Hygroscopicity research has long been a key focus and hot topic in Chinese materia medica（CMM）. Elucidating hygroscopic mechanisms plays a vital role in formulation design， process optimization， and storage condition selection. Hygroscopic models serve as essential tools for characterizing CMM hygroscopic mechanisms， with various types available. The double exponential model is a kinetic mathematical model constructed based on the law of conservation of energy and Fick's first law of diffusion， tailored to the physical properties of CMM extracts. In recent years， this model has been extensively applied to simulate the dynamic moisture absorption behavior of CMM extracts and solid dosage forms under varying humidity conditions. It has revealed the correlation between moisture absorption kinetic parameters and material properties， offering a new perspective for characterizing the moisture uptake behavior of CMM. This paper systematically reviews the application progress of this model in the field of CMM， analyzes its advantages， disadvantages， and challenges in this domain， and explores its potential application trends in other fields. It aims to provide references for elucidating the moisture absorption mechanisms of CMM and researching moisture-proofing technologies， while also offering insights for its broader application in food and polymer materials.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the antitumor activity of Periplaneta americana extract（PAE） against human-derived lung adenocarcinoma organoids（LUAD-PDOs） and to elucidate its potential mechanism based on transcriptomics. MethodsFresh tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with LUAD were collected to construct LUAD-PDOs and normal lung organoid（Nor-PDOs） models using 3D organoid culture technology. The effective intervention concentration of PAE was determined using the cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） assay. Experimental groups included the model group（LUAD-PDOs）， normal group， model administration group（LUAD-PDOs+PAE）， and normal administration group（Nor-PDOs+PAE）. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological structures of PDOs， immunohistochemistry（IHC） was performed to detect the expressions of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and lung adenocarcinoma differentiation markers cytokeratin-7（CK-7） and Napsin A， TUNEL staining was applied to detect cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing（RNA-Seq） was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes（DEGs）， followed by Gene Ontology（GO）， Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG）， and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis（GSEA）， alongside protein-protein interaction（PPI） network analysis to screen core mechanisms. Finally， key targets were validated by integrating external database analysis with immunofluorescence（IF）. ResultsNor-PDOs and LUAD-PDOs that highly recapitulated the pathological characteristics of the primary tissues were successfully established. The CCK-8 assay determined that the effective intervention concentration of PAE was 16 g·L^-1. Morphological observation showed that Nor-PDOs exhibited lumen-forming structures， whereas LUAD-PDOs displayed dense， solid structures. CCK-8 and TUNEL assays revealed that， compared with the model group， PAE intervention inhibited the proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promoted apoptosis in LUAD cells， while showing no significant effect on the viability of Nor-PDOs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 719 DEGs that were significantly reversed after PAE intervention（347 up-regulated and 372 down-regulated）（P<0.05）. GO enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in the model administration group were significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell cycle regulation compared to the model group. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PAE affected pathways related to proliferation and metabolism， including pathways in cancer and the p53 signaling pathway. GSEA further confirmed that PAE significantly enhanced the activity of the p53 signaling pathway（P<0.05）. PPI network analysis indicated that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein（BRCA1） and checkpoint kinase 1（CHEK1） were the core down-regulated targets in the p53 pathway. IF verified the high expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 in LUAD-PDOs and their significant downregulation after PAE intervention（P<0.05）. Furthermore， survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas（TCGA） database indicated that low expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 was significantly associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with LUAD（P<0.05）. ConclusionPAE effectively inhibits proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promotes their apoptosis， its anti-tumor mechanism is potentially associated with the activation of the p53 signaling pathway， with BRCA1 and CHEK1 genes likely serving as key downstream targets for the effects of PAE.

Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of pathogens causing infections within 90 days after liver transplantation and the influencing factors of infection. Methods Clinical data of 176 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from September 2021 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the infection group (n=124) and the non-infection group (n=52) based on whether they developed infection within 90 days after transplantation. The distribution characteristics of pathogens in infected patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of infection. Results Among the 176 liver transplant recipients, 124 cases developed 243 episodes of 518 bacterial, fungal, viral or mycoplasma infections within 90 days after transplantation, with an overall infection rate of 70.5% (124/176). The composition of pathogens was mainly Gram-negative bacteria (38.6%, 200/518), followed by Gram-positive bacteria (32.2%, 167/518) and viruses (15.4%, 80/518), and fungi accounted for 13.1% (68/518). Among Gram-negative bacteria, the main pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.8%, 35/518), and among Gram-positive bacteria, the main pathogen was Enterococcus faecalis (8.5%, 44/518). Viruses included Epstein-Barr virus (3.7%, 19/518) and cytomegalovirus (3.7%, 19/518), and fungi were mainly Candida albicans (6.8%, 35/518). The most common infection site among the 243 episodes was pulmonary infection (42.0%, 102/243), followed by abdominal infection (22.6%, 55/243) and bloodstream infection (18.1%, 44/243). The infections mainly occurred within 2 weeks after transplantation (60.9%, 148/243). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative infection within 2 weeks, a high preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and preoperative sarcopenia were independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation (all odds ratio>1, P<0.05). After multivariate correction, the levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells within 90 days after surgery were independently associated with the occurrence of infection. Low levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells might be related to an increased risk of infection. Conclusions The infection rate after liver transplantation is high, and the pathogens are mainly Gram-negative bacteria. The lungs are the most common infection site. Preoperative MELD score, preoperative sarcopenia and preoperative infection within 2 weeks are independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation. Regular monitoring of immune indicators CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells levels after transplantation is helpful to reduce the occurrence of post-transplantation infection.

ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the distribution patterns of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in patients with chronic hepatitis B （CHB） comorbid with metabolically associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） and analyze their correlation with clinical characteristics and the progression of liver fibrosis. MethodsA cross-sectional study method was employed， and 506 patients with CHB comorbid with MAFLD who attended the Hepatology Outpatient Department of Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu from June 2024 to December 2024 were enrolled. General information， traditional Chinese medicine syndromes information， laboratory indicators， and imaging examination results were collected using case report forms （CRF）. Tongue images of patients were acquired using a tongue diagnosis instrument， and tongue feature parameters were extracted using computer image processing technology. Frequency analysis， factor analysis， and cluster analysis， and other methods were used to explore syndrome categories and distribution patterns. Non-parametric tests were used to compare the differences in clinical characteristics among different syndromes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the correlation between traditional Chinese medicine syndromes and the progression of liver fibrosis. ResultsThe main traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in patients with CHB comorbid with MAFLD were mainly dominated by damp-heat accumulation syndrome， liver stagnation and spleen deficiency syndrome， and phlegm-blood stasis syndrome， with damp-heat accumulation syndrome accounting for the highest proportion （41.89%）. Compared with those without damp-heat accumulation syndrome， patients with damp-heat accumulation syndrome had significantly lower tongue proper H value， tongue coating H value， and tongue coating a^* value （P<0.05）， significantly higher tongue coating b^* value （P<0.05）， significantly increased levels of white blood cell （WBC）， red blood cell （RBC）， hemoglobin （HGB）， and glucose （GLU）， increased CAP values （P<0.05）， a higher proportion of males （P<0.05）， and a younger age （P<0.05）. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses show that age， hepatitis B surface antigen （HBsAg）， diabetes， and damp-heat accumulation syndrome are independent risk factors for liver fibrosis （P<0.05）， and that damp-heat accumulation syndrome is predominantly distributed in liver fibrosis stage F0-F1. ConclusionDamp-heat accumulation syndrome is a typical syndrome in patients with CHB comorbid with MAFLD， which is significantly associated with enhanced inflammatory response， metabolic disorders， and early liver fibrosis， and is a key link in disease progression. Clinical attention and early intervention are needed.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative combined detection of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio to albumin ratio (PTAR) for early abdominal infection after liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 287 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, from January 2020 to April 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into infection group (n=60) and non-infection group (n=227) based on whether abdominal infection occurred within 30 days after surgery. The distribution characteristics of pathogens and infection time in infected patients were analyzed. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between NLR, PTAR, Child-Pugh score and preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for abdominal infection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for NLR, PTAR, and the combined prediction model to evaluate their predictive efficacy for abdominal infection after liver transplantation. Based on the cutoff value of the combined model, recipients were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence of abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery between the two groups. Results Among the 287 recipients who underwent liver transplantation, 60 developed bacterial or fungal abdominal infections postoperatively. A total of 86 strains were isolated from infected patients, with Gram-negative bacteria accounting for 58%, Gram-positive bacteria for 36%, and fungi for 5%. Preoperative NLR and PTAR were positively correlated with Child-Pugh and MELD scores (all 1 > r > 0, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative NLR, preoperative PTAR, postoperative ICU stay duration and postoperative biliary leakage were risk factors for abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery. The area under the curve (AUC) for NLR, PTAR, Child-Pugh score and MELD score were 0.771, 0.735, 0.650 and 0.741, respectively. The AUC for the combined NLR and PTAR prediction model was 0.824 (95% confidence interval: 0.763-0.885, P < 0.001), with a cutoff value of 0.168. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of abdominal infection within 30 days after surgery was lower in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group, with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Conclusions Preoperative NLR and PTAR are independent risk factors for abdominal infection within 30 days after liver transplantation. The combined prediction model of NLR and PTAR may effectively identify high-risk recipients for early abdominal infection after liver transplantation, providing basis for early intervention.

