Objective To explore the association between acute ischemic stroke and albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR).Methods A case-control study.During January to December in 2013, 127 acute ischemic stroke patients as case group and 150 controls who were similar with case group in age and gender were recruited in Tianjin Union Medicine Center . According to diabetes , hypertension , cardiovascular diseases and patients without these three diseases , case group was divided into A1, B1, C1 and D1 subgroups, control group was divided into A2, B2, C2 and D2 subgroups in the same way.The first morning urine from participants were collected .Urinary albumin concentration was tested by nephelometry , urinary creatinine was examined by using enzymic method , ACR were calculated(≥30 mg/g as the cutoff value). Then difference of ACR between case and control group was compared , the cutoff value of albuminuria for ischemic stroke patients was analyzed by ROC , and the risk factor of ischemic stroke were analyzed by logistic regression analysis.Results The prevalence of albuminuria in ischemic stroke patients was 38.58%(49).According to analysis of covariance, after adjustment for age, gender, cardiac-disease, diabetes, hypertension, lnACR in case group was significantly higher than control group (3.18 mg/g vs 2.78 mg/g, t=2.13 P=0.03), especially D1 was significantly higher than D2 subgroup (3.01 mg/g vs 2.51 mg/g,t=5.56,P=0.009) .If 19.82 mg/g from ROC analysis was used as the cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity are 68.5% and 61.7%.The odds ratio ( OR ) of ACR >19.82 mg/g was about 2-fold when compared with ACR<19.82 mg/g adjusted for stroke risk factors , and the OR value is 2.43 in comparison of patients without diabetes , hypertension and cardiovascular diseases .Conclusions Urinary albumin excretion is the independent risk factor of ischemic stroke .The increased urinary albumin has important clinical significance to predict the risk of ischemic stroke for the patients without diabetes , hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To investigate serum uric acid (UA) levels and related clinical characteristics of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Methods The serum uric acid levels were measured in 65 patients with NMO, compared to control groups which were 76 cases with multiple sclerosis ( MS), 126 cases with cerebral vascular diseases (CVD) and 130 healthy controls(HC). The disability severity in NMO was assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) was performed to strengthen assessment the involved lesions. Serum AQP4 antibody was tested in a cell based immunofluorescence assay. Results In male groups, serum UA levels in NMO patients [ (298.90±74.14) μmol/L] were significantly lower than that in CVD [ (355.37 ±50. 30) μmol/L] and HC subjects [ (340.33 ± 58.23 ) μmol/L, P ＜ 0.05 ]. No difference was found between NMO and MS [ ( 292.36 ±92.95) μmol/L] groups. In female groups, serum UA levels in NMO patients [(198.21 ± 62.62)μmol/L] were significantly lower than that in CVD [(274.51 ± 70.66) μmol/L] and HC subjects [(243.26 ±60.65) μmol/L,P ＜0.05]. No difference was found between NMO and MS [(232.29 ±71.95 ) μmol/L ] groups. UA levels were significantly lower in females [ ( 198.21 ± 62. 62) μ mol/L] than in males [ (298.90 ±74.14) μmol/L]. UA levels were significantly lower in patients with EDSS≥5 [ ( 195.48 ± 83.70 )μmol/L] than EDSS ＜ 5 [ (241.00 ± 63.20)μmol/L] NMO patients. In our study UA levels were not correlated with longitude of spinal lesions, activity revealed by MRI and AQP4 antibody tires.Conclusion Lower serum UA levels were found in patients with NMO and related to more severe symptoms.

Objective To investigate the feature brain damage and clinical manifestations in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients; To investigate the relationship between serum NMO-IgG antibody and NMO brain damage. Methods Clinical data of 37 NMO patients and their head and spinal cord MRI by 1.5T superconducting MR scanner, were analyzed; serum NMO-IgG antibody were measured by immunofluorescence. Results 17 cases were found to have abnormal signals on MRI, which were mainly in the white matter, pons, medulla, ventricle, aqueduct, and around the corpus callosum; According to pathological changes, brain damage can be divided into scattered irregularity (13 cases), fusion (3 cases),multiple sclerosis-like (1 case) ,with scattered irregularity more common,5 cases had clinical manifestations of brain damage: somnolence, vomiting, diplopia, visual rotation, 11 cases patients with brainstem damage show positive serum NMO-IgG antibodies. Conclusions Brain damage can be seen in half of NMO patients, they often located in the high expression area of AQP4: brain white matter, periventricular,brainstem and so on. Clinical symptoms has nothing to do with the size of lesions but the location, they often occur when brainstem was involved. Serum NMO-IgG is helpful in differentiating NMO with brain damage and MS.

