AIM:To observe the effects of Huangqi-Danggui mixture(HQDG)on the pyroptosis of brain tis-sues in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R),and to explore the mechanism of neuroprotec-tion provided by HQDG.METHODS:Sixty-four SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:sham group,model group,HQDG group,and Xuesaitong(XST)group.The infarct volume of brain tissues was observed by 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride staining,while hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of brain tis-sues.Immunofluorescence was employed to assess the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like recep-tor protein 3(NLRP3),cleaved caspase-1 and gasdermin D(GSDMD)in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues.The se-rum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 were measured using ELISA.Western blot was used to detect NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissues.RESULTS:Compared with sham group,the neurological deficit scores of the rats in model group were significantly increased(P<0.01),while those in HQDG and XST groups were significantly reduced compared with model group(P<0.01).The cerebral infarct volume ratio was significantly reduced in HQDG and XST groups compared with model group(P<0.01).The pathological damage of brain tissue in HQDG and XST groups was significantly reduced compared with model group.The positive rates of NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1 and GSDMD in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues were significantly decreased in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).The expression of pyrop-tosis-related proteins,NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1 and ASC,in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues was significantly el-evated in model group compared with sham group(P<0.01),and significantly decreased in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).The serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly increased in model group compared with sham group(P<0.01),and significantly reduced in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).CONCLU-SION:The HQDG effectively attenuates brain tissue injury in rats with MCAO/R,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of neural cell pyroptosis.

Cerebral ischemic stroke(CIS)is a serious health hazard with a high disability rate.Its pathogenesis is complex and not yet fully understood,and new effective treatments need to be explored.The newly discovered pyroptosis,which is regarded as a programmed cell death mode of inflammatory response,is involved in the pathogenesis of CIS.Inhibiting cellular scorch death during CIS and reducing the inflammatory response can effectively alleviate CIS brain injury.According to traditional Chinese medicine,defi-ciency of Qi and stasis of blood are the fundamental pathogenesis of CIS.The method of benefiting Qi and activating blood is the main principle for treating CIS.Therefore,in this paper,we link cell pyroptosis with Qi deficiency and blood stasis,review the progress of research on reducing brain tissue damage in CIS by inhibiting pyroptosis through the method of benefiting Qi and invigorating blood.

AIM:To observe the effects of Huangqi-Danggui mixture(HQDG)on the pyroptosis of brain tis-sues in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R),and to explore the mechanism of neuroprotec-tion provided by HQDG.METHODS:Sixty-four SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:sham group,model group,HQDG group,and Xuesaitong(XST)group.The infarct volume of brain tissues was observed by 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride staining,while hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes of brain tis-sues.Immunofluorescence was employed to assess the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like recep-tor protein 3(NLRP3),cleaved caspase-1 and gasdermin D(GSDMD)in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues.The se-rum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 were measured using ELISA.Western blot was used to detect NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1,apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),IL-1β and IL-18 in brain tissues.RESULTS:Compared with sham group,the neurological deficit scores of the rats in model group were significantly increased(P<0.01),while those in HQDG and XST groups were significantly reduced compared with model group(P<0.01).The cerebral infarct volume ratio was significantly reduced in HQDG and XST groups compared with model group(P<0.01).The pathological damage of brain tissue in HQDG and XST groups was significantly reduced compared with model group.The positive rates of NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1 and GSDMD in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues were significantly decreased in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).The expression of pyrop-tosis-related proteins,NLRP3,cleaved caspase-1 and ASC,in the ischemic penumbra of brain tissues was significantly el-evated in model group compared with sham group(P<0.01),and significantly decreased in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).The serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly increased in model group compared with sham group(P<0.01),and significantly reduced in HQDG group compared with model group(P<0.01).CONCLU-SION:The HQDG effectively attenuates brain tissue injury in rats with MCAO/R,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of neural cell pyroptosis.

