1.Advances in computational approaches to herbal prescription recommendation in traditional Chinese medicine: A review
Xin DONG ; Geyan PAN ; Juxian TANG ; Xuchen ZHANG ; Yutong HOU ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiaohan MAO ; Zhipeng KE ; Zongyao ZHAO ; Xuezhong ZHOU
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;4(2):119-131
Intelligent prescription recommendation has become an important research direction in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), offering new opportunities to support clinical decision-making and promote the modernization of TCM practice. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), a variety of computational approaches have been proposed to learn prescription patterns from clinical data and generate personalized treatment recommendations. However, despite increasing research activity, systematic and comprehensive reviews of AI-driven methods for TCM prescription recommendation remain limited. In this study, we present a comprehensive review of computational approaches for herbal prescription recommendation (HPR) in TCM. Existing methods are systematically categorized into several major paradigms, including traditional machine learning methods, topic model methods, sequential generative methods, deep learning and graph-based methods, and large language model–based frameworks. In addition to summarizing methodological developments, we also review commonly used public datasets and evaluation metrics in this field. Furthermore, representative models with publicly available implementations are experimentally evaluated on multiple benchmark datasets to provide a comparative analysis of their performance on the HPR task. Finally, we discuss the key challenges that hinder the practical deployment of intelligent prescription recommendation systems, including data heterogeneity, limited interpretability, and insufficient integration of TCM domain knowledge. Future research directions are outlined to facilitate the development of more reliable, interpretable, and clinically applicable AI-assisted HPR systems for TCM.
2.Preliminary evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a self-prepared activated prothrombin complex concentrate
Xu PAN ; Yuwei HUANG ; Liehuo MAO ; Pan SUN ; Changqing LI ; Xi DU ; Li MA
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(8):1004-1011
Objective: To evaluate the in vitro procoagulant efficacy and in vivo potential thrombogenic risk of self-prepared activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC). Methods: The preparation was administered at a dose of 0.5 IU per milliliter of plasma. For in vitro assays, the self-prepared aPCC concentrate was added to plasma spiked with factorⅧ (FⅧ) inhibitors. Calibrated automated thrombin generation (CAT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and fibrinogen (Fib) quantification were performed. Normal saline and FEIBA
were set as controls to evaluate the procoagulant capacity of the self-prepared aPCC concentrate. For in vivo animal studies, the self-prepared aPCC concentrate was injected into rats via the jugular vein. A ferric chloride (FeCl3) filter paper patch was applied to induce carotid arterial thrombosis. Laser speckle blood flow imaging was used to continuously monitor thrombus formation in the rat carotid artery. Plasma samples were collected from rats for CAT, PT, APTT, TT and Fib testing, with normal saline and FEIBA
as controls to evaluate the potential thrombogenic risk of the self-prepared aPCC concentrate. Results: Supplementation with aPCC significantly shortened APTT and PT values in inhibitor-spiked plasma (all P<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in APTT and PT between FEIBA
and self-prepared aPCC (P>0.05). CAT results demonstrated that adding aPCC to inhibitor-containing plasma markedly increased endoge-nous thrombin potential (ETP) and peak thrombin concentration (Peak) (P<0.001), with both parameters higher than those of normal plasma (P<0.05). No significant intergroup difference in ETP was observed between self-prepared aPCC and FEIBA
(P>0.05). Carotid blood flow imaging in rats revealed that, compared with FEIBA
, thrombi induced by self-prepared aPCC were smaller and less stable, and all underwent spontaneous lysis, accompanied by better restoration of carotid blood perfusion. Conclusion: The self-prepared aPCC restores coagulation function in inhibitor-spiked plasma to a comparable extent as FEIBA
, while exhibiting a lower thrombogenic risk.
