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.Research progress on mechanism of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine in ameliorating skeletal muscle atrophy
Qin JIANG ; Wenya GUO ; Ying ZHOU ; Jian ZHOU ; Zhenyu ZHANG ; Yanchun GONG ; Lihua YAO ; Yuhua LI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(15):2057-2062
Skeletal muscle atrophy refers to a pathological condition characterized by muscle fiber atrophy as well as decreased muscle mass and muscle strength induced by various predisposing factors. It falls under the category of “flaccidity syndrome” in traditional Chinese medicine, and its pathogenesis is mainly associated with disturbed protein homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress injury. Active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine exerts synergistic regulatory effects via multiple pathways, thus possessing unique advantages in the clinical prevention and treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy. This paper reviews the mechanisms by which active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy. Existing studies have demonstrated that such active ingredients can ameliorate skeletal muscle atrophy through multiple approaches: regulating protein metabolic balance (geniposide, matrine, schisandrin A, etc.) and oxidative stress (astragaloside Ⅳ, Gastrodia elata polysaccharide, Angelica sinensis polysaccharide, etc.), improving mitochondrial function (parthenolide, berberine, curcumin, etc.), facilitating myogenesis and myogenic differentiation (cucurbitacin Ⅱb, saikosaponin A, saikosaponin D, etc.), suppressing inflammatory response (ursolic acid, triptolide, emodin, etc.), ameliorating insulin resistance (akebiasaponin D, etc.). In the future, active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine are expected to achieve breakthroughs in clinical treatment for skeletal muscle atrophy, providing novel ideas and strategies for the prevention and treatment of degenerative disorders.
3.Effect of electroacupuncture on hippocampal glycolysis via the regulation of the Akt/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling pathway in Alzheimer's disease model mice
Zhaoxie YU ; Yao WANG ; Yanan LI ; Chunfeng LYU ; Junling LI ; Xun ZHANG ; Zhipeng FENG ; Feng SHEN ; Yanchun WANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(10):1460-1469
Objective This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effect of electroacupuncture(EA)intervention on the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α)signaling pathway in the hippocampal tissue of Alzheimer's disease(AD)model mice and its effect on astrocytic glycolytic function,further exploring how EA ameliorates AD-related cognitive impairment.Methods Eighteen APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into model,EA,and sham EA groups(n=6)using the random number table method.Six wild-type C57BL/6J mice served as the control group.The EA group received EA stimulation at acupoints"Shenshu"(BL23),"Baihui"(GV20),and"Zusanli"(ST36)(administered every other day,20 min per session,for 4 weeks).The sham EA group received identical needle insertions at the same acupoints without electrical stimulation.The control and model groups were only restrained.Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze and Y-maze spontaneous alternation tests.Hippocampal morphology was observed via hematoxylin and eosin staining.Hippocampal β-amyloid peptide 1-42(Aβ1-42)deposition was detected using immunohistochemistry.HIF-1α protein expression,the p-Akt/Akt,and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios were measured using Western blotting.Pyruvate kinase M2(PKM2)and lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA)activities were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Hexokinase(HK)activity and L-lactate content were determined using a colorimetric assay.Co-localization of LDHA with the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein was quantitatively analyzed using immunofluorescence double-labeling combined with Pearson's correlation coefficient.Results Compared with the control group,the model group mice exhibited cognitive decline,as shown by prolonged escape latency(P<0.01),reduced number of platform crossings,lower time spent in the target quadrant,and decreased spontaneous alternation accuracy(P<0.01).The hippocampal neurons showed cell body swelling,deeper nuclear staining,enlarged intercellular spaces,and increased average optical density of Aβ1-42(P<0.01).The p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios,as well as HIF-1α protein expression,were elevated(P<0.01).PKM2,LDHA,HK,and L-lactic acid levels were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the co-localization coefficient of LDHA with astrocytes was enhanced.Compared to the model group,the EA group of mice showed improved cognitive function.The hippocampal neurons had more intact structures,with a more uniform cell distribution.The average optical density of Aβ1-42 decreased(P<0.01),and the p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR ratios,as well as HIF-1α protein expression,decreased(P<0.01).PKM2,LDHA,HK,and L-lactic acid levels decreased(P<0.05),and the co-localization coefficient of LDHA with astrocytes significantly decreased(P<0.01).No significant improvement was observed in any of the indicators in the sham EA group compared with the EA group.Conclusion EA at"Shenshu"(BL23),"Baihui"(GV20),and"Zusanli"(ST36)ameliorates cognitive dysfunction in AD model mice.The underlying mechanism may involve suppressing the overactivation of the hippocampal Akt/mTOR/HIF-1α signaling pathway,thereby downregulating key glycolytic enzyme activities and reducing abnormal lactate accumulation.Furthermore,the astrocytic glycolytic metabolic pathway may constitute a key therapeutic target for this intervention.
