Confirmation of Age-dependence in the Leakage of Contrast Medium around the Cortical Veins into Cerebrospinal Fluid after Intravenous Administration of Gadolinium-based Contrast Agent

Purpose:It has been reported previously that intravenously administered gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) leaks into the subarachnoid space around the cortical veins at 4 h after injection in all old people over 37 years, but not in younger people up to 37 years of age in 3D-real IR images. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was a strict threshold of 37 years of age for the leakage of the GBCA into the subarachnoid space.Methods:The subjects included 190 patients, that were scanned for 3D-real IR images at 4 hours after intravenous injection of GBCA as a diagnostic test for endolymphatic hydrops. The patient’s age ranged from 14 to 81 years. Two experienced neuroradiologists evaluated the images to determine whether the GBCA leakage around the cortical veins was positive or negative. Any discrepancies between the two observers were discussed and a consensus was obtained.A Mann–Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to compare the positive and the negative group and to set the age cut-off value for the prediction of GBCA leakage.Results:The GBCA leakage around the cortical veins was negative in 35 patients and positive in 155 patients. The average age was 33 ± 11 years in the negative group, and 55 ± 12 years in the positive group (P < 0.01). In the ROC analysis for the age and leakage of the GBCA, an area under the curve was 0.905 and the cut-off age was 37.317 years (sensitivity of 0.942 and specificity of 0.771).Conclusion:Intravenously administered GBCA leaks into the subarachnoid space around the cortical veins in most patients over 37 years of age. However, it should be noted that it can be found occasionally in patients under 37 years of age.     

程序性死亡蛋白-1抗体治疗晚期胃癌的临床研究新进展

目前化疗仍为晚期胃癌的标准治疗手段,而多数患者诊断时已接近晚期。近年新兴的免疫治疗手段程序性死亡蛋白-1(PD-1,programmed death l)抗体,通过阻断肿瘤细胞逃避自身免疫机制,重新激活自身免疫对肿瘤的杀伤作用,从而达到肿瘤的治疗作用。针对晚期胃癌的PD-1抗体治疗的临床研究已在国内外开展,大部分均有较好效果。本文对近年免疫治疗中的PD-1抗体在晚期胃癌的重要临床研究进展进行介绍。     

基于频数分析法的骨伤科中成药用药规律研究

目的：探讨骨伤科中成药的用药规律，为临床合理用药及新药开发提供参考。方法：以《中国药典》2015年版一部收载的骨伤科类中成药共149个为研究对象，运用频数分析的方法研究其主治病症、所用剂型、各类方剂高频药物、核心药物组成，分析骨伤科中成药用药规律。结果：常用骨伤科中成药中治疗骨关节痹症的最多，其次为跌打损伤和骨关节退行性疾病的中成药；剂型以胶囊剂、片剂、丸剂为主；以活血化瘀药、祛风湿药、补虚药为核心药物组合，各类方剂中三者比例偏重不同。结论：通过对研究结果进行分析，提出了新药研发的方向。     

84例产褥感染的临床特点及常见致病微生物耐药性分析

目的 研究产褥感染的危险因素及常见致病微生物耐药情况，为临床治疗提供参考。方法 回顾性分析我院2017 年1 月～2019 年12 月发生的84 例产褥感染病例的临床资料，与同时期未发生产褥感染的200 例产妇进行对照研究，分析产褥感染的影响因素，并对分离获得的致病微生物进行耐药性分析。结果 感染组妊娠糖尿病、产钳助产、宫口开全后中转剖宫产患者的分布率高于对照组，差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）；经多因素Logistic 回归分析，妊娠糖尿病是产褥感染的独立影响因素（P＜0.05）。本研究中共检出致病微生物40 株，其中革兰阴性菌13 株（占32.50%），革兰阳性菌10 株（占25.00%），支原体16 株（占40.00%），衣原体1 株（占2.50%），革兰阴性菌中以大肠埃希菌最常见，对二代头孢菌素类抗生素耐药率20%。革兰阳性菌以金黄色葡萄球菌最常见，对青霉素及头孢菌素耐药率高，未发现对亚胺培南及万古霉素耐药。结论 产钳助产、妊娠糖尿病、宫口开全后中转剖宫产是产褥感染可能的危险因素，其中，妊娠糖尿病是产褥感染的独立危险因素。目前临床常见致病微生物谱及耐药率未发生明显变化。     

Host–microbiome interactions: the aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a critical node in tryptophan metabolites to brain signaling

ABSTRACT

Tryptophan (Trp) is not only a nutrient enhancer but also has systemic effects. Trp metabolites signaling through the well-known aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) constitute the interface of microbiome-gut-brain axis. However, the pathway through which Trp metabolites affect central nervous system (CNS) function have not been fully elucidated. AhR participates in a broad variety of physiological and pathological processes that also highly relevant to intestinal homeostasis and CNS diseases. Via the AhR-dependent mechanism, Trp metabolites connect bidirectional signaling between the gut microbiome and the brain, mediated via immune, metabolic, and neural (vagal) signaling mechanisms, with downstream effects on behavior and CNS function. These findings shed light on the complex Trp regulation of microbiome-gut-brain axis and add another facet to our understanding that dietary Trp is expected to be a promising noninvasive approach for alleviating systemic diseases.     