Globally, over 300 million surgeries are performed each year, and more than 50% of surgeries involve patients aged 65 and older. Aging poses significant challenges to perioperative brain health, as the deterioration of brain structure and function increases susceptibility to postoperative neurological complications. Protecting perioperative brain health remains a worldwide clinical challenge. With senescence, the brain undergoes a progressive decline in homeostasis across various molecular, cellular, and regional functions. Anesthetics and surgical stimuli may accelerate the disruption of brain homeostasis and exacerbate age-related neurodegeneration. This review provides a framework for understanding how anesthesia and surgery can affect brain health in the aging population and contribute to postoperative neurological complications, with a particular focus on perioperative neurocognitive disorder.

Lirispirolides A-L (1-12), twelve novel sesquiterpene-monoterpene heterodimers featuring distinctive carbon skeletons, were isolated from the branches and leaves of Chinese tulip tree [Liriodendron chinense (L. chinense)], a rare medicinal and ornamental plant endemic to China. The structural elucidation was accomplished through comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, quantum-chemical calculations, and X-ray crystallography. These heterodimers exhibit a characteristic 2-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-1-one structural motif, biosynthetically formed through intermolecular [4 + 2]-cycloaddition between a germacrane-type sesquiterpene and an ocimene-type monoterpene. The majority of the isolated compounds demonstrated significant anti-neuroinflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 microglial cells by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, specifically tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO). Further investigation revealed that the lirispirolides' inhibition of NO release correlated with decreased messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS).
Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/isolation & purification* ; Animals ; Mice ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics* ; Nitric Oxide/immunology* ; Microglia/immunology* ; Molecular Structure ; Liriodendron/chemistry* ; Monoterpenes/isolation & purification* ; Plants, Medicinal/chemistry* ; Cell Line ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/immunology* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; China

Objective To investigate the effect of liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS)of YTH domain family protein 2(YTHDF2)on the sodium arsenite-induced malignant transformation of skin cells,providing a new intervention target for the prevention and control of sodium arsenite-induced carcinogenesis.Methods The HaCaT cell model of malignant transformation was constructed by continuous treatment with 1 μmol/L sodium arsenite for 22 weeks,including cells with normal YTHDF2 LLPS(YTHDF2-wt)and cells with inhibited YTHDF2 LLPS(YTHDF2-mut).Confocal microscopy was employed to observe and characterize the LLPS droplets formed by YTHDF2 during sodium arsenite-induced malignant transformation of skin cells.Cell proliferation,scratch healing,and colony formation assays were performed to detect malignant phenotypes.Western blotting,quantitative reverse transcription PCR,and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to examine the effects of YTHDF2 LLPS on the mRNA and protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN)during sodium arsenite-induced malignant transformation of skin cells.Results After 4 weeks of sodium arsenite treatment,LLPS droplets of YTHDF2 appeared in YTHDF2-wt cells,and the number of droplets gradually increased as the treatment time was prolonged(F=35.252,P<0.001),while no phase-separated droplets were observed in YTHDF2-mut cells.Compared with YTHDF2-mut cells,YTHDF2-wt cells showed enhanced proliferation at the time points of 48 h(t=3.654,P=0.006)and 72 h(t=5.458,P<0.001)after 22 weeks of sodium arsenite treatment.The scratch healing rate of YTHDF2-wt cells was increased at the 8th(t=12.137,P<0.001)and 22th(t=4.484,P=0.011)weeks of sodium arsenite treatment.The number of colonies formed by YTHDF2-wt cells was higher at the 4th(t=3.365,P=0.027),8th(t=5.580,P=0.005),and 22th(t=3.328,P=0.029)weeks of sodium arsenite treatment.Compared with YTHDF2-mut cells,YTHDF2-wt cells showed down-regulated protein(t=-3.119,P=0.036)and mRNA(t=4.051,P=0.015) levels of PTEN after 22 weeks of sodium arsenite treatment.Immunofluorescence results showed that after 4 weeks of sodium arsenite treatment,YTHDF2 LLPS droplets in YTHDF2-wt cells were localized to stress granules,translation-related membrane-less organelles.Conclusions During sodium arsenite-induced malignant transformation of skin cells,YTHDF2 undergoes LLPS and localizes to stress granules,translation-related membrane-less organelles.YTHDF2 LLPS participates in sodium arsenite-induced malignant transformation of skin cells by down-regulating the mRNA level of the key tumor suppressor PTEN.
