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.

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.

Objective To observe the effect of aspirin on the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of human adrenal cortical cancer cells, and to explore preliminarily the related mechanisms. Methods The human adrenal cortical cancer cells were cultured in vitro. The experimental group was DEME/F-12 complete medium which contained different concentrations of aspirin (final concentration of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 mg/ml). The control group was DEME/F-12 complete medium which had no aspirin but 1%anhydrous ethanol instead. After treatment by aspirin at different concentrations for different durations (24, 48, 72 hours), we detected the proliferation inhibition of SW-13 cells and H295R cells by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method, observed the changes of cell morphology with the inverted microscope; Observed and counted apoptotic cells through Hoechst33258 fluorescent staining, tested the cell apoptosis by flow cytometry, and detected the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax by western blotting. Results The date of MTT showed that after treated by different concentrations of aspirin,the growth inhibition ratio of SW-13 cells and H295R cells were higher than the control group (P＜0.05), and at the same time, the inhibition ratio would increase when the drug concentration increased ( P＜0. 05 ), with a dose-dependent tendency. When the drug concentration was constant, the inhibition ratio increased with the duration of the drug (P＜0.05), which showed a time-dependent tendency. The number of apoptosis cells and the cell apoptosis rate of both SW-13 and H295R which were treated by different concentrations of aspirin for 48 hours were higher than the control group ( P＜0. 01). According to the analysis of grayscale value of western blotting, Aspirin can increase the expression of Bax ( P＜0.05). On the contrary, the expression of bcl-2 in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion Aspirin may inhibit the growth of human adrenal cortical cancer cell in vitro and induce its apoptosis, and the possible mechanism may be correlated with the up-regulation of the expression of Bax, and down regulation of Bcl-2 expression.

Objective To explore the effect of adriamycin on the characteristics of colony derived from human adrenal cortical carcinoma cells (ACC) SW-13.Methods Treatment with Adriamycin (ADM) was used in BALB/c-nude mouse tumor xenograft model established using the ACC cell line SW-13.The characteristic of colony was assessed for the formation rates,the percentagc of three colony types and growth curve of single cell.Hoechst33342 dyeing test was used to test drug resistance.Results The Single-cell colony formation rate of experimental group were significantly higher than control group (P ＜ 0.05),and the holoclone percentage of experimental group were significantly higher than control group (P ＜ 0.05).In the Hoechst33342 dyeing tcst,the fluorescence intensity of control was higher than experimental group.Conclusion The treatment of ADM in vivo is beneficial for the colony formations of ACC cell and the formations rate of holoclone,and can improve the ability of drug resistance of ACC cell SW-13.

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.

This paper was to explore the relationship between plasma omentin and obesity and insulin resistance in patients of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in serum omentin levels among control group,PCOS-normal weight group,and PCOS-overweight group [(115.29 ± 33.92),(111.12 ± 34.50),and (42.85 ± 19.39) pg/ml,P＜ 0.05].Omentin were negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance(HOMA-IR) and body mass index(BMI).In the multiple stepwise regression analysis,only omentin was negatively correlated with BMI.Omentin may be involved in the development of PCOS by affecting obesity.

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 .

Objective To investigate the effects of different doses of dexamethasone (Dex) on bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods Forty 3-month-old female SD rats were divided into four groups:control group (Cont, saline), low dose Dex group (LDG, 1 mg/kg), medium dose Dex group (MDG, 2.5 mg/kg) and high dose Dex group (HDG, 5 mg/kg). Ten rats for each group. Dex was injected intramuscularly twice a week. The values of BMD and body composition were measured by DEXA densitometer at the beginning and 4-week of treatment. Results The body weights of different doses of Dex intervention groups were decreased after 1 to 4-week intervention compared with those of Cont group (P<0.01). After 4-week intervention, the total BMD, femur BMD, total bone mineral content (BMC), to-tal fat mass, trunk fat mass and leg fat mass were significantly increased in Cont group (P<0.01), while the total lean mass, trunk lean mass were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The total BMC, femur BMD, leg lean mass, leg fat mass were signifi-cantly lower in LDG group and MDG group than those of Cont group (P<0.05). The femur BMD, leg fat mass were signifi-cantly lower in LDG group and MDG group than those of HDG group (P<0.05). Conclusion The doses of 1 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg Dex have greater impact on the femur BMD and the leg composition in SD rats than that of Dex (dose of 5 mg/kg ).

Objective To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in medical intensive care unit (ICU) and its relationship with severity of disease and prognosis.Methods A prospective study was performed to evaluate vitamin D status in 216 patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit.The incidence of hypovitaminosis D was observed.Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score,days kept in ICU and on ventilator,main laboratory findings,and mortality rate were compared among patients with different serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] levels.Potential risk factors for mortality were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results One hundred and fifty-three patients (70.8％) developed hypovitaminosis D.25 (OH) D deficiency was identified in 95 (44.0％),25 (OH) D insufficiency in 58 (26.8％),and 25 (OH) D sufficiency in 63 (29.2％) patients.APACHE Ⅱ score,positive blood culture,the incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS),and mortality rate were higher in deficiency group compared with the other two groups [APACHE Ⅱ score:deficiency group 25 (20,28) score,insufficiency group 22 (17,26) score,sufficiency group 19 (18,20) score,P＜0.01 ; positive blood culture:deficiency group 18.9％,insufficiency group 13.8％,sufficiency group 3.2％,P=0.015 ; MODS:deficiency group 48.4％,insufficiency group 43.1％,sufficiency group 25.4％,P=0.025; mortality rate:deficiency group 40％,insufficiency group 24.1％,sufficiency group 15.9％,P =0.003].25 (OH)D levels were negatively correlated with APACHE Ⅱ score and mortality rate (r =-0.325,P＜0.01 ; r=-0.276,P＜0.01,respectively).Analysis by multiple logistic regression demonstrated that 25 (OH) D deficiency (OR =3.005,95 ％ CI 1.321-5.875,P =0.008) was independent risk factor for mortality.Conclusions This study demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among patients admitted into ICU.Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disease severity,and seems to be an independent risk factor for mortality.