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.

ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of overexpressed protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 （Ptpn2） on the inflammatory response of mouse alveolar macrophages （MH-S） induced by SiO₂. MethodsCells with overexpressed Ptpn2 were constructed and induced by SiO₂. The experimental groups were divided into four groups： the negative control group with an empty vector （NC）， the overexpressed Ptpn2 group （P）， the negative control group with an empty vector + SiO₂ induction （NS）， and the overexpressed Ptpn2 + SiO₂ induction group （PS）. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification （iTRAQ） combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） were used to screen differential proteins， followed by Gene Ontology （GO） and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） database analyses. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expressions of Tumor necrosis factor （TNF） α， Gasdermin D （GSDMD）， and Transforming growth factor （TGF）-β1. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of PTPN2， Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， and proteins related to the TGF-β1 signaling pathway in the cells of each group. ResultsiTRAQ results identified 144 differential proteins among the four groups. GO analysis showed that in biological processes （BP）， these differential proteins were mainly enriched in IκB kinase/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling， cell activation and signal transduction involved in immune responses， and regulation of receptor signaling pathways by signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT）， etc. KEGG analysis revealed that the differential proteins were mainly enriched in Toll-like receptor signaling pathway， NF-κB signaling pathway， NOD-like receptor signaling pathway， TGF-β signaling pathway， and TNF signaling pathway. The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that compared with the NC group， the expressions of TNF α， GSDMD， and TGF-β1 in the cells of the NS group increased （P < 0.05）； compared to the NS group， the expression of the aforementioned proteins in the PS group decreased in cellular proteins（P < 0.05）. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the NC group， the protein expression levels of PTPN2， p-NF-κB，MyD88，TLR4，NLRP3，GSDMD，Caspase-1，IL-1β， TGF-βR1， TGF-βR，p-Smad2/3 in the NS group were significantly upregulated （P < 0.05）； compared with the NS group， the expression levels of the aforementioned proteins in the PS group were significantly downregulated （P < 0.05）. ConclusionOverexpression of Ptpn2 can inhibit the protein expressions of TLR4-TNF-α signaling， NLRP3 signaling， and TGF-β1 signaling closely related to inflammatory response in SiO₂-mediated MH-S macrophages.

ObjectiveBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, a discipline that elucidates life phenomena at the molecular level, serves as a core foundational course in medical education. It provides the theoretical basis for studying other basic and clinical medical subjects, as well as for understanding pathogenesis, disease diagnosis, and treatment. However, its complex content and highly abstract concepts have posed a dual challenge to traditional teaching models: “inefficient instruction” and “inadequate learning outcomes”. Within limited classroom hours, how to engage students and stimulate their intrinsic motivation, and how to help them recognize, understand, and develop a passion for biochemistry from the perspective of the discipline’s essence, have long been key focuses of curriculum research. MethodsUsing the lipid metabolism chapter as an example, this study employs “Rain Classroom”, a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform, to support education in four dimensions: teaching, learning, evaluation, and research. In teaching, it assists instructors through virtual experiments, lesson preparation support, knowledge mapping, and assignment design. For learning, it serves as an intelligent study assistant for students, providing automated assignment review, enabling educational resource sharing, and facilitating personalized learning pathways. In evaluation, the platform automates assignment grading, analyzes student performance data, and offers diagnostic feedback and teaching recommendations. In research, it aids educators in collecting and analyzing teaching data, as well as searching for and summarizing relevant literature. ResultsThe results indicate that an educational model integrating teacher-led instruction, student-centered learning, and generative AI assistance significantly enhances teaching quality, students’ self-directed learning abilities, and knowledge mastery. Furthermore, with the support of generative AI, curriculum-based ideological education—focusing on cutting-edge disciplinary advances and topical medical issues—helps cultivate students’ medical spirit of “honoring life and healing the wounded”, thereby fostering the establishment of appropriate professional values. Finally, while generative AI presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, this study also analyzes potential risks in its teaching applications, emphasizing the need for both instructors and students to avoid over-reliance and to ensure that technological tools consistently serve the fundamental goals of education. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that integrating generative AI, specifically via the “Rain Classroom” platform, can effectively enhance biochemistry education. By supporting teaching, learning, evaluation, and research, this approach improves both educational effectiveness and student outcomes. It also facilitates the incorporation of cutting-edge knowledge and professional ethics, nurturing a patient-centered mindset. Additionally, the study addresses potential implementation risks to ensure that such technological tools remain aligned with the core purpose of education.

