China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; diagnosis

This study investigates the protective role of IMM-H004, a novel coumarin derivative, on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) in mice. All animal experiments in this paper have been approved by the Ethics Committee of Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The experimental animals were divided into three groups, including sham group, model group, and IMM-H004 treatment group. Serum biochemical indicators were detected and H&E staining was used to assess liver damage. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed to analysis the mRNA content of inflammatory factors. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to observe neutrophil infiltration. Western blot was used to examine the protein levels of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The results showed that IMM-H004 could significantly reduce the serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). H&E results showed IMM-H004 could alleviate liver damage caused by HIRI. The mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-1β, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were decreased by IMM-H004 administration. Meanwhile, IMM-H004 could markedly inhibit neutrophil infiltration. Furthermore, IMM-H004 could significantly down-regulate the protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β, inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Our results confirmed that IMM-H004 could protect mice from HIRI and provide a theoretical foundation for IMM-H004 application for treating HIRI.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of perioperative glycemic control with insulin glargine in type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 16 type 2 diabetic inpatients treated with insulin glargine (research group) and 16 type 2 diabetic inpatients treated with the traditional intensified insulin therapy (control group) for perioperative glycemic control.

RESULTSThe fasting blood glucose values of the diabetic patients in the research group on the day of surgery and the first 3 postoperative days were (7.5 +/- 1.8), (8.2 +/- 1.8), (7.6 +/- 1.6), and (7.2 +/- 1.1) mmol/L, respectively, and were (9.0 +/- 2.8), (10.4 +/- 2.4), (8.8 +/- 2.7), (9.0 +/- 2.0) mmol/L in the control group, respectively. The fasting blood glucose values in the research group were significantly lower than the control group on the first and third postoperative day (P = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). No hypoglycemic events were observed and all wounds were healed well in both groups.

CONCLUSIONWith satisfied fasting blood glucose level and fewer episode of hypoglycemia, perioperative glycemic control by insulin glargine in type 2 diabetic patients is safe, effective, and convenient.

Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Insulin ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Insulin Glargine ; Insulin, Long-Acting ; Perioperative Care ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between hypogonadism and insulin resistance in young male.

METHODSTwenty-one hypogonadism young males aged 15 to 30 years were included in the clinical trial group, and 11 healthy young males of similar age and BMI in the control. Height, weight, serum FSH, LH, total testosterone (TT), nuclear type and bone age were measured for all the subjects. Serum glucose and insulin levels were taken through 3 h OGTT at 0, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. And comparisons were made of the levels of fast glucose and insulin, areas under the curve of glucose and insulin and HOMA insulin resistance indexes (HOMA-IR) between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) In the hypogonadism group the average value of TT was (0.9 +/- 0.6) nmol/L and 5 cases of Klinefelter syndrome had pubertal development with Tanner stage above P3, while the other 16 had no. (2) No significant differences were found in BMI, age, areas under the glucose and insulin secretory curve in OGTT between the two groups. (3) Three patients were diagnosed as IGT by OGTT in hypogonadism group, whose serum glucose levels at 120 min were 8.6, 7.9 and 8.2 mmol/L respectively. The maximal insulin excretion time was 30 min after glucose loading. No IGT or DM was found in the control group. (4) Significant difference was found in HOMA-IR and fast insulin level between the two groups.

CONCLUSION(1) IGT incidence was higher in the hypogonadism group than in the control. (2) HOMA-IR and fast insulin levels were significantly higher in the hypogonadism group than in the control, which suggests that lower serum testosterone may cause insulin resistance in young male patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; physiopathology ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo determine the current status and influence factors of reporting quality of the Chinese meta-analysis on stomatology.

METHODSA comprehensive electronic search was carried out through Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and a hand searching was also performed through 19 stomatological journals in Chinese to identify meta-analysis on stomatology. Two reviewers took responsibility for study inclusion, data extraction and reporting quality assessment with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) in duplicate and any disagreement was resolved by discussion.

RESULTSA total of 34 meta-analysis on stomatology were eligible, most of them were on oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial surgery, and mainly focusing on etiology, prevention and treatment of oral diseases. The number of the meta-analysis increased during recent years. Reporting quality of the meta-analysis was not high and the PRISMA scored (13.6 ± 4.2). The main factors that influenced the reporting quality of meta-analysis were published on evidence-based medicine journals (adjusted β = 0.53, t = 4.15, P < 0.001) and year of publication (adjusted β = -0.44, t = -3.28, P = 0.001). The sensitivity analysis showed that this outcome was stable.

CONCLUSIONSReporting quality of the Chinese meta-analysis on stomatology is low. To provide sufficient evidence to the clinicians and promote the development of evidence-based dentistry in China, experts on stomatology should study the knowledge of evidence-based medicine and comply with PRISMA statement when producing the meta-analysis.

China ; Evidence-Based Dentistry ; Humans ; Meta-Analysis as Topic ; Oral Medicine ; Publishing ; Quality Control ; Review Literature as Topic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEThe expression of transcription factor Elf-1 and inhibitor of apoptosis survivin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is correlated with the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and are both factors affecting the cell cycle. This study investigated the expression of Elf-1, survivin, and intratumoral microvessel density (iMVD) assessed by monoclonal antibody CD105 in NSCLC, and explored their correlations with clinicopathologic features and angiogenesis of NSCLC.

METHODSPowerVision(TM)-9000 immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of Elf-1, survivin, and CD105 in tissue microarrays containing 60 specimens of NSCLC and 9 specimens of normal tissue. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the protein levels of Elf-1 and survivin in 17 specimens of NSCLC and 5 specimens of normal tissue.

RESULTSElf-1 and survivin were detected in 1 of the 9 normal tissues. The positive rates of Elf-1 and survivin in NSCLC were 70.0% and 65.0%, respectively. The expression levels of both Elf-1 and survivin were significantly related to tumor differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, clinical stage, and postoperative survival time (P < 0.05). Overexpression of both were related to poor prognosis: the survival rates were significantly lower in patients with positive expression than in those with negative expression (P < 0.01). Elf-1 expression was positively correlated with survivin expression (r = 0.769, P < 0.01). Elf-1 and survivin expressions were positively correlated with iMVD (r = 0.446, P < 0.01; r = 0.435, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of Elf-1 and survivin in NSCLC is related to differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, clinical stage, and prognosis, and both are positively correlated with iMVD. Detection their combined expression can help to predict the malignant behavior of NSCLC. Blocking the activity of Elf-1 and survivin may be a new way to inhibit angiogenesis in NSCLC.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Endoglin ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microvessels ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Adult ; Dioxins ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; blood ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study HaCaT-keratinocyte cell lines, a chosen model of human epidermis in an attempt to analyze the mRNA expression of AhR and TGF-alpha induced by TCDD METHODS: Semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR-technique was used for assaying the relative levels of AhR and TGF-alpha mRNA of HaCaT-cells during the proliferation period when the cells were cultured for 24 hours.

RESULTSRelative level of the AhR-transcripts (corrected with beta-actin) decreased with the elevated concentration of TCDD and the relevant coefficient between the proliferation rate and concentration was -0.548, and the differences among all groups were significant (F =4.124, P =0.021). The vehicle control was respectively compared with 7 x 10(-10) mol/L (0.0620 +/- 0.0085) and 7 x 10(-9) mol/L (0.0518 +/- 0.0194) group, significantly different from the control group (0.1138 +/- 0.0227) (t = -3.48, P <0.05; t = -4.17, P <0.01), the expression amount being 55% and 45% of the control. Relative levels of TGF-alpha mRNA tended to increase with the elevated concentration with the significant coefficient of 0.695 (P < 0.01), and the differences among all groups were significant (F = 15.789, P =0.000). In two higher concentration group 7 x 10(-10) mol/L (0.1474 +/- 0.0390) and 7 x 10 (-9) mol/L (0.2133 +/- 0.0364), their relative expression amount of TGF-alpha mRNA was 2.6-fold, 3.8-fold of the control group (0.0561 +/- 0.0100) respectively. Further analysis for the relevant relationship between the amounts of the AhR mRNA and TGF- alpha mRNA showed a highly negative correlation, the coefficient being - 0.561 (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTCDD down-regulate the expression of AhR and up-regulate the expression of TGF-alpha. A strong negative correlation between AhR and TGF-alpha expression is found.

Cell Line ; Epidermis ; cytology ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins ; toxicity ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Toxicity Tests ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; biosynthesis ; genetics

THE causes of Cushing's syndrome are mainly divided into adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) dependent and independent. ACTH dependent hypercortisolism represents excess ACTH se-creting by the pituitary or tumor outside the pituitary; and the latter one is also called as ectopic ACTH syndrome. Thorax is the most common location of causative lesions for ectopic ACTH syndrome, and the size of lesion is too small to be detected in some cases.1, 2 Cryptococcal pneumonia usually occurs in immunocompromised patients and excess cortisol production can theoretically produce a state of immunodeficiency. Development of cryptococcal pneumonia concomitant with Cushing syndrome (CS) was rare. Here, we report a case of pulmonary nodule in a patient with CS differentiated with ectopic ACTH-producing tumor. Cryptococcal pneumonia was diagnosed following lung resection.
ACTH Syndrome, Ectopic ; Cushing Syndrome ; Humans ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway in chloracne.

METHODSImmunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (p-EGFR) and p-MAPK proteins in the epithelium of chloracne group and control group.

RESULTSp-EGFR and p-MAPK was found in all chloracne tissues, whereas no expression of p-EGFR and p-MAPK protein was found in control group. In the skin of chloracne patients, p-EGFR was mainly distributed in the membrane and the cytoplasm, especially in the vicinity of membrane; major positive signal of p-MAPK was in core and serosity.

CONCLUSIONEGFR and MAPK phosphorylation is found in chloracne tissues. MAPK signal transduction pathway is one important molecular mechanism of chloracne.

Adult ; Chloracne ; metabolism ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Occupational Diseases ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; physiology ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; metabolism