3.Exploring Mechanism of Luoshi Neiyi Prescription in Treating Endometriosis Based on Ferroptosis and Serum Metabolomics
Haixia PAN ; Yingqiao ZHONG ; Ting MAO ; Ziyi DENG ; Meilin WU ; Lei HUANG ; Siyang CHEN ; Yong GUO ; Ying ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):201-212
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Luoshi Neiyi prescription treats endometriosis (EMs) through regulating ferroptosis, and to screen key metabolites and analyze their association with ferroptosis. MethodsClinical samples of normal endometrium from patients without EMs and eutopic and ectopic endometrium from EMs patients (10 cases each) were collected and divided into control group, eutopic group, and EMs group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe ectopic lesions of EMs. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), ferrous ion (Fe2+), GPX4 and glutathione (GSH) in endometrial tissues, as well as serum levels of Fe2+, GPX4 and GSH. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of SLC7A11, GPX4, transferrin receptor (TFR) and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1). In the in vitro experiment, primary stromal cells were isolated from ectopic lesions of EMs patients. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to determine the optimal concentration of drug-containing serum for intervention. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured, and Real-time PCR was applied to detect ferroptosis-related indicators. In the animal experiments, an EM rat model was established, and the rats were randomly assigned to the sham operation group, EMs group, low-dose Luoshi Neiyi Formula group (7.87 g·kg-1), high-dose Luoshi Neiyi prescription group (15.74 g·kg-1), and danazol group (42 mg·kg-1). Untargeted metabolomics detection and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted on serum samples from patients and rats. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between differential metabolites and ferroptosis indicators. The correlations between differential metabolites in patient endometrium and serum and key ferroptosis indicators (GPX4, Fe2+, MDA, GSH) as well as ferroptosis-related mRNAs (GPX4, SLC7A11, FTH1) were analyzed, and correlation heatmaps were generated accordingly. ResultsCompared with normal eutopic endometrium, ectopic lesions in EMs patients showed glandular disorganization and stromal fibrosis. In ectopic endometrium, the contents of MDA, ROS, and Fe2+ decreased, while GPX4 level increased, and the mRNA expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 was upregulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). In serum, the levels of GPX4 and Fe2+ were elevated, whereas the GSH level declined, suggesting abnormalities in ferroptosis-related pathways in ectopic lesions (P<0.05, P<0.01). After intervention with Luoshi Neiyi prescription-containing serum, the intracellular ROS level in ectopic endometrial stromal cells was elevated, the mRNA expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 was downregulated, and TFR mRNA expression was upregulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). Metabolomics analysis revealed 1104 and 198 differential metabolites in EMs patients and EMs rats, respectively, compared with their corresponding control groups, and both low-dose and high-dose Luoshi Neiyi prescription were found to regulate this metabolic disturbance, with the core regulatory pathways mainly involving arginine and proline metabolism. Correlation analysis showed that the glycerophospholipids including PI(16∶0/17∶0) and PI[18∶2(9Z,12Z)] were negatively correlated with GPX4 and positively correlated with MDA, while 17α-hydroxyprogesterone was positively correlated with GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 q<0.05). ConclusionLuoshi Neiyi prescription may systematically ameliorate disease-associated metabolic dysregulation via modulation of the serum arginine and proline metabolism pathway, and may regulate ferroptosis in ectopic lesions through a mechanism potentially linked to the serum glycerophospholipid and steroid metabolism pathways. Collectively, these findings provide experimental evidence for the clinical application of Luoshi Neiyi prescription.
4.Exploring Mechanism of Luoshi Neiyi Prescription in Treating Endometriosis Based on Ferroptosis and Serum Metabolomics
Haixia PAN ; Yingqiao ZHONG ; Ting MAO ; Ziyi DENG ; Meilin WU ; Lei HUANG ; Siyang CHEN ; Yong GUO ; Ying ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):201-212
