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Xihuang pill has been utilized to treat cancer for more than three hundred years in China. The molecular mechanisms of Xihuang pill in treating glioblastoma remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the core molecular mechanisms of Xihuang pill in treating glioblastoma by an integrative pharmacology-based investigation. The main active compounds of Xihuang pill were identified from TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM, TCMID and CNKI. Glioblastoma-related therapeutic targets were retrieved from GeneCards and UniProt. Subsequently, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was constructed using STRING. GO and KEGG enrichment were performed to analyze the intersection targets between the active compounds of Xihuang pill and glioblastoma. Based on the above analysis, we built a CTP network. The in vitro and in vivo experiments were further performed to validate the crucial molecular targets of Xihuang pill for the treatment of glioblastoma. A total of sixty active compounds of Xihuang pill and ten potential targets related to glioblastoma were found. Based on topological analysis, fourteen ingredients were selected as the main active compounds, and MY11 might be the most important metabolite in Xihuang pill. PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and receptor tyrosine kinases were considered as crucial targets for Xihuang pill against glioblastoma through KEGG enrichment and CTP analysis. The present experiments indicated that Xihuang pill suppressed the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in glioblastoma cells and mouse xenografts via modulating the expression of PTEN and Rheb proteins, the interaction between TSC2 and Rheb, and the production of PIP3. Meanwhile, after glioblastoma cells treatment with Xihuang pil, the release of IL-1β, INF-γ was increased and the production of IL-10, TGF-β1 was decreased in glioblastoma cells after incubated with Xihuang pill. In addition, the activation of the upstream positive modulators of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway including PDGF/PDGFR and FGF/FGFR signaling were down-regulated in glioblastoma cells and mouse xenografts after treatment with Xihuang pill. Taken together, Xihuang pill inhibiting glioblastoma cell growth might be partly through down-regulating the activation of PDGF/PDGFR or FGF/FGFR-PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis and improving immuno-suppressive micro-environment of glioblastoma. [Display omitted] • Glioblastoma with activated RTKs-PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling has poor prognosis. • Xihuang pill (XHP) has been used for cancer treatment in China since 18th century. • XHP inhibits the activation of PDGF/PDGFR and FGF/FGFR signaling in glioblastoma. • XHP regulates PTEN expression, TSC2-Rheb interaction and PIP3 release in glioblastoma. • XHP induces IL-1β, INF-γ release and reduces IL-10, TGF-β1 production in glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided local injection of methotrexate (MTX) in the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) diagnosed in the first trimester.Study Design: The clinical and imaging data of 101 CSP patients who received ultrasound-guided local injection of MTX in our hospital between January 2007 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The decline in serum β human chorionic gonadotropin (βHCG) level, size and blood flow of lesions, vaginal bleeding, liver/kidney functions, and other indicators were observed or tested after treatment on a weekly basis.Results: The duration of amenorrhea was 6.1 ± 0.8 weeks (range: 5.7-8.1 weeks) and the initial serum βHCG level was 20,321 ± 965 U/L in 97 patients, The mean time t to βHCG normalization was 40 ± 14 days (range: 21-140 days), Minor intermittent vaginal bleeding occurred after local MTX injection, lasting 25 ± 17 days (range: 10-61 days), and the lesions at the scar sites had completely disappeared with an average interval of 39 ± 29 days ; The treatment failed in four patients. The average duration of amenorrhea was 7.5 weeks and the average initial serum βHCG level was 91,359 U/L.Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided local injection of MTX is an effective and minimally invasive treatment for CSP. However, it is not feasible for patients with long-term amenorrhea (>8 weeks) and markedly increased blood βHCG level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To provide a detailed review on the therapeutic efficacy of conbercept for the management of ocular vasculopathies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of various electronic databases was performed. Results: Ocular vasculopathy is one of the major causes of visual impairment and blindness which includes a range of disorders. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) regulates angiogenesis, enhances vascular permeability, and drives the formation of neovascularization. Anti-VEGF therapy has been shown to prevent vision loss or potentially improve vision in patients with exudative or neovascular retinal disease. The most recent anti-VEGF drug in China is conbercept. In the USA and Europe, bevacizumab is the most recently approved anti-VEGF agent. Conclusions: Conbercept serves as another anti-VEGF option for patients with neovascular AMD and other retinal vascular disorders. There have not been many clinical trials that study conbercept as compared with other currently available anti-VEGF drugs. There is a need for large-scale, well-designed, randomized clinical trials to ensure its long-term safety and efficacy and to determine if it has any advantages over other anti-VEGF agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: What is known and objective: In this study, the effectiveness of pharmaceutical care on treatment outcomes for patients with first‐time pulmonary tuberculosis in China was assessed. Methods: In this study, patients were randomized either to the usual care (UC) group (n = 72) where patients received routine medical and nursing care or to the pharmaceutical care (PC) group (n = 59) where patients were simultaneously provided with pharmaceutical care. The primary objectives were to evaluate whether treatment outcomes and patient adherence improved more in the PC group than in the UC group. In addition, in PC group, outcomes included the number of patient‐reported pharmaceutical care issues and pharmacists' interventions. Results and discussion: As compared to the UC group, treatment success rate was improved in the PC group, but the difference was not statistically significant (71% vs 54%; P = 0.137). However, as compared to the UC group, the number of patients who attended all of the scheduled visits was higher in the PC group; the difference was statistically significant (81% vs 60%, P = 0.018). Furthermore, the number of patients who had positive test results for all of the isoniazid tests was higher in the PC group than in the UC group; the difference was also statistically significant (80% vs 50%, P = 0.002). The consumed medication rate was improved in the PC group, but no significant difference was found between the two groups. The patient‐reported pharmaceutical care issues mainly included dermatological, gastrointestinal, hepatic, metabolic, sensory, central nervous system and haematological problems. On the basis of clinical examination, laboratory