4.Development and reliability and validity test of the ICU-acquired Swallowing Disorders Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire for Nurses
Peitao LI ; Yuxuan LI ; Yanchun SHANG ; Heli ZHANG ; Bo QIAO ; Baohua LI
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(14):1883-1889
Objective:To develop an ICU-acquired Swallowing Disorders Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire for Nurses and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial questionnaire was constructed through literature review, group discussion, Delphi expert consultation, and pilot-testing based on the theory of knowledge, attitude and practice. Convenience sampling was used to select 301 ICU nurses from Class Ⅲ Grade A hospitals in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Beijing City, Yantai City, Wuhan City, and Xi'an City from January to February 2024 to examine the reliability and validity of the questionnaire.Results:The ICU-acquired Swallowing Disorders Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire for Nurses consisted of three dimensions of knowledge, attitude, and practice with a total of 52 items. In the two rounds of consultation, the expert authority coefficients were all 0.871, and Kendall's harmony coefficient was 0.186 and 0.161, respectively ( P<0.01) . Exploratory factor analysis extracted three common factors with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 74.989%. The split-half reliability of the questionnaire was 0.835, and the Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.979, and the Cronbach's α coefficients for knowledge, attitude, and practice dimensions were 0.976, 0.989, and 0.972, respectively. The content validity index at the questionnaire level was 0.996, and the content validity index at the item level was 0.800 to 1.000. Conclusions:The ICU-acquired Swallowing Disorders Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire for Nurses has good reliability and validity, and can be used as a tool to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses towards ICU acquired dysphagia.
5.Peri-coronary fat inflammation predicts proximal atherosclerotic plaque formation associated with LAD myocardial bridge
Suyu LI ; Fan ZHOU ; Zhihan XU ; Yanchun CHEN ; Qian CHEN ; Yunyan SU ; Yun FENG ; Haitao ZHU ; Longjiang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(5):604-612
Objective:To investigate the correlation between peri-coronary fat attenuation index (FAI) and plaque formation in patients with myocardial bridge (MB) of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and to develop an optimal predictive model to explore the potential application of FAI in the primary prevention of MB related atherosclerosis.Methods:In this retrospective study, prediction models associated with perivascular fat inflammation were developed and validated using both logistic regression and machine learning (ML) algorithm. A training dataset was collected from 253 patients who underwent ≥2 coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with ≥3 months intervals from one tertiary hospital from January 2007 to April 2021 and had baseline CCTA showing no plaques in LAD MB. The median follow-up time was 3.2 years. According to the same criteria, a total of 75 LAD MB patients from four other hospitals were included to form an independent external validation dataset, with a median follow-up time of 1.8 years. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and category net reclassification index (NRI) were used to compare the performance of the predictive models.Results:62 patients (24.5%) in the training dataset had proximal plaque formation in LAD MB, while 22 patients (29.3%) in the external validation dataset had plaque formation during the follow-up period. Baseline FAI within the longitudinal distance equal to 30 mm proximal to the MB entrance was an independent predictor ( OR=1.068, P=0.046). According to the model results, ROC curves were plotted. The AUC of Model 1 was 0.822, and the AUCs of Model 2 and 1 were 0.821 and 0.591 in the training dataset. After the DeLong test, the AUC of Model 1 was superior to that of Model 2 ( Z=2.839, P=0.005) and Model 1 ( Z=6.124, P<0.001). These findings were further validated in the external validation dataset, where ML-model 3 yielded the best predictive performance, outperforming the logistic regression-based Model 2 (categorical NRI=0.359, P=0.048; IDI=0.108, P=0.046). Conclusion:FAI measured within the 30 mm proximal to the entrance of MBs due to its prone to plaque development is an independent predictor for atherosclerotic plaque formation. The ML-prediction model based on a decision tree algorithm combines FAI, MB anatomical features, and patient risk factors, which is beneficial for patients undergoing routine CCTA examination to identify inflamed coronary arteries in advance and guide the clinical adoption of more targeted preventive treatment, including anti-inflammatory treatment.
