Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its treatment continues to face major challenges such as therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence. Pyroptosis, a newly characterized form of programmed cell death, induces tumor cell death through gasdermin-mediated membrane pore formation and is accompanied by the release of inflammatory mediators, thereby playing complex roles in lung cancer initiation, progression, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Active components and herbal formulas derived from traditional Chinese medicine can modulate pyroptosis-related signaling pathways through multi-target mechanisms, showing potential advantages in inducing lung cancer cell death, inhibiting proliferation and migration, and reversing chemoresistance. This review systematically summarizes relevant studies from domestic and international sources, focusing on the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis, its roles in lung cancer development and tumor microenvironment remodeling, and the current research progress on traditional Chinese medicine-based interventions targeting pyroptosis, with the aim of providing references for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer using traditional Chinese medicine.

Background: and Purpose Vertebrobasilar fusiform aneurysms (VBFAs) carry substantial morbidity and mortality, but optimal management for unruptured VBFAs remains unclear. We compared the safety and efficacy of conservative management (CM), stent-assisted coiling (SAC), and flow diverters (FDs) in patients with unruptured VBFAs, focusing on long-term prognosis. Methods: This study included data from a nationwide Chinese cohort of patients with vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced confounders across groups. The primary outcome was poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score >2). Secondary outcomes included aneurysm rupture, ischemic stroke, compression symptoms, and VBFA-related deaths. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Among 1,115 patients with unruptured VBFAs, 838 (median age, 54 years; 655 men) were included. After IPTW, baseline characteristics were balanced. Median follow-up was 54 months. FD was associated with a lower risk of poor prognosis than CM (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.77]; p=0.002), with no difference between CM and SAC. FD also reduced aneurysm rupture (OR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.60]; p=0.004) and compression symptoms (OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.13 to 0.68]; p=0.004) versus CM. Time-to-event analyses further revealed significant differences in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, whereas no significant differences were observed in basilar or vertebrobasilar junction lesions or in Type III–IV VBFAs. Conclusions Compared with CM, FD was associated with improved long-term outcomes in unruptured VBFAs, particularly in vertebral artery lesions and Type I–II VBFAs, although residual confounding cannot be excluded.

