This is a case of a 33-year-old, G3P3(3003) female patient with a clinical presentation of vaginal bleeding associated with on and off hypogastric pain. The patient was diagnosed and managed as a case of tubo-ovarian abscess and subsequently underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAHBSO). Microscopic sections of both ovaries, however, showed dual population of tumor cells composed of medium-sized, mononucleated cells admixed with multinucleated giant cells with marked pleomorphism, extensive hemorrhage and necrosis. Immunohistochemistry studies using beta-hCG was diagnostic of ovarian choriocarcinoma, favoring non-gestational in origin. Classification of non-gestational choriocarcinoma (NGOC) was established using diagnostic criteria for NGOC established by Saito et al., and Mangla et al. DNA analysis, however, remains to be the gold-standard for differentiating between gestational (GOC) and non-gestational (NGOC) etiology.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) is a multi-tumoral syndrome that includes neoplasms in the duodenum, brain, pancreas and thyroid. The Cribriform Morular Variant (CMV) is a rare form of Papillary Thyroid Cancer seen in patients with FAP. Presented here is a 32 year old female who initially presented with an anterior neck mass followed years later by a rectal mass. She was diagnosed with FAP and colorectal adenocarcinoma and underwent total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy. She subsequently underwent a total thyroidectomy which revealed CMV Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (CMV-PTC). Since FAP can have diverse presentations, a high index of suspicion is needed in order to make an earlier diagnosis to reduce potential morbidity and mortality. Papillary thyroid carcinoma can predate colonic polyposis. Identifying CMV-PTC early on can serve as an opportunity diagnose FAP early.

Human ; Male ; Adult: 25-44 Yrs Old ; Madura Foot ; Mycetoma

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau (ACH) is a rare, chronic, and recalcitrant inflammatory disorder classified as a localized variant of pustular psoriasis. Patients usually present with relapsing episodes of subungual pustules, nail dystrophy, and scaling. We report a case of ACH in a 32-year-old female, which developed following a nail infection and exacerbated during pregnancy, with no medication for 2 years. She presented at the clinic with severe manifestations of anonychia and multiple bone resorption on the distal phalanges. The patient was started on topical medication of combination corticosteroid and vitamin D analogue and oral methotrexate initially at l0mg/week then increased to 15mg/week due to poor response. Despite compliance to medications and avoidance of possible irritants, the patient still had relapse of pustules on the nails.

Several treatment options for ACH are available such as topical steroids, vitamin D analogue, systemic biologics, and non-biologics such as methotrexate and cyclosporine. However, systemic biologics are considered the most efficacious for ACH but financial constraints often limit their use in resource-poor settings.

Vulvar Rhabdomyosarcoma (VR) is a rare gynecological cancer primarily found in children. This case report discusses the diagnosis, treatment, and management complexities of a 19-year-old patient with a slow-growing vulvar lesion.

A 19-year-old female with obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease presented with a left vulvar lesion measuring 11 x 7 x 7 cm that was noticed five months ago. Core needle biopsy of the lesion revealed findings consistent with rhabdomyosarcoma. A Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scan showed a hypermetabolic 8.3 x 6.7 x 6.7 cm mass in the left vulvar area, extending to the vagina, rectal wall, and anal region along with enlarged left inguinal lymph nodes.

The patient was treated with the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study-IV (IRS-IV) protocol for 16 weeks with vincristine, dactinomycin, and cyclophosphamide. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was administered between weeks 9-14, followed by continuation chemotherapy until week 28. Interim PET-CT scan prior to concurrent chemoradiotherapy revealed a reduced mass size to 3.8 x 2.8 cm and resolved left inguinal lymphadenopathy.

Despite completing treatment, the patient reported persistent back pain and mobility issues three weeks later. A subsequent PET-CT scan showed hypermetabolic lesions at vertebral locations C6, T9, T12, and L1-L3, along with the left ischium and bilateral femoral shafts. Thoracic vertebrae biopsy confirmed rhabdomyoblasts. Patient underwent palliative radiotherapy and spinal stabilization then proceeded with second line therapy with 1 cycle of GemcitabineDocetaxel but showed progression of symptoms described as persistent bleeding (hematuria) and neutropenia. Further diagnostics done to the patient showed possible bone marrow involvement. Unfortunately, the patient expired owing to symptoms of cancer progression.

The management of adult-onset VR presents a significant therapeutic challenge, largely attributable to the scarcity of clinical trials and tailored treatment regimens for this specific age group. Outcomes documented in existing literature for adult VR cases present with recurrence, disease progression, and mortality. The treatment landscape in adults is complicated by comorbidities which may influence both the therapeutic choices and outcomes. Given these intricate challenges, this case echoes the need for research efforts aimed at developing management protocols specifically designed for adults with VR.