Objective: To analyze the causes of abnormal blood agglutination caused by high-titer cold antibodies in blood donors from a serological perspective. Methods: The donor's blood type was identified using the tube method. Direct antiglobulin test (DAT), indirect antiglobulin test (IAT), and antibody titer detection were performed on the samples. Results: The blood type of the donor was type B, and the DAT was negative. No complement components were detected on the surface of the donor's red blood cells. The supernatant of the suspended red blood cells was clear without abnormal coloration, and the agglutinated clumps were intact and difficult to dissociate. The antibody was identified as an IgM-type anti-IH cold agglutinin. At 4℃, this antibody reacted with autologous red blood cells, adult group B red blood cells, adult group O red blood cells, cord blood group B red blood cells and cord blood group O red blood cells, with a stronger reaction intensity observed with group O cells than with B cells. The titers were 512, 128, 256, 32 and 128, respectively. Conclusion: High-titer anti-IH can cause abnormal agglutination of blood at low temperatures. During blood distribution and clinical use, the appearance of blood products shall be strictly inspected to prevent the release of non-conforming blood products.

Dry eye disease is a chronic ocular surface disorder of multifactorial origin, characterized by a loss of tear film homeostasis and associated with a range of ocular discomfort symptoms. Growing evidence underscores a significant bidirectional relationship between dry eye and depression: individuals with dry eye disease exhibit a higher prevalence of depressive disorders, and conversely, those diagnosed with depression demonstrate an increased susceptibility to developing dry eye. This interplay is mediated through several pathophysiological pathways, such as chronic inflammation, cerebral functional alterations, gut microbiome dysregulation, and sleep disturbances, which may collectively sustain a vicious cycle. The use of antidepressant therapy introduces further complexity, exerting heterogeneous effects on dry eye—some agents may offer symptomatic relief, whereas others can aggravate ocular surface impairment. The mechanisms responsible for these differential outcomes remain incompletely elucidated and merit further investigation. This review systematically consolidates epidemiological data on the dry eye-depression link, examines potential shared pathological mechanisms, and evaluates current therapeutic options. We propose an integrated management approach that combines conventional dry eye treatments, such as traditional Chinese medicine, electroacupuncture, physical activity and antidepressants—a multimodal strategy that may yield synergistic benefits in alleviating both ocular and affective symptoms, thereby improving overall quality of life. Moving forward, research should focus on deciphering the underlying mechanistic pathways and facilitating the translation of these insights into clinical practice to inform targeted, combined treatment regimens for patients with dry eye and depression.

To evaluate long-term survival and clinical outcomes of patients with knee osteo-arthritis undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) through long-term follow-up.

