1.QingNangTCM: a parameter-efficient fine-tuning large language model for traditional Chinese medicine
Xuming TONG ; Liyan LIU ; Yanhong YUAN ; Xiaozheng DING ; Huiru JIA ; Xu YANG ; Sio Kei IM ; Mini Han WANG ; Zhang XIONH ; Yapeng WANG
Digital Chinese Medicine 2026;9(1):1-12
Objective:
To develop QingNangTCM, a specialized large language model (LLM) tailored for expert-level traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) question-answering and clinical reasoning, addressing the scarcity of domain-specific corpora and specialized alignment.
Methods:
We constructed QnTCM_Dataset, a corpus of 100 000 entries, by integrating data from ShenNong_TCM_Dataset and SymMap v2.0, and synthesizing additional samples via retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and persona-driven generation. The dataset comprehensively covers diagnostic inquiries, prescriptions, and herbal knowledge. Utilizing P-Tuning v2, we fine-tuned the GLM-4-9B-Chat backbone to develop QingNangTCM. A multi-dimensional evaluation framework, assessing accuracy, coverage, consistency, safety, professionalism, and fluency, was established using metrics such as bilingual evaluation understudy (BLEU), recall-oriented understudy for gisting evaluation (ROUGE), metric for evaluation of translation with explicit ordering (METEOR), and LLM-as-a-Judge with expert review. Qualitative analysis was conducted across four simulated clinical scenarios: symptom analysis, disease treatment, herb inquiry, and failure cases. Baseline models included GLM-4-9B-Chat, DeepSeek-V2, HuatuoGPT-II (7B), and GLM-4-9B-Chat (freeze-tuning).
Results:
QingNangTCM achieved the highest scores in BLEU-1/2/3/4 (0.425/0.298/0.137/0.064), ROUGE-1/2 (0.368/0.157), and METEOR (0.218), demonstrating a balanced and superior normalized performance profile of 0.900 across the dimensions of accuracy, coverage, and consistency. Although its ROUGE-L score (0.299) was lower than that of HuatuoGPT-II (7B) (0.351), it significantly outperformed domain-specific models in expert-validated win rates for professionalism (86%) and safety (73%). Qualitative analysis confirmed that the model strictly adheres to the “symptom-syndrome-pathogenesis-treatment” reasoning chain, though occasional misclassifications and hallucinations persisted when dealing with rare medicinal materials and uncommon syndromes.
Conclusion
Combining domain-specific corpus construction with parameter-efficient prompt tuning enhances the reasoning behavior and domain adaptation of LLMs for TCM-related tasks. This work provides a technical framework for the digital organization and intelligent utilization of TCM knowledge, with potential value for supporting diagnostic reasoning and medical education.
2.Clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with ovarian metastases from colorectal cancer and construction of postoperative prognostic models
Qi ZHANG ; Renshen XIANG ; Shuaibing LU ; Wenjing YANG ; Deyang KONG ; Yu SUN ; Huiru ZHANG ; Xuesi DONG ; Jialiang FAN ; Lin FENG ; Haizeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(12):1137-1145
Objective:To construct and validate a prognostic prediction model for patients with ovarian metastases from colorectal cancer after radical resection.Methods:A retrospective case series analysis was conducted on the clinical and pathological data of 81 patients with colorectal cancer and ovarian metastases who underwent radical resection for ovarian metastases at the Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, between January 2014 and December 2023. The patients were all female, with an age ( M(IQR)) of 49(13) years (range: 22 to 79 years). The primary tumor was located in the colon in 60 cases (74.1%) and in the rectum in 21 cases (25.9%). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors affecting prognosis. A risk scoring system was constructed, and patients were assigned to high-risk and low-risk groups based on their risk scores. The predictive performance of the scoring system was assessed, and 5-fold cross-validation was performed to evaluate the model′s stability on the internal dataset. Results:Among the 81 patients with ovarian metastases, a high proportion had T4 stage (58 cases, 71.6%), lymph node positivity (68 cases, 84.0%), and colon cancer (60 cases, 74.1%). Preoperative imaging suggested unilateral ovarian metastasis in 15 patients (23.4%), but pathological examination after bilateral oophorectomy confirmed bilateral ovarian metastases. Among the 17 patients who initially underwent unilateral oophorectomy, 11 developed contralateral ovarian metastases at varying times postoperatively. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that positive lymph node ratio ( HR=2.68,95% CI:1.41 to 5.09, P=0.003), N stage ( HR=2.07,95% CI:1.08 to 3.95, P=0.028),maximum diameter of metastatic tumors ( HR=2.27,95% CI:1.04 to 4.96, P=0.040),and peritoneal metastasis or ascites at the time of ovarian metastasis ( HR=2.04,95% CI:1.02 to 4.08, P=0.043) were significantly associated with overall survival in patients with ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer. Multivariate regression analysis identified that positive lymph node ratio ( HR=3.34,95% CI:1.08 to 10.34, P=0.037) and maximum diameter of metastatic tumors ( HR=2.65,95% CI:1.19 to 5.88, P=0.017) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival following radical oophorectomy in patients with ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer. Based on the regression coefficients from the multivariate analysis for variables (ovarian metastatic tumor diameter ≥6 cm, positive lymph node ratio ≥0.3,and presence of peritoneal metastasis or ascites), a risk scoring system was developed. Using the optimal cutoff value (154 points) for the risk score,patients were divided into high-risk (19 cases) and low-risk (62 cases) groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated that the high-risk group had significantly lower median overall survival (27 months) and median disease-free survival (22 months) compared to the low-risk group (median overall survival 90 months,median disease-free survival not reached; both P<0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve(AUC) for predicting 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival was 0.731(95% CI:0.563 to 0.899), 0.703(95% CI:0.573 to 0.833), and 0.776(95% CI: 0.657 to 0.894), respectively. The AUC for predicting 1-,3-, and 5-year disease-free survival was 0.724(95% CI:0.397 to 0.993),0.710(95% CI:0.514 to 0.906),and 0.688(95% CI:0.478 to 0.898),respectively,indicating good performance of the model.The decision curve analysis showed that the model has good clinical net benefit and the results of the 5-fold cross-validation showed that the model demonstrated stability in the internal dataset. Conclusions:When performing radical resection for ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer,bilateral oophorectomy should be considered to minimize the risk of postoperative recurrence. Patients with ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer,characterized by a metastatic tumor diameter ≥6 cm,a positive lymph node ratio ≥0.3,and the presence of peritoneal metastasis or ascites, tend to have a poorer prognosis. Based on these findings,a clinical prognostic scoring system for radical resection of ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer has been developed to stratify patients into different risk groups and may assist in postoperative risk assessment and management.
3.The Influencing Factors of Delayed Onset of Intrapartum Fever Related to In-trathecal Labor Analgesia and its Impact on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
Fei JIA ; Liang LING ; Bo LIU ; Chunping LI ; Huiru LI ; Xiangli SHEN ; Mengjiao WANG ; Dan ZHANG ; Jian ZHANG
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2025;41(2):169-173
Objective:To investigate the factors influencing the delayed onset of intrapartum fever following epidural labor analgesia and their impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes.Methods:Select parturients who experienced intrapartum fever following labor analgesia(T≥38.0℃,age≥18 years,singleton pregnancy,ASA classification Ⅱ)between January 1,2021,and December 31,2023.Group them based on the median time of intra-partum fever onset after labor analgesia:those with onset times less than the median were classified as the ear-ly-onset fever group,and those with onset times greater than the median were classified as the late-onset fever group.Using univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis to explore factors influencing the delay in in-trapartum fever onset and the pregnancy outcomes of the mothers and newborns in both groups.Results:A total of 253 parturients were included,and the time range of onset of intrapartum fever following epidural labor analgesi-a was 1.83-28.42 hours,with a median fever onset time of 8.00 hours.There were 126 cases in the early-onset group and 127 in the late-onset group.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that primiparous women,artificial membrane rupture,and neonatal birth weight were independent risk factors for delayed fever onset(OR>1,P<0.05),whereas the administration of oxytocin prior to labor analgesia was found to be a protective factor(OR<1,P<0.05).The late-onset group exhibited higher levels of white blood cells(WBC),C-reactive pro-tein,longer hospital stays,higher hospitalization costs,greater diagnosis rates of chorioamnionitis,higher NICU ad-mission rates,as well as a higher incidence of neonatal pneumonia,for newborns compared to the early-onset group(P<0.05).Conclusions:Primiparous women,artificial membrane rupture,and higher neonatal birth weight may be associated with delayed onset of intrapartum fever,while oxytocin administration prior to labor analgesia may offer some protective benefit.The later the onset of intrapartum fever,the worse the clinical outcomes for both mother and infants.