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Luoshi Neiyi prescription treats endometriosis (EMs) through regulating ferroptosis, and to screen key metabolites and analyze their association with ferroptosis. MethodsClinical samples of normal endometrium from patients without EMs and eutopic and ectopic endometrium from EMs patients (10 cases each) were collected and divided into control group, eutopic group, and EMs group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe ectopic lesions of EMs. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), ferrous ion (Fe2+), GPX4 and glutathione (GSH) in endometrial tissues, as well as serum levels of Fe2+, GPX4 and GSH. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of SLC7A11, GPX4, transferrin receptor (TFR) and ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1). In the in vitro experiment, primary stromal cells were isolated from ectopic lesions of EMs patients. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to determine the optimal concentration of drug-containing serum for intervention. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured, and Real-time PCR was applied to detect ferroptosis-related indicators. In the animal experiments, an EM rat model was established, and the rats were randomly assigned to the sham operation group, EMs group, low-dose Luoshi Neiyi Formula group (7.87 g·kg-1), high-dose Luoshi Neiyi prescription group (15.74 g·kg-1), and danazol group (42 mg·kg-1). Untargeted metabolomics detection and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted on serum samples from patients and rats. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between differential metabolites and ferroptosis indicators. The correlations between differential metabolites in patient endometrium and serum and key ferroptosis indicators (GPX4, Fe2+, MDA, GSH) as well as ferroptosis-related mRNAs (GPX4, SLC7A11, FTH1) were analyzed, and correlation heatmaps were generated accordingly. ResultsCompared with normal eutopic endometrium, ectopic lesions in EMs patients showed glandular disorganization and stromal fibrosis. In ectopic endometrium, the contents of MDA, ROS, and Fe2+ decreased, while GPX4 level increased, and the mRNA expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 was upregulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). In serum, the levels of GPX4 and Fe2+ were elevated, whereas the GSH level declined, suggesting abnormalities in ferroptosis-related pathways in ectopic lesions (P<0.05, P<0.01). After intervention with Luoshi Neiyi prescription-containing serum, the intracellular ROS level in ectopic endometrial stromal cells was elevated, the mRNA expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 was downregulated, and TFR mRNA expression was upregulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). Metabolomics analysis revealed 1104 and 198 differential metabolites in EMs patients and EMs rats, respectively, compared with their corresponding control groups, and both low-dose and high-dose Luoshi Neiyi prescription were found to regulate this metabolic disturbance, with the core regulatory pathways mainly involving arginine and proline metabolism. Correlation analysis showed that the glycerophospholipids including PI(16∶0/17∶0) and PI[18∶2(9Z,12Z)] were negatively correlated with GPX4 and positively correlated with MDA, while 17α-hydroxyprogesterone was positively correlated with GPX4, SLC7A11, and FTH1 q<0.05). ConclusionLuoshi Neiyi prescription may systematically ameliorate disease-associated metabolic dysregulation via modulation of the serum arginine and proline metabolism pathway, and may regulate ferroptosis in ectopic lesions through a mechanism potentially linked to the serum glycerophospholipid and steroid metabolism pathways. Collectively, these findings provide experimental evidence for the clinical application of Luoshi Neiyi prescription.
5.80 kVp combined with artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction in lower extremity CT angiography of diabetic foot
Yichuan LIANG ; Huiying WANG ; Mingrui SONG ; Haonan ZHAO ; Quanliang MAO ; Yuning PAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(4):548-552
Objective To observe the value of 80 kVp combined with artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction(AIIR)in lower extremity CT angiography(CTA)of diabetic foot.Methods Sixty patients with diabetic foot were prospectively enrolled and divided into experimental group and control group(each n=30).Lower extremity CTA was performed using 80 kVp combined with AIIR in experimental group,while using 120 kVp combined with hybrid iterative reconstruction(HIR)in control group.The subjective and objective evaluation results of imaging quality,as well as the radiation dose of scanning were compared between groups.Results Compared with control group,images in experimental group showed higher subjective scores(5[5,5]vs.4[4,4]),displayed more branches of lower limb arteries(both P<0.05),while the radiation dose decreased by 59.76% ([8.29±0.53]mSv vs.[20.60±2.42]mSv).CT values,signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)of each lower extremity artery segments were higher,while the noise of each lower extremity artery segments in experimental group were lower than those in control group(all P<0.05).Conclusion 80 kVp combined with AIIR could reduce radiation dose and improve imaging quality of lower extremity CTA of diabetic foot,hence being helpful to displaying small arteries of lower extremity,such as dorsalis pedis arteries and common plantar metatarsal arteries.
