This up-to-date meta-analysis confirms that RAL/S is a feasible and safe alternative to VAL/S for radical resection of lung cancer. Future studies should focus on the long-term benefits and cost effectiveness of RAL/S compared with VAL/S.

Oxidative side reaction is one of the major factors hindering the development of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs). To avoid the oxidative toxicity, we designed and synthesized polydopamine-coated hemoglobin (Hb-PDA) nanoparticles via simple one-step assemblage without any toxic reagent. Hb-PDA nanoparticles showed oxidative protection of Hb by inhibiting the generation of methemoglobin (MetHb) and ferryl (Fe IV) Hb, as well as excellent antioxidant properties by scavenging free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Interestingly, the scavenging rate of Hb-PDA nanoparticles for ABTS radical is at most 89%, while for DPPH radical it reaches 49%. In addition, Hb-PDA efficiently reduced the intracellular HO-induced ROS generation. Moreover, Hb-PDA nanoparticles exhibited high oxygen affinity, low effect on blood constituents, and low cytotoxicity. The results indicate that polydopamine-coated hemoglobin might be a promising approach for constructing novel oxygen carriers with the capacity to reduce oxidative side reaction.

P. gingivalis type II followed by type IV were considered as disease-associated strains that account for the pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis in Chinese adults.

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Osteoprotegerin is a recently identified inhibitor of bone resorption. Recent studies indicate that osteoprotegerin also acts as an important regulatory molecule in the vasculature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between plasma osteoprotegerin levels and endothelium-dependent arterial dilation in type 2 diabetic patients. The study subjects included 40 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients and 46 healthy subjects. All patients were given insulin therapy for 6 months. Plasma osteoprotegerin concentration was measured in duplicate by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, and high-resolution ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia, and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate. The plasma osteoprotegerin level in patients before treatment was 3.36 ؎ 0.32 ng/l, which was significantly higher than that in control subjects (2.38 ؎ 0.25 ng/l, P < 0.001). After 6 months of treatment, osteoprotegerin levels decreased markedly (2.83 ؎ 0.34 ng/l, P < 0.001). Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent arterial dilation in patients before treatment was 3.21 ؎ 0.52%, which was significantly lower than that in control subjects (4.46 ؎ 0.56%, P < 0.01), and it improved markedly after 6 months of treatment (4.03 ؎ 0.49%, P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, osteoprotegerin was significantly associated with endothelium-dependent arterial dilation, fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA 1c (A1C), and ultrasensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) at baseline (P < 0.01). The absolute changes in osteoprotegerin showed significant correlation with changes in endothelium-dependent arterial dilation, FBG, A1C, and CRP in diabetic patients during the course of treatment (P < 0.01). This study shows that plasma osteoprotegerin levels are elevated in newly diagnosed diabetic patients and are significantly associated with endothelial function. Diabetes 55:2126 -2131, 2006 O steoprotegerin, a recently identified glycoprotein belonging to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, was originally discovered as an inhibitor of bone resorption. This inhibition is mediated through osteoprotegerin's binding and neutralization of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-B ligand (RANKL), a strong inducer of osteoclast differentiation (1). Recently, some studies have indicated that osteoprotegerin also acts as an important regulatory molecule in the vasculature (2-6), and increased plasma osteoprotegerin concentrations are associated with coronary artery disease in nondiabetic patients (6,7). In some more recent studies in diabetic subjects, a strong association between plasma levels of osteoprotegerin and microand macroangiopathy was observed (8,9). Moreover, in a large observational study, plasma concentrations of osteoprotegerin were higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic subjects (10). Endothelial dysfunction is an early physiological event in atherosclerosis (11). However, to date, no data are available on the relationship between osteoprotegerin and endothelial dysf...

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In subjects with IGT, FMD was impaired both in the fasting state and after a glucose challenge, probably through increased production of oxygen-derived free radicals. The ED observed after a glucose challenge is related to the extent of hyperglycaemia and TBARS, and an antioxidant agent can improve the impairment of endothelial function induced by acute hyperglycaemia.

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