1. Exploration and Practice of a Generative AI-assisted Four-dimensional Integration Platform of “Teaching, Learning, Evaluation, and Research” for The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Courses
Pan CHEN ; Yang XI ; Xiao-Feng JIN ; De-Sen SUN ; Qiang CHEN ; Jun-Ming GUO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):789-800
ObjectiveBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, a discipline that elucidates life phenomena at the molecular level, serves as a core foundational course in medical education. It provides the theoretical basis for studying other basic and clinical medical subjects, as well as for understanding pathogenesis, disease diagnosis, and treatment. However, its complex content and highly abstract concepts have posed a dual challenge to traditional teaching models: “inefficient instruction” and “inadequate learning outcomes”. Within limited classroom hours, how to engage students and stimulate their intrinsic motivation, and how to help them recognize, understand, and develop a passion for biochemistry from the perspective of the discipline’s essence, have long been key focuses of curriculum research. MethodsUsing the lipid metabolism chapter as an example, this study employs “Rain Classroom”, a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform, to support education in four dimensions: teaching, learning, evaluation, and research. In teaching, it assists instructors through virtual experiments, lesson preparation support, knowledge mapping, and assignment design. For learning, it serves as an intelligent study assistant for students, providing automated assignment review, enabling educational resource sharing, and facilitating personalized learning pathways. In evaluation, the platform automates assignment grading, analyzes student performance data, and offers diagnostic feedback and teaching recommendations. In research, it aids educators in collecting and analyzing teaching data, as well as searching for and summarizing relevant literature. ResultsThe results indicate that an educational model integrating teacher-led instruction, student-centered learning, and generative AI assistance significantly enhances teaching quality, students’ self-directed learning abilities, and knowledge mastery. Furthermore, with the support of generative AI, curriculum-based ideological education—focusing on cutting-edge disciplinary advances and topical medical issues—helps cultivate students’ medical spirit of “honoring life and healing the wounded”, thereby fostering the establishment of appropriate professional values. Finally, while generative AI presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, this study also analyzes potential risks in its teaching applications, emphasizing the need for both instructors and students to avoid over-reliance and to ensure that technological tools consistently serve the fundamental goals of education. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that integrating generative AI, specifically via the “Rain Classroom” platform, can effectively enhance biochemistry education. By supporting teaching, learning, evaluation, and research, this approach improves both educational effectiveness and student outcomes. It also facilitates the incorporation of cutting-edge knowledge and professional ethics, nurturing a patient-centered mindset. Additionally, the study addresses potential implementation risks to ensure that such technological tools remain aligned with the core purpose of education.
2.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
3.Proteomic Profiling of Qi-blood Deficiency vs Damp-heat Syndrome in Colorectal Cancer: Therapeutic Targeting by Astragaloside IV-berberine
Zhao-Huan LI ; Jing-Wen ZHAO ; Xin ZHANG ; Jian-Jin GUO ; Jie XU ; Zeng-Qiang YANG ; Hao TU ; Min ZOU ; Ming-Bin GUI ; Feng GAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(9):2462-2479
ObjectiveColorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation is widely used in its clinical management. However, the biological basis underlying different TCM syndromes remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the proteomic differences between qi-blood deficiency syndrome (QBDS) and damp-heat syndrome (DHS) in CRC patients and to establish a “syndrome-differential protein-herbal component” network for exploring potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets associated with syndrome-specific treatment strategies. MethodsTumor tissue samples were collected from 10 patients with pathologically confirmed CRC, including 5 patients diagnosed with QBDS and 5 with DHS according to standardized TCM syndrome differentiation criteria. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics was employed to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two syndrome groups. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, were performed to characterize the biological functions and signaling pathways associated with the identified DEPs. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was further applied to screen key syndrome-related proteins and construct a core protein prediction model. Subsequently, molecular docking was conducted to evaluate the binding affinities between representative herbal compounds, astragaloside IV and berberine, and the identified core proteins. Finally, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays were performed in HCT 116 and HT-29 colorectal cancer cell lines to validate the anti-proliferative activities of these compounds in vitro. ResultsA total of 44 DEPs were identified between QBDS and DHS tissues, including 21 upregulated and 23 downregulated proteins in the QBDS group relative to the DHS group. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that these proteins were primarily associated with antiviral immune responses, regulation of inflammatory signaling, NF‑κB signaling pathways, cholesterol metabolism, and other biological processes relevant to tumor progression and host immune regulation. LASSO regression analysis identified eight core proteins with potential syndrome-specific significance. Among them, ST7, GPCPD1, and PODXL were closely associated with QBDS, whereas FAT1, GRB7, KRT7, MAFF, and MMP8 were associated with DHS. Molecular docking demonstrated favorable interactions between astragaloside IV and QBDS-related proteins, with binding energies lower than -5 kcal/mol, indicating stable binding activity. Berberine exhibited even lower binding energies and stronger binding specificity toward DHS-related core proteins. In vitro experiments further confirmed that both compounds inhibited CRC cell proliferation, while berberine displayed significantly greater anti-proliferative efficacy. The lowest 48 h IC50 value of berberine reached 15.21 mg/L in CRC cells, indicating a stronger growth-inhibitory effect than astragaloside IV. ConclusionCRC patients with QBDS and DHS exhibit distinct proteomic characteristics, suggesting that different TCM syndromes possess unique molecular signatures. The identified core proteins may serve as potential biomarkers for syndrome differentiation, while astragaloside IV and berberine may exert therapeutic effects through targeting syndrome-specific molecular networks. These findings provide preliminary proteomic evidence supporting syndrome-guided precision integrative medicine in CRC and offer new insights into the biological basis of TCM syndrome differentiation and individualized therapeutic strategies.
