The role of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG) in strengthening health system governance: Lessons from three middle-income countries—Argentina,Jordan, and South Africa (2017–2018)

IntroductionToward the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2020 goal, almost 90% of countries have established a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). However, little is known about NITAG's contributions to governance.MethodsIn 2017–2018, a two-step, qualitative retrospective study was conducted. Jordan (JO), Argentina (AR), and South Africa (SA) were selected owing to government-financed NITAGs from middle-income countries (MICs), geographic diversity, and a vaccine introduction with NITAG support. Country case studies were developed, collecting data through desk review and face-to-face key informant interviews (KIIs) from Ministry of Health (MoH) and NITAG. Case studies were analyzed together, to assess governance applying the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework focusing on transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and policy capacity (TAPIC).ResultsDocument review and 53 KII (22 AR, 20 SA, 11 JO) showed NITAGs played a pivotal role as advisors promoting a culture of evidence-informed policies. NITAGs strengthened governance, although practices varied among countries. Meetings were conducted behind-closed-doors, participation restricted to members, only in one country agendas, and recommendations were public (AR). To increase participation, policy capacity, and transparency, countries considered adding experts in communications, advocacy, and economics. AR and SA contemplated including community members. NITAGs functioned autonomously from the government, with no established internal or external monitoring or supervision. NITAG meeting minutes allowed the review of integrity, adherence to terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and conflict of interest (CoI). For the most part, NITAGs abided by their mandates. Significant issues were related to the level of MoH support and oversight of CoI declaration and documentation.ConclusionsSystematically implementing governance approaches could improve processes, better tailor policies, and implementation. The long-term survival and resilience of NITAGs in these countries showed they play a significant role in strengthening governance. Lessons learned could be useful to those promoting country-driven evidence-informed decision-making.     

尿液10项肾损伤标志物检测试剂的性能评价

摘要:目的对尿液 10项肾损伤标志物检测试剂进行性能评价,并评估其临床适用性。方法对北京利德曼公司尿液a1 微球蛋白(u-a|MG)、总蛋白(u-TP)、免疫球蛋白G(u-IgG) 、微量清蛋白(u-Alb)、中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白(u-NGAL)、半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂C(u-CysC).视黄醇结合蛋白(u-RBP)、β2微球蛋白(u-β2MG)、N-乙酰-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(u-NAG).、转铁蛋白(u-Trf)检测试剂盒进行性能评价。正确度和精密度验证参考美国临床和实验室标准协会(CLSI)EP15-A3,验证物质采用ERM-DA470k、ERM-DA471、B2M-NIBSC等参考物质及纯度物质;线性验证参考CLSI EP06;抗干扰能力参考CISI EP07;不同检测系统间比对参考CISI EP09。结果正确度方面,10 项标志物检测试剂测定标准物质在低值、中值、高值的偏倚分别为-2.69% ~4.67%、-3.60% ~3.33% .-2.38% ~3.02%;不精密度方面,重复性以不精密度表示,在低值和高值处分别为1.90%~5.43%、0.63% ~2.42%,室内不精密度为2.27%~5.63%、1.09%~3.41%,均满足临床要求;10项尿液标志物线性范围在0.06~4.40 mg/L至21.83~2 146.77 mg/L之间。抗干扰方面,u-1 MG、u-Alb、u-β2MG、u-Trf 、u-CysC、u-NAG分别在血红蛋白终浓度≤8 g/L、≤8 g/L、≤4 g/L、≤4 g/L、≤2g/L、≤1 g/L时,未受到明显干扰(百分偏差≤+ 10%) ,而u-TP、u-IgG、 u-RBP、u-NGAL在血红蛋白终浓度≥0.125 g/L时即受干扰。不同检测系统间偏差超出临床允许范围。结论尿液 10项肾损伤标志物的正确度、精密度、线性范围和抗血红蛋白干扰能力满足临床需要,不同检测系统间标志物测量结果可比性欠佳。     

针刺辅助治疗难治性肠易激综合征临床试验方案关键点设计的思考＊

肠易激综合征（Irritable bowel syndrome，IBS）是临床常见病、多发病，其治疗方法丰富，但部分患者疗效欠佳，发展成难治性IBS。目前国内外关于针灸治疗难治性IBS的临床随机对照试验尚不多见。本文立足试验方案设计的“PICOS”原则，从研究对象及诊断标准、干预措施、对照措施、结局指标四个方面入手，重点探讨针刺辅助治疗难治性肠易激综合征临床试验设计的关键要点。从选择特色优势病种、明确诊断标准、制定符合临床实际的干预方案、运用符合目标的安慰针刺、结合研究设计和目的选定结局指标几个角度，阐述试验相关环节设计的原因和思考。     

LPS对骨肉瘤细胞迁移、侵袭及TLR4/HOTAIR通路的影响

目的探讨脂多糖(LPS)对骨肉瘤细胞迁移和侵袭的影响及其潜在的作用机制。方法将人MG-63骨肉瘤细胞随机分为2组:对照组和LPS组。LPS组细胞用10 g/ml的LPS干预24 h,对照组用生理盐水干预。ELISA检测干预后培养基中促炎因子的水平,Transwell实验检测细胞迁移和侵袭能力,Western Blot检测相关蛋白的表达。结果与对照组相比,LPS组培养基中促炎因子TNF-α、IL-1和IL-6的释放水平均显著增高(P<0.05),LPS组迁移细胞数和侵袭细胞数均显著增高(P<0.05),LPS组中E-cadherin的表达显著降低(P<0.05),而N-cadherin、α-SMA、波形蛋白、TLR4和HOTAIR的表达均显著增高(P<0.05)。结论LPS诱导的肿瘤微环境可促进骨肉瘤细胞的迁移和侵袭,其机制与TLR4/HOTAIR途径介导的EMT过程的发生有密切关系。     

Determinants of Tobacco Use among Children of a Rural Village in India: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Background: Tobacco is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. It is both a major social and health problem. According to National Sample Survey Organization of Government of India about 20 million children of ages 10-14 are estimated to be tobacco-addicted. There are grave consequences of tobacco both socially and also on health thus it is of utmost importance to understand the factors leading to its use and to plan strategies to reduce its intake. However, the health implications of this social issue in a rural context have not been explored. Aims and Objective: this study makes an attempt to explore the health and social implications of tobacco usage by the children below the age of 14 years in hamlet. Materials and Methods:  The present study employed a qualitative study design. Data was collected using focus group discussion and in-depth interview of key informants. Thematic analysis for exploring the explicit and implicit meanings within the data was done. The themes which emerged were knowledge about tobacco and the various products available, children and parents’ tobacco use and habits, the health and social implication of tobacco use, reasons for tobacco use by the children. Results: It was found tobacco use by the children was very common in the community. Parent, peer pressure, sibling pressure were found to be playing important role in the initiation of tobacco habit by the child. Further illiteracy and lack of awareness was also lead to tobacco use among children. Conclusion: The study identifies education and awareness of parents about the ill-effects of tobacco play an important role as parents act as role model for their children, thus equal stress should be laid in improving the parental habits. Even raising the prices of tobacco products can help in controlling this habit.     

Regulation of fibroblast-induced collagen gel contraction by interleukin-1β

Fibroblasts incorporated within collagen gels induce a cell-mediated contraction of the gel to form a three-dimensional, tissue-like structure by a mechanism thought to mimic wound contraction in vivo . In this study a gel contraction model was used to investigate the ability of fibroblasts derived from adult gingiva, adult skin and fetal skin to organise a collagen matrix. In addition the effects of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on the contraction process was also investigated. Over the concentration range 5-50 U/ml, IL-1β induced a statistically significant inhibition of gel contraction in all fibroblast cell types ( P <0.05), although fetal fibroblasts appeared least responsive and gingival fibroblasts most responsive to the inhibitory effects of this cytokine. Comparison of gel contraction by the different fibroblast strains indicated that fetal and gingival fibroblasts shared similar contraction kinetics. For the adult skin fibroblasts, three of five strains studied showed significantly diminished levels of gel contraction compared to fetal and gingival cells. This apparent difference in fibroblast phenotype may, at least in part, explain the fetal-like wound healing pattern seen in the oral mucosa.     

