Neuro endocrinology letters最新文献

This study was to investigate the effect of sinomenine by LPS-induced MAPK phosphorylation in endothelial cells. Endothelial cells were challenged with different doses LPS and/or treated with sinomenine at three concentrations (1, 5, or 10 μg/mL) in pathological model, drug safety, treatment and prevention experiments. The cells were incubated at 37 °C in a cell incubator total for 24 h. The lysate cells were collected and analyzed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38 by MAPK phosphoprotein assay whole cell lysate kit. As expected, LPS could significantly elevated phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38, but sinomenine not. The results revealed that sinomenine significantly reduced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 in treatment experiment, and inhibited phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK and p38 in prevention experiment. Our findings demonstrated that sinomenine protects endothelial cells from LPS-induced inflammation, which might be associated with depressing MAPK signaling pathway.

Objectives: It is necessary to objectively assess the stress state of workers, from the standpoint of holistic palliative care, in order to determine how the rapid change in work styles in the "live with coronavirus era"-in which people will coexist and live with the coronavirus (COVID-19)-will affect their physical and mental health. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of rapid changes in work patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic on the neuroendocrine stress response of workers.

Design and methods: A total of sixteen subjects, 9 telecommuters (2 males, 7 females; age, 37.1±2.6 years) and 7 office workers (3 males, 4 females; age, 37.3±3.0 years) who provided their informed consent were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Saliva was collected four times a day (after waking, noon, evening, and before bedtime) and three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) during May and June 2020. The saliva samples were stored at -20°C until measurement. Saliva components were analyzed by ELISA for cortisol, melatonin, s-IgA, and oxytocin.

Results: The diurnal variation of salivary components between telecommuting and office work groups was investigated. Cortisol showed diurnal variation with higher secretion during waking hours and lower secretion toward nighttime in both groups, and no modulation was observed. In the office work group Melatonin showed diurnal variation, with increased secretion at night. In contrast, the telecommuting group showed modulation, with higher secretion at waking and lower secretion at night. s-IgA showed diurnal variation with a high level at waking and a low level thereafter in both groups, and no modulation was observed. The telecommuting group showed higher oxytocin levels in comparison to the office work group.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the absence of commuting in the telecommuting group reduces anxiety due to infection, and that the diurnal variation of melatonin may be due to the alteration of circadian rhythm caused by being at home all day.

Objectives: Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder with high heritability. There are also indications that an autoimmune-mediated process in the brain underlies development of schizophrenia, and that the insulin receptor A may constitute a main antigen target. Therefore, as the insulin receptor gene hitherto has been little studied in schizophrenia, this study was undertaken to investigate this gene in schizophrenia susceptibility.

Materials and methods: To identify gene variants of possible interest, the whole insulin receptor gene was first DNA-sequenced in all or subgroups of patients with schizophrenia and controls, using the Sanger method and the SOLiD technology. Then, association analyses of total 50 identified gene variants were carried out in the whole study population, consisting of 94 patients and 60 controls.

Results: No significant differences in genotype- and allele frequencies for the 50 gene variants were found between all patients and controls. However, in subgroup analyses, rs2229431 and rs747721248 tended to associate with heredity for schizophrenia, rs2229431 associated with height, rs41505247 with body mass index, rs59765738 and rs57476618 with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 and/ or heredity for DM type 1, and rs2962, rs2352954, rs2352955 and rs2252673 with DM type 2 and/ or heredity for DM type 2 in patients.

Conclusions: In this study, we show associations between heredity, height, body mass index, DM type 1, or DM type 2 and gene variants in the insulin receptor gene in patients with schizophrenia. Taken together, these findings clearly point to that the insulin receptor gene is involved in schizophrenia susceptibility.

Objective: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a rare serious fetal event. It manifests via non-specific sonographic findings such as: ventriculomegaly, increased periventricular echogenity, hyperechogenic ependyma and presence of avascular intracranial masses. Severe ICH causes an increase in fetal intracranial pressure, which can be quantified in utero by the presence of reverse flow in the middle cerebral artery (MCA-REDF). Retrograde flow in the middle cerebral artery indicates already deteriorating circulatory conditions in the fetal brain with loss of autoregulatory mechanisms and critical damage to the vascular supply. Detection of this finding allows to improve the diagnosis of ICH and also affects the prognosis and management of pregnancy. We report the case of critical intracranial hypertension in fetal intracranial hemorrhage manifested by cerebral artery reverse flow.

Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma is a common intracranial benign tumor, characterized by excessive production of growth hormone, which leads to acromegaly or giant disease. An abnormal increase in growth hormone can induce glucose metabolism disorder, which is often diagnosed and treated as type 2 diabetes, because of uncontrollable hyperglycemia, delaying the treatment of the primary disease. This paper reports the diagnosis and treatment data of a patient with growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma who was first diagnosed as having diabetes, and reviews the related literature to facilitate a better understanding of the disease.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of non-sticky thermosensitive liquid embolic material chitosan/β-glycerophosphate sodium (C/GP) and fibroblast embolization in rete mirabile (REM) for preparing the model of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM); to study the method of microcatheter injection of C/GP-gel system; and to observe the embolization effect and histological changes of REM.

Methods: A total of 26 domestic pigs were grouped and prepared designed models, followed by different treatment methods using C/GP. C/GP embolization of the REM were performed. The brain samples were obtained after week 6's angiography and finally, subjected to H&E staining for histological examination.

Results: In 26 pig models, 25 pigs were successfully modeled, and 1 pig had convulsions and died during the modeling process. After embolization, angiography showed that the embolized REM was no longer developed while there was no adhesion between the tip of the microcatheter and the embolization agent. No recanalization was found in week 2 and week 6's angiography. Histological examination: the hydrogel was uniformly dispersed in REM, and REM was completely embolized. The texture was hard. REM was filled by gel and fibroblasts, the intima of the wall was clearly visible, and the smooth muscle layer was intact. No exfoliation and necrosis of the vessel wall were observed, and no inflammatory reaction was observed around the blood vessel.

Conclusions: Our study provided sufficient evidence to suggest that C/GP may be a novel liquid embolic material for the endovascular treatment of cAVM. C/GP and fibroblasts can be used in the embolization of cAVM and may have broad application as an ideal embolization material for the treatment of cAVM.

Objectives: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a rare disorder that can cause masculinization of the external genitalia in females, usually evident in neonates. To present a case series of female patients with CAH by summarizing their clinical features and outcomes.

Design: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of female patients with CAH admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from 1995 to 2019.

Materials and methods: Clinical characteristics, CAH subtype, treatments, and outcomes were summarized from the medical records and analyzed. Follow-up was conducted after drug therapy and surgical treatment and was censored in 2019.

Results: Twenty-one female patients were diagnosed with CAH: 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) in 17 patients and 17α-hydroxylase deficiency (17α-OHD) in four patients. The clinical manifestations of 21-OHD were clitoral hypertrophy, pigmentation, male secondary sexual development, genital malformation, sexual precocity, nausea, and vomiting. The clinical manifestations of 17α-OHD were hypertension, feminization, sexual infantilism, and pigmentation. The patients received hormone replacement therapy. When necessary, some patients underwent external genital organ orthomorphia or artificial periodic therapy. Twelve patients were followed up; their sexual development was improved, but seven patients had poor breast development due to late diagnosis and/or poor hormone treatment adherence.

Conclusion: Female CAH patients are subject to genital deformities, virilizing signs, breast dysplasia, and other appearance defects. The purpose of this report is to improve plastic and esthetic surgeons' understanding of CAH.

Objective: Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is an acute or subacute neurologic disorder resulting from thiamine deficiency. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) test is useful in addition to the clinical manifestation, which is the main basis for the diagnosis. Typical MRI findings include areas surrounding the aqueduct and third ventricle, as well as those in the medial thalamus, dorsal medulla, tectal plate, and mamillary bodies. We reported a case of WE with extensive cortical lesions. The beneficial effects of thiamine supplementation and low dosage of glucocorticoid did not sustain after discharge. Eventually, we found that the condition he had was brought on by gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Thiamine supplements combined with glucocorticoids may be a good administration regimen. The etiology of WE is frequently disregarded. In individuals with WE, it is essential to take the underlying illness into account. Malignancy, especially gastrointestinal tract cancer, should be considered. A good administration regimen may include glucocorticoids and thiamine supplements.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infectious disease of the cerebral meninges, which occurs worldwide and threatens the lives of people of all ages. The largest number of cases in developed countries is caused by the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other more common agents are Neisseria meningitidis serotype B and Listeria monocytogenes. Fever is the most commonly reported symptom in paediatric patients, occurring in up to 93% of cases. Further, it is possible to observe headache, vomiting and positive meningeal phenomena. The most common symptoms in adults are fever, headache, positive meningeal symptoms and impaired consciousness. Examination of cerebrospinal fluid is essential for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. The basis of treatment is the earliest possible administration of antibiotics, initially empirically and then purposefully according to the results. Corticosteroids, traditionally dexamethasone, are also used in therapy.

Theoretical basis: A sedentary lifestyle, consumption of inappropriate food, smoking or alcohol consumption can contribute to the overall deterioration of lifestyle and lead to weight gain. Lifestyle includes nutrition, physical activity, sleep, psychological well-being, good relationships or job satisfaction. We can influence some parts of our lifestyle, but we cannot influence many other factors like genetic predisposition or the environment in which we live.

Objective of study: The objective of the study is to evaluate the relationship between lifestyle and BMI (Body Mass Index), as well as differences based on age and sex.

Methodology: A self-constructed questionnaire containing 71 questions was used to determine information about lifestyle. The collected data was based on the assessment of body mass index (BMI) and age, all respondents were measured using the stadiometer and InBody 270. The group included 323 adults (156 men and 167 women) and was divided according to BMI (BMI lower than 25 kg/m2, and BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher). The selected lifestyle characteristics were grouped to create a positive score including positive lifestyle factors, a negative score including negative lifestyle factors, and an overall healthy lifestyle score that included positive and negative scores.

Results: We found out that physiological BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) was more common in respondents with higher education and students. The most respondents prefer omnivorous diet, in lower BMI group were mainly non-smokers and occasional consumers of alcohol, in comparison to higher BMI group where were former smokers and those who abstained from alcohol. All scales of lifestyle are sex-related and negative healthy lifestyle score also depend on BMI. Effect of age is not significant.

Conclusions: According to our study, people with a physiological BMI have a significantly healthier lifestyle compared to overweight or obese people. The overall lifestyle values, as well as the positive and negative lifestyle scores, depend on sex; the negative healthy lifestyle score also depends on BMI.