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.

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for post-acute pancreatitis diabetes mellitus （PPDM-A） in patients with acute pancreatitis （AP）， to construct a nomogram prediction model， and to provide a reference for the development of individualized treatment regimens. MethodsA total of 351 patients with AP who were admitted to Xuzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University from June 2021 to January 2025 were prospectively enrolled， and they were randomly divided into modeling group with 246 patients and validation group with 105 patients at a ratio of 7∶3. According to the presence or absence of PPDM-A in the patients with AP， the modeling group was further divided into PPDM-A group with 86 patients and non-PPDM-A group with 160 patients. Clinical data were collected from all patients. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator （LASSO） regression analysis was used to determine independent variables， and a Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for PPDM-A. R software was used to construct a nomogram model. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess the discriminatory ability of the model， and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to test the model fitting degree， and the calibration curve was used to evaluate the model consistency； and decision curve analysis （DCA） was used to assess its clinical application value. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsAmong the 246 patients， 86 developed PPDM-A， resulting in an incidence rate of 34.96%. There were significant differences between the PPDM-A group and the non-PPDM-A group in the proportion of patients with an age of ≥60 years （65.12% vs 40.62%， P<0.05）， male sex （75.58% vs 55.63%， P<0.05）， a body mass index （BMI） of ≥24 kg/m² （63.95% vs 37.50%， P<0.05）， alcoholic AP （56.98% vs 36.87%， P<0.05）， moderate-to-severe AP （54.65% vs 35.00%， P<0.05）， or a computed tomography severity index （CTSI） score of ≥4 points （48.84% vs 28.75%， P<0.05）， as well as significant differences in the levels of blood calcium （1.46±0.35 mmol/L vs 1.89±0.37 mmol/L， P<0.05） and random blood glucose （Glu） （17.68±4.12 mmol/L vs 11.68±4.27 mmol/L， P<0.05）. The LASSO regression analysis obtained 8 independent variables. The Logistic regression analysis showed that age， sex， BMI， alcoholic AP， moderate-to-severe AP， CTSI score， and Glu were risk factors for PPDM-A （all P<0.05）， while blood calcium was a protective factor （P<0.05）. The model had an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.932 （95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.903 — 0.962） in the modeling group， and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test yielded χ²=7.346 （P=0.728）， the accuracy of model fitting was good； the calibration curve showed that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual probability， indicating that the consistency was good. The model had an AUC of 0.835 （95%CI： 0.753 — 0.917） in the validation group， and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test yielded χ²=7.014 （P=0.711）， the accuracy of model fitting was good； the calibration curve showed that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual probability， indicating that the consistency was good. The DCA results of the modeling group showed that the model exhibited a high clinical value in evaluating PPDM-A when the threshold probability was 0.13 — 0.94. ConclusionAge， sex， BMI， alcoholic AP， moderate-to-severe AP， blood calcium， CTSI score， and Glu are influencing factors for PPDM-A. The nomogram model constructed based on the above influencing factors shows good performance in predicting the risk of PPDM-A and can thus provide a reference for developing prevention strategies for PPDM-A in clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo explore the anti-eczema efficacy and mechanism of Mongolian medicine Cymbaria dahurica n-butanol extract. MethodsThe compounds of C. dahurica n-butanol extract were obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbital trap high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-Exactive MS） analysis and literature mining. GEO chip analysis and network pharmacology were employed to predict potential targets and pathways for the anti-eczema effect. Seventy-five mice were randomized into a normal group （10 mice） and a modeling group （65 mice）. The model was induced by 1% dinitrochlorobenzene （DNCB） for 3 days. The modeled mice were grouped as follows： Positive drug （hydrocortisone butyrate cream， 250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） and low-， medium-， and high-dose （95.94， 191.88， and 383.76 mg·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively） C. dahurica n-butanol extract， with 13 mice in each group. From day 5 of the experiment， 0.5% DNCB was applied， once every other day， until day 22. At the same time， drugs were applied daily from day 5. The appearance damage of back skin of mice in each group was analyzed. The pathological changes of the back skin of mice in each group were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and toluidine blue （TB） staining. The levels of inflammatory factors ［histamine （HIS）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TFN-α）］， thymic stromal lymphopoietin （TSLP）， and immunoglobulin E （IgE） in the serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Metabolomics analysis was performed for the mouse skin. The HaCaT cell model of eczema was induced with TNF-α/interferon-γ （IFN-γ）. The secretion levels of IL-6， IL-8， thymus and activation-regulated chemokine （TARC/CCL17）， macrophage-derived chemokine （MDC）， and TSLP in the cell supernatant from each group were measured by ELISA， while the protein levels of phosphorylated （p）-Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）， JAK2， p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3）， and STAT3 were assessed by Western blot. ResultsThrough UPLC-Q-Exactive MS and literature review， a total of 125 compounds of C. dahurica n-butanol extract were obtained. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis showed that the anti-eczema mechanism of C. dahurica n-butanol extract may be related to the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription （JAK/STAT） pathway. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the modeling group exhibited redness， swelling， exudation， erosion， and scab formation on the back skin surface， and thickened dermis and epidermis with inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with the modeling group， the positive drug and C. dahurica n-butanol alleviated the skin lesions （including redness， swelling， exudation， roughness， and keratosis and scab formation on the back）， reduced the thickness of dermis and epidermis， mitigated inflammatory cell infiltration， and restored the skin tissue structure. Compared with the normal group， the modeling group showed elevated levels of HIS， IL-4， IL-6， IL-8， TNF-α， TSLP， and IgE （P<0.05， P<0.01）， which were reversed in the positive drug group and C. dahurica n-butanol extract groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of metabolomics analysis showed that 12 differential metabolites might be the key substances for mitigating metabolic disorders of the skin and were closely related to the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. The cell experiement showed that compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited upregulated expression levels of IL-6， IL-8， MDC， TARC， TSLP， p-JAK2， p-STAT3， p-JAK2/JAK2， and p-STAT3/STAT3 in HaCaT cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， C. dahurica n-butanol extract and dexamethasone downregulated the expression levles of these molecules （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionC. dahurica n-butanol extract may play an anti-eczema role by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway， reducing the inflammatory response， and correcting the metabolic disorder.

Objective:To investigate the effect of low-dose aspirin combined with dydrogesterone in the treatment of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) complicated with infertility and its influence on hormones and helper T cytokines.Methods:300 PCOS patients with infertility in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University were selected from January 2018 to October 2023. A prospective randomized controlled study was performed. The study subjects were divided into control group and observation group by random envelope method, with 150 cases in each group. The control group was treated with dydrogesterone on the basis of routine intervention, while the observation group was combined with low-dose aspirin on the basis of the control group. The efficacy, pregnancy rate, hormones, Th1 and Th2 cytokines and incidence of adverse reactions were compared in between groups. Measurement data with normal distribution was represented by xˉ± s. Comparison between groups was performed by two-sample t-test and paired t-test was used for comparison before and after treatment. Enumeration data was represented by n(%). Comparison between groups was performed by χ2 test. Results:After treatment, the total effective rate of treatment and pregnancy rate in observation group were higher than those in control group [86.00%(129/150) vs. 74.67% (112/150), 63.33% (95/150) vs. 47.33% (71/150)] ( χ2=6.10, P=0.014, χ2=6.73, P=0.010). Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in both groups were lower after treatment than those before treatment, and the levels in observation group were lower than those in control group [(5.27±1.01) U/L vs. (6.40±1.13) U/L, (6.78±0.87) U/L vs. (7.16±0.91) U/L], and serum estradiol level was higher than that before treatment, and the level in observation group was higher compared to control group [(93.35±8.17) ng/L vs. (82.45±9.14) ng/L] ( t=9.13, 3.70, 10.89, all P<0.001). After treatment, serum γ-interferon, interleukin (IL-2), IL-4 and IL-6 levels were all lower in both groups than those before treatment, and the above levels were lower in observation group than those in control group [(56.96±4.64) ng/L vs. (61.36±4.41) ng/L, (38.74±7.43) ng/L vs.(45.63±8.64) ng/L, (41.03±7.06) ng/L vs. (43.36±8.12 ng/L), (23.14±4.33) ng/L vs. (27.14±5.14) ng/L] ( t=8.42, 7.40, 2.65, 7.29, P<0.001, <0.0 010.008, <0.001). There was no statistical significance in the total incidence rate of adverse reactions between observation group and control group [12.67%(22/150) vs. 9.33% (14/150), χ2=0.85, P=0.356]. Conclusions:Low-dose aspirin combined with dydrogesterone has a significant clinical effect in the treatment of PCOS with infertility, and it can improve 3-month pregnancy rate, and effectively regulate hormones levels and Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and it will not increase adverse reactions, with high safety.

