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Objective To investigate the correlations of plasma methoxyadrenaline (MN) and methoxynorepinephrine (NMN) (collectively called MNs) to blood lipid, blood glucose and blood pressure in patients with pheochromocytoma (PCC) and paraganglioma (PGL) (collectively called PPGL). Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed of 64 patients with pathologically confirmed PPGL in Chinese PLA General Hospital during Jan. 2017 to Jun. 2018. According to the tertiles plasma MN before operation, the 64 cases were divided into T1 (n=21), T2 (n=21) and T3 (n=22) group, and then were divided into T'1 (n=21), T'2 (n=21) and T'3 (n=22) group according to the tertiles plasma NMN before operation. The correlations were analyzed of plasma level of MNs to the blood lipid, blood glucose and blood pressure. Results The body mass index (BMI) value decreased significantly with the increase of plasma MNs level in patients with PPGL. With the increase of plasma NMN level, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased significantly (P

Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate the expression of genes at almost every level. The altered expression of lncRNAs was observed in many kinds of cancers. Until recently, few studies have focused on the function of lncRNAs in the context of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods In the current study, we collected seven PTC and nodular goiter tissue samples and explored mRNA and lncRNA expression patterns in these samples by microarray. Results We observed aberrant expression of 94 lncRNAs and 99 mRNAs in the seven PTC samples as compared to the nodular goiter tissue [fold change (FC) ≥2.0; P

Insulinoma is a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor that can spontaneously produce excess endogenous insulin, resulting in recurrent and serious hypoglycemia. Patients with insulinoma always have intermittent neuroglycopenia, which has been frequently reported as being misdiagnosed as epilepsy. In this report, we analyzed the clinical data of patients with confirmed insulinoma who had ever been misdiagnosed to have epilepsy.The retrospective review was performed on 266 patients with confirmed insulinoma at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2000 and July 2020.1. The diagnosis of insulinoma was confirmed in 266 patients. Forty-four patients [male/female=1/1.8, aged (41.25±12.30) years old] were misdiagnosed to have epilepsy, with a misdiagnosis rate of 16.5%. 2. Thirty-eight patients presented with consciousness disorder. Eleven patients presented with palpitation, sweating, and anxiety. Five patients presented with convulsion and 6 patients presented with abnormal behavior and delirium. 3. Twenty-two patients underwent EEG examination. EEG showed spike wave or spike-slow complex wave in 5 patients, decreased α wave and increased slow wave in θ and δ band in 7 patients, and was normal in 10 patients. 4. Thirty-five patients were incorrectly prescribed with AEDs and 22 patients were even misdiagnosed to have refractory epilepsy. 5. All these 44 patients underwent successful surgery, and hypoglycemia symptoms were relieved after insulinoma resection.Patients with insulinoma sometimes share common clinical characteristics with epilepsy. To patients with epilepsy or suspected epilepsy, especially with poor response to ADEs, hypoglycemia caused by insulinoma should be emphasized in the differential diagnosis.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic significance of ACTH-cortisol rhythm for subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI), and explore the best diagnostic cut-off value. Methods The clinical data were collected of patients with AI admitted in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan. 2008 to Dec. 2016, and retrospectively analyzed based on the current CS guidelines and confirmed CS by postoperative histopathology. Patients with SCS were set as test group, and with non-functional adrenal adenoma (NFA) as control group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnosis value of ACTH-cortisol rhythm for SCS in patients with AI, and search for the best cut-off value and its corresponding sensitivity and specificity. Results A total of 161 patients with NFA (84 males and 77 females with average age 51.74 years) and 88 patients with SCS (26 males and 62 females with average age 51.02 years) were recruited in present study. ROC analysis showed that the optimal cut-off value for F0:00am/F8:00am was 0.3 (AUC=0.807(95%CI 0.751-0.862, SE=0.029), sensitivity 76.1%, specificity 78.3%, Youden index 0.544, positive predictive value 77.8%, negative predictive value 75.9%); the optimal cut-off value for F0:00am was 113.35nmol/L (AUC=0.841(95%CI 0.792-0.890, SE=0.025), sensitivity 78.4%, specificity 79.5%, positive predictive value 79.3%, negative predictive value 78.6%); the optimal cut-off for ACTH8:00am was 3.0pmol/L (AUC=0.833(95%CI 0.781-0.885), SE=0.027, sensitivity 79.5%, specificity 72.7%, Youden index 0.522, accuracy 76.1%, positive predictive value 74.4%, negative predictive value 78.0%). Conclusion The serum cortisol level at med night 0:00am (F0:00am) is the best parameter in diagnosis of SCS, 113.35nmol/L is recommended as the cut-off point. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2018.07.06

Objective To analyze the clinical data [tumor size and adrenal vein sampling (AVS)] of patients with Cushing syndrome (CS) caused by bilateral adrenocortical adenoma (BAA), and explore their role in determining the predominant side before operation. Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed of 11 cases of CS caused by BAA admitted in the General Hospital of Chinese PLA from Jan. 2008 to Nov. 2017. Of the 11 cases, 7 and 4 presented clinical CS and subclinical CS (SCS), respectively. Operation was performed on the determined predominant side in patients with successful AVS, while the rest of patients were operated on the larger side of the tumor. Results Six patients underwent AVS and 3 cases got success, for whom the larger side of tumor was the predominant side in 2 patients and the smaller side of tumor was the predominant side in 1 case; The clinical manifestation after operation was better than before in 1 CS case, and no obvious change was observed in postoperative clinical manifestation in 2 SCS cases. All the patients were long-term followed up, during the period their endocrine indicators were better than those before the operation. Blood pressure and blood glucose in patients with hypertension and diabetes were easier to control than before. Eight cases were operated on the larger side of tumor. The typical symptoms and physical signs of 6 CS patients improved after operation, and the clinical manifestations of 2 SCS patients hadn't changed. Five patients were long-term followed up, and their endocrine indicators were better than those before operation. Conclusions Successful AVS may be acted as an important indicator in preoperative preparation and evaluation in patients with CS caused by BAA, but it has high technical requirements and low success rate. If AVS is unconditional, a long term following-up will be needed after resecting the larger side of tumor. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2018.07.04

