Objective To study the pharmacopoeia standards of Hedysari Radix;To optimize the quality standards of Hedysari Radix medicinal materials.Methods Quality standards of eight batches of Hedysari Radix medicinal materials were studied from the aspects of properties, TLC identification, HPLC determination, the content of water and total ash, alcohol soluble extract, etc. Results The property description was different from the previous literature. The effects of TLC identification using ethyl acetate-chloroform-water (4:9:1) system is better than the standards in 2010 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. With formononetin as reference, the HPLC characteristic spectrum of Hedysari Radix was established.Conclusion The TLC identification method is simple, accurate and reliable.

Objective To study the effects of health management on cardiovascular events in the elderly patients with hypertension. Methods A total of 182 elderly patients with hypertension were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 61 ), pharmacologic therapy group (n = 61 ) or health management group ( n = 60). Serum biomarkers, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity ( baPWV ), and blood pressure were tested at baseline and after intervention. Results There were no differences between the 2 groups in clinical characteristics at baseline. The average following-up period was (21 ± 7 ) months. The improvement of systolic blood pressure ( t = 3.915, P = 0. 000 ), pulse pressure ( t = 3. 966, P = 0. 000), and baPWV ( t = 3. 093, P = 0. 002) in the health management group was more significant than the control group;the systolic blood pressure ( t = 2. 008, P= 0. 046 ) was bitterly improved than the pharmacologic therapy group. The accumulative survival rate of the health management group (96. 7% ) was higher than the control group (83.6%; x2 =5. 921 ,P =0. 015) ,similar to the pharmacologic therapy group (93.3%; x2 =2. 821,P=0.091 ). Decreased systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure and baPWV were protective factors. After adjusted by age and gender,the improvement of systolic blood pressure was found to be an independent protective factors ( RR = 0. 75, P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusion Health management in elderly patients with hypertension could more significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective Plasma renin concentration (PRC) offers advantages in processing and standardization as compared with plasma renin activity (PRA). The aim of the study is to compare the sensitivity and specificity of plasma aldosterone concentration ( PAC)/PRA (ARR) and PAC/PRC (AARR) in screening primary aldosteronism ( PA ) in hypertensive patients and to observe the influence of different postures on PRC and AARR. Method ( 1 ) PAC and PRC in the supine position and after 1-hour and 2-hour upright posture were determined in 28 patients with PA and 51 patients with essential hypertension. The diagnostic efficacies during different postures were compared according to the ROC curve analysis. (2) 31 patients with PA, 242 patients with essential hypertension, and 145 normotensitive subjects were recruited in the study. The diagnostic efficacy of AARR in screening PA from hypertensive patients was evaluate. PAC, PRA, and PRC were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results ( 1 ) The AUC of AARR in the supine position, 1-hour and 2-hour upright posture were0.950 (95% CI0.906-0.994, P<0. 01), 0.979 (95% CI0.956-1.000, P<0.01) and 0.917 (95% CI 0. 856-0. 979, P<0. 01 ) respectively. AARR of 1 -hour upright yielded the highest screening efficiency. ( 2 ) The correlation coefficient index of Log-PRA and Log-PRC was 0. 705 ( P< 0. 01, n = 418 ), whereas the correlation coefficient index of Log-ARR and Log-AARR was 0.705 (P<0.01, n=418). The AUC of ARR and AARR were 0.998 (95% CI0. 981-1. 000, P<0.01 ) and 0.957 (95% CI0. 929-0.985, P<0.01 ) respectively according to the ROC curve. The optimal cutoff of AARR during upright 1 hour was 42.36 ng · dl-1/ng ·dl-1 ( sensitivity 87.10%, specificity 93.75% ). Conclusion The screening efficacy of AARR in screening PA in hypertensive patients was comparable with ARR. AARR measured after keeping upright 1 hour yielded the highest screening efficiency. The optimal cutoff of AARR was 42.36 ng · dl-1/ng ·dl-1.