Arsenites/toxicity* ; Sodium Compounds/toxicity* ; Humans ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation ; Skin/cytology* ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; Skin Neoplasms/chemically induced* ; Cell Line

ObjectiveTo investigate the application of the novel inflammatory factor adsorption column CA280 combined with low-dose plasma exchange （LPE） in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF）. MethodsA prospective cohort study was designed， and a total of 93 ACLF patients who were admitted to The Ninth Hospital of Nanchang from June 2023 to January 2025 were enrolled and randomly divided into DPMAS+LPE group with 50 patients and CA280+LPE group with 43 patients. In addition to comprehensive medical treatment， the patients in the DPMAS+LPE group received DPMAS and LPE treatment， and those in the CA280+LPE group received CA280 and LPE treatment. The two groups were observed in terms of routine blood test results， liver function parameters， renal function markers， electrolytes， coagulation function parameters， cytokines， adverse events， and 28-day prognosis before surgery （baseline）， during surgery （DPMAS or CA280）， and after surgery （after sequential LPE treatment）. The paired t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data before and after treatment within each group， and the independent-samples t test was used for comparison between groups； the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data before and after treatment within each group， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. The chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups， and the Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. ResultsAfter CA280 treatment， the ACLF patients had significant reductions in the levels of cytokines （IL-6， IL-8， IL-10， TNF-α， and IFN-γ）， liver function parameters （ALT， AST， ALP， TBil， DBil， Alb， and glutathione reductase）， and the renal function marker urea nitrogen （all P<0.05）， and in terms of coagulation function parameters， there were significant increases in prothrombin time， activated partial thromboplastin time （APTT）， thrombin time， and international normalized ratio （INR） and significant reductions in prothrombin activity （PTA） and fibrinogen （FIB） （all P<0.05）. Compared with the DPMAS+LPE group， the CA280+LPE group showed better improvements in the serum cytokines IL-8 （Z=-2.63， P=0.009）， IL-10 （Z=-3.94， P<0.001）， and TNF-α （Z=-1.53， P=0.023）， and the two artificial liver support systems had a similar effect in improving liver function （ALT， AST， GGT， GR， TBil， and DBil） （all P >0.05）， but the CA280+LPE group showed a significantly greater reduction in Alb （Z=-2.08， P=0.037）. CA280+LPE was more effective in reducing uric acid （Z=-2.97， P=0.003）. Compared with DPMAS+LPE， CA280+LPE treatment resulted in a significant reduction in INR （Z=-4.01， P<0.001）， a significant increase in APTT （Z=-2.53， P=0.011）， and significant greater increases in PTA （Z=-6.28， P<0.001） and FIB （Z=-3.93， P<0.001）. There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of adverse reactions and the rate of improvement at discharge between the two groups （all P>0.05）. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that IL-6 was significantly correlated with WBC （r=0.22， P=0.042）， TBil （r=0.29， P=0.005）， and FIB （r=-0.33， P=0.003）； IL-8 was positively correlated with APTT （r=0.37， P<0.001） and INR （r=0.25， P=0.013）； TNF-α was significantly correlated with WBC （r=0.40， P<0.001） and TBil （r=0.34， P<0.001）. ConclusionCompared with DPMAS， CA280 combined with LPE can effectively clear proinflammatory cytokines and improve liver function in ACLF patients， but it has a certain impact on Alb and coagulation function. This regimen provides a new option for the individualized treatment of ACLF and can improve the short-term prognosis of patients， but further studies are needed to verify its long-term efficacy.