Background: The association of changes in metabolic syndrome (MetS) with cognitive function remains unclear. We explored this association using prospective and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies. Methods: MetS components including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), waist circumference (WC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglycerides were measured at baseline and two follow-ups, constructing a MetS index. Immediate, delayed memory recall, and cognitive function along with its dimensions were assessed by immediate 10- word recall test (IWRT) and delayed 10-word recall test (DWRT), and mini-mental state examination (MMSE), respectively, at baseline and follow-ups. Linear mixed-effect model was used. Additionally, the genome-wide association study (GWAS) of MetS was conducted and one-sample MR was performed to assess the causality between MetS and cognitive function. Results: Elevated MetS index was associated with decreasing annual change rates (decrease) in DWRT and MMSE scores, and with decreases in attention, calculation and recall dimensions. HDL-C was positively associated with an increase in DWRT scores, while SBP and FPG were negatively associated. HDL-C showed a positive association, whereas WC was negatively associated with increases in MMSE scores, including attention, calculation and recall dimensions. Interaction analysis indicated that the association of MetS index on cognitive decline was predominantly observed in low family income group. The GWAS of MetS identified some genetic variants. MR results showed a non-significant causality between MetS and decrease in DWRT, IWRT, nor MMSE scores. Conclusion Our study indicated a significant association of MetS and its components with declines in memory and cognitive function, especially in delayed memory recall.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of aerobic exercise at different intensities over an eight-week period on the expression and activation of cortical synaptic proteins, with the potential to reduce anxiety and improve memory in young mice. Methods: Seven-week-old C57BL/6 mice were subjected to treadmill exercises at low (n = 10), moderate (n = 10), and high intensity (n = 10) for eight weeks. Behavioral assessments were conducted to evaluate anxiety and cognitive function. To explore the underlying mechanisms, we measured the phosphorylated levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), cyclic adenosine monophosphate response-binding protein (CREB), protein kinase (AKT), adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK), synapsin (S9, S549, S609), and PSD-95 in the cortex, as these are associated with synaptic strength. Additionally, the expression of doublecortin (DCX), a neurogenic factor, was analyzed in the hippocampus. Results: Exercise led to reductions in depressive and anxiety-related behaviors and elevated the levels of phosphorylated ERK, CREB, AKT, AMPK, synapsin (S9, S549, S609), and PSD-95 in the cortex of young mice. Furthermore, exercise increased DCX expression in the hippocampus. Moderate-intensity exercise yielded more pronounced effects than other intensities. Conclusion The findings of this research indicate that consistent moderate-intensity exercise increases synaptic strength and reduces depression and anxiety in young mice by activating multiple factors.

[Objective] To establish a new scoring system to predict the perioperative outcomes (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and trifecta achievement) in patients undergoing robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) by integrating the RENAL and Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) scores. [Methods] Clinical data of 178 patients with renal cell carcinoma who underwent RAPN performed by the same surgeon in our hospital during Jan.2015 and Jan.2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The RENAL and MAP scores of all patients were calculated.Linear regression and logistic regression were used to evaluate the associations between the components of the RENAL and MAP scores (a total of 6 variables) and perioperative outcomes.The factors with significant associations were then included into logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors for constructing an assessment system for perioperative outcomes, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) to predict its efficacy. [Results] Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that tumor size (β=6.14, 95%CI: 1.93—10.34, P=0.004), exophytic rate (β=10.60, 95%CI: 3.44—17.76, P=0.004), and perinephric fat thickness (β=16.48, 95%CI: 8.52—24.45, P<0.001) were significantly associated with operation time.Tumor size (β=10.55 95%CI: 5.60—15.49, P<0.001) was associated with both intraoperative blood loss and trifecta achievement (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.26—2.36, P=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of these 3 factors identified tumor size (OR=9.07, 95% CI: 1.18—69.45, P=0.03) and perinephric fat thickness (OR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.86—6.04, P=0.01) as independent predictors of perioperative outcomes.Based on these findings, the tumor size and perinephric fat thickness (RP) scoring was constructed, which demonstrated better predictive ability than RENAL score or MAP score alone (RP vs.RENAL vs.MAP: 0.766 vs.0.548 vs.0.684). [Conclusion] The RP score includes fewer variables than the RENAL and MAP scores but outperforms them.

As people’s attention to health continues to increase, the market demand for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is growing steadily. The quality and safety of Chinese medicinal materials have attracted unprecedented social attention. In particular, the issue of exogenous harmful residue pollution in TCM has become a hot topic of concern for both regulatory authorities and society. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition further refines the detection methods and limit standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM. This not only reflects China’s high-level emphasis on the quality and safety of TCM but also demonstrates the continuous progress made by China in the field of TCM safety supervision. Basis on this study, by systematically reviewing the development history of the detection standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM and analyzing the revisions and updates of these detection standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition, deeply explores the key points of the changes in the monitoring standards for exogenous harmful residues in TCM in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition. Moreover, it interprets the future development directions of the detection of exogenous residues in TCM, aiming to provide a reference for the formulation of TCM safety supervision policies.