Efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth agents for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

There remains limited agreement regarding the efficacy and safety of different antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents for the management of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Our meta-analysis compares different anti-VEGF agents for PCV treatment. Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from January 2000 to July 2022. We included articles comparing the efficacy and safety of different anti-VEGF agents, specifically bevacizumab (BEV), ranibizumab (RAN), aflibercept AFL), and brolucizumab (BRO), for patients with PCV. 10,440 studies were identified, 122 underwent full-text review, and seven were included. One study was a randomized trial, and six were observational studies. Ranibizumab and aflibercept were associated with a similar best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the last visit in three observational studies (P = 0.10), similar retinal thickness at the last visit in two observational studies (P = 0.85). One observational study comparing BEV versus RAN found comparable outcomes for final BCVA, retinal thickness, and polyp regression. One randomized trial on BRO versus AFL found comparable outcomes for improvement in BCVA, while anatomical outcomes favored BRO. The available evidence suggests that final BCVA is comparable across different anti-VEGF agents, however, further investigation is warranted due to paucity of evidence.     

The Optimal Primary Treatment for Pediatric Perianal Abscess and Anal Fistula: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

BackgroundPerianal abscesses and anal fistulas are common. The principle of intention-to-treat has not been considered in previous systemic reviews. Thus, the comparison between primary and post-recurrence management was confused, and the recommendation of primary treatment is obscure. The current study aims to identify the optimal initial treatment for pediatric patients.MethodsUsing PRISMA guidelines, studies were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar without any language or study design restriction. The inclusion criteria include original articles or articles with original data, studies of management for a perianal abscess with or without anal fistula, and patient age of <18 years. Patients with local malignancy, Crohn's disease, or other underlying predisposing conditions were excluded. Studies without analyzing recurrence, case series of <5, and irrelevant articles were excluded in the screening stage. Of the 124 screened articles, 14 articles had no full texts or detailed information. Articles written in a language other than English or Mandarin were translated by Google Translation first and confirmed with native speakers. After the eligibility process, studies that compared identified primary managements were then included in the qualitative synthesis.ResultsThirty-one studies involving 2507 pediatric patients met the inclusion criteria. The study design consisted of two prospective case series of 47 patients and retrospective cohort studies. No randomized control trials were identified. Meta-analyses for recurrence after initial management were performed with a random-effects model. Conservative treatment and drainage revealed no difference (Odds ratio [OR], 1.222; 95% Confidential interval [CI]: 0.615–2.427, p = 0.567). Conservative management had a higher risk of recurrence than surgery without statistical significance (OR 0.278, 95% CI: 0.109–0.707, p = 0.007). Compared with incision/drainage, surgery can prevent recurrence remarkably (OR 4.360, 95% CI: 1.761–10.792, p = 0.001). Subgroup analysis of different approaches within conservative treatment and operation was not performed for lacking information.ConclusionStrong recommendations cannot be made due to the lack of prospective or randomized controlled studies. However, the current study based on real primary management supports initial surgical intervention for pediatric patients with perianal abscesses and anal fistula to prevent recurrence.Level of evidenceType of study: Systemic review; Evidence level: Level II.     

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2022 Expert Consensus Document: The use of mechanical circulatory support in lung transplantation

ObjectiveThe use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in lung transplantation has been steadily increasing over the prior decade, with evolving strategies for incorporating support in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings. There is significant practice variability in the use of these techniques, however, and relatively limited data to help establish institutional protocols. The objective of the AATS Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) expert panel was to review the existing literature and establish recommendations about the use of MCS before, during, and after lung transplantation.MethodsThe AATS CPSC assembled an expert panel of 16 lung transplantation physicians who developed a consensus document of recommendations. The panel was broken into subgroups focused on preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative support, and each subgroup performed a focused literature review. These subgroups formulated recommendation statements for each subtopic, which were evaluated by the entire group. The statements were then developed via discussion among the panel and refined until consensus was achieved on each statement.ResultsThe expert panel achieved consensus on 36 recommendations for how and when to use MCS in lung transplantation. These recommendations included the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridging strategy in the preoperative setting, a preference for central veno-arterial ECMO over traditional cardiopulmonary bypass during the transplantation procedure, and the benefit of supporting selected patients with MCS postoperatively.ConclusionsAchieving optimal results in lung transplantation requires the use of a wide range of strategies. MCS provides an important mechanism for helping these critically ill patients through the peritransplantation period. Despite the complex nature of the decision making process in the treatment of these patients, the expert panel was able to achieve consensus on 36 recommendations. These recommendations should provide guidance for professionals involved in the care of end-stage lung disease patients considered for transplantation.     

