Paediatric gonad shielding in pelvic radiography: A systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionThe British Institute of Radiology (BIR) and American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) have recommended that gonad shielding is no longer used during pelvic X-ray examinations. The BIR guidance states that shielding may still be considered for use on males, but should not be used on females. This paper aimed to evaluate if this decision was supported by evidence from practice, by comparing the accuracy of gonad shield placement in paediatric males and females.MethodsA systematic review of databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE and PubMed was performed in February 2021. Studies were considered eligible if they provided data on the use of gonad shielding during pelvic X-ray examinations on male and female patients under the age of 18. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria and data extraction was performed. Quality appraisal was undertaken, and a meta-analysis of shielding accuracy was performed on seven studies.ResultsThe results from the meta-analysis (2187 total radiographs) demonstrated that female patients were significantly more likely (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.88–1.87) than males to have gonad shields placed inaccurately (p value < 0.001).ConclusionGonad shield placement on paediatric female patients is significantly less accurate than on males, and so the results support the AAPM and BIR guidance to stop the practice for females. Shield application may also be frequently inaccurate for males, but the review does not provide clear evidence for or against continuing the practice for males.Implications for practiceDiscontinuing the use of gonad shields in paediatric pelvic radiography on female patients is supported. Any continued use on male patients, or for reasons such as psychological reassurance, should be subject to enhanced training and audit to ensure benefits outweigh any risks.     

Derivation of occupational exposure limits: Differences in methods and protection levels

Frameworks for deriving occupational exposure limits (OELs) and OEL-analogue values (such as derived-no-effect levels [DNELs]) in various regulatory areas in the EU and at national level in Germany were analysed. Reasons for differences between frameworks and possible means of improving transparency and harmonisation were identified. Differences between assessment factors used for deriving exposure limits proved to be one important reason for diverging numerical values. Distributions for exposure time, interspecies and intraspecies extrapolation were combined by probabilistic methods and compared with default values of assessment factors used in the various OEL frameworks in order to investigate protection levels. In a subchronic inhalation study showing local effects in the respiratory tract, the probability that assessment factors were sufficiently high to protect 99% and 95% of the target population (workers) from adverse effects varied considerably from 9% to 71% and 17% to 87%, respectively, between the frameworks. All steps of the derivation process, including the uncertainty associated with the point of departure (POD), were further analysed with two examples of full probabilistic assessments. It is proposed that benchmark modelling should be the method of choice for deriving PODs and that all OEL frameworks should provide detailed guidance documents and clearly define their protection goals by stating the proportion of the exposed population the OEL aims to cover and the probability with which they intend to provide protection from adverse effects. Harmonisation can be achieved by agreeing on the way to perform the methodological steps for deriving OELs and on common protection goals.     

慢性泪囊炎患者应用鼻内镜下鼻腔泪囊造口术的临床效果及对安全性的影响

目的探讨慢性泪囊炎患者应用鼻内镜下鼻腔泪囊造口术的临床效果及安全性。方法选取2018年1月至2019年12月因慢性泪囊炎于本院接受治疗的46例患者为研究对象,随机分为研究组与对照组,各23例。对照组接受泪囊鼻腔造口治疗,研究组取鼻内镜下鼻腔泪囊造口术治疗,比较两组临床效果、手术指标以及并发症发生情况。结果研究组治疗总有效率高于对照组(P<0.05);研究组术中出血量少于对照组,手术及住院时间均短于对照组(P<0.05);研究组并发症总发生率低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论慢性泪囊炎患者采用鼻内镜下鼻腔泪囊造口术治疗效果显著,并发症较少,安全性较高,值得临床推广应用。     

野外急救多功能气道防护屏的研制

研制一种适合野外急救使用的多功能气道防护屏,以解决气道相关操作时患者呼吸道分泌物喷溅的问题。多功能气道防护屏由一个底部为直角"目"型框架,两个体部为直角"∏"形不锈钢支架,一个双层开放气道体位调节垫和一个透明塑料罩组成,具有可拆卸、可折叠及视野清晰的多功能呼吸道防护装备;防护屏设计具有可调节头颈后仰卧位,能充分显露气道提高气管插管成功率,可提高医护人员安全性和满意度;在防护屏内建立人工气道、实施各种气道护理,可防止患者呼吸道分泌物喷溅,使周围环境处于相对安全状态,有效避免职业暴露及交叉感染。     

The role of immune correlates of protection on the pathway to licensure,policy decision and use of group B Streptococcus vaccines for maternal immunization: considerations from World Health Organization consultations

The development of a group B Streptococcus (GBS) vaccine for maternal immunization constitutes a global public health priority, to prevent GBS-associated early life invasive disease, stillbirth, premature birth, maternal sepsis, adverse neurodevelopmental consequences, and to reduce perinatal antibiotic use. Sample size requirements for the conduct of a randomized placebo-controlled trial to assess vaccine efficacy against the most relevant clinical endpoints, under conditions of appropriate ethical standards of care, constitute a significant obstacle on the pathway to vaccine availability. Alternatively, indirect evidence of protection based on immunologic data from vaccine and sero-epidemiological studies, complemented by data from opsonophagocytic in vitro assays and animal models, could be considered as pivotal data for licensure, with subsequent confirmation of effectiveness against disease outcomes in post-licensure evaluations. Based on discussions initiated by the World Health Organization we present key considerations about the potential role of correlates of protection towards an accelerated pathway for GBS vaccine licensure and wide scale use. Priority activities to support progress to regulatory and policy decision are outlined.     