4.Association between amino acids and primary malignant bone tumor: a Mendelian randomization study
LI Xiaoshan ; WANG Manyi ; ZHANG Huiru ; WANG Shuntao ; LIU Xinyue ; ZENG Guqing
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(12):1252-1256
Objective:
To investigate the causal association between amino acids and the primary malignant bone tumor and its underlying mechanism.
Methods:
Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of glycine, serine, arginine, glutamine, methionine, and leucine was sourced from the IEU OpenGWAS database and the GWAS Catalog. GWAS data of primary malignant bone tumor were obtained from the FinnGen database. Using each of the six amino acids as the exposure and primary malignant bone tumor as the outcome, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed with the inverse-variance weighted method as the primary approach. Multivariable MR analysis was employed to control for collinearity among amino acids. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger regression and the MR Steiger test. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis were explored to explore potential mechanisms and identify key genes.
Results:
MR analysis results indicated a statistically significant causal association between glycine and primary malignant bone tumor (OR=1.719, 95%CI: 1.083-2.728). No significant causal associations were found for the other five amino acids (all P>0.05). Multivariable MR analysis revealed that, after adjusting for the other five amino acids, confirmed a positive causal association between glycine and primary malignant bone tumor (OR=1.512, 95%CI: 1.125-2.031). Sensitivity analyses revealed no significant heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, or reverse causality (all P>0.05). Genes associated with both glycine metabolism and primary malignant bone tumor were enriched in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, with serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2 (SHMT2) identified as a key gene.
Conclusion
Higher glycine levels may increase the risk of primary malignant bone tumor via the SHMT2-JAK-STAT pathway.
5.Construction and gene identification of CSF1R +/-mice
Yuanyuan Zhou ; Chong Liu ; Anqi Wang ; Huiru Zhang ; Jiaqi Qiu ; Mengjuan Zhu ; Jiajie Tu
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(5):884-889
Objective:
To constructCSF1R+/-mice and to analyze their genotypes, so as to provide animal model basis for disease pathological mechanism and drug target.
Methods :
A linearized targeting vector was designed according to Cre/Loxp system. A Loxp site was inserted upstream of the 5th exon of theCSF1Rgene, and a neomycin resistance box with Loxp sites on both sides was inserted downstream of the 5th exon. The linearized targeting vector was electroporated into embryonic stem cells. The correctly targeted embryonic stem cells were injected into the blastocysts of C57BL/6J mice to obtain chimeric mice, which were bred with Zp3-Cre mice. The newborn mice were numbered 9-14 days after birth and their tails were cut. The DNA of the mice was extracted, and the genotype of the mice was identified by polymerase chain reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis. The expression of CSF1R in mouse macrophages was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of CSF1R in mouse tissues was detected by Western blot.
Results:
The results of agarose gel electrophoresis showed that 453 bp bands were amplified in wild type mice, and 453 bp and 650 bp bands were amplified in heterozygous mice. The results of flow cytometry showed that the expression of CSF1R in peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages of CSF1R heterozygous mice was lower than that of WT group(P<0.05). The results of Western blot showed that the expression of CSF1R in spleen, kidney and brain tissue of CSF1R heterozygous group was lower than that of WT group(P<0.05).
