The Effectiveness of the Semi-quantitative Assessment of Microalbuminuria Using Routine Urine Dipstick Screening in Patients with Diabetes.

Objective The early diagnosis and treatment of microalbuminuria is important for preventing the progression of diabetic kidney disease in patients with diabetes. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of the semi-quantitative measurement of microalbuminuria by urine dipstick screening in patients with diabetes. Methods The semi-quantitative urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (QUACR) was used for microalbuminuria screening.

A Patient with an Extra-adrenal Pheochromocytoma and Germ-line SDHB Mutation Accompanied by an Atypical Meningioma.

The gene succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) encodes a protein comprising part of the mitochondrial complex II, which links the Krebs cycle and the electron-transport chain. Heterozygous germ-line SDHB mutations causes familial pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma syndrome and has also been linked to gastrointestinal stromal tumors, as well as renal cell carcinomas. We herein report a patient with a germ-line SDHB mutation who presented with an atypical meningioma that was identified as originating from a somatic SDHB mutation.

Activation of classical brown adipocytes in the adult human perirenal depot is highly correlated with PRDM16-EHMT1 complex expression.

Brown fat generates heat to protect against cold and obesity. Adrenergic stimulation activates the thermogenic program of brown adipocytes. Although the bioactivity of brown adipose tissue in adult humans had been assumed to very low, several studies using positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) have detected bioactive brown adipose tissue in adult humans under cold exposure.

Impact of aldosterone-producing adenoma on cardiac structures in echocardiography.

Background: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a most common cause of secondary hypertension. In PA, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is more progressive than in any other cause of hypertension. Aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) are major subtypes of PA.

Significantly high level of late-night free cortisol to creatinine ratio in urine specimen in patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome.

Objective: Absence of a late-night cortisol nadir is a consistent biochemical abnormality in patients with cortisol-producing adenoma. We evaluated the abnormality of late-night urinary free cortisol to creatinine ratio (late-night UFCCR) in patients with subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS).

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with incidentally detected adrenocortical adenomas [SCS: 9; nonfunctioning adenoma (NF): 49] were enrolled as subjects.

Treatment of patients with hypothalamic-pituitary lesions as adult-onset Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

We report four cases of adult-onset Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with central nervous system (CNS) lesions in the hypothalamic-pituitary region. The first clinical symptoms were diabetes insipidus (two patients), hypothyroidism (one patient), and decreased libido/erectile dysfunction (one patient). Diagnosis was delayed as the CNS lesion was not initially suspected to be secondary to LCH, with a median time from symptom onset to treatment of 3.

Resistance to thyroid hormone accompanied by Graves' disease.

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is characterized by elevated serum levels of thyroid hormones and normal or slightly increased serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels. Recently it has been suggested that chronic TSH stimulation in RTH activates intrathyroidal lymphocytes, leading to thyroid damage and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). Therefore, individuals with RTH have an increased likelihood of AITD compared to unaffected relatives.

Perospirone, a novel antipsychotic agent, hyperpolarizes rat dorsal raphe neurons via 5-HT1A receptor.

To investigate the effect of cis-N-[4-[4-(1,2-benz-isozole-3-yl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl] cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboximide hydrochloride (perospirone), a novel antipsychotic agent with high affinities for D(2)/5-HT(2) receptors, on the rat dorsal raphe (DR) neurons, an electrophysiological study was performed using the tight-seal whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Applications of perospirone at the concentration between 10(-)(9) and 10(-)(5) M hyperpolarized the membrane potential and inhibited spontaneous action potentials of the DR neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect of perospirone on DR neurons is similar to that of typical 5HT(1A)-receptor agonists, including 8-OH-DPAT or tandospirone.