The noninvasive measurement of liver stiffness (LS) was evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan) and the possible influencing factors from the patients' clinical situations including age, gender, liver inflammation represented by alanine transaminase (ALT) and total billirubin (TBIL) level, HBV replication (HBV DNA loads), portal vein pressure (portal vessel diameter, PVD), splenic thickness (SPT) and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A total of 466 patients including 31 patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), and 435 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) among which 82 patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (LC) by clinical manifestations and liver B-type ultrasonic inspection were enrolled at Tongji Hospital from April to December 2009. LS was measured by a FibroScan device (EchoSens, France). Simultaneously, ALT and TBIL levels, HBV DNA loads, PVD, SPT and BMI in all patients were also tested. Forty-one healthy volunteers served as controls. The values of LS were correlated positively with ages of CHB patients and significantly higher in males than in females. In patients with BMI>28 kg/m(2) (obesity) and abnormal levels of ALT and TBIL, LS values were significantly increased as compared with those having normal levels of ALT and TBIL. The patients with ACLF had the highest LS value. Furthermore, LS values in the patients with LC were significantly higher than those in patients without LC. It is concluded that noninvasive measurement of liver fibrosis by FibroScan provides an alternative method to evaluate liver fibrosis of patients with CHB. In order to properly illustrate the stiffness value taken by transient elastography, patients' gender should be taken into consideration and it is also suggested to avoid possible influencing factors including liver inflammation (high levels of ALT and TBIL) and obesity (high BMI).

Objective In view of the trend of networking development in modern high education and the characteristics of students' strong self-learning ability, Peking Union Medical College established a multimedia morphological teaching website from 2013 including human anatomy, neuroanatomy, histology and embryology.Methods According to the teaching demand, the use of the ASP script, combined with Mysql database completed the website development, from the interface design to the curriculum, the syllabus, presentations and laboratory videos uploading.Results Through the questionnaire survey, 45% of the students use website more than 3 times a week, and course content column has the highest use frequency (79%).An independent learning platform effect has been achieved.Conclusions After nearly 4 years exploration and practice, multimedia website has become an important part of morphological courses, as a kind of new teaching mode, not only popular for college teachers and students, but also widely used in clinical teaching.

Objective To study the clinical value of whole －body magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging(WB－DWI) in evaluating the chemotherapy response for lung cancer,thus to provide evidence for optimizing clinical imaging examination. Methods From October 2017 to May 2018,60 patients with lung cancer confirmed by histopathology in Linfen Central Hospital were selected. The patients underwent DWI examinations before chemotherapy and after two cycles of chemotherapy. The change of tumor size,distant metastasis and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value were compared before and after chemotherapy. The correlation between the change rate of ADC value and the shrinkage rate of tumor size in the effective group was analyzed. Results Of 60 cases,1 case had new cerebral metastases after chemotherapy. There were statistically significant differences in ADC value [(1. 12 ± 0.33) ×10 －3mm2/svs.(1.56±0.40) ×10 －3mm2/s]andtumorsize[(4.63±2.75)cmvs.(2.28±1.45)cm] between before and after chemotherapy in the effective group(t= －3. 954,4. 711,all P＜0. 01). There was correlation between the change of ADC value and tumor size(r=0. 34,P＜0. 05). Conclusion WB－DWI can not only detect the change of tumor size and distant metastasis quickly and effectively,but also can observe the microscopic changes of tumor cells by measuring ADC value. So it can predict the early therapeutic response of the tumor and make effective evaluation for the staging and chemotherapy response of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors in the central nucleus of the amygdale (CeA) in food and water intake.

METHODSMale Sprague-Dawley rats with stainless steel cannulae implanted unilaterally into the CeA were used. The prototypic NMDA receptor agonist NMDA, or the selective NMDA receptor antagonist D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