Yinyang Gongji Pills have the effects of strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors, removing stasis, and reducing swelling, which is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula for treating intestinal accumulation. A real-world, registered, and single-arm clinical trial was conducted to observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yinyang Gongji Pills combined with capecitabine in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and analyze the clinical characteristics of the patients. A total of 60 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who refused or could not tolerate standard treatment of western medicine were included in the study. They were treated with Yinyang Gongji Pills combined with capecitabine until disease progression or intolerable adverse events occurred. The main observation indicators were progression-free survival(PFS) and safety. The treatment effects of the patients under different baseline characteristics were analyzed. The clinical trial has found that the median PFS of all enrolled patients was 7.3 months, with 30.1% of patients having a PFS exceeding 12.0 months. Layered analysis showed that the median PFS of patients with the onset site being the colon and rectum were respectively 8.4 and 4.7 months. The median PFS of patients with high, medium, and low tumor burden were respectively 7.0, 4.7, and 10.8 months. The median PFS of patients with wild-type and mutant-type RAS/BRAF were respectively 7.9 and 6.9 months. The median PFS of patients with KPS scores ≥80 and ≤70 were respectively 7.9 and 6.5 months. The median PFS of patients treated with Yinyang Gongji Pills for ≥6, 3-6, and ≤3 months were respectively 8.0, 5.2, and 4.2 months. The median PFS of patients with spleen, kidney, liver, and lung syndrome differentiation in TCM were respectively 8.3, 6.7, 7.3, and 5.6 months. The median PFS of patients with TCM pathological factors including phlegm, dampness, and blood stasis were respectively 7.0, 7.3, and 6.5 months. Common adverse reactions include anemia, decreased white blood cells, decreased appetite, fatigue, and hand foot syndrome, with incidence rates being respectively 44.2%, 34.6%, 42.3%, 32.7%, and 17.3%. The results showed that the combination of Yinyang Gongji Pills and capecitabine demonstrated potential clinical efficacy and good safety in this study. The patients have clinical characteristics such as low tumor burden, onset site at the colon, KPS scores ≥ 80, long duration of oral TCM, and TCM syndrome differentiation including spleen or liver.
Humans ; Capecitabine/adverse effects* ; Colorectal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome

Chaihu and Longgu Muli Decoction has demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of tachyarrhythmia accompanied by anxiety and depression. However, there is a lack of standardized guidelines for its clinical application. In this study, the Chaihu and Longgu Muli Decoction was investigated through extensive research on ancient and modern literature, as well as a collection of clinical medical records. The basic information, medication details, and diagnostic information from medical records, personal experience literature, and clinical cases in the treatment of tachyarrhythmia accompanied by anxiety were extracted and analyzed to preliminarily identify the prescription characteristics and syndrome patterns. Subsequently, the Delphi method was employed to construct an item pool based on the data obtained in the first step. An expert questionnaire was prepared to collect scores and revision opinions from experts regarding these items. After statistical analysis and group discussions, a second round of questionnaires was formed by screening out certain items. This process was repeated until a final item set for the treatment of tachyarrhythmia accompanied by anxiety with Chaihu and Longgu Muli Decoction was determined. These findings provided guidance for clinical prescription practices. By extracting 71 syndromes and signs, as well as 33 tongue and pulse characteristics, the main syndrome features included palpitations, chest tightness, irritability, etc., which were basically consistent with the ancient syndromes. Through frequency analysis and group discussions, 71 items were screened out. After screening, modification, and primary and secondary division, 11 main diagnostic items and 10 secondary diagnostic items were determined. On this basis, the research team believes that Chaihu and Longgu Muli Decoction is mainly indicated for the following syndromes in the treatment of tachyarrhythmia accompanied by anxiety(palpitations, poor sleep, bitter taste, dry mouth, irritability/easily angered/anxiety/fearfulness/easily startled, red tongue with greasy yellow coating, rapid pulse, high work/life pressure, tachyarrhythmia on electrocardiogram/Holter monitor, and positive results on anxiety scale). Secondary syndromes include chest tightness, shortness of breath, feeling heavy and weak in the body, sweating, poor appetite, constipation, greasy white tongue coating, wiry pulse, slippery pulse, or knotted and intermittent pulse.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Delphi Technique ; Anxiety/complications* ; Tachycardia/psychology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Aged

This study explored the efficacy and mechanisms of Shenqi Buqi Granules in treating chronic heart failure(CHF) of Qi deficiency using proteomics and bioinformatics methods. A total of 18 healthy participants(health group) and 19 patients with Qi deficiency-type CHF(experimental group) were enrolled and treated with Shenqi Buqi Granules for 12 weeks. Clinical indicators, including Qi deficiency scores, complete blood count, biochemical parameters, lipid profiles, and cardiac function, were collected from pre-and post-experimental groups. Serum proteomics analysis was performed. Differential proteins were screened through differential analysis and K-means clustering. Further analyses, including subcellular localization, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment, and protein-protein interaction(PPI) network construction, were conducted to identify pathways and proteins associated with Shenqi Buqi Granules treatment. Spearman correlation analysis focused on proteins most correlated with the core phenotype of CHF of Qi deficiency. The results show that Shenqi Buqi Granules treatment reduced Qi deficiency scores and brain natriuretic peptide levels of pre-experimental group. A total of 1 594 proteins were quantified in the proteomics analysis, with 98 proteins showing differential expression between healthy group and experimental group before and after treatment. Subcellular localization analysis revealed 6 protein sources, while KEGG pathway enrichment highlighted biological processes including angiogenesis, immune inflammation, calcium homeostasis, cytoskeletal regulation, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism. Core genes identified included CD34, CSF1, CALM1, CALML3, PPP1CA, PFN1, and 3 ribosomal large subunit proteins. Correlation analysis between core proteins and Qi deficiency scores revealed that CD34(r=-0.67, P<0.05) and PPP1CA(r=0.62, P<0.01) were most strongly associated with Qi deficiency scores. This study suggests that Shenqi Buqi Granules improves Qi deficiency scores and CHF symptoms by regulating angiogenesis, immune inflammation, calcium homeostasis, cytoskeletal regulation, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism. CD34 and PPP1CA are identified as core proteins involved in the therapeutic effects of Shenqi Buqi Granules on Qi deficiency.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Heart Failure/metabolism* ; Male ; Female ; Proteomics ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Aged ; Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects* ; Adult ; Chronic Disease

A single-center, randomized, double-blind, dose-controlled trial of modified Sini Powder in treating mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) in the patients with syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire was conducted at Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. A total of 80 patients with mild to moderate GAD and the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire were included. Patients were assigned by the central randomization system at a ratio of 3∶1 into an observation group(n=60, receiving a conventional-dose of granules of modified Sini Powder) and a control group(n=20, receiving low-dose granules with the active ingredients being 50% of that in observation group). Assessments were conducted before treatment(baseline), after 2 weeks of introduction, after 2/4/8 weeks of treatment, and after 4 weeks of follow-up. The results were summarized as follows. In terms of primary outcome indicators, the observation group(62.2%) showed higher total response rate than the control group(26.6%)(P<0.05), and greater Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA) score reduction after 8 weeks of treatment(P<0.05). In terms of secondary outcome indicators, the HAMA score(somatic anxiety score), traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndrome scores, Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale, and clinical global impression(CGI) scale score in the observation group showed a significant compared to the control group at each visit points(P<0.05). Adverse events occurred in 10 cases, including 9(16.9%) cases in the observation group and 1(6.6%) case in the control group. No adverse reaction was observed. In conclusion, conventional-dose modified Sini Powder demonstrated superior efficacy and favorable safety for mild and moderate GAD in the patients with the syndrome of liver depression transforming into fire over low-dose treatment.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult ; Powders ; Aged ; Liver/drug effects* ; Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Real-time acquisition of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion information through thoracic electrical impedance tomography (EIT) holds significant clinical value. This study proposes a novel method based on the rime (RIME) algorithm-optimized variational mode decomposition (VMD) to separate lung ventilation and perfusion signals directly from raw voltage data prior to EIT image reconstruction, enabling independent imaging of both parameters. To validate this approach, EIT data were collected from 16 healthy volunteers under normal breathing and inspiratory breath-holding conditions. The RIME algorithm was employed to optimize VMD parameters by minimizing envelope entropy as the fitness function. The optimized VMD was then applied to separate raw data across all measurement channels in EIT, with spectral analysis identifying relevant components to reconstruct ventilation and perfusion signals. Results demonstrated that the structural similarity index (SSIM) between perfusion images derived from normal breathing and breath-holding states averaged approximately 84% across all 16 subjects, significantly outperforming traditional frequency-domain filtering methods in perfusion imaging accuracy. This method offers a promising technical advancement for real-time monitoring of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion, holding significant value for advancing the clinical application of EIT in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases.
Humans ; Electric Impedance ; Algorithms ; Tomography/methods* ; Pulmonary Ventilation/physiology* ; Lung/diagnostic imaging* ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Adult