Predictors of postoperative biochemical remission in acromegaly.

Purpose: Acromegaly is a rare neuroendocrine condition that can lead to significant morbidity. Despite China's vast population size, studies on acromegaly remain sparse. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and predictors of biochemical remission after surgery for acromegaly using the China Acromegaly Patient Association (CAPA) database.

Tissue concentrations, trophic transfer and human risks of antibiotics in freshwater food web in Lake Taihu, China.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the tissue distributions of antibiotics in the fish, the bioaccumulation and trophic transfer in freshwater food web in Taihu Lake, a large shallow freshwater lake. Twenty four out of 41 antibiotics were detected in the biotas of the food web; and antibiotic concentrations followed the orders: fish plasma ~ fish muscle < fish liver ~ fish bile and fish < invertebrates ~ plankton. Antibiotic concentrations in the liver of piscivores were higher than those in omnivores and planktivores.

MicroRNAs and Target Genes in Pituitary Adenomas.

Pituitary adenomas account for the top three primary intracranial tumors in terms of total incidence rates. The clinical symptoms presented by the disease are often characterized by a series of systemic endocrine disorders, severe occupational lesions, and even some malignant features, and therefore early diagnosis and predicting recurrence would be instructive for clinical treatment of pituitary adenomas. An increasing number of specific microRNA (miRNA) expression signatures have been identified in pituitary, and miRNAs are related with the pituitary tumorigenesis, dysfunction, neurodegeneration, and metastatic non-functioning pituitary carcinoma.

SUBCLINICAL IMPAIRMENT OF LEFT VENTRICULAR LONGITUDINAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH PROLACTINOMAS.

Objective: Hyperprolactinemia has been associated with endothelial dysfunction and a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors, thus it can potentially lead to cardiac dysfunction. The present study was designed to interrogate our hypothesis that hyperprolactinemia can contribute to preclinical impaired left ventricular function.

Methods: Thirty-one prolactinoma patients and 60 healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited.

[Value of MCV/RDW Combined with Reticulocyte Parameters in Differential Diagnosis of Anemia Diseases].

Objective: To evaluate the value of mean corpuscular volume/RBC distribution width (MCV/RDW) combined with reticulocyte parameters in differential diagnosis of aplastic anemia (AA), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), megaloblastic anemia (MA) and hemolytic anemia (HA) in order to provide some laboratorial evidence for clinical doctors in first diagnosis of these diseases.

Methods: The data of MCV/RDW and reticulocyte parameters of AA, MDS, MA and HA patients from January 1 of 2011 to August 31 of 2014 were retrospectively collected in West China Hospital of Sichuan University. And 158 healthy unrelated individuals with age-, sex-matched were collected as controls.

Expression profiling of O(6) methylguanine-DNA-methyl transferase in prolactinomas: a correlative study of promoter methylation and pathological features in 136 cases.

Background: Low-level expression of O(6) methylguanine-DNA-methyl transferase (MGMT) prolactinomas has been noted previously in case reports, although what modulates MGMT expression remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to delineate the factors regulating MGMT expression in prolactinomas.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 136 prolactinoma patients who were treated in our center between January 2000 and September 2013.

The marine metabolite SZ-685C induces apoptosis in primary human nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma cells by inhibition of the Akt pathway in vitro.

Nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is one of the most common types of pituitary adenoma. The marine anthraquinone derivative SZ-685C has been isolated from the secondary metabolites of the mangrove endophytic fungus Halorosellinia sp. (No.

[Pollution distribution and potential ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments from the different eastern dredging regions of Lake Taihu].

In order to investigate the distribution characteristics of nutrients and heavy metals in sediments from different eastern dredging regions of Lake Taihu, the surface and core sediment samples at 5 sites (in East Taihu Lake and Xukou Bay) were collected in 2012. Contents of nutrients (TOC, TN and TP) and heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the sediments were measured and the pollution degrees of heavy metals were evaluated with the potential ecological risk method. The results showed that the heavy metal contents in Xukou Bay were generally higher than those in East Taihu Lake, whereas the nutrients contents showed the reverse trend.

[The expression of MGMT in pituitary adenomas and its association with tumour aggressiveness].

Objective: To determine the expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in pituitary adenomas and its association with tumour aggressiveness.

Methods: From October 2011 to August 2012, all the patients with pathologically confirmed pituitary adenomas in our hospital were recruited for this study. The expression of MGMT in the tumor tissues was detected with immunohistochemistry.

Increased carotid intima media thickness is associated with prolactin levels in subjects with untreated prolactinoma: a pilot study.

Hyperprolactinemia is associated with endothelial dysfunction and atherogenic risk factors, but carotid intima media thickness (IMT) has not been studied in hyperprolactinemic patients. To determine whether untreated hyperprolactinemia contributes to increased carotid IMT. Thirty-one prolactinoma patients and 60 healthy controls were respectively studied.

[Hydroacoustic assessment of fish resources in reservoirs with different fishery management].

By using Biosonics DT-X echosounder (208 kHz), a hydroacoustic investigation was conducted on the fish resources in three mesotrophic reservoirs (Daxi Reservoir, Shahe Reservoir, and Jinniushan Reservoir) with different fishery management in late autumn and early winter 2011, and a GIS model was constructed to assess the fish resource distribution in the reservoirs. No significant difference was observed in the average size of fish in the three reservoirs, but the distribution curves of fish target strength (TS) showed that the fish size distribution proportion was different, and had close correlation with fishery management. The fish density in Daxi Reservoir (averagely 0.

[Experimental study on the environmental fate of nitrogen in snail-macrophyte ecosystem for water purification].

A snail-macrophyte simulation system was built and isotope tracer technique was adopted to study the environmental fate of nitrogen in snail-macrophyte purification system, the results showed that: Vallisneria spiralis increased its wet weight by 580% and its number by 6.6 ramets, moreover, Vallisneria spiralis absorbed 1.07% 15N by the roots and 7.

BMI, apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I ratio, and insulin resistance in patients with prolactinomas: a pilot study in a Chinese cohort.

Deranged metabolic profiles and insulin resistance (IR) have been documented in patients with prolactinomas. Few data are yet available on the apolipoprotein (apo) B/apoA-I ratio and its relationship with IR in patients with prolactinomas. This study was aimed to evaluate the level of apoB/apoA-I ratio and its association with IR in a Chinese subgroup with prolactinomas.

Artesunate inhibits cell proliferation and decreases growth hormone synthesis and secretion in GH3 cells.

To determine the effect of artesunate (ART) on the rat pituitary adenoma GH3 cell line to evaluate its potential as a novel agent in growth hormone (GH) adenoma and to investigate its underlying mechanisms of action. The MTT assay was used to assess cell proliferation. DAPI staining was used to visualise apoptotic changes in the nucleus.

Differential expression of microRNAs in GH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

Background: The purpose of this study was to (1) identify specific miRNAs in growth hormones (GH)-secreting pituitary adenomas; (2) determine the relationship between the expression of these miRNAs and tumor size, somatostatin analogs treatment, and responsiveness to somatostatin analogs (SSA).

Methods: Fifteen GH-secreting adenomas patients were treated with lanreotide for 4 months before surgery. Patients with 50% reduction of GH secretion by lanreotide were considered as SSA responders, while patients with less than 50% of GH reduction were considered as SSA nonresponders.

[Evolvement of soil quality in salt marshes and reclaimed farmlands in Yancheng coastal wetland].

Through vegetation investigation and soil analysis, this paper studied the evolvement of soil quality during natural vegetation succession and after farmland reclamation in the Yancheng coastal wetland of Jiangsu Province. Along with the process of vegetation succession, the soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in the wetland improved, which was manifested in the improvement of soil physical properties and the increase of soil nutrient contents, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities. Different vegetation type induced the differences in soil properties.

[Clinical application of review criteria for complete blood analysis].

Objective: To evaluate the review criteria for complete blood analysis.

Methods: total of 8820 blood samples taken at our hospital were detected both by the Sysmex XE-2100 automated blood cell analyzer and double-blind method microscopy. The performance of two review criteria were evaluated by statistical analysis.

TRAIL-induced apoptosis of human melanoma cells involves activation of caspase-4.

Although it is conventionally regarded as an inflammatory caspase, recent studies have shown that caspase-4 plays a role in induction of apoptosis by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We report here that activation of caspase-4 is also involved in induction of apoptosis by TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) in human melanoma cells. Treatment with TRAIL resulted in activation of caspase-4.

[Combined myocardial injury markers for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of different myocardial injury markers and their combinations in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: The myocardial injury markers: AST, CK, CK-MB, LDH, HBDH, cTnI, CK-MB mass were detected in patients with acute chest pain-onset who were hospitalized in Sichuan University West China Hospital from July 2005 to October 2006. The accuracy of those markers in diagnosing AMI were evaluated by their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio.