1.National biological standards for antibiotics: an overview
Bufang MA ; Hui LIU ; Xuan JIN ; Yanchun FENG ; Jin LI
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2026;57(1):108-114
National biological standards for antibiotics are critical components of the antibiotic quality control system and serve as reference materials for measuring and calibrating the biological activity of antibiotics. This article systematically reviews the classification, definition of potency units, and current research status of commercially available national antibiotic biological standards in China. At present, these standards can be categorized based on chemical structure, number of components, and development methods. The definition of potency units has evolved from an early “arbitrarily assigned unit” to “being represented by the mass of the antibiotic salt” and, more recently, to the current mainstream approach of “being represented by the mass of the active ingredient”. This evolution reflects a shift in quality control philosophy from primarily biological analysis to a system dominated by chemical analysis supplemented by biological methods. Current research focuses on optimizing potency determination methods, studying the unification of content and potency, and implementing dual quality control of both the potency and the ratio/content of active components in multi-component antibiotics. For complex multi-component antibiotics, the microbiological assay based on biological activity remains irreplaceable in quality control. Future efforts should emphasize further method optimization, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency of standards, and advancing precision quality control as key research priorities for antibiotic biological standards.
2.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
3.Spatiotemporal Electrical Impedance Tomography for Speech Respiratory Assessment in Cleft Palate: an Interpretable Machine Learning Study
Yang WU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Hao YU ; Cheng-Hui JIANG ; Bo SUN ; Jia-Feng YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):485-500
ObjectiveCleft palate (CP) is a common congenital deformity often associated with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which disrupts the physiological coupling between respiration and speech. Conventional clinical assessments, such as nasometry and spirometry, provide limited static data and fail to visualize the dynamic spatiotemporal distribution of lung ventilation during phonation. This study introduces spatiotemporal electrical impedance tomography (ST-EIT) to evaluate speech-respiratory functional features in CP patients compared to normal controls (NC). The aim is to characterize multi-domain respiratory patterns and to validate an interpretable machine learning framework for providing objective, quantitative evidence for clinical assessment. MethodsSeventy-five participants were enrolled in this study, comprising 37 patients with surgically repaired CP and 38 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). All subjects performed standardized sustained phonation tasks while undergoing synchronous monitoring with a 16-electrode EIT system and a pneumotachograph. A comprehensive feature engineering pipeline was developed to extract physiological parameters across 3 complementary domains. (1) Temporal domain: including inspiratory/expiratory phase duration (tPhase), time constants (Tau), and inspiratory-to-expiratory time ratios (TI/TE); (2) airflow domain: comprising mean flow, peak flow, and instantaneous flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of tidal volume; and (3) spatial domain: quantifying global and regional tidal impedance variation (TIV), global inhomogeneity (GI), and center of ventilation (CoV). Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers were trained using 5 distinct data sources (Spirometry, Nasometry, Inspiratory-EIT, Expiratory-EIT, and fused ST-EIT). Model performance was rigorously evaluated via stratified 5-fold cross-validation, and Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were employed to quantify global and local feature contributions. ResultsThe CP group exhibited a distinct respiratory phenotype compared to controls. In the temporal domain, CP patients showed significantly shorter inspiratory (1.60 s vs.1.85 s, P<0.001) and expiratory phase durations (2.45 s vs. 3.95 s, P<0.001), indicating a rapid, shallow breathing rhythm. In the airflow domain, while inspiratory flows were comparable, the CP group demonstrated significantly elevated mean and peak flows during the expiratory phase (P<0.001), reflecting compensatory respiratory effort. Spatially, CP patients presented significant ventilation redistribution, characterized by higher regional TIV in the right-anterior (ROI1) and left-posterior (ROI4) quadrants, but lower TIV in the left-anterior (ROI2) quadrant. In terms of diagnostic accuracy, the multi-modal ST-EIT model achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.915±0.012, Accuracy: 0.843±0.019, F1-score: 0.872±0.017), substantially outperforming models based on spirometry (AUC: 0.721) or nasometry (AUC: 0.625) alone. Interpretability analysis revealed that spatial domain features were the most critical, contributing 53.4% to the model’s decision-making, followed by temporal (25.0%) and airflow (21.6%) features. ConclusionST-EIT successfully captures the temporal, airflow, and spatial deviations in CP speech respiration that are undetectable by conventional methods—specifically, rapid phase transitions, hyperdynamic expiratory airflow, and regional ventilation heterogeneity. This study validates ST-EIT as a robust, non-invasive, and radiation-free tool for characterizing speech-respiratory dysfunction, offering high clinical value for bedside screening, rehabilitation planning, and longitudinal monitoring of patients with cleft palate.