6.Study on the diagnostic value of inflammatory markers, clinical characteristics in patients with different prognoses, and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis for Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection
Meixiu PAN ; Xiujian MENG ; Weijian LIN ; Yingying MAI ; Debin MAO
Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2025;45(8):649-656
Objective:To analyze the diagnostic value of inflammatory markers, clinical characteristics of patients with different prognoses, and variations in antimicrobial susceptibility testing for Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection. Methods:This study involved 166 patients with positive blood cultures for Klebsiella pneumoniae from January 2018 to May 2023 as the Klebsiella pneumoniae-positive group, and 100 patients with negative blood culture results as the negative group. The diagnostic value of inflammatory markers for Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The differences in C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels between Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections and non- Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections were analyzed. According to the prognoses, 166 patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection were divided into two groups: favorable outcome group (105 cases) and adverse outcome group (61 cases). Clinical features, infection sites, empirical use of antibiotics, and antimicrobial susceptibility were compared between the patients with different outcomes. Results:The percentage of neutrophils ( Z=-3.645, P<0.001), CRP level ( Z=-6.809, P<0.001), and PCT level ( Z=-8.214, P<0.001) were significantly higher in the Klebsiella pneumoniae-positive group than in the negative group. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values for CRP and PCT in diagnosing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection were 0.755 and 0.849, respectively. There were variations in CRP ( H=20.902, P<0.001) and PCT ( H=33.521, P<0.001) levels among patients with bloodstream infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, other common negative bacilli, common positive cocci, or Candida. The body temperature, albumin level, hemoglobin level, and length of hospital stay in the adverse outcome group were lower than those in the favorable outcome group ( P<0.05). Besides, the incidence of invasive operation, organ failure, shock, and rescue were also lower in the adverse outcome group ( P<0.05). In the adverse outcome group, co-infections mainly involved respiratory infections, accounting for 60.7% (37/61). Respiratory infections (49.5%, 52/105) were also the predominant co-infections in the favorable outcome group, followed by hepatobiliary infections (34.3%, 36/105). The pathogenic bacteria cultured from different infection sites were mainly Klebsiella pneumoniae. In the favorable outcome group, fluoroquinolones were the most commonly used medications for empirical therapy, with a usage rate of 76.2% (80/105), followed by β-lactamase inhibitor complex preparations (68.6%, 72/105), the usage rate of which were significantly higher than those in the adverse outcome group ( P<0.05). Carbapenems were the preferred drugs for the adverse outcome group, with a usage rate of up to 62.3% (38/61), which was significantly higher than that in the favorable outcome group ( P<0.05). The adverse outcome group showed high resistance rates to ciprofloxacin (40.98%, 25/61) and levofloxacin (37.7%, 23/61), while the resistance rates were 22.86% (24/105) and 32.38% (34/105) in the favorable outcome group. The resistance rates to other drugs were low and there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:PCT and CRP have certain value in diagnosing bloodstream infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, and have certain reference significance for differentiating bloodstream infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and Candida species. The source of bloodstream infection in patients with adverse outcome may be the respiratory system, while in patients with favorable outcome, the main sources of bloodstream infection may be the respiratory and hepatobiliary systems. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing reveals the highest resistance rate to fluoroquinolones. Given their frequent use in empirical therapy, this may lead to treatment failure. Notably, carbapenems are more commonly administered as empirical antibiotics in the adverse outcome group.
7.Detection rate and associated factors of knee bone marrow edema-like signals in amateur marathon runners
Yong CHEN ; Jie LIU ; Li ZHANG ; Xinmiao MAO ; Wanzhen YAO ; Jing ZHOU ; Jianping DING ; Shinong PAN ; Jian ZHAO ; Yanjing ZHANG
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(10):1269-1275
Objective:To evaluate the detection rate, anatomical distribution, and influencing factors of bone marrow edema-like signal (BMELS) in the knees of amateur marathon runners.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. This study publicly recruited amateur marathon runners through the Hangzhou Long-distance Running Association from January 2019 to December 2024. Based on knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results, participants were divided into a BMELS-positive group (BMELS present in at least one knee) and a BMELS-negative group. General clinical information was collected from participants using a questionnaire. All participants underwent a knee MRI scan to screen for the presence of BMELS and to assess its severity. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the associated factors of BMELS in amateur marathon runners, while Spearman′s correlation analysis assessed the correlation between BMELS grade and these factors.Results:A total of 60 subjects (120 knee joints) were enrolled, including 39 males (65%), aged (40.0±8.4) years. Of these, 39 were in the BMELS-positive group, and 21 were in the BMELS-negative group. The BMELS detection rate for the 120 knee joints of these 60 subjects was 53.3% (64/120). BMELS were detected in 43.3%(52/120) of the femur, 34.2% (41/120) of tibia and 17.5% (21/120) of patella. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an independent positive correlation between monthly running volume and knee BMELS in amateur marathon runners ( OR=1.007, 95% CI: 1.000-1.013, P=0.035). Spearman′s correlation analysis showed a weak positive correlation between the BMELS grade of the knees and the monthly running volume of amateur marathon runners ( r s=0.360, P=0.005). Conclusions:The detection rate of knee BMELS is high in amateur marathon runners, and they are distributed in a way that is characteristic of the region, with a higher incidence in the medial femoral condyle. In this population, monthly running volume is independently associated with knee BMELS, with a higher grade associated with greater monthly running volume.
