Modern Medicine: Ideas and Advances

Considering the limitations of medical science and the risks associated with medical treatments, we need to re-examine the connotation of medical science from the perspective of philosophy. Medical science is the natural expression of human kindness and human nature of rescuing the dying and healing the wounded. It is a combination of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. From the perspectives of medical philosophy and humanistic care, this article expounds the concepts and ideas of evidence-based, translational, and precision medicine in modern medicine and emphasizes the importance of avoiding new technical bureaucracy, paying attention to achieving a holistic view and systematic understanding, and avoiding biases in development because of the loss of the humanistic spirit in modern medical practice.     

肝移植围手术期腹腔与胸腔感染病原学分析

目的探究肝移植术后腹、胸腔感染常见病原菌分布及耐药情况。 方法回顾性分析首都医科大学附属北京朝阳医院肝胆外科2011年1月至2017年12月343例行同种异体原位肝移植术受者临床资料，分析围手术期腹腔和胸腔感染情况、常见病原菌及耐药情况。腹、胸腔感染常见病原菌分布比较采用卡方检验，P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。 结果343例肝移植受者中，围手术期48例单独发生腹腔感染，61例单独发生胸腔感染，10例同时发生腹、胸腔感染，15例因感染导致死亡。发生腹腔感染的受者腹腔引流液共培养出106株病原菌，屎肠球菌、鲍曼不动杆菌和溶血葡萄球菌为最常见的病原菌，分别占19.8%(21/106)、15.1%(16/106)和11.3%(12/106)。发生胸腔感染的受者胸腔引流液共培养出99株病原菌，鲍曼不动杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌和肺炎克雷伯菌为最常见的病原菌，分别占26.3%(26/99)、18.2%(18/99)和17.2%(17/99)。腹、胸腔感染常见病原菌(鲍曼不动杆菌、屎肠球菌、溶血葡萄球菌、铜绿假单胞菌和肺炎克雷伯菌)感染分布差距均有统计学意义(χ²＝3.92、135.62、162.14、11.09和6.81，P均<0.05)。药敏试验结果示鲍曼不动杆菌对青霉素类、喹诺酮类和碳青霉烯类抗生素均已耐药(>90%)，仅对替加环素较为敏感(27%)；铜绿假单胞菌对碳青霉烯类和替加环素耐药率最低(11%)；肺炎克雷伯菌对阿米卡星和替加环素耐药率最低(6%)；革兰阳性球菌(屎肠球菌和溶血葡萄球菌)对替考拉宁、万古霉素和替加环素最为敏感；真菌对氟康唑最敏感。 结论肝移植术后围手术期腹、胸腔感染发生率均较高，且病原学分布各有特点，术后应积极反复进行相关病原学检查，并根据药敏试验结果合理使用抗生素。     

Fate of the Fc fusion protein aflibercept in retinal endothelial cells: competition of recycling and degradation

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology - Intravitreal injection of the VEGF-binding protein aflibercept is widely used to treat various ocular diseases. In vitro,...     

HIV infection after prenatal screening: an open window leading to perinatal infection

Despite a dramatic decrease in vertical transmission of HIV in the developed world, maternal HIV infection acquired after negative prenatal screening still leaves a window of vulnerability. Through quality assurance programs in two Canadian Provinces, five cases where perinatal HIV transmission occurred despite negative prenatal screening were identified between 2005 and 2015. Maternal risk factors such as intravenous drug use, high–risk sexual behavior, hepatitis C virus co–infection, and belonging to high prevalence minority groups were common. Two mothers had their negative HIV test performed in the first trimester and three mothers had negative testing in the third trimester. All babies were clinically healthy at delivery with a normal weight. Three babies were tested following subsequent identification of maternal HIV infection and two babies presented with opportunistic infections leading to their diagnoses. The characteristics of these cases suggest that to achieve complete elimination of vertical HIV transmission, selective and innovative clinical management of mothers at high risk for HIV may be required.     

Saturated and Unsaturated Bone Marrow Lipids Have Distinct Effects on Bone Density and Fracture Risk in Older Adults

Greater bone marrow adiposity (BMAT) is associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebral fractures; less is known about BMAT composition and bone. We studied BMAT composition and bone outcomes in 465 participants from the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik study. BMAT saturation and unsaturation, measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy, were defined as the ratio of saturated (1.3 ppm peak) or unsaturated (5.3 ppm peak) lipid to total marrow contents, respectively. At baseline and follow-up visits, spine and hip BMD were assessed with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and vertebral fractures were identified with DXA. Incident clinical fractures were identified through medical records for up to 8.8 years of follow-up. Associations between BMAT composition and BMD, bone loss, and fractures were evaluated in adjusted regression models. At baseline, mean ± standard deviation (SD) participant age was 81.7 ± 4.3 years, mean BMAT unsaturation was 3.5% ± 1.0%, and mean saturation was 46.3% ± 7.2% in the full cohort (47.7% women). Each SD increase in BMAT saturation was associated with lower trabecular BMD: −23.6% (spine) and −13.0% (total hip) (all p < 0.0001). Conversely, BMAT unsaturation (per SD increase) was associated with higher trabecular BMD: +17.5% (spine) and +11.5% (total hip) (all p < 0.001). BMAT saturation (per SD increase) was associated with greater risk for prevalent (odds ratio [OR] 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.92) and incident (OR 1.55; 95% CI, 1.03–2.34) vertebral fracture. BMAT unsaturation (per SD increase) was associated with lower risk for incident vertebral fracture (OR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38–0.89). In gender stratified analyses, BMAT saturation and unsaturation had opposite associations with incident clinical fracture among men. In general, saturated marrow lipids were associated with worse skeletal outcomes, whereas unsaturated lipids were associated with better outcomes. We recommend that future studies of marrow fat and skeletal health report measurements of saturated and unsaturated marrow lipids, rather than total marrow fat content alone. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).