4.Research advances and challenges in antimicrobial resistance surveillance technologies
Feng LIU ; Caixia DANG ; Ziqian ZHAO ; Yang WANG ; Yuanyong XU ; Hui CHEN
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(3):128-132
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical global health threat. This review systematically examines AMR surveillance technology advances, from conventional culture methods to modern molecular diagnostics (e.g., whole-genome sequencing) and artificial intelligence-assisted approaches. It focuses on the current application of mass spectrometry, machine learning predictive models, and real-time surveillance networks. To address challenges including inadequate technical standardization, clinical translation barriers, and data-sharing limitations, we propose integrated "genotype-phenotype" strategies and global standardization framework, while exploring future applications of CRISPR-based portable detection, single-cell sequencing, and blockchain technologies.
5.Incidence and risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease
Feng LI ; Changqing MAO ; Hui JIA ; Yanling MAO ; Ying LI ; Tengfei CHEN ; Dong LI ; Chunxia SHAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2026;33(3):493-498
Objective To explore the incidence and risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods Non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients in Jiading District Central Hospital Affiliated Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences from October 2023 to October 2024 were enrolled and divided into the non-sarcopenia group and the sarcopenia group according to lean tissue index (LTI) and handgrip strength (HGS). Demographic data of patients were collected and biochemical indicators were detected. Serum advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were detected by competitive ELISA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the risk factors of sarcopenia in these patients. The diagnostic efficacy of the risk factors was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results A total of 102 non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with (68.52±7.39) years, were enrolled, including 61 male (59.8%). Among them, 24 were diagnosed with sarcopenia (23.5%). Compared with patients in non-sarcopenia group, patients in sarcopenia group were older and had higher interleukin-6 (IL-6) and AGEs, lower body mass index (BMI) and lower serum albumin (sAlb; P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that advanced age (OR=1.153, 95%CI 1.045–1.273, P=0.005), higher IL-6 (OR=1.165, 95%CI 1.042–1.302, P=0.007)、lower sAlb (OR=0.675, 95%CI 0.542–0.840, P=0.001), and higher serum AGEs (OR=1.105, 95%CI 1.013–1.206, P=0.024) were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in non-dialysis CKD 5 patients. The areas under the curve (AUC) for the age, IL-6, sAlb, and serum AGEs were 0.896, 0.643, 0.658, and 0.724, respectively. Conclusions Sarcopenia is common in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients, and the risk of sarcopenia is higher in non-dialysis stage 5 CKD patients with advanced age, higher IL-6, lower sAlb, and higher serum AGEs.
6.The first record of Anopheles messeae (Diptera: Culicidae) parasitized by water mites in China
Xue-ru CHEN ; Wen-zhen YAO ; Yu-hao LI ; Gui-chang LI ; Tao MENG ; Qun-ling FENG ; Xin-hui LIU ; Li-hong QIAO ; Xiang-ting WU ; Xue-feng ZHANG ; Cheng-lin LI ; Xue-cheng DONG ; Da-wei WANG ; Xiao-yan SI ; Yu-hong GUO
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(1):53-57
Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.
