stephania tetrandra enables the 3'-hydroxylation of N-methylcoclaurine and coclaurine in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids.
Yaoting LI ; Yuhan FENG ; Wan GUO ; Yu GAO ; Jiatao ZHANG ; Lu YANG ; Chun LEI ; Yun KANG ; Yaqin WANG ; Xudong QU ; Jianming HUANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(5):630-640
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a structurally diverse group of plant metabolites renowned for their pharmacological properties. However, sustainable sources for these compounds remain limited. Consequently, researchers are focusing on elucidating BIA biosynthetic pathways and genes to explore alternative sources using synthetic biology approaches. CYP80B, a family of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, plays a crucial role in BIA biosynthesis. Previously reported CYP80Bs are known to catalyze the 3'-hydroxylation of (S)-N-methylcoclaurine, with the N-methyl group essential for catalytic activity. In this study, we successfully cloned a full-length CYP80B gene (StCYP80B) from Stephania tetrandra (S. tetrandra) and identified its function using a yeast heterologous expression system. Both in vivo yeast feeding and in vitro enzyme analysis demonstrated that StCYP80B could catalyze N-methylcoclaurine and coclaurine into their respective 3'-hydroxylated products. Notably, StCYP80B exhibited an expanded substrate selectivity compared to previously reported wild-type CYP80Bs, as it did not require an N-methyl group for hydroxylase activity. Furthermore, StCYP80B displayed a clear preference for the (S)-configuration. Co-expression of StCYP80B with the CYP450 reductases (CPRs, StCPR1, and StCPR2), also cloned from S. tetrandra, significantly enhanced the catalytic activity towards (S)-coclaurine. Site-directed mutagenesis of StCYP80B revealed that the residue H205 is crucial for coclaurine catalysis. Additionally, StCYP80B exhibited tissue-specific expression in plants. This study provides new genetic resources for the biosynthesis of BIAs and further elucidates their synthetic pathway in natural plant systems.
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/chemistry*
;
Benzylisoquinolines/chemistry*
;
Hydroxylation
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Plant Proteins/chemistry*
;
Alkaloids/metabolism*
;
Stephania tetrandra/genetics*

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