parameters and drug information database, the pharmacists addressed most of these pharmaceutical care issues. What is new and conclusion: Pharmaceutical care might improve patient adherence for patients with first‐time pulmonary tuberculosis in China, and further, rigorously controlled trials are required. Pharmaceutical care service might improve patient adherence for patients with first‐time pulmonary tuberculosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To characterize the clinical features and outcomes of childhood-onset primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods: Patients less than 18 years old who were diagnosed with pSS by paediatric rheumatologists were included, and all patients were applied the 2002 American-European Consensus Group (ACEG) criteria, the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) criteria for pSS, or the 1999 proposed juvenile pSS criteria. The electronic medical records of patients with pSS from 2013 to 2020 were collected and analysed. Results: Thirty-nine patients were included. Of them, 27 (69.2%), 38 (97.4%) and 35 (89.7%) patients fulfilled the AECG criteria, ACR/EULAR criteria and proposed juvenile pSS criteria, respectively. The female:male ratio was 3.9:1. The median ages at first signs or symptoms and at diagnosis were 9.2 (4.7, 14.5) years and 10.9 (6.3, 15.0) years, respectively. The main clinical manifestations were rash or purpura (20, 51.3%), followed by fever (12, 30.8%), glandular enlargement/recurrent parotitis (10, 25.6%), and dry mouth and/or dry eyes (9, 23.1%). Twenty-eight (56.4%) patients had systemic damage, the most common of which was haematological involvement (14, 35.9%), followed by hepatic (13, 33.3%) and renal involvement (8, 20.5%). Thirty-eight (97.4%) patients underwent labial minor salivary gland biopsy, and all exhibited focal lymphocytic sialadenitis. All patients had a global ESSDAI score ≥ 1 at diagnosis, and the median total score at diagnosis was 8 (2, 31). Thirty-six (92.3%) patients were followed up for a median time of 23.6 (7.9, 79.5) months, and three patients developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at follow-up times of 13.3, 38.8 and 63.8 months. Conclusions: The presentation of childhood-onset pSS is atypical, and extraglandular manifestations and systemic involvement are more common than in adult-onset pSS. Labial salivary gland biopsy is vital for patients with probable pSS. Some patients may develop SLE over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative pain has adverse effects on children after urology treatment, including sleep disturbance, incision dehiscence, bleeding, and delayed recovery. Parents, as the most direct caregivers of children, can make accurate assessments of children´s personal behaviors and responses, which is very important for the management of postoperative pain in children. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to develop a Parent Participation in Postoperative Pain Management Program for children in a urology ward and to evaluate its effects on children's postoperative pain scores and other outcome indicators. Design: This research comprised two phases. The first phase was the development of a Parent Participation in Postoperative Pain Management Program. The second phase was a randomized controlled trial between two groups, and was carried out in a 45‐bed inpatient urology ward of a tertiary children's hospital in China. In the trial, 211 children and their parents were randomly selected as a control group between July 1 and August 15, 2019, and 202 children and their parents were randomly selected as an intervention group between August 16 and September 15, 2019. Methods: Following the framework and methods of the Evidence‐based Continuous Quality Improvement Model developed at Fudan University Evidence‐Based Nursing Center, we systematically gathered evidence regarding parental involvement in postoperative pain management in children to construct the program. To evaluate the program's effectiveness, the control group performed routine postoperative pain management, while the intervention group underwent the Parent Participation in Postoperative Pain Management Program. The management period was during hospitalization, and generally ranged 3–7 days. The Statistical Table of Pain Assessment for Children after Urology was employed by researchers. Findings: The results revealed no significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two groups of children and their parents. Children's pain scores during dressing removal (Z = −3.108, p = 0.002), at discharge (Z = −2.185, p = 0.029) and during catheter removal (Z = −6.553, p = 0.000) were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions and clinical relevance: The Parent Participation in Postoperative Pain Management Program was found to be effective for alleviating postoperative pain scores among children, and provided useful information regarding postoperative pain management in children involving four aspects of parental involvement: cognition, guidance, documentation and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have indicated that women with a history of menstrual disorders have an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. This has been attributed to the high proportion of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among this group. The favorable effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on serum lipid profiles and glucose homeostasis in postmenopausal women is widely accepted. Whether HRT can also show positive effects on metabolic homeostasis in menopausal women with prior menstrual disorders (a putative PCOS phenotype) has not been reported yet. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of HRT on glucose and lipid metabolism in peri- and postmenopausal women with prior menstrual disorders and controls who did not have prior menstrual disorders. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted including 595 peri- and postmenopausal women who received HRT at four hospitals in the Zhejiang Province from May 31, 2010 to March 8, 2021. Participants were divided into the Normal menstruation group and the Menstrual disorders group according to their prior usual menstrual cycle pattern. Glucose and lipid metabolism indicators were assessed at baseline and after HRT. The results were compared between and within the groups, and data from peri- and postmenopausal women were analyzed separately. Results: HRT significantly decreased fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in perimenopausal users, and fasting plasma glucose levels in postmenopausal users with prior menstrual disorders, compared with baseline. Furthermore, HRT decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, fasting insulin, fasting plasma glucose and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in both peri- and postmenopausal controls, compared with baseline. Nevertheless, no significant differences were observed in any of the glucose or lipid metabolism indicators at baseline and follow-up, as well as changes from baseline levels between menopausal women with and without prior menstrual disorders. Conclusions: HRT shows more obvious within-group improvements in glucose and lipid metabolism in controls, but there is no significant between-group difference. Further prospective studies are required for confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]