7.Comparison of dose assessment methods for dental CBCT examinations based on whole-body anthropomorphic phantom
Jinping CAO ; Hui XU ; Xian XUE ; Zechen FENG ; Jiahe CHEN
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2026;35(3):343-348
Objective This study compared organ doses and effective doses in typical adult patients during dental CBCT examinations using a head-and-neck anthropomorphic phantom and a whole-body phantom. It aimed to determine an appropriate method for evaluating effective dose in dental CBCT. Methods A domestically manufactured dental CBCT unit was used to scan an adult male anthropomorphic phantom under simulated clinical conditions. Thermoluminescent dosimeters were placed on organs and tissues of a whole-body anthropomorphic phantom. Organ equivalent doses were measured, and effective doses were calculated using two approaches: one based on all organ doses from the whole-body phantom, and the other based only on head-and-neck organ doses. Entrance surface air kerma (Ka,e) was also measured at the lens of the eye, thyroid, thymus, and gonads. Results The effective dose estimated with the whole-body phantom was 382.03 μSv. The effective dose estimated with the head-and-neck phantom was 354.03 μSv. The radiation dose to head-and-neck organs and tissues accounted for 92.7% of the total effective dose. The highest Ka,e values were found in the parotid glands, followed by the lens of the eye. Conclusion During dental CBCT scanning, the contribution of organ below the head and neck to the total effective dose is limited. To simplify dose assessment procedures, the effective dose for the patient can be evaluated using only a head-and-neck phantom.
8.Application of middle hepatic vein splitting and reconstruction technique in split liver transplantation from low-age donor livers
Hui TANG ; Binsheng FU ; Qing YANG ; Jia YAO ; Kaining ZENG ; Xiao FENG ; Shuhong YI ; Yang YANG
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(3):453-459
Objective To explore the feasibility and clinical experience of the middle hepatic vein splitting-reconstruction technique in split liver transplantation from low-age donor livers. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the cases of two low-age donor livers that underwent middle hepatic vein splitting-reconstruction, which were transplanted into four child recipients at the Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2017 to July 2023. The surgical and postoperative conditions were summarized and analyzed. Results Donor 1 was a 6-year-old and 4-month-old girl with a body weight of 21 kg, and the obtained donor liver weighed 496 g. After splitting, the left and right liver weights were 201 g and 280 g, and transplanted into a 9-month-old boy weighing 6.5 kg and a 9-month-old boy weighing 7.5 kg, respectively. The graft to recipient weight ratio (GRWR) was 3.09% and 3.73%, respectively. Donor 2 was a 5-year-old and 8-month-old boy with a body weight of 19 kg, and the donor liver weighed 673 g. After splitting, the left and right liver weights were 230 g and 400 g, and transplanted into a 13-month-old girl weighing 9.5 kg and a 15-month-old boy weighing 12 kg. The GRWR was 2.42% and 3.33%, respectively. Both donor livers were split ex vivo, with the middle hepatic vein being completely split in the middle and reconstructed using allogeneic iliac vein and iliac artery vascular patches. According to GRWR, none of the 4 transplant livers were reduced in volume. Among the 4 recipients, one died due to postoperative portal vein thrombosis and non-function of the transplant liver, while the other three cases recovered smoothly without early or late complications. Regular follow-up was conducted until July 31, 2023, and liver function recovered well. Conclusions Under the premise of detailed assessment of the donor liver and meticulous intraoperative operation, as well as matching with suitable child recipients, low-age donor livers may be selected for splitting. The complete splitting and reconstruction of the middle hepatic vein in the middle may effectively ensure the adequate venous return of the left and right liver and provide sufficient functional liver volume.
