Background::T-cell-mediated immunity is crucial for the effective clearance of viral infection, but the T-cell-mediated immune responses that are induced by booster doses of inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) remain unclear.Methods::Forty-five PLWH who had received antiretroviral therapy (ART) for more than two years and 29 healthy controls (HCs) at Beijing Youan Hospital were enrolled to assess the dynamic changes in T-cell responses between the day before the third vaccine dose (week 0) and 4 or 12 weeks (week 4 or week 12) after receiving the third dose of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot), and multiplex cytokines profiling were used to assess T-cell responses at the three timepoints in this study.Results::The results of the ELISpot and activation-induced marker (AIM) assays showed that SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses were increased in both PLWH and HCs after the third dose of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and a similar magnitude of immune response was induced against the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant compared to the wild-type strain. In detail, spike-specific T-cell responses (measured by the ELISpot assay for interferon γ [IFN-γ] release) in both PLWH and HCs significantly increased in week 4, and the spike-specific T-cell responses in HCs were significantly stronger than those in PLWH 4 weeks after the third vaccination. In the AIM assay, spike-specific CD4 + T-cell responses peaked in both PLWH and HCs in week 12. Additionally, significantly higher spike-specific CD8 + T-cell responses were induced in PLWH than in HCs in week 12. In PLWH, the release of the cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and IL-22 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that were stimulated with spike peptides increased in week 12. In addition, the levels of IL-4 and IL-5 were higher in PLWH than in HCs in week 12. Interestingly, the magnitude of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses in PLWH was negatively associated with the extent of CD8 + T-cell activation and exhaustion. In addition, positive correlations were observed between the magnitude of spike-specific T-cell responses (determined by measuring IFN-γ release by ELISpot) and the amounts of IL-4, IL-5, IL-2 and IL-17F. Conclusions::Our findings suggested that SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses could be enhanced by the booster dose of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines and further illustrate the importance of additional vaccination for PLWH.

BACKGROUND: T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif domains (TIGIT), an inhibitory receptor expressed on T cells, plays a dysfunctional role in antiviral infection and antitumor activity. However, it is unknown whether TIGIT expression on T cells influences the immunological effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inactivated vaccines. METHODS: Forty-five people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for more than two years and 31 healthy controls (HCs), all received a third dose of a SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine, were enrolled in this study. The amounts, activation, proportion of cell subsets, and magnitude of the SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response of TIGIT + CD4 + and TIGIT + CD8 + T cells were investigated before the third dose but 6 months after the second vaccine dose (0W), 4 weeks (4W) and 12 weeks (12W) after the third dose. RESULTS: Compared to that in HCs, the frequency of TIGIT + CD8 + T cells in the peripheral blood of PLWH increased at 12W after the third dose of the inactivated vaccine, and the immune activation of TIGIT + CD8 + T cells also increased. A decrease in the ratio of both T naïve (T N ) and central memory (T CM ) cells among TIGIT + CD8 + T cells and an increase in the ratio of the effector memory (T EM ) subpopulation were observed at 12W in PLWH. Interestingly, particularly at 12W, a higher proportion of TIGIT + CD8 + T cells expressing CD137 and CD69 simultaneously was observed in HCs than in PLWH based on the activation-induced marker assay. Compared with 0W, SARS-CoV-2-specific TIGIT + CD8 + T-cell responses in PLWH were not enhanced at 12W but were enhanced in HCs. Additionally, at all time points, the SARS-CoV-2-specific responses of TIGIT + CD8 + T cells in PLWH were significantly weaker than those of TIGIT - CD8 + T cells. However, in HCs, the difference in the SARS-CoV-2-specific responses induced between TIGIT + CD8 + T cells and TIGIT - CD8 + T cells was insignificant at 4W and 12W, except at 0W. CONCLUSIONS TIGIT expression on CD8 + T cells may hinder the T-cell immune response to a booster dose of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, suggesting weakened resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in PLWH. Furthermore, TIGIT may be used as a potential target to increase the production of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8 + T cells, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of vaccination.
Humans ; Antibodies, Viral ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; COVID-19/complications* ; COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology* ; HIV Infections/complications* ; Receptors, Immunologic ; SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine can induce a potent cellular and humoral immune response to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it was unknown whether SARS-CoV-2 vaccination can induce effective natural killer (NK) cell response in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) and healthy individuals. METHODS: Forty-seven PLWH and thirty healthy controls (HCs) inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine were enrolled from Beijing Youan Hospital in this study. The effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on NK cell frequency, phenotype, and function in PLWH and HCs was evaluated by flow cytometry, and the response of NK cells to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike (SARS-2-OS) protein stimulation was also evaluated. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 vaccine inoculation elicited activation and degranulation of NK cells in PLWH, which peaked at 2 weeks and then decreased to a minimum at 12 weeks after the third dose of vaccine. However, in vitro stimulation of the corresponding peripheral blood monocular cells from PLWH with SARS-2-OS protein did not upregulate the expression of the aforementioned markers. Additionally, the frequencies of NK cells expressing the activation markers CD25 and CD69 in PLWH were significantly lower than those in HCs at 0, 4 and 12 weeks, but the percentage of CD16 + NK cells in PLWH was significantly higher than that in HCs at 2, 4 and 12 weeks after the third dose of vaccine. Interestingly, the frequency of CD16 + NK cells was significantly negatively correlated with the proportion of CD107a + NK cells in PLWH at each time point after the third dose. Similarly, this phenomenon was also observed in HCs at 0, 2, and 4 weeks after the third dose. Finally, regardless of whether NK cells were stimulated with SARS-2-OS or not, we did not observe any differences in the expression of NK cell degranulation markers between PLWH and HCs. CONCLUSION s:SARS-CoV-2 vaccine elicited activation and degranulation of NK cells, indicating that the inoculation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine enhances NK cell immune response.
Humans ; COVID-19 Vaccines/therapeutic use* ; COVID-19 ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Killer Cells, Natural ; HIV Infections ; Antibodies, Viral

