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.

As a chronic and lifelong disease， diabetes mellitus occurs across all age groups and gender groups. Since the disease requires lifelong treatment， it seriously affects the quality of life of patients. With the rising incidence on a global scale， diabetes mellitus has become a global problem that seriously affects public health. Moreover， the complications of this disease have aroused concern from the global medical research community， the World Health Organization， and the public. In the past， Western medicine was used in the clinical treatment of diabetes mellitus， which， however， had drug dependence， unsatisfactory efficacy， and side effects. Long-term oral administration of antidiabetics may cause liver and kidney function damage， hypoglycemia and other adverse symptoms. The treatment of diabetes mellitus has been faced with challenges such as limited efficacy and obvious side effects. Therefore， exploring more effective treatment means， especially tapping the potential of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of diabetes mellitus， is a major issue to be solved. TCM has shown a great application value and a broad prospect in the treatment of diabetes mellitus because of multi-target regulation， a holistic view， synergistic effects， and high safety. TCM has a history of thousands of years in the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus， with rich experience accumulated and remarkable results achieved. Particularly， TCM demonstrates definite therapeutic effects on the complications. The application of TCM in the treatment of complications has been recognized and accepted by patients because of the definite therapeutic effect. In recent years， great progress has been achieved in the treatment of diabetes mellitus by the combination of Chinese and western medicine， which has made important contributions to the control of diabetes mellitus. This paper reviews the articles about the treatment of diabetes mellitus with TCM classic prescriptions， summarizes the treatment of clinical cases regarding the indications of these prescriptions， and provides an overview of the treatment mechanisms， aiming to offer fresh insights and strategies for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Insufficient alveolar bone thickness increases the risk of periodontal dehiscence and fenestration, especially in orthodontic tooth movement. Abaloparatide (ABL), a synthetic analog of human PTHrP (1-34) and a clinical medication for treating osteoporosis, has recently demonstrated its potential in enhancing craniofacial bone formation. Herein, we show that intraoral submucosal injection of ABL, when combined with mechanical force, promotes in situ alveolar bone thickening. The newly formed bone is primarily located outside the original compact bone, implying its origin from the periosteum. RNA sequencing of the alveolar bone tissue revealed that the focal adhesion (FA) pathway potentially mediates this bioprocess. Local injection of ABL alone enhances cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the alveolar periosteum; when ABL is combined with mechanical force, the FAK expression is upregulated, in line with the accomplishment of the ossification. In vitro, ABL enhances proliferation, migration, and FAK phosphorylation in periosteal stem cells. Furthermore, the pro-osteogenic effects of ABL on alveolar bone are entirely blocked when FAK activity is inhibited by a specific inhibitor. In summary, abaloparatide combined with mechanical force promotes alveolar bone formation via FAK-mediated periosteal osteogenesis. Thus, we have introduced a promising therapeutic approach for drug-induced in situ alveolar bone augmentation, which may prevent or repair the detrimental periodontal dehiscence, holding significant potential in dentistry.
Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Periosteum/cytology* ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism* ; Alveolar Process/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Male ; Humans ; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1/metabolism* ; Cell Movement/drug effects*

Objectives:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of bone metastasis of gastric cancer, analyze the influencing factors of bone metastasis and the effects of different treatment methods, and provide a basis for early detection and treatment optimization of bone metastasis of gastric cancer.Methods:A total of 142 gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis admitted to the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2011 to December 2021 were enrolled, including 60 cases of simple bone metastasis and 82 cases of bone metastasis combined with extraosseous metastasis. 142 patients with stage Ⅲgastric cancer without distant metastasis and 142 gastric cancer patients with visceral metastasis admitted to this hospital during the same period were also enrolled for comparison. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influencing factors of bone metastasis, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the influencing factors of overall survival (OS) of patients with bone metastasis.Results:Among the 142 patients with bone metastasis, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was the main type (123 cases), and 45 patients had simultaneous bone metastasis. Rib metastasis (100 cases), spine metastasis (88 cases), and pelvis metastasis (84 cases) were more common. A total of 110 patients had multiple bone metastasis, and 82 patients had extraosseous metastasis. Results of the stage Ⅲ gastric cancer group, the visceral metastasis group, the bone metastasis group, and the bone metastasis with extraosseous metastasis group were compared. There were significant differences in age, degree of differentiation, Borrmann type, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, serum calcium, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase isoenzyme, lymphocyte, hemoglobin, platelet, CEA, CA19-9, and CA724 (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Borrmann type was an independent protective factor of bone metastasis of gastric cancer (type 3: OR=0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.64, P=0.018). Alkaline phosphatase ( OR=2.54, 95% CI: 1.07-6.01, P=0.034), serum calcium ( OR=2.71, 95% CI: 1.15-6.41, P=0.023), creatine kinase isoenzyme ( OR=16.33, 95% CI: 1.83-145.58, P=0.012), platelet ( OR=10.08, 95% CI:1.89-53.85, P=0.007), and CA19-9 ( OR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.14-5.05, P=0.021) were independent risk factors of bone metastasis of gastric cancer. The median OS of the stage Ⅲ gastric cancer group, the visceral metastasis group, the bone metastasis group, and the bone metastasis with extrabony group were 47, 13, 18, and 6 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The median OS of patients with bone metastasis only who underwent primary tumor surgery was 33 months, better than 6 months of patients without surgery ( P=0.048). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that extraosseous metastasis ( HR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.56-3.85, P<0.001) and decreased hemoglobin ( HR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02-2.34, P=0.042) were independent risk factors of OS of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis. Conclusions:The prognosis of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis alone is significantly better than that of other stage Ⅳ patients. For such patients, surgery on the primary site combined with chemotherapy after full evaluation may prolong the survival time.