By using a strategy of leveraging the ability of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)materials to precisely regulate the spatial orientation of cyclodextrins(CD),a polystyrene-modified γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks(PS-CD-MOFs)capillary coating was established and applied to the chiral separation of amino acids in open-tubular capillary electrochromatography(OT-CEC)based on the excellent film-forming property of polystyrene(PS).Characterization results by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),X-ray diffraction(XRD)indicated that PS was successfully grafted onto the surface of CD-MOFs.The modification significantly improved the structural stability and thermal stability of CD-MOFs while maintaining the integrity of the MOFs.The PS-CD-MOFs coated capillary electrophoresis system exhibited excellent performance in separating dansylated amino acid enantiomers(Dns-D,L-AAs).Specifically,under the optimal separation conditions(Sodium dodecyl sulfate/boric acid buffer system,20 cm capillary,and 10 kV effective voltage),good separation was achieved for D,L-methionine(D,L-Met)and D,L-serine(D,L-Ser).Further quantitative analysis showed that Dns-D,L-Met presented a good linear relationship in the concentration range of 10.0-1500.0 μmol/L,with a correlation coefficient close to 0.998,demonstrating high sensitivity and repeatability.Not only did it overcome the problem that traditional CD(used as additives in capillary electrophoresis)could not precisely control the spatial orientation of chiral resolvents,but also it solved the issues of insufficient stability and bonding amount of CD-MOFs coatings by utilizing the excellent film-forming property of polymers on the inner wall of capillaries.This study provided an efficient and controllable new strategy for construction of chiral separation stationary phases.

Aim To explore the effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A(HSYA)on lipocalin 2(LCN2)-induced fer-roptosis in HT22 cells and the related mechanism.Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were used to establish the middle cerebral artery occlu-sion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model by the suture method.The rats were randomly divided into the Sham group,the MCAO/R group,and the MCAO/R+HSYA group.The infarct area was measured by TTC staining,and the degree of neurological deficit was evaluated by the Z-Longa scoring method.The expressions of LCN2 and 24P3R in brain tissues were detected by Western blot.LCN2 protein was added to HT-22 cells,and the cells were divided into the normal group,the LCN2 group,and the LCN2+HSYA group.The optimal con-centration of LCN2-induced neuronal ferroptosis was screened by LDH assay and Western blot,and the ex-pression levels of ferritin,FPN1,GPX4,SLC7A11,COX2,and 24P3R were detected.LCN2 was knocked down by siRNA transfection,and the expressions of GPX4 and ferritin were detected.The contents of glu-tathione(GSH),malondialdehyde(MDA),GPX4,and Fe2+were determined by colorimetry,and the expres-sion of GPX4 was detected by immunofluorescence.The binding force between HSYA and LCN2 was ana-lyzed by molecular docking technology.Results Ani-mal experiments showed that HSYA could reduce the cerebral infarction area and decrease the neurological function score of MCAO/R rats.Compared with the sham group,the levels of LCN2 and 24P3R increased in the MCAO/R group,while HSYA inhibited their ex-pressions.Cell experiments showed that the optimal concentration of LCN2 to induce ferroptosis in HT22 cells was 2 μmol·L-1.After knocking down LCN2 by siRNA transfection,compared with the LCN2 group,the expression levels of GPX4 and ferritin in the siLCN2 group increased significantly.Compared with the nor-mal group,the expressions of SLC7A11,GPX4,FPN1,ferritin,and GSH in the LCN2 group decreased signifi-cantly,while the concentration of Fe2+,and the expres-sions of MDA,COX2,and 24P3R increased.HSYA could increase the expressions of SLC7A11,GPX4,FPN1,ferritin,and GSH,reduce the contents of Fe2+and MDA,and inhibit the expressions of COX2 and 24P3R.Molecular docking showed that the binding en-ergy between HSYA and LCN2 was-8.0 kJ·mol-1.Conclusion HSYA can inhibit LCN2-induced ferrop-tosis in HT22 cells through the SLC7A11/GPX4 signa-ling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