New stand magnifiers do not meet rated levels of performance

A new range of stand magnifiers has been released by the COIL company in the United Kingdom. Examination of these magnifiers reveals that they fail to deliver the rated magnifications labelled prominently on the appliances, as a result of the manufacturer's conformance with the requirements of the German DIN standard and the use of back vertex power (F'_v) rather than equivalent dioptric power (F_m) of the magnifier. In this study we provide information on the optometric parameters of these new stand magnifiers that will assist the more accurate specification of improvements in vision expected from their use.     

骨肉瘤成骨细胞表型与临床因素的相关性研究

目的采集手术切除未经培养的骨肉瘤标本,研究肿瘤中成骨细胞的分化及其与临床因素的关系。方法观察骨肉瘤中成骨细胞相关基因表达的频率、特异性,以及骨肉瘤成骨细胞表型与生物学行为的关系。应用RT-PCR方法研究48例骨肉瘤标本的碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、骨钙素(OC)和骨桥蛋白(ON)的mRNA转录。磷酸甘油酸激酶(PGK)被用于内参照。结果在大多数骨肉瘤标本中可以发现ALP或OC的mRNA转录(分别为93.75%,79.17%)。在所有的肉瘤检测中均可发现ON的mRNA转录。在骨肉瘤的成骨细胞亚型中可见到ALP和OC的高水平表达。肺转移瘤OC的mRNA表达弱于原发灶。肿瘤细胞有高水平OC表达的病例组有较高的生存率(P=0.045)。结论OC是目前最好的成骨细胞特异性标记物,将来可能用于检测骨肉瘤患者外周血中循环的肿瘤细胞。     

他汀类药物对心血管的保护作用

他汀类药物(statins)被研制出来的最初目的是降低血脂,但是现在发现它不仅具有降低血脂的作用,还具有很多其他的作用包括改善内皮细胞功能的紊乱,提高内皮源性一氧化氮合成酶的生物活性,抑制血管平滑肌细胞的增殖,抗氧化作用,抗炎作用,降低血压,逆转心血管系统的重构。充分理解statins的多效性作用及机制有利于它更好的在临床中被应用于心血管系统的预防和治疗。     

甲基莲心碱增强阿霉素抑制骨肉瘤作用

目的探讨甲基莲心碱增强阿霉素抑制裸鼠体内骨肉瘤生长的作用。方法将人成骨瘤细胞(MG-63)接种于BALB／C裸鼠,建立人成骨肉瘤裸鼠移植模型。随机分4组:生理盐水组 (Ns)、甲基莲心碱组(Nef)、阿霉素组(Adr)、甲基莲心碱+阿霉素组(Nef+Adr)。腹腔内注射以上药物,Nef浓度3．0mg／kg体重、Adr 2．0mg／kg体重。测量瘤重、计算瘤重抑制率、制病理切片,在光镜下观察肿瘤形态与改变。流式细胞术检测肿瘤原发灶细胞凋亡。结果 Ns、Nef、ADR、Nef+ ADR组原发肿瘤重量分别为:(8．03±0．92)、(7．86±0．80)、(4．16±0．54)、(1．86±0．73)g,Nef+ ADR组肿瘤重量较ADR组显著减轻(P<0．05);Nef、ADR合并用药效果α=1．38。4组原发灶细胞凋亡率分别为8．29％、11．80％、25．70％、71．20％,Nef+ADR组较ADR组明显增高(P<0．05)。病理切片发现Nef+ADR组较ADR组肿瘤细胞明显减少,坏死明显增多。结论甲基莲心碱对阿霉素抑制裸鼠体内骨肉瘤生长有增效作用。