ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of pseudohypoparathyroidism ( PHP ) inpatients in our hospital from January 2008 to December 2017 and to gain a better understanding of this disorder. Methods 18 inpatients diagnosed as sporadic PHP in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively, as regarding the clinical manifestation, laboratory examination and imaging data. Results 18 inpatients were diagnosed sporadic PHP consisting of 12 males and 6 females, with 13 adults and 5 child participants respectively. The medium age of onset was 14 (6-57), and the average age at diagnosis was (24.9± 14.7) years old. Initial onset of symptoms reported were: 12 patients complained of tetany, 3 reported convulsions, 1 reported numbness, 1 reported dysnoesia, and 1 were asymptomatic. Among them: 3 patients were found to have short distal phalanx, 7 displayed a round face, and 3 out of 15 adults were less than 155 cm in height. 12 patients had a positive Trousseau sign, 1 had an ectopic calcification. 11 were found to have intercranial massive calcifications by head computed tomography. Serum calcium was reported at (1.58 ± 0.11) mmol/ L and parathyroid hormone was (359.5 ± 146.6) pg/ ml. 3 patients were discovered to have hypothyroidism, 2 had been misdiagnosed with epilepsy, and 1 with encephalitis. Conclusions Tetany and intracranial calcifications were the most common signs of PHP patients. A number of the PHP cases in this study lacked typical Albright's Hereditary Osteodystrophy ( AHO) appearance. The age of onset and or duration of the disease varied somewhat in the different patient populations. The heterogeneity nature of the clinical manifestations of PHP makes it difficult to diagnose. It is therefore important to make accurate differential diagnosis of PHP to avoid misdiagnosis of the condition.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect potential mutation in a pedigree affected with congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of a male patient affected with NDI was collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from the patient and five family members. The whole coding region of the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene was amplified by PCR and directly sequenced.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patient presented polyuria and polydipsia postnatally. Computerized tomography revealed bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter. The patient was responsive to hydrochlorothiazide but not to desmopressin. DNA analysis identified a hemizygous missence mutation c.295 T>C in exon 2 of the AVPR2 gene in the proband. His mother and grandmother were both heterozygous for the same mutation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The congenital NDI in the patient was probably due to mutation of the AVPR2 gene.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Base Sequence , DNA Mutational Analysis , Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic , Genetics , Exons , Genetics , Family Health , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genetics , Mutation , Pedigree , Receptors, Vasopressin , GeneticsABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of metformin on plasma ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY)levels in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients,and to study the impact of metformin on body weight.Methods A prospective nested case-control study was designed as a research protocol.Sixty four newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients were treated with metformin for 12 weeks.The patients were divided into two groups:weight loss group and non-weight loss group according to the changes in body weight after metformin treatment.Fasting plasma ghrelin and PYY levels and other metabolic parameters were measured before and after metformin treatment.ResultsFasting plasma ghrelin level was significantly decreased in the patients after metformin treatment [ ( 10.71 ±2.68 vs 11.81 ±3.19 )ng/ml,P＜0.05 ].Fasting plasma PYY level was significantly increased in patients after metformin treatment [ ( 136.86+39.14 vs 128.42+37.31 ) pg/ml,P＜0.05 ].After metformin treatment,43.7％ of the patients lost body weight significantly.Fasting plasma ghrelin level was decreased by 16.6％ after treatment in the weight loss group,as compared with 6.2％ in non weight loss group( P＜0.05 ).Fasting plasma PYY level was increased by 10.8％ after treatment in the weight loss group,as compared with 3.5％ in the non-weight loss group (P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions The fasting plasma ghrelin level in the weight loss group was lowered more significantly compared with that in the non-weight loss group after metformin treatment.The fasting plasma PYY level in the weight loss group was elevated more significantly as compared with that in the non-weight loss group after metformin treatment.The mechanism remains to be further studied.
ABSTRACT
Objective To simply the method of how to obtain cultures rich in astrocytes from SD rat cerebral cortex which could be utilized in vitro experiments.Methods The neonatal rat cerebral cortex was made into suspension by mechanical dissociation,and then reduced other cells by differential velocity adherent technique,shaking in orbital shaker and passage of cultured cells.After purification,the cultured cells were identified by double immunofluorescence staining and SABC.Results We successfully obtain cultures rich in astrocytes and the proportion of astrocytes were more than 95%.Conclusion The method described above was reliable in obtaining the high purity astrocytes from neonatal rat cerebral cortex and double immunofluorescence staining was more vivid and direct.