Esophageal cancer （EC） is a highly prevalent malignant tumor in China. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway， as one of the key oncogenic pathways， can promote the cell cycle progression， proliferation， migration， and invasion， induce chemoresistance， and inhibit apoptosis and autophagy of EC cells. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with the advantages of targeting multiple points with multiple components to delay cancer progression， can target the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway for EC treatment. This article preliminarily discusses the molecular mechanism and role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and elaborates on the specific targets and efficacy of TCM in treating EC through intervention in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the past five years. TCM materials and extracts inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC include Borneolum， spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum without spore coat， extract of Celastrus orbiculatus， root extract of Taraxacum， and Bruceae Fructus oil emulsion. TCM active ingredients exerting the effect include flavonoids， terpenoids， saponins， phenols， polysaccharides， alkaloids， and other compounds. TCM compound prescriptions with such effect include Qige San， Huqi San， Xuanfu Daizhetang， Tongyoutang and its decomposed prescriptions， Liujunzi Tang， and Xishenzhi Formula. In addition， TCM injections such as Compound Kushen Injection and Kang'ai injection also inhibit the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC. This paper summarizes the role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in EC and the TCM interventions， aiming to provide reference for the research and clinical application of new drugs for EC.

AIM: To detect the distribution and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in radiation retinopathy(RR)through fluorescence targeted imaging.METHODS:Covalent binding of fluorescein FITC with VEGF antibody ranibizumab to prepare targeted fluorescent imaging probe ranibizumab-FITC. SD rats were randomly divided into three groups based on the principle of weight balance: a normal control group(Con group), a low-dose radiation group(10 Gy group), and a high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group). Medical linear accelerators and lead blocks were used to locally irradiate the rat eyeballs for modeling. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression levels of VEGF-A in each group and to screen for appropriate modeling dose. The inverted fluorescence microscope and the confocal microscope were used to observe the distribution of VEGF and imaging probes in the retinas of control and RR model group rats, and to verify the effectiveness of targeted probes.RESULTS:The expression level of VEGF-A in the retina of rats in the high-dose radiation group(30 Gy group)was higher than that in the normal control group(Con group). In early RR, VEGF expression was observed to be associated with microaneurysms and abnormal microvessels in the retina. VEGF accumulation was observed at the site of capillary wall damage. When retinal capillary endothelial damage occurred, targeted probes gathered on the outer surface of the vessel wall.CONCLUSION:The expression level of VEGF in the retina of RR model rats is elevated, and fluorescent targeted molecular imaging probes can detect the spatial distribution of VEGF at the microvascular lesions in the retina of RR rats.

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.

ObjectiveZheng’s San Qi San (ZSQS) power, a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is used for treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, and ligaments. However, its underlying therapeutic mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to screen and identify pharmaceutically active ingredients and their candidate biomolecule targets, and further elucidate the molecular mechanism of ZSQS in the treatment of skeletal muscle injury. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was employed to construct “ZSQS-component-target”, “protein-protein interaction (PPI)” and “active ingredient-core protein-pathway” networks to predict the key active ingredients and potential core targets of ZSQS for skeletal muscle injury. The predicted results were then validated via microarray data from the GEO database. Molecular docking was then performed to assess the binding ability between the screened active ingredients of ZSQS and the candidate core targets. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis to verify the active components of the drug and ZSQS serum. Finally, an animal model of eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury and a myotube cell model of oxidative stress-induced injury were established to validate the effects of ZSQS and its interventional effects on the biological functions of critical targets, thereby demonstrating the potential therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. ResultsAmong the 111 active components identified in ZSQS and their corresponding 204 targets related to the skeletal muscle injury repair process, 14 core targets (including AKT1) and 4 core active components (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and β‑sitosterol) were screened out, while the corresponding metabolites of quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol were detected in the ZSQS serum. Among these targets, 5 candidate genes (IL-6, CASP3, HIF1A, STAT3, and JUN) overlapped with the differential expression screening results with GEO data, and IL-6 was confirmed to be enriched in the PI3K/AKT pathway. Combined with the prediction results of the AKT expression levels, these findings suggest that the phosphorylation level of AKT1 plays a core role in the therapeutic mechanism of ZSQS. Molecular docking analysis further revealed that the PH domain of AKT1 had high binding energy with all 4 core active components, as verified by LC-MS. Finally, animal model studies have shown the promoting effect of ZSQS administration on skeletal muscle injury repair and its possible antioxidant damage mechanism. Cell model studies further demonstrated that ZSQS-containing serum, core active ingredient combination therapy, and quercetin monomer could increase the phosphorylation level of AKT, promote the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, upregulate the expression of downstream antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and GR), and inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α), thereby alleviating oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. ConclusionZSQS alleviates skeletal muscle injury mainly by activating the AKT/Nrf2 signaling pathway, enhancing cellular antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the clinical application and modernized development of ZSQS.