"The Expert Group on Tumor Ablation Therapy of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, The Tumor Ablation Committee of Chinese College of Interventionalists, The Society of Tumor Ablation Therapy of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association and The Ablation Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology" have organized multidisciplinary experts to formulate the consensus for thermal ablation of pulmonary subsolid nodules or ground-glass nodule (GGN). The expert consensus reviews current literatures and provides clinical practices for thermal ablation of GGN. The main contents include: (1) clinical evaluation of GGN, (2) procedures, indications, contraindications, outcomes evaluation and related complications of thermal ablation for GGN and (3) future development directions.
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Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hyperuricemia and its correlation among adolescents aged 13-16 in Hanjiang district of Yangzhou city. Methods: Five hundred and nine adolescents aged 13-16 years in Hangjiang district of Yangzhou city were recruited. Their fasting serum uric acid level were measured by Benecheck premium UA monitoring system. The demographic imformation, family history, eating and living habits of the respondents were collected by questionnaires. Results: The average serum uric acid level of 509 adolescents in Hangjiang district of Yangzhou city was (374±98) μmol/L, and (420±103) μmol/L in males, higher than that of females [(329±70) μmol/L](t=11.69, P<0.05). The overall prevalence of HUA was 36.9%(188/509), and 43.2%(108/250) in males, higher than in females 30.8%(80/259)(χ²=4.16, P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male [OR=1.70, 95%CI(1.18, 2.45)], obese [OR=8.99, 95%CI(4.58, 17.63)], high-salt oily diet [OR=1.67, 95%CI(1.05, 2.61)], soy products [OR=2.66, 95%CI(1.45, 4.88)], animal offal [OR=7.81, 95%CI(3.42, 17.83)], seafood [OR=4.80, 95%CI(2.83, 8.12)], sugary drinks [OR=6.49, 95%CI(3.08, 13.64)] and time spent on electronic products [OR=1.98, 95%CI(1.07, 3.65)] might be risk factors for hyperuricemia (P<0.05), while fruit [OR=0.52, 95%CI(0.32, 0.85)] and outdoor activities [OR=0.55, 95%CI(0.33, 0.92)] might be protective factors for HUA (P<0.05). Conclusion There is a high prevalence of hyperuricemia among adolescents aged 13-16 in Hangjiang district of Yangzhou city. The level of serum uric acid in adolescents significantly increased. Male, obesity, high salt and oily diets, soy products, animal offal, seafood, and sugary drinks may be risk factors for HUA. Fruits and outdoor activities may be protective factors for HUA. Relevant disciplines can take corresponding measures to prevent adolescent HUA.