Objectives:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of bone metastasis of gastric cancer, analyze the influencing factors of bone metastasis and the effects of different treatment methods, and provide a basis for early detection and treatment optimization of bone metastasis of gastric cancer.Methods:A total of 142 gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis admitted to the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2011 to December 2021 were enrolled, including 60 cases of simple bone metastasis and 82 cases of bone metastasis combined with extraosseous metastasis. 142 patients with stage Ⅲgastric cancer without distant metastasis and 142 gastric cancer patients with visceral metastasis admitted to this hospital during the same period were also enrolled for comparison. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influencing factors of bone metastasis, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the influencing factors of overall survival (OS) of patients with bone metastasis.Results:Among the 142 patients with bone metastasis, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was the main type (123 cases), and 45 patients had simultaneous bone metastasis. Rib metastasis (100 cases), spine metastasis (88 cases), and pelvis metastasis (84 cases) were more common. A total of 110 patients had multiple bone metastasis, and 82 patients had extraosseous metastasis. Results of the stage Ⅲ gastric cancer group, the visceral metastasis group, the bone metastasis group, and the bone metastasis with extraosseous metastasis group were compared. There were significant differences in age, degree of differentiation, Borrmann type, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, serum calcium, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase isoenzyme, lymphocyte, hemoglobin, platelet, CEA, CA19-9, and CA724 (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Borrmann type was an independent protective factor of bone metastasis of gastric cancer (type 3: OR=0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.64, P=0.018). Alkaline phosphatase ( OR=2.54, 95% CI: 1.07-6.01, P=0.034), serum calcium ( OR=2.71, 95% CI: 1.15-6.41, P=0.023), creatine kinase isoenzyme ( OR=16.33, 95% CI: 1.83-145.58, P=0.012), platelet ( OR=10.08, 95% CI:1.89-53.85, P=0.007), and CA19-9 ( OR=2.40, 95% CI: 1.14-5.05, P=0.021) were independent risk factors of bone metastasis of gastric cancer. The median OS of the stage Ⅲ gastric cancer group, the visceral metastasis group, the bone metastasis group, and the bone metastasis with extrabony group were 47, 13, 18, and 6 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). The median OS of patients with bone metastasis only who underwent primary tumor surgery was 33 months, better than 6 months of patients without surgery ( P=0.048). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that extraosseous metastasis ( HR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.56-3.85, P<0.001) and decreased hemoglobin ( HR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.02-2.34, P=0.042) were independent risk factors of OS of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis. Conclusions:The prognosis of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis alone is significantly better than that of other stage Ⅳ patients. For such patients, surgery on the primary site combined with chemotherapy after full evaluation may prolong the survival time.