Cerebral ischemic stroke(CIS)is a serious health hazard with a high disability rate.Its pathogenesis is complex and not yet fully understood,and new effective treatments need to be explored.The newly discovered pyroptosis,which is regarded as a programmed cell death mode of inflammatory response,is involved in the pathogenesis of CIS.Inhibiting cellular scorch death during CIS and reducing the inflammatory response can effectively alleviate CIS brain injury.According to traditional Chinese medicine,defi-ciency of Qi and stasis of blood are the fundamental pathogenesis of CIS.The method of benefiting Qi and activating blood is the main principle for treating CIS.Therefore,in this paper,we link cell pyroptosis with Qi deficiency and blood stasis,review the progress of research on reducing brain tissue damage in CIS by inhibiting pyroptosis through the method of benefiting Qi and invigorating blood.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the surgical treatment of isolated pulmonary mucormycosis, explore the timing and effect of operation.Methods:Clinical data of patients with isolated pulmonary mucormycosis who underwent surgical treatment from April 2019 to April 2024 were collected and retrospectively analyzed, combined with literature review.Results:The clinical data of 13 patients with pulmonary mucormycosis who underwent operation were collected, including 9 males and 4 females, aged 22~64(45.4±15.4)years old. The basic diseases included diabetes mellitus in 10 cases and hematological malignancy in 3 cases. Seven patients had hemoptysis during the course of the disease. All 13 patients received adequate antifungal therapy before surgery, and 12 patients received bronchoscopic interventional therapy. Ten patients underwent lobectomy, two underwent pneumonectomy, and one underwent a right sleeve pneumonectomy. All patients were cured except one patient with bronchopleural fistula after operation. All patients achieved complete elimination of mucor and also discontinuation of antifungal drug.Conclusion:For isolated pulmonary mucormycosis, on the basis of systemic antifungal treatment, actively seek the opportunity of surgical intervention, can shorten the course of the disease and achieve good therapeutic results.

Objective:Immune checkpoint inhibitors have a high remission rate in the preoperative application of resectable and potentially resectable non-small cell lung cancer when combined with chemotherapy. For the unresectable stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer, whether the transformation can be achieved through this regimen to provide opportunities for surgical resection is controversial. In this study, we evaluated the pattern of transformation therapy by reviewing the efficacy and safety of preoperative therapy and surgery of this group.Methods:A review of 23 patients undergoing surgical resection after transformation therapy by preoperative immunotherapy combined chemotherapy between November 2019 and November 2021 was performed. All patients must clarify the pathological diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer by biopsy. After the multi-disciplinary treatment team and preoperative imaging assessment, the diagnosis should be consistent with unresectable stage III as described in the Expert Consensus on Multidisciplinary Management of Stage Ⅲ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, 2019 Edition. After 2 to 4 cycles of preoperative anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody combined with chemotherapy, the surgical team assessed the chance of resection and performed surgery. Important indicators such as surgical resection rate, R0 resection rate, MPR, pCR, incidence of grade 3-5 adverse reactions and various other perioperative data were counted.Results:In the whole group, initial imaging evaluation was 10 of stage cⅢA and 13 of stage cⅢB.15 cases had multiple stations N2 lymph nodes metastasis, 9 had enlarged fused N2 lymph nodes metastasis, 6 had large vessel invasion(T4), and 1 had contralateral mediastinal lymph node metastasis(N3). After preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, 17 cases achieved PR, 3 achieved SD and 3 achieved PD. The surgical resection rate of the whole group was 91.3%(21/23, 1 lobectomy combined with superior vena cava reconstruction, 2 sleeve lobectomy, 5 pneumonectomy, 12 lobectomy/combined lobectomy, 1 wedge resection and 2 unresectable cases), R0 resection rate was 95.2%(20/21). MPR was achieved in 13 cases, 8 of them reached pCR. There were no perioperative deaths, median surgical time was 260(190-460) min, median bleeding volume was 100(50-750) ml, median drainage time was 5(3-9) days, and median hospitalization was 7(5-11) days. Two cases got immunotherapy-related grade 3 adverse reactions, one was interstitial pneumonia and the other was immune-related injury involving the eye, oral and genital mucosa. Two cases got surgical complications and one was persistent lung leakage, which stopped after 46 days of conservative treatment; The other was pleural effusion, which was relieved after drainage.Conclusion:For the unresectable stage Ⅲ NSCLC, immunotherapy combined chemotherapy is an effective preoperative downstage method. It can convert 91.3% cases to resectable ones while achieving a good degree of pathological remission. Its side reactions are generally controllable and safety.

Objective: To analyze the clinical pathology status of minor differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Methods: The clinical pathology data of 107 cases of DTC patients aging≤18 years old who accepted operations at Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2000 to December 2016 were collected. There were 27 males and 80 females, aged (15.4±2.7) years (range: 6 to 18 years). And a randomly selected sample′s data was collected as control group, concluded 110 adult DTC patients. There were 35 males and 75 females, aged (43.2±11.8) years (range: 21 to 77 years). The clinical and pathological data of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed. The t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ² test and Fisher exact test was used to analyze the data, respectively. Results: The minor patients had larger diameter of tumors ((16.5±9.9) mm vs. (8.7±5.1) mm, t=7.369, P=0.000), higher rate of lymph node metastasis (68.2% vs. 50.0%, χ²=7.446, P=0.006) and higher rate of lateral lymph node metastasis (36.4% vs. 11.8%, χ²=18.059, P=0.000) than adult patients. The rate of lateral lymph node metastasis was significantly higher when minor presented multiple fociin primary lesions (54.3% vs. 27.8%, χ²=7.144, P=0.008) than those with single foci lesions. Adult patients presented more capsular invasion than minor patients in primary lesions (55.6% vs. 19.2%, χ²=28.942, P=0.000). Conclusions The minor DTC patients present more progress disease status when they receive operations compared with the adult DTC patients. Minor DTC patients appeared as multiple foci should be alert to lateral lymph node metastasis.