Objective To investigate serum uric acid (UA) levels and related clinical features in patients with high risk syndrome of neuromyelitis optica. Methods UA levels were measured in 51 patients with high risk syndrome of neuromyelitis optica including 34 with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and 17 with optic neuritis (ON), 48 with neuromyelitis optica (NMO), 45 with other neurological diseases (OND) and 65 with healthy controls (HC). The disability severity was assessed by the expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Spinal lesions were viewed by MRI. Serum aquaporin-4(AQP4) antibody was tested in cell based immunofluorescence assay. Results Serum UA levels in LETM ( ( 189. 84 ±85. 65) μmol/L) and ON patients ( (222. 12 ±61.68) μmol/L) were significantly lower than that in OND ((315.90±71.36) μ mol/L) and HC ((291.05 ±76.64) μ mol/L) subjects (P＜0.01). No difference was found between LETM, ON and NMO groups. UA levels were significantly lower in females ( ( 158.24 ±55.92), (187.00±47.52), (198.21 ±62.62), (274.51 ±70.66)and (243.26±60.65) μmol/L)than in males ( ( 262. 09 ± 101.63 ), ( 262. 45 ± 62. 13 ), ( 298.90 ± 74. 14 ), ( 355.37 ± 50. 30 ) and (340. 34 ±58. 23) μmol/L) in all groups (t=3. 183, 2.578, 4.356, 4.365 and 6.579, all P＜0.05).UA levels in patients with high risk syndrome of NMO were not correlated with mono or relapse course,duration or status of serum AQP4 antibody. UA were negatively correlated with EDSS in patients with LETM (r= -0.714, P＜0.01). Conclusion Lower serum UA levels were found in patients with high risk syndrome of NMO and related to more severe symptoms in LETM group.

ObjectiveTo evaluate three methods of detecting anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody in neuromylitis optica (NMO),including indirect immunofluorescence assay organization(IIF),cell immunofluorescence method (CBA) and ELISA.MethodsThe patients were divided into NMO group (n =29), multiple sclerosis (MS) group (n = 23),and healthy controls group (n = 50).IIF, CBA and ELISA were used in 3 groups to detect serum anti-AQP4 antibody.The sensitivity and specificity as well as the consistency of positive results were compared.ResultsIn the aspect of the sensitivity of the three antiAQP4 antibody to diagnosis NMO, CBA (72.4％) ＞ IIF (62.1％) ＞ ELISA (51.7％) ; in the aspect of specificity, CBA (100.0％) ＞ ELISA (98.6％) ＞ IIF (97.3％).Kappa testing and evaluation method showed that the three detection methods were all in good consistency, particular in CBA and ELISA (P ＜0.01).ConclusionsCBA method showed a highest specificity and sensitivity in all these three anti-AQP4 antibody detection methods.CBA and ELISA are in better consistency of positive results.

Objective:To study the efficacy of different systemic chemotherapy regimens as first-line and second-line therapy and to determine the prognostic factors for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.Methods:The clinical data of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer who underwent systemic chemotherapy in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2011 to December 2018 were studied. The efficacy of chemotherapy on objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated. Potential prognostic factors for survival were studied using the Cox proportional hazards models.Results:Of 151 patients enrolled into this study, there were 75 males and 76 females, with ages ranging from 31 to 77 years (median 58 years). Two treatment protocols were used: (1) 104 patients received a gemcitabine-based regimen (combined with platinums or fluorouracils) or a combination of platinums and fluorouracils, while (2) 47 patients received a combination of albumin-bound paclitaxel and S-1. The corresponding ORR for each group were 15.4%(16/104) and 27.6%(13/47), respectively, and the DCR were 65.4%(68/104) and 72.3%(34/47), respectively. Of 58 evaluable patients who received chemotherapy as a second-line therapy, 31 patients received the regimen containing gemcitabine, platinums or fluorouracils with an ORR of 3.2% (1/31) and a DCR of 35.5%(11/31); a total of 18 patients received the taxanes-based regimen with an ORR of 11.1%(2/18) and a DCR of 38.9%(7/18); 9 patients received the irinotecan-based regimen with an ORR of 22.2%(2/9) and a DCR of 44.4%(4/9). Univariate analysis showed positive liver metastasis and elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9 level to be significantly correlated with worse survival outcomes ( HR=1.540, 95% CI: 1.019-2.328, P=0.040 and HR=1.892, 95% CI: 1.123-3.188, P=0.017). Conclusion:For patients with advanced biliary tract cancer, in addition to the conventional regimens containing gemcitabine, platinums and fluorouracils, the combination of albumin-bound paclitaxel and S-1 was shown to be an effective chemotherapeutic regimen for these patients. Second-line chemotherapy was insufficient and ineffective, and an irinotecan-based regimen deserves to be further investigated. Liver metastasis and elevated CA19-9 level were worse prognosis after chemotherapy for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.