Aim To explore the effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A(HSYA)on lipocalin 2(LCN2)-induced fer-roptosis in HT22 cells and the related mechanism.Methods Thirty male Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were used to establish the middle cerebral artery occlu-sion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model by the suture method.The rats were randomly divided into the Sham group,the MCAO/R group,and the MCAO/R+HSYA group.The infarct area was measured by TTC staining,and the degree of neurological deficit was evaluated by the Z-Longa scoring method.The expressions of LCN2 and 24P3R in brain tissues were detected by Western blot.LCN2 protein was added to HT-22 cells,and the cells were divided into the normal group,the LCN2 group,and the LCN2+HSYA group.The optimal con-centration of LCN2-induced neuronal ferroptosis was screened by LDH assay and Western blot,and the ex-pression levels of ferritin,FPN1,GPX4,SLC7A11,COX2,and 24P3R were detected.LCN2 was knocked down by siRNA transfection,and the expressions of GPX4 and ferritin were detected.The contents of glu-tathione(GSH),malondialdehyde(MDA),GPX4,and Fe2+were determined by colorimetry,and the expres-sion of GPX4 was detected by immunofluorescence.The binding force between HSYA and LCN2 was ana-lyzed by molecular docking technology.Results Ani-mal experiments showed that HSYA could reduce the cerebral infarction area and decrease the neurological function score of MCAO/R rats.Compared with the sham group,the levels of LCN2 and 24P3R increased in the MCAO/R group,while HSYA inhibited their ex-pressions.Cell experiments showed that the optimal concentration of LCN2 to induce ferroptosis in HT22 cells was 2 μmol·L-1.After knocking down LCN2 by siRNA transfection,compared with the LCN2 group,the expression levels of GPX4 and ferritin in the siLCN2 group increased significantly.Compared with the nor-mal group,the expressions of SLC7A11,GPX4,FPN1,ferritin,and GSH in the LCN2 group decreased signifi-cantly,while the concentration of Fe2+,and the expres-sions of MDA,COX2,and 24P3R increased.HSYA could increase the expressions of SLC7A11,GPX4,FPN1,ferritin,and GSH,reduce the contents of Fe2+and MDA,and inhibit the expressions of COX2 and 24P3R.Molecular docking showed that the binding en-ergy between HSYA and LCN2 was-8.0 kJ·mol-1.Conclusion HSYA can inhibit LCN2-induced ferrop-tosis in HT22 cells through the SLC7A11/GPX4 signa-ling pathway.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect of low-dose aspirin combined with dydrogesterone in the treatment of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) complicated with infertility and its influence on hormones and helper T cytokines.Methods:300 PCOS patients with infertility in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University were selected from January 2018 to October 2023. A prospective randomized controlled study was performed. The study subjects were divided into control group and observation group by random envelope method, with 150 cases in each group. The control group was treated with dydrogesterone on the basis of routine intervention, while the observation group was combined with low-dose aspirin on the basis of the control group. The efficacy, pregnancy rate, hormones, Th1 and Th2 cytokines and incidence of adverse reactions were compared in between groups. Measurement data with normal distribution was represented by xˉ± s. Comparison between groups was performed by two-sample t-test and paired t-test was used for comparison before and after treatment. Enumeration data was represented by n(%). Comparison between groups was performed by χ2 test. Results:After treatment, the total effective rate of treatment and pregnancy rate in observation group were higher than those in control group [86.00%(129/150) vs. 74.67% (112/150), 63.33% (95/150) vs. 47.33% (71/150)] ( χ2=6.10, P=0.014, χ2=6.73, P=0.010). Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in both groups were lower after treatment than those before treatment, and the levels in observation group were lower than those in control group [(5.27±1.01) U/L vs. (6.40±1.13) U/L, (6.78±0.87) U/L vs. (7.16±0.91) U/L], and serum estradiol level was higher than that before treatment, and the level in observation group was higher compared to control group [(93.35±8.17) ng/L vs. (82.45±9.14) ng/L] ( t=9.13, 3.70, 10.89, all P<0.001). After treatment, serum γ-interferon, interleukin (IL-2), IL-4 and IL-6 levels were all lower in both groups than those before treatment, and the above levels were lower in observation group than those in control group [(56.96±4.64) ng/L vs. (61.36±4.41) ng/L, (38.74±7.43) ng/L vs.(45.63±8.64) ng/L, (41.03±7.06) ng/L vs. (43.36±8.12 ng/L), (23.14±4.33) ng/L vs. (27.14±5.14) ng/L] ( t=8.42, 7.40, 2.65, 7.29, P<0.001, <0.0 010.008, <0.001). There was no statistical significance in the total incidence rate of adverse reactions between observation group and control group [12.67%(22/150) vs. 9.33% (14/150), χ2=0.85, P=0.356]. Conclusions:Low-dose aspirin combined with dydrogesterone has a significant clinical effect in the treatment of PCOS with infertility, and it can improve 3-month pregnancy rate, and effectively regulate hormones levels and Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and it will not increase adverse reactions, with high safety.