Objective To explore the clinical value of 24h urinary aldosterone-to-active renin ratio (UARR) in different postures for screening primary aldosteronism (PA). Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed of 123 PA and 155 essential hypertension (EH) patients admitted in Chinese PLA general hospital from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2014. The UARR and plasma aldosterone-to-active renin ratio (ARR) in different postures were calculated, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to obtain the area under ROC curve (AUC) and the optimal cut-off point of UARR in different postures for PA screening, and all the results were compared with recognized screening parameters. Results The optimal cut-off point of erect UARR was 14.20nmol/[μg/(L·h)], the AUC, sensitivity and specificity were 0.954, 91.87% and 88.64%, respectively; the AUC, sensitivity and specificity of clinostatasm UARR were 0.918, 78.05% and 87.12%, respectively; the AUC of UARR was larger in erect position than in clinostatic (Z=2.572, P=0.01). The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of erect ARR were 0.929, 85.88% and 90.91%, respectively; and of clinostatic ARR were 0.913, 84.55% and 81.82%, respectively; the AUC of erect UARR was larger than the AUC of both erect and clinostatic ARR (Z=2.094, P=0.036; Z=2.675, P=0.008). Conclusion Both erect position UARR and ARR are the effective parameters for screening PA. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2018.07.05

Objective To discuss the clinical features of preoperative undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI). Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed of 103 cases of pathologically diagnosed adrenal pheochromocytoma in patients with AI admitted in the General Hospital of Chinese PLA during Mar. 2012 to Dec. 2016. The cases were divided into two groups: patients preoperatively diagnosed as non-function adrenal tumor were assigned as group A (n=16), and preoperatively diagnosed as pheochromocytoma were assigned as group B (n=87). The clinical features, endocrine hormone levels and imaging features of the two groups were analyzed. Results The age when diagnosed as hypertension was higher in group A (55.5±9.1 years) than in group B (43.6±12.3 years, P

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of different evaluation indexes of captopril challenge test (CCT) on primary aldosteronism. Methods The biochemical parameters were collected of patients with aldosterone producing adenoma (APA, 90 cases), with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA, 44 cases) and with essential hypertension (EH, 88 cases) who were diagnosed and undergone CCT in the General Hospital of PLA from Jan. 2014 to Mar. 2016. The clinical characteristics were compared, the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic value of different evaluation indexes including the absolute value and suppression percentage of aldosterone, the increasing percentage of plasma renin activity (PRA) and the ratio of aldosterone/renin (ARR), and then the optimal diagnostic criteria and its sensitivity and specificity were determined. Results After CCT the suppression percentage of aldosterone in APA, IHA and EH groups were 0.3%, 0.7% and 4.0%, respectively. The increasing percentage of renin in APA, IHA and EH groups was 0(0, 1), 0.25(0, 1) and 0.97(0.23, 2.27), respectively. The increasing percentage of renin in primary aldosterone group was significantly lower than that in EH group (P

Objective To analyze the relationship between the brain functional alterations of patients with Cushing's disease (CD) and patients' mental symptom by applying the Evaluating Emotional Scales and task functional magnetic resonance imaging (Task fMRI). Methods Task fMRI was performed on 8 patients with diagnosed CD admitted in the Department of Endocrinology of Chinese PLA General Hospital from Nov. 2015 to Nov. 2016 and 21 healthy people with matched age, gender and education level as control. Meanwhile, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Positive and Negative Affective Scale (PANAS) and Cushing Quality of Life Scale (Cushing QOL) were obtained to assess the brain functions. Results Significant depression and anxiety were observed in patients with CD, and their positive affective score was substantially lower while the negative affective score was relatively higher compared with that in the controls. Task fMRI revealed that, when watching the positive pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum and right postcentral gyrus weakened in CD patients than in the controls, and the positive correlations existed between the activation degree of left cerebellum and the 16 o'clock adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) level, and between the activation degree of right postcentral gyrus and the urinary free cortisol (UFC) level in CD patients. In contrast, when watching the negative pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus was weakened in CD patients than in the controls, and the activation degree of left cerebellum was negatively correlated to the 0 o'clock cortisol level and SAS score, but is positively correlated to the UFC level. When watching the neutral pictures, the activation degree of left cerebellum and left parahippocampal gyrus was weakened in CD patients than in the controls. Conclusions CD patients may have impaired brain function with depression and anxiety mental symptoms. By Task fMRI, it can be found that the weakened activation degree of left inferior frontal gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and left cerebellum may be related to CD patients' mental symptoms. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2017.07.02

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with growth-hormone adenoma (GHA) and summarize the diagnosis and treatment experience. Methods The clinical data of 338 GHA cases at the General Hospital of PLA from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 2016 were collected, of which 252 cases with more complete clinical data were retrospectively analyzed including their general situation, medical history, laboratory tests and auxiliary examinations, and treatment modalities and outcomes. Parts of the patients were followed up. Results The cases of hospitalized GHA patients have increased year by year since 1990, and the number of patients admitted in the last 3 years accounted for 56.2% of the total number of cases. The sex ratio for GHA patients was nearly 1:1. Age of visiting followed Gaussian distribution while the 41-50 age group occupied the largest part. The most typical sign is hand and foot enlargement (60.7%), followed by the hypertrophy of nasal ala. The most common symptoms are headache (42.5%), hypopsia, visual field defect and diplopia. More than half of GHA patients were complicated with prediabetes and diabetes (72.6%), sleep apnea (69.5%), goiter or thyroid nodularity (56.4%), cardiac insufficiency (57.0%) and colon polyp (54.1%); while the percentages of cases undergone the relevant examination in the total number of cases were as follows: 75g OGTT test (42.1%), polysomnography (23.4%), thyroid ultrasound (37.3%), echocardiogram (47.6%) and colonoscopy (14.7%); GHA was 23.37±1.42μg/L and IGF-1 was 804.28±273.93ng/ml on average; 85.0% of somatotroph tumors are macroadenoma. Surgery remains the mainstay of therapy to GHA, while medical therapy was selected by less patients. During the follow-up, only 38.0% of GHA patients can be contacted, among them the remission rate decreased to 40.5%. The positive rate of long-term remission evaluated by early postoperative GHA level was consistent with that confirmed by the long-term follow-up (χ2=3.368, P>0.05). Conclusions The number of hospitalized GHA patients have increased recent years. The common clinical signs and symptoms are somatic enlargement and nonspecific headache. Due to uncompleted screening, GHA associated complications are always misdiagnosed; It is essential to establish a sound model of follow-up to improve patients' quality of life. The early postoperative GHA levels may predict the prognosis of surgery. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2017.07.04

