Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) represents a paradigmatic approach to personalized medicine, developed through the systematic accumulation and refinement of clinical empirical data over more than 2000 years, and now encompasses large-scale electronic medical records (EMR) and experimental molecular data. Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated its utility in medicine through the development of various expert systems (e.g., MYCIN) since the 1970s. With the emergence of deep learning and large language models (LLMs), AI's potential in medicine shows considerable promise. Consequently, the integration of AI and TCM from both clinical and scientific perspectives presents a fundamental and promising research direction. This survey provides an insightful overview of TCM AI research, summarizing related research tasks from three perspectives: systems-level biological mechanism elucidation, real-world clinical evidence inference, and personalized clinical decision support. The review highlights representative AI methodologies alongside their applications in both TCM scientific inquiry and clinical practice. To critically assess the current state of the field, this work identifies major challenges and opportunities that constrain the development of robust research capabilities-particularly in the mechanistic understanding of TCM syndromes and herbal formulations, novel drug discovery, and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered clinical care. The findings underscore that future advancements in AI-driven TCM research will rely on the development of high-quality, large-scale data repositories; the construction of comprehensive and domain-specific knowledge graphs (KGs); deeper insights into the biological mechanisms underpinning clinical efficacy; rigorous causal inference frameworks; and intelligent, personalized decision support systems.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Precision Medicine ; Decision Support Systems, Clinical

BACKGROUND: T cell dysfunction, which includes exhaustion, anergy, and senescence, is a distinct T cell differentiation state that occurs after antigen exposure. Although T cell dysfunction has been a cornerstone of cancer immunotherapy, its potential in transplant research, while not yet as extensively explored, is attracting growing interest. Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) has been shown to play a pivotal role in inducing T cell dysfunction. METHODS: A novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin, targeting IRF4 inhibition, was employed to investigate T cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine secretion, expression of T-cell dysfunction-associated molecules, effects of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways, and allograft survival in both in vitro and BALB/c to C57BL/6 mouse cardiac transplantation models. RESULTS: In vitro , blockade of IRF4 in T cells effectively inhibited T cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and significantly upregulated the expression of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), Helios, CD160, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen (CTLA-4), markers of T cell dysfunction. Furthermore, it suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. Combining ultra-low-dose Trametinib (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) and Rapamycin (0.1 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) demonstrably extended graft survival, with 4 out of 5 mice exceeding 100 days post-transplantation. Moreover, analysis of grafts at day 7 confirmed sustained IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) inhibition, enhanced PD-1 expression, and suppressed IFN-γ secretion, reinforcing the in vivo efficacy of this IRF4-targeting approach. The combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically inhibited the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to a more pronounced suppression of IRF4 expression. CONCLUSIONS Targeting IRF4, a key regulator of T cell dysfunction, presents a promising avenue for inducing transplant immune tolerance. In this study, we demonstrate that a novel ultra-low-dose combination of Trametinib and Rapamycin synergistically suppresses the MAPK and mTOR signaling network, leading to profound IRF4 inhibition, promoting allograft acceptance, and offering a potential new therapeutic strategy for improved transplant outcomes. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and facilitate translation to clinical practice.
Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Interferon Regulatory Factors/metabolism* ; Heart Transplantation/methods* ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Sirolimus/therapeutic use* ; Pyridones/therapeutic use* ; Graft Survival/drug effects* ; Pyrimidinones/therapeutic use* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*

Performance appraisal of public hospitals have given a guidance for the development of public hospitals at all levels.A Class A tertiary hospital reviewed the problems in the development of the hospital at the present stage and focused on the following four aspects:①insufficient fine management;②No clear orientation of discipline development;③The bottleneck of the improvement of medical operation efficiency;④New challenges in the reform of payment mode.The tertiary hospital launched a fine management practice in May 2022,in order to solve the problems by taking the Department of Surgery as a pilot area,laying the foundation for fine management through information system construction,improving the efficiency of medical operation through management process optimization,improving the overall competitiveness of disciplines through the construction of sub-specialty and Discipline Alliance and adjusting the performance appraisal index system to play the role of performance incentives.The measures effectively improve the overall capacity and efficiency of hospital medical services and help the hospital to achieve high-quality development.

