1.STAR Guideline Terminology (I): Planning and Launching
Zhewei LI ; Qianling SHI ; Hui LIU ; Xufei LUO ; Zijun WANG ; Jinhui TIAN ; Long GE ; Yaolong CHEN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(1):216-223
To develop a guideline terminology system and promote its standardization, thereby enhancing medical staff's accurate understanding and correct application of guidelines. A systematic search was conducted for guideline development manuals and method ological literature (as of October 25, 2024). After screening, relevant terms from the guideline planning and launching stages were extracted and standardized. The term list and definitions were finalized through discussion and evaluation at a consensus conference. A total of 36 guideline manuals and 14 method ological articles were included, and 27 core terms were identified. The standardization of guideline terminology is essential for improving guideline quality, facilitating interdisciplinary communication, and enhancing other related aspects. It is recommended that efforts to advance the standardization and continuous updating of the terminology system should be prioritized in the future to support the high-quality development of guidelines.
2.STAR Guideline Terminology(Ⅱ): Clinical Question Formulation, Evidence Retrieval and Appraisal, and Recommendation Development
Di ZHU ; Haodong LI ; Zijun WANG ; Qianling SHI ; Hui LIU ; Yishan QIN ; Yuanyuan YAO ; Zhewei LI ; Hongfeng HE ; Jinhui TIAN ; Long GE ; Yaolong CHEN ;
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):756-764
To introduce and analyze guideline terminology related to clinical question formulation, evidence retrieval and appraisal, and recommendation development. A systematic search was conducted in guideline development manuals and relevant methodological literature, covering publications up to October 25, 2024. Terminology related to the three aforementioned stages of related to guideline development was extracted from the included literature, standardized, and refined through consensus meetings to finalize a comprehensive terminology list and definitions. A total of 30 guideline development manuals and 15 methodological articles were included, and 23 core terms were identified. It is recommended to develop a standardized and scientifically sound guideline terminology system with unified naming, clear definitions, and alignment with the linguistic environment and usage habits in China. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen terminology training for both guideline developers and users based on this system, in order to deepen their correct understanding and proper application of guideline terminology.
3.Advances and prospects of the integration of multi-omics and artificial intelligence in traditional Chinese medicine research
Guicheng Liu ; Xi Long ; Qinghua PENG ; Sainan Tian ; Shujuan Hu
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):300-312
Objective:
To map the research hotspots, developmental trends, and existing challenges in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with multi-omics in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through comprehensive bibliometric analysis.
Methods:
China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Chaoxing Journal Database, PubMed, and Web of Science were searched to collect literature on the theme of AI in TCM multi-omics research from the inception of each database to December 31, 2024. Eligible records were required to simultaneously address AI, TCM, and multi-omics. Quantitative and visual analyses of publication growth, core authorship networks, institutional collaboration patterns, and keyword co-occurrence were performed using Microsoft Excel 2021, NoteExpress v4.0.0, and Cite Space 6.3.R1. AI application modes in TCM multi-omics research were also categorized and summarized.
Results:
A total of 1 106 articles were enrolled (932 Chinese and 174 English). Publication output has increased continuously since 2010 and accelerated after 2016. Region-specific collaboration clusters were identified, dominated by Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed that current AI applications predominantly centered on metabolomics and algorithms such as cluster analysis and data mining. Research foci mainly ranked as follows: single herbs, herbal formulae, and disease-syndrome differentiation.
Conclusion
Machine learning methods are the predominant integrative modality of AI in the realm of TCM multi-omics research at present, utilized for processing omics data and uncovering latent patterns therein. The domain of TCM, in addition to investigating omics information procured through high-throughput technologies, also integrates data on traditional Chinese medicinal substances and clinical phenotypes, progressing towards joint analysis of multi-omics, high-dimensionality of data, and multi-modality of information. Deep learning approaches represent an emerging trend in the field.
