Development and approval of live attenuated influenza vaccines based on Russian master donor viruses: Process challenges and success stories

Influenza is a viral infection that affects much of the global population each year. Vaccination remains the most effective tool for preventing the disease. Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) has been used since the 1950s to protect humans against seasonal influenza. LAIVs developed by the Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM), Saint Petersburg, Russia, have been successfully used in Russia since 1987.In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a Global action plan for influenza vaccines (GAP). WHO, recognizing potential advantages of LAIV over the inactivated influenza vaccine in a pandemic situation, included LAIV in the GAP.BioDiem Ltd., a vaccine development company based in Melbourne, Australia which held the rights for the Russian LAIV, licensed this technology to WHO in 2009. WHO was permitted to grant sub-licenses to vaccine manufacturers in newly industrialized and developing countries to use the Russian LAIV for the development, manufacture, use and sale of pandemic and seasonal LAIVs. To date, WHO has granted sub-licenses to vaccine manufacturers in China (Changchun BCHT Biotechnology Co., Ltd.), India (Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) and Thailand (Government Pharmaceutical Organization). In parallel, in 2009, IEM signed an agreement with WHO, under which IEM committed to supply pandemic and seasonal candidate vaccine viruses to the sub-licensees.This paper describes the progress made by collaborators from China, India, Russia and Thailand in developing preventive measures, including LAIV against pandemic influenza.     

Impact of new technologies on diabetes care

Technologies for diabetes management, such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, have improved remarkably over the last decades. These developments are impacting the capacity to achieve recommended hemoglobin A1c levels and assisting in preventing the development and progression of micro- and macro vascular complications. While improvements in metabolic control and decreases in risk of severe and moderate hypoglycemia have been described with use of these technologies, large epidemiological international studies show that many patients are still unable to meet their glycemic goals, even when these technologies are used. This editorial will review the impact of technology on glycemic control, hypoglycemia and quality of life in children and youth with type 1 diabetes. Technologies reviewed include CSII, CGM systems and sensor-augmented insulin pumps. In addition, the usefulness of advanced functions such as bolus profiles, bolus calculators and threshold-suspend features will be also discussed. Moreover, the current editorial will explore the challenges of using these technologies. Indeed, despite the evidence currently available of the potential benefits of using advanced technologies in diabetes management, many patients still report barriers to using them. Finally this article will highlight the importance of future studies tailored toward overcome these barriers to optimizing glycemic control and avoiding severe hypoglycemia.     

小红参滴丸的制备工艺研究

目的 :研究小红参滴丸的最佳成型工艺条件。方法 :采用正交试验法 ,考察了提取物与基质配比、滴制温度、滴头口径大小等因素TLC定性鉴别。结果 :药物提取物 :基质 (1:1.4 ) ,滴制温度 85℃ ,滴头口径 1/ 2mm (内径 /外径 )。滴速 (8± 2 )滴 /min ,滴距 8cm ,冷却剂温度 (4± 2 )℃ ,柱高 6 0cm进行滴制 ,滴丸的成型率最高。结论 :证明此工艺可行 ,成品得率高 ,符合滴丸剂的质量标准。     

高原地区部队医院谋求新发展应处理好七个关系

从高原部队医院实际出发,阐述了适应新形势谋求新发展应处理好的七个关系:即继承与创新的关系;坚持“姓军为兵的服务方向与对外有偿服务的关系;基础建设与人才建设的关系;日常医疗保障与科研的关系;发挥自身特色与学习借鉴的关系;硬件建设与软件建设的关系;科技研究与成果转化的关系。     

测胎儿器官重量探讨其生长发育规律

根据1022例新鲜胎尸的不同受精龄与体重，十项重要器官（心、肝、脾、左右肺、左右肾、左右肾上腺、胸腺等）的重量进行测量，将所测得的原始数据输入到IBM-PC/XT微型计算机内进行数据处理。探讨胎儿生长发育的基本规律。结果：（1）建立了胎儿体重与胎龄之间的推算式；（2）建立了胎儿各重要器官重量与胎龄之间的推算式；（3）建立了胎儿体重每月平均增长量与胎龄之间的推算式；（4）按胎儿体重每月平均增长量，用有序聚类分析方法，将胎儿生长发育过程划分为三个阶段。     

有助改善人体健康的纳米生物科技

纳米技术是20世纪80年代末期兴起的新技术。此种新技术是指在1-100nm这一尺度范围内对原子和分子运动规律和特性进行研究和应用。通过直接操纵和安排原子、分子将物质转变成具有特殊性能的新材料的科学技术。纳米技术研究的最终目标是直接以原子和分子为起点，从纳米材料出发或采用纳米加工技术，制造出具有特殊功能的产品，从而改变人类的生产和生活模式。纳米科技保健产品对促进人类健康有积极作用。     

The dual effect of L-proline on spreading depression in the chicken retina

Evidence was presented for a glutamate agonistic effect of L-proline which promotes K+-based spreading depressions (SD) in chick retinas at relatively high concentrations (5 mM), in addition to an antagonistic effect which inhibits glutamate-based SDs at lower (2 mM) concentrations. Together these effects explain the observed biphasic effect of L-proline on the incidence of SD in the retina.     

Technology evaluation in a US hospital: The role of clinical engineering

Appropriate deployment of technological innovation contributes to improvement in the quality of healthcare delivered, containment of cost, and an increased access to the healthcare system. Hospitals have been allocating a, significant portion of their resources to procuring and managing capital assets; they are continously faced with demands for new medical equipment and are, asked to manage existing inventory for which they are not well prepared. To objectively manage their investment, hospitals are developing medical technology management programmes that need pertinent information and methods for new equipment planning as well as for reduction in the ownership costs of existing equipment. Clinical engineers can identify new medical equipment, review their institution's technological position, develop equipment-selection criteria, supervise installations and monitor postprocurement performance to meet their hospital's programme's objectives. This programme, together with cost accounting analysis, will objectively guide the capital assets decisionmaking process. The result of systematic planning and execution, the programme will assure the lowest life-cycle costs at the best performance. The clinical engineer's skills and expertise are needed to facilitate the adoption of an objective methodology for implementing the programme, thus improving the match between the hospital's needs and budget projections, equipment performance and cost of ownership.     

Dietary fat intake and taste responses to fat in milk by under-, normal, and overweight women

Dietary fat intake, with special emphasis on dairy products, was estimated from questionnaires for 42 underweight, 80 normal weight, and 64 overweight adult women. Frequency of consumption of fresh and processed meats, frozen dairy desserts, pastries, and snacks such as potato chips was greater for the overweight than for the underweight subjects. However, preferences between verbally-described high- and low-fat versions of 14 food pairs did not differ by body size. Overweight subjects reported that they consumed more non-fat milk and less whole milk than did the other groups. Discrimination, perceived intensity, paired preference, and hedonic rating of fat in milk and in chocolate milk did not differ significantly according to body size, fat intake, or type of milk consumed. Ad libitum mixing of non-fat milk and "half and half" (12% fat) to individual levels of liking also showed no significant variation with body size. However, subjects with higher dietary fat intakes mixed to higher fat-preference levels in milk than did the low- and medium-fat intake subjects. Those reporting consumption of regular milk (3.5% fat) mixed to higher fat levels than did those who consumed low-fat (2% fat) or non-fat milk. The ad libitum procedure gave better reproducibility and appeared to be a more realistic measure of liking than the hedonic rating or paired-preference tests.