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Objective: To summarize the characteristics of patients with pituitary stalk thickening, analyze the association between pituitary stalk width and hypopituitarism, and develop a diagnostic model to differentiate neoplastic and inflammatory origins. Methods: A total of 325 patients with pituitary stalk thickening in a tertiary teaching hospital between January 2012 and February 2018 were enrolled. Basic characteristics and hormonal status were evaluated. Indicators to predict etiology in patients with histologic diagnoses were analyzed. Results: Of the 325 patients, 62.5% were female. Deficiency in gonadotropin was most common, followed by corticotropin, growth hormone, and thyrotropin. The increase in pituitary stalk width was associated with a risk of central diabetes insipidus (odds ratio lOR], 3.57; P Conclusion: Pituitary stalk width could indicate the presence of anterior pituitary dysfunction, especially in central diabetes insipidus patients. With the use of a diagnostic model, the neoplastic and inflammatory causes of pituitary stalk thickening could be preliminarily differentiated. Abbreviations: APD = anterior pituitary dysfunction; AUC = area under the curve; CDI = central diabetes insipidus; GH = growth hormone; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; OR = odd ratio; PHBS = posterior hypophyseal bright spots; PST = pituitary stalk thickening; PSW = pituitary stalk width

Background Parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) triggers white adipose tissue (WAT) browning and cachexia in lung cancer mouse models. It remains unknown whether excessive PTH secretion affects WAT browning and to what extent it contributes to body weight change in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Methods Using the adeno-associated virus injection, Pth gene over-expressed mice mimicking PHPT were firstly established to observe their WAT browning and body weight alteration. The association between PTH and body weight was investigated in 496 PHPT patients. The adipose browning activities of 20 PHPT and 60 control subjects were measured with PET/CT scanning. Findings Elevated plasma PTH triggered adipose tissue browning, leading to increased energy expenditure, reduced fat content, and finally decreased body weight in PHPT mice. Higher circulating PTH levels were associated with lower body weight (β = −0.048, P = .0003) independent of renal function, serum calcium, phosphorus,and albumin levels in PHPT patients. PHPT patients exhibited both higher prevalence of detectable brown/beige adipose tissue (20% vs 3.3%, P = .03) and increased browning activities (SUV in cervical adipose was 0.77 vs 0.49,P = .02) compared with control subjects. Interpretation Elevated serum PTH drove WAT browning program, which contributed in part to body weight loss in both PHPT mice and patients. These results give insights into the novel pathological effect of PTH and are of importance in understanding the metabolic changes of PHPT. Fund This research is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

In the current study, we investigated the vitamin D status, and its relationships with parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, bone mineral density (BMD), and the 10-year probability of fractures in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).This was a cross-sectional study of 785 patients. BMDs at the lumbar spine (L2-4), femoral neck (FN), and total hip (TH) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and intact PTH were also quantified. The 10-year probability of fracture risk (major osteoporotic fracture [MOF] and hip fracture [HF]) was assessed using the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX).The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 82.3%, and the mean 25(OH)D level was 36.9 ± 15.2 nmol/L. The adequate group had higher BMDs at the FN and TH and lower MOF risk than the inadequate groups. Lower 25(OH)D was associated with higher PTH ( r = -0.126, P.001). PTH was negatively correlated with BMDs at 3 sites and positively correlated with MOF and HF, but this relationship disappeared in the adequate subgroup. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that PTH was the determinant of MOF (standard β = 0.073, P = .010) and HF (standard β = 0.094, P = .004).Our results identified a significantly high rate of vitamin D deficiency among Chinese patients with T2DM. PTH is an important risk factor responsible for the higher 10-year probability of osteoporotic fractures in diabetic patients, especially in those with lower vitamin D levels.AKP = alkaline phosphatase; ALB = serum albumin; BMD = bone mineral density; BMI = body mass index; Ca = calcium; CKD = chronic kidney disease; Cr = creatinine; FN = femoral neck; FRAX = fracture risk assessment tool; HbA1c = glycated hemoglobin A1c; HF = hip fracture; L2-4 = lumbar spine; MOF = major osteoporotic fracture; 25(OH)D = 25-hydroxyvitamin D; P = phosphorus; PTH = parathyroid hormone; T2DM = type 2 diabetes mellitus; TH = total hip; UA = uric acid.

