Cost-effectiveness analysis of camrelizumab plus paclitaxel and carboplatin sintilimab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin or carboplatin for the first-line treatment of local advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC in Chinese mainland.

Objective: Both camrelizumab plus paclitaxel and carboplatin (CTC) and sintilimab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin or carboplatin (SGP) have been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) for the first-line treatment of local advanced or metastatic sqNSCLC. However, the comparison of the two treatments as first-line treatments in efficacy or pharmacoeconomics has barely been studied. To deeply understand the costs and outcomes of the two treatments, this work directly compared the cost-effectiveness for the first-line treatment of local advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC in the Chinese mainland.

Ginkgolide C Alleviates Acute Lung Injury Caused by Paraquat Poisoning via Regulating the Nrf2 and NF-B Signaling Pathways.

Paraquat (PQ), a highly toxic herbicide and primary attack for lung, results in severe acute lung injury (ALI) appeared as evident oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Increasing evidence elucidates that nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its associated nuclear factor-B (NF-B) exhibit many merits for protection of ALI by coordinating a fine-turned response to oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Ginkgolide C (GC) has been reported to be a safe and potent therapeutic agent against ALI.

Development and Validation of an Unethical Professional Behavior Tendencies Scale for Student Teachers.

Teacher's unethical professional behaviors affect students' physical and mental health. Prevention should start with student teachers, but empirical research is lacking in China. This study surveyed over 2,000 student teachers from China to examine the psychometric properties of a student teachers' unethical professional behavior tendencies scale which revised by primary and secondary school teachers' unethical professional behavior tendencies scale.

An overview of potential therapeutic agents to treat COVID-19.

The emerging novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has swept across the world and become a global threat to public health. More than 200 countries and territories worldwide are suffering from this COVID-19 pandemic. Worryingly, no specific vaccines or drugs have been approved for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

Diagnosis-related group (DRG)-based case-mix funding system, a promising alternative for fee for service payment in China.

Fee for services (FFS) is the prevailing method of payment in most Chinese public hospitals. Under this retrospective payment system, medical care providers are paid based on medical services and tend to over-treat to maximize their income, thereby contributing to rising medical costs and uncontrollable health expenditures to a large extent. Payment reform needs to be promptly implemented to move to a prospective payment plan.

China's achievements and challenges in improving health insurance coverage.

China has undertaken waves of healthcare reforms to keep pace with its rapid economic growth. By 2011, universal health insurance coverage was successfully achieved through the creation of a basic social medical insurance system. Growing economic power, extensive government subsidies, and strategies for program implementation are critical to that achievement.

A novel anticancer diarylurea derivative HL-40 as a multi-kinases inhibitor with good pharmacokinetics in Wistar rats.

HL-40, N-(4-(1-(4-chlorine indazole)) phenyl)-N-(4-chloro-3-three fluorine methyl phenyl) urea, is a novel diarylurea derivative. In this study, we investigated the kinases activities and binding constants, pharmacokinetics of HL-40, and then evaluated its anticancer efficacy by both in vitro and in vivo methods. Enzyme activities assays in vitro were employed to identify eight candidate kinase targets.

1082-39, an analogue of sorafenib, inhibited human cancer cell growth more potently than sorafenib.

Purpose: 1082-39, an analogue of sorafenib, is a derivative of indazole diarylurea. We evaluated the activity of 1082-39 against human cancer cell growth. Its effects and mechanisms of action were then compared with those of sorafenib.

Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of SL-01, a prodrug of gemcitabine, in rats.

Purpose: SL-01, dodecyl-3-((1-((2R,4R,5R)-3,3-difluoro-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyrimidin-4-yl) carbamoyl) pyrazine-2-carboxylate, is a prodrug of gemcitabine. Our previous reports suggested that SL-01 possesses superior bioavailability and anticancer activity to gemcitabine in mice. In this study, its pharmacokinetics and metabolisms were investigated in rats.

Synthesis of indazole based diarylurea derivatives and their antiproliferative activity against tumor cell lines.

New series of indazole based diarylureas were synthesized and their anticancer activity against cancer cells H460, A549, OS-RC-2, HT-29, Lovo, HepG2, Bel-7402, SGC-7901 and MDA-MB-231 were examined. These derivatives of diarylureas, except azaindazole based diarylureas 5f, 5l and 5m, showed superior or similar activity against most of these selected cancer cell lines to the reference compound sorafenib. The effect of substituents on the indazole ring was also investigated.

Riccardin D-26, a synthesized macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, inhibits human oral squamous carcinoma cells KB and KB/VCR: In vitro and in vivo studies.

Background: Riccardin D-26, a synthesized macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, might possess anti-cancer properties. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Riccardin D-26 as a candidate compound for treatment of cancers with sensitive or drug resistant cells.

Methods: Experiments were performed on human oral squamous carcinoma KB cells and vincristin-selected MDR KB/VCR cells.

