1.Reactive and Enzyme-activated Probe Strategies for Imaging Acute Kidney Injury
Ru-Long CHEN ; Ting-Fei XIE ; Jin-Xin ZHANG ; Jia-Ting CHEN ; Jie LI ; Peng-Fei ZHANG ; Ji-Hong CHEN ; Lin-Tao CAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1622-1637
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent and life-threatening clinical syndrome characterised by a rapid decline in renal function and diverse pathological etiologies. The condition has been demonstrated to be associated with elevated mortality rates and an increased risk of progression to chronic kidney disease. At present, clinicians depend heavily on conventional functional markers, such as serum creatinine and urine output, for the diagnosis and staging of the disease. It is evident that these conventional indicators characteristically manifest a considerable temporal delay and only undergo modification subsequent to considerable tissue damage. This severely restricts the timeframe for early detection and timely therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, standard markers fail to provide specific biological information regarding the underlying cellular injury mechanisms. The utilisation of advanced probe technologies in molecular imaging offers a robust alternative to overcome these inherent diagnostic limitations.This comprehensive review systematically evaluates recent progress in the design and application of two primary categories of molecular imaging tools for acute kidney disease, specifically reactive probes and enzyme-activated probes. Reactive probes are engineered to specifically interact with redox-active chemical species, including hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, hypochlorous acid, and sulfur dioxide. Because oxidative stress constitutes a primary early event in acute renal tubular damage, these probes enable researchers and clinicians to visualize early cellular injury and radical accumulation well before global renal functional decline becomes evident. We discuss the application of these reactive probes across multiple imaging modalities including fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and photoacoustic techniques. Photoacoustic imaging combines high spatial resolution with deep tissue penetration and has successfully demonstrated the ability to provide diagnostic alerts up to 12 h before any detectable rise in serum creatinine levels. Additionally, specific reactive probes have shown promising translational potential when tested by high-throughput screening in clinical human urine samples. Enzyme-activated probes target the specific catalytic activity of disease-relevant enzymes. These include well-documented renal tubular structural biomarkers such as NAG, GGT, and ALP, along with apoptosis-related caspases and specific nitroreductases. By responding only to enzymatic cleavage, these tools provide highly specific and pathology-directed imaging readouts. Recent structural design strategies in this field have advanced significantly beyond single-enzyme detection. Researchers are now focusing on sophisticated dual-target recognition to minimize background noise, multimodal integration to cross-validate imaging signals, and theranostic applications where probes simultaneously deliver diagnostic feedback and therapeutic agents to injured tissues. Nanotechnology serves as a fundamental enabler for realizing these advanced probe functions. By precisely optimizing nanoparticle parameters such as hydrodynamic size, surface charge, and targeting ligands, researchers can achieve amplified signal output, highly precise kidney delivery, and protection against premature degradation in the systemic circulation. For example, modifying surface charges can significantly enhance the active uptake of nanoprobes by damaged renal tubular epithelial cells.While preclinical probe development has progressed rapidly, moving these technologies into routine clinical practice remains a major challenge. We analyze the translational feasibility and current obstacles from biological, technological, and regulatory perspectives. Although biological targets such as KIM-1, FAP, and ALP have been validated in extensive patient cohorts, practical barriers severely limit their immediate clinical application. These obstacles involve complex changes in in vivo pharmacokinetics. During an acute injury episode, the extreme drop in the glomerular filtration rate alters probe clearance and can cause unwanted systemic accumulation or confusing background imaging signals. Other major hurdles include a lack of comprehensive long-term toxicity data and the absence of standardized manufacturing protocols to ensure batch-to-batch consistency. Future successful translation will require rigorous multi-center clinical studies to confirm the true diagnostic value of these probes over traditional markers. Researchers must also establish strict standardization of imaging procedures and comprehensive safety evaluations. Ultimately, this review provides a thorough reference framework for designing clinically translatable molecular probes and building a precision diagnostic imaging system for acute kidney injury.