Some Devonian magmatic rocks have been identified from the northern margin of the North China Block (NCB) in recent years. However, their petrogenesis and tectonic setting are still highly controversial. Here we present new geochronological, Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic and whole-rock chemical data on several newly identified and previously reported Devonian alkaline complexes, including mafic-ultramafic rocks (pyroxenites and gabbros), alkaline rocks (syenites, monzonites) and alkaline granites in the northern NCB. We firstly identified some mafic-ultramafic rocks coeval with monzonite and quartz monzonite in the Sandaogou and Wulanhada alkaline intrusions. New zircon U-Pb dating of 16 samples from the Baicaigou, Gaojiacun, Sandaogou, Wulanhada and Chifeng alkaline intrusions combined with previous geochronological results indicate that the Devonian alkaline rocks emplaced during the early-middle Devonian at around 400–380 Ma and constitute an E–W-trending alkaline magmatic belt that extend ca. 900 km long along the northern margin of the NCB. Whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic data reveal that the Devonian alkaline rocks were mainly originated from partial melting of a variably enriched lithospheric mantle with different involvement of ancient lower crustal component and fractional crystallization. The Devonian alkaline magmatic belt rocks in the northern NCB are characterized by very weak or no deformations and were most likely related to post-collision extension after arc-continent collision between the Bainaimiao island arc and the northern margin of North China Craton during the latest Silurian. Partial melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle to produce the Devonian alkaline magmatic rocks suggests that the northern North China Craton has an inhomogeneous, variably enriched subcontinental lithospheric mantle and was characterized by significant vertical crustal growth during the Devonian period.

This paper mainly focuses on the dynamic effects of oil price shocks on macroeconomics and different industries. Specifically, we examine the corresponding dynamic influence mechanism, as well as analyzing the sources of structural shocks that drive oil price fluctuations. Since the oil prices fluctuation generates endogenous effects on the macroeconomic dynamics, it is appropriate to use the shocks of oil price fluctuations as structural shocks. Then the structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model is employed for analysis. And we utilize the Bayesian estimation method that fully recognizes prior information to estimate the SVAR model, with which the impact of structural shocks that cause international oil price fluctuations are examined. Further, the influences and impact mechanism of oil supply shocks, specific demand shocks, and aggregate demand shocks on Chinese industry economies are examined. Empirical studies have found that the influence of oil supply has caused reduction in oil production. In the short term, the shocks of oil supply and specific demand in the oil market lead to rising oil prices, thus curbing economic output. The rise of oil prices caused by aggregate demand shocks will expand economic output. The shock of aggregate economic demand acts as the main source of oil price shocks, and the specific demand of the oil market generates more restraining effects on economic output than that of oil supply and aggregate demand. Seen from the heterogeneity of light and heavy industries, energy-intensive industries are less affected by the supply and demand shocks than other industries due to the impact of government subsidies and the state-owned enterprise equity system. The impact of specific demand shocks of oil prices on industrial output is higher than that of supply shocks and demand shocks. The conclusion provides reference for adopting strategies to cope with oil prices fluctuation from the perspective of national security, so as to establish diversified oil reserve system, avoiding risks in the energy derivatives market.

Dark enclaves in the late Paleocene granitoids of Doumer Island, northern Antarctic Peninsula, were examined by field investigations, zircon U–Pb geochronology, mineral chemistry, whole-rock major- and trace-elements, and Sr-Nd-Li isotopes to elucidate their origins and genetic relationships with host granitoids. The enclaves and host granitoids have similar zircon U–Pb ages of 54.6–55.7 Ma and indistinguishable Nd–Sr isotopes of eNd(t) = 4.7–6.1, ISr = 0.7036–0.7039, indicating a cogenetic relationship. A pyroxene-dioritic enclave (WA16–06-3) is a cognate restite with peritectic phases that resulted from amphibole-dehydration melting at temperatures above 800 °C and at low-P (7–10 kbar). Two other enclaves (WA16–07-2 and WA15–27-3) are fragments of the chilled margins of the conduits entrained in the later insurgent felsic magma. The flat, right-leaning REE patterns are accompanied by positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 1.07–1.16) in the dark enclaves and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.72–0.88) in the host intrusions. The accumulation of restitic plagioclase and peritectic pyroxene could have induced the positive Eu anomalies in the dark enclaves. The P–T conditions estimated from cummingtonite rims on pyroxene in the pyroxene-dioritic enclave suggest near-isothermal decompression in an environment of fast exhumation. Enclave WA16–07-2 is part of an intense swarm of enclaves near the pluton margin, and crystallized from a less evolved melt that was mechanically eroded by the host magma, indicating a transient state of magma flow. The dioritic enclaves were transported in the form of ductile crystal–melt mushes that were rotated in the insurgent viscous granitoid magma. The enclaves become rounder and sparser towards the interior of the host pluton. Dehydration melting of metabasalt could have produced these melts that are rich in δ7Li while leaving a lighter δ7Li pyroxene-rich residue at the source. The underlying cause of these events was the retreat of the subducting proto-Pacific (Phoenix) oceanic slab beneath the western Antarctic Peninsula that triggered melting of asthenospheric mantle, with basaltic magma underplating and melting a juvenile metabasaltic lower crust.