Objective: To investigate the effect of long-term exposure of nitrogen dioxide on the incidence of hypertension. Methods: From March to December 2009, 37 386 eligible residents from four cities in northern China (Tianjin, Shenyang, Taiyuan, and Rizhao) were enrolled in a follow-up study by using the random cluster sampling method. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle, history of diseases, and self-report situation of hypertension were collected by using questionnaire. Based on the average annual concentration of NO₂ during the period from the cohort to the onset of hypertension as an estimate of exposure, the effect of NO₂ exposure on hypertension was analyzed by employing Cox proportional hazards model. The interactions between NO₂ exposure and different characteristics (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, economy, exercise, and fruit intake) were also examined. Results: The baseline age of residents was (43.74±13.78) years, and the body mass index (BMI) was (22.56±2.92) kg/m². During an average follow-up time of 11.40 years, 2 619 (7.0%) new cases of hypertension were reported. The overall mean environmental pollution levels during the study period for the entire cohort was (40.74±17.07) μg/m³. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, family history of hypertension, socio-economic information, and lifestyle, the hazard ratio (HR) of incident hypertension with a 10 μg/m³ increase of NO₂ was 1.21 (95%CI: 1.18-1.25). Compared with residents aged 60 years and over (HR=1.19, 95%CI: 1.14-1.26), former and current smoking (HR=1.20, 95%CI: 1.14-1.25), and high-frequency fruit consumption (HR=1.17, 95%CI: 1.13-1.21), residents younger than 60 years (HR=1.28, 95%CI: 1.25-1.32), non-smoker (HR=1.23, 95%CI: 1.19-1.27), and low-frequency fruit consumption (HR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.20-1.35) had stronger interaction effect with NO₂ (all P values for interaction<0.05). Conclusion NO₂ exposure may lead to the onset of hypertension, which has a stronger effect on people younger than 60 years old, without smoking history and with low-frequency fruit consumption.

Objective To investigate the effect of long?term exposure of nitrogen dioxide on the incidence of hypertension. Methods From March to December 2009, 37 386 eligible residents from four cities in northern China (Tianjin, Shenyang, Taiyuan, and Rizhao) were enrolled in a follow?up study by using the random cluster sampling method. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle, history of diseases, and self?report situation of hypertension were collected by using questionnaire. Based on the average annual concentration of NO2 during the period from the cohort to the onset of hypertension as an estimate of exposure, the effect of NO2 exposure on hypertension was analyzed by employing Cox proportional hazards model. The interactions between NO2 exposure and different characteristics (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, economy, exercise, and fruit intake) were also examined. Results The baseline age of residents was (43.74±13.78) years, and the body mass index (BMI) was (22.56±2.92) kg/m2. During an average follow?up time of 11.40 years, 2 619 (7.0%) new cases of hypertension were reported. The overall mean environmental pollution levels during the study period for the entire cohort was (40.74±17.07) μg/m3. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, family history of hypertension, socio?economic information, and lifestyle, the hazard ratio (HR) of incident hypertension with a 10 μg/m3 increase of NO2 was 1.21 (95%CI:1.18-1.25). Compared with residents aged 60 years and over ( HR=1.19, 95%CI : 1.14-1.26), former and current smoking ( HR=1.20, 95%CI : 1.14-1.25), and high?frequency fruit consumption ( HR=1.17, 95%CI :1.13-1.21), residents younger than 60 years ( HR=1.28, 95%CI : 1.25-1.32), non?smoker ( HR=1.23, 95%CI :1.19-1.27), and low?frequency fruit consumption ( HR=1.27, 95%CI : 1.20-1.35) had stronger interaction effect with NO2 (all P values for interaction<0.05). Conclusion NO2 exposure may lead to the onset of hypertension, which has a stronger effect on people younger than 60 years old, without smoking history and with low?frequency fruit consumption.

Objective To investigate the effect of long?term exposure of nitrogen dioxide on the incidence of hypertension. Methods From March to December 2009, 37 386 eligible residents from four cities in northern China (Tianjin, Shenyang, Taiyuan, and Rizhao) were enrolled in a follow?up study by using the random cluster sampling method. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle, history of diseases, and self?report situation of hypertension were collected by using questionnaire. Based on the average annual concentration of NO2 during the period from the cohort to the onset of hypertension as an estimate of exposure, the effect of NO2 exposure on hypertension was analyzed by employing Cox proportional hazards model. The interactions between NO2 exposure and different characteristics (age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, economy, exercise, and fruit intake) were also examined. Results The baseline age of residents was (43.74±13.78) years, and the body mass index (BMI) was (22.56±2.92) kg/m2. During an average follow?up time of 11.40 years, 2 619 (7.0%) new cases of hypertension were reported. The overall mean environmental pollution levels during the study period for the entire cohort was (40.74±17.07) μg/m3. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, family history of hypertension, socio?economic information, and lifestyle, the hazard ratio (HR) of incident hypertension with a 10 μg/m3 increase of NO2 was 1.21 (95%CI:1.18-1.25). Compared with residents aged 60 years and over ( HR=1.19, 95%CI : 1.14-1.26), former and current smoking ( HR=1.20, 95%CI : 1.14-1.25), and high?frequency fruit consumption ( HR=1.17, 95%CI :1.13-1.21), residents younger than 60 years ( HR=1.28, 95%CI : 1.25-1.32), non?smoker ( HR=1.23, 95%CI :1.19-1.27), and low?frequency fruit consumption ( HR=1.27, 95%CI : 1.20-1.35) had stronger interaction effect with NO2 (all P values for interaction<0.05). Conclusion NO2 exposure may lead to the onset of hypertension, which has a stronger effect on people younger than 60 years old, without smoking history and with low?frequency fruit consumption.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of acetyl coenzyme A synthetase short-chain family member 2 (ACSS2) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and its biological role.

