Neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell lung carcinoma: A case report and literature review.

The benefit of immunochemotherapy in treating resectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not well established. Here, we report a case of resectable stage III NSCLC treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy before surgery. A 61 years old man was admitted to our hospital due to paroxysmal cough and was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma T4N2M0 in the upper lobe of the right lung, which was locally advanced and resectable. He was treated with 3 courses of paclitaxel 250 mg intravenous (IV), carboplatin 0.65 g IV, and durvalumab 620 mg IV followed by thoracoscopic upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection. There was considerable regression of the tumor before surgery, and the patient achieved a complete pathological response after surgery. Our case study demonstrates the benefit of durvalumab and chemotherapy in the treatment of resectable locally advanced NSCLC.

Loeffler's group 2 cor triatriatum sinistrum with mobile left atrial thrombus - a case report and literature review.

We report a case of a 25-year-old man diagnosed with an unusual case of cor triatriatum sinister with a mobile left atrial thrombus. He was hospitalised with aggravating dyspnoea. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a membrane-like structure traversing the left atrial and a small orifice of about 7.1 mm. The mean pressure gradient was 12.94 mmHg across the orifice of the membrane-like structure and there was a mobile mass in the post-erosuperior chamber. The anomaly was rectified by a surgical resection. Timely diagnosis and surgical repair may prevent stroke in patients with unusual cor triatriatum sinister.

Exploring the Potential Mechanism of Shufeng Jiedu Capsule for Treating COVID-19 by Comprehensive Network Pharmacological Approaches and Molecular Docking Validation.

OBJECTIVE: Shufeng Jiedu capsule (SFJDC) is a well-known Chinese patent drug that is recommended as a basic prescription and applied widely in the clinical treatment of COVID-19. However, the exact molecular mechanism of SFJDC remains unclear. The present study aims to determine the potential pharmacological mechanisms of SFJDC in the treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology. METHODS: The network pharmacology-based strategy includes collection and analysis of active compounds and target genes, network construction, identification of key compounds and hub target genes, KEGG and GO enrichment, recognition and analysis of main modules, as well as molecule docking. RESULTS: A total of 214 active chemical compounds and 339 target genes of SFJDC were collected. Of note, 5 key compounds (ß -sitosterol, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin, and stigmasterol) and 10 hub target genes (TP53, AKT1, NCOA1, EGFR, PRKCA, ANXA1, CTNNB1, NCOA2, RELA and FOS) were identified based on network analysis. The hub target genes mainly enriched in pathways including MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and cAMP signaling pathway, which could be the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of SFJDC for treating COVID-19. Moreover, the key compounds had high binding activity with three typical target proteins including ACE2, 2OFZ, and 1SSK. CONCLUSION: By network pharmacology analysis, SFJDC was found to effectively improve immune function and reduce inflammatory responses based on its key compounds, hub target genes, and the relevant pathways. These findings may provide valuable evidence for explaining how SFJDC exerting the therapeutic effects on COVID-19, providing a holistic view for further clinical application.

3,7-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)icaritin, a potent inhibitor of phosphodiesterase-5, prevents monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension via NO/cGMP activation in rats.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic progressive disease which leads to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and right heart failure. 3,7-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)icaritin (ICT), an icariin derivatives, was reported to have potent inhibitory activity on phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) which plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of PAH. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of ICT on monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat model and reveal the underlying mechanism. MCT-induced PAH rat models were established with intragastric administration of ICT (10, 20, 40 mg/kg/d), Icariin (ICA) (40 mg/kg/d) and Sildenafil (25 mg/kg/d). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured. Pulmonary artery remodeling was assessed by H&E staining. Blood and lung tissue were collected to evaluate the level of endothelin 1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). The expressions endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and PDE5A in lung tissues were determined by Western blot analysis. The results showed that ICT reduced RVHI and mPAP, and reversed lung vascular remodeling in rats with MCT-induced PAH. ICT also reversed MCT-induced ET-1 elevation, NO and cGMP reduction in serum or lung tissue. Moreover, ICT administration significantly induced eNOS activation and PDE5A inhibition. ICT with lower dose had better effects than ICA. In summary, ICT is more effective in preventing MCT-induced PAH in rats via NO/cGMP activation compared with ICA. These findings demonstrate a novel mechanism of the action of ICT that may have value in prevention of PAH.

Efficacy and safety of Huxin formula in patients after CABG: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is widely used in the treatment of coronary artery disease. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Huxin Formula post CABG. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 270 inpatients with coronary heart disease participated in this study. CABG patients in the control group were treated with placebo, while patients in the experimental group were treated with Huxin Formula 1 week after the surgery. All patients were treated for 6 months and followed up for another 6 months. The main outcomes (death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and readmission) were assessed 360 days after treatment, and secondary outcomes (frequency and scores of angina pectoris, etc.) were assessed 0, 90, 180, 270, and 360 days after treatment. RESULTS: Our results showed no significant difference between the 2 groups for the primary endpoints. In patients with cardiac function class II (New York Heart Association), the score of angina pectoris was significantly lower (3.88 ± 3.86 vs. 5.45 ± 3.59) and the frequency of angina pectoris attacks was less (0.96 ± 1.01 vs. 1.36 ± 0.94) after 90 days of treatment with Huxin Formula compared to placebo (p < 0.05). In patients with 3 coronary vessel lesions, the cardiac function class (1.14 ± 0.35 vs. 1.05 ± 0.21) after 360 days was significantly higher in the control group compared to the treatment group (p < 0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: Huxin Formula may improve cardiac function of patients with 3 coronary vessel lesions and relieve symptoms of patients with cardiac function class II but failed to show superiority in primary outcomes.