2.Complete genomic sequence analysis of the G6P1bovine rotavirus BLL strain
Jin-hua ZHANG ; Xia-fei LIU ; Jun-jie YU ; Jia-xin FAN ; Ming-yue WANG ; Guang-ping XIONG ; Yi-peng WANG ; Dan-di LI ; Xiao-man SUN ; Li-li PANG ; Zhao-jun DUAN
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(1):8-14
Bovine rotavirus(BRV)is an important pathogen causing diarrhea in calves.To understand the genomic charac-teristics and genetic variations in bovine rotavirus,and to further enrich data on the biological characteristics of rotavirus,we aimed to amplify 11 gene segments of the isolated and cultured G6P[1]bovine rotavirus BLL strain,perform whole genome se-quencing,and analyze the molecular characteristics.MEGA7.0 and DNAMAN software were used for homology and typing a-nalysis,and the whole genome phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze genetic evolution relationships.The complete geno-type of the BLL strain was G6-P[1]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3.Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 and VP4 genes of the BLL strain showed that the VP7 gene had the highest homology with RVA/Cow-wt/HB01/China/2021,and the VP4 gene of the BLL strain was in the same branch as RVA/Human-tc/ISR/Ro8059/1995.From the sequence alignment of VP8*amino acids,the sialic acid domain of the BLL strain was found to be similar to that in other P[1]strains,but different from those in other types of strains,except for residue 189,which was the same as that in Ro8059 but different from that in other strains.The results suggested that the BLL strain might potentially infect humans.Therefore,continued monitoring and study of the biological characteristics of this strain are necessary to provide more information and evidence supporting further research on the cross-species transmission of group A rotavirus in China.
3.μQFR after target vessel pretreatment can predict the occurrence of VOCE events in patients with de novo coronary artery disease treated with drug-coated balloon
Yueming YAO ; Guoli ZHAO ; Qunxing LI ; Jie YANG ; Yuan CHANG ; Chunyuan JIANG ; Qi CHENG ; Jiayu LIU ; Xianzhen PENG ; Delu YIN
Chinese Journal of Arteriosclerosis 2025;33(6):523-530
Aim To investigate the predictive value of the Murray law-based quantitative flow ratio(μQFR)after target vessel pretreatment for vascular-related adverse events in patients with de novo coronary lesions treated with drug-coated balloon.Methods This retrospective study included 223 lesions from 223 patients who underwent drug-coated balloon-only strategy and completed 2-year clinical follow-up.Coronary angiographic images of target vessels pre-procedure,post-balloon and post-procedure were collected,and analyzed using a novel Murray's law-based algorithm.The μQFR analysis of each target vessel included not only the μQFR value of the target vessel,but also the length of the target vessel,the degree of vessel diameter stenosis,the reference lumen diameter,the minimum lumen diameter and blood flow velocity.The primary endpoint was defined as the postoperative vessel-oriented composite endpoint(VOCE).Results During the2-year clinical follow-up period,a total of 25 patients(11.2%)experienced VOCE events.Com-pared with the control group,patients with VOCE events after pretreatment showed a decrease in μQFR(P<0.001).Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that a lower target vessel μQFR after pretreatment(OR=0.931,95%CI:0.894~0.969,P<0.001)was an independent predictor of VOCE events.ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off value for predicting 2-year VOCE events using preprocessed μQFR was 0.83(95%CI:0.727~0.840),with a sensitivity of 72.7%and a specificity of 84.0%(AUC=0.773,95%CI:0.676~0.870,P<0.001).Survival analysis showed that compared with patients with μQFR>0.83,patients with μQFR≤0.83 had a significantly higher incidence of VOCE events at 1 and 2 years,increasing to 3.909 times(16.9%vs.4.6%,HR=3.909,95%CI:1.539~9.930,P=0.004)and 2.867 times(19.7%vs.7.2%,HR=2.867,95%CI:1.301~6.316,P=0.009).After adjusting for potential con-founds,patients with pretreated μQFR≤0.83 had a 2.567 times in 2-year incidence of VOCE events(HR=2.567,95%CI:1.151~5.727,P=0.021)and a 3.712 times in 1-year incidence of VOCE events(HR=3.712,95%CI:1.478~9.810,P=0.006)compared to patients with good pretreatment.Conclusions For patients with in situ coronary artery disease,a lower μQFR after pretreatment increases the risk of postoperative adverse clinical events.μQFR≤0.83 may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of lesion pretreatment.