Objective:To investigate the central mechanism of moxibustion in treating chronic inflammatory visceral pain(CIVP)and its analgesic effect from the perspective of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)/Ets-like transcription factor 1(ELK1)signaling pathway in the spinal cord. Methods:Clean-grade male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,a herb-partitioned moxibustion(HPM)group,a sham-HPM group,a p38 MAPK inhibitor group,and a dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)group.CIVP rat models were prepared using an enema mixture of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid solution and 50%ethanol.The HPM group was treated with HPM;the sham-HPM group was treated the same as the HPM group,but the moxa cones were not ignited;rats in the p38 MAPK inhibitor group received L5-L6 intrathecal injection of p38 MAPK inhibitor(SB203580);rats in the DMSO group received L5-L6 intrathecal injection of 2%DMSO.Abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR),mechanical withdrawal threshold(MWT),and thermal withdrawal latency(TWL)were used to observe pain-related behaviors in each group.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological changes in rat colon tissue.Western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the phosphorylated protein and mRNA expression of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1(ASK1),MAPK kinase(MKK)3/6,p38 MAPK,ELK1,and mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase 1(MSK1)in the spinal cord. Results:Compared with the normal group,CIVP rats had severe colonic inflammatory injuries,and the pathological injury scores increased significantly,along with increased AWR scores under different colorectal distension(CRD)stimulation pressures and decreased MWT and TWL;the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of p38 MAPK,ELK1,MSK1,ASK1,MKK3,and MKK6 all increased in the spinal cord(P<0.01).After HPM treatment,the colon injuries were repaired,and the pathological injury scores decreased;under different CRD stimulation pressures,the AWR scores decreased,and the MWT and TWL increased;the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of p38 MAPK,ELK1,ASK1,and MKK3 in the spinal cord also decreased,with statistically significant differences compared with the model group and the sham-HPM group(P<0.01).There were no significant differences in the above indicators between the HPM group and the p38 MAPK inhibitor group(P>0.05),and the same was true regarding the comparisons between the model group and the DMSO group. Conclusion:HPM exerted analgesic effects via downregulating the mRNA and phosphorylated protein expression of ASK1,MKK3,p38 MAPK,and ELK1 in the spinal cord of CIVP rats.The inhibition of spinal p38 MAPK/ELK1 signaling pathway activation may be one of the mechanisms by which HPM relieves pain in CIVP.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of actively screening patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among inpatients in county territory-level hospitals based on the collection of comorbidity-related diseases and questionnaire surveys.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. From April 1, 2023, to November 30, 2023, a total of 1 392 inpatients who met the screening criteria in county territory-level hospitals within the Western Medical Group of Baiyun District, Guangzhou, were included in the study. General information, disease data, and COPD screening data of the patients were collected. A total of 1 392 questionnaires were distributed, all of which were returned and included in the analysis. Descriptive analysis, comparative analysis, and association rule mining were conducted, including the distribution of general information, distribution of common comorbidity-related diseases in COPD, distribution of questionnaire screening and pulmonary function test results, comparison of screening results based on comorbidity-related diseases grouping, comparison of screening results based on questionnaire screening results grouping, comparison of screening results based on smoking total score grouping, and association rules between screening results and pulmonary function test results and other research data.Results:Among the 1 392 study subjects, 334 cases (24.0%) had a positive self-screening questionnaire for COPD, 44 cases (13.2%) completed pulmonary function tests, and 17 cases (38.6%) were diagnosed with COPD. The positive rate of the screening questionnaire among inpatients was lowest in surgical patients without comorbidity-related diseases and highest in male patients with single/multiple comorbidity-related diseases and symptoms of chronic respiratory system diseases. The group with multiple comorbidity-related diseases had a significantly higher positive rate in the screening questionnaire than the group with single comorbidity-related diseases and the group without comorbidity-related diseases. Only 13.2% of inpatients with a positive screening questionnaire completed pulmonary function tests, with residents covered by medical insurance with multiple comorbidity-related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, having the lowest rate, and patients with symptoms of chronic respiratory system diseases and single comorbidity-related diseases having the highest rate.Conclusions:Based on the collection of comorbidity-related diseases and questionnaire surveys, it is feasible to actively screen COPD patients among inpatients in county territory-level hospitals. However, efforts are needed to further increase the proportion of inpatients with positive screening questionnaires undergoing pulmonary function tests.

