Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a refractory disease of the digestive system characterized by diverse etiologies， complex pathogenesis， a prolonged course， and frequent relapses. In recent years， the incidence of UC has been increasing annually， severely impairing patients' quality of life， posing a risk of malignant transformation that may threaten patients' lives， and resulting in a substantial medical burden. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） compound formulas， with their advantages of multi-component and multi-target actions， have become a new therapeutic option for UC. The NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome is a core component of innate immunity， and its aberrant activation is closely associated with the onset and progression of UC， involving multiple processes such as inflammation and oxidative stress， and exhibiting crosstalk with pathways including nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， and thioredoxin-interacting protein （TXNIP）. At present， NLRP3 has become one of the most intensely studied hotspots in UC-related research. Although increasing studies have focused on the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by TCM compound formulas for UC treatment， challenges remain due to the complex pathogenesis of UC and the compositional diversity of TCM， hindering the realization of precision therapy. In this context， by reviewing literature from the past decade， this paper summarizes the activation process of NLRP3 and its relationship with UC， and elucidates the roles and mechanisms by which TCM compound formulas regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome and related signaling pathways， with a view to providing a reference for further research into the pathogenesis of UC， TCM treatment strategies， and their mechanisms of action.

Ulcerative colitis （UC） is a refractory disease of the digestive system characterized by diverse etiologies， complex pathogenesis， a prolonged course， and frequent relapses. In recent years， the incidence of UC has been increasing annually， severely impairing patients' quality of life， posing a risk of malignant transformation that may threaten patients' lives， and resulting in a substantial medical burden. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） compound formulas， with their advantages of multi-component and multi-target actions， have become a new therapeutic option for UC. The NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome is a core component of innate immunity， and its aberrant activation is closely associated with the onset and progression of UC， involving multiple processes such as inflammation and oxidative stress， and exhibiting crosstalk with pathways including nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， and thioredoxin-interacting protein （TXNIP）. At present， NLRP3 has become one of the most intensely studied hotspots in UC-related research. Although increasing studies have focused on the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by TCM compound formulas for UC treatment， challenges remain due to the complex pathogenesis of UC and the compositional diversity of TCM， hindering the realization of precision therapy. In this context， by reviewing literature from the past decade， this paper summarizes the activation process of NLRP3 and its relationship with UC， and elucidates the roles and mechanisms by which TCM compound formulas regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome and related signaling pathways， with a view to providing a reference for further research into the pathogenesis of UC， TCM treatment strategies， and their mechanisms of action.

Abstract Skin, the largest organ of the human body, serves as the primary barrier against environmental hazards. Skin aging is a complex process influenced by both intrinsic factors, such as endogenous physiological changes, and extrinsic factors, including environmental exposures, reflecting the internal health status of the body. During skin aging, various cell types exhibit diverse responses to aging-related stimulations. This paper systematically reviews the roles of cells in the pathogenesis of skin aging and explores potential therapeutic strategies for mitigating this process. Furthermore, based on the biological activities of cells during skin aging, we elucidate the interaction mechanisms among cells within the skin microenvironment.

Objective:To investigate whether changes in CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) parameters before and after balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) are correlated with treatment effects in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted, including patients with CTEPH who underwent BPA treatment at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from November 2021 to Febbruary 2024. Clinical data and CTPA parameters were analyzed before the initial BPA session and at least 6 months after the final BPA session. Clinical data included WHO functional class, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. The CTPA parameters included the widest diameter of the pulmonary artery diameter (dPA), ascending aorta diameter (dAA), the widest transverse diameter of the right atrium (dRA), the widest short-axis diameter of the right ventricle (dRV), the widest short-axis diameter of the left ventricle (dLV), and the diameter of right ventricular free wall thickness(dRVW). Multiple linear regression was applied to identify variables associated with the decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) among the CTPA parameters.Results:All CTEPH patients underwent a total of 115 BPA treatments. Postoperatively, the WHO functional class of the patients improved compared to preoperative levels ( χ2=5.01, P<0.001), 6MWD improved ( t=4.50, P<0.001), and NT-proBNP levels decreased ( Z=4.47, P<0.001). Hemodynamic parameters, including mPAP, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output, and cardiac index, were significantly improved postoperatively (all P<0.001). CTPA-related parameters, including dPA, dRA, dRV, dRVW, dPA/dAA, dRV/dLV, and dRA/dPA, significantly decreased compared to preoperative values (all P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the decrease in dPA ( β=0.314, P=0.037) and dRA ( β=0.334, P=0.046) were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP. Conclusions:Exercise tolerance, hemodynamics, and CTPA parameters in patients with CTEPH significantly improved after BPA treatment. The decrease in dPA and dRA were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP, suggesting that CTPA is a potentially novel, objective, effective, and noninvasive method for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of BPA.