Riccardin D-26, a synthesized macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma growth through induction of apoptosis in p53-dependent way.

Riccardin D-26 is a synthesized macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound. We investigated the effect of Riccardin D-26 on human hepatocellular carcinomas. Riccardin D-26 possessed stronger activity against SMMC-7721 cells than human normal liver cells.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of oral prodrugs based on the structure of gemcitabine.

A series of oral prodrugs based on the structure of gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine) were synthesised by introducing an amide group at the N4-position of the cytidine ring. A total of 16 compounds were obtained, and their chemical and biological characteristics were evaluated. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) for most of these compounds were higher than that of gemcitabine in vitro.

SL-01, an oral gemcitabine derivative, inhibited human cancer growth more potently than gemcitabine.

SL-01, an oral gemcitabine derivative, was synthesized by introducing the moiety of 3-(dodecyloxycarbonyl)pyrazine-2-carbonyl at the N4-position on the cytidine ring of gemcitabine. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the efficacy of SL-01 on the growth of human cancers with gemcitabine as control. Experiments were performed on human non-small cell lung cancer NCI-H460 and colon cancer HCT-116 both in vitro and in vivo.

Inhibition of intestinal adenoma formation in APC(Min/+) mice by Riccardin D, a natural product derived from liverwort plant Dumortiera hirsuta.

Background: Mutation of tumor suppressor gene, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), is the primary molecular event in the development of most intestinal carcinomas. Animal model with APC gene mutation is an effective tool for study of preventive approaches against intestinal carcinomas. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Riccardin D, a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound, as a chemopreventive agent against intestinal adenoma formation in APC(Min/+) mice.

Inhibitory effect of riccardin D on growth of human non-small cell lung cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Riccardin D is a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound extracted from liverwort plant Dumortiera hirsuta. Our previous study showed that riccardin D induced apoptosis of human leukemia cells by targeting DNA topoisomerase II (topo II). Riccardin D has been considered as a novel DNA topo II inhibitor and potential chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of cancers.

Inhibition of angiogenesis involves in anticancer activity of riccardin D, a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl, in human lung carcinoma.

Riccardin D is a novel macrocyclic bisbibenzyl compound extracted from Chinese liverwort plant Dumortiera hirsuta. Our previous studies showed that riccardin D is a DNA topo II inhibitor and has therapeutic potential for treatment of cancers. In this combined in vitro and in vivo study, we examined the inhibitory effects of riccardin D on tumor angiogenesis and the subsequent effect of anticancer activity was evaluated.

Des-γ-carboxyl prothrombin induces matrix metalloproteinase activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by involving the ERK1/2 MAPK signalling pathway.

Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), an aberrant prothrombin produced by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, has been shown to be associated with the biological malignant potential of HCC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of DCP on HCC cell growth and metastasis, and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. DCP significantly stimulated HCC cell growth, as measured by cell counting kit-8 assay.

Riccardin D, a novel macrocyclic bisbibenzyl, induces apoptosis of human leukemia cells by targeting DNA topoisomerase II.

We studied the effect of riccardin D, a macrocyclic bisbibenzyl, which was isolated from the Chinese liverwort plant, on human leukemia cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. Riccardin D had a significant antiproliferative effect on human leukemia cell lines HL-60, K562 and its multidrug resistant (MDR) counterpart K562/A02 cells, but showed no effect on the topoisomerase-II-deficient HL-60/MX2 cells, as measured by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The pBR322 DNA relaxation assay revealed that riccardin D selectively inhibited the activity of topoisomerase II (topo II).

LYP, a novel bestatin derivative, inhibits cell growth and suppresses APN/CD13 activity in human ovarian carcinoma cells more potently than bestatin.

LYP is a bestatin dimethylaminoethyl ester which inhibits aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13). Our goal in this study was to evaluate LYP as a candidate compound for cancer treatment, beginning by studying its inhibitory effects on tumors and then comparing it to bestatin. Experiments were performed on human ovarian carcinoma (OVCA) ES-2 and SKOV-3 cell lines, which have high and low levels of APN/CD13 respectively.

Targeting aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) with cyclic-imide peptidomimetics derivative CIP-13F inhibits the growth of human ovarian carcinoma cells.

Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) is an essential peptidase involved in the process of tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. Inhibition of APN/CD13 may be an effective strategy for cancer treatment. CIP-13F is a cyclic-imide peptidomimetics compound designed to fit the active pockets S1 and S'1 of APN/CD13 that act in tumor proliferation.

N(3)-o-toluyl-fluorouracil inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth via sustained release of 5-FU.

Purpose: N(3)-o-toluyl-fluorouracil (TFU), the prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is the metabolite of N(1)-acetyl-N(3)-o-toluyl-fluorouracil (atofluding). In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TFU on the inhibition of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells via sustained release of 5-FU. The metabolism of TFU underlying the inhibitory effect was also analyzed.