With the accelerating trend of population aging, the number of elderly patients with lung cancer continues to rise, and the disease burden is becoming increasingly heavy. The clinical management of these patients faces severe challenges due to their decreased physiological reserve, complex comorbidities, and significant individual heterogeneity. Consequently, under traditional diagnosis and treatment models, doctors often struggle to identify the individualized risks of elderly patients in a timely and comprehensive manner, which can easily lead to decision biases such as undertreatment or overtreatment. In view of this, this study advocates for the establishment of an umbrella decision-making model specifically tailored for elderly lung cancer patients. Grounded in a multidisciplinary team (MDT) platform, this model deeply integrates oncological indicators with the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) system. By holistically considering multidimensional variables including tumor burden, organ function, frailty index, cognitive status, and social support, the model establishes an operational mechanism characterized by "single entry, precise stratification, and targeted selection". Accordingly, patients can be scientifically triaged into distinct intervention tiers, such as active surveillance, minimally invasive surgery, drug therapy, radiotherapy, and best supportive care, thereby achieving real-time alignment between treatment intensity and patient fitness. This article elaborates on the construction logic and key operational procedures of this novel decision-making framework, aiming to guide clinical practice beyond the limitations of a tumor-centric perspective toward a holistic, dynamic, whole-course management strategy. This transition seeks to ensure optimal quality of life and clinical net benefit for elderly patients alongside survival prolongation.

Objective To explore factors associated with early postoperative hormonal remission in patients with prolactinoma and to develop prediction models based on clinical and radiological features. Methods Data from 107 patients with prolactinoma who underwent transsphenoidal surgery at The First People’s Hospital of Huai’an, Nanjing Medical University between January 2020 and December 2024 was collected, included general clinical characteristics, preoperative laboratory indicators, and imaging features. Based on whether early postoperative prolactin (PRL) levels normalized, patients were divided into a remission group (n=76) and a non-remission group (n=31). Univariate logistic regression was used for preliminary evaluation of candidate variables, followed by LASSO regression for feature selection. Multiple machine learning models were constructed, including logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, K-nearest neighbors, naive Bayes, decision tree, neural network, and gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT). All models were trained and evaluated using ten-fold cross-validation, with comprehensive assessment of model performance based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F1 score. Results The maximum diameter of tumors in the non remission group was larger than that in the remission group (P=0.019), and the incidence of tumor stroke and preoperative PRL levels were significantly higher than those in the remission group (P＜0.001). Univariate analysis showed that sex, maximum tumor diameter, tumor stroke, and preoperative PRL levels were influencing factors for early postoperative hormone response in patients with prolactinoma (P＜0.05). The comparison results of machine learning models show that the neural network model performs the best (AUC=0.921) and has good clinical application value, followed by the GBDT model (AUC=0.893) and the support vector machine model (AUC=0.884). Other models also show certain predictive ability. Conclusions Sex, preoperative PRL levels, maximum tumor diameter, Hounsfield unit value, and tumor stroke are important factors affecting early hormone response after prolactinoma surgery. The machine learning model constructed based on the above variables has good predictive performance, and performs the best and has good clinical application value.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Objective To explore the application value of computed tomography (CT) three-dimensional reconstruction in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods A total of 102 patients who underwent TKA in our hospital between April 2022 and April 2025 were enrolled and divided using a random number table into a traditional group (51 cases, routine preoperative evaluation) and a study group (51 cases, CT three-dimensional reconstruction-assisted surgery). The therapeutic efficacy at 3 months postoperatively and perioperative indicators were compared between the two groups. The hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle was measured preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were recorded preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Complications were documented. Results The excellent/good rate in the study group (92.16%) was higher than that in the traditional group (74.51%) (P<0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital stay in the study group were (69.52 ± 7.11) min, (102.69 ± 8.54) mL, (167.33 ± 12.35) mL, and (10.93 ± 2.37) days, respectively, which were shorter than those in the traditional group [(78.45 ± 5.98) min, (108.36 ± 10.02) mL, (175.96 ± 14.93) mL, and (12.04 ± 1.95) days] (P<0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the HKA angle was 178.02° ± 1.05° in the study group and 177.45° ± 1.34° in the traditional group, both were significantly improved compared with those before operation, with the study group showing better improvement (P<0.05). The HSS knee and WOMAC scores in both groups at 3 and 6 months postoperatively were improved compared with preoperative scores (P<0.05). At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the study group showed higher HSS knee score and lower WOMAC score than the traditional group (P<0.05). The incidence of complications in the study group (3.92%) was lower than that in the traditional group (17.65%) (P<0.05). Conclusion TKA guided by CT three-dimensional reconstruction improved the excellent/good rate, optimized HKA angle and knee function, shortened operation time and hospital stay, reduced intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drainage volume, and decreased the incidence of complications.

