Objective To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT),Ki-67 and p27~(kip1) in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma,and to evaluate whether the expression of hTERT,Ki-67 and p27~(kip1) could serve as diagnostic markers for predicting the biological behaviour of these tumours.Methods Expression of hTERT,Ki-67 and p27~(kip1) was determined by immunohistochemistry in 45 pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas(31 benign,7 suspected malignant and 7 malignant)and 9 normal adrenal medulla samples.Results The hTERT was expressed in 5/7 malignant tumors,5/7 suspected malignant tumours and 3/31 benign tumours.Malignant and suspected malignant tumors expressed more hTERT(P

ELISA technique was employed to determne the concentration of mannose binding lectin (MBL),plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI 1),and high sensitive ()eactive protein (hs-CRP).hs CRP level m patients with subclinical atherosclerosis was significantly higher (P ＜ 0.01),MBL level was of no significant difference (P＞0.05) ; PAI-1 was significantly higher (P＜0.01) only m those with metabolic syndrome(MS).Taking no account of subclinical atherosclerosis,MBL of diabetic patients with MS was significantly lower while hs-CRP and PNI 1 were signific amlv higher (P ＜ 0.01).Inflammatory faetors MBL,hs-CRP,and PAI-1 involved in the -ube linical atherosclerosis development in the type 2 diabetic patients with MS.

Objective High expression of multi-resistant transporter ATP-binding cassette super family G member 2 (ABCG2) is a major cause of drug resistance and chemotherapeutic failure of cancer .This study was to investigate the significance of ABCG2 expression in adrenocortical cancer cells after cyclophosphamide ( CTX) intervention in vivo . Methods Ten male and fe-male BALB/C-nu mice were randomly divided into a cyclophosphamide ( CTX) group and a control of equal number .SW-13 cells were subcutaneously injected into the nude mice to establish a model of subcutaneous transplantation tumor , followed by intraperitoneal injec-tion of CTX and isotonic saline solution into the two groups of mice , respectively .Then the expression of ABCG 2 in tumor tissue and primarily cultured cells was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry . Results The expression of ABCG 2 in the tumor tissue was significantly higher in the CTX than in the control group ([69.1 ±1.83]%vs [53.4 ±1.65]%, P<0.05), and so was that in the primarily cultured cells ([97.89 ±1.36]% vs [81.88 ±8.31]%, P<0.05). Conclusion The ABCG2 gene is in-volved in the drug resistance of adrenocortical carcinoma and may be a therapeutic target of the malignancy .

Sixty-nine cases of acute hyperthyroid myopathy admitted from 1990 to 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.Hoarseness was the most common symptom; 17.39％ of the patients had difficulty in breathing; respiratory muscle paralysis and aspiration pneumonia were the main causes of death.Efficient treatment lasting for two weeks was carried out in 81.16％ of the cases.Patients with severe bulbar palsy were often complicated with aspiration pneumonia and thus had high mortality rate.The main treatments in cluded anti-hyperthyroid drugs,corticosteroids,energy supports,and symptomatic management,which usually resulted in good clinical improvement.

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of the endocrine gland-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (EG-VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in adrenocortical lesions of primary aldosteronism. Methods The expressions of EG-VEGF, and VEGF were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR in samples of 18 cases of adrenocortical adenoma, 6 adrenocortical hyperplasia, and 8 normal adrenal cortex. The correlation between the expressions of EG-VEGF, VEGF, and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Results The expression of EG-VEGF or VEGF in adrenocortical adenomas was higher than that in adrenocortical hyperplasia or normal adrenal cortex ( all P＜0. 05 ), and the expression of EG-VEGF or VEGF between adrenocortical hyperplasia samples and normal adrenal cortex samples was indistinctive. There was no statistically significant correlation between EG-VEGF or VEGF expression and sex, age, blood pressure, serum potassium, plasma renin activity, except in case of serum aldosterone( P＜0.05 ). A positive correlation between EG-VEGF and VEGF ( P＜0. 01 ) was found. Conclusions EG-VEGF and VEGF may play a significant role in the formation and development of adrenocortical tumors in primary aldosteronism.

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Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided ethanol ablation of benign insulinoma and compare its' advantages and disadvantages with surgical treatment. Methods From April 2011 to February 2016, clinical data of 38 patients with benign insulinoma treated by EUS-guided ethanol ablation or surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Results 97.4% (37/38) patients had a typical clinical manifestation of Whipple's triad, and the I/G ratio of 82.9% patients (29/35) was more than 0.3 with their onset of hypoglycemia. The positive preoperative etiologic diagnosis rates of transabdominal ultrasonography, CT, MRI, PET/CT and EUS were 50.0%, 67.6%, 66.7%, 75.0%, 89.7% respectively. In the current study, 18 patients underwent EUS-guided ethanol ablation (EUS-FNI group) and 20 patients received surgicaltreatment (surgical group). Compared with the surgical group, the operation time, intraoperative hemorrhage volume, postoperative complications, length of stay and hospitalization costs were significantly reduced in the EUS-FNI group (P < 0.05). No treatment-related complications was observed in EUS-FNI group, while 40.0% (8/20) patients in surgical group had complications. During the follow-up period, all these patients maintained stable blood glucose without taking medication, and there's no recurrence of insulinoma in EUS-FNI group after the last treatment with alcohol injection; In surgical group, only 90.0% (18/20) patients had no recurrence, episode of hypoglycemia was less after the operation in 10.0% (2/20) patients. Conclusion EUS-guided ethanol ablation of benign insulinoma is safe and effective, compared with traditional surgical treatment, EUS-guided ethanol ablation is minimally invasive, costs less, recovers fast after treatment and has fewer complications.

Objective:To investigate correlation between neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs) formation and T cell subsets in mice with experimental autoimmune thyroiditis(EAT) and the impact of active vitamin D intervention.Methods:Six-week-old female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into Control group, EAT group and 1, 25 dihydroxy vitamin D 3[1, 25(OH) 2D 3] treatment group(VitD group; n=6/group). HE staining was used to observe thyroid pathology. Plasma thyroglobulin antibody(TGAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb), and 1, 25(OH) 2D 3 were measured by ELISA. Peripheral NETs formation, Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell ratio from spleen were measured by flow cytometry. Correlation between NETs formation rate and Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell ratio was analyzed. Results:Compared with Control group, mice in EAT group had significantly increased thyroid inflammation scores, thyroiditis morbidity, TPOAb, TGAb levels, NETs formation rate, Th2(CD4 + IL-4 + or CD4 + IL-13 + )and Th17 cell proportions( P were <0.001, 0.002, 0.007, <0.001, <0.001, 0.003, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively), and significant decreased 1, 25(OH) 2D 3, Th1 cell proportions, Th1/Th2(CD4 + IL-4 + ), Th1/Th2(CD4 + IL-13 + ), and Th1/Th17 ratios( P were 0.010, 0.018, 0.010, 0.005, and 0.007, respectively). Compared with the EAT group, the VitD group had lower thyroid inflammation scores, TPOAb, TGAb levels, NETs formation rate, Th2(CD4 + IL-4 + or CD4 + IL-13 + ) and Th17 cell proportions( P were 0.044, 0.007, <0.001, 0.001, 0.014, 0.008, and 0.001, respectively), and significant higher Th1 cell ratio, Th1/Th2(CD4 + IL-13 + ) and Th1/Th17 ratio( P were 0.011, 0.009, and 0.003, respectively). The Th1/Th2(CD4 + IL-4 + ) was not significantly increased in VitD group compared with EAT group( P=0.174). NETs formation rate was positively correlated with Th2(CD4 + IL-4 + or CD4 + IL-13 + ) and Th17 cell proportion( r were 0.65, 0.59, and 0.61; and P were 0.004, 0.010, and 0.007, respectively), but not with Th1 cell proportion( r=-0.47, P=0.051). Conclusion:EAT mice were more prone to NETs formation. Active vitamin D may relieve immune imbalance with increased Th2 and Th17 cell ratio and decreased Th1 cell ratio by reducing the formation of NETs in EAT mice. Vitamin D played the protective role in thyroid by reducing thyroid pathological damage and thyroid autoantibody levels, and relived overall lymphocyte imbalance.

All of 143 patients with gout or hyperuricemia were divided into type 2 diabetes(n=43), impaired glucose regulation(n=45),and normal glucose tolerance(n=55)groups. Moreover,a cut point of 8.6 mmol/L in one hour postload plasma glucose(1hPG)of oral glucose tolerance test was used to sub-divide the normal glucose tolerance group into 1hPG≥8.6 mmol/L(n=30)and 1hPG<8.6 mmol/L(n=25)groups. The first-and second-phase insulin secretion indexes were compared among four groups. The results showed that there was no statistical difference in the second-phase insulin secretion index among impaired glucose regulation,1hPG≥8.6 mmol/L,and 1hPG<8.6 mmol/L groups(P>0.05). The first-phase insulin secretion index revealed no significant difference between impaired glucose regulation and 1hPG≥8.6 mmol/L groups(P>0.05),but obviously decreased in these two groups compared with 1hPG<8.6 mmol/L group(P<0.05). The modified β cell function indexes were gradually decreased in 1hPG<8.6 mmol/L,1hPG≥8.6 mmol/L, and impaired glucose regulation groups(P<0.05). These results suggest that when 1hPG of the patients with gout and hyperuricemia is over 8.6 mmol/L,the first-phase insulin secretion will be impaired.

Background/Aims: Low educational attainment is a well-established risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in developed areas. However, the association between educational attainment and the risk of NAFLD is less clear in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study including over 200,000 Chinese adults across mainland China was conducted. Information on education level and lifestyle factors were obtained through standard questionnaires, while NAFLD and advanced fibrosis were diagnosed using validated formulas. Outcomes included the risk of NAFLD in the general population and high probability of fibrosis among patients with NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the risk of NAFLD and fibrosis across education levels. A causal mediation model was used to explore the potential mediators. Results: Comparing with those receiving primary school education, the multi-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD were 1.28 (1.16 to 1.41) for men and 0.94 (0.89 to 0.99) for women with college education after accounting for body mass index. When considering waist circumference, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.94 (0.86 to 1.04) for men and 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) for women, respectively. The proportions mediated by general and central obesity were 51.00% and 68.04% for men, while for women the proportions were 48.58% and 32.58%, respectively. Furthermore, NAFLD patients with lower educational attainment showed an incremental increased risk of advanced fibrosis in both genders. Conclusions In China, a low education level was associated with a higher risk of prevalent NAFLD in women, as well as high probability of fibrosis in both genders.