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.     

Advance in Functional Restoration of Injured Nerve with Low Level Laser and its Utilization in the Dental and Maxillofacial Region

The inferior alveolar nerve and facial nerve are the two most important nerves in the dental and maxillofacial region. The injury to them is one of the major postoperative complications after alveolar surgery and orthognathic surgery. However, recovering the nerve function after injury takes a long time and the recovery effect tends to be unsatisfactory. In recent years, an intensively investigated technique, low level laser which has been applying in assisting the recovery of nerve function, has been gradually proved to be effective in clinically treating postoperative nerve injury. In this article we review in terms of the mechanisms involved in low level laser-assisted functional restoration of nerve injury and its clinical application in the recovery of nerve function in the dental and maxillofacial area as well.     

中国县级及以上医疗机构青光眼诊疗服务 现状分析

目的：统计分析中国县级及以上医疗机构青光眼亚专科建设、诊疗设备配备和服务提供情况，为进 一步推动我国青光眼防治工作提供理论依据。方法：调查研究。2015年对全国提供眼科服务的县级 及以上医疗机构通过网上填报的方式进行普查，采用描述性统计方法，对我国县级及以上医疗机构 青光眼亚专科建设、诊疗设备配备和服务提供情况进行系统整理和统计分析。结果：本次调查覆盖 全国6 341家县级及以上医疗机构，其中设立青光眼亚专科的医疗机构有672家（10.60%）。在青光眼 检查和治疗相关设备中，视力表配置率最高（99.30%），平均每家医疗机构配置3.28台；超声生物显 微镜配置率最低（11.50%），平均每家医疗机构配置0.13台。眼压测量、白内障手术和小梁切开术是 青光眼主要的诊疗服务类型。结论：我国县级及以上医疗机构青光眼亚专科建设亟待加强，诊疗设 备配备不全，诊疗服务能力需要全面提升。     

美国中东政策评析

美国在中东遇到大麻烦,主要战略目标未能实现。伊拉克安全形势持续严峻,巴以和谈停滞不前,伊朗核问题难以解决,压叙利亚屈服迄未奏效,恐怖活动越反越多,大中东改造计划受挫。美遇到的困难未超出其承受能力,美国在中东仍居主导地位,美中东政策在手法和策略上有所调整,实质上并无变化。     

国产rhGH的免疫原性及其对临床疗效的影响

目的　通过测定生长激素缺乏症 (GHD)患儿用国产重组人生长激素 (recom bined hum angrowth horm one,rh GH)治疗时血清生长激素抗体 (GH- Ab)水平及其结合特性 ,探讨 rh GH的免疫原性及其对疗效的影响。方法　对 6 1例 (男 49例 ,女 12例 ) GHD患儿用国产 rh GH治疗 ,每晚睡前皮下注射 rh GH 0 .1IU /kg共6个月 ;用放射免疫法测定治疗期间患儿血清 GH- Ab水平和滴度 ,并计算抗体结合容量、亲和常数 (Ka)。结果　48%患儿 (2 9/6 1)用药后 3个月血清 GH - Ab呈阳性至试验结束时仍未消失 ,其中 2 0例抗体为弱阳性 (结合率 <10 % ) ,9例呈强阳性 (结合率 >15 % ) ;5 2 %患儿 (32 /6 1)治疗期间抗体为阴性 ;血清 GH- Ab的结合容量、Ka及滴度均为低水平 ,分别为 (0 .1～ 4.8) pmol/L、(1.7× 10 7～ 6 .5× 10 8) L /mol和 1∶ 4～ 1∶ 8。GH- Ab阳性患儿治疗后的身高、身高增长速率及身高落后于正常 SD值的变化与同期阴性者比较无统计学差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。结论　本试验所用国产 rh GH对 GHD患儿身高增长具有确切的促进作用 ,其免疫原性所导致产生的 GH - Ab未对患儿体格线性增长产生负性影响     

Xenograft rejection--all that glitters is not Gal.

Xenotransplantation is being developed in the hope of resolvingthe critical shortage of donor organs for transplantation. TheEurotransplant waiting lists [1] for donor organs of variouskinds number almost 16 000 patients and the US lists [2] morethan 90 000 patients. Renal transplantation, for instance, cost-effectivelyconfers a significant survival advantage [3] and improvementof quality of life [4]. But whereas currently, in Europe, nearly12 000 end-stage renal disease patients await a suitable donor,only 3383 kidney transplants were performed in 2005, with anaverage waiting time of 1174 days [1]. Substantial researchefforts are being made in the field of xenotransplantation,and the immunological barriers are gradually being elucidated.Pig-to-human xenogeneic