ObjectiveAs a common lifestyle habit, alcohol consumption has a controversial association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To demonstrate the correlation between alcohol consumption and PD and to identify associated genes, we integrated findings from clinical surveys, genomics, transcriptomics, and animal experiments. MethodsWe investigated the alcohol consumption rates (including both before and after disease onset) among 244 PD patients in China and 177 PD patients from the U.S. NHANES database. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for three alcohol-related traits and seven PD-related datasets from the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database. Transcriptomic data from the substantia nigra of PD patients were obtained from three GEO datasets (GSE7621, GSE20141, and GSE49036) to analyze RIT2 gene transcription. Finally, three groups of animal experiments (water/20% ethanol/20% liquor, with 4 C57BL/6J mice per group) were conducted to examine changes in brain RIT2 gene expression and transcriptomic profiles following alcohol consumption. ResultsThe alcohol consumption rates among PD patients in China and the U.S. (9%-18.87%) were significantly lower than the general population rates of 15%-45% in their respective regions (P<0.001), suggesting a possible negative association between alcohol consumption and PD. Subsequently, in 21 bidirectional MR analyses using 3 alcohol-related GWAS datasets and 7 PD-related GWAS datasets, the forward MR analyses (alcohol intake as exposure, PD as outcome) yielded 12 negative associations (OR_IVW<1) and 9 positive associations (OR_IVW>1). Among these, only two negative associations reached statistical significance: alcohol intake frequency (OR_IVW=0.75, 95% CI: 0.60-0.93, P=0.010) and alcohol consumption (OR_IVW=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83, P=0.026). The forward MR analysis (alcohol intake→PD) identified 235 SNPs, annotated to 316 genes, while the reverse MR analyses (PD→alcohol intake) identified 37 SNPs, annotated to 53 genes. Notably, only the RIT2 gene appeared in both the forward and reverse MR analyses (alcohol intake→PD: rs28597806, rs8083110; PD→alcohol intake: rs4588066). RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain (FPKM: 5.259±2.103), with low or no expression in peripheral tissues (FPKM: <1). Analysis of three human substantia nigra transcriptomic datasets revealed a decreasing trend in RIT2 gene expression in PD patients (GSE20141 array signal: 3.49±1.23 vs. 2.33±0.87, P=0.044). Animal experiments demonstrated that administration of 20% ethanol or 20% liquor (approximately 8% ethanol) stimulated a >2-fold upregulation of RIT2 gene expression in the mouse brain. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the two alcohol-treated groups exhibited 96 (20% ethanol vs. water control) and 4 (20% liquor vs. water control) differentially expressed genes, respectively, indicating that low-dose alcohol consumption can achieve RIT2 upregulation while minimizing impact on other brain genes. In addition to its anti-infective effects, low-dose alcohol consumption primarily influences signaling pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and Prion diseases. ConclusionAlcohol consumption is generally considered as a harmful lifestyle habit. However, some studies have also shown a lower risk of mortality among individuals who consume low doses of alcohol (100 g/week of ethanol) or drink occasionally. Currently, one of the research focuses on alcohol consumption is whether the human body can benefit from low-dose alcohol intake. This study provides new evidence supporting a negative association between alcohol consumption and PD, and for the first time, through MR analysis, identifies the RIT2 gene as a potential mediator of the effect of alcohol consumption on PD. RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain. Building upon existing evidence indicating downregulated RIT2 gene expression in PD pathogenesis, our experiments confirm that low-dose alcohol consumption can upregulate RIT2 expression in the brain. In brief, alcohol consumption may suppress the pathogenesis of PD by upregulating RIT2 expression in the substantia nigra. China is facing a serious problem of population aging. This study offers important insights for long-term PD prevention and treatment strategies, with the aim of benefiting more potential PD patients through lifestyle modifications, thereby improving the quality of life of the aging population and reducing the economic burden on healthcare.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of eso-phageal fistula (EF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 15 patients with EF after RFCA for atrial fibrillation who were admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2020 to December 2024 were collected. There were 11 males and 4 females, aged (64±7)years. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) diagnosis and surgery; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range), and count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Diagnodid and surgery. Of the 15 patients, radiofrequency catheter ablation included pulmonary vein isolation plus linear ablation in 13 cases and pulmonary vein isolation alone in 2 cases. The time to postoperative symptom onset of EF in 15 patients was (13±8)days. The main clinical manifestations included persistent chest pain in 14 cases, fever in 12 cases, dysphagia in 2 cases, and neurological symptoms in 2 cases (the same patient could have multiple symptoms). All patients presented with signs of infection of varying severity. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) or pulmonary vein CT angio-graphy revealed mediastinal emphysema, pneumopericardium with pericardial effusion, localized esophageal wall thickening with exudation, abnormalities in the posterior wall of the left atrium, or contrast extravasation in all patients. Cerebral imaging examination showed newly developed cerebral infarcts in 2 patients. The time from symptom onset to surgical intervention was 2(range, 1-10)days.All 15 patients underwent surgical treatment immediately after being diagnosed or highly suspected of EF via multidisciplinary collaboration. Among them, 11 patients with atrial-esophageal fistula (AEF) underwent left atrial defect repair plus left thoracic esophageal repair under cardio-pulmonary bypass through a median sternotomy, 3 patients with simple EF underwent left thoracic esophageal repair, 1 patient with AEF underwent atrial repair plus esophageal exclusion and drainage due to severe mediastinal infection. The diameter of the left atrial defect in the 15 patients was (12±5)mm, and the diameter of the esophageal defect was (11±4)mm. There was no patient cured with conservative treatment or converted to surgical treatment after failed conservative treatment.(2)Postoperative situations.Of the 15 patients, 3 cases developed pulmonary infection and were improved after anti-infective treatment. The duration of postoperative hospital stay was (21±5)days. (3) Follow-up. All 15 patients were followed up for 11(range, 3-18)months. Two of 15 patients died. One patient undergoing atrial repair plus esophageal diversion and drainage died postoperatively due to sepsis and multiple organ failure, and one patient undergoing left thoracic esophageal repair died of acute cardiac tamponade one week after surgery. The remaining 13 patients recovered well, without recurrence or new complications.Conclusions:The main clinical features of esophageal fistula after RFCA for atrial fibrillation include persistent chest pain, fever, accompanying signs of infection. Early contrast-enhanced chest CT or pulmonary vein CT angiography is helpful for diagnosis, and active surgical treatment after confirmation via multidisciplinary collaboration can improve patient prognosis.