Objective To comparatively analyze the clinical characteristics of thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenomas (TSH-omas). Methods The clinical features, laboratory variables, imaging and pathological results were retrospectively compared and analyzed of 26 cases with TSH-omas admitted in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Feb. 2006 to Oct. 2016 and 20 cases with TSH-omas admitted in Shanghai Huashan Hospital from Apr. 2006 to Apr. 2013. Results The female ratio was slightly higher in patients of Chinese PLA General Hospital than in Huashan Hospital [(57.7%(15/26) vs. 45.0%(9/20)], while the mean age was similar [39.5±14.1(18-67 years) vs. 40.0±14.5(17-74 years)]. The most common chief complaint was thyrotoxicosis [73.1%(19/26) vs. 55.0%(11/20)], and mild-to-moderate goiter was the most common symptom. The mean serum TSH levels in Chinese PLA General Hospital and in Huashan Hospital were 5.06(2.97-6.27)mU/L and 6.16(3.76-10.91)mU/L respectively, and patients with normal serum TSH levels were more common in Chinese PLA General Hospital than in Huashan Hospital [57.7%(15/26) vs. 40.0%(8/20)]. Microadenoma was more common in Chinese PLA General Hospital than in Huashan Hospital [34.62%(9/26) vs. 20.0%(4/20)], while macroadenoma was more common in Huashan Hospital than in Chinese PLA General Hospital [20.0%(4/20) vs. 7.7%(2/26)]. Microadenoma was more common in female patients of the both groups [66.7%(6/9) vs. 75.0%(3/4)], while macroadenoma was all found in male patients. Tumor invasion of surrounding tissue and structure was often found in macroadenoma. In terms of octreotide inhibition test, the range of 24h TSH inhibition rate was roughly the same in the two groups (37.4%-91.8% and 46.5%-94.1%, respectively). Mixed adenoma was rare among all the pathologically confirmed cases. In Chinese PLA General Hospitals, TSH immunoreactive negative neoplastic cells were found in 3 of 8 cases, and octreotide scanning showed negative in 2 of 12 cases. Conclusions Patients with TSH-omas in the two hospitals show similarities but also some significant differences in the clinical features. Overall, the domestic patients with TSH-omas are diagnosed without gender difference according to the reports in China. The mean age at diagnosis is significantly younger than that in foreign data. Microadenoma is more common in females, while macroadenoma is more common in males. Serum TSH levels can be normal in patients with TSH-omas. Immunostaining and/or octreotide scanning for TSH can be negative. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2017.07.03

Objective To investigate the effects of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the expression of EDA+ FN in granulation tissues of human diabetic foot wounds. Methods Forty patients with diabetic foot wounds fitting the inclusion criteria, admitted from Jan. 2014 to Jun. 2016, were randomly and equally apportioned to receive either NPWT or conventional gauze therapy (control) for 14 days. Granulated tissue biopsies were collected before (0 day) and after (14 day) treatment in both groups. All biopsies were subdivided into two parts. One part was preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde for immunocytochemical staining of EDA+ FN, and the other part was stored at –80℃for Western blotting and PCR analysis of EDA+ FN. Results The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the mean area density of EDA+ FN increased in both NPWT group and control group at day 14 relative to day 0, but the change value of mean area density was higher in NPWT group than in control group (P

Objective To explore the potential influence of gender on screening value of aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) for primary aldosteronism (PA). Methods The biochemical parameters were collected of 451 PA patients and 300 essential hypertension (EH) patients who were diagnosed in the General Hospital of PLA from 1992 to 2014. Each group was then divided into two groups by gender. The clinical characteristics were compared and then the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was conducted to evaluate the best cut-off value. Results The plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), serum sodium and ARR were much higher, but the plasma rennin activity (PRA), serum potassium and BMI were much lower in PA patients than in EH patients (P0.05). The best cut-off value of ARR in male PA patients was 19.11, the relevant area under the curve (AUC) was 0.968, the sensitivity and specificity was 92.44% and 93.08%, and the Youden index (YI) was 0.86. The best cut-off value of ARR in female PA patients was 27.26, with AUC 0.956, sensitivity 92.07%, specificity 90.00% and YI 0.82, respectively. If the cut-off value was set at 27.26 in males, the specificity would rise a little, but the sensitivity and YI would sharply decrease. Similarly, the sensitivity would increase a little but the specificity and YI would fall substantially if the cut-off value in females was set at 19.11. The best cut-off value of ARR in men was smaller than the official value recommended by guidelines. Conclusion Gender is an important factor should be considered while ARR is used in PA screening, and the cut-off value of ARR in screening female PA patients should be setting higher. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2017.01.10

Objective To analyze the pathology of the patients with nonfunctional adrenal tumor (NFA), and explore the optimal diameter cut-off value. Methods The clinical data of 243 patients with NFA, evaluated in the Department of Endocrinology and operated in the Department of Urology of General Hospital of Chinese PLA from Feb. 1996 to Jan. 2016, were collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to pathology: those in real demand of surgery were classified to the surgery-need group (n=57), while the others were categorized as the surgery-unwanted group (n=186). The general situation, pathological type and tumor diameter of the two groups and the factors affecting the surgery were analyzed, and the ROC curve was used to explore the optimal surgery cut-off value, which represents the maximum value of the sum of sensitivity and specificity. Results Of the 57 patients in surgery-need group (27 males and 30 females), the lesions were on the right in 31 cases, on the left in 25 cases, and on bilateral sides in 1 case; the median of lesion diameter was 4.5cm, and the average age was 41.5±12.1 years old. Of the 186 patients in surgery-unwanted group (87 males and 99 females), the lesions were on the right in 99 cases, on the left in 86 cases, and on bilateral sides in 1 case; the median of lesion diameter was 3.0cm, and the average age was 50.6±10.9 years old. Logistic regression revealed that lesion diameter might be a risk factor (OR=1.340, 95%CI 1.266-1.418, P=0.000) and age be a protective factor (OR=0.942, 95%CI 0.929-0.955, P=0.000) for real demand of surgery. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of lesion diameter was 0.757(95%CI 0.681-0.833). The optimal cut-off value was 4.1cm (sensitivity 60.7% and specificity 83.0%). Conclusions Younger patients with bigger lesion diameter may have greater possibility for surgery. The optimal surgery cut-off value of the lesion diameter is 4.1cm. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2016.11.11

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) increases the risk of lower extremity amputation. It is also an independent predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events, affecting both the quality and expectancy of life. Many studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of PAD in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is higher than in non-diabetic patients. In diabetic patients, PAD occurs early with rapid progression, and is frequently asymptomatic. Multiple metabolic aberrations in DM, such as advanced glycation end-products, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and abnormal oxidative stress, have been shown to worsen PAD. However, the role of DM in PAD is not completely understood. The purpose of the present article is to review and discuss the pathophysiology of PAD in DM.