Command-and-control environmental regulation is a traditional environmental policy that is still widely used in developing countries. This study examined a rarely discussed but significant issue for environmental sustainability and economic development—the impact of command-and-control environmental regulation on enterprise total factor productivity growth—based on a large enterprise-level sample. Employing China’s “Two Control Zone” policy as a quasi-natural experiment, we used a Chinese industrial enterprise panel dataset from 1998 to 2007 to estimate the effects of command-and-control environmental regulation in a difference-in-difference framework. It is found that command-and-control environmental regulation hassignificantly hindered the growth of enterprise total factor productivity, and this negative effect was lagging and continuous. In addition, we leaned that this negative effect mainly came from the increase in costs of enterprises and the negative impact on the enterprise resource allocation efficiency. When considering enterprise heterogeneity in terms of pollution intensity, size, and ownership, the study further found that the negative effects are exacerbated for enterprises in more heavily polluting industries, those of smaller size, and those owned by foreign companies, respectively. Our research is a reexamination of the Porter hypothesis in China, and fills the gap in the literature on the micro effects of command-and-control policy on enterprise total factor productivity for developing countries. Based on a rigorous empirical analysis, we conclude that it is difficult to achieve a win–win scenario with sustainable environmental development and enterprise total factor productivity growth under command-and-control environmental regulation. Environmental regulations should have clear objectives and take a flexible approach, and it is necessary to adopt diversified environmental regulation policies based on market instruments.

New zircon U–Pb dating results on the Carboniferous–Permian volcanic rocks in the northern margin of the North China block (NCB) indicate their eruption during the Early Carboniferous to Late Permian from 347 ± 3 Ma to 258 ± 1 Ma and a slight decrease of the upper limits of the volcanic sequences from west to east. They have a main rock association of basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, rhyolite, tuff, and tufaceous sandstone. Most of them have calc-alkaline compositions and exhibit variable SiO2 contents from 48.2 wt.% to 77.1 wt.%. There is no significant gap between the mafic and felsic volcanic rocks in major and trace element classification diagrams, indicating that they are not bimodal in composition. The Carboniferous–Permian volcanic rocks exhibit subduction-related geochemical features such as negative Nb and Ta anomalies of mafic to intermediate rocks on primitive mantle-normalized diagrams, indicating they were formed in an Andean-type continental arc during southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate beneath the northern NCB. However, their wide range of whole-rock Sr–Nd and zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate that their source areas are very complex and different sources were involved in generation of these volcanic rocks. Geochemical and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic results show that the basalt and some andesite were produced by fractional crystallization of mafic magma derived from partial melting of mantle wedge and subducted oceanic crust; however, most of the intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks were derived from partial melting of lower continental crust. There is an increasing input of crustal materials from the Carboniferous to Permian as indicated by increasing volumes of felsic volcanic rocks in the volcanic sequences. The results show that origin of the continental arc volcanism is very complex and both materials from the subducted oceanic crust and sediments, mantle wedge and arc continental crust could be involved in their generation. For the Permian andesite, dacite and rhyolitic volcanic rocks, there is a striking correlation between their Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions and those of the underlying basement. Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic differences between the Permian intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks from either side of the northern boundary fault of the North China craton suggest that mixture and homogenization of the magmas in the melting–assimilation–storage–hybridization (MASH) zone within this continental arc was incomplete, and incomplete homogenization of magmas is likely a common feature of many MASH zones within continental arcs. Our results on the volcanic rocks also show that the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean along the Solonker Suture Zone has not been finished prior to the Middle Permian and the decease of the Paleo-Asian oceanic subduction beneath the northern NCB in its middle-western parts is a little earlier than that in its eastern part.

Mitochondrial division inhibitor (mdivi-1), a selective inhibitor of a mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), has been shown to exert protective effects in heart and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion models. The present study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of mdivi-1 against spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (SCIR) injury and its associated mechanisms. SCIR injury was induced by glutamate treatment in cultured spinal cord neurons and by descending thoracic aorta occlusion for 20 min in rats. We found that mdivi-1 (10 μM) significantly attenuated glutamate induced neuronal injury and apoptosis in spinal cord neurons. This neuroprotective effect was accompanied by decreased expression of oxidative stress markers, inhibited mitochondrial dysfunction and preserved activities of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, mdivi-1 significantly increased the expression of the large-conductance Ca(2+)- and voltage-activated K(+) (BK) channels, and blocking BK channels by paxilline partly ablated mdivi-1 induced protection. The in vivo experiments showed that mdivi-1 treatment (1 mg/kg) overtly mitigated SCIR injury induced spinal cord edema and neurological dysfunction with no organ-related toxicity in rats. Moreover, mdivi-1 increased the expression of BK channels in spinal cord tissues, and paxilline pretreatment nullified mdivi-1 induced protection after SCIR injury in rats. Thus, mdivi-1 may be an effective therapeutic agent for SCIR injury via activation of BK channels as well as reduction of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal apoptosis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Spinal cord injury.

This study was to establish biochemical thresholds for the intravenous calcium suppression test in the early diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).One hundred and thirty-three patients were divided into three groups: Group 1: surgically proven hypercalcemic PHPT, Group 2 surgically proven mild PHPT, and Group 3: normocalcemia with elevated serum PTH levels. Intravenous calcium suppression tests were performed in Groups 2 and 3 as well as in 20 controls with normal serum calcium and PTH concentrations.The serum PTH inhibition rate (PTH-IR) was less pronounced in Group 2 compared with Group 3 (P0.001) and the controls (P0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggests that a serum calcium level higher than 2.43mmol/L and a PTH-IR less than 73% may differentiate Group 2 from normal controls.It is quite useful to combine serum calcium levels with the PTH-IR to identify patients at early stage of PHPT, even in the presence of vitamin D deficiency.

Objectives Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) may play a central role in the development of Graves' disease (GD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of TNF-α polymorphisms with GD in Chinese population. Design and methods Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocyte of 436 GD patients and 316 control subjects. TNF-α polymorphisms at positions − 308 (G-308A, rs1800629), − 238 (G-238A, rs361525), and + 419 (G + 419A, rs3093661) were genotyped. Results The distribution of TNF-α − 238 and + 419 allelic frequencies between GD and control individuals was significantly different. Both the G alleles of TNF-α − 238 (OR 2.385, 95%CI 1.359–4.184) and + 419 (OR 2.293, 95%CI 1.303–4.035) SNPs conferred higher risk of GD as compared with A alleles. No significant difference of − 308 allelic frequency was observed. Further haplotype analysis revealed that the haplotype GGG was associated with an increased risk of GD (OR 1.554, 95%CI 1.125–2.146), whereas the haplotype GAA was found to be protective (OR 0.419, 95%CI 0.239–0.736). Conclusions This study demonstrated the association of TNF-α gene with GD in Chinese patients.

In this paper, we present newly obtained molybdenite Re–Os ages for the Chehugou copper–molybdenum deposit and the Yuanbaoshan molybdenum mineral locality from the Chifeng area on the northern margin of the North China block, combined with U–Pb zircon ages of the host granites. The Re–Os isochron age of six molybdenite samples from the Chehugou deposit is 257.5 ± 2.5 Ma and one molybdenite sample from the Yuanbaoshan locality yields a Re–Os model age of 248.0 ± 2.7 Ma. These ages clearly indicate the signature latest Permian to Early Triassic Cu–Mo or Mo mineralization that has not been previously recognized. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating shows that the host granites of the Chehugou deposit and Yuanbaoshan locality formed in the Late Devonian (376 ± 3 Ma) and Late Permian (269 ± 3 Ma), respectively, and is not of Jurassic age, as previously thought. The latest Permian to Early Triassic Cu–Mo mineralization is likely related to extension due to final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean and amalgamation of the Mongolian arc terranes with the northern North China block. The establishment of a latest Permian to Early Triassic age for mineralization should encourage renewed exploration aimed at the discovery of new Mo or Cu–Mo resources along the northern margin of the North China block.