4.Expression and clinical significance of RAB24 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma based on multi-source databases and clinical cohort validation
Yali GUO ; Yangchen WANG ; Jianhua YANG ; Xiang GAO ; Wenmei MA ; Nan DING ; Qiang HOU ; Wu DAI ; Limei WEN ; Junping HU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(9):1647-1656
ObjectiveTo investigate the mRNA expression profile and clinical significance of the RAB24 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on multi-source database including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and clinical cohort validation. MethodsData from TCGA (n=424) were utilized to evaluate the prognostic value of RAB24 expression via Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models. An independent clinical cohort comprising 90 HCC and 30 paracancerous tissues was established to validate protein expression and histopathological features through immunohistochemistry (IHC) and routine histological staining. The TIMER database was employed to analyze the association between RAB24 and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, integrated with LinkedOmics, GSEA and GSVA algorithms were used to quantitatively characterize the core molecular pathways regulated by RAB24. ResultsThe mRNA expression level of RAB24 in HCC was significantly higher than that in non-tumor liver tissues (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the overall survival (OS) of patients in the RAB24 low-expression group was significantly longer compared to the high-expression group (HR=1.570, Log-rank P=0.01). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis demonstrated that RAB24 expression (HR=1.480, P=0.028), T stage (HR=2.949, P<0.001), M stage (HR=4.077, P=0.017), and tumor residual status (HR=2.317, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors for HCC. RAB24 expression was highly correlated with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and immune infiltration levels (P<0.01), and showed a significant, low-level positive correlation with the TP53 gene (Rho=0.31, P<0.01). Quantitative analysis of the RAB24 protein in clinical samples validated that RAB24 expression in HCC tissues was significantly elevated compared to non-tumor liver tissues (P<0.05). TIMER analysis confirmed that RAB24 expression was highly associated with the infiltration of multiple immune cells (such as B cells and NK cells), as well as stromal and tumor purity scores in tumor tissues (P<0.01). GSEA/GSVA enrichment revealed that the P53, MYC, and mTORC1 signaling pathways were activated in the RAB24 high-expression group; correlation analysis confirmed that the RAB24 expression level exhibited a significant, low-level positive correlation with the ribosome pathway activity score (r=0.23, P<0.01). ConclusionsThe RAB24 gene, as a poor prognostic factor for HCC patients, is a potential biomarker for HCC diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. The study is expected to lay a theoretical foundation for the precise diagnosis and treatment of clinical HCC.
5.Anti-SARS-CoV-2 prodrug ATV006 has broad-spectrum antiviral activity against human and animal coronaviruses.
Tiefeng XU ; Kun LI ; Siyao HUANG ; Konstantin I IVANOV ; Sidi YANG ; Yanxi JI ; Hanwei ZHANG ; Wenbin WU ; Ye HE ; Qiang ZENG ; Feng CONG ; Qifan ZHOU ; Yingjun LI ; Jian PAN ; Jincun ZHAO ; Chunmei LI ; Xumu ZHANG ; Liu CAO ; Deyin GUO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2498-2510
Coronavirus-related diseases pose a significant challenge to the global health system. Given the diversity of coronaviruses and the unpredictable nature of disease outbreaks, the traditional "one bug, one drug" paradigm struggles to address the growing number of emerging crises. Therefore, there is an urgent need for therapeutic agents with broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus activity. Here, we provide evidence that ATV006, an anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleoside analog targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), has broad antiviral activity against human and animal coronaviruses. Using mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) as a model, we show that ATV006 has potent prophylactic and therapeutic activity against murine coronavirus infection in vivo. Remarkably, ATV006 successfully inhibits viral replication in mice even when administered 96 h after infection. Due to its oral bioavailability and potency against multiple coronaviruses, ATV006 has the potential to become a useful antiviral agent against SARS-CoV-2 and other circulating and emerging coronaviruses in humans and animals.
6.Erratum: Author correction to "SHP2 inhibition triggers anti-tumor immunity and synergizes with PD-1 blockade" Acta Pharm Sin B 9 (2019) 304-315.