Objective To deepen the understanding of 45,X/46,XY mixed gonadal dysgenesis (45,X/46,XY MGD) by summarizing the respective clinical features of patients gathered from China, Brazil, Norway and Denmark suffering from the disease. Methods Comparative analysis was done with the clinical data of 7 patients suffering from 45,X/46,XY MGD diagnosed in the PLA General Hospital of China, and that of other domestic and foreign (Brazil, Norway and Denmark) cases summarized by Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Results Most of the patients of 45,X/46,XY MGD presented the Turner's syndrome-like clinical manifestations such as short stature, multiple naevi on face and lower hair line, etc. Cardiovascular and renal malformation could be found in some patients with 45,X/46,XY MGD. Regarding to the external genitalia, 42.9% (n=27) of the patients were considered to be ambiguous, with a variety of gonadal expression. Laboratory tests demonstrated elevation of follicle-stimulating and/or luteinizing hormone levels with decreased sex hormone levels in most of the patients with 45,X/46,XY MGD. Recombinant human growth hormone (RhGH), testosterone, artificial menstrual cycle and prophylactic gonadectomy were used as primary treatment. There were differences between the domestic and foreign patients in the reason to visit the hospital, and in the age for diagnosis. Chinese patients were always hospitalized for growth retardation, while the foreign patients might go to a doctor for consultation due to various reasons, such as abnormal genitalia, infertility, and fetal chromosomal abnormalities, and many of them might also be diagnosed as 45,X/46,XY MGD in prenatal period or at birth. That was why the average diagnostic age was 4.7 years younger in foreign patients than in Chinese patients. Conclusions No significant difference was found in the clinical characteristics of patients with 45,X/46,XY MGD among different countries and races. But the diagnostic age in Chinese patients is older, and the main reason to consult a doctor is growth retardation. DOI: 10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2016.01.14

Background: Chronic diabetic foot wounds are a leading cause of amputation, morbidity, and hospitalization for patients with diabetes. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) can putatively facilitate wound healing, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Cellular fibronectin (cFN) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) play an important role in wound healing. This prospective randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of NPWT on the production of cFN and the expression of TGF-β1 in diabetic foot wounds of patients. Methods: From January 2012 to January 2015, 40 patients with diabetic foot wounds were randomly and equally apportioned to receive either NPWT or advanced moist wound therapy (control) for 7 days. Granulation tissue was harvested before and after treatment. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to evaluate protein levels of cFN and TGF-β1, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to measure corresponding mRNA expressions. Results: NPWT facilitated the expression of cFN and TGF-β1 in diabetic foot wounds. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher levels of cFN and TGF-β1 in the NPWT group than in the control group. Western blot and real-time PCR analysis further showed that protein and mRNA levels of cFN or TGF-β1 were higher in the NPWT group than that in the control group ( P < .01, both). Conclusion: Our results showed that NPWT facilitated the production of cFN and the expression of TGF-β1 in granulation tissue in diabetic foot ulcers. Level of Evidence: Level I, randomized controlled study.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of pituitary stalk interruption syndrome(PSIS). Methods The clinical data including clinical manifestations,laboratory tests,and imaging findings of 114 PSIS patients in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of these 114 PSIS patients,102 cases (89.4%) were male. The average age was 21.1?6.1 years. A history of breech delivery was documented in 91 cases (91.9%). Short stature was found in 89 cases (71.8%) and bone age delayed (6.1?5.1) years. Secondary sex characteristics were poor or undeveloped in most patients. The prevalence of deficiencies in growth hormone,gonadotropins,corticotropin,and thyrotropin were 100.0%,94.0%,84.2%,and 74.6%,respectively. Hyperprolactinemia was found in 28.1% of patients. Three or more pituitary hormone abnormalities were found in 105 cases(92.1%). Compared with the 5 cases with history of cephalic delivery,no difference were found in the aspects of height(t=0.297,P=0.634),penile length(t=1.205,P=0.882),testicular volume (U=99.000,P=0.348),growth hormone peak (U=89.000,P=0.186),adrenocorticotropic hormone peak(U=131.000,P=0.967),luteinizing hormone peak(U=98.500,P=0.582),thyroid-stimulating hormone (U=82.000,P=0.162),and the height of anterior pituitary (t=1.676,P=0.107) in the 53 cases with history of breech delivery. Conclusions The clinical manifestations,symptoms,hormone deficiencies were severe in our series. The condition severities were not remarkably different in patients with different delivery ways.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and mutation of RET proto-oncogene in a pedigree with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A). Methods The clinical data of a proband and other 10 family members were collected, the genomic DNA of their peripheral blood were extracted, the overall exons of RET proto-oncogene were amplified by PCR , and the PCR products were then purified and direct DNA sequence analysis was performed. Results Different clinical features were found in three of the family members. Three missense mutations, C634R and G691S in exon 11 and R982C in exon 18, were detected in RET proto-oncogene. The three of family members had shown MEN2A related signs, and no such mutations were detected in the other family members. Conclusions Genetic screening set the diagnosis of MEN2A at the gene level, and help analyze the family members at risk. Patients in this case may show typical clinical manifestations of MEN2A, which indicates that C634R mutation combined with G691S and R982C polymorphisms lead to the increase of downstream signal activation of the RET protein as the single C634R mutation along does.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) increases the risk of lower extremity amputation. It is also an independent predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events, affecting both the quality and expectancy of life. Many studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of PAD in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is higher than in non-diabetic patients. In diabetic patients, PAD occurs early with rapid progression, and is frequently asymptomatic. Multiple metabolic aberrations in DM, such as advanced glycation end-products, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and abnormal oxidative stress, have been shown to worsen PAD. However, the role of DM in PAD is not completely understood. The purpose of the present article is to review and discuss the pathophysiology of PAD in DM.