Objective:To explore the relationships between the gut microbiota in patients with cervical and endometrial cancers and the severity of radiation enteritis they suffered during radiotherapy.Methods:Feces samples were collected from 37 patients with cervical or endometrial cancer who received radical radiotherapy (RR) and postoperative radiotherapy (PR). Symptoms were recorded according to the grades of diarrhea and proctitis stated in CTCAE 5.0. The grade of symptoms was considered a high grade (HG) in the case of ≥ 2 and a low grade (LG). The 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used for DNA analysis of the samples.Results:The α diversity of gut microbiota was significantly higher in patients with LG symptoms (LG group) than that in patients with HG symptoms (HG group, P<0.05) and the β diversity also differed between the two groups (stress<0.2) before radiotherapy. Meanwhile, the Ruminococcus gnavus was significantly higher in the HG group than that in the LG group before radiotherapy ( P<0.05), and thus it may serve as a biomarker for the prediction of the severity of radiation enteritis in the patients before radiotherapy. The gut microbiota in the LG and HG groups showed different changes after three weeks of radiotherapy. In addition, RR patients showed higher gut microbiota diversity and less severe radiation enteritis than PR patients. Meanwhile, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was significantly higher in RR patients than that in PR patients before radiotherapy ( P<0.05), which may correlate negatively with radiation toxicity. Conclusions:The characteristics of gut microbiota in patients with cervical and endometrial cancers were closely related to the severity of radiation enteritis they suffered during radiotherapy. Furthermore, prior treatment such as surgery might reduce radiation tolerance of the patients.

Taking "count down your weight—start from 'diet'" as an example, this article discusses the design and practice of SPOC (small private online course) mixed teaching based on MOOC (massive open online course) in general medical courses. By designing teaching methods and teaching content, and using formative evaluation methods, the SPOC mixed teaching was implemented for 201 students from Sichuan University in the spring of 2020. According to the teaching evaluation and preliminary teaching effect, students generally believed that teaching resources were relatively abundant and the communication effects were generally recognized, as well as, it could significantly improve students' interest in and effect of general medical courses.

Objective:To assess the three-dimensional dose distribution in radiotherapy plans using the structural similarity index(SSIM), compare the performance of SSIM with commonly used quality assessment indices, and develop a SSIM-based quality assessment method of multiple prescribed doses.Methods:The SSIM was introduced to providea quality score of various voxels by comparing actual and ideal three-dimensional dose data and combining the spatial location information of the voxels. Then the average value in a region of interest (ROI) was calculated as the quality score of the region. Fifty-three cases of cervical cancer were selected to analyze the correlation of the SSIM with the uniformity index (HI), conformity index (CI) of the dose distribution in various ROIs and to explore the capability of the SSIM to reflect the uniformity and conformity of dose distribution.Two types of quality defects were individually introduced into two of 53 radiotherapy plans. Then the two plans were compared with normal plans to characterize the response of the SSIM.Results:There was no correlation between HI and SSIM in positive lymph nodes(PGTVnd) due to the decrease in the HI sensitivity, while there was a significant negative correlation between them in regions where PGTVnd was removed from the planning target volume(PTV, R=-0.86, P<0.01). Meanwhile, there was a significant positive correlation between CI and SSIM in PGTVnd ( R=0.83, P<0.01). Therefore, the SSIM can be used to identify the artificial design defects in plans by determining abnormal dose gradients. Conclusions:Apart from reducing the defects of previous assessment parameters, the SSIM has the capability to assess the quality of radiotherapy plans by combining the uniformity and conformity of dose distribution and can provide accurate feedback on the spatial locations of quality defects.

Objective To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of renal lesions in type 2 diabetic patients and to differentiate diabetic nephropathy (DN) from non-diabetic renal diseases (NDRD).Methods Type 2 diabetic patients who received renal biopsy in Ruijin Hospital from January 2011 to December 2015 were recruited in this study. Clinical history, laboratory results and pathological data were retrospectively collected. According to the pathological findings, the patients were divided into 3 groups: DN, NDRD, DN+NDRD. Logistic model was applied to explore the independent clinical predictive factors in differentiating DN from NDRD. Results A total of 207 type 2 diabetic patients received renal biopsy, accounting for 6.82% of all biopsy population. Fifty-one patients were diagnosed with DN, 142 with NDRD and 14 with both DN and NDRD. In NDRD, membranous nephropathy(MN) (34.5%) was the most common finding, followed by IgA nephropathy(19.7%).By contrast, NDRD patients manifested a shorter diabetic course, a higher baseline hemoglobin level, a lower baseline serum creatinine, a higher prevalence of hematuria, a lower prevalence of hypertension and diabetic retinopathy, a better control of blood glucose, better compliance of monitoring blood glucose and less family history of diabetes. In multivariate logistic model, diabetic family history(OR=4.68, P=0.04) and long history of diabetes(OR=1.01, P=0.02) were risk factors of DN. Conclusion There is a high prevalence of NDRD in diabetic patients with renal lesions. Family history of diabetes and duration of diabetes are independent predictors of DN.