Objective To explore the application value of computed tomography (CT) three-dimensional reconstruction in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods A total of 102 patients who underwent TKA in our hospital between April 2022 and April 2025 were enrolled and divided using a random number table into a traditional group (51 cases, routine preoperative evaluation) and a study group (51 cases, CT three-dimensional reconstruction-assisted surgery). The therapeutic efficacy at 3 months postoperatively and perioperative indicators were compared between the two groups. The hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle was measured preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were recorded preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Complications were documented. Results The excellent/good rate in the study group (92.16%) was higher than that in the traditional group (74.51%) (P<0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital stay in the study group were (69.52 ± 7.11) min, (102.69 ± 8.54) mL, (167.33 ± 12.35) mL, and (10.93 ± 2.37) days, respectively, which were shorter than those in the traditional group [(78.45 ± 5.98) min, (108.36 ± 10.02) mL, (175.96 ± 14.93) mL, and (12.04 ± 1.95) days] (P<0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the HKA angle was 178.02° ± 1.05° in the study group and 177.45° ± 1.34° in the traditional group, both were significantly improved compared with those before operation, with the study group showing better improvement (P<0.05). The HSS knee and WOMAC scores in both groups at 3 and 6 months postoperatively were improved compared with preoperative scores (P<0.05). At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the study group showed higher HSS knee score and lower WOMAC score than the traditional group (P<0.05). The incidence of complications in the study group (3.92%) was lower than that in the traditional group (17.65%) (P<0.05). Conclusion TKA guided by CT three-dimensional reconstruction improved the excellent/good rate, optimized HKA angle and knee function, shortened operation time and hospital stay, reduced intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drainage volume, and decreased the incidence of complications.

Objective To explore the application value of computed tomography (CT) three-dimensional reconstruction in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods A total of 102 patients who underwent TKA in our hospital between April 2022 and April 2025 were enrolled and divided using a random number table into a traditional group (51 cases, routine preoperative evaluation) and a study group (51 cases, CT three-dimensional reconstruction-assisted surgery). The therapeutic efficacy at 3 months postoperatively and perioperative indicators were compared between the two groups. The hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle was measured preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score were recorded preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Complications were documented. Results The excellent/good rate in the study group (92.16%) was higher than that in the traditional group (74.51%) (P<0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, and hospital stay in the study group were (69.52 ± 7.11) min, (102.69 ± 8.54) mL, (167.33 ± 12.35) mL, and (10.93 ± 2.37) days, respectively, which were shorter than those in the traditional group [(78.45 ± 5.98) min, (108.36 ± 10.02) mL, (175.96 ± 14.93) mL, and (12.04 ± 1.95) days] (P<0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the HKA angle was 178.02° ± 1.05° in the study group and 177.45° ± 1.34° in the traditional group, both were significantly improved compared with those before operation, with the study group showing better improvement (P<0.05). The HSS knee and WOMAC scores in both groups at 3 and 6 months postoperatively were improved compared with preoperative scores (P<0.05). At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the study group showed higher HSS knee score and lower WOMAC score than the traditional group (P<0.05). The incidence of complications in the study group (3.92%) was lower than that in the traditional group (17.65%) (P<0.05). Conclusion TKA guided by CT three-dimensional reconstruction improved the excellent/good rate, optimized HKA angle and knee function, shortened operation time and hospital stay, reduced intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drainage volume, and decreased the incidence of complications.