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.

BACKGROUND:Iron overload refers to excessive accumulation of iron in the body,which can cause pathological changes in various tissues.At present,the molecular mechanism and potential gene targets related to iron overload in osteoarthritis still need to be further studied and explored. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the key genes of iron overload in osteoarthritis by means of bioinformatics and verify them in animal experiments,so as to provide a new idea for preventing and treating osteoarthritis from the perspective of iron overload. METHODS:GEO database and GeneCards database were used to screen out genes associated with osteoarthritis and genes associated with iron overload.Then,the intersection of the two was taken to obtain a collection of genes commonly associated with osteoarthritis and iron overload.GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were used to screen the functions and pathways of these genes.To further investigate the interactions between these genes,a protein-protein interaction network was constructed and five computational methods of Cytoscape software were utilized to identify the Hub genes for iron overload in osteoarthritis.Finally,12 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into osteoarthritis group and normal group,with 6 rats in each group.A knee osteoarthritis model was established by the modified Hulth method in the osteoarthritis group.The expression of Hub genes in the knee joint of rats in each group was detected by PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 51 genes associated with iron overload were identified in osteoarthritis.GO enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in cytokine receptor binding,chemokine receptor binding,cytokine activity,growth factor receptor binding and oligosaccharide binding.(2)KEGG enrichment analysis showed that genes associated with iron overload in osteoarthritis was mainly involved in tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway and lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathway.(3)The protein-protein interaction network was constructed,and five Hub genes of iron overload,intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1,tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 11,myelocytomatosis oncogene,janus kinase 2,and interleukin 6,were obtained by further analysis.Animal experiments verified that there were significant differences in the expression of the above Hub genes in the rat knee joint between the control group and the experimental group(P<0.05).(4)All these findings show that intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1,tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 11,myelocytomatosis oncogene,janus kinase 2,and interleukin 6 can be used as the Hub genes of iron overload in osteoarthritis,which are expected to become new targets for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis.

WDFY1 is a member of the protein family containing the WD repeat and FYVE structural domains,acting as a junction that assists the recruitment of downstream molecules by Toll-like receptor 3/4(TLR3/TLR4)and promotes the body's natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial immune response.In recent years,the role of WDFY1 has been successively reported in various disease models,such as neurological diseases,autophagy and tumors.This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of WDFY1 research,encompassing its expression distribution,cell biological function and its role in disease development,and take a prospect on the potential of WDFY1 as a target in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of periosteal induction technique combined with transfer of sural neurovascular flap in treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis of calcaneus with soft tissue defect.Methods:Clinical data, from January 2017 to December 2022, of 17 patients in the Army Institute for Traumatic Orthopaedics, the 920th Hospital of Joint Service Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Amy with post-traumatic calcaneal osteomyelitis combined with soft tissue defect were retrospectively studied. The patients were 11 males and 6 females, with 46.5 (17-68) years in average. All patients received surgical treatment with periosteal induction technique in 2 phased surgies. Thorough debridement, antibiotics blended bone cement filling and wound coverage with sural neurovascular flap were carried out in phase-I surgery; The phase-II surgery were performed at 6-8 weeks after infection control to remove bone cement and then to transfer bone grafts for periosteal induction. After surgery, flap healing and infection control were observed. The infection control, pain improvement, recovery of ankle function and improvement of quality of life were evaluated by comparison of following parameters before and after surgery per phase: infection indicators [white blood cell count (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and MOS 36-item Short form Health Survey (SF-36, Boston Institute of Health, USA).Results:All 17 patients completed the two-phased surgical treatment, with an average interval of 9.4 (8-16) weeks between phase-I and phase-II surgery. All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up of 25.8 (13-40) months. After debridement in phase-I surgery, the sizes of soft tissue defect were found at 3.0 cm×2.0 cm-6.0 cm×8.0 cm. All flaps survived from the reconstructive surgery of sural neurovascular flap. Postoperative distal flap necroses occurred to 4 patients but all healed after further debridement. Recurrence of postoperative infection occurred to 2 patients and the infection control was achieved after the phase-I rescue surgery. Good outcomes without recurrence of infection were achieved after phase-II surgery. The postoperative follow-up at 1 year after phase-II surgery showed a statistically significant improvement of infection in blood indicators and reductions in VAS score, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and SF-36 score in comparison with those before surgery ( P<0.05). In addition to WBC, there were also significant differences in pairwise comparisons between each group at different time points ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of post-traumatic calcaneal osteomyelitis with soft tissue defect, a combination of periosteal induction technique and sural neurovascular flap is beneficial to infection control, bone defect reconstruction, recovery of ankle function and improvement of quality of life.

WDFY1 is a member of the protein family containing the WD repeat and FYVE structural domains,acting as a junction that assists the recruitment of downstream molecules by Toll-like receptor 3/4(TLR3/TLR4)and promotes the body's natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial immune response.In recent years,the role of WDFY1 has been successively reported in various disease models,such as neurological diseases,autophagy and tumors.This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of WDFY1 research,encompassing its expression distribution,cell biological function and its role in disease development,and take a prospect on the potential of WDFY1 as a target in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of periosteal induction technique combined with transfer of sural neurovascular flap in treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis of calcaneus with soft tissue defect.Methods:Clinical data, from January 2017 to December 2022, of 17 patients in the Army Institute for Traumatic Orthopaedics, the 920th Hospital of Joint Service Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Amy with post-traumatic calcaneal osteomyelitis combined with soft tissue defect were retrospectively studied. The patients were 11 males and 6 females, with 46.5 (17-68) years in average. All patients received surgical treatment with periosteal induction technique in 2 phased surgies. Thorough debridement, antibiotics blended bone cement filling and wound coverage with sural neurovascular flap were carried out in phase-I surgery; The phase-II surgery were performed at 6-8 weeks after infection control to remove bone cement and then to transfer bone grafts for periosteal induction. After surgery, flap healing and infection control were observed. The infection control, pain improvement, recovery of ankle function and improvement of quality of life were evaluated by comparison of following parameters before and after surgery per phase: infection indicators [white blood cell count (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, and MOS 36-item Short form Health Survey (SF-36, Boston Institute of Health, USA).Results:All 17 patients completed the two-phased surgical treatment, with an average interval of 9.4 (8-16) weeks between phase-I and phase-II surgery. All patients were included in the postoperative follow-up of 25.8 (13-40) months. After debridement in phase-I surgery, the sizes of soft tissue defect were found at 3.0 cm×2.0 cm-6.0 cm×8.0 cm. All flaps survived from the reconstructive surgery of sural neurovascular flap. Postoperative distal flap necroses occurred to 4 patients but all healed after further debridement. Recurrence of postoperative infection occurred to 2 patients and the infection control was achieved after the phase-I rescue surgery. Good outcomes without recurrence of infection were achieved after phase-II surgery. The postoperative follow-up at 1 year after phase-II surgery showed a statistically significant improvement of infection in blood indicators and reductions in VAS score, AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and SF-36 score in comparison with those before surgery ( P<0.05). In addition to WBC, there were also significant differences in pairwise comparisons between each group at different time points ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of post-traumatic calcaneal osteomyelitis with soft tissue defect, a combination of periosteal induction technique and sural neurovascular flap is beneficial to infection control, bone defect reconstruction, recovery of ankle function and improvement of quality of life.

Objective To investigate and analyze a group occupational acute dimethylacetamide (DMA) poisoning incident occurred during the post-fire cleaning operation in a spandex manufacturing enterprise. Methods This study focused on the involved enterprise, employing units, poisoning patients, and workers with similar occupational exposure history from a group occupational acute chemical poisoning incident in Guangdong Province in 2023. Occupational health on-site investigation data, clinical records of poisoned patients, and occupational disease diagnostic data were collected to determine the cause of the poisoning. Results The incident occurred at a spandex manufacturing enterprise during the cleaning of polymerization reaction vessels after a fire, resulting in poisoning of six cleaning workers. The clinical symptoms of patients included varying degrees of liver function abnormalities and skin damage. All six patients wore long-tube air-supplied full-face masks during work. The patients were in a confined work space with poor ventilation, and worked more than 8 hours per day. Patients felt unwell after 5-13 days of work. Post-incident investigation revealed that the DMA exposure concentration of short term near the reaction vessels was 36.06 mg/m³. DMA accounted 13.74% to 30.09% of the volatile organic compounds in the raw and auxiliary materials and waste in the vessel. N-methylacetamide was detected in the urine of these six patients, with levels up to 1 639.78 mg/g creatinine, exceeding the occupational exposure limit (20.00 mg/g creatinine). All six patients were diagnosed as occupational acute DMA poisoning. Conclusion Occupational acute DMA poisoning mainly causes liver damage, has a latent onset, and poses a risk of group occurrence. The main causes of group poisoning are confined work space, inadequate management, insufficient protective measures, and excessive working hours.