4.Research on dry and wet durability of reusable surgical gowns
Ze-chen LIN ; Min WAN ; Yu-peng SUN ; Hui-jie SUN ; Jian-jun SUN ; Qing ZHANG ; Bo ZHANG ; An-ning LI ; Fu-xin DU
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(6):28-33
Objective To explore the changes of durability properties of reusable surgical gowns when used in dry and wet conditions.Methods Reusable surgical gowns made of single-layer polyester fiber or 3-layer composite material were selected as test samples,and a Martindale abrasion and pilling tester was used as the basic test platform and modified to form fixtures suitable for the wet state environment.The reusable surgical gowns underwent abrasion experiments in wet and dry conditions to observe the changes in their fiber structure,and were subjected to water penetration resistance and swelling strength tests.Results Visually the reusable surgical gowns had few changes of the microscopic textile fiber structure in dry and wet conditions,and the gowns made of single-layer polyster fiber gained advantages over the outer layers of those of 3-layer composite material in abrasion resistance with the same friction cycles.In dry and wet conditions,the hydrostatic pressure values of the gowns of single-layer polyster fiber gradually decreased with the increase of the degree of abrasion,which were always lower than those of the gowns of 3-layer composite material;the swelling strength of the gowns of single-layer polyster fiber was always greater than that of the gowns of 3-layer composite material,which decreased with the deterioration of the wear more significantly than that of the gowns of 3-layer composite material.Conclusion The reusable surgical gowns made of single-layer polyester fiber or 3-layer composite material have few differences in durability and protective properties at the early stages of ablation in dry and wet conditions.The durability of the gowns decreases as the degree of wear increases,while the trend of the decrease is slowing down until the fabric breaks down and completely loses its barrier effect.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):28-33]
5.Functional mechanism of Xihuang pill drug containing serum in intervention of breast cancer cells based on miR21-5p targeting FAM13A gene
Juling CHENG ; Jie MAO ; Hui HE ; Jiaqi PENG ; Yingqian XU ; Huanzi PENG ; Jinquan WANG ; Yunhao LI ; Xiaobing XIE
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(19):2339-2346
Objective To explore the related functional mechanism of Xihuang pill containing serum inter-vention in breast cancer cells based on microRNA(miR)21-5p targeting FAM13A gene.Methods Bioinfor-matics websites was used to predict potential miRNAs of FAM13A gene,double luciferase reporter experi-ments were conducted to verify the binding site relationship between FAM13A and predicted miRNAs.The Xihuang pill containing serum was prepared,and human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured.The proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells was interfered by the Xihuang pill containing serum with different dilution ratios by CCK-8 test,and the best dilution ratio concentration of Xihuang pill containing serum to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells was selected.Real time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)was ap-plied to detect the relative expression levels of FAM13A mRNA,as well as the relative expression levels of miR21-5p,in MDA-MB-231 cells after intervention with Xihuang pill containing serum.Cell proliferation(Edu)assay and cell apoptosis detection(TUNEL)assay were used to detect the effects of Xihuang pill con-taining serum intervention on cell proliferation and apoptosis function in MDA-MB-231 cells.The siRNA lentiviral transfection on MDA-MB-231 cells was performed to knock down the FAM13A gene,and Edu assay and TUNEL assay were used to detect changes in proliferation and apoptosis ability of MDA-MB-231 cells af-ter lentiviral transfection.The expression level of miR21-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells after FAM13A gene knock-out was detected by RT-qPCR technology.Results Target Scan online website predicted the potential miR-21-5p binding sequence in the 3'UTR of FAM13A mRNA,and dual luciferase reporter assay confirmed the in-teraction between miR-21-5p and FAM13A.After intervention of MDA-MB-231 cells with Xihuang pill drug containing serum,RT-qPCR results showed that compared with the control group(NC group),the Xihuang pill drug containing serum group(XHW group)downregulated the expression levels of FAM13A mRNA(P<0.05),and upregulated the expression level of miR21-5p(P<0.05).Compared with the NC group,the XWH group showed reduced cell proliferation ability and promoted cell apoptosis.(P<0.05).After silencing the FAM13A gene in MDA-MB-231 cells,compared with the control group(shCtrl group),the shFAM13A group showed a significant decrease in cell proliferation ability and promoted cell apoptosis.The RT-qPCR re-sults showed that compared with the shCtrl group,the expression level of miR21-5p was significantly upregu-lated in the shFAM13A group(P<0.05).Conclusion Xihuang pill could participate in the anti-tumor treat-ment of breast cancer by regulating miR21-5p to affect the expression level of FAM13A gene.