The global prevalence of diabetes among adults is increasing year by year,with diabetes mellitus type 2(T2DM)being the most common form.T2DM is a chronic disease characterized by insulin resistance and insufficient insulin secretion,often accompanied by disturbances in glucose,protein,and lipid metabolism.Impaired wound healing is one of the major complications of T2DM.Studies have shown that wound healing in T2DM patients are regulated by macrophages and are closely related to their phenotype,activity,and abundance.Macrophages of different phenotypes play distinct roles in various stages of T2DM wound healing:M1 macrophages are involved in the early inflammatory response and pathogen clearance,while M2 macrophages contribute to anti-inflammatory responses and wound repair during later stages.Dysregulation of macrophage phenotype switching affects wound inflammatory response,skin cell function,and extracellular matrix(ECM)synthesis,ultimately leading to impaired healing.Significant progress has been made in understanding the interactions between macrophage metabolic changes and phenotype switching,and this dynamic relationship might play a synergistic role in regulating the wound healing process in T2DM.This review summarizes the functional roles of macrophages in both normal and T2DM-associated wound healing,discusses alterations in glucose,lipid,and amino acid metabolism in macrophages under pathological conditions,and explores how these metabolic shifts regulate wound healing.Furthermore,it examines the therapeutic potential of targeting macrophage metabolism to improve wound healing outcomes.

Objectives:To explore the correlation between angiography-derived microcirculatory resistance(AMR)and microvascular obstruction(MVO)extent,and AMR's predictive value for ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)post-primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods:This retrospective study included STEMI patients who underwent PCI at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from April 2019 to January 2023.Patients underwent acute and follow-up cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)examinations 3-7 days and 3 months post-PCI.Ventricular remodeling was defined as a 20%or more increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume at follow-up.Patients were divided into ventricular remodeling and non-ventricular remodeling groups.Baseline clinical characteristics,AMR values and CMR indices of both groups were compared.Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to explore the correlation between AMR and MVO extent on CMR.Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were employed to evaluate the predictive performance of AMR for ventricular remodeling.Results:A total of 168 STEMI patients([56.4±11.4]years,139[82.7%]males)were included,with 49(29.2%)in the ventricular remodeling group and 119(70.8%)in the non-ventricular remodeling group.AMR was positively correlated with MVO extent on CMR(r=0.42,P<0.01).Compared to the non-ventricular remodeling group,patients in the ventricular remodeling group exhibited a higher AMR value(3.00[2.56,3.52]mmHg?s/cm vs.2.48[2.20,2.74]mmHg?s/cm,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa,P<0.01).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that AMR was independently associated with ventricular remodeling post-PCI in STEMI patients.For every 0.2 mmHg·s/cm increase in AMR,the risk for ventricular remodeling increased 45.1%(adjusted OR=1.451,95%CI:1.228-1.714,P<0.01).Area under the curve of AMR for predicting ventricular remodeling was 0.769.Conclusions:AMR is positively correlated with MVO extent and is an independent predictor for ventricular remodeling in STEMI patients post-PCI.

