Association of serum uric acid with thyroid function in health check-up participants / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The relationship of uric acid (UA) with the thyroid function among healthy individuals remains unclear. We aimed to examine the relationship between UA contents and thyroid hormone levels in healthy Chinese individuals.@*METHODS@#This was a cross-sectional study of 1186 Chinese adults (736 men and 450 women) who underwent a health check-up at the Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University (Shanghai, China) between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2018. Clinical and thyroid hormone levels were compared in different UA groups (in male and menopause women groups, MG1: UA < 5 mg/dL; MG2: 5 mg/dL ≤ UA< 7 mg/dL; and MG3: UA ≥ 7 mg/dL; in female groups, FG1 to FG3 represent the UA levels of <4 mg/dL, 4 mg/dL ≤ UA< 6 mg/dL, and ≥6 mg/dL, respectively). In addition, natural cubic spline regression, together with Pearson correlation analysis, was performed in investigating the correlation of UA with thyroid hormones.@*RESULTS@#After adjusting for confounding factors, low levels of UA (for males, UA < 5.30 mg/dL; for females, UA < 4.05 mg/dL) were negatively correlated with free triiodothyronine (FT3) both in men and women. UA levels between 4.83 and 6.06 mg/dL may act to protect FT3 in women, while UA levels between 6.39 and 7.09 mg/dL may protect FT3 in men. FT3 levels of low-range UA group reduced compared with mid-range UA and the high-range UA groups in both men and women.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results provide epidemiologic evidence to support the negative correlation between low UA contents and FT3 in the Chinese Han population, suggesting that the reduced UA contents may serve as the risk factor to predict poor thyroid function in Chinese individuals.

Toll-like Receptor 4 Signaling Pathway in the Protective Effect of Pioglitazone on Experimental Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>In vitro experiments have revealed that toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway is involved in the progression of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) by induction of proinflammatory cytokines. Evidence showed that, in other disease models, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonists have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects through suppression of the expression and activity of TLR4. However, the interaction between PPAR-γ and TLR4 in IgAN has not been fully studied both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we explored whether TLR4 pathway attributed to the progression of IgAN in experimental rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bovine gamma globulin was used to establish IgAN model. Fifty-four Lewis rats were randomly divided into six groups: ControlTAK242, IgANTAK242, toll-like receptor 4 inhibitor (TAK242) groups (rats were administrated with TLR4 inhibitor, TAK242) and ControlPio, IgANPio, Pio groups (rats were administrated with PPAR-γ agonist, pioglitazone). Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. Renal histopathological changes were observed after hematoxylin-eosin staining, and the IgA deposition in glomeruli was measured by immunofluorescence staining. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were used to detect TLR4 and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) message ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression in renal tissues. Results were presented as mean ± standard deviation. Differences between groups were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to normal rats, experimental rats showed higher ACR (4.45 ± 1.33 mg/mmol vs. 2.89 ± 0.96 mg/mmol, P < 0.05), obvious IgA deposition with mesangial hypercellularity, hyperplasia of mesangial matrix accompanied by increased serum IL-1β (48.28 ± 13.49 pg/ml vs. 35.56 ± 7.41pg/ml, P < 0.05), and renal expression of IL-1β and TLR4. The biochemical parameters and renal pathological injury were relieved in both TAK242 group and Pio group. The expressions of renal tissue TLR4, IL-1β, and serum IL-1β were decreased in rats treated with TAK242, and the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein was significantly reduced in Pio group compared to IgANPiogroup (1.22 ± 0.28 vs. 1.72 ± 0.45, P < 0.01, and 0.12 ± 0.03 vs. 0.21 ± 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our study proves that inflammation mediated by TLR4 signaling pathway is involved in the progression of IgAN in rat models. Moreover, pioglitazone can inhibit the expression of TLR4 in IgAN.</p>

Analysis of surgical treatment of soft tissue sarcomas of the adductor compartment / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review the outcomes and complications of 21 consecutive patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the adductor compartment treated in our hospital from July 2006 to March 2012.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Medical records of 21 patients who underwent resection of soft tissue sarcomas of the adductor compartment were reviewed. Eight of the patients had primary operation, other eight had secondary radical excision, and five were admitted for tumor recurrence after operation in local hospitals. Six cases used gracilis or sartorius muscle to fill the cavity after removal of adductor muscle group. Fifteen patients underwent adjuvant treatment including radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seven patients (33.3%) developed wound complications. Five required further surgery and two received dressing changes. All the patients were followed up for 3 to 60 months. During the follow-up period, no tumor recurrence was found in all the patients, only one case had multiple bone and pulmonary metastases, and two cases died (one for pulmonary metastasis at 11 months after surgery, and the other died of heart disease at 36 months post operation).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Good local control rate can be achieved in patients with soft tissue sarcomas of the adductor compartment by using adductor muscle group resection, but it carries a relatively high rate of wound complications requiring proper management.</p>

Value of intraoperative electron radiation therapy in the treatment of malignant bone or soft tissue tumors around the joints / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the value of intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons (ELIOT) in treatment of malignant bone or soft tissue tumors around the joints.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From October 2008 to April 2012, nineteen patients with malignant bone or soft tissue tumors around the joints were treated with ELIOT. The tumors were located around the knee joint in 8 patients, around the hip joint in 6 patients, around the elbow joint in 4 patients and around the shoulder joint in one patient. All of the patients underwent limb salvage surgeries. R0 resections were performed in 18 patients, while R1 resection was performed in one patient. The doses of intraoperative radiation ranged from 10 Gy to 22 Gy. The median dose was 19 Gy. More than one ELIOT fields were used in 10 patients because of the large tumor size.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seven patients suffered wound complications. No grade ≥ 3 acute toxicities were observed. One patient developed radiation ulcer and arterial fistula 15 months after surgery and ELIOT, and resulted in amputation finally (grade 4 late toxicity). The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) 93 score was 26.26 ± 4.04 (87.5% ± 13.5%), with excellent to good extremity functions in 18 patients (94.7%). Four patients had local recurrences. The estimated locoregional control rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 81.9%, 73.7%, and 73.7%, respectively. Seven patients died of the diseases. The estimated overall survivals of the entire group of patients at 1, 2, and 3 years were 76.3%, 61.2%, and 51.0%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ELIOT is a safe and well-tolerable technique and could be widely used for patients with malignant bone or soft tissue tumors around the joints with acceptable rates of acute and late toxicity. There is positive significance for controlling the tumor local recurrence, preserving the joint function and improving survival quality.</p>

Influence of long-term use of low dose caulis Aristolochiae manshuriensis on partial nephrectomized rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of long-term use of low dose Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis (CAM) on the deterioration of chronic renal failure rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The 5/6 nephrectomized Wistar rats were taken as animal model of chronic renal failure, which were divided into 3 groups. Group A was treated with 1 g/kg CAM decoction, the dose equivalent to that defined in the pharmacopoeia. Group B was treated with 3 g/kg CAM decoction and Group C treated with equal volume of tap water. Medication was given once per day by gastrogavage in all the three groups for 8 weeks. The serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein content and morphological changes of kidney were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 8 weeks treatment, levels of serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, urinary protein excretion in Group B were higher than those in Group C significantly, they were 165.0 +/- 15.6 mumol/L vs 109.8 +/- 10.0 mumol/L, 27.8 +/- 3.6 mmol/L vs 18.7 +/- 2.5 mmol/L and 68.2 +/- 10.1 mg/24 hrs vs 44.6 +/- 8.5 mg/24 hrs, respectively, all P < 0.05. The pathological changes of renal mesenchyme and degree of glomerulosclerosis were also heavier in Group B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The susceptibility of chronic renal failure rats to the nephrotoxicity of CAM increases in long-term use of low dose CAM which could accelerate the deterioration of renal impairment in the model rats.</p>

Experimental study of the nephrotoxicity of Guangfangji / 中国药理学通报

AIM: To study the. nephrotoxicity of various doses of Guangfangji. METHODS: Normal Wistar rats were given 1, 5 and 10 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji respectively. Renal pathology and function were observed. RESULTS Rats given 1 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji for 8 weeks showed normal renal function and histology. Rats given 5 g · kg-1 of Guangfangji significantly increased 24 hour urinary protein excretion. Tubular degeneration and interstitial edema was observed. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creactinine (Scr) remained in the normal range. BUN and Scr increased significantly in the group given 10 g·kg-1 of Guangfangji for 4 weeks. The tubulointerstitial abnormalities were more severe in the group given 5 g·kg-1 of Guangfangji. CONCLUSION: Longterm use of pharmacopoeial dose of Guangfangji shows no harm to the kidney. Renal injury may occur if relatively large dose of Guangfangji is given and the period of treatment using this drug is relatively longer.