4.Enhancing Disciplinary Development Through Journal Columns: Taking the "Clinical Practice Guidelines"Column in Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital as an Example
Meihua WU ; Hui LIU ; Qi ZHOU ; Qianling SHI ; Na LI ; Yule LI ; Xiaoqing LIU ; Kehu YANG ; Jinhui TIAN ; Long GE ; Bin MA ; Xiuxia LI ; Xuping SONG ; Xiaohui WANG ; Yaolong CHEN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1315-1324
To explore the role of the "Clinical Practice Guidelines" column and others in the We collected papers published by the Lanzhou University Evidence-Based Medicine Center team in the "Clinical Practice Guidelines" column and others from 2018 to 2025. These publications were analyzed across multiple dimensions, including authorship and institutional affiliations, citation metrics, and research themes and content. A total of 59 papers were included in the analysis, with authors representing 70 domestie and international research institutions. The cumulative citation count was 639, with the highest single-paper citation frequency reaching 101. The average citation per paper was 10.8, and total downloads exceeded 30 000. The content focused on key themes such as guideline terminology, development methodology, guideline evaluation, and dissemination and implementation. The evolution of research topics progressed from critiques of common misconceptions and hot topies in the field to multidimensional evaluations of thecurrent state of Chinese guidelines, culminating in the fommulation of industry standards for guidelines. These contributions have provided critical references for translating guideline theory into practice in China and have garnered widespread attention and discussion among scholars in the field. The "Clinical Practice Guidelines" column and others in the
5.Introduction to Implementation Science Theories, Models, and Frameworks
Lixin SUN ; Enying GONG ; Yishu LIU ; Dan WU ; Chunyuan LI ; Shiyu LU ; Maoyi TIAN ; Qian LONG ; Dong XU ; Lijing YAN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1332-1343
Implementation Science is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to systematically studying how to effectively translate evidence-based research findings into practical application and implementation. In the health-related context, it focuses on enhancing the efficiency and quality of healthcare services, thereby facilitating the transition from scientific evidence to real-world practice. This article elaborates on Theories, Models, and Frameworks (TMF) within health-related Implementation Science, clarifying their basic concepts and classifications, and discussing their roles in guiding implementation processes. Furthermore, it reviews and prospects current research from three aspects: the constituent elements of TMF, their practical applications, and future directions. Five representative frameworks are emphasized, including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), the Practical Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM), the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS)framework, the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW), and the Normalization Process Theory (NPT). Additionally, resources such as the Dissemination & Implementation Models Webtool and the T-CaST tool are introduced to assist researchers in selecting appropriate TMFs based on project-specific needs.
6.Oxidative Stress-related Signaling Pathways and Antioxidant Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease
Li TANG ; Yun-Long SHEN ; De-Jian PENG ; Tian-Lu RAN ; Zi-Heng PAN ; Xin-Yi ZENG ; Hui LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2486-2498
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline, functional impairment, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. It represents the most prevalent form of dementia among the elderly population. Accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Notably, elevated levels of oxidative stress have been observed in the brains of AD patients, where excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause extensive damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, ultimately compromising neuronal structure and function. Amyloid β‑protein (Aβ) has been shown to induce mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium overload, thereby promoting the generation of ROS. This, in turn, exacerbates Aβ aggregation and enhances tau phosphorylation, leading to the formation of two pathological features of AD: extracellular Aβ plaque deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). These events ultimately culminate in neuronal death, forming a vicious cycle. The interplay between oxidative stress and these pathological processes constitutes a core link in the pathogenesis of AD. The signaling pathways mediating oxidative stress in AD include Nrf2, RCAN1, PP2A, CREB, Notch1, NF‑κB, ApoE, and ferroptosis. Nrf2 signaling pathway serves as a key regulator of cellular redox homeostasis, exerts important antioxidant capacity and protective effects in AD. RCAN1 signaling pathway, as a calcineurin inhibitor, and modulates AD progression through multiple mechanisms. PP2A signaling pathway is involved in regulating tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation processes. CREB signaling pathway contributes to neuroplasticity and memory formation; activation of CREB improves cognitive function and reduce oxidative stress. Notch1 signaling pathway regulates neuronal development and memory, participates in modulation of Aβ production, and interacts with Nrf2 toco-regulate antioxidant activity. NF‑κB signaling pathway governs immune and inflammatory responses; sustained activation of this pathway forms “inflammatory memory”, thereby exacerbating AD pathology. ApoE signaling pathway is associated with lipid metabolism; among its isoforms, ApoE-ε4 significantly increases the risk of AD, leading to elevated oxidative stress, abnormal lipid metabolism, and neuroinflammation. The ferroptosis signaling pathway is driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, and the subsequent release of lipid peroxidation products and ROS exacerbate oxidative stress and neuronal damage. These interconnected pathways form a complex regulatory network that regulates the progression of AD through oxidative stress and related pathological cascades. In terms of therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress, among the drugs currently used in clinical practice for AD treatment, memantine and donepezil demonstrate significant therapeutic efficacy and can improve the level of oxidative stress in AD patients. Some compounds with antioxidant effects (such asα-lipoic acid and melatonin) have shown certain potential in AD treatment research and can be used as dietary supplements to ameliorate AD symptoms. In addition, non-drug interventions such as calorie restriction and exercise have been proven to exerted neuroprotective effects and have a positive effect on the treatment of AD. By comprehensively utilizing the therapeutic characteristics of different signaling pathways, it is expected that more comprehensive multi-target combination therapy regimens and combined nanomolecular delivery systems will be developed in the future to bypass the blood-brain barrier, providing more effective therapeutic strategies for AD.
7.Predictive value of a new radiotherapy plan evaluation tool for bladder toxicity in cervical cancer
Qingxiao LIU ; Yuexiang ZHU ; Long TIAN ; Songlin YANG ; Zheng WANG ; Yusen ZHAO ; Zhiying REN ; Maoye CHANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2024;33(2):189-194
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of a dose-surface histogram (DSH) for radiation cystitis (RC) in patients with cervical cancer. Methods We retrospectively included 190 patients with cervical cancer who underwent image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) from the HIS system of The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from May 2013 to May 2023. The patients were divided into test group (n = 100) and control group (n = 90). The dose distribution in the bladder was evaluated by using a DSH for the test group and using a dose-volume histogram (DVH) for the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of DSH for RC in comparison with DVH. Results There were no significant differences in baseline data and RC incidence between the two groups (all P>0.05). All evaluation indicators were significantly different between DSH and DVH (all P<0.05). The predictive value of S45 and V45 for the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC was low (all P<0.05). The predictive value of S50 and V50 for the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC was moderate (all P<0.05). S55−S57 and V55−V57 showed high value for predicting the incidence of grade-I, -II, and -III RC (all P<0.05). Conclusion DSH shows basically the same predictive value for the incidence of RC caused by IGRT in cervical cancer as DVH, which is expected to become a new tool for evaluating radiotherapy plans.
8.Construction and Testing of Health LifeStyle Evidence (HLSE)
Chen TIAN ; Yong WANG ; Yilong YAN ; Yafei LIU ; Yao LU ; Mingyao SUN ; Jianing LIU ; Yan MA ; Jinling NING ; Ziying YE ; Qianji CHENG ; Ying LI ; Jiajie HUANG ; Shuihua YANG ; Yiyun WANG ; Bo TONG ; Jiale LU ; Long GE
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(6):1413-1421
Healthy lifestyles and good living habits are effective strategies and important approaches to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases. With the development of evidence-based medicine, the evidence translation system has made some achievements in clinical practice. There is, however, no comprehensive, professional and efficient system for translating lifestyle evidence globally. Therefore, the Health Lifestyle Evidence (HLSE) Group of Lanzhou University constructed the HLSE Evidence Translation System (
9.Method for Developing Patient Decision Aid in China
Yao LU ; Qian ZHANG ; Qianji CHENG ; Jianing LIU ; Mingyao SUN ; Jinling NING ; Jiajie HUANG ; Simeng REN ; Wenzheng ZHANG ; Yajie LIU ; Xiyuan DENG ; Jinhui TIAN ; Jie LIU ; Long GE
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2024;15(6):1422-1431
To systematically construct a guideline to provide a methodological guide for researchers to develop patient decision aids. Through a literature review of international methodological guidance for developing patient decision aids, sorting out the similarities and differences in the processes and methods for developing patient decision aids, and combining them with the topic discussion of the working group, the initial guideline was drafted. A total of 13 guidances was included, with the initial version containing 3 phases, 13 steps, and 48 points. We invited 19 multidisciplinary domain experts for forming consensus. The final version of the guideline contains 3 phases, 11 steps, and 24 points. The guideline has great potential to guide the development of patient decision aids in China and is expected to fill the methodological gap in the field. In the future, several rounds of pilot testing of the guideline based on specific decision issues will be conducted, and the guideline will be further revised and improved.
10.Mannitol inhibits the proliferation of neural stem cell by a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling pathway
Hai-Zhen DUAN ; Xin ZHOU ; Quan HU ; Meng-Long LIU ; Shu-Hong WANG ; Ji ZHANG ; Xu-Heng JIANG ; Tian-Xi ZHANG ; An-Yong YU
Chinese Journal of Traumatology 2024;27(1):42-52
Purpose::Mannitol is one of the first-line drugs for reducing cerebral edema through increasing the extracellular osmotic pressure. However, long-term administration of mannitol in the treatment of cerebral edema triggers damage to neurons and astrocytes. Given that neural stem cell (NSC) is a subpopulation of main regenerative cells in the central nervous system after injury, the effect of mannitol on NSC is still elusive. The present study aims to elucidate the role of mannitol in NSC proliferation.Methods::C57 mice were derived from the animal house of Zunyi Medical University. A total of 15 pregnant mice were employed for the purpose of isolating NSCs in this investigation. Initially, mouse primary NSCs were isolated from the embryonic cortex of mice and subsequently identified through immunofluorescence staining. In order to investigate the impact of mannitol on NSC proliferation, both cell counting kit-8 assays and neurospheres formation assays were conducted. The in vitro effects of mannitol were examined at various doses and time points. In order to elucidate the role of Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the suppressive effect of mannitol on NSC proliferation, various assays including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunocytochemistry were conducted on control and mannitol-treated groups. Additionally, the phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) was examined to explore the potential mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect of mannitol on NSC proliferation. Finally, to further confirm the involvement of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent (MAPK) signaling pathway in the observed inhibition of NSC proliferation by mannitol, SB203580 was employed. All data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL). The statistical analysis among multiple comparisons was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Turkey's post hoc test in case of the data following a normal distribution using a Shapiro-Wilk normality test. Comparisons between 2 groups were determined using Student's t-test, if the data exhibited a normal distribution using a Shapiro-Wilk normality test. Meanwhile, data were shown as median and interquartile range and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, if the data failed the normality test. A p < 0.05 was considered as significant difference. Results::Primary NSC were isolated from the mice, and the characteristics were identified using immunostaining analysis. Thereafter, the results indicated that mannitol held the capability of inhibiting NSC proliferation in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner using cell counting kit-8, neurospheres formation, and immunostaining of Nestin and Ki67 assays. During the process of mannitol suppressing NSC proliferation, the expression of AQP4 mRNA and protein was downregulated, while the gene expression of p-p38 was elevated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunostaining, and western blotting assays. Subsequently, the administration of SB203580, one of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors, partially abrogated this inhibitory effect resulting from mannitol, supporting the fact that the p38 MAPK signaling pathway participated in curbing NSC proliferation induced by mannitol.Conclusions::Mannitol inhibits NSC proliferation through downregulating AQP4, while upregulating the expression of p-p38 MAPK.

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