An Empirical Comparison of Discrete Choice Experiment and Best-Worst Scaling to Estimate Patient Preferences in Infertility Treatment in China.

Background: Infertility has become a growing public health problem in China. It is important to accurately and easily obtain patient preferences. This study aimed to obtain and compare stated preference results from the perspective of infertility patients.

Cost-effectiveness of PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy for first-line treatment of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China: a comprehensive analysis.

Background: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors combined with chemotherapy have become a standard first-line treatment for advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Given the high costs associated with immunotherapy, evaluating the cost-effectiveness of different PD-1 inhibitors in the Chinese healthcare setting is essential for guiding treatment decisions and policy development.

Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted comparing six PD-1 inhibitors-sintilimab, toripalimab, tislelizumab, camrelizumab, serplulimab, and pembrolizumab-combined with chemotherapy for first-line treatment of advanced ESCC.

Impact of the national health insurance coverage policy on mecapegfilgrastim utilization for chemoradiotherapy-induced neutropenia in cancer patients in China: a retrospective real-world analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate mecapegfilgrastim utilization for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in cancer patients and to assess changes caused by the National Health Insurance Coverage (NHIC) policy.

Methods: Individual patient data, including demographics, medical insurance status, cancer type, and tumor stage, were extracted from electronic medical records in an oncology specialty tertiary hospital in Jiangsu Province, China. An interrupted time series (ITS) analysis with a segmented regression model was applied to evaluate the NHIC policy's effects, and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify key factors influencing mecapegfilgrastim utilization.

Cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab versus sorafenib as first-line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparative analysis in China, the United States and Europe.

Background: Tislelizumab has emerged as a promising therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), although its economic viability across different healthcare systems remains uncertain.

Aim: This study compared the cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab versus sorafenib as a first-line treatment for uHCC from the perspectives of the healthcare systems of China, the United States and Europe.

Method: A partitioned survival model was developed using data from the RATIONALE-301 trial.

Piperine as a Potential Nutraceutical Agent for Managing Diabetes and Its Complications: A Literature Review.

The global prevalence of diabetes and its related complications has increased drastically and is currently a worldwide health challenge. There is still an urgent need for safe and effective natural products and supplements as alternative and/or adjunctive therapeutic interventions. Nowadays, people pay more and more attention to the nutritional and medicinal value of food ingredients.

Resistin targets TAZ to promote osteogenic differentiation through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Osteogenic differentiation (OD) of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) contributes significantly to the regeneration of bone defects. Resistin, an adipose tissue-specific secretory factor, has been shown to involve many different functions, including metabolism, inflammation, cancer, and bone remodeling. However, the effects and mechanisms of resistin on OD of BMSCs remain unclear.

Low albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio predicts adverse clinical outcomes after primary total joint arthroplasty: A retrospective observational investigation.

Nutritional markers for adverse clinical outcomes following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) remain controversial. This study attempted to explore the validity of the albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) in nutritional assessment and assess its predictive value for adverse postoperative outcomes in patients receiving TJA. 2137 patients who underwent primary TJA between January 2016 and June 2021 were screened.

Cost-effectiveness of camrelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as first-line therapy in advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: Camrelizumab combination therapy for advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has considerable survival benefits. This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of camrelizumab combination therapy versus chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment for patients with ESCC from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system.

Methods: A three-state partitioned survival model was developed to estimate total costs, life years (LYs), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and incremental net health benefits (INHBs) over a 20-year time horizon.

Targeting of non-apoptotic cancer cell death mechanisms by quercetin: Implications in cancer therapy.

The ultimate goal of cancer treatment is to kill cancer cells, based on the use of various therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy drugs. Most drugs exert their therapeutic effects on cancer by targeting apoptosis. However, alterations in apoptosis-related molecules and thus assisting cells to evade death, eventually lead to tumor cell resistance to therapeutic drugs.

Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 predicts surgical outcomes in 1532 patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Limited information exists about the predictive effect of Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002 on orthopedic surgery. The aim of the present study is to explore the role of NRS 2002 in postoperative complications and resource utilization in patients with total joint arthroplasty (TJA).

Methods: We retrospectively collected the demographics and surgical results of nearly 2000 TJA patients admitted from 2016 to 2020 and assessed the differences in short- and long-term complications and resource utilization parameters.