国外动物智能军事应用情报研究

目的：阐述动物智能在军事学的应用及意义。方法：以学术论文、新闻、报纸、智库报告等作为信息源，综合研究国外动物智能军事应用实例及内在关联，描述动物智能在未来战场应用场景。结果：动物智能军事应用主要是动物特殊能力的军事应用和动物智能的仿生武器应用。结论：动物部队、仿生作战部队和动物战术是未来战争不可忽视的重要组成部分，动物智能的隐匿、灵活、多变等特点正逐渐被广泛应用于战场。     

Behavioural impairment and oxidative stress by acute exposure of zebrafish to a commercial formulation of tebuconazole

Tebuconazole is a systemic follicular fungicide known to cause diverse problems in non-target organisms namely associated to the pure active ingredient. As such, the objective of this work was to evaluate developmental changes induced by a tebuconazole commercial formulation to a non-target animal model. Zebrafish embryos at ± 2 h post-fertilization were exposed to tebuconazole wettable powder concentrations (0.05, 0.5 and 5 mg L^-1) for 96 h with developmental toxicity assessed throughout the exposure period and biochemical parameters evaluated at the end of the exposure. Behavioural assessment (spatial exploration and response to stimuli) was conducted 24 h after the end of the exposure. While no developmental and physiological alterations were observed, exposure to tebuconazole resulted in an increased generation of reactive oxidative species at the 0.05 and 0.5 mg L^-1 concentrations and a decreased GPx activity at the 0.5 mg L^-1 concentration suggesting a potential protection mechanism. There was also a change in the avoidance-escape behaviour supporting an anxiolytic effect suggesting possible alterations in the central nervous system development demanding further studies.     

Out of the boxes,out of the silos: The need of interdisciplinary collaboration to reduce poor-quality medical products in the supply chain

In this paper, we argue that understanding and addressing the problem of poor-quality medical products requires a more interdisciplinary approach than has been evident to date. While prospective studies based on rigorous standardized methodologies are the gold standard for measuring the prevalence of poor-quality medical products and understanding their distribution nationally and internationally, they should be complemented by social science research to unpack the complex set of social, economic, and governance factors that underlie these patterns. In the following sections, we discuss specific examples of prospective quality surveys and of social science studies, highlighting the value of cross-sector partnerships in driving high-quality, policy-relevant research in this area.     

医院信息化平台住院陪护人员管理功能的开发与应用

目的 探讨医院信息系统中增加住院陪护管理功能的应用效果。方法 基于互联网医院、智慧医院等信息系统，开发信息化住院陪护管理功能，包括流行病学史调查、免费核酸申请、电子陪护证办理、体温监测登记及上报和统计查询。该功能与医院智慧护理链接后全院应用。比较功能应用前和应用后的遵医嘱一患一陪达标率、有效陪护证达标率、体温监测并登记日上报达标率和陪护证使用追溯率，评价护士和管理者疫情防控管理的人均耗时以及对该管理功能的满意度。结果 应用信息化陪护管理功能后，一患一陪达标率、有效陪护证达标率、体温监测并登记日上报达标率和陪护证使用追溯率显著高于应用前（均P＜0.05）；护士陪护管理人均耗时从（554.13±30.77）s降至（311.67±21.54）s（P＜0.05）；护士和管理者对该信息化陪护管理功能的满意度显著提高（均P＜0.05）。结论 信息化住院陪护管理功能的应用有效提升了疫情期间陪护的管理质量和管理效率，提高了一线护士和管理者的满意度。     

The effect of massage therapy on pain after surgery: A comprehensive meta-analysis

BackgroundFindings on the usefulness of massage therapy (MT) in postoperative pain management are often inconsistent among studies.ObjectivesThis study’s aim is to conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) to clarify the effects of massage therapy in the treatment of postoperative pain.MethodsThree databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched for RCTs published from database inception through January 26, 2021. The primary outcome was pain relief. The quality of RCTs was appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. The random-effect model was used to calculate the effect sizes and standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95 % confidential intervals (CIs) as a summary effect. The heterogeneity test was conducted through I². Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were used to explore the source of heterogeneity. Possible publication bias was assessed using visual inspection of funnel plot asymmetry.ResultsThe analysis included 33 RCTs and showed that MT is effective in reducing postoperative pain (SMD, −1.32; 95 % CI, −2.01 to −0.63; p = 0.0002; I² = 98.67 %). A similar significant effect was found for both short (immediate assessment) and long terms (assessment performed 4–6 weeks after the MT). Remarkably, we found neither the duration per session nor the dose had an impact on the effect of MT and there seemed to be no difference in the effects of different MT types. In addition, MT seemed to be more effective for adults. Furthermore, MT had better analgesic effects on cesarean section and heart surgery than orthopedic surgery.LimitationsPublication bias is possible due to the inclusion of studies in English only. Additionally, the included studies were extremely heterogeneous. Double-blind research on MT is difficult to implement, and none of the included studies is double-blind. There was some heterogeneity and publication bias in the included studies. In addition, there is no uniform evaluation standard for the operation level of massage practitioners, which may lead to research implementation bias.ConclusionsMT is effective in reducing postoperative pain in both short and long terms.