Early onset scoliosis and current treatment methods

ObjectiveProvide an update of the management options for early onset scoliosis patients, including general assessment, conservative and surgical options.MethodsWe included the updated information about the assessment and management options of Early Onset Scoliosis, taking into consideration the non-fusion methods, including the burden on the patient and their family.ResultsWith the heterogeneity of this population, it is difficult to get a consensus about a unified protocol for management. Accordingly, the surgeon dealing with these cases needs to be aware of the broad range of surgical and non-surgical methods when treating these patients.ConclusionThe main aim of early onset scoliosis treatment is to gain a flexible spine associated with normal lung development and thoracic growth. Management needs to be individualized between the surgeon and patient in relation to the etiology and patient conditions.     

嘉兴市新居民儿童心理发育行为问题及影响因素分析

目的调查嘉兴市新居民儿童心理发育行为问题及影响因素，为改善新居民儿童心理健康提供理论依据。方法随机抽取新居民儿童548例，本地儿童1248例，采用自编量表评估儿童家庭影响因素，长处与困难问卷评估儿童心理发育行为问题，心理痛苦温度计评估主观心理痛苦程度，儿童心理虐待与忽视量表评估家庭教养方式，社会支持量表评估社会支持程度。结果新居民儿童主观评定心理痛苦程度高于本地儿童（P=0.002）。新居民儿童亲社会化行为低于本地儿童（P=0.000），多动/注意缺陷问题高于本地儿童（P=0.011）。儿童忽视虐待量表本地儿童5个因子得分低于新居民儿童：责骂因子（P=0.000）、恐吓因子（P=0.000）、情感忽视因子（P=0.000）、教育忽视因子（P=0.000）、身体忽视因子（P=0.000）。社会支持量表本地儿童3个因子得分均高于新居民儿童：客观支持（P=0.032）、主观支持（P=0.000）、对支持的利用度（P=0.000）。新居民儿童在新居民儿童学校、混合学校、本地儿童学校的3类学校中亲社会化行为、忽视因子、虐待因子、社会支持均有统计学差异（均P＜0.05）。结论新居民儿童较本地儿童心理发育行为明显落后，良好的家庭教养方式和有效的社会支持系统能够更快更好地促进其身心发育。     

儿童支气管哮喘与注意缺陷多动障碍的关系及其危险因素

近年来儿童慢性疾病与神经精神疾病的关系及其致病机制已成为儿科领域研究的热点和难点。支气管哮喘(简称哮喘)是儿童期常见的慢性疾病之一,最新基于人群的大样本报道证实哮喘与儿童最常见的神经发育障碍性疾病注意缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)之间关系密切。现就哮喘和ADHD的具体关系及其危险因素最新研究进展进行综述,以期认识二者之间的关系及其危险因素,便于哮喘患儿的长程临床管理。     

Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes doxorubicin resistance in chondrosarcoma cells by affecting XRCC5 expression

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common form of bone cancer and is characterized by its ability to produce an extracellular matrix of the cartilage. High-grade chondrosarcoma is highly aggressive and can metastasize to other parts of the body. Chondrosarcoma is resistant to both conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy; hence, the current main treatment is still surgical resection. Doxorubicin (Dox) has been shown to significantly improve patient survival compared with untreated chondrosarcoma. However, for patients with metastasis, surgical resection alone can hardly treat them. In addition, drug resistance is one of the leading causes of death in patients with chondrosarcoma. Secreted proteins can mediate cell-cell interactions in the cancer microenvironment, which may be associated with the development of drug resistance. In the present study, chondrosarcoma cells were treated with Dox, the conditioned medium was then collected and changes in secreted proteins were analyzed using the antibody array. Results showed that the Dox-treated group had the highest secretion of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), indicating the effect of bFGF on Dox sensitivity in chondrosarcoma. Furthermore, lentiviral-mediated knockdown and treatment of exogenous recombinant protein were employed to further investigate the effect of bFGF on Dox resistance. Results demonstrated that bFGF can promote the expression of X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 5 (XRCC5), leading to Dox resistance. Secreted bFGF is likely to be detected in serum, in addition to being a biomarker for predicting Dox resistance, the combination of Dox and bFGF/XRCC5 blockers may be a new therapeutic strategy to improve the efficacy of Dox in future.     