Objective To assess the value of cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)imaging for predicting adverse left ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and serial CMR(cine and LGE sequences)images of 86 STEMI patients within 1 week and 5 months after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),including 25 patients with adverse LV remodeling and 61 without adverse LV remodeling,defined as an increase of left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV)over 15%at the second CMR compared to the initial CMR.The CMR images were analyzed for LV volume,infarct characteristics,and global and infarct zone myocardial function.The independent predictors of adverse LV remodeling following STEMI were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Logistic regression methods.Results The initial CMR showed no significant differences in LV volume or LV ejection fraction(LVEF)between the two groups,but the infarct mass and microvascular obstructive(MVO)mass were significantly greater in adverse LV remodeling group(P<0.05).Myocardial injury and cardiac function of the patients recovered over time in both groups.At the second CMR,the patients with adverse LV remodeling showed a significantly lower LVEF,a larger left ventricular end-systolic volume index(LVESVI)and a greater extent of infarct mass(P<0.001)with lower global peak strains and strain rates in the radial,circumferential,and longitudinal directions(P<0.05),infarct zone peak strains in the 3 directions,and infarct zone peak radial and circumferential strain rates(P<0.05).The independent predictors for adverse LV remodeling following STEMI included the extent of infarct mass(AUC=0.793,95%CI:0.693-0.873;cut-off value:30.67%),radial diastolic peak strain rate(AUC=0.645,95%CI:0.534-0.745;cut-off value:0.58%),and RAAS inhibitor(AUC= 0.699,95%CI:0.590-0.793).Conclusion The extent of infarct mass,peak radial diastolic strain rate,and RAAS inhibitor are independent predictors of adverse LV remodeling following STEMI.

Background::Homoharringtonine (HHT) is an effective anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-tumor protein synthesis inhibitor that has been applied clinically. Here, we explored the therapeutic effects of HHT in a mouse heart transplant model.Methods::Healthy C57BL/6 mice were used to observe the toxicity of HHT in the liver, kidney, and hematology. A mouse heart transplantation model was constructed, and the potential mechanism of HHT prolonging allograft survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis, immunostaining, and bulk RNA sequencing analysis. The HHT-T cell crosstalk was modeled ex vivo to further verify the molecular mechanism of HHT-induced regulatory T cells (Tregs) differentiation. Results::HHT inhibited the activation and proliferation of T cells and promoted their apoptosis ex vivo. Treatment of 0.5 mg/kg HHT for 10 days significantly prolonged the mean graft survival time of the allografts from 7 days to 48 days ( P <0.001) without non-immune toxicity. The allografts had long-term survival after continuous HHT treatment for 28 days. HHT significantly reduced lymphocyte infiltration in the graft, and interferon-γ-secreting CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in the spleen ( P <0.01). HHT significantly increased the number of peripheral Tregs (about 20%, P <0.001) and serum interleukin (IL)-10 levels. HHT downregulated the expression of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway-related genes ( CD4, H2-Eb1, TRAT1, and CD74) and upregulated the expression of IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF) -β pathway-related genes and Treg signature genes ( CTLA4, Foxp3, CD74, and ICOS). HHT increased CD4 + Foxp3 + cells and Foxp3 expression ex vivo, and it enhanced the inhibitory function of inducible Tregs. Conclusions::HHT promotes Treg cell differentiation and enhances Treg suppressive function by attenuating the TCR signaling pathway and upregulating the expression of Treg signature genes and IL-10 levels, thereby promoting mouse heart allograft acceptance. These findings may have therapeutic implications for organ transplant recipients, particularly those with viral infections and malignancies, which require a more suitable anti-rejection medication.