Mingxia ZHAO ; Wenjie GUO ; Yuanyuan WU ; Chenxi YANG ; Liang ZHONG ; Guoliang DENG ; Yuyu ZHU ; Wen LIU ; Yanhong GU ; Yin LU ; Lingdong KONG ; Xiangbao MENG ; Qiang XU ; Yang SUN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2810-2812
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2018.08.009.].
7.IsoVISoR: Towards 3D Mesoscale Brain Mapping of Large Mammals at Isotropic Sub-micron Resolution.
Chao-Yu YANG ; Yan SHEN ; Xiaoyang QI ; Lufeng DING ; Yanyang XIAO ; Qingyuan ZHU ; Hao WANG ; Cheng XU ; Pak-Ming LAU ; Pengcheng ZHOU ; Fang XU ; Guo-Qiang BI
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(2):344-348
8.Single-Neuron Reconstruction of the Macaque Primary Motor Cortex Reveals the Diversity of Neuronal Morphology.
Siyu LI ; Yan SHEN ; Yefei CHEN ; Zexuan HONG ; Lewei ZHANG ; Lufeng DING ; Chao-Yu YANG ; Xiaoyang QI ; Quqing SHEN ; Yanyang XIAO ; Pak-Ming LAU ; Zhonghua LU ; Fang XU ; Guo-Qiang BI
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(3):525-530
9.Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of cemental tear.
Ye LIANG ; Hongrui LIU ; Chengjia XIE ; Yang YU ; Jinlong SHAO ; Chunxu LV ; Wenyan KANG ; Fuhua YAN ; Yaping PAN ; Faming CHEN ; Yan XU ; Zuomin WANG ; Yao SUN ; Ang LI ; Lili CHEN ; Qingxian LUAN ; Chuanjiang ZHAO ; Zhengguo CAO ; Yi LIU ; Jiang SUN ; Zhongchen SONG ; Lei ZHAO ; Li LIN ; Peihui DING ; Weilian SUN ; Jun WANG ; Jiang LIN ; Guangxun ZHU ; Qi ZHANG ; Lijun LUO ; Jiayin DENG ; Yihuai PAN ; Jin ZHAO ; Aimei SONG ; Hongmei GUO ; Jin ZHANG ; Pingping CUI ; Song GE ; Rui ZHANG ; Xiuyun REN ; Shengbin HUANG ; Xi WEI ; Lihong QIU ; Jing DENG ; Keqing PAN ; Dandan MA ; Hongyu ZHAO ; Dong CHEN ; Liangjun ZHONG ; Gang DING ; Wu CHEN ; Quanchen XU ; Xiaoyu SUN ; Lingqian DU ; Ling LI ; Yijia WANG ; Xiaoyuan LI ; Qiang CHEN ; Hui WANG ; Zheng ZHANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Chengfei ZHANG ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Shaohua GE
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):61-61
Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans
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Dental Cementum/injuries*
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Consensus
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
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Tooth Fractures/therapy*
10.Expression and Clinical Significance of PLCβ4 Gene in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Analyzed Based on TCGA Database and Experimental Validation
Limei WEN ; Yali GUO ; Qiang HOU ; Dongxuan ZHENG ; Wu DAI ; Xiang GAO ; Jianhua YANG ; Junping HU
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(6):502-510
Objective To analyze the PLCβ4 gene mRNA expression and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on TCGA database. Methods Based on the data on 424 clinical samples (including 374 cases of HCC tissues and 50 cases of nontumor liver tissues) in the TCGA database, Kaplan–Meier method, Cox regression analysis, and immune infiltration analysis were performed to evaluate the relationship between PLCβ4 gene and the clinical characteristics and survival prognosis of HCC patients. Correlation analysis between PLCβ4 gene and 24 types of immune cells was applied to investigate the relationship between PLCβ4 gene and immune cell infiltration and mRNA expression level of TP53 gene, a high-frequency mutation gene in HCC. In addition, paraffin sections of highly, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumor tissues and normal liver tissues from HCC patients were collected. The histopathological observation was carried out via HE staining method, and the expression levels of PLCβ4 and Ki-67 proteins in each clinical sample were verified through the immunohistochemical method. Results The expression level of PLCβ4 gene in HCC was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P<0.01), and all patients in the PLCβ4 high-expression group had a significantly longer overall survival than those in the low-expression group (P<0.05), which suggested that PLCβ4 substantially affected the prognosis of HCC patients. Correlation analysis showed that the expression level of PLCβ4 gene was highly correlated with immune cell infiltration and the expression level of TP53 gene. As verified by clinical sample experiments, HE staining experiments and immunohistochemical results revealed that PLCβ4 gene expression in HCC tissue samples was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P<0.001), and it was negatively correlated with the degree of differentiation. Conclusion PLCβ4 may serve as an independent prognostic factor in HCC and is expected to be a novel molecular target for HCC treatment.

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