6.Dosiomics-based prediction of the occurrence of bone marrow suppression during radiotherapy for esophageal cancer
Yilin LIU ; Yanchun TANG ; Ziyue SUN ; Jinkai LI ; Yaru PANG ; Xinchen SUN
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2025;34(7):684-691
Objective:To study the risk factors and dosiomics-based prediction model of bone marrow suppression in patients with esophageal cancer during radiotherapy.Methods:Clinic data and radiotherapy planning documents of 107 patients with oesophageal cancer who underwent radiotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2021 to May 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Blood test results before and during radiotherapy were collected, and patients were classified into myelosuppressive groups (≤grade 1 and ≥grade 2). Clinical features, traditional dosimetric features and dosiomics features were collected, respectively. According to the stratified randomization grouping method, all patients were divided into the training and test sets in a 7 vs. 3 ratio. The region of interest was obtained by automatically outlining the thoracic skeleton (including the sternum, thoracic vertebrae and ribs) by AccuContour software. Dosiomics features were extracted from the dose distribution of the thoracic skeleton, and these features were screened using the independent samples t-test, the muse selector and the least absolute shrinkage operator. Subsequently, the dosiomic scores were calculated. Statistically significant clinical characteristics were screened using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Support vector machine method was used to construct a clinical model and a clinical combined with dosiomic model. Subsequently, nomogram was drawn for clinical prediction. The clinical efficacy and clinical benefit of predictive model were assessed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and evaluating its performance through the area under the ROC curve (AUC), the calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results:Thirteen dosiomic features associated with bone marrow suppression were screened. Based on both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, simultaneous chemotherapy, V 35 Gy and the average dose to bone were identified as statistically significant clinical predictors (all P<0.05). The AUC values of the combined model in the training and test sets were 0.800 and 0.776, higher than 0.709 and 0.650 of the clinical model. The calibration curves showed good agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities of the combined model. The DCA results showed that the net clinical benefit of the combined model was higher than that of the clinical model. Conclusions:The combined dosiomics-based model is effective in improving the predictive performance of bone marrow suppression occurring after radiotherapy for esophageal cancer.
7.Targeted therapy for colorectal cancer through miR-204-5p delivered by nanobody-engineered exosomes: an experimental study
Liang GONG ; Lu TIAN ; Yanchun LI ; Zhimeng WU ; Zhaohui HUANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(5):385-394
Objective:To develop an EGFR-targeting nanobody engineered exosome drug delivery system and evaluate its antitumor efficacy for colorectal cancer.Methods:The HEK293T cell line stably expressing the pan-cancer inhibitor miR-204-5p, previously established by our group, was selected as a tool cell line to prepare miR-204-5p-enriched exosomes. Using metabolic glycoengineering combined with bioorthogonal reaction strategy, these exosomes were modified with the EGFR-specific nanobody 7D12. Western blot, electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering were used to characterize the engineered exosomes. The tumor target potential of engineered exosomes was evaluated using immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR. The in vitro anti-tumor activities of engineered exosomes were evaluated using cell growth curves, colony formation, Transwell, and apoptosis analyses. The in vivo anti-tumor activity and safety of engineered exosomes were evaluated using a nude mouse xenograft tumor model. Results:The particle size of 7D12-hExo was (116.8±36.8) nm, with a potential of around -10 mV, and there was no significant change compared with the unmodified hExo. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the fluorescence intensity of the hExo group, 7D12-hExo group, and 7D12+7D12-hExo group were 48.4±3.9, 141.0±6.6, and 38.7±3.2 in EGFR + HCT116 cells, respectively. Compared with the hExo group, the fluorescence intensity of HCT116 cells in the 7D12-hExo group was significantly enhanced ( P<0.05). Compared with the 7D12-hExo group, the fluorescence intensity in HCT116 cells in the 7D12+7D12-hExo group was significantly decreased ( P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the uptake of hExo and 7D12-hExo in EGFR - SW620 colorectal cancer cells. The number of cell clones, invasion, and migration of HCT116 cells in the hExo (204) group was 215.0±14.0, 862.3±61.4, and 1 197.0 ± 36.7, respectively, with an apoptosis rate of (14.1±1.4)%. The number of cell clones, invasion, and migration of HCT116 cells in the 7D12-hExo (204) group was (65.0±15.1), (232.0±27.9), (725.7±32.7), respectively, with an apoptosis rate of (29.3±1.0)%. The 7D12-hExo (204) significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of HCT116 cells ( P<0.05), resulting in promoting the apoptosis of HCT116 cells ( P<0.05). Nude mouse experiments showed that 7D12-hExo (204) significantly inhibited the growth of tumors transplanted with HCT116 cells, with the inhibition rate being 82.8%. However, there was no significant change in mouse weight, and H&E staining of major organs such as heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney did not show any abnormalities. Conclusion:Naturally miR-204-5p-loaded exosomes were successfully modified with nanobody 7D12, which can efficiently deliver miR-204-5p into EGFR + tumor cells, thereby exerting good anti-tumor therapeutic effects.
8.Effects of different training weights on energy expenditure of young males during squatting
Zhengji QIAO ; Yunna GAO ; Junchao YANG ; Yanchun LI ; Yang WANG
Chinese Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;44(1):3-12
Objective To explore the effect of training weights on energy expenditure(EE)among young males during squatting.Methods Twenty young males with strength training experience≥1 year were recruited and performed 3 sets of squats,with 5 repetitions per set,at 40%1RM,60%1RM and 80%1RM,respectively,with an interval of at least 72 hours.Oxygen uptake(VO2),heart rate,blood lactate,and the mechanical work on the barbell during squat exercises were measured before,during,and after each sets.Moreover,one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare EE differenc-es between different training weights,and two-way ANOVA was employed to examine the weight×method effect on metabolic equivalent(MET)values.Meanwhile,Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between EE and barbell mechanical work.Results(1)Training weight has significant effects on the total energy expenditure and EE during excess post-exercise oxy-gen consumption(EPOC)stage(P<0.001),while a significant increase was observed in the glycolytic EE only at 80%1RM and the aerobic EE with no less than 60%1RM(P<0.01 and P<0.05).(2)The percentage of EPOC-stage and glycolytic EE in the total energy expenditure was significantly higher than the aerobic EE(P<0.01),while that of aerobic EE at 40%1RM and 60%1RM was significantly higher than at 80%1RM(P<0.01).(3)Total energy expenditure(r=0.65,P<0.001)and EPOC-stage EE(r=0.68,P<0.001)showed moderate correlation with the mechanical work done.(4)Aerobic EE was significantly lower than the mechanical work done during squatting(P<0.001).Moreover,the MET values of squats calculated using aerobic EE during exercise at 40%-80%1RM was 2.42±0.54,2.89±0.87 and 2.7±0.56,while the MET ones calculated using the total energy expenditure reached 14.99±2.94,20.52±4.51 and 28.57±6.88.Conclusions Only EPOC-stage and glycolytic EE elevate with the increase of weight.Moreover,EE and the MET value scalculated using VO2 dur-ing exercise may under estimate the actual intensity of squat.Meanwhile,the accuracy of EE estima-tion may be improved by introducing the mechanical work.