9.Mechanism of Gegen Qinliantang in Regulating Microglia Polarization to Improve Diabetic Cognitive Impairment
Hui FENG ; Chunxiang ZHOU ; Tianyi REN ; Weiwei TAO ; Yun LING
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):1-10
ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Gegen Qinliantang on cognitive function in db/db mice with diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI). MethodsThirty-two 8-week-old male db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model group, dapagliflozin group (1.0 mg·kg-1·d-1), low-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (6.24 g·kg-1·d-1), and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (24.96 g·kg-1·d-1). Eight db/m mice served as the normal group. All mice were administered the corresponding treatment once daily by gavage for 10 consecutive weeks. Body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were dynamically monitored. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate cognitive function. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in the hippocampus. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in hippocampal tissue. Immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the co-expression of M1 microglial marker CD16/32 and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1) in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the protein expression of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), synapsin (SYN), nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65), and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) in the hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased body weight and FBG levels (P<0.01), significantly prolonged escape latency and reduced platform crossings in the Morris water maze test (P<0.01), disordered arrangement of hippocampal neurons, nuclear pyknosis, increased neuronal necrosis, reduced Nissl bodies, decreased expression of synaptic proteins PSD-95 and SYN (P<0.01), increased CD16/32+ /IBA1+ positive rate, elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, and an increased p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 ratio (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the dapagliflozin group exhibited significantly reduced FBG levels at weeks 5 and 10 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and increased body weight. The high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group showed significantly reduced FBG at week 10 (P<0.05). Escape latency was significantly reduced on days 3 and 5 of the water maze test in the dapagliflozin group and on day 5 in the high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (P<0.05). Platform crossings were significantly increased in both the dapagliflozin group and the high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (P<0.05). Hippocampal pathological damage was alleviated to varying degrees in the dapagliflozin group and the low- and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang groups, with significantly increased expression of PSD-95 and SYN (P<0.01). Further studies revealed that both low- and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang reduced hippocampal IL-1β levels and the CD16/32+/IBA1+ positive rate of microglia, while the high-dose group also significantly reduced hippocampal TNF-α levels and the p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionGegen Qinliantang can improve hyperglycemia, cognitive dysfunction, and synaptic damage in DCI, inhibit M1 polarization of microglia and neuroinflammation, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB activation.
10.Mechanism of Gegen Qinliantang in Regulating Microglia Polarization to Improve Diabetic Cognitive Impairment
Hui FENG ; Chunxiang ZHOU ; Tianyi REN ; Weiwei TAO ; Yun LING
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):1-10
ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Gegen Qinliantang on cognitive function in db/db mice with diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI). MethodsThirty-two 8-week-old male db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model group, dapagliflozin group (1.0 mg·kg-1·d-1), low-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (6.24 g·kg-1·d-1), and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (24.96 g·kg-1·d-1). Eight db/m mice served as the normal group. All mice were administered the corresponding treatment once daily by gavage for 10 consecutive weeks. Body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were dynamically monitored. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate cognitive function. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in the hippocampus. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in hippocampal tissue. Immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the co-expression of M1 microglial marker CD16/32 and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1) in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the protein expression of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), synapsin (SYN), nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65), and phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) in the hippocampus. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased body weight and FBG levels (P<0.01), significantly prolonged escape latency and reduced platform crossings in the Morris water maze test (P<0.01), disordered arrangement of hippocampal neurons, nuclear pyknosis, increased neuronal necrosis, reduced Nissl bodies, decreased expression of synaptic proteins PSD-95 and SYN (P<0.01), increased CD16/32+ /IBA1+ positive rate, elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, and an increased p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 ratio (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the dapagliflozin group exhibited significantly reduced FBG levels at weeks 5 and 10 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and increased body weight. The high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group showed significantly reduced FBG at week 10 (P<0.05). Escape latency was significantly reduced on days 3 and 5 of the water maze test in the dapagliflozin group and on day 5 in the high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (P<0.05). Platform crossings were significantly increased in both the dapagliflozin group and the high-dose Gegen Qinliantang group (P<0.05). Hippocampal pathological damage was alleviated to varying degrees in the dapagliflozin group and the low- and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang groups, with significantly increased expression of PSD-95 and SYN (P<0.01). Further studies revealed that both low- and high-dose Gegen Qinliantang reduced hippocampal IL-1β levels and the CD16/32+/IBA1+ positive rate of microglia, while the high-dose group also significantly reduced hippocampal TNF-α levels and the p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionGegen Qinliantang can improve hyperglycemia, cognitive dysfunction, and synaptic damage in DCI, inhibit M1 polarization of microglia and neuroinflammation, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB activation.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail