This article was aimed to study the effect of Baohe granules for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome and the effect of gastrointestinal hormone secretion. Patients with CHF were used as the object of study. A total of 80 selected patients were divided into 2 groups. The control group was treated with western medicine anti-heart failure therapy. The treatment group was treated with the combination of Baohe granules. All patients were compared in aspects of TCM efficacy, symptom score and serum gastrin, motilin secretion after two-week medication. The results showed that both treatments can significantly improve the TCM syn-drome and symptom total score of CHF patients. And the effect of the treatment group with Baohe granules was bet-ter. The TCM single symptom integral was also obviously improved in the treatment group combined with Baohe granules, which included heart palpitations, shortness of breath, abdominal distension, and loss of appetite. The GAS and MTL levels of CHF patients were significantly increased in the treatment group. It was concluded that the treat-ment combined with Baohe granules can improve CHF patients with TCM syndromes, symptoms and gastrointestinal hormone secretion. Thus, it contributed to the stability of the disease condition. It can slow the disease progression and improve prognosis. So it is worth using widely in the clinical practice.

Objective To detect the genetic association between cirrhosis and polymorphism of IL-12B gene .Methods Observed in a sample of 173 parent/offspring trios where the proband net for cirrhosis using correlation analysis and haplotype relative risk a-nalysis .The polymorphism of rs15677380 ,rs14050311 of IL-12B gene was detected with PCR methods and SNP typing in all nucle-us families .Results The rs15677380 allele was connected with cirrhosis(P=0 .009) .Allele G was protect factor(Z= -2 .36) and allele A was the hazard factor(Z=2 .36) .The rs14050311 allele was connected with cirrhosis(P=0 .013) .Allele T was protect fac-tor(Z= -2 .24) and allele C was the hazard factor (Z=2 .24) .The haplotypes of G/T and A/C in the rs15677380 ,rs14050311 were associated with cirrhosis (P=0 .021 ,0 .015 ,Z= -1 .85、2 .16) .Conclusion It shows an association between cirrhosis and the poly-morphism of IL-12B gene in Chinese .

Objective To study the clinical features of patients with ACTH-independent bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia(AIMAH).Methods Eighteen cases with AIMAH diagnosed in Chinese PLA General Hospital from 1998 to 2010 were analyzed retrospectively.Results ( 1 ) AIMAH was equally distributed between genders,mean age at diagnosis was ( 51.4 ± 10.7 ) years,and average course was ( 9.9:t:2.7 ) years.( 2 )Most patients visited hospital because of adrenal incidentaloma; hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance/diabetes mellitius were the most common clinical presentations; typical signs of Cushing′s syndrome (CS) such as moon face and central obesity were less frequent.( 3 ) All cases′ laboratory findings met the diagnostic criteria of ACTH-independent CS,some cases with the features of subclinical CS.24 h dynamic plasma ACTH and cortisol monitoring had the advantage of revealing the features of subclinical CS for some AIMAH cases; there was remarkable elevation of plasma cortisol after exogenous ACTH stimulation in AIMAH patients.(4) Bilateral adrenal macronodular changes could be visualized on CT scan.( 5 ) Pathology identified bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia.( 6 ) Bilateral adrenalectomy was the most useful treatment.Conclusions AIMAH is an infrequent cause of CS,and some patients present subclinical CS.Its marked clinical feature is ACTH-independent bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia.

Objective To improve the positivity for insulinoma localization by imaging before surgery.Methods The clinical data of 119 patients with insulinoma who had been admitted to Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 1985 to April 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Results One hundred patients with hypoglycemia who had been operated and most of them (98/100) diagnosed as insulinoma pathologically were analyzed. They had undergone various methods of localization by imaging before surgery. The positive rates for tumor localization were 22.9% (17/74) by uhrasonography (US), 55.2% (48/87) by CT, 58.8% (10/17) by MRI,76.6% (49/64) by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) ,93.3% (42/45) by endtoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)and 94.7% (18/19) by uhrasonic contrast (UC). While the rates of accuracy for tumor localization were 88.2% (15/17) by US ,87.5% (42/48) by CT, 90.0% (9/10) by MR1,100.0% (49/49) by DSA, 85.7% (36/42) by EUS and 83.3% (15/18) by UC. The rates of accuracy in patients with one,two and three positive images were 88.9% (24/27), 96. 9% (32/33) and 94. 7% (18/19), respectively. The positive rates in patients with combination of two images were 47.6% (30/63) by CT and US ,75.5% (40/53) by CT and DSA ,89.2% (33/37)by CT and EUS,90.0% (27/30) by EUS and DSA ,78.6% (11/14) by DSA and UC ,92.3% (12/13) by CT and UC, and 90.9% (10/1 i) hy EUS and UC, respectively. Conclusion The positive rates and accuracy of localization for insulinoma were increased by combining at least two images, and the combinations of any two of four images including CT, DSA, EUS and UC are suggested. While considering both the cost and effect, we recommend CT combined either with EUS or UC.

Objective To summarize the current status and trend of hypoglycemic agents of diabetic inpatients in different departments of Chinese PLA General Hospital.Methods The clinical data of diabetic patients admitted to Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2000 to May 2014 were collected(those hospitalized in the department of endocrinology were excluded).A total of 10 041 patients were selected by stratified random sampling.The type of hypoglycemic agents in different departments and the variation on anti-hyperglycemic drugs with time were retrospectively analyzed.Results Of all the patients in non-endocrinological wards, 50.2% were treated with insulin, 36.9% with metformin, 21.3% with α-glycosidase inhibitor, and 18.9% with sulfonylureas.Metformin, α-glucosidase inhibitors, pre-mixed 30R, and insulin glargine were more commonly used than other anti-hyperglycemic agents, accounting for 36.9%, 21.0%, 14.0%, 8.7%, respectively.Metformin, sulfonylureas, α-glucosidase inhibitor, and different types of insulin were more widely applied in internal medicine while insulin therapy was more frequently used in surgical department.During the past 15 years, the proportions of insulin, glinides, α-glucosidase inhibitor, and thiazolidinediones application were gradually increased, while the proportions of sulfonylureas and metformin treatment were on the decline trend.Conclusion Most of the inpatients were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs.Metformin, α-glucosidase inhibitor, pre-mixed 30R, and insulin glargine were the most frequently prescribed agents for the inpatients.

Objective To assess the significance of insulin tolerance test(ITT) in clinical diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency(GHD).Methods Eighty-two patients with an established diagnosis of adult GHD [53males,29 females,mean age (30.9 ± 12.3) years (18-65 years)] were reviewed retrospectively for evaluating the GH response to ITT in the General Hospital of the People' s Liberation Army.Control data for peak GH after ITT were obtained in 15 healthy subjects [9 males,6 females,mean age (26.7 ± 5.6) years (22-41 years)].Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic cut-off point of peak GH and GH increment response to ITT.Results (1) Mean peak GH response to ITT was significantly higher in 15 controls compared with 82 patients (the median 14 μg/L vs 0.62 μg/L,P =0.001).The cut-off point of the peak GH(chemiluminescent immunoassay,CLIA) response to ITT in adult GHD was 4.935 μg/L (AUC 0.993).(2) Mean GH increment was significantly higher in 15 controls compared with 82 patients (the median 13.17 μg/L vs 0.19 ug/L,P＜0.001).The cut-off point of the GH increment was 4.088 μg/L(AUC 0.937),with a 91.5％ sensitivity and 100％ specificity.(3) The peak GH showed even higher diagnostic value than the GH increment after ITT.(4)The above mentioned cut-off points (peak GH less than 4.935 μg/L and 5 μg/L) had a coincidence with a 95.1％ sensitivity and 100％ specificity,respectively.Conclusion The current guidelines for the diagnosis of adult GHD based on the optimal cut-off point of the peak GH(CLIA) response to ITT less than 5 μg/L turned to be of reliable diagnostic value in our country.

Objective To observe the value of energy spectrum CT angiography(CTA)optimal single energy imaging combined with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction V(ASIR-V)for optimizing visualization of thoracodorsal artery(TDA).Methods Energy spectrum CTA was prospectively performed in 60 patients to observe TDA.The images were reconstructed as 120 kVp-like combined with 40%post-set ASIR-V(group A),as well as totally 18 kinds of single energy images ranging from 45 to 70 keV(with interval of 5 keV)combined with 40%,60%and 80%post-set ASIR-V(group B),and the subjective and objective evaluation results of the images were compared between and within groups.Results Under the same post-set ASIR-V weight,significant differences of subjective scores of axial and 3D images were found among different keV levels(all P＜0.001).With the increase of keV level,subjective scores of axial images increased first and then decreased,among which subjective score of 50 keV was the highest(all P＜0.001).Under the same keV levels,with the increase of ASIR-V weight,the subjective scores of overall axial images and 3D images for displaying the main trunk of TDA,as well as contrast-to-noise ratio of axillary artery increased(all P＜0.01).Conclusion Performing CTA using 50 keV single energy imaging combined with 80%ASIR-V reconstruction could balance image contrast and noise better,hence improving visualization of TDA and its branches.

Jasmonic acid (JA), a plant endogenously synthesized lipid hormone, plays an important role in response to stress. This manuscript summarized the biosynthesis and metabolism of JA and its related regulatory mechanisms, as well as the signal transduction of JA. The mechanism and regulatory network of JA in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses were systematically reviewed, with the latest advances highlighted. In addition, this review summarized the signal crosstalk between JA and other hormones in regulating plant resistance to various stresses. Finally, the problems to be solved in the study of plant stress resistance mediated by JA were discussed, and the application of new molecular biological technologies in regulating JA signaling to enhance crop resistance was prospected, with the aim to facilitate future research and application of plant stress resistance.
Signal Transduction ; Cyclopentanes ; Oxylipins ; Plant Growth Regulators