Objective:To investigate the relationship between visual recovery and non-treponemal serologic test titers [tolulized red unheated serum test (TRUST) or rapid plasma reagin (RPR)] in patients with isolated ocular syphilis and those with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis.Methods:A total of 35 ocular syphilis patients treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and the Department of Dermatology, the Fifth People′s Hospital of Suzhou between 2016 and 2024 were enrolled. Pre-treatment serum TRUST/RPR and treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay results were collected for all 35 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical, routine, TRUST/RPR, and TPPA results were obtained for 29 patients. Visual acuity (logMAR) before and after treatment was recorded for 21 patients (34 eyes). Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between pre-and post-treatment visual acuity, degree of visual recovery, and serum titers.Results:No significant differences in titer distribution were observed among the 35 ocular syphilis patients based on age or sex ( P>0.05). Among the 29 patients who underwent lumbar puncture, 17(58.62%) were diagnosed with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis, while 12(41.38%) had isolated ocular syphilis. The proportion of patients with high pre-treatment serum titers did not differ significantly between the two groups ( P=0.294). The degree of post-treatment visual recovery showed a positive correlation with pre-treatment serum titers, indicating that higher initial titers were associated with better visual recovery (34 eyes, r=-0.302, P=0.081). Post-treatment visual acuity was positively correlated with pre-treatment visual acuity (34 eyes, r=0.547, P=0.001), suggesting that patients with poor baseline vision had worse post-treatment visual outcomes. The median visual improvement was logMAR 0.560 in the isolated ocular syphilis group and logMAR 0.202 in the neurosyphilis-combined group, with no significant difference between the two ( P=0.322). Conclusions:Ocular syphilis patients with higher pre-treatment titers exhibit better visual recovery, while poor post-treatment visual outcomes are associated with low baseline visual acuity.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between visual recovery and non-treponemal serologic test titers [tolulized red unheated serum test (TRUST) or rapid plasma reagin (RPR)] in patients with isolated ocular syphilis and those with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis.Methods:A total of 35 ocular syphilis patients treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and the Department of Dermatology, the Fifth People′s Hospital of Suzhou between 2016 and 2024 were enrolled. Pre-treatment serum TRUST/RPR and treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay results were collected for all 35 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical, routine, TRUST/RPR, and TPPA results were obtained for 29 patients. Visual acuity (logMAR) before and after treatment was recorded for 21 patients (34 eyes). Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between pre-and post-treatment visual acuity, degree of visual recovery, and serum titers.Results:No significant differences in titer distribution were observed among the 35 ocular syphilis patients based on age or sex ( P>0.05). Among the 29 patients who underwent lumbar puncture, 17(58.62%) were diagnosed with ocular syphilis combined with neurosyphilis, while 12(41.38%) had isolated ocular syphilis. The proportion of patients with high pre-treatment serum titers did not differ significantly between the two groups ( P=0.294). The degree of post-treatment visual recovery showed a positive correlation with pre-treatment serum titers, indicating that higher initial titers were associated with better visual recovery (34 eyes, r=-0.302, P=0.081). Post-treatment visual acuity was positively correlated with pre-treatment visual acuity (34 eyes, r=0.547, P=0.001), suggesting that patients with poor baseline vision had worse post-treatment visual outcomes. The median visual improvement was logMAR 0.560 in the isolated ocular syphilis group and logMAR 0.202 in the neurosyphilis-combined group, with no significant difference between the two ( P=0.322). Conclusions:Ocular syphilis patients with higher pre-treatment titers exhibit better visual recovery, while poor post-treatment visual outcomes are associated with low baseline visual acuity.