6.Integrated-omics analysis defines subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma based on circadian rhythm.
Xiao-Jie LI ; Le CHANG ; Yang MI ; Ge ZHANG ; Shan-Shan ZHU ; Yue-Xiao ZHANG ; Hao-Yu WANG ; Yi-Shuang LU ; Ye-Xuan PING ; Peng-Yuan ZHENG ; Xia XUE
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(4):445-456
OBJECTIVE:
Circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is a risk factor that correlates with poor prognosis across multiple tumor types, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to define HCC subtypes based on CRD and explore their individual heterogeneity.
METHODS:
To quantify CRD, the HCC CRD score (HCCcrds) was developed. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified CRD module genes and defined CRD-related HCC subtypes in The Cancer Genome Atlas liver HCC cohort (n = 369), and the robustness of this method was validated. Furthermore, we used bioinformatics tools to investigate the cellular heterogeneity across these CRD subtypes.
RESULTS:
We defined three distinct HCC subtypes that exhibit significant heterogeneity in prognosis. The CRD-related subtype with high HCCcrds was significantly correlated with worse prognosis, higher pathological grade, and advanced clinical stages, while the CRD-related subtype with low HCCcrds had better clinical outcomes. We also identified novel biomarkers for each subtype, such as nicotinamide n-methyltransferase and myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate-like 1.
CONCLUSION
We classify the HCC patients into three distinct groups based on circadian rhythm and identify their specific biomarkers. Within these groups greater HCCcrds was associated with worse prognosis. This approach has the potential to improve prediction of an individual's prognosis, guide precision treatments, and assist clinical decision making for HCC patients. Please cite this article as: Li XJ, Chang L, Mi Y, Zhang G, Zhu SS, Zhang YX, et al. Integrated-omics analysis defines subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma based on circadian rhythm. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 445-456.
Humans
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology*
;
Liver Neoplasms/pathology*
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Circadian Rhythm/genetics*
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Prognosis
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Male
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Female
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Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics*
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Middle Aged
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Machine Learning
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Computational Biology
7.Predicting Postoperative Circulatory Complications in Older Patients: A Machine Learning Approach.
Xiao Yun HU ; Wei Xuan SHENG ; Kang YU ; Jie Tai DUO ; Peng Fei LIU ; Ya Wei LI ; Dong Xin WANG ; Hui Hui MIAO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(3):328-340
OBJECTIVE:
This study examines utilizes the advantages of machine learning algorithms to discern key determinants in prognosticate postoperative circulatory complications (PCCs) for older patients.
METHODS:
This secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial involved 1,720 elderly participants in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China. Participants aged 60-90 years undergoing major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The primary outcome metric of the study was the occurrence of PCCs, according to the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Anaesthesiology diagnostic criteria. The analysis metrics contained 67 candidate variables, including baseline characteristics, laboratory tests, and scale assessments.
RESULTS:
Our feature selection process identified key variables that significantly impact patient outcomes, including the duration of ICU stay, surgery, and anesthesia; APACHE-II score; intraoperative average heart rate and blood loss; cumulative opioid use during surgery; patient age; VAS-Move-Median score on the 1st to 3rd day; Charlson comorbidity score; volumes of intraoperative plasma, crystalloid, and colloid fluids; cumulative red blood cell transfusion during surgery; and endotracheal intubation duration. Notably, our Random Forest model demonstrated exceptional performance with an accuracy of 0.9872.
CONCLUSION
We have developed and validated an algorithm for predicting PCCs in elderly patients by identifying key risk factors.
Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology*
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Machine Learning
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Postoperative Complications/etiology*
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Risk Factors
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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Secondary Data Analysis
8."Kidney deficiency-vessel impairment" as core pathogenesis of panvascular diseases: theoretical and clinical perspectives.
Jie WANG ; Jun HU ; Jun LI ; Zhen-Peng ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Cong CHEN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3513-3521
Panvascular disease is a complex systemic disorder. Research by our team has established "kidney deficiency-vascular impairment" as its core pathogenesis. Consequently, we developed a three-tiered progressive prevention and treatment strategy: early prevention phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and reducing turbidity; mid-term control phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and stabilizing plaque; late recovery phase: focuses on tonifying the kidney and unblocking collaterals. This targeted therapeutic protocol effectively alleviates clinical symptoms, improves biochemical markers, enhances treatment efficacy, and achieves comprehensive management throughout the disease course. This article systematically elaborates on the concept of "kidney deficiency-vascular impairment" in panvascular disease, summarizes the mechanisms of kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicines, aiming to provide a beneficial reference for the whole-course management of panvascular diseases.
Humans
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Kidney/blood supply*
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Vascular Diseases/physiopathology*
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Animals
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Kidney Diseases/physiopathology*
9.Differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of Rubus multibracteatus extract in normal and inflammatory pain model rats by in-vitro everted intestine sac method.
Ming-Li BAO ; Qing ZHANG ; Yang JIN ; Yi CHEN ; Jian-Qing PENG ; Si-Ying CHEN ; Zhi-Jie MA ; Jian LIAO ; Jing HUANG ; Zi-Peng GONG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(16):4690-4704
This study compared the differences in intestinal absorption characteristics of eleven active components in Rubus multibracteatus(RM) extract(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, epicatechin, catechin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) between normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats using the in-vitro everted intestinal sac model. The RM extract was administered at absorption concentrations of 25.0, 50.0, and 100.0 mg·mL~(-1). The contents of the eleven components in intestinal absorption solution samples were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), and their cumulative absorption(Q) and absorption rate constant(K_a) were calculated to evaluate the absorption characteristics of these components in normal rats and inflammatory pain model rats. The results show that except for catechin, epicatechin, and caffeic acid, the cumulative absorption-time curves of the other eight components(protocatechuic acid, tiliroside, scutellarin, luteoloside, astragalin, xanthotoxin, p-coumaric acid, and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide) exhibit an upward trend without saturation, with correlation coefficients(R~2) all > 0.9, indicating linear absorption. However, the overall absorption of all components is not dose-dependent with increasing concentration, suggesting that their absorption mechanisms are not solely passive diffusion. In both normal and model rats, the jejunum shows the highest absorption for all components except xanthotoxin. The overall absorption of seven components(excluding protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, apigenin-7-O-glucuronide, and luteoloside) in normal rats is better than that in model rats across all intestinal segments. These findings indicate that the pathological state of inflammatory pain alters the intestinal absorption of RM extract, and its mechanism needs further investigation.
Animals
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Rats
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Intestinal Absorption/drug effects*
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Male
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/metabolism*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Pain/metabolism*
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Intestines/drug effects*
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Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism*
10.Design and implementation of an outcome-based education-based online + offline course integrating medical specialty and humanistic spirit
Yan WANG ; Zhibiao WANG ; Faqi LI ; Yuan PENG ; Jie XU ; Jingwen YU ; Jinyun CHEN
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2025;24(4):535-539
The "minimally-invasive and non-invasive diagnosis and treatment of the most important tumor in gynecology", which is an online + offline first-class undergraduate course in Chongqing, China, was used as an example to demonstrate how to explore the integration of medical specialty with humanistic spirit in the design and construction of courses for medical students, and to strengthen the early cultivation of medical humanistic spirit. Based on the concept of outcome-based education, innovative course content and teaching modes were designed to guide students to learn the history of focused ultrasound therapy technology, understand the concept of minimally-invasive and non-invasive medicine, and incorporate the literacy cultivation of "always having compassion". This study explored the importance of incorporating humanistic spirit into medical education and provides new ideas and concepts for the cultivation of physicians with humanity and compassion.

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