To analyze the correlation between pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) and prokineticin receptor 2 (PROKR2) and prokineticin 2 (RROK2) mutations.PROKR2 and RROK2 genotypes were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis with exon-flanking primers and by automated sequencing techniques with peripheral blood DNA samples from 59 patients with PSIS.Of these 59 PSIS patients, 6 showed intragenic deletions at the PROKR2 locus. Of them, 5 patients exhibited intragenic subsititution of exon 2 (c.991GA), and the remaining one patient exhibited intragenic subsititution of exon 2 (c.1057CT). No PROK2 mutation was found in these PSIS patients.PROKR2 may be the susceptibility gene of PSIS.

Patients with malignant insulinoma always present with symptoms of severe hypoglycemia and have poor life expectancy. In addition, inoperable metastatic malignant insulinomas are very difficult to manage. The aim of this report is to present our successful experiences in diagnosis and treatment of this disease in 6 patients.Six patients (male 2, female 4) with malignant insulinomas were admitted into our hospital. Their clinical histories, including clinical presentations, endocrine evaluations, radiological images, pathological examination and treatments, were reviewed.The diagnosis of malignant insulinoma combined with liver metastases was confirmed in all patients by endocrine evaluation and radiological images. Patients 1-3 underwent surgical management. The primary and metastasized tumors were completely resected. After successful surgery, no hypoglycemia recurred. Patients 4-6 did not undergo surgery because of systemic disease and poor health. Instead, they were administrated with diazoxide 50 mg Three Times a Day (TID), with final doses up to 200-300 mg TID. These 3 patients had good responses to diazoxide administration. After treatment, the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia were improved significantly. All 6 patients had better life quality than previously expected.Combination of surgical and medical approaches can improve life quality and prolong survival of patients with malignant insulinomas.

We describe an elderly male patient who presented with fever of unknown origin and refractory hyponatraemia. Following (18) fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan and core adrenal biopsy, the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma with pituitary and bilateral adrenal involvement was confirmed. After chemotherapy, his symptoms resolved, and all the lesions shrank significantly.

Objective To observe the regularity of the changes in neuroendocrine-immune system caused by fatigue due to military operations, and explore the mechanism by which fatigue occurs in military operations. Methods The subjects were 240 soldiers belonging to a field artillery force. The medical history and physical examination were taken before military operations, and fatigue assessment scale was accomplished as well. The following variables were measured in all the subjects: pituitary-adrenal [adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortical hormone (B), 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC)], pituitary-gonadal [luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2)], pituitary-thyroid functions [serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), tetraiodothyronine (TT4), triiodothyronine (TT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3)], and cellular immune parameters (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+, B, NK). After 7 d of large-scale and high-intensity field exercises, the above variables were again measured in all the subjects. Results After high-intensity military operations, the unpleasant feelings were significantly increased, and the compulsive and psychotic scores significantly decreased in the soldiers. In addition, the pituitary-adrenal and pituitary-gonadal hormone levels also decreased (all PPPConclusion The depressed psychological tolerance in soldiers is the psychological factor of fatigue after a high-intensity military operation. The hypocorticoidism and inhibition of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis are the pathophysiological basis of military operation fatigue. Suppression of immune function is an important reason for an increase of susceptibility to disease after high-intensity military operations.

To observe the direct regulation of miR-127 on Bcl-6 and the effect of Bcl-6 in rescuing miR-127-induced cell cycle and cell growth inhibition.The 3'UTR and coding region of human bcl-6 gene were amplified by PCR and cloned into pcDNA3.0-Luc and pcDNA3.0-Flag vectors, respectively. Mutations were introduced into the seed sequences of the predicted miR-127 target sites within the Bcl-6 3'UTR using recombinant PCR. Luciferase assay was used to verify the direct targeted regulation of miR-127 on Bcl-6. In HepG2 cell models with overexpression or knockdown of miR-12, the changes of cell cycle and cell growth were investigated after transfection with the constructed vectors.The recombinant plasmids were successfully obtained as confirmed by double digestion and sequence identification. Luciferase assay showed that in 293T and HepG2 cells, miR-127 inhibited the activation of wild-type Bcl-6 3'UTR reporter vector but not mutated Bcl-6 3'UTR vector. Overexpression of miR-127 induced cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase and suppressed the growth of HepG2 cells, and these effects were reversed by Bcl-6 overexpression.We successfully cloned wild-type and mutated 3'UTR reporter vectors and expression vector of bcl-6 gene and confirmed their biological functions.

Lipodystrophies is a really rare group of diseases characterized by altered body fat amount and/or repartition and serious insulin resistance.We reported a lean Chinese girl with acquired generalized lipodystrophy, who had a long history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) despite with extremely high dose insulin (6 u/kg/d) therapy, combined with severe hypertriglyceridemia and acanthosis nigricans. The differential diagnosis of Lipodystrophies should be considered in lean patients presenting with early onset DM, combined with serious insulin resistance.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of serum thyrotrophic receptor antibody(TRAb) in the diagnosis of Graves’ disease(GD).Methods Serum level of TRAb was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) in 298 untreated patients with GD,212 cases with hypothyroidism,47 cases with subacute thyroiditis,161 cases with thyroid nodule and 73 health controls.ROC curve with SPSS 13.0 was drawn according to the data from patients with GD and subacute thyroiditis.Results The mean value of serum TRAb was significantly higher in Graves’ patients than in patients with other thyroid diseases.The positive rates of TRAb was highest in GD patients(93.3%),followed by the patients with subacute thyroiditis and hypothyroidism(14.9% and 11.3%),and the lowest in the patients with thyoid nodule(1.2%).Serum levels of TRAb in untreated GD showed various titers,and TRAb>30U/L was more commonly found(38.3%).ROC analysis showed that diagnostic code on TRAb for subacute thyroiditis and GD patients was 1.495U/L(93.5% sensitivity and 85.1% specificity),and the doubtable value interval of 1.11U/L to 13.65U/L was determined.Finally,there was a positive correlation between the serum titer of TRAb and TPOAb(P < 0.01).Conclusion TRAb measured by ELISA is a stimulating antibody,and may be used in the differential diagnosis of GD and subacute thyroiditis.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion(SIADH).Methods The clinical and biochemical data of sixty cases of SIADH diagnosed in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan.1990 to Oct.2010 were analyzed retrospectively.They were classified into malignant tumor(group A),pulmonary infection(group B),and central nervous system diseases(group C) according to different etiology,and their data were compared.Results The number of patients with diagnosis of SIADH was increasing significantly in recent 5 years,and it was higher than the total number diagnosed in the past 15 years before 1990.The SIADH patients were often admitted to various clinical department to which the patient first visited.The mean age of 60 SIADH patients(41 males and 19 females) was 58.9±15.4 years.Etiology of SIADH was diversified,and it was predominantly malignant tumor,pulmonary infection and central nervous system diseases.The clinical manifestations were mainly that of the digestive system and nervous system.The incidence of mental disorders was higher in patients with serious hyponatremia(57.6%) than in those with mild hyponatremia(11.1%,P < 0.05).Age,serum urea and serum creatinine were higher,while the urine osmolality was lower in patients suffering from lung infection than in those with malignant tumor and central nervous system disease.Other clinical symptoms and laboratory findings were not statistically different among the 3 groups.Conclusion The SIADH is prone to misdiagnosis because of different primary etiology and diverse clinical presentation,so it is important to screen SIADH in elderly patients and those with hyponatremia.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blockers (ARBs) have been shown to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is the central regulator of insulin and glucose metabolism, which improves insulin sensitivity. Whether candesartan cilexetil, as a prodrug of the AT1R blocker candesartan, has PPARγ-activating properties remains to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of oral administration of candesartan cilexetil on glucose tolerance and the actions of PPARγ on liver and adipose tissue in the insulin-resistant obese rat induced by high-fat diet. Animals treated with candesartan cilexetil showed an improved glucose tolerance after oral glucose challenge. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was evaluated using the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique. During high-fat feeding in high-fat diet (HF) rats, the glucose infusion rate (GIR) was 52.3% lower than that in normal chow (NC) rats. However, the GIR was significantly enhanced following candesartan cilexetil treatment. Angiotensin II receptor antagonism also resulted in significant increases in PPARγ protein expression in adipose and liver tissue. These results indicate that PPARγ activation by candesartan cilexetil may provide novel therapeutic options in the treatment of patients with metabolic syndrome.