Conclusion
CSF1R+/-mice are successfully constructed, reproduced and identified, which provides an animal model basis for further revealing the potential mechanism of CSF1R in immune regulation.
6.Mendelian randomization and GEO database identification analysis based on potential therapeutic targets for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Xianwei JIANG ; Minghang WANG ; Huiru LI ; Xiaosheng DONG ; Yuanyuan LIU
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2025;51(4):1072-1083
Objective:To screen the key genetic,diagnostic and therapeutic targets of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)patients by using microarray datasets and Mendelian randomization(MR)method,and to provide the evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment of COPD.Methods:Four COPD gene expression profile datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.The data were processed and normalized using R software,and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were screened.MR analysis was performed to explore the causal relationship between COPD and expression quantitative trait loci(eQTL),intersection with DEGs was taken to identify potential key targets.Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA),Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis,and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)signaling pathway enrichment analysis were conducted to investigate the functional roles and pathways of the key targets,external datasets were used to validate their expression.Results:A total of 1 571 DEGs were screened,including 820 upregulated genes and 751 downregulated genes.MR analysis identified 286 COPD-related genes,and intersection with DEGs revealed 3 upregulated genes:diacylglycerol kinase gamma(DGKG),neurofilament heavy polypeptide(NEFH),and Fc receptor like B(FCRLB);and 6 downregulated genes:STEAP4 metalloreductase(STEAP4),pleckstrin homology domain containing family F member 2(PLEKHF2),CD3d molecule(CD3D),transgelin 2(TAGLN2),tripartite motif containing 22(TRIM22),and ribosomal protein L9(RPL9).The biological function analysis results indicated that these genes were mainly involved in pathways such as iron ion transport into the cells,oxidoreductase activity,primary immunodeficiency,and Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation.The MR analysis results confirmed the causal relationship between these targets and COPD.The external validation results showed that compared with healthy controls,the expression level of FCRLB in COPD samples was significantly increased(P<0.01),while the expression levels of CD3D and RPL9 were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),which was consistent with the MR analysis results,highlighting the reliability of this study.Conclusion:DGKG,NEFH,FCRLB,STEAP4,PLEKHF2,CD3D,TAGLN2,TRIM22,and RPL9 may serve as important regulatory factors and clinical diagnostic/therapeutic targets in the pathogenesis of COPD,providing clues for early screening,diagnosis,and targeted treatment of COPD.
7.The impact of immunotherapy on pulmonary function and its prognostic significance in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2025;52(16):860-864
Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)is the most common form of lung cancer,and patients with advanced disease generally have a poor prognosis.In recent years,immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have been approved as first-line therapy for patients with NSCLC lacking actionable driver mutations.Emerging evidence indicates that ICIs reduce tumor burden in some patients and may affect pulmonary ventila-tion and diffusion capacity,which are associated with clinical outcomes.This review summarizes baseline pulmonary function characteristics in advanced NSCLC,outlines in the impact of ICI therapy on lung function,and discusses potential mechanisms through which immunother-apy can influence pulmonary function,with the aim of guiding lung function monitoring and individualized management during ICI treat-ment.
8.Interpretation of the service standards for medical nursing assistants of older adults in home and community
Ting LIU ; Haiyan SHI ; Huaguo ZHANG ; Yue CHEN ; Hongying PI ; Huiru HOU ; Shaomei SHANG ; Yan JIANG ; Zheng CHEN ; Ka LI ; Xin YANG ; Qilei TU ; Ze YANG ; Chao SUN
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(11):1500-1506
The Occupational Classification Dictionary of the People's Republic of China (2015 Edition) has added a new occupation type, Medical Nursing Assistants, aiming to meet the strong demand for medical care in the context of the aging population in China.In order to standardize the services of medical nursing assistants for the elderly in home and community settings and contribute to healthy aging, the National Health Commission issued the " Service Standards for Medical Nursing Assistants of Older Adults in Home and Community" ( WS/ T 803—2022) on September 28, 2022.The standards regulate the service processes, service items and requirements, as well as service evaluation and improvement for elderly medical nursing assistants.The interpretation of the standard's formulation background, the compilation process, and the standard's content are as follows.