Objective:To investigate the impact of early blood glucose fluctuations after acute multiple injuries on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods:This study was a case-control study. From March 2022 to March 2023, patients with acute multiple injuries who were admitted to the ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were selected. According to whether complicated with traumatic brain injury (TBI), the patients were divided into TBI group and non-TBI group. Early post-traumatic blood glucose fluctuations were observed, including stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH), initial blood glucose value on admission, blood glucose extreme, short-term glycemic variability (GV) and other related indicators. The 72-hour glucose coefficient of variation (Glu-CV) was used to reflect short-term GV. After 1 month, the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to assess the patient's symptoms of PTSD. The patients were divided into PTSD group and non-PTSD group according to PCL-5 score ≥38. The differences in short-term glucose fluctuations in each groups were compared; the risk factors of PTSD were analyzed by logistic regression; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value of related indicators on the incidence of PTSD.Results:159 patients with acute multiple injuries were selected and defined as the TBI group ( n=94) and non-TBI group ( n=65). The incidence of PTSD, PCL-5 scale scores, the incidence of SIH and 72 h Glu-CV in the TBI group were significantly higher than the non-TBI group (all P<0.05). The incidence of SIH and 72 h Glu-CV in the PTSD group were significantly higher than the non-PTSD group (both P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that 72 h Glu-CV ( OR=1.333, 95% CI: 1.028-1.727, P=0.030) was the independent risk factor for PTSD after acute multiple injuries, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.861 (95% CI: 0.789-0.933, P<0.001), the sensitivity was 62.9% and the specificity was 93.5%. Conclusion:Patients with acute multiple injuries with TBI are more likely to have early glucose fluctuations and develop PTSD, and increased short-term glucose variability is the independent risk factor for PTSD after acute multiple injuries.

Objective To assess the value of cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)imaging for predicting adverse left ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and serial CMR(cine and LGE sequences)images of 86 STEMI patients within 1 week and 5 months after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),including 25 patients with adverse LV remodeling and 61 without adverse LV remodeling,defined as an increase of left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV)over 15%at the second CMR compared to the initial CMR.The CMR images were analyzed for LV volume,infarct characteristics,and global and infarct zone myocardial function.The independent predictors of adverse LV remodeling following STEMI were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Logistic regression methods.Results The initial CMR showed no significant differences in LV volume or LV ejection fraction(LVEF)between the two groups,but the infarct mass and microvascular obstructive(MVO)mass were significantly greater in adverse LV remodeling group(P<0.05).Myocardial injury and cardiac function of the patients recovered over time in both groups.At the second CMR,the patients with adverse LV remodeling showed a significantly lower LVEF,a larger left ventricular end-systolic volume index(LVESVI)and a greater extent of infarct mass(P<0.001)with lower global peak strains and strain rates in the radial,circumferential,and longitudinal directions(P<0.05),infarct zone peak strains in the 3 directions,and infarct zone peak radial and circumferential strain rates(P<0.05).The independent predictors for adverse LV remodeling following STEMI included the extent of infarct mass(AUC=0.793,95%CI:0.693-0.873;cut-off value:30.67%),radial diastolic peak strain rate(AUC=0.645,95%CI:0.534-0.745;cut-off value:0.58%),and RAAS inhibitor(AUC= 0.699,95%CI:0.590-0.793).Conclusion The extent of infarct mass,peak radial diastolic strain rate,and RAAS inhibitor are independent predictors of adverse LV remodeling following STEMI.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion for ulcerative colitis (UC) and elucidate its mechanism by targeting the vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling pathway. Methods: A total of 63 patients with UC were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, treated with herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion) and a control group (33 cases, treated with sham herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion). Moxibustion treatment was performed at Qihai (CV6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37), 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The total effective rate, visual analog scale (VAS) score for abdominal bloating and pain, and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score were compared between the two groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and interleukin-12 (IL-12)/interleukin-23 (IL-23) p40. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression levels of VDR and regenerating gene Ⅳ (Reg Ⅳ) proteins in colonic mucosa. The expression levels of VDR, cytochrome p45027B1 (CYP27B1), and Reg Ⅳ mRNAs were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitive polymerase chain reaction. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was 86.7％, which was significantly higher than 51.5％ in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores for abdominal bloating and pain in the observation group were significantly decreased (P<0.01), as well as the HADS-depression subscale (HADS-D) and HADS-anxiety subscale (HADS) scores (P<0.05), while only the VAS score for abdominal pain in the control group was reduced (P<0.05), and the improvements of the scores in the observation group were more significant than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum CRP concentrations in both groups and the IL-12/IL-23 p40 concentration in the observation group were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the concentrations in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of VDR protein and mRNA in the colon in both groups were all increased (P<0.01), and the expression levels of Reg Ⅳ protein and mRNA and CYP27B1 mRNA were all decreased in the two groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01); the improvements in the observation group were more notable than those in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion: Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion can effectively alleviate abdominal pain and diarrhea in patients with UC, improve depression and anxiety disorders, and regulate the expression of related proteins in the VDR signaling pathway. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting intestinal inflammation by reducing the release of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-12/IL-23 p40.