9.Preliminary observation on the application of nasal endoscopic technique in curettage of large mandibular cyst
Yanchun LIU ; Yanfeng WEI ; Xinghua FENG ; Zixuan WU ; Ke YUN ; Shaoshen CHEN ; Xubo WANG ; Ye LI ; Yaxin HUANG
Journal of Practical Stomatology 2025;41(1):72-74
Objective:To evaluate the effects of nasal endoscopy in curettage of large mandibular cyst.Methods:20 cases of large mandibular cyst admitted to Xianyang Hosptial of Yan'an University from January 2022 to December 2023 were included.The curet-tage of mandibular cyst was performed under general anesthesia through intraoral incision by nasal endoscopy-assisted illumination and enlargement of the lesion area during the operation.The application effects were evaluated from the aspects of surgical incision length,nerve injury and cyst recurrence.Results:During operation,the surgical filed of view was clear and the operation was suc-ceeded in all cases.There was no complication in and after the nasal endoscopy-assisted curettage,no cyst recurrence was observed during 1-year follow-up.Conclusion:Nasal endoscopy-assisted curettage of large mandibular cyst is effective and safe.
10.Peri-coronary fat inflammation predicts proximal atherosclerotic plaque formation associated with LAD myocardial bridge
Suyu LI ; Fan ZHOU ; Zhihan XU ; Yanchun CHEN ; Qian CHEN ; Yunyan SU ; Yun FENG ; Haitao ZHU ; Longjiang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(5):604-612
Objective:To investigate the correlation between peri-coronary fat attenuation index (FAI) and plaque formation in patients with myocardial bridge (MB) of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and to develop an optimal predictive model to explore the potential application of FAI in the primary prevention of MB related atherosclerosis.Methods:In this retrospective study, prediction models associated with perivascular fat inflammation were developed and validated using both logistic regression and machine learning (ML) algorithm. A training dataset was collected from 253 patients who underwent ≥2 coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with ≥3 months intervals from one tertiary hospital from January 2007 to April 2021 and had baseline CCTA showing no plaques in LAD MB. The median follow-up time was 3.2 years. According to the same criteria, a total of 75 LAD MB patients from four other hospitals were included to form an independent external validation dataset, with a median follow-up time of 1.8 years. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and category net reclassification index (NRI) were used to compare the performance of the predictive models.Results:62 patients (24.5%) in the training dataset had proximal plaque formation in LAD MB, while 22 patients (29.3%) in the external validation dataset had plaque formation during the follow-up period. Baseline FAI within the longitudinal distance equal to 30 mm proximal to the MB entrance was an independent predictor ( OR=1.068, P=0.046). According to the model results, ROC curves were plotted. The AUC of Model 1 was 0.822, and the AUCs of Model 2 and 1 were 0.821 and 0.591 in the training dataset. After the DeLong test, the AUC of Model 1 was superior to that of Model 2 ( Z=2.839, P=0.005) and Model 1 ( Z=6.124, P<0.001). These findings were further validated in the external validation dataset, where ML-model 3 yielded the best predictive performance, outperforming the logistic regression-based Model 2 (categorical NRI=0.359, P=0.048; IDI=0.108, P=0.046). Conclusion:FAI measured within the 30 mm proximal to the entrance of MBs due to its prone to plaque development is an independent predictor for atherosclerotic plaque formation. The ML-prediction model based on a decision tree algorithm combines FAI, MB anatomical features, and patient risk factors, which is beneficial for patients undergoing routine CCTA examination to identify inflamed coronary arteries in advance and guide the clinical adoption of more targeted preventive treatment, including anti-inflammatory treatment.

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