Pediatric oncofertility care in limited versus optimum resource settings: results from 39 surveyed centers in Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II

Purpose As a secondary report to elucidate the diverse spectrum of oncofertility practices for childhood cancer around the globe, we present and discuss the comparisons of oncofertility practices for childhood cancer in limited versus optimum resource settings based on data collected in the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II.MethodsWe surveyed 39 oncofertility centers including 14 in limited resource settings from Africa, Asia, and Latin America (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I), and 25 in optimum resource settings from the USA, Europe, Australia, and Japan (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part II). Survey questions covered the availability of fertility preservation and restoration options offered in case of childhood cancer as well as their degree of utilization.ResultsIn the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II, responses for childhood cancer and calculated oncofertility scores showed the following characteristics: (1) higher oncofertility scores in optimum resource settings than in limited resource settings for ovarian and testicular tissue cryopreservation; (2) frequent utilization of gonadal shielding, fractionation of anticancer therapy, oophoropexy, and GnRH analogs; (3) promising utilization of oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM); and (4) rare utilization of neoadjuvant cytoprotective pharmacotherapy, artificial ovary, in vitro spermatogenesis, and stem cells reproductive technology as they are still in preclinical or early clinical research settings.ConclusionsBased on Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II, we presented a plausible oncofertility best practice model to help optimize care for children with cancer in various resource settings. Special ethical concerns should be considered when offering advanced and innovative oncofertility options to children.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10815-022-02679-7.     

Parental and neonatal risk factors for atopy, airway hyper-responsiveness, and asthma

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have not resolved the importance of several potential risk factors for the development of childhood atopy, airway hyperresponsiveness, and wheezing, which would allow the rational selection of interventions to reduce morbidity from asthma. Risk factors for these disorders were examined in a birth cohort of 1037 New Zealand children. METHODS: Responses to questions on respiratory symptoms and measurements of lung function and airway responsiveness were obtained every two to three years throughout childhood and adolescence, with over 85% cohort retention at age 18 years. Atopy was determined by skin prick tests at age 13 years. Relations between parental and neonatal factors, the development of atopy, and features of asthma were determined by comparison of proportions and logistic regression. RESULTS: Male sex was a significant independent predictor for atopy, airway hyper-responsiveness, hay fever, and asthma. A positive family history, especially maternal, of asthma strongly predicted childhood atopy, airway hyperresponsiveness, asthma, and hay fever. Maternal smoking in the last trimester was correlated with the onset of childhood asthma by the age of 1 year. Birth in the winter season increased the risk of sensitisation to cats. Among those with a parental history of asthma or hay fever, birth in autumn and winter also increased the risk of sensitisation to house dust mites. The number of siblings, position in the family, socioeconomic status, and birth weight were not consistently predictive of any characteristic of asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Male sex, parental atopy, and maternal smoking during pregnancy are risk factors for asthma in young children. Children born in winter exhibit a greater prevalence of sensitisation to cats and house dust mites. These data suggest possible areas for intervention in children at risk because of parental atopy.     