Measuring catastrophic medical expenditures: Reflections on three issues

In the “basic” approach, medical expenses are catastrophic if they exceed a prespecified percentage of consumption or income; the approach tells us if expenses cause a large percentage reduction in living standards. The ability‐to‐pay (ATP) approach defines expenses as catastrophic if they exceed a prespecified percentage of consumption less expenses on nonmedical necessities or an allowance for them. The paper argues that the ATP approach does not tell us whether expenses are large enough to undermine a household's ability to purchase nonmedical necessities. The paper compares the income‐based and consumption‐based variants of the basic approach, and shows that if the individual is a borrower after a health shock, the income‐based ratio will exceed the consumption‐based ratio, and both will exceed the more theoretically correct Flores et al. ratio; whereas if the individual continues to be a saver after a health shock, the ordering is reversed and the income‐based ratio may not overestimate Flores et al.'s ratio. Last, the paper proposes a lifetime money metric utility (LMMU) approach defining medical expenses as catastrophic in terms of their lifetime consequences. Under certain assumptions, the LMMU and Flores et al. approaches are identical, and neither requires data on how households finance their medical expenses.     

肺癌围手术期免疫功能保护的研究进展

肺癌患者的细胞免疫、体液免疫、红细胞免疫等状况较正常人均存在着不同程度的低下。目前早中期患者肺癌的首选治疗方式仍然是手术切除治疗。虽然切除肿瘤可以逐渐消除瘤体本身造成的免疫抑制，但手术创伤引发的机体应激反应、神经内分泌变化、疼痛的刺激以及麻醉药物的使用在术后一段时间内反而会加重免疫抑制。因此针对围术期内多个治疗环节加以改进，可以有助于患者术后免疫功能的恢复，减少肿瘤复发、转移的几率。具体措施包括术前给予参芪扶正注射液、番茄红素、胸腺肽等药物以及预先给予适当的心理疏导以提升免疫力；术中更多的运用微创胸腔镜技术并在全身麻醉时联用硬膜外麻醉；围术期采用多模式联合镇痛，术前给予氟比洛芬酯等非甾体类抗炎药物开展超前镇痛，术后给予静脉持续自控镇痛时辅用地佐辛等药物或与肋间神经阻滞相结合，或改用硬膜外自控镇痛、自控椎旁神经阻滞等方法镇痛；此外术后建议给予患者早期营养支持，尽量减少不必要的输血，需要输血时使用辐照成分输血。     

Induction of specific cell‐mediated immune responses and protection in BALB/c mice by vaccination with outer membrane vesicles from a Brucella melitensis human isolate

Brucellosis is a worldwide bacterial zoonosis caused by Brucella spp. No approved vaccine is available for human use against the disease. In this study, outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from a Brucella melitensis biovar 1 human isolate obtained in Iran were used to immunize BALB/c mice (n = 12) by 2 intramuscular injections with a 2‐week interval. Another group of 12 mice was used as non‐vaccinated controls. Two weeks after the last vaccination, six mice of each group were sacrificed, and proliferation and interferon gamma (IFNγ) production responses of their splenocytes were evaluated following in vitro stimulation with killed Brucella cells. The other mice were challenged with the virulent B. melitensis isolate. Two weeks later, mice were killed and spleens were cultured to determine the number of the challenge strain. The results showed proliferative response and IFNγ production of splenocytes from vaccinated mice (stimulation index: 2.18 ± 0.57, and 1519.35 ± 10.70 pg/mL, respectively) were significantly higher than those of control mice (stimulation index: 1.02 ± 0.02, and 210.01 ± 17.58 pg/mL, respectively). Numbers of the challenge strain in spleens of vaccinated mice were also significantly less than those in the controls with 1.6 units of protection. Our study revealed vaccination with OMVs of the B. melitensis isolate could induce specific immune responses and protection against infection in the mouse model suggesting their potential application for active immunization against brucellosis.     

临床医护人员电离辐射安全和防护知识知晓率调查

目的 了解临床医护人员对电离辐射安全和防护知识的知晓率。方法 采用横断面调查方法，以270例护理人员为调查对象发放自行设计的问卷进行调查。问卷内容包括调查对象社会人口学特征，以及放射物理学和生物学、放射使用原则、辐射防护、电离辐射安全使用指南等三大类放射性知识。采用描述性流行病学方法对问卷调查结果进行分析。结果 共发放调查问卷270份，回收有效问卷252份，有效应答率为93.33%。252例调查对象以女性为主（占99.21%），年龄以25～< 55岁为主（占80.16%），工作年限以≥ 20年为主（占31.35%），受教育程度以本科为主（占66.67%），75.00%曾接受过医学辐射知识培训和教育。调查对象对 “知晓怀孕的放射工作者相关要求”、“在日常工作中尽力普及有关放射性剂量和应用的相关安全知识”、“能意识到在日常工作中做到辐射安全防护”、“知晓辐射安全文化的重要性”、“在辐射控制区工作时能注意到警示标志”、“知晓有关辐射安全警示标志的含义”、“知晓如何报告放射性使用中的异常事件”、“知晓如何合理使用个人辐射防护用品”、“知晓辐射防护的剂量限值原则”、“知晓电离辐射如何产生”、“知晓医用辐射的有害作用是如何产生的”和“知晓记录全部有关辐射应用的必要知识”等问题知晓率均 > 90%，但对“知晓造成成人和青少年患者放射性检查差异的原因”、“知晓辐射防护中平方反比定律的含义”等辐射防护知识知晓率较低。结论 临床医护人员对电离辐射安全和防护知识总体掌握仍较欠缺，需加强电离辐射安全和防护知识培训、提升辐射防护技能。