Aim To explore the mechanism of baicalin combined with heat stimulation in treating acute lym-phoblastic leukemia(ALL)based on network pharma-cology and in vitro experiments.Methods The CCK-8 assay was used to screen the suitable conditions for heat stimulation to interfere ALL cell lines Jurkat,CCRF-CEM,Hut-78 and a normal lymphocyte HMy2.CIR,and the effects of baicalin combined with heat stimulation on the proliferation of three ALL cell lines and a normal lymphocyte were tested.The key targets of baicalin combined with fever stimulation for the treatment of ALL were obtained based on network phar-macological analysis,and the potential mechanisms were predicted by gene ontology(GO)annotation and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)en-richment.The expression levels of TNF-α,AKT1,TYMS and CASP3 mRNA in ALL cell lines Jurkat and CCRF-CEM were examined by RT-qPCR with baicalin alone and baicalin combined with heat stimulation.Results The optimal conditions for heat stimulation to intervene ALL cells were 41 ℃ for 24 h,and heat stimulation combined with baicalin synergistically inhibited the growth of ALL cell lines and effectively reduced the cy-totoxicity of baicalin.Based on the network pharmaco-logical analysis,55 intersecting targets of baicalin with ALL diseases and 77 intersecting targets of baicalin with fever were obtained.The results of GO annotation and KEGG enrichment suggested that baicalin com-bined with fever stimulation to intervene ALL might be associated with influencing intracellular reactive oxygen species metabolism,DNA transcription and apoptotic processes involved in cysteine enzymes.Apoptosis,TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways were the key pathways for baicalin combined with heat stimulation in treating ALL.Under heat stimulation at 41 ℃ using SDHA gene as housekeeping gene,in vitro experiments showed that baicalin significantly up-regulated the expression of TNF-α and CASP3,and down-regulated the expression of TYMS in ALL cells.Conclusions Based on net-work pharmacologic analyses and in vitro experiments,baicalin combined with heat stimulation can regulate TNF-α and CASP3 gene levels in ALL cells and de-stroy cellular structure to promote cell apoptosis,thus synergistically treating ALL.

Objective To evaluate the impact of intensified infection control measures on the incidence of health-care-associated infection(HAI)under the background of the reform of diagnosis-intervention packet(DIP)payment,and provide decision-making basis for HAI management under the reform of medical insurance payment.Methods The interrupted time series research design was used to collect the monitoring data of HAI in a tertiary first-class hospital from October 2021 to September 2024.The changing trend of HAI incidence was analyzed by piecewise li-near regression,and the intervention effect was evaluated by standardized infection ratio(SIR).Results From Oc-tober 2021 to September 2022,the incidence of HAI was 2.17％(95％CI:2.08％-2.26％),which dropped to 1.87％(95％CI:1.82％-1.92％)after the intervention.Piecewise linear regression analysis showed that the inci-dence of HAI decreased by 0.324％immediately after the intervention(95％CI:-0.481％--0.167％,P＜0.001),and the trend after the intervention changed significantly compared with that before the intervention(95％CI:-0.033％--0.009％,P=0.001).SIR analysis showed that the actual incidence during the entire intervention period was equivalent to 74.56％of the incidence in intervention period,gradually stabilized from 88.39％-93.81％at the beginning of the intervention to 67.03％-71.22％at the end of the study,and the intervention effect was sustained.Conclusion Intensified infection control measures under the background of the reform of DIP significantly reduce the incidence of HAI and improve the stability of infection control management,which provide new insights into the synergistic improvement of medical insurance payment and HAI management quality.

AIM To investigate the tumor-suppressive mechanism of Guiqi Yiyuan Extract combined with cisplatin in Lewis lung cancer mice.METHODS Ten intact C57BL/6J mice were assigned to the blank group.Sixty additional mice were developed into Lewis lung cancer models bearing transplanted tumor and subsequently allocated into the model group,the cisplatin group(5 mg/kg),the high-dose Guiqi Yiyuan Extract group(6.6 g/kg),and the low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose Guiqi Yiyuan Extract combined with cisplatin group(1.6,3.3,6.6 g/kg+5 mg/kg),with 10 mice in each group.Mice in the blank and model groups received saline via daily gavage,while treatment groups were administered Guiqi Yiyuan Extract orally(once daily),and cisplatin injection intraperitoneally(once every other day).After 14 days of drug administration,mice were euthanized for endpoint analysis.The following assessments were conducted:general health status and body weight changes monitored throughout the study period;tumor excision and weighing for inhibition rate calculation;histopathological examination of tumors via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;serum quantification of IL-1 β,IL-18 and HMGB1 by ELISA;ultrastructural analysis of tumor cell death using transmission electron microscopy(TEM);spatial localization of TXNIP and GSDMD-N in tumor sections via immunofluorescence(IF);and Western blot detection of TXNIP,NLRP3,Caspase-1,cleaved Caspase-1,GSDMD,GSDMD-N protein expressions in tumor tissues.RESULTS Compared to the model group,the cisplatin group and all combination therapy groups exhibited significant reduction in tumor weight(P＜0.05)and increased tumor suppression rate;enhanced tumor tissue necrosis with characteristic pyroptotic morphology;elevated serum levels of IL-1β,IL-18 and HMGB1(P＜0.05);and upregulated expressions of pyroptosis-associated proteins TXNIP,NLRP3,Caspase-1,cleaved Caspase-1,GSDMD and GSDMD-N(P＜0.05).The high dose combination group demonstrated optimal therapeutic efficacy(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Guiqi Yiyuan Extract enhances cisplatin sensitivity,demonstrating synergistic anti-tumor effects in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice.This combinatorial therapeutic effect likely involves modulation of the TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway.