Orion和Window颈椎前路钢板置入对颈椎稳定性影响的生物力学评估

目的:以Orion为代表的静力性钢板有较高植骨不融合率;Window钢板属动力性钢板,理论上有减少应力遮挡的作用,促进植骨融合。本文通过比较Orion和Window两种颈椎前路钢板生物力学特点对颈椎单椎间减压植骨融合模型稳定性的影响,为临床应用提供理论依据。方法:实验于2004-10/2005-05在上海大学生物力学研究所完成。①实验分组:取新鲜小牛颈椎标本12具,平均年龄1个月,随机数字表法分成两组,Orion组:用Orion钢板固定;Window组:用Window钢板固定;每组6具。②实验方法及评估:用生物力学测定仪测定正常颈椎C4/5节段在前屈、后伸、侧屈、旋转时的运动范围,然后切除C4/5椎间盘,制成模型,测定植骨加钢板,植骨块缩短1mm加钢板固定后颈椎相应节段在150N的载荷下的运动范围,植骨块的长度根据测量椎间隙的高度而定。结果:纳入小牛颈椎标本12具,均进入结果分析。Orion和Window钢板在前屈、后伸、侧屈、旋转时初始稳定性相似(P>0.05),其中Orion钢板在前屈时与正常颈椎相比稳定性提高,差异有显著性(P<0.05),在后伸、侧屈、旋转时差异无显著性(P>0.05);Window钢板与正常标本相比,在前屈、后伸时稳定性提高且差异有显著性(P<0.05),在侧屈、旋转时差异无显著性(P>0.05)。在植骨缩短后,两种钢板的稳定性均下降,Orion钢板在前屈时稳定性仍较正常颈椎好,差异有显著性意义(P<0.05),在后伸、侧屈、旋转时差异无显著性(P>0.05);Window钢板在前屈时稳定性比正常颈椎好,差异显著(P<0.05),在后伸时差异无显著性(P>0.05),在侧屈、旋转时不能达到正常颈椎的稳定性(P<0.05)。结论:Orion钢板在植骨与植骨块缩短后以及Window钢板在植骨后均能提供有效的稳定性,Window钢板在植骨缩短后不能提供有效的稳定性。     

新生大鼠原代肝细胞四氯化碳损伤模型与叶下珠保肝活性成分的提取与初步分离

目的：采用大鼠原代肝细胞四氯化碳化学性损伤模型，结合四甲基偶氮噻唑蓝比色法的体外药理模型，对传统中草药叶下珠的活性成分进行提取和初步分离，追踪叶下珠保肝护肝的活性单体成分。方法：实验于2006—05／12在浙江大学药学院中药开发及评价重点研究实验室完成。①制备新生大鼠原代肝细胞四氯化碳损伤的药理模型。②叶下珠提取物的制备：采用水、体积分数为0.95的乙醇对叶下珠活性成分进行回流提取。③活性成分的初步分离：依次用石油醚、氯仿、乙酸乙酯、正丁醇萃取；应用AB-8大孔吸附树脂分步洗脱法，即体积分数为0.1～0.9的乙醇洗脱。④采用四甲基偶氮噻唑蓝比色法，通过保护率及增生指数，观察回流提取物、各萃取物及AB-8大孔树脂各洗脱部位对大鼠四氯化碳损伤原代肝细胞的保护作用。结果：①正丁醇萃取物对大鼠四氯化碳损伤原代肝细胞的保护率及其增生指数高于阳性对照槲皮素及其他各萃取物（P〈0．05-0．01）。②正丁醇萃取物中，体积分数为0.1，0.3，0.5的乙醇洗脱部分对大鼠四氯化碳损伤原代肝细胞具有保护作用，但体积分数为0.1的乙醇洗脱部分保护作用最强，显著高于阳性对照槲皮素及其他各处理组（P〈0．01），体积分数为0.1乙醇洗脱部分在剂量为200g／L时，保护率为64．43％，增生指数达到2．952。结论：叶下珠保肝护肝的有效部位为正丁醇萃取物中AB-8大孔吸附树脂体积分数为0.1的乙醇洗脱部分。但叶下珠中保肝的有效单体成分还没有确定，有待进一步实验证明。     

IMPROVED TOLERABILITY OF FELODIPINE COMPARED WITH AMLODIPINE IN ELDERLY HYPERTENSIVES: A RANDOMISED,DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY IN 535 PATIENTS,FOCUSING ON VASODILATORY ADVERSE EVENTS

SUMMARY The primary aim of this double-blind, parallel group trial was to compare incidence of newly occurring vasodilatory adverse events in elderly patients treated with recommended once-daily doses of felodipine extended release (ER) or amlodipine. A total of 535 patients over 65 years old with a sitting diastolic blood pressure of 90-115 mmHg and/or systolic blood pressure 160-220 mmHg, were recruited at 46 centres worldwide. Patients were randomised to felodipine ER 2.5 mg or amlodipine 5 mg. If blood pressure was >160/90 mmHg after three or six weeks, felodipine ER was increased to 5 and 10 mg and amlodipine to 10 mg. After nine weeks, average doses of felodipine ER and amlodipine were 5.5 mg and 7.3 mg, respectively. Newly occurring vasodilatory adverse events were reported by 32% of felodipine ER patients and 43% of amlodipine patients (p=0.007). Both treatments effectively reduced blood pressure 24 hours post-dose. Using a low starting dose and individual titration, felodipine ER achieves good control of blood pressure with few vasodilatory side-effects.     