9.Establishment of a clinical risk scoring model for patients undergoing curative resection of pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer based on primary tumor lymph node indices
Renshen XIANG ; Qi ZHANG ; Shuaibing LU ; Wenjing YANG ; Deyang KONG ; Yu SUN ; Huiru ZHANG ; Jialiang FAN ; Lin FENG ; Haizeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):1039-1049
Objective:To analyze the clinicopathological factors affecting the prognosis of patients after curative resection of lung metastases (LMs) from colorectal cancer (CRC) and to construct a clinical risk scoring (CRS) model.Methods:This study retrospectively collected clinicopathological data and follow-up information on 132 patients who underwent radical resection of LMs from CRC at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2010 and December 2020. We analyzed the clinicopathological factors influencing patient prognosis using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models, and we developed a risk stratification model for prognostic prediction.Results:The median follow-up duration for the cohort of 132 patients was 54.2 months. During this period, 61 patients (46.2%) experienced recurrence or distant metastasis, resulting in a 5-year DFS rate of 54.1%. Additionally, 33 patients (25.0%) died, corresponding to a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of 76.7%. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis indicated that ten clinicopathological factors were significantly associated with OS (all P<0.05). These factors include the total number of lymph nodes (LNs) dissected from the primary tumor (PT) <16, the number of negative LNs from the PT <13, pN(+) of the PT, logarithmic odds of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) of the PT ≥-1.1, lymph nodes ratio (LNR) of the PT ≥0.02, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level before LMs resection ≥10 ng/ml, the presence of hilar/mediastinal LN metastasis, the number of LMs ≥2, the maximum diameter of LMs ≥2.5 cm, and the necessity for hilar/mediastinal lymphadenectomy. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis identified the number of negative LNs <13 ( HR=3.01, 95% CI: 1.28-7.03, P=0.011), pN(+) of the PT ( HR=5.04, 95% CI: 1.51-16.84, P=0.009), preoperative CEA level before LMs resection ≥10 ng/ml ( HR=5.39, 95% CI: 1.80-16.19, P=0.003), the number of LMs ≥2 ( HR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.09-5.60, P=0.030), and the necessity for hilar/mediastinal lymphadenectomy ( HR=2.74, 95% CI: 1.15-6.52, P=0.023) as independent prognostic risk factors. Patients were categorized based on independent risk factors, revealing statistically significant differences in OS across the groups with CRS scores of ≤2, 3~4, and ≥5 ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Independent risk factors associated with LMs from CRC patients include the number of negative LNs <13, pN(+) of the PT, preoperative CEA level before LMs resection ≥10 ng/ml, the number of LMs ≥2, and the necessity for hilar/mediastinal lymphadenectomy. Patients scoring 3 or higher on the CRS model may warrant cautious assessment for the appropriateness of direct surgical treatment.
10.Research progress on the role of exosomes in odontogenic differentiation
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(4):437-442
Exosomes, serving as nanoscale molecular signals for intercellular communication, possess the ability to induce odontogenic differentiation and to promote pulp regeneration. Research on their roles in cell differentiation induction has gradually emerged as a research hotspot in the field of regenerative oral medicine. The diversity in cellular sources and pretreatment methods can influence the biological properties and functions of exosomes, while the selection of combined factors and optimization of scaffold delivery strategies further regulate the efficacy of exosomes during differentiation induction. In light of this, the present article aims to comprehensively review and delve into the multi-factorial regulatory mechanisms of exosomes in facilitating odontoblastic differentiation, aiming to provide valuable insights for the development of strategies in oral tissue engineering and regenerative therapies.


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