Objective: To investigate the value of the trigeminocervical response (TCR) for revealing bulbar involvement in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Methods: Thirty patients with SBMA and 30 healthy male controls were included in this study. In all of the normal controls, stimulation of the infraorbital nerve on one side produced bilateral short latency waves consisting of a positive/negative wave, p19/n31, the mean latency of which was measured. The mean square root of the ratio between the amplitude of p19/n31 and the mean rectifi ed surface electromyography (EMG) activity preceding the stimulus, the A value, was estimated. The parameters of the TCR were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the patients with SBMA, 21 (70.0%) had delayed latencies of p19/n31 (P < 0.01) and all (100%) had reduced A values (P < 0.01) relative to the normal controls. Conclusions: All parameters of the TCR were signifi cantly different between the patients with SBMA and the normal controls. T

Objective To study the clinical characters,the mode of inheritance of osteogenesis Imperfecta in a Chinese Family and effect of bisphosphonate on Osteogenesis Imperfecta.Methods Clinical data of proband and their family members were collected.The family patterns were mapped.clinical features were summarized and analyzed.Results(1)Clinical features:There are sixty members of four generations in the family.20 cases including proband's mother and cousin were diagnosed as having OI type Ⅰ based on clinical manifestations.15 cases of blue sclera,16 cases of dentinogenesis imperfecta,5 cases of hearing loss and 3 cases of fracture.Thyroid cancer and Turner's syndrome was found in Proband's mother and cousin respectively.(2)The genetic map showed that the disease was autosomal dominant inheritance.(3)Treatment:The proband,her mother and her cousin were treated with alendronate for two years.Bone pain relieved and bone mineral density increased significantly,and no fracture occurred so far.Conclusion(1)This OI family was diagnosed as having OI type Ⅰ.The mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant inheritance.(2)Bisphosphonates may be an effective drug for treatment of OI.

Metabolic abnormalities were identified and carotid intima-media-thickness(IMT)was measured in 221 individuals at risk for metabolic syndrome(MS).The results indicated that IMT was significantly thicker in MS individuals than that in non-MS individuals(P＜0.01).And there was a tendency of progressive increase in IMT with increasing components of metabolic syndrome.

Objective To construct PPAR?and PPAR?response element (PPRE)-controlled luciferase expression vectors,and to determine whether the traditional Chinese medicine emodin activates PPAR?and improves the glucose uptake by HepG2 hepatocytes.Methods (1) PPAR?and PPRE luciferase expression vectors were constructed and were applied to screen more than 20 ingredients of the traditional Chinese medicine. (2) HepG2 cells were incubated with emodin which can activate PPAR?and PPRE luciferase activity,and the PPAR?mRNA expression level was evaluated by RT-PCR/Southern blot.(3) PPAR?and glucose transporter 2 (Glut2) proteins were determined by Western blot analysis in HepG2 cells treated with emodin.(4) The glucose uptake rate was measured using 2-deoxy-[~3H]-D-glucose in HepG2 cells after treatment with emodin.Results (1) Emodin stimulated luciferase activity controlled by PPRE in dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.04 to 180?mol/L in COS-7 cells.The highest value was about 4 folds of control in the cells treated with 90?mol/L emodin (P

Objective To analyse the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test(HDDST)-related differences in the clinical and biochemical features of the patients with Cushing's disease Methods Cases were drawn from 60 consecutive patients with Cushing's disease,who were then divided into two groups according to the response to the HDDST.The clinical and biochemical features between two groups were compared.Results(1) Of the 60 patients with Cushing's disease,23.3%(14/60)of patients(group A)did not yield results of suppression with the HDDST,and the others(group B)did.No difference was found in the age[(33.8?10.4 vs 36.2?11.2)years]and duration of illness[(2.1?1.6 vs 3.9?3.1)years]between two groups.(2)In clinical features,the patients in group A were more likely to have edema of lower limbs(64.3% vs 32.6%),hypokalemia (71.4% vs 28.3%),secondary diabetes(57.1% vs 26.1%)and purple striae(85.7% vs 54.3%,all P

OBJECTIVETo study the genes differentially expressed in the liver of Kkay diabetic and normal mice by genomic-scale gene expression analysis.

METHODScDNA microarray chips containing 8,192 cDNAs were used to explore the gene expression pattern of Kkay mouse liver.

RESULTSOne hundred and fifty-four genes were screened out, including 68 complete cDNAs and expressed sequence tags, and among them 40 genes were up-regulated and 114 genes were down-regulated respectively.

CONCLUSIONMost of the gene expression analysis results were consistent with previous study, and the gene expression pattern of Kkay mouse based on cDNA microarray could be used for high-throughout screening out the genes associated with type 2 diabetes.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Mutant Strains ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical manifestations, pathological characteristics, and treatments of urothelial-type mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate (UMAP).

METHODSWe reported a case of UMAP, reviewed relevant literature, and analyzed the clinicopaothological features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of the disease.

RESULTSThe patient was a 60-year-old male and underwent transurethral resection of the prostate for dysuria. Postoperative pathology indicated mucinous adenocarcinoma and sigmoidoscopy revealed no primary colon cancer. Immunohistochemical staining showed the negative expressions of PSA and P504s and positive expressions of CK7, CK34 β E12, CK20, and CDX2. Thus UMAP was confirmed and treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Then the patient was followed up for 30 months, which showed desirable therapeutic result, with neither local progression nor distant metastasis.

CONCLUSIONUMAP has a bad prognosis and its diagnosis depends on pathological and immunohistocchemical examinations. It responds well to radical prostatectomy but is not sensitive to endocrine therapy. Radiotherapy can be considered for those who are not fit to receive radical prostatectomy.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Racemases and Epimerases ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDSubclinical 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.

METHODSSix patients with spontaneous remission of acromegaly or gigantism were enrolled. The clinical characteristics, endocrinological evaluation and imageological characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSIn 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 still > 1 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.

CONCLUSIONSWhen 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.

Acromegaly ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gigantism ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; complications ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; complications ; Young Adult

The phenotypes of the bone marrow cells in various subtypes of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and its clinical implication were explored. The antigen expression of a panel of antigens expressed in marrow cells from 30 patients with subtypes of MDS was assayed by alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase method. The results showed that the expression of myeloid antigens appeared abnormality, CD13 and CD33, found on granulocyte and macrophage precursors, increased, and CD15 decreased. There were no significant changes for monocytic antigen CD14 and lymphoid antigens CD7 and CD10. CD34 was increased in RAEB/RAEB-t and was not increased in RA/RAS patients. CD71, expressed by erythroblast and proliferative cells, was higher in all subtypes of MDS than that in control group. It is suggested that the bone marrow cells from MDS patients showed abnormality of more than two series of immunophenotypes, detection of immunophenotype in MDS cells might be contributed to the diagnosis and predicting prognosis.
Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; analysis ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Antigens, CD7 ; analysis ; Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte ; analysis ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; analysis ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; CD13 Antigens ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Lewis X Antigen ; analysis ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors ; analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; immunology ; pathology ; Neprilysin ; analysis ; Receptors, Transferrin ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3