Evaluation of NMU-Induced Breast Cancer Treated with Sirolimus and Sunitinib on Breast Cancer Growth

Objective: To analyze the effect of sirolimus and sunitinib in blocking the tumor growth and to evaluate the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/neu) after treated with sirolimus and sunitinib. Methods: Thirty-two female Sprague Dawley rats at age 21-days old were administered intraperitoneally with N-Methyl-N-Nitroso Urea (NMU), dosed at 70mg/kg body weight. The rats were divided into 4 groups; Group 1 (Control, n=8), Group 2 (Sirolimus, n=8), Group 3 (Sunitinib, n=8) and Group 4 (Sirolimus+Sunitinib, n=8), being treated twice when the tumor reached the size of 14.5±0.5 mm and subsequently sacrificed after 5 days. The protein expressions of ER, PgR and HER2/neu of the tumor tissues were evaluated by using immunohistochemistry analysis. Results: Treatment with sirolimus alone lowered expressions of ER and PgR of breast cancer and reduced tumor size. There was no significant difference of ER and PgR expressions between control and sunitinib treated tumor. Sunitinib treated tumors reduce in diameter after the first treatment, however the diameter increases after the second treatment. Histologically, sunitinib treated tumor did not show any aggressive invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST) histological subtypes. In addition, all NMU-induced tumors are HER2/neu-negative scoring. Conclusion: Sirolimus is neither synergistic nor additive with sunitinib for breast cancer treatment.     

极低/超低出生体重儿甲状腺功能减退的临床分析

目的 分析极低/超低出生体重（VLBW/ELBW）患儿甲状腺功能减退的危险因素和治疗情况。方法 选择2018年9月至2019年12月诊断为甲状腺功能减退的VLBW/ELBW患儿为病例组（n=29），按照1：3比例匹配甲状腺功能正常的VLBW/ELBW患儿作为对照组（n=87），比较两组患儿的临床特征，分析甲状腺功能与出生胎龄、出生体重的相关性及甲状腺功能减退的危险因素。结果 符合纳入标准的VLBW/ELBW患儿共162例，其中病例组29例，甲状腺功能减退发生率为17.9%。出生体重越低，甲状腺功能减退发生率越高（P < 0.05）；三碘甲状腺原氨酸（T3）、游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸（FT3）与出生胎龄呈正相关（P < 0.05），T3、游离甲状腺素（FT4）与出生体重呈正相关（P < 0.05）。小于胎龄儿、多胎、孕母≥35岁、使用多巴胺是发生甲状腺功能减退的独立危险因素（P < 0.05）。病例组中16例患儿给予左旋甲状腺素（每日5~10 μg/kg）治疗，甲状腺功能在治疗2周后恢复正常。结论 VLBW/ELBW患儿甲状腺功能减退的发生率较高，小于胎龄儿、多胎、孕母高龄、应用多巴胺是其发生甲状腺功能减退的危险因素，应用左旋甲状腺素治疗的患儿需定期随访，以保证用药剂量适宜。     

HIV/AIDS and economic growth: Evidence from West Africa

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in West Africa. Prevalence among the most productive age group in West and Central Africa stood at 1.5%, 3.4.0%, 2.5%, and 2.1% in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2015 respectively. This study examined the effect of HIV/AIDS on economic growth in West Africa with focus on 11 countries. The augmented Solow model, rooted in the neoclassical growth theory, was used, which was operationalized using dynamic panel data modeling approach. Incidence, prevalence, number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), and AIDS‐related deaths were used to measure HIV/AIDS. Estimations using system GMM returned statistically significant results while those of first difference and difference GMM were not. From the outcome of system GMM analysis, a percentage increase in incidence, prevalence, PLWHA, and AIDS deaths correspondingly reduced growth significantly through their effects on life expectancy by 0.15%, 0.02%, 0.004%, and 0.03%. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome deaths and PLWHA lowered economic growth through enrolment but not significantly. The import of the findings is that HIV/AIDS threatens growth through life expectancy in West Africa. Therefore, its spread in the subregion should be effectively contained while proper treatment should be provided for all infected persons.