Endosulfine (EDSF) belongs to a highly conserved cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (ARPP) family and was first isolated from ovine brain as a possible endogenous ligand for sulfonylurea receptors. To explore its involvement in brain functions, we investigated regional distribution of α-EDSF gene expression in the rat brain, and its regulation under physiological and pathological conditions. The majority of α-EDSF gene was expressed in the pyramidal neurons, which represent the principal excitatory neurons in various brain regions. Down-regulation of α-EDSF mRNA was detected in the rat hippocampus during long-term memory consolidation following a spatial learning experience, whereas swimming-related stress caused persistent up-regulation of α-EDSF gene expression in several brain regions. These changes, however, were absent from brains of diabetic rats that were subjected to the same behavioral treatments. Intracerebroventricular injection of streptozocin with a toxic dose induced severe learning deficits and brain structure alteration accompanied by a massive increase of α-EDSF mRNA in the somatosensory cortex. These results suggest that α-EDSF gene expression is differentially regulated by distinct brain processes involving excitatory neuronal activities.

To explore the imaging features of congenital adrenal cortex hyperplasia (CAH).A total of 45 patients clinically confirmed as CAH were retrospectively analyzed to investigate the imaging features and strengthening way of the multi-detector-row Computed tomography.The imaging features of all the cases presented as following: 25 with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, 6 with unilateral adrenal hyperplasia, 6 with adrenal nodular hyperplasia, 2 with adrenal hyperplasia and unilateral solid cystic lesion, 2 with adrenal hyperplasia and double side real cystic lesion, 1 with adrenal hyperplasia and unilateral cystic changes and 3 with normal adrenal. The unilateral or bilateral hyperplasia adrenal could be homogeneously enhanced, while the enhanced performance of other cases was inequitable.The adrenal imaging features of CAH by multi-detector-row CT are variable, with the bilateral adrenal hyperplasia as the main form, which could be restored to normal morphology after hormone replacement therapy.No regression of the tumor size is observed in cases with adrenal mass. CT scanning combined with clinical manifestation and biochemical examination could facilitate the diagnosis of CAH.

To investigate the effects of vitamin-mineral supplement on young males with physical overtraining.Two hundred and forty male Chinese field artillery personnel who undertook large scale and endurance military training and were on ordinary Chinese diet were randomized to receive a multivitamin/multimineral supplement or a placebo for 1 week. After a 1-week wash-out period, a cross-over with 1 week course of a placebo or multivitamin/multimineral supplement was conducted. Blood and urine samples were analyzed for adrenal, gonadal and thyroid hormones. In addition, cellular immune parameters (CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+, CD4/CD8, CD3-CD56+, CD3-CD19+) were examined and psychological tests were performed before and after the training program and nutrition intervention.After a large scale and endurance military training, the participants showed significantly increased thyroid function, decreased adrenal cortex, testosterone and immunological function, and significantly increased somatization, anger and tension. Compared to placebo, multivitamin/ multimineral intervention showed significant effects on functional recovery of the pituitary - adrenal axis, pituitary-gonadal axis, pituitary- thyroid axis and immune system as well as psychological parameters.High-intensity military operations have significant impacts on the psychology, physical ability and neuroendocrine-immune system in young males. Appropriate supplementation of multivitamin/multimineral can facilitate the recovery of the psychology, physical ability and neuroendocrine-immune system in young males who take ordinary Chinese diet.

Over one million soldiers were treated for battle- or training-fatigue during World War II. Of all ground combat troops, 37% were discharged for psychiatric reasons due to fatigue. The neuroendocrinological and immunological systems played important roles in the work-related fatigue of military personnel. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of fatigue associated with military operations, and we observed changes in the regulatory functions of the neuroendocrinological and immunological systems that may provide theoretical support for improving the combat effectiveness of armies.A total of 240 soldiers from the Field Artillery regiment were selected as subjects. Researchers and subjects received training before participating in the study. Data of the subjects' medical histories, physical examinations, scores on a fatigue assessment scale, and assessments of pituitary-adrenal hormones (adrenal cortical hormone (ACTH), cortical hormone (F), and 24-hour urine-free cortisol (UFC)), pituitary-gonadal hormones (luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, estradiol (E2), and prolactin (PRL)), pituitary-thyroid hormones (thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (TT4), triiodothyronine (TT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3)), and cellular immune parameters (CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), B, and NK cells) were investigated before and after large-scale and high-intensity field exercises. Data were statistically analyzed with Student's t test using SPSS software (version 13.0), and P values0.05 were deemed to be significant.After the high-intensity military training, the scores on the fatigue scale reflected significant increases of feeling of unpleasantness among soldiers. Additionally, the symptom checklist showed notable increases in somatization scores and significant decreases in psychoticism scores. After intensive military work, levels of plasma ACTH, F, and UFC of soldiers were decreased (P0.01). The level of testosterone decreased significantly after the maneuver ((23.51 ± 6.49) versus (18.89 ± 5.89) nmol/L; P0.001), whereas the thyroid function (TT3, FT4, and FT3) was markedly increased after the maneuver (P0.01). The number of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+) cells, and B lymphocytes were decreased (P0.05), and NK cells were increased (P0.001) after the maneuver.Following high-intensity military operations, the psychological tolerance of soldiers was depressed. And the hypoadrenocorticism (the functional decreases of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and abnormal pituitary-thyroid axis) contributed to the increased levels of fatigue. Hypoimmunity may increase the susceptibility to diseases after high-intensity military operations.