8.A Case Report of Mitochondrial Diabetes Mellitus Caused by Large Fragment Deletion of Mitochondrial Gene and Literature Review
Ran LI ; Jinhao LIAO ; Hanhui FU ; Hui PAN ; Yuxiu LI ; Jiangfeng MAO ; Hongbo YANG ; Huabing ZHANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):634-640
Mitochondrial diabetes mellitus(MDM)is a genetically heterogeneous disorder caused by mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA)or nuclear DNA mutations,characterized by multi-system involvement and diverse clinical phenotypes.We report a pediatric case presenting with growth retardation followed by subsequent development of diabetes mellitus.Systematic evaluation revealed concurrent bilateral sensorineural hearing loss,bilateral basal ganglia calcification,and electroencephalographic abnormalities.A post-exercise lactate test demonstrated significant elevation of serum lactate levels immediately after physical exertion.Genetic analysis identified a large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletion spanning from m.8649 to m.16084.This case re-port is complemented by a literature review focusing on the pathogenesis,genetic characteristics,and therapeu-tic approaches of mitochondrial diabetes,with particular emphasis on mitochondrial disorders exhibiting large-scale mtDNA deletions alongside diabetic manifestations.Our comprehensive analysis aims to enhance clinical understanding and inform diagnostic strategies for this complex disease entity.
9.Comparison of Domestic and International Regulations on Blood Products and Insights
Hongbo PAN ; Yingying LIU ; Pei MAO ; Michael WENDT ; Wei ZHANG ; Zhihua YUE ; Zhigang ZHAO
Herald of Medicine 2025;44(8):1250-1256
The blood products industry in China,the United States,the European Union and Japan are at different stages of development,with very different laws,regulations and regulatory systems.This paper uses methods such as literature review,policy comparison,and case study.By analyzing and comparing the blood product regulatory policies in various countries,it is found that compared with the United States,the European Union and Japan,China has differences in several areas,including plasma quarantine period,plasma fractionation processes and intermediate products,segmented production of blood products,and import management policies.It is suggested that we should learn from foreign regulatory experiences,and explore the establishment of blood product regulatory policies suitable for China's national conditions.Recommendations include optimizing China's source plasma quarantine period and blood product production process management policies,promoting multiple sites and segmented production of blood products,and establishing flexible blood product import and export management systems.These measures aim to provide references for promoting the development of the blood product industry and improving the accessibility of medications for the public.
10.Isolation and application value of Yersinia enterocolitica phage strain in Yunnan Province
Shaogui ZI ; Chunpeng MAO ; Pan LIU ; Fengyi YANG ; Haipeng ZHANG ; Peng WANG ; Youhong ZHONG
Chinese Journal of Endemiology 2025;44(3):173-178
Objective:To isolate Yersinia enterocolitica phage and study its biological and genomic characteristics, and explore its application value. Methods:Phages were isolated from cecum of Apodemus chevrieri in the plague focus of wild rodent in Lijiang employing Yersinia enterocolitica (CMCC52301) as the host strain. After purification, proliferation and concentration, the morphology was observed by transmission electron microscope, and the host spectrum of the phage was determined by double-layer plate method. Phage DNA was extracted and sequenced, and the raw sequences data were assembled and visually analyzed, also performed genome functional annotation, phage classification status, phylogenetic tree, genome collinearity analysis, etc. Results:One strain of Yersinia enterocolitica phage was isolated and named vB_Yen_YN301-151, which had a head and a contractile tail. The phage only lysed Yersinia enterocolitica, and could not lyse other tested strains. And at a lysis temperature of 37 ℃, more transparent plaques were observed compared to at a lysis temperature of 21 ℃. The gene structure of this phage was double-stranded DNA, with a genome length of 51 176 bp and a GC content of 46.96%, and 95 genes were predicted to encode 15 structural morphological related proteins, 9 proteins involved in replication and metabolism, 3 DNA assembly functional proteins, 1 phage lysis related protein, and 67 hypothetical proteins. It was identified that the phage belong to the Drexlerviridae family of the Caudoviricetes class, clustered with vB_YenM_534, vB_Yen_X1, vB_YenM_281, and vB_YenM_531 in the phylogenetic tree and exhibited good collinearity with PY100, vB_YenM_ 25, and vB_Yen_X1. Conclusions:The successfully isolated vB_Yen_YN301-151 is a novel phage belonging to the Drexlerviridae family, and its gene encoded proteins are mostly hypothetical proteins. It only lyses Yersinia enterocolitica, with host specificity and has the potential to be used as diagnostic phage for screening Yersinia enterocolitica.

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