Strontium ranelate is a new effective anti-osteoporotic treatment having a unique mode of action, reducing bone resorption while promoting continued bone formation, with a broad range of anti-fracture efficacy at vertebral as well as peripheral sites. In Phase III studies, it has proven its early and sustained efficacy against vertebral fractures in Caucasians along with a significant increase in lumbar bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this randomized double-blind study was to demonstrate the efficacy of strontium ranelate (2 g/day) on lumbar spine bone mineral density and the clinical and biological safety in Asian postmenopausal osteoporotic patients compared to placebo over 1 year. Three hundred and twenty-nine eligible women from mainland China, Hong Kong and Malaysia were randomized into the study. The baseline characteristics were similar in the treatment and placebo groups: mean age of 66.2+/-6.5 years, time since menopause 17.6+/-7.2 years. In the Full Analysis Set (FAS, N=302), the mean baseline lumbar L2-L4 BMD was 0.715+/-0.106 g/cm(2) in the strontium ranelate group and 0.708 +/- 0.109 g/cm2 in the placebo group. The mean baseline femoral neck BMD was 0.575+/-0.074 g/cm2 and 0.566+/-0.069 g/cm2 respectively and mean total hip BMD was 0.642+/-0.080 g/cm2 and 0.631 +/-0.088 g/cm2 respectively. The overall compliance was 91.4% in the study drug group, and 97.4% in the placebo group. After 1 year of treatment, the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip BMD in the treated group was significantly increased by 3-5% as compared to placebo. Strontium ranelate was well tolerated. The most frequently reported emergent adverse events were comparable in both groups (60.4% versus 60.0%), with majority of them being mild gastrointestinal disorders. There were no clinically relevant changes in laboratory tests, such as blood routine, hepatic and renal function. It is thus concluded that the effects of 2 g/day strontium ranelate on BMD and its safety profile in this cohort of postmenopausal osteoporotic Asian women were consistent with results obtained from Caucasian women in which the efficacy on the reduction in risk of fracture has been proven.

Activation of the excitatory neurotransmitter N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and stretching both increase Ca(2+) influx in osteoblastic cells. We postulated that NMDA would enhance the osteoblastic cell's response to stretching. The goal of this study was to investigate, in the presence of the neurotransmitter NMDA, the effect of mechanical loading on osteoblast's stage of differentiation and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway associated with it. Rat primary osteoblastic cells were subjected to cyclic, equibiaxial stretch for 48 h in the presence or absence of NMDA. Pretreatment with 0.5 mM NMDA significantly enhanced the stretching magnitude-dependent increase in osteogenesis markers. MK801, an antagonist of NMDA receptors, abolished those responses. To further study the mechanism of this response, osteoblastic cells were stretched for 5, 15, or 60 min in the absence of NMDA. Cyclic stretch induced a rapid increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK1/2 phosphorylation with the peak at 15 min, but no changes were noted in p38 and JNK pathway signaling. NMDA could enhance ERK1/2 phosphorylation stimulated by stretching. U0126, an inhibitor of ERK1/2, blocked the increase in osteogenesis markers. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that there is a synergistic effect between mechanical stimulation and NMDA in osteoblasts. ERK1/2 signaling may be the common pathway in the increased response to stretching in the presence of NMDA in osteoblastic cells.

Migraine is a periodic disorder with a worldwide prevalence of 5-19%. This study raises the hypothesis of a sex-influenced genetic model of migraine transmission. That migraine may be sex-influenced (autosomal dominant in females and autosomal recessive in males) is supported by such evidences as: (1) familial hemiplegic migraine, subtype from migraine with aura, being dominantly assigned to autosomal chromosome 19p, 1q, and 2q; (2) a male to female prevalence of 1:2-4; (3) primarily young age of onset; (4) provocation by pharmaceutical contraception; (5) induction by menstruation; (6) self-limitation after menopause; and (7) only female migraineurs in some migraine families. Female sex hormone in the migraineur may be the key factor, comparable to the male sex hormone: androgen, in the genetic baldness. Migraine appears caused by a multi-factor inheritance with higher rates among females than males, and influenced by environmental and cultural factors.

In the work, we report a facile template-free approach to prepare hollow VO 2 microspheres. Uniform hollow VO 2 assemblies composed of ordered microspheres with an average diameter of 3.0 µm and a hollow interior of 2.0 µm were prepared by calcining the precursor, which was synthesized via heat preservation process sealed in Teflon-lined stainless autoclave in the presence of urea. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scan electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to characterize VO 2 microspheres. The proposed mechanism for the formation of hollow VO 2 microspheres is discussed.

In this paper we investigate the effect on the anisotropy of CBR temperature fluctuation by the intrinsic transverse motions of galaxy clusters acting as gravitational lenses randomly distributed in space. The Hernquist model is used for the density structure and gravitational lensing of the clusters. The anisotropy is calculated for 1) the standard cold dark matter model and 2) Peebles' isocurvature baryon model. The calculated values, higher in 2) than in 1), depend sensitively on the bias parameter and are below Kellerman's (1986) observed upper limits.

Erratum to “NMDA enhances stretching-induced differentiation of osteoblasts through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway” [Bone 43 (2008) 469–475] Jie-li Li , Bin Cui , Li Qi , Xiao-ying Li , Lian-fu Deng , Guang Ning , Jian-min Liu a,⁎ a Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Shanghai 200025, P.R. China b Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P.R. China