Objective To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Beck Depression Inventory,Second Edition(BDI-Ⅱ-C)among Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture.Methods A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 466 Yi middle and high school students in Liangshan Prefecture to respond to the BDI-Ⅱ-C.The general demographic characteristics of the samples were described,and independent sample t-test,chi-square test,and reliability analysis were conducted to analyze the data.The sample was randomly divided into 2 halves for exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.Results The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for BDI-Ⅱ-C was 0.925 for the sample of Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture.The correlation coefficients between individual items ranged from 0.192 to 0.612,and those between individual items and total scores ranged from 0.492 to 0.761.Exploratory factor analysis found that the scale could be divided into three dimensions,including emotional symptoms,somatic symptoms,and negative symptoms.Confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the various indicators of the three-factor model were x2/df=1.604,comparative fit index(CFI)=0.940,Tucker-Lewis index(TLI)=0.932,incremental fit index(IFI)=0.941,and root mean square error of approximation(RMSEA)=0.051.Conclusion BDI-Ⅱ-C exhibits good reliability and validity among Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture,but the convergent validity of the structural validity is poor.

Objective To analyze delay in visiting a doctor and diagnosis of tuberculosis patients in Xicheng District treated by different types of designated medical institutions in Beijing.Methods We derived the data of tuberculosis patients from China disease prevention and control information system,the patients were managed by Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Institute of Xicheng District from January 1,2020 to December 31,2020.The patients were divided into prevention institute group and designated hospital group according to the current diagnosis unit.The basic information and characteristics of two groups were analyzed retrospectively.Results 74.86％patients were able to visit a doctor in two weeks,72.13％patients were diagnosed in two weeks.The proportion of patients delayed for 6 weeks or more in visiting a doctor in the designated hospital group was less than that in the prevention institute group,the proportion of patients diagnosed in time in the designated hospital group was higher than that in the prevention institute group,but the rest were not significant.Logistic regression showed that concomitant diabetes was a risk factor for delay in visiting a doctor,non-local residence was a protective factor for it.Diagnosis unit was a protective factor for diagnosis delay.Conclusion Most patients in Xicheng district could visit a doctor and be diagnosed in time,while some patients delay in visiting a doctor and diagnosis.Compared with the prevention institute,tuberculosis patients in designated hospitals less delay in visiting a doctor for more than 6 weeks and less delay in diagnosis.Patients with diabetes has a higher risk of delay in visiting a doctor.

Objective: To establish a rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing assay in positive blood cultures, so as to provide insights into timely diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infections. Methods: A total of 1 154 blood culture samples were collected from inpatients in Zhejiang Hospital from February to May, 2022. The bacterial isolates were enriched and purified using improved separation gel method, and bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using VITEK2 mass spectrometry system and VITEK2 Compact automated microbiology system. The accuracy of the new assay for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests was evaluated with the conventional VITEK 2 compact system as the standard. Results: Of 1 154 blood culture specimens, the conventional VITEK 2 compact system detected 174 positives and 980 negatives. The new assay and the conventional VITEK 2 compact system identified consistent bacterial isolates in 165 out of 174 positive blood culture samples, and the accuracy of bacterial identification was 94.83% for the new assay, with a 99.21% accuracy for identifying Gram-negative bacteria and 82.22% for Gram-positive bacteria. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed in 158 bacterial isolates, and the new assay presented a 90.17% accuracy, with a 90.27% accuracy for Gram-negative bacteria and 89.74% for Gram-positive bacteria. The conventional VITEK 2 compact system required 30 hours and longer to complete bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and the new assay required 9 to 18 hours. Conclusions The new rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing assay shortens the time of bacterial culture, achieves rapid bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in blood culture specimens and has a high accuracy that meets clinical needs, which facilitates rapid diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infections.

