With the increasing of human mean life span,the prevalence of primary osteoporosis is also raised.The knowledge about the prevention and the therapy of primary osteoporosis should be well grasped for our endocrinologists.

Objective　To investigate the status of apoptosis of osteoblast, osteoclast and the relative factors. Methods　Apoptotic cells were examined using in situ end labeling technique. Expressions of bcl-2, Fas and transforming growth factor(TGF)β1 were observed with immunohistochemical method. Results　Positive expression rate (40.5±5.2)% of apoptosis cells was significantly increased in the osteoblast, but the expression rate of apoptosis cells (8.4±1.2)% was significantly decreased in the osteoclast of the post-ovariectomy rats than in the sham-operated rats. The expression of Fas was decreased in osteoclast (20.0%) and increased in osteoblast (80.0%) of the post-ovariectomized rats. The expression of TGFβ1 was significantly decreased in the osteoclast (0) and the osteoblast (20.0%) of the post-ovariectomized rats. The above-mentioned targets in post-ovariectomized rats treated with nilestriol/levonorgestrel were close to those sham-operated rats (P＞0.05). Conclusions　 Bone loss in the post-ovariectomized rats is attributable to the lower level of estrogen so that the apoptosis cells were decreased in osteoclast but were increased in osteoblast. As a result, the process of bone absorption prevails over that of bone formation. Expression of TGFβ1 depends on stimulation of estrogen. TGFβ1 may stimulate apoptosis of osteoclast and restrain apoptosis of osteoblast. Fas can induce the apoptosis of osteoclast.

Determinations of urinary ionic calcium with selective calcium ionic electrode and urinary total calcium by means of standard addition method were performed on 15 patients with hypoparathyroidism. The urinary ionic calcium level was 18.45 ? 10.75 mg/24 hr, which was significantly below normal (P

Objective To investigate the changes of lithium metabolic balance in normal controls and in patients with type-two diabetes mellitus.Method Lithium was measured by atomic absorbent spectrometry.Results (2 91?0 54)?mol/d of lithium intake (2 37?0 51)?mol/d in urine and (0 28?0 05)?mol/d in stool,(0 27?0 24)?mol/d of lithium equilibrium value(LEV),(2 64?0 51)?mol/d of intestinal lithium absorption value(ILAV),(90 4?18)% of intestinal lithium absorption rate(ILAR) and (81 0?1 5)% of ratio of urine lithium excretion to lithium intake(ULE/LI)in normal controls;as well as (2 24?0 25)?mol/d of lithium in food,(2 15?0 36)?mol/d in urine,(0 35?0 05)?mol/d in stool,(-0 25?0 06)?mol/d of LEV,(1 89?0 33)?mol/d of ILAV,(84 3?2 1)% of ILAR and (95 6?3 2)% RU/I in diabetic patients respectively.Lithium in food and stool,LEV,ILAV and ILAR in diabetes were lower than those in controls (P

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA),scanning electron microscopy,and bone biomechanical test were used to assess comprehensively bone quantity and quality of ovariectomized rats. In OVX rats,not only bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar vertebrae in vivo and vitro,but also BMD of femora (except for R3 region) and proximal metaphysis(R1 region) in vitro decreased obviously (P<0.01)，whose bone loss rates of L5 and L6 were the highest and achieved 13%; the trabeculae of OVX rats were few，fine, and discontinued and there were lacunae on the surface;in OVX rats,both compressive strength of vertebral bodies and the mechanical properties of femora decreased;the falling degree of the former was greater;the maximal compressive power of lumbar vertebrae decreased with 33.32%. We conclude that after 4-month post-ovariectomy, the bone quantity and quality of six-month-old rats decreased, especially in the area of abundant cancellous bone such as vertebral bodies,distal femora; the assessment of the efficiency of new drugs to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis using rat models should include these drugs' effects to the bone mass, the bone structure, and the bone strength.

The diagnostic value of glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GAD 65-Ab) was more valuable than islet cell antibody (ICA) in type 1 diabetes mellitus by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves; likelihood ratios of different regions of GAD 65-Ab and ICA could reflect the probability of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective To prepare imperatorin sustained-release tablets and study their pharmacokinetics and bioavailability in rabbits.Methods Hydroxy-propyl methyl cellulose(HPMC) and carbomer were used to constitute the binary polymer matrix.Orthogonal design was used to optimize the formulation of imperatorin sustained-release tablets.The preliminary pharmacokinetic study in the rabbits was carried out by single-dose crossover design using imperatorin plain tablets as control.An appropriate GC-MS method was developed for measuring the concentration of imperatorin in the blood.Results Optimized formulation contained 1∶20 HPMC K100M and 2∶25 carbomer.Single dose test with 300mg showed that the relative bioavailability of imperatorin sustained-release tablets was(115.37?45.46)%;AUC of the studied tablets and control tablets was(391.08?47.22) and(368.25?136.15)?g/(h?L),tmax(2.26?0.25) and(0.33?0.05)h,Cmax(59.66?6.28) and(295.91?127.00)?g/L,T1/2ke(2.27?0.09) and(0.60?0.10)h,respectively.Conclusion The release behavior of the imperatorin sustained-release tablets prepared with binary polymer system shows evident sustained-release characteristics.

Zinc(Zn) and copper(Cu) balance tests were conducted in patients with diabetes mellitus. The results revealed that the negative balance of Zn and excessive positive balance of Cu were much improved after the management of diabetes mellitus. In addition, a close relationship was found between serum glucose concentration and the disorder of Zn and Cu balance, i.e. serum Zn level, apparent intestinal absorption rate and balance status of Zn were reversely related to serum glucose concentration, whereas urinary Zn, serum Cu level and apparent intestinal absorption of Cu were positively correlated to serum glucose concentration. Poly-factor analysis suggested that hyperzincuria and malabsorption of Zn were the main factors concerning negative Zn balance.

Objective To introduce a new major autoantigen and autoantibody in insulin-depenent diabetes mellitus.Meothds An English-lanuage literature was searched using MEDLINE (1992-1997.6). After independently reviewed by three observers, 19 of 30 originally indentified articles were selected that specifically indentified articles were selected that sepcifically addressed the stated purpose. Three observers independently asessed the biological properites and relationship with insulin-dependent diabetes meliitus of ICA512.Results ICA512 is a new member of the protein typrosine phosphatase family. Sixty-six percent of patients with insulin-dependent diagbetes mellitus have autoantibodies to ICA512. The positive prdictive value of ICA512 autoantibodies is 74.5%, in first-degree relatives of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The combination of antibodies may increase the sensitivity to 100%. First-degree relatives with all three autoantiodies to insulin, glutamate acid decarboxylase, ICA512 had a risk of diabetes within 5 years estimated to be 100%.Conclusions Autoantibodies to ICA512 alone or combinedly with other autoantibodies are of great importance in the prediction and diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.