Pharmacological doses of melatonin impede cognitive decline in tau‐related Alzheimer models,once tauopathy is initiated,by restoring the autophagic flux

Alterations in autophagy are increasingly being recognized in the pathogenesis of proteinopathies like Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study was conducted to evaluate whether melatonin treatment could provide beneficial effects in an Alzheimer model related to tauopathy by improving the autophagic flux and, thereby, prevent cognitive decline. The injection of AAV‐hTau^P301L viral vectors and treatment/injection with okadaic acid were used to achieve mouse and human ex vivo, and in vivo tau‐related models. Melatonin (10 μmol/L) impeded oxidative stress, tau hyperphosphorylation, and cell death by restoring autophagy flux in the ex vivo models. In the in vivo studies, intracerebroventricular injection of AAV‐hTau^P301L increased oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus 7 days after the injection, without inducing cognitive impairment; however, when animals were maintained for 28 days, cognitive decline was apparent. Interestingly, late melatonin treatment (10 mg/kg), starting once the alterations mentioned above were established (from day 7 to day 28), reduced oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, tau hyperphosphorylation, and caspase‐3 activation; these observations correlated with restoration of the autophagy flux and memory improvement. This study highlights the importance of autophagic dysregulation in tauopathy and how administration of pharmacological doses of melatonin, once tauopathy is initiated, can restore the autophagy flux, reduce proteinopathy, and prevent cognitive decline. We therefore propose exogenous melatonin supplementation or the development of melatonin derivatives to improve autophagy flux for the treatment of proteinopathies like AD.     

Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep

Pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PHN) constitutes a critical condition with severe cardiovascular and neurological consequences. One of its main causes is hypoxia during gestation, and thus, it is a public health concern in populations living above 2500 m. Although some mechanisms are recognized, the pathophysiological facts that lead to PHN are not fully understood, which explains the lack of an effective treatment. Oxidative stress is one of the proposed mechanisms inducing pulmonary vascular dysfunction and PHN. Therefore, we assessed whether melatonin, a potent antioxidant, improves pulmonary vascular function. Twelve newborn sheep were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 meters. At 3 days old, lambs were catheterized and daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded. Lambs were divided into two groups, one received daily vehicle as control and another received daily melatonin (1 mg/kg/d), for 8 days. At 11 days old, lung tissue and small pulmonary arteries (SPA) were collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary pressure and resistance for the first 3 days of treatment. Further, melatonin significantly improved the vasodilator function of SPA, enhancing the endothelial‐ and muscular‐dependent pathways. This was associated with an enhanced nitric oxide‐dependent and nitric oxide independent vasodilator components and with increased nitric oxide bioavailability in lung tissue. Further, melatonin reduced the pulmonary oxidative stress markers and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity. Finally, these effects were associated with an increase of lumen diameter and a mild decrease in the wall of the pulmonary arteries. These outcomes support the use of melatonin as an adjuvant in the treatment for PHN.     

胸膝卧位在产程中矫正枕位异常的应用

目的:探讨胸膝卧位矫正枕位异常的可行性。方法:将单胎初产临产的枕位异常的产妇186例,随机分成两组,入选者均无绝对头盆不称、胎儿窘迫、严重妊娠并发症及合并症,其中96例为观察组采取胸膝卧位矫正枕位,另90例为对照组按常规处理。结果:观察组产程明显缩短,阴道分娩率明显增加,而胎儿窘迫及新生儿窒息率明显降低,两组比较有统计学意义。结论:胸膝卧位在产程中矫正枕位异常是一种切实可行的方法     

石学敏院士运用“调神醒脑止颤”针法治疗特发性震颤浅析

石学敏院士从"百病始生,皆源于神,凡刺之法,必先治神"的整体观念论治特发性震颤,治疗以神为本,注重对"神"的调节,提出治疗特发性震颤的新方案。石院士认为本病病位在"脑",脑为髓之海,病机为窍闭神妄,阳缓阴急,致使经筋拘挛弛纵,诱发颤证。治疗应醒神开窍,安神定志,调和阴阳,并强调"醒神、调神、安神"的重要性,形成以脑统神、以神统针、以针调神的学术思想。石学敏院士重视手法的运用和针刺手法量效关系,在其从医数十载的临床治疗中发现,神机异常是百病始生的关键。通过"醒神、调神、安神",在改善特发性震颤患者不自主运动方面均显现其独特优势。     

Spontaneous generation of functional osteoclasts from synovial fluid mononuclear cells as a model of inflammatory osteoclastogenesis

In osteoimmunology, osteoclastogenesis is understood in the context of the immune system. Today, the in vitro model for osteoclastogenesis necessitates the addition of recombinant human receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF). The peripheral joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) are characterized by an immune‐mediated inflammation that can lead to bone destruction. Here, we evaluate spontaneous in vitro osteoclastogenesis in cultures of synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) activated only in vivo. SFMCs were isolated and cultured for 21 days at 0.5–1.0 × 10⁶ cells/mL in culture medium. SFMCs and healthy control peripheral blood monocytes were cultured with RANKL and M‐CSF as controls. Tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive multinucleated cells were found in the SFMC cultures after 21 days. These cells expressed the osteoclast genes calcitonin receptor, cathepsin K, and integrin β3, formed lacunae on dentin plates and secreted matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and TRAP. Adding RANKL and M‐CSF potentiated this secretion. In conclusion, we show that SFMCs from inflamed peripheral joints can spontaneously develop into functionally active osteoclasts ex vivo. Our study provides a simple in vitro model for studying inflammatory osteoclastogenesis.