Shenling Baizhusan is a traditional Chinese medicine compound prescription formulated on the basis of Si Junzitang （Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma， Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma， Poria， Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma）. It has excellent functions of replenishing Qi， invigorating spleen， draining dampness， and checking diarrhea， and is one of the classical prescriptions of ''reinforcing earth to generate metal''. This prescription is primarily used in clinical practice to treat malnutrition in children， chronic diarrhea， gastrointestinal dysfunction， and other disorders. In addition， it has a good effect on gastrointestinal adverse reactions associated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. With the booming of molecular biology， researchers have revealed the role of Shenling Baizhusan in the treatment of diseases， especially the mechanism of regulating different signaling pathways. We retrieved 26 relevant papers （4 written in English and 22 in Chinese） published in recent 5 years from 6 databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data， VIP， PubMed， Cochrance Library， and Excerpta Medica Database （Embase）. On the basis of these papers， we summarized the mechanisms of Shenling Baizhusan in disease treatment. In the animal model of inflammatory bowel disease， Shenling Baizhusan can protect gastrointestinal mucosa by regulating the activation of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB）， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT）， and myosin light chain kinase-myosin light chain （MLCK-MLC） signaling pathways. In the animal model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease， Shenling Baizhusan regulates the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway and Kelch-like ECH-associating protein 1/NF-E₂-related factor 2/advanced glycation end-products （KEAP1/NRF2/AREs） signaling pathway， thus alleviating the lipid metabolism disorder induced by high-fat diet and reducing liver lipid accumulation and inflammatory response. In the animal model of lung cancer with bone metastasis， Shenling Baizhusan regulates the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， thus playing an analgesic role. By summarizing the mechanisms of Shenling Baizhusan in treatment of different disease models from signaling pathways， we aim to provide clues for the in-depth study of this prescription.

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the research and development of nanomedicine has become one of the current development directions of drug innovation. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of nanomedicine are significantly different from general drugs because of the scale effect based on nanostructures, and pharmacokinetics studies of nanomedicine may be different from the general drugs. This article focuses on the research strategies and considerations on non-clinical pharmacokinetics of nanomedicine, including test agents, in vivo/in vitro assays, biological sample analysis, data evaluation and analysis etc., providing references for developers.

Dysregulation of mTORC1/mTORC2 pathway is observed in many cancers and mTORC1 inhibitors have been used clinically in many tumor types; however, the mechanism of mTORC2 in tumorigenesis is still obscure. Here, we mainly explored the potential role of mTORC2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its effects on the sensitivity of cells to mTOR inhibitors. We demonstrated that RICTOR, the key factor of mTORC2, and p-AKT (Ser473) were excessively activated in ESCC and their overexpression is related to lymph node metastasis and the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) phase of ESCC patients. Furthermore, we found that mTORC1/ mTORC2 inhibitor PP242 exhibited more efficacious anti-proliferative effect on ESCC cells than mTORC1 inhibitor RAD001 due to RAD001-triggered feedback activation of AKT signal. Another, we demonstrated that down-regulating expression of RICTOR in ECa109 and EC9706 cells inhibited proliferation and migration as well as induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Noteworthy, knocking-down stably RICTOR significantly suppresses RAD001-induced feedback activation of AKT/PRAS40 signaling, and enhances inhibition efficacy of PP242 on the phosphorylation of AKT and PRAS40, thus potentiates the antitumor effect of RAD001 and PP242 both and . Our findings highlight that selective targeting mTORC2 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for future treatment of ESCC.

In the past decade, the role of the mevalonic acid pathway and its inhibitor statins in preventing tumorigenesis and improving tumor prognosis has attracted wide attention; however, so far, there are still controversies over the role of statins in liver cancer. Previous studies have shown that statins play an important role in cholesterol metabolism, antioxidation, and anti-inflammation, and cholesterol metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response are important factors to promote the development and progression of liver cancer. However, some recent studies have found that statins have an adverse effect on the treatment of some liver cancer patients. This article elaborates on the role of statins as a “double-edged sword” in the treatment of liver cancer and related molecular mechanisms.

Related substances in pharmaceutical formulations are associated with their safety, efficacy and stability. However, there is no overall study already published on the assessment of related substances in the Compound Ketoconazole and Clobetasol Propionate Cream. In this work, a reliable HPLC-TOF-MS qua-litative method was developed for the analysis of related substances in this preparation with a quick and easy extraction procedure. Besides the active pharmaceutical ingredients, two compounds named ke-toconazole impurity B′ optical isomer and ketoconazole impurity E were identified. Furthermore, a new HPLC method for qualitative and quantitative assessment on related substances and degradation pro-ducts, which were found in the stability test, was established and validated. The single standard to determine multi-components method was applied in the quantitative analysis, which was an effective way for reducing cost and improving accuracy. This study can provide a creative idea for routine analysis of quality control of the Compound Ketoconazole and Clobetasol Propionate Cream.