Objective: To forecast the risk distribution of inter-animal plague in Meriones unguiculatus effectively and provide scientific evidence for prevention and control of inter-animal plague, through studying the correlation between meteorological and environmental factors and inter-animal plague in Meriones unguiculatus. Methods: Positive data of plague bacterial culture in 30 epidemic source areas of Meriones unguiculatus in the Inner Mongolia plateau from 2005 to 2018, including detecting time, number of bacteria, latitude and longitude or detailed location, host type, were from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control System Plague Prevention Management Information System and related professional institutions for plague prevention and treatment. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between the inter-animal plague and climate-related risk factors. The Maximum Entropy (Maxent) model was used to predict the habitat distributions of inter-animal plague, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to validate the model. Results: There were 11 climatic factors including annual mean temperature, isothermality, temperature seasonality, mean temperature of driest quarter, mean temperature of warmest quarter, mean temperature of coldest quarter, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality, globcover, normalized difference vegetation index and slope, were related to the outbreak of plague among Meriones unguiculatus and included in the model (OR = 1.302, 0.455, 0.957, 0.930, 4.864, 0.179, 0.986, 1.126, 0.992, 0.981, 0.721, P < 0.01). The increase of annual mean temperature, mean temperature of warmest quarter and precipitation seasonality will increase the risk of animal plague in the plague foci of Meriones unguiculatus; the increase of isothermality, temperature seasonality, mean temperature of driest quarter, mean temperature of coldest quarter, annual precipitation, globcover, normalized difference vegetation index, and slope will reduce the risk of animal plague in the plague foci of Meriones unguiculatus. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the Maxent model training data and test data were 0.988 and 0.985, the prediction effect of the model was better. The habitat distribution of Meriones unguiculatus plague mainly concentrated in the central and northern Ulanqab plateau, Ordos plateau, and eastern Hetao plain. Conclusions The use of Maxent model and climate data can predict the potential risks and spatial distribution of animal plague in Meriones unguiculatus; the results are accurate and reliable.

Objective To investigate the clinical features and prognostic factors of primary thyroid lymphoma. Methods Records of 44 patients with pathologically confirmed primary thyroid lymphoma were reviewed. Detailed clinical and laboratory data were included in univariate analysis, and statistically significant factors in univariate analysis were then included in multivariate analysis.Results In univariate analysis, Ann Arbor stage, performance status, IPI, number of extra-lymphatic site, B symptoms, Hb, LDH and β_2-MG level, therapy model, histology type and tumor mass were found to be the prognostic factors associated with overall survival in primary thyroid lymphoma. In multivariate analysis, performance status, IPI, LDH, β_2-MG level, histology type, and tumor mass were independent prognostic factors of overall survival. Conclusion Performance status, IPI, LDH and β_2-MG level, histology type and tumor mass were demonstrated as independent prognostic factors of the overall survival in primary thyroid lymphoma.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics and analyze the treatment of primary ocular adnexal lymphoma (POAL). Methods A retrospective review was performed based on the clinical records of 26 POAL cases, who were treated from June 1999 to June 2009. The clinical manifestations,imaging features, diagnosis approaches and treatment of them were analyzed. Results The main symptoms were a slowly growing painless mass, exophthalmia and red eyelid. Mostly, imaging finding shows casting like. 50 % of POAL was at the orbit. 22 patients w ere B-cell origin [13 patients were extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma-mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma], 2 patients were NK/T cell lymphoma. 76.9 % patients were in stage Ⅰ -Ⅱ. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were most common treatment modalities for POAL. Conclusion Most POAL were low-grade B-cell lymphoma, with MALT by far the most common type. POAL was easy to be misdiagnosed due to non specific clinical manifestations.Imaging finding was helpful to diagnosis, but could not reliably distinguish between benign and malignant. The invasive biopsy is the main diagnosis approach. Radiotherapy had been the standard treatment for low-grade POAL. High-grade or infiltrating peri-orbit need combine chemotherapy. lmmunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy were the direction of future research.