Therapeutics and delivery vehicles for local treatment of osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis, or the infection of the bone, presents a major complication in orthopedics and may lead to prolonged hospital visits, implant failure, and in more extreme cases, amputation of affected limbs. Typical treatment for this disease involves surgical debridement followed by long-term, systemic antibiotic administration, which contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and has limited ability to eradicate challenging biofilm-forming pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus—the most common cause of osteomyelitis. Local delivery of high doses of antibiotics via traditional bone cement can reduce systemic side effects of an antibiotic. Nonetheless, growing concerns over burst release (then subtherapeutic dose) of antibiotics, along with microbial colonization of the nondegradable cement biomaterial, further exacerbate antibiotic resistance and highlight the need to engineer alternative antimicrobial therapeutics and local delivery vehicles with increased efficacy against, in particular, biofilm-forming, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Furthermore, limited guidance exists regarding both standardized formulation protocols and validated assays to predict efficacy of a therapeutic against multiple strains of bacteria. Ideally, antimicrobial strategies would be highly specific while exhibiting a broad spectrum of bactericidal activity. With a focus on S. aureus infection, this review addresses the efficacy of novel therapeutics and local delivery vehicles, as alternatives to the traditional antibiotic regimens. The aim of this review is to discuss these components with regards to long bone osteomyelitis and to encourage positive directions for future research efforts.     

Endovascular deep brain stimulation: Investigating the relationship between vascular structures and deep brain stimulation targets

BackgroundEndovascular delivery of current using ‘stentrodes’ – electrode bearing stents – constitutes a potential alternative to conventional deep brain stimulation (DBS). The precise neuroanatomical relationships between DBS targets and the vascular system, however, are poorly characterized to date.ObjectiveTo establish the relationships between cerebrovascular system and DBS targets and investigate the feasibility of endovascular stimulation as an alternative to DBS.MethodsNeuroanatomical targets as employed during deep brain stimulation (anterior limb of the internal capsule, dentatorubrothalamic tract, fornix, globus pallidus pars interna, medial forebrain bundle, nucleus accumbens, pedunculopontine nucleus, subcallosal cingulate cortex, subthalamic nucleus, and ventral intermediate nucleus) were superimposed onto probabilistic vascular atlases obtained from 42 healthy individuals. Euclidian distances between targets and associated vessels were measured. To determine the electrical currents necessary to encapsulate the predefined neurosurgical targets and identify potentially side-effect inducing substrates, a preliminary volume of tissue activated (VTA) analysis was performed.ResultsSix out of ten DBS targets were deemed suitable for endovascular stimulation: medial forebrain bundle (vascular site: P1 segment of posterior cerebral artery), nucleus accumbens (vascular site: A1 segment of anterior cerebral artery), dentatorubrothalamic tract (vascular site: s2 segment of superior cerebellar artery), fornix (vascular site: internal cerebral vein), pedunculopontine nucleus (vascular site: lateral mesencephalic vein), and subcallosal cingulate cortex (vascular site: A2 segment of anterior cerebral artery). While VTAs effectively encapsulated mfb and NA at current thresholds of 3.5 V and 4.5 V respectively, incremental amplitude increases were required to effectively cover fornix, PPN and SCC target (mean voltage: 8.2 ± 4.8 V, range: 3.0–17.0 V). The side-effect profile associated with endovascular stimulation seems to be comparable to conventional lead implantation. Tailoring of targets towards vascular sites, however, may allow to reduce adverse effects, while maintaining the efficacy of neural entrainment within the target tissue.ConclusionsWhile several challenges remain at present, endovascular stimulation of select DBS targets seems feasible offering novel and exciting opportunities in the neuromodulation armamentarium.     

Academic–Industrial Collaboration: Toward the Consilience of Two Solitudes

Current major advances in drug discovery can be traced back to pioneering contributions originating from academics over a century ago. Living in a symbiotic yet noninvasive coexistence, the academic community and the pharmaceutical industry have strived, each in their own way, to develop the modern medicines that benefit humankind today. The subject is presented from a historical and personal perspective.     

刍议研究生科学道德和学风教育质量管理体系之构建

研究生科学道德和学风建设是学位与研究生教育的重要组成部分。针对近年来科学研究和学术活动中各种违背科学道德和学术规范的行为时有发生,国家教育部对研究生科学道德和学风建设日益重视,因此构建研究生的科学道德和学风教育质量管理体系具有十分重要的意义。实现研究生科学道德和学风教育质量体系的方针和目标需具备三个要素,即教育实践的模式(集主题教育、方法学习、学术实践三位一体)、有效性评价机制和绩效考核机制。此外,尚需建立体系优化机制,以适应各种内外部因素的变化,保持体系的更新和优化。     

Delivery during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support of pregnant woman with severe respiratory distress syndrome caused by influenza: a case report and review of the literature

Objective: To report a case of labour induction during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by influenza and review of the literature.

Methods: Case report and the literature search of all English articles on delivery while on ECMO in patients with ARDS caused by influenza.

Results: A 25-year-old pregnant woman was initiated with ECMO due to severe ARDS caused by influenza A (H1N1) virus. When the patient had symptoms of colporrhagia and uterine contractions, the medical team decided to start labour induction while on ECMO. There were in total five case reports identified. Maternal oxygenation was improved after delivery and ECMO was successfully discontinued.

Conclusions: Maternal oxygenation was improved after delivery, which may be beneficial to reduce the duration of ECMO. Caesarean section (CS) may be the most used mode and labour induction could be another option. The procedure should be performed by an experienced ECMO team, cooperating with the obstetrician, anaesthesiologist, and ICU doctors.