Objective To design a pairs of detection gloves for orthopedic manipulation to solve the problems of orthopedic manipulation in accurate,visual and quantitative description and reproduction in teaching.Methods The orthopedic manipulation detection gloves were mainly composed of a detection body worn on the hands,a main control module and a data visualization system.The detection body was made of multi-layer flexible materials such as rubber,cotton and non-woven fabrics,which integrated inertial sensors,pressure sensors and a data acquisition device;the main control module consisted of a filter circuit,an A/D converter(MCP3008)and a main controller(ARM-STM32 microcontroller);the data visualization system was designed based on the Unity 3D platform.Results The orthopedic manipulation detection gloves effectively detected the rotation angle of the knuckle during the orthopedic process with a high accuracy rate.Conclusion The orthopedic manipulation detection gloves can quantitatively display the abstract orthopedic manipulation,and can provide support for intelligent orthopedic teaching and orthopedic manipulation optimization.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(7):27-33]

Objective To evaluate the impact of intensified infection control measures on the incidence of health-care-associated infection(HAI)under the background of the reform of diagnosis-intervention packet(DIP)payment,and provide decision-making basis for HAI management under the reform of medical insurance payment.Methods The interrupted time series research design was used to collect the monitoring data of HAI in a tertiary first-class hospital from October 2021 to September 2024.The changing trend of HAI incidence was analyzed by piecewise li-near regression,and the intervention effect was evaluated by standardized infection ratio(SIR).Results From Oc-tober 2021 to September 2022,the incidence of HAI was 2.17％(95％CI:2.08％-2.26％),which dropped to 1.87％(95％CI:1.82％-1.92％)after the intervention.Piecewise linear regression analysis showed that the inci-dence of HAI decreased by 0.324％immediately after the intervention(95％CI:-0.481％--0.167％,P＜0.001),and the trend after the intervention changed significantly compared with that before the intervention(95％CI:-0.033％--0.009％,P=0.001).SIR analysis showed that the actual incidence during the entire intervention period was equivalent to 74.56％of the incidence in intervention period,gradually stabilized from 88.39％-93.81％at the beginning of the intervention to 67.03％-71.22％at the end of the study,and the intervention effect was sustained.Conclusion Intensified infection control measures under the background of the reform of DIP significantly reduce the incidence of HAI and improve the stability of infection control management,which provide new insights into the synergistic improvement of medical insurance payment and HAI management quality.

Objective:To report the nationwide surveillance results of pathogenic profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Gram-positive bloodstream infections in China in 2023.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-posttive bacteria from blood cultures were collected in member hospitals of National Bloodstream Infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System（BRICS）during January to December 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute（CLSI）. Statistical analyses were conducted using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software.Results:A total of 4 385 Gram-positive bacterial isolates were obtained from 60 participating center. The top five pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus（ n=1 544，35.2%），coagulase-negative Staphylococci（ n=1 441，32.9%）， Enterococcus faecium（ n=574，13.1%）， Enterococcus faecalis（ n=385，8.8%），and α-hemolytic Streptococci（ n=187，4.3%）. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus（MRSA）and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococci（MRCNS）was 26.2%（405/1 544）and 69.8%（1 006/1 441），respectively. Notably，all Staphylococci remained susceptible to glycopeptide or daptomycin. Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated excellent susceptibility（>97.0%）to cephalobiol，rifampicin，trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole，linezolid，minocycline，tigecycline，and eravacycline. No Enterococcus exhibiting resistance to linezolid were detected. Glycopeptide resistance was uncommon but more frequent in Enterococcus faecium（resistance to vancomycin and teicoplanin：both 1.7%）compared to Enterococcus faecalis（both 0.3%）. The detection rates of MRSA and MRCNS exhibited significant regional variations across the country（ χ2=17.674 and 148.650，respectively，both P<0.001）. No vancomycin-resistant Enterococci were detected in central China. Institutional comparison demonstrated higher prevalence of MRSA（ χ2=14.111， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.828， P=0.028）in provincial hospitals than that in municipal hospitals. Socioeconomic analysis identified elevated detection rates of both MRSA（ χ2=18.986， P<0.001）and MRCNS（ χ2=4.477， P=0.034）in less developed regions（per capita GDP