BACKGROUND: Recent study showed that osteocalcin may elevate Insulin secretion and sensitivity, prevent the fat accumulation, play a role in the metablism of glucose and lipid. Undercarboxylated osteocalcin works as the main role. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different concentrations of glucose on osteoblast undercarboxylated osteocalcin. METHODS: The rib trabeculae were resected and broken, trypsinizated and washed completely by PBS. Bone surface and non-adhesive floating cells in cleaning fluid were observed with inverted microscope. Rib trabeculae was washed by DMEM culture medium once, and cultured in culture bottle. The culture liquid was replaced by new one once a week. The osteoblast was moved from the scledte a week later. The cells were fused monolayer and could be subcultured 4 to 6 weeks later. The active second or third generation cells were inoculated to 6-pore plate forming 5 groups. Osteoblast were stimulated by 5.6 mmol/L., 7.6 mmol/L, 9.6 mmol/L, 12.6 mmol/L, 20.6 mmol/L glucose medium respectively after the 80% cells were fused, the vitamin K_2 was added into the culture liquid until the concentration of it to be 10~(-5) mol/L. Supernatant was collected after half hour culturing, the undercarboxylated osteocalcin level were detected with RIA test kit, and corrected it as the total the undercarboxylated osteccalcin, calculated the carboxylated incomplete osteocalcin rate. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The rate of ostecblast carboxylated incomplete osteocalcin was different under different concentration glucose. The rate of 7.6 mmol/L, 9.6 mmol/L, 20.6 mmol/L concentration glucose groups were higher than that of 5.6 mmol/L glucose group [(0.27±0.02)%, (0.29±0.04)%, (0.12±0.02)%, P < 0.05]. It is indicated that osteoblast could sense the change of glucose concentration by regulating the secretion of the undercarboxylated osteocalcin between the concentration of 5.6mmol/L to 9.6mmol/L, while the carboxylated incomplete osteocalcin decreased as the concentration of glucose increased.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, angiotensin Ⅱ plays an important role in onset of diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, the nuclear factor-κB may have adjustive effects on angiotonin system of kidney tissue of diabetic rats. OBJECTIVE: To observe the relationship of activity of inhibitive nuclear factor-κB with angiotensin Ⅱ and its type 1 receptor mRNA expression of renal tissue of diabetic rats. DESIGN: Completely randomized group design, control experiment. MATERIALS: The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Animal Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences between March and April 2000. Fifty-one pure breed clean grade male Wistar rats were select ed. METHODS: ①Models were established in 39 rats. Streptozotocin dissolv ing in citric acid buffer (0.1 mmol/L,pH=4.5) were given to establish dia betic models with 60 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection. If the fasting blood glucose maintained above 13.9 mmol/L, the establishment of models was successful. The thirty-nine rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups: model group (n=17, without other interventional measure, feeding normally) and pyrrolidine dithiocar2. Bamate (PDTC) (active inhibitor of nuclear fac tor-κB) interventional group [n=22, PDTC at the dose of 20 mg/kg were given with intraperitoneal injection, twice a day]. Other 12 rats were as normal control group, did not make into diabetic models with normal breeding. ②After feeding for 18 weeks kidneys were got in every group. The activity of nuclear factor-κB was detected with electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The expression of type 1 receptor mRNA of angiotensin Ⅱ was measured with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Contents of angiotonin Ⅰ and angiotensin Ⅱ were tested with Radio Im munoassay (RIA). Activity of rennin was referred to that the result of the level of angiotonin Ⅰ at 37 ℃ water bath subduced to that at 4 ℃. ③Dif ference of measurement data was compared with single factor analysis of variance. After normal transformation, the non-normal distribution data were conducted with statistical disposal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of contents of angiotensin Ⅰ and Ⅱ, activities of rennin and nuclear factor-κB and expression of type 1 receptor mRNA of angiotensin Ⅱ in renal tissues of rats of each group. RESULTS: In the normal control group, model group and PDTC interven tional group 1, 6 and 13 rats were dropped out, respectively, so 11, 11 and 9 rats in each group were involved in the result analysis. ①Activity of nu clear factor-κB: It was higher significantly in the model group than that in the normal control group and PDTC interventional group (P ＜ 0.01 ). It was similar between the normal control group and the PDTC interventional group. ②Activity of rennin of renal tissue: It was similar among the 3 groups. ③Content of angiotonin Ⅰ of renal tissue: It was higher obviously in the model group that that in the normal control group and the PDTC interventional group (P ＜ 0.01 ). ④Content of angiotensin Ⅱ in renal tissue: It was similar between the model group and the normal control group. It was lower markedly in the PDTC interventional group than that in the model group and the normal control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). Expression of type 1 receptor mRNA of angiotensin Ⅱ: It was lower remarkably in the model group than that in the normal control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). It was lower dis tinctly in the PDTC interventional group than that in the model group and the normal control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). CONCLUSION: The increase of activity of nuclear factor-κB in renal tissue of diabetic rats can inhibit the activity of nuclear factor-κB, which will induce the reduction of the level of angiotensin Ⅱ and expression of type 1 receptor mRNA of angiotensin Ⅱ in renal tissue of diabetic rats.

Syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone(RTH)is a rare hereditary thyroid disease with various clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. RTH could be misdiagnosed and mistreated, resulting in aggravation of the disease. We reviewed the medical records of a patient with RTH over the past six years. In addition, we provided a summary of latest progress for RTH to help the clinicians to improve the understanding of the disease.

Primary hypomagnesemia with secondary hypocalcemia(HSH) is a rare cause of hypoparathyroidism. This article presents a case of a 26-year-old male with recurrent generalized weakness and tetany, and a literature review of diagnosis and treatment of primary HSH. The biochemical tests revealed the patient had severe hypomagnesemia, mild hypocalcemia, hypokalemia, and hypoparathyroidism. Transient receptor potential melastatin-6(TRPM6) gene mutation were detected by gene test, which confirmed the diagnosis of primary HSH. The patient had been treated with long term oral magnesium supplementation, who remained asymptomatic during the follow-up. Primary HSH is a rare autosomal-recessive disorder caused by mutations in the TRPM6 gene which encoding a magnesium permeable channel expressed in the intestine and the kidney. The primary defect is impaired intestinal absorption of magnesium with secondary renal excretion, leading to a series of clinical symptoms. The treatment is mainly through lifelong magnesium supplementation.

Aldosterone-producing adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy. Only a few cases are reported in China. This systematic review investigated the diagnosis and treatment strategy of aldosterone-producing ACC through a recent case of the disease. A case of a 49-year-old female who diagnosed with aldosterone-producing ACC by hormonal assays, medical imaging and pathology. Her condition has been alleviated after surgery. Aldosterone-producing ACC is a rare malignancy with limited treatment options and surgery is the primary treatment strategy.