A MULTICENTRE STUDY TO COMPARE THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF SUSTAINED-RELEASE DILTIAZEM AND ENALAPRIL IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION

SUMMARY A 14-week study was conducted in order to compare the efficacy and tolerability of a twice-daily sustained-release diltiazem preparation (120 or 180 mg) and once-daily enalapril (10 or 20 mg). Patients not achieving an adequate response after 6 weeks on monotherapy were given a combination therapy of twice-daily diltiazem 120 mg and once-daily enalapril 10 mg. Of the 147 patients admitted to the study, 70 received diltiazem and 77 received enalapril; 17 patients subsequently received combination therapy. Blood pressure reductions in patients completing 12 weeks of therapy were (sitting values): diltiazem 120 mg, 10.2/15.2 mmHg; diltiazem 180 mg, 19.1/14.7 mmHg; enalapril 10 mg, 25.7/17.5 mmHg; enalapril 20 mg, 19.6/14.0 mmHg; and combination therapy, 24.6/15.1 mmHg. No significant differences in the incidence level of individual symptoms were seen between the two groups: 34 (49%) in the diltiazem, 37 (48%) in the enalapril group; and, between weeks 6 and 12, 9 (53%) patients taking combination therapy. Two patients withdrew from the enalapril group and 8 from the diltiazem group. No unexpected side-effects were seen during the study and no deaths occurred in any treatment group. Twice-daily sustained-release diltiazem 120 or 180 mg was shown to be an effective antihypertensive agent and equal in efficacy and patient acceptability to once-daily enalapril 10 or 20 mg. Combination therapy effectively lowered blood pressure in patients in whom monotherapy was ineffective.     

hs-CRP is a potential predictor of no-reflow in patients with AMI after emergency PCI

The paper aims to determine whether the inflammation,a powerful risk factor that has been demonstrated for the development of coronary artery disease,plays a role in no-reflow phenomenon in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods We prospectively analyzed 656 patients with AMI after primary PCI.Based on post-PCI angiography data,patients were divided into two groups:the no-reflow group (TIMI=2,n =60) and the reflow group (TIMI=3,n =596).Results Our results showed that the inflammatory factors including leukocyte count (×109/L) (10.90±4.04 vs.9.12±2.98 P =0.002),hs-CRP (5.04±0.71 vs.4.70±0.75 P =0.001) and other factor platelet count (×109/L) (210.96±33.42 vs.196.41±46.06 P =0.033) in no-reflow group are significantly higher than those in reflow group,major adverse cardiac events happened in the patients with no-reflow are higher than in reflow patients no matter in hospital or at the end of follow-up.We also found the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) dramatically decreased (58.65±9.34 vs.51.29±11.38,P＜0.001) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) significantly increased (49.94±6.75 mm vs.54.66±6.68mm,P＜0.001) in no-reflow patients at the end of follow-up.Conclusions Our results suggest that inflammation factors function in no-reflow phenomenon,and no-reflow is a serious complication after primary PCI which predicts poor left ventricular systolic functional recovery and mortality in patients with AMI.(J Geriatr Cardiol 2008;5:217-222)     

雷酚内酯的结构修正

雷公藤别名黄藤,系卫矛科植物雷公藤(Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f.)。其根有舒筋活血,祛风湿,消肿止痛的功效,多用于类风湿关节炎的治疗。根皮中含有生物碱、甙、萜以及其它成分,其中多种二萜内酯成分有抗肿瘤活性和免疫