ObjectiveTo construct a quantitative prediction model of three indicators（moisture absorption rate， film thickness and coating weight gain） during the coating process of Vitamin C Yinqiao tablets（VCYT） by near-infrared spectroscopy（NIRS）， and to realize the endpoint judgment. MethodReal-time NIRS data of 4 batches of VCYT during the coating process were collected by diffuse reflection method. The coating method employed was the rolling coating method， and the samples were obtained at the spray stage from the coater's sampling port every 10 minutes， and 57 batches of samples（about 1 800 tablets） were collected at various coating times， the tablets were embedded in molten paraffin， cut longitudinally， and observed by stereomicroscope. The film thickness， with a target value of 38 μm， was then measured using Motic Images Advanced 3.2 software. Furthermore， the mositure absorption rate of samples， aiming for a target value of 3%， was determined in accordance with guiding principles for drug hygroscopicity testing in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia， and 3 samples were randomly selected from each batch（10 tablets per batch）， and the coating weight gain was calculated（target value of 4%）. Partial least squares regression（PLSR） was used to construct a quantitative model of the 3 coating indicators， and the predicted values of the coating indicators were smoothed using the moving average method and used to determine the coating endpoints. ResultThe prediction determination coefficients（R_p²） for moisture absorption rate， film thickness and coating weight gain were 0.933 4， 0.932 6 and 0.965 9， the root mean square errors of prediction（RMSEP） were 0.163 5%， 1.870 9 μm and 0.240 3%， the relative percent deviations（RPD） were 3.711 0， 2.760 7 and 5.415 8， respectively. The results of the external validation set demonstrated that the real-time predicted values obtained by the models exhibited the same trend as the measured values， and the coating endpoint could be accurately predicted（with a prediction error of less than 7.32 min and a relative error of less than 5.63%）. ConclusionThe established NIRS model exhibits excellent predictive performance and can be used for quality control of VCYT during the coating process.

Objective:To investigate the role of m.4435A>G and YARS2 c.572G>T(p.G191V)mutations in the development of essential hypertension.Methods:A hypertensive patient with m.4435A>G and YARS2 p.G191V mutations was identified from previously collected mitochondrial genome and exon sequencing data.Clinical data were collected,and a molecular genetic study was conducted in the proband and his family members.Peripheral venous blood was collected,and immortalized lymphocyte lines constructed.The mitochondrial transfer RNA(tRNA),mitochondrial protein,adenosine triphosphate(ATP),mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP),and reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the constructed lymphocyte cell lines were measured.Results:Mitochondrial genome sequencing showed that all maternal members carried a highly conserved m.4435A>G mutation.The m.4435A>G mutation might affect the secondary structure and folding free energy of mitochondrial tRNA and change its stability,which may influence the anticodon ring structure.Compared with the control group,the cell lines carrying m.4435A>G and YARS2 p.G191V mutations had decreased mitochondrial tRNA homeostasis,mitochondrial protein expression,ATP production and MMP levels,as well as increased ROS levels(all P<0.05).Conclusion:The YARS2 p.G191V mutation aggravates the changes in mitochondrial translation and mitochondrial function caused by m.4435A>G through affecting the steady-state level of mitochondrial tRNA and further leads to cell dysfunction,indicating that YARS2 p.G191V and m.4435A>G mutations have a synergistic effect in this family and jointly participate in the occurrence and development of essential hypertension.

Liver transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, which can significantly improve clinical prognosis and quality of life of patients. However, multiple challenges, such as rejection, immune tolerance, shortage of donor liver, preservation of donor liver, ischemia-reperfusion injury and postoperative complications, etc., limit the efficacy of liver transplantation in clinical practice. Research teams in China have made significant contributions to the basic research related to liver transplantation by making continuous efforts and combining the development of emerging technologies, interdisciplinary integration and other emerging fields. In this article, the frontier progress in the basic research of liver transplantation in 2023 was reviewed, highlighting the progress made by Chinese research teams in the basic research of liver transplantation, aiming to provide reference for promoting the integration of Chinese characteristics into the research of liver transplantation, accelerate the integration of Chinese liver transplantation research with international community, and promote further advancement of liver transplantation in China.