The global prevalence of diabetes among adults is increasing year by year,with diabetes mellitus type 2(T2DM)being the most common form.T2DM is a chronic disease characterized by insulin resistance and insufficient insulin secretion,often accompanied by disturbances in glucose,protein,and lipid metabolism.Impaired wound healing is one of the major complications of T2DM.Studies have shown that wound healing in T2DM patients are regulated by macrophages and are closely related to their phenotype,activity,and abundance.Macrophages of different phenotypes play distinct roles in various stages of T2DM wound healing:M1 macrophages are involved in the early inflammatory response and pathogen clearance,while M2 macrophages contribute to anti-inflammatory responses and wound repair during later stages.Dysregulation of macrophage phenotype switching affects wound inflammatory response,skin cell function,and extracellular matrix(ECM)synthesis,ultimately leading to impaired healing.Significant progress has been made in understanding the interactions between macrophage metabolic changes and phenotype switching,and this dynamic relationship might play a synergistic role in regulating the wound healing process in T2DM.This review summarizes the functional roles of macrophages in both normal and T2DM-associated wound healing,discusses alterations in glucose,lipid,and amino acid metabolism in macrophages under pathological conditions,and explores how these metabolic shifts regulate wound healing.Furthermore,it examines the therapeutic potential of targeting macrophage metabolism to improve wound healing outcomes.

Objectives:To explore the correlation between angiography-derived microcirculatory resistance(AMR)and microvascular obstruction(MVO)extent,and AMR's predictive value for ventricular remodeling in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)post-primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods:This retrospective study included STEMI patients who underwent PCI at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from April 2019 to January 2023.Patients underwent acute and follow-up cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)examinations 3-7 days and 3 months post-PCI.Ventricular remodeling was defined as a 20%or more increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume at follow-up.Patients were divided into ventricular remodeling and non-ventricular remodeling groups.Baseline clinical characteristics,AMR values and CMR indices of both groups were compared.Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to explore the correlation between AMR and MVO extent on CMR.Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were employed to evaluate the predictive performance of AMR for ventricular remodeling.Results:A total of 168 STEMI patients([56.4±11.4]years,139[82.7%]males)were included,with 49(29.2%)in the ventricular remodeling group and 119(70.8%)in the non-ventricular remodeling group.AMR was positively correlated with MVO extent on CMR(r=0.42,P<0.01).Compared to the non-ventricular remodeling group,patients in the ventricular remodeling group exhibited a higher AMR value(3.00[2.56,3.52]mmHg?s/cm vs.2.48[2.20,2.74]mmHg?s/cm,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa,P<0.01).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that AMR was independently associated with ventricular remodeling post-PCI in STEMI patients.For every 0.2 mmHg·s/cm increase in AMR,the risk for ventricular remodeling increased 45.1%(adjusted OR=1.451,95%CI:1.228-1.714,P<0.01).Area under the curve of AMR for predicting ventricular remodeling was 0.769.Conclusions:AMR is positively correlated with MVO extent and is an independent predictor for ventricular remodeling in STEMI patients post-PCI.

Objective:To investigate whether changes in CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) parameters before and after balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) are correlated with treatment effects in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted, including patients with CTEPH who underwent BPA treatment at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from November 2021 to Febbruary 2024. Clinical data and CTPA parameters were analyzed before the initial BPA session and at least 6 months after the final BPA session. Clinical data included WHO functional class, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. The CTPA parameters included the widest diameter of the pulmonary artery diameter (dPA), ascending aorta diameter (dAA), the widest transverse diameter of the right atrium (dRA), the widest short-axis diameter of the right ventricle (dRV), the widest short-axis diameter of the left ventricle (dLV), and the diameter of right ventricular free wall thickness(dRVW). Multiple linear regression was applied to identify variables associated with the decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) among the CTPA parameters.Results:All CTEPH patients underwent a total of 115 BPA treatments. Postoperatively, the WHO functional class of the patients improved compared to preoperative levels ( χ2=5.01, P<0.001), 6MWD improved ( t=4.50, P<0.001), and NT-proBNP levels decreased ( Z=4.47, P<0.001). Hemodynamic parameters, including mPAP, pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output, and cardiac index, were significantly improved postoperatively (all P<0.001). CTPA-related parameters, including dPA, dRA, dRV, dRVW, dPA/dAA, dRV/dLV, and dRA/dPA, significantly decreased compared to preoperative values (all P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the decrease in dPA ( β=0.314, P=0.037) and dRA ( β=0.334, P=0.046) were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP. Conclusions:Exercise tolerance, hemodynamics, and CTPA parameters in patients with CTEPH significantly improved after BPA treatment. The decrease in dPA and dRA were significantly correlated with the improvement in mPAP, suggesting that CTPA is a potentially novel, objective, effective, and noninvasive method for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of BPA.

Objective:To report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after adopting a Watch and Wait (W&W) strategy following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT).Methods:This multicenter, cross-sectional study was based on real-world data. The study cohort comprised rectal cancer patients who had achieved complete or near complete clinical responses (cCRs, near-cCRs) after NAT and were thereafter managed by a W&W approach, as well as a few patients who had achieved good responses after NAT and had then undergone local excision for confirmation of pathological complete response. All participants had been followed up for ≥2 years. Patients with distant metastases at baseline or who opted for observation while living with the tumor were excluded. Data of eligible patients were retrospectively collected from the Chinese Wait-and-Watch Data Collaboration Group database. These included baseline characteristics, type of NAT, pre-treatment imaging results, evaluation of post-NAT efficacy, salvage measures, and treatment outcomes. We herein report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after NAT and W&W and the differences between the cCR and near-cCR groups.Results:Clinical data of 318 rectal cancer patients who had undergone W&W for over 2 years and been followed up were collected from eight medical centers (Peking University Cancer Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, the First Hospital of Jilin University, and Yunnan Cancer Hospital.) The participants comprised 221 men (69.4%) and 107 women (30.6%) of median age 60 (26-86) years. The median distance between tumor and anal verge was 3.4 (0-10.4) cm. Of these patients, 291 and 27 had achieved cCR or near-cCR, respectively, after NAT. The median duration of follow-up was 48.4 (10.2-110.3) months. The 5-year cumulative overall survival rate was 92.4% (95%CI: 86.8%-95.7%), 5-year cumulative disease-specific survival (CSS) rate 96.6% (95%CI: 92.2%-98.5%), 5-year cumulative organ-preserving disease-free survival rate 86.6% (95%CI: 81.0%-90.7%), and 5-year organ preservation rate 85.3% (95%CI: 80.3%-89.1%). The overall 5-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 18.5% (95%CI: 14.9%-20.8%) and 8.2% (95%CI: 5.4%-12.5%), respectively. Most local recurrences (82.1%, 46/56) occurred within 2 years, and 91.0% (51/56) occurred within 3 years, the median time to recurrence being 11.7 (2.5-66.6) months. Most (91.1%, 51/56) local recurrences occurred within the intestinal lumen. Distant metastases developed in 23 patients; 60.9% (14/23) occurred within 2 years and 73.9% (17/23) within 3 years, the median time to distant metastasis being 21.9 (2.6-90.3) months. Common sites included lung (15/23, 65.2%), liver (6/23, 26.1%), and bone (7/23, 30.4%) The metastases involved single organs in 17 patients and multiple organs in six. There were no significant differences in overall, cumulative disease-specific, or organ-preserving disease-free survival or rate of metastases between the two groups (all P>0.05). The 5-year local recurrence rate was higher in the near-cCR than in the cCR group (41.6% vs. 16.4%, P<0.01), with a lower organ preservation rate (69.2% vs. 88.0%, P<0.001). The success rates of salvage after local recurrence and distant metastasis were 82.1% (46/56) and 13.0% (3/23), respectively. Conclusion:Rectal cancer patients who achieve cCR or near-cCR after NAT and undergo W&W have favorable oncological outcomes and a high rate of organ preservation. Local recurrence and distant metastasis during W&W follow certain patterns, with a relatively high salvage rate for local recurrence. Our findings highlight the importance of close follow-up and timely intervention during the W&W process.