Efficacy and safety of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) created using covered stents of different diameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to make a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the stent diameter (8 mm vs. 10 mm) that conveys better safety and clinical efficacy for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).Materials and methodsFour databases were used to identify clinical trials published from inception until March 2020. Data were extracted to estimate and compare one-year and three-year overall survivals, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal rebleeding, and shunt dysfunction rates between patients with 8 mm covered stents and those with 10 mm covered stents.ResultsFive eligible studies were selected, which included 489 patients (316 men, 173 women). The 8 mm covered stent group had higher efficacy regarding one-year or three-year overall survival (odds ratio [OR], 2.88; P = 0.003) and (OR, 1.81; P = 0.04) and lower hepatic encephalopathy (OR, 0.69; P = 0.04) compared with 10 mm covered stent group. There were no significant differences in variceal rebleeding rate (OR 0.80; P = 0.67). However, shunt dysfunction was lower in 10 mm covered stent group (OR, 2.26; P = 0.003).ConclusionsOur results suggest that the use of 8 mm covered stents should be preferred to that of 10 mm covered stents for TIPS placement when portal pressure is frequently monitored.     

Dectin-2受体介导宿主抵抗烟曲霉菌感染的研究

目的探讨C型凝集素受体Dectin-2在烟曲霉菌感染中的作用及机制。方法用紫外线灭活的烟曲霉菌膨胀态分生孢子刺激野生型(wild type, WT)和Dectin-2缺失(Clec4n-/-)小鼠骨髓来源的巨噬细胞(bone marrow derived macrophages, BMDMs)。刺激20min及40min后，利用Western印迹法检测BMDMs中脾酪氨酸激酶(spleen tyrosine kinase, Syk)和核转录因子κB抑制因子(inhibitor-κB, IκBα)的磷酸化水平。刺激16h后，利用酶联免疫吸附法(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)检测BMDMs细胞上清液中IL-6、TNF-α和IL-12p40的水平。另一方面，利用压舌感染的方法在WT和Clec4n-/-小鼠中构建烟曲霉菌肺部感染模型。感染2d后，统计小鼠整个肺脏荷菌量，并检测肺脏匀浆液中IL-6和IL-12p40水平。结果体外试验提示，烟曲霉菌刺激后，Dectin-2缺失的BMDMs中Syk和IκBα的磷酸化水平及IL-6、TNF-α和IL-12p40水平显著下降(P＜0.05)。体内试验发现，烟曲霉菌感染后，Dectin-2缺失小鼠中肺脏荷菌量显著升高(P＜0.05)，肺脏匀浆液内IL-6、IL-12p40水平显著降低(P＜0.05)。结论C型凝集素受体Dectin-2激活烟曲霉菌诱导的NF-κB信号通路并介导促炎细胞因子的产生，可在小鼠肺烟曲霉菌病动物模型中发挥保护性作用。     

The success of Australia’s ‘No Jab,No Pay’ policy at a local level; retrospective clinical audit of a single medical practice assessing incidence of catch-up vaccinations

Vaccination is a vital health care initiative to prevent individual and population infection. To increase vaccination rates the federal government implemented the ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy, where eligibility for several government benefits required children to be fully vaccinated by removing ‘conscientious objections’ and expanding the age range of children whose families receive benefits. This study assesses the impact of this policy at a local area within a single medical practice community in NSW, Australia. A retrospective clinical audit was performed between 2012 and 2017 on a single general practice's vaccination records for children ≤19 years. Catch-up vaccinations were assessed based on age at vaccination. Incidence of catch-up vaccinations was assessed for each of four years before and two years after the implementation of the ‘No Jab, No Pay’ policy in January 2016, along with the age of children and vaccination(s) given. Catch-up vaccinations were assessed temporally either side of implementation of ‘No Jab, No Pay’. Comparing the average annual vaccination catch-up incidence rate of 6.2% pre-implementation (2012–2015), there was an increase to 9.2% in 2016 (p < .001) and 7.8% in 2017 (p = .027). Secondary outcome measurement of catch-up vaccination incidence rates before (2012–2015) and after (2016–2017) ‘No Jab, No Pay’ implementation showed statistically significant increases for children aged 8–11 years (3.2%–5.6%, p = .038), 12–15 years (7.5%–14.7%, p < .001) and 16–19 years (3.3%–10.2%, p < .001) along with a statistically significant reduction in children aged 1–3 years (11.4%–6.2%, p = .015). Also, catch-up rates for DTPa significantly increased after program implementation. This study demonstrates that the Australian federal government vaccination policy ‘No Jab, No Pay’ was coincident with an increase in catch-up vaccinations within a rural NSW community served by one medical practice, especially for older children.     

国内外安宁疗护准入标准的研究进展

安宁疗护可提高患者在生命终末阶段的生活质量，减轻患者和家属的身心痛苦。科学合理的安宁疗护准入标准可帮助医护人员识别出需要安宁疗护服务的患者，使其及时获得安宁疗护服务，因此明确安宁疗护的准入标准是推进安宁疗护发展的基础。本文就国内外安宁疗护准入标准的制定方法、具体内容及优缺点进行综述，以期为我国安宁疗护准入标准的构建提供参考。     

Effects of age,gender and menstrual cycle on platelet function assessed by impedance aggregometry

Platelets are needed to prevent or arrest bleeding and aggregate at the site of injury upon vascular damage. Platelets express receptors for estrogens which might affect the function of the platelets and their hemostatic ability. The aim was to identify possible differences in platelet function related to age, gender, and phases of the menstrual cycle by use of impedance aggregometry with Multiplate. In the first part of the study, platelet function was assessed in 60 healthy individuals (30 men and 30 women) in each of three age groups (20–25, 40–45, and 60–65 years). In the second part of the study, the platelet function was analyzed on four occasions during the menstrual cycle in women without oral contraceptives (OCs) (n = 17) and compared to 19 women on OCs and 18 men of similar age (20–40 years). For the women on OCs, aggregation was analyzed once during the tablet-free week and once late during the period with OCs. The men were sampled once. Women of younger age (<45 years) had significantly higher agonist-induced aggregation response than both men and post-menopausal women (60–65 years). The agonist-induced aggregation response did not differ between phases of the menstrual cycle or OC use. The results suggest that estradiol and/or progesterone affect spontaneous aggregation since it was found to be lowest in the mid-luteal phase. Spontaneous aggregation was significantly lower in women on OCs than in both men and women without OCs. Our findings indicate that fertile age is associated with higher aggregation response capacity of the platelets, possibly to prevent excessive bleeding during menstruation, but this response capacity is not altered during the menstrual cycle or by use of OCs.