Objective Meta-analysis was conducted to assess the risk of secondary infection caused by tocilizumab(TCZ)in the treatment of Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19),in order to provide an evidence-based basis for the safety of tocilizumab in patients with COVID-19.Methods Cochrane Library,PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,SinoMed and Wanfang databases were searched in computer to collect randomized controlled trial and cohort study of treating COVID-19 with tocilizumab from December 19,2019 to December 30,2022.A meta-analysis of the results of each study was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software.Results A total of 1691 references were screened and eighteen studies involving 3933 patients were included.The incidence of secondary infection in the tocilizumab with the standard treatment group and standard treatment group was 19.14%(331/1729)and 12.11%(267/2204),respectively.Meta-analysis showed that the tocilizumab + standard treatment group had a higher incidence of secondary infection than the standard treatment group[RR = 1.35,95%CI(1.05,1.74),P = 0.02].The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the risk of secondary infection with different doses of tocilizumab was different.The incidence of secondary infection was significantly higher in the subgroup with doses of 400～800 mg/d tocilizumab than in the standard care group[RR = 1.48,95%CI(1.19,1.84),P = 0.0004].The incidence of secondary infection in subgroups with doses of≤400 mg/d tocilizumab was also significantly higher than that in the standard treatment group[RR = 1.87,95%CI(1.28,2.72),P = 0.001].However,there was no statistical significance between the subgroup 6～8 mg/kg tocilizumab and the standard treatment group.Conclusions Tocilizumab may increase the risk of secondary infection in patients with COVID-19 compared with standard treatment,and the benefits and risks of tocilizumab should be carefully evaluated before clinical administration.Moreover,large and high-quality studies are needed for further evaluation.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety of adjunctive perampanel in focal epilepsy patients≥12 years old.Methods:One hundred and nineteen focal epilepsy patients≥12 years old accepted adjunctive perampanel in Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from July 2020 to December 2022 were chosen. At 1-3 months, 4-6 months, 7-9 months and 10-12 months after adjunctive perampanel, seizure frequency changes every 28 d, medication retention rate and adverse reactions were recorded to evaluate the clinical efficacy (a reduction in seizure frequency≥50% from baseline was defined as overall valid treatment), tolerability and safety of adjunctive perampanel. According to efficacy results after adjunctive perampanel of 4-6 months (short-term) and 10-12 months (long-term), these patients were divided into valid group and invalid group; and the influencing factors for short-term and long-term efficacy were analyzed.Results:At 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 months after adjunctive perampanel, reduction in seizure frequency every 28 d was 66.7% (24.3%, 97.2%), 77.5% (48.6%, 100%), 94.6% (50%, 100%), 100% (70.9%, 100%), enjoying overall valid rate of 60.2% (59/98), 75.0% (7/76), 78.9% (45/57), 86.5% (32/37). The retention rate at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after adjunctive perampanel was 85.2% (98/115), 67.9% (76/112), 54.3% (57/105), 41.1% (37/90). Adverse reactions were reported in 33 patents (27.7%), mainly with dizziness and secondly with mental symptoms. After short-term and long-term adjunctive perampanel, no significant difference was noted in gender, initial age of adjunctive perampanel, course of disease, etiology, EEG results, imaging results, number and type of combined anti-seizure drugs, or maximum dose of pirampanel between the valid group and invalid group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Perampanel has good efficacy, tolerability and safety in adolescents and adults≥12 years old with focal epilepsy; no clear influencing factors for pirampanel valid treatment is found so far.

Objective:To observe the distribution characteristics of fungi, bacteria and Demodex in the eyelid margin of patients with blepharitis and without blepharitis at different ages. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.A total of 98 patients diagnosed with anterior blepharitis and 99 patients diagnosed with posterior blepharitis in Henan Eye Hospital from March 2021 to June 2022 were enrolled as anterior blepharitis group and posterior blepharitis, respectively.Additionally, 100 patients with an initial diagnosis of refractive error and 200 patients with vitreous opacity were enrolled during the same period as a non-blepharitis group.All patients underwent examinations for lid margin fungi, bacteria and eyelash Demodex, as well as fungal spores and ciliary Demodex count.The differences in the positive rate and load of palpebral fungi, bacteria and eyelash Demodex were compared between anterior and posterior blepharitis groups, as well as across different ages in non-blepharitis group.This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEECKY-2019[18]).All patients were informed about the purpose and methods of the study.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient. Results:There were significant differences in the positive rates of bacteria, fungi and Demodex and the load of Demodex in the non-blepharitis group at different ages ( χ2=28.34, 10.36, 51.57, H=35.66; all at P<0.01).The positive rates of palpebral bacteria and ciliary Demodex and the load of Demodex were significantly higher and the palpebral fungi positive rate was significantly lower in the ≥60 years old than in the <60 years old (all at P<0.05).There were significant differences in the positive rates of bacteria and fungi among anterior blepharitis, posterior blepharitis and non-blepharitis groups ( χ2=18.99, 6.36; all at P<0.01).The palpebral bacteria positive rate was significantly higher in anterior blepharitis group than in posterior blepharitis and non-blepharitis groups, and the palpebral fungi positive rate was significantly higher in anterior blepharitis and posterior blepharitis groups than in non-blepharitis group (all at P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the ciliary Demodex detection rate among the three groups ( χ2=0.16, P=0.74).The number of palpebral fungi spores and eyelash Demodex counts were higher in anterior and posterior blepharitis groups than in non-blepharitis group, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05).The positive rate of palpebral margin bacteria in ciliary Demodex-positive group was 45.7%(156/341), which was significantly higher than 25.6%(40/156) in ciliary Demodex-negative group ( χ2=17.20, P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in the positive rate of palpebral margin fungi between them ( χ2=0.11, P=0.70). Conclusions:In the population with normal eyelid margin, the infection of Demodex and bacteria in lid margin increases and fungal infection decreases in the ≥60 years old.Fungal and bacterial infections are the main sources of palpebral infection in patients with blepharitis, and positive detection of Demodex increases the chance of bacterial infection.