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) or CDDP combined with simvastatin has been widely used to treat patients with myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases in China. However, the effect of CDDP on hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure is unknown. We constructed a new model of heart failure induced by hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LDL receptor (LDLR) dual deficient (ApoE^-/-LDLR^-/-) mice and investigated the effect of CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin on the heart failure. CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited heart injury by multiple actions including anti-myocardial dysfunction and anti-fibrosis. Mechanistically, both Wnt and lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) pathways were significantly activated in mice with heart injury. Conversely, CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited Wnt pathway by markedly up-regulating expression of Wnt inhibitors. While the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress by CDDP were achieved by inhibiting KDM4A expression and activity. In addition, CDDP attenuated simvastatin-induced myolysis in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our study suggests that CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin can be an effective therapy to reduce hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of newly-treated patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL).Methods:Clinical data of 117 newly-treated PCNSL patients who were admitted to the First Hospital of Jilin University, the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, and Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College from August 2009 to February 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) physical status (PS) score, pathological type, involvement of deep brain tissue, number of lesions, cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG) score, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) score, treatment strategy, and response after the first-line therapy were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to identify the independent influencing factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of PCNSL patients. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis.Results:In 117 newly-treated PCNSL patients, 59 cases (50.4%) presented with increased intracranial pressure or focal neurological symptoms at diagnosis; there were 65 cases (55.6%) with single lesions and 52 cases (44.4%) with multiple lesions; 1 patient (0.9%) had lymphoma of T-cell origin, and 116 cases (99.1%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Among 95 evaluable patients, 41 patients (43.2%) achieved complete remission (CR), 20 patients (21.1%) achieved partial remission (PR), 16 patients (16.8%) achieved stable disease (SD), and 18 patients (18.9%) had progressive disease (PD). In 117 patients with median follow-up of 66.0 months (95% CI 57.9-74.1 months), the median PFS and OS were 17.4 months (95% CI 11.5-23.3 months) and 45.6 months (95% CI 20.1-71.1 months), respectively. The 2-, 3- and 5-year PFS rates were 41.2%, 28.6% and 19.3%, and OS rates were 63.7%, 52.4% and 46.3%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline high-risk MSKCC score group was an adverse prognostic factor for PFS ( P = 0.037), and the first-line chemotherapy with ≥4 cycles of high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX), HDMTX in combination with rituximab, ≥4 cycles of rituximab in combination with HDMTX, and achieving CR or ≥PR after the first-line treatment reduced the risk of disease progression and prolonged the PFS time (all P <0.01); age >60 years old, ECOG-PS score of 2-4 points, elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, high-risk IELSG score, and high-risk MSKCC score were adverse prognostic factors for OS, and ≥4 cycles of HDMTX and achieving CR or ≥PR after the first-line treatment were favorable factors for OS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis verified that rituximab in combination with HDMTX (yes vs. no: HR = 0.349, 95% CI 0.133-0.912, P = 0.032) and achieving ≥PR after the first-line chemotherapy (yes vs. no: HR = 0.028, 95% CI 0.004-0.195, P < 0.001) were independent favorable factors for PFS; age >60 years old (>60 years old vs. ≤60 years old: HR = 10.878, 95% CI 1.807-65.488, P = 0.009) was independent unfavorable factor for OS, while ≥4 cycles of HDMTX treatment (≥4 cycles vs. <4 cycles: HR = 0.225, 95% CI 0.053-0.947, P = 0.042) was independent favorable factor for OS. Conclusions:The older the PCNSL patients at initial treatment, the worse the prognosis. Intensive and continuous treatment for achieving deeper remission may be the key for improving the outcome of PCNSL patients.