METHODSA total of 74 CRC tissue samples and 40 normal colorectal tissues were tested by immunohistochemical staining to detect the expression of ACSS2 (cell staining intensity score: 0 points: without staining, 1 points: weak staining, 2 points: intensity staining, 3 point: strong staining; the percentage of positive cells in tumor or negative score: 0 points: negative, 1 point: <25% positive cells, 2 points: 25%-50% positive cells, 3 points: 50%-75% positive cells, 4 points: >75% positive cells. The product of above two scores was the final score.). Association of ACSS2 expression with clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. Small interfering RNA (siRNA, including A and B group) was used to knock down the expression of ACSS2 in colorectal cell lines (Lovo, HCT116) and their proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (E-cadherin and Snail as markers) after knocking down were observed.

RESULTSThe expression of ACSS2 was significant higher in CRC tissue than that in normal colorectal tissue (tumor average score 6.284, normal tissue average score 3.625, P<0.01) and the percentage of positive cell was higher than that in normal tissue (tumor 69.9%, normal tissue 45.1%, P=0.000). The use of ACSS2 siRNA successfully knocked down the expression of ACSS2 in Lovo and HCT116 cells. A mild suppression of cell proliferation was observed 5 days after planked (A450 value: Lovo-NC 1.758±0.041, Lovo-ACSS2-siA 1.485±10.026, Lovo-ACSS2-siB 1.371±0.049; HCT116-NC 2.609±0.038, HCT116-ACSS2-siA 2.260±0.042, HCT116-ACSS2-siB 2.295±0.029). While a remarkable ability decline of cell migration was found (Lovo-NC 225±5/field, Lovo-ACSS2-siA 40±5/field, Lovo-ACSS2-siB 79±3/field; HCT116-NC 198±7/field, HCT116-ACSS2-siA 96±7/field, HCT116-ACSS2-siB 77±9/field, P<0.05). Real-time quantitative PCR detection showed that in Lovo cells, expression of E-cadherin up-regulated and expression of Snail down-regulated, while in HCT116 cells, E-cadherin up-regulated slightly [E-cadherin: Lovo NC 1.000±0.211, Lovo-siA 3.403±0.207, Lovo-siB 2.658±0.420 (P<0.05); HCT116 NC 1.000±0.121, HCT116-siA 1.349±0.197, HCT116-siB 1.528±0.147(P>0.05); Snail: Lovo NC 1.000±0.085, Lovo-siA 0.468±0.030, Lovo-siB 0.499±0.088 (P<0.05); HCT116 NC 1.000±0.118, HCT116-siA 0.265±0.020, HCT116-siB 0.194±0.017 (P<0.05)].

CONCLUSIONCRC tissues have high expression of ACSS2, which may be associated with cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Objective To assess quality of the clinical hematology laboratory technique examination papers and to explore the teaching methods, in order to improve the quality of the course. Methods After gathering 27 clinical hematology laboratory technique theoretical and experimental papers of the first session four-year laboratory medicine students in China Medical University of Grade 2014, we adopted the method of SPSS 19.0 on test scores for statistics of distribution frequency and mean, and applied the corre-lation function formula to calculate the difficulty and discrimination of various types of test questions, and then evaluated the level of knowledge according to the score distribution, and analyzed the quality of the papers based on the difficulty and discrimination. Results The average score of theoretical papers was (76.81±9.12) points, the proposition scheme is reasonable, the overall difficulty was 0.78, and the discrimi-nation is 0.41. The average score of experimental papers was (14.33±1.21) points, the overall difficulty is 0.72, and the discrimination is 0.10. Conclusion The difficulty of the theoretical papers is moderate, equipped with better capacity to discrimination, the difficulty of the experimental papers is also moderate, otherwise with poor discriminatory ability. We should learn from advanced management concept of ISO 15189 and combining professional training requirements of the four-year laboratory medicine , and strengthen students' ability of using theoretical knowledge flexibly to further perfect the mechanism of the experimental exam, improve experimental teaching methods, and finally help further improvement of teaching work.