A multifunctional non-viral vector for the delivery of MTH1-targeted CRISPR/Cas9 system for non-small cell lung cancer therapy.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system adapted from bacteria is a programmable nuclease-based genome editing tool. The long-lasting effect of gene silencing or correction is beneficial in cancer treatment. Considering the need to broaden the practical application of this technology, highly efficient non-viral vectors are urgently required.

Molecular mechanism of Ginkgo biloba in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental evaluations.

Ginkgo biloba has gained increasing attention owing to its remarkable effects against cardiovascular disease. However, the role of G. biloba in hepatic lipid metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated.

Hesperetin, a Promising Treatment Option for Diabetes and Related Complications: A Literature Review.

The morbidity and mortality of diabetes have increased dramatically in recent decades. Novel strategies for treating diabetes and its complications with minimal side effects are in urgent need. New monomeric molecules extracted from herbal medicine, which is a form of alternative medicine, are being sought as drug candidates for the treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Body mass index and pharmacodynamics of target-controlled infusion of propofol: A prospective non-randomized controlled study.

What Is Known And Objective: In our preliminary study, there were large individual variations at sedation levels during propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI). The present study aimed to assess the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the pharmacodynamic index of propofol TCI.

Methods: This prospective, non-randomized controlled trial evaluated 175 female patients undergoing breast lumpectomy.

Impact of antibiotic prophylaxis courses on postoperative complications following total joint arthroplasty: Finding from Chinese population.

What Is Known And Objective: Prolonged antibiotic prophylaxis after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) may not assist in minimizing postoperative complications, however, data based on the Chinese population have been limited. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on postoperative complications after TJA in Chinese patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 990 patients undergoing elective primary TJA surgery from January 2016 to June 2019.

Trends of Antibiotic Use and Expenditure After an Intensified Antimicrobial Stewardship Policy at a 2,200-Bed Teaching Hospital in China.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intensified Chinese special rectification activity on clinical antibiotic use (CSRA) policy on a tertiary-care teaching hospital. A 48-month longitudinal dataset involving inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients were collected. Study period included pre-intervention stage (adopting soft measures like systemic training) and post-intervention stage (applying antibiotic control system to intensify CSRA policy).

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Anlotinib as Third- or Further-Line Treatment for Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) in China.

Introduction: The survival of patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has achieved little progress in the last several decades. ALTER1202 confirmed the efficacy and safety of anlotinib as a third- or further-line option for relapsed SCLC. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of anlotinib compared with placebo as third- or further-line treatment for advanced SCLC in China.

Impact of clinical pharmacist services on anticoagulation management of total joint arthroplasty: A retrospective observational study.

What Is Known And Objective: Even if total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients have received conventional antithrombotic therapy, the incidence of thrombosis remains high. Clinical pharmacists have been involved in the multidisciplinary team of orthopaedics, but their roles and functions are not yet defined. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of clinical pharmacist services on the use of anticoagulant drugs, the rationality of medication and the incidence of thrombosis in patients with TJA.

Dabigatran-induced chronic progressive immune hemolytic anemia: A case report.

Dabigatran is an orally active direct thrombin inhibitor, initially approved by FDA for the prophylaxis of stroke and systemic embolism in the setting of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Major bleeding is its most common adverse event which is of great concern. However, other types of adverse events such as esophagitis, esophageal ulcer, exanthem and pustular eruptions were reported increasingly in recent years.

Tirofiban for acute ischemic stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The safety and efficacy of tirofiban for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains controversial. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and related international clinical trials registries through March 31, 2019, using the terms "tirofiban" and "stroke".

Efficacy and safety of high-dose tigecycline for the treatment of infectious diseases: A meta-analysis.

Background: High-dose (HD) tigecycline regimen is increasingly used in infectious diseases, however its efficacy and safety versus low-dose (LD) is still unclear.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed; PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, clinicalTrials.gov, Wanfang, VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were searched using terms "tigecycline" AND "dose" up to October 31, 2018.

An alternative lidocaine hydrochloride liposomal gel formulation: preparation, percutaneous permeation, and release kinetics.

Liposomal hydrogel formulations of lidocaine hydrochloride (LDH), suitable for topical application, were prepared, and drug percutaneous permeation and release properties were evaluated in vitro. Liposomes composed of lechitin and cholesterol, with LDH entrapped in the inner water compartment, were prepared by the reverse-phase evaporation technique. An optimal hydrogel formulation with carbopol as base included permeation enhancers polyethylene glycol (PEG-400), Azone, poloxamer, and propylene glycol, and this was screened in vitro.