Subclinical apoplexy of pituitary functional adenoma can cause spontaneous remission of hormone hypersecretion. The typical presence of pituitary growth hormone (GH) adenoma is gigantism and/or acromegaly. We investigated the clinical characteristics of patients with spontaneous partial remission of acromegaly or gigantism due to subclinical apoplexy of GH adenoma.Six patients with spontaneous remission of acromegaly or gigantism were enrolled. The clinical characteristics, endocrinological evaluation and imageological characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.In these cases, the initial clinical presences were diabetes mellitus or hypogonadism. No abrupt headache, vomiting, visual function impairment, or conscious disturbance had ever been complained of. The base levels of GH and insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were normal or higher, but nadir GH levels were all still1 µg/L in 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Magnetic resonance imaging detected enlarged sella, partial empty sella and compressed pituitary. The transsphenoidal surgery was performed in 2 cases, and the other patients were conservatively managed. All the patients were in clinical remission.When the clinical presences, endocrine evaluation, biochemical examination and imageology indicate spontaneous remission of GH hypersecretion in patients with gigantism or acromegaly, the diagnosis of subclinical apoplexy of pituitary GH adenoma should be presumed. To these patients, conservative therapy may be appropriate.

The accurate and comprehensive assessment of glycemic control in patients with diabetes is important for optimizing glycemic management and for formulating personalized diabetic treatment schemes. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) and glycemic excursions in type 2 diabetic patients.Seventy-one outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly recruited from Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. Using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), these patients' blood glucose levels were monitored for three consecutive days to obtain mean blood glucose (MBG) data. Intraday glycemic excursions were evaluated using the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), the largest amplitude of glycemic excursions (LAGE), standard deviation of blood glucose (SDBG) and the M-value. Interday glycemic excursion was assessed by absolute mean of daily difference (MODD). Postprandial glycemic fluctuations were evaluated using postprandial glucose excursions (PPGE) and postprandial incremental area under the curve (iAUC). Fasting venous blood samples were collected to measure serum 1,5-AG, whole-blood hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum glycated albumin (GA). Clinical markers of glycemia and parameters of glycemic excursions from CGMS were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate stepwise regression.Pearson correlation analysis revealed that 1,5-AG was significantly correlated with MAGE, SDBG, M-value, LAGE, PPGE and iAUC (r values were -0.509, -0.430, -0.530, -0.462, -0.416 and -0.435, respectively, P0.01), especially in moderately and well-controlled patients, based on defined HbA1c levels. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between 1,5-AG and the above parameters, but not HbA1c and GA. Finally, HbA1c and GA were positively correlated with MBG and fasting blood glucose (FBG).1,5-AG was much better than HbA1c and GA as a marker of glycemic excursions in type 2 diabetic patients. Based on these results 1,5-AG is the best metric for assessing postprandial glucose levels in moderately and well-controlled patients, while HbA1c and GA were superior to 1,5-AG for monitoring MBG and FBG.

Tumors originating from ectopic adrenal tissue are relatively rare. In this article, we describe a case with Cushing's syndrome caused by an ectopic adrenal adenoma. A 38 year-old male patient presenting with cushingoid appearance for 2 years was diagnosed to have ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome based on endocrinological evaluation. Mutiple radiological examinations detected bilateral adrenal atrophy. When the images were investigated in a more expanded scope, a 3.0×3.5×5.3 cm mass was detected in the anterior of left renal hilum and left renal vein. The mass was successfully resected with intraoperative endoscopy and pathological evaluation revealed an ectopic adrenal tumor. It is suggested that when the endocrinlogically confirmed adrenal neoplasm could not be well and definitely localized, the possibility of ectopic adrenal should be presumed and further radiography examinations should extend to the field where ectopic adrenal usually presents.

To investigate whether progesterone receptor B (PRB) can be sumoylated by SUMO-2/3 and the effect of sumoylation on PRB transcriptional activity.SUMO-2/3 cDNA was amplified from MCF-7 cDNA and cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3-FLAG. The plasmid pXJ40-myc-PRB was cotransfected with pcDNA3FLAG-SUMO2, pcDNA3FLAG-SUMO3 or the mock control into 293T cells, and PRB sumoylation was detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. The effect of PRB sumoylation on its transcriptional activity was determined using reporter luciferase assay.pcDNA3FLAG-SUMO2 and pcDNA3FLAG-SUMO3 vectors were successfully constructed. SUMO-2/3 could bind covalently to PRB and increase its transcriptional dependent on the presence of progesterone.PRB can be sumoylated by SUMO-2/3 and its function is regulated by this modification.

To explore the effect of LRP (leukemia related protein) 16 on insulin resistance in C2-C12 cells and explore its molecular mechanism.Lipidosome transfection and lentivirus mediated siRNA (small interfering RNA) technology were used to establish LRP 16 overexpression and underexpression cell lines and their corresponding control cell lines. And 2-deoxy-[(3)H]-glucose was used to measure the effect of LRP 16 on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. The effects of LRP16 on the phosphorylation of IRS (insulin receptor substrate)-1, Akt and the expressions of PI3K (p85), PPAR (peroxisome proliferator actived receptor) γ and GLUT-4 were detected by Western blot. Luciferase was used to study the effect of LRP16 on the transcriptional activity of PPARγ.Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake decreased to 46% of the control when LRP16 was over-expressed [(4700 ± 97) vs. (10200 ± 347), P0.01]. And the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was 1.73 fold of control when the expression of LRP16 was suppressed in C2-C12 cells [(17600 ± 466) vs (10200 ± 91), P0.05]. The overexpression of LRP16 attenuated the insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1, the phosphorylation of Akt and the expressions of PI3K (p85), PPARγ and GLUT-4. But it promoted the insulin-induced phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Ser307 in C2-C12 cells. LRP16 decreased the transcriptional activity of PPARγ in a dose-dependent manner. The transcriptional activity of PPARγ decreased to 43% and 27% of the control when the doses of pcDNA3.1-16 were 0.4 µg and 0.5 µg [(76 ± 11) vs (33 ± 9), P0.01] and 27% [(21 ± 9) vs (76 ± 11), P0.01].LRP16 gene causes insulin resistance in C2-C12 cells by inhibiting the IRS-1 signaling and the transcriptional activity of PPARγ.

To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic (US) features for the pre-operative differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules by using pathological diagnosis as the reference standard.A total of 1501 patients with 2123 thyroid nodules (1864 malignant, 259 benign) diagnosed intra-operatively and undergoing pre-operative ultrasonography at our hospital were recruited. The following characteristics of US images were evaluated: nodule size, shape, margin, echotexture, echogenicity, presence and type of calcification, blood flow inside or around nodules and the presence of ipsilateral cervical lymphadenectasis.(1) The risk of malignancy was higher in a solitary nodule than in a non-solitary nodule [16.7% (109/653) vs 10.2% (150/1470), P=0.000]. The mean diameter of benign nodules was larger than that of malignant nodules [(2.4±1.4) vs (2.1±1.9) cm, P=0.009]. (2) Microcalcification, irregular shape, ill-defined border, solid and hypoechogenicity were more common in malignant nodules. Irregular shape had the highest sensitivity and positive predictive value while microcalcification had the highest diagnostic accuracy. (3) Nodules with a rich blood flow inside tended to have a higher risk of malignancy. The distribution pattern of blood flow around the nodules was not associated with the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Nodules with the presence of ipsilateral cervical lymphadenectasis had a higher risk of malignancy than those without lymphadenectasis [28.3% (80/283) vs 9.6% (92/963), P0.01]. (4) If microcalcification, irregular shape, ill-defined border, solid, hypoechogenicity and the presence of ipsilateral cervical lymphadenectasis were treated as the characteristics of malignancy, a higher frequency of these characteristics was correlated with a higher risk of malignancy.Despite a lack of specific US imaging characteristics in malignant thyroid nodules, microcalcification and irregular shape appear closely correlated with malignancy. A combined use of conventional US characteristics may improve the accuracy of differential diagnosis.

To study the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum level of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in patients with intracranial germinoma and to evaluate its diagnostic and therapeutic value.Thirty-one patients with intracranial germinoma receiving estimation of HCG in CSF and serum in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed in terms of HCG level, its influencing factors and the relationship of HCG with clinical features.HCG levels in CSF of the 31 cases ranged from 0.17 IU/L to 5316.98 IU/L with a median value of 3.44 IU/L. The sensitivity of diagnosis increased from 80.6% to 90.3%, when the cut point of HCG in CSF changed from 0.60 IU/L to 0.50 IU/L. The sensitivity increased from 83.9% to 93.5% when the cut point of the ratio of CSF/serum HCG decreased from 1.8 to 1.7. HCG level of germinoma located in pineal region was higher than that in basal ganglia region, while it is lowest in sellar region. The ratio of CSF/serum HCG in different parts showed no difference. Multiple risk factors analysis revealed that serum HCG (r = 0.886, P = 0.0001) and tumor size (r = 0.748, P = 0.0211) were positively correlated with the HCG level in CSF, while course of the disease, age and gender were not correlated. After radiation therapy, HCG in CSF and serum decreased dramatically as compared with those before radiation.The HCG level and its dynamic change were sensitive marker of intracranial germinomas. Based on our analysis, HCG in CSF over 0.50 IU/L and the its ratio in CSF/serum over 1.7 were highly indicative of the possibility of intracranial germinomas.

A rare case with ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone syndrome (EAS) caused by medullar thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in mediastinum was reported. This 49 year-old male patient initially presented with serious and intractable hypokalemia. Endocrine evaluations showed increased levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and urinary free cortisol, which could not be suppressed more than 50% by high-dose dexamethasone suppression test. Computed tomography (CT) scan detected a 5×5×5 cm mass at the bottom of thyroid in anterior mediastinum. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment and ipsilateral modified radical neck dissection. Pathological examination showed an infiltrating thyroid medullary carcinoma with abundant amyloid deposition, meanwhile immunohistochemical positive for ACTH. After surgery, serum levels of kalium, as well as cortisol and ACTH returned to normal range. During follow-up, the patient's clinical manifestation of Cushing syndrome relieved.

To observe the effects of candesartan on the expressions of JAK2 and protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B) in adipose tissue of obese rats induced by high-fat diet.A total of 45 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups of normal control (NC group), high fat diet (HF group) and high-fat diet with daily Candesartan treatment (FC group). The rats of FC group were treated with orally taken Candesartan at a dose of 8 mg/kg body weight per day. Blood chemistry and insulin were assayed at Week 16. Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique was performed to evaluate the peripheral insulin resistance. The expressions of JAK2 and PTP-1B in adipose tissue were confirmed by both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot.(1) The body weight and peri-renal fat weight of HF group were significantly higher than those of FC and NC groups (all P0.05). (2) total cholesterol (TC) and fasting insulin (FINS) of FC group were lower than those of HF group [TC, FC group: (1.37 ± 0.39) mmol/L vs HF group: (2.01 ± 0.26) mmol/L, P0.05; FINS, FC group: (3.03 ± 1.37) mU/L vs HF group: (4.76 ± 2.75) mU/L, P0.05] while insulin sensitive index (ISI) and angiotensin II (AngII) of FC group were much higher than those of HF group [ISI, FC group: (58 ± 12) × 10(-3) vs HF group: (29 ± 9) × 10(-3), P0.05; AngII, FC group: (61 ± 11) mmol/L vs HF group: (52 ± 10) mmol/L, P0.05]. (3) The steady-state glucose infusion rate (SSGIR) of FC group was significantly higher than that of HF group [FC group: (22 ± 5) mg×kg(-1)×min(-1) vs HF group:(14 ± 4) mg×kg(-1)min(-1), P0.05]. (4) Both the mRNA and protein expressions of JAK2 and PTP-1B in FC group were significantly lower than those in HF group respectively.There are insulin resistance and a high expression of JAK2 and PTP-1B in adipose tissue of obese rats induced by high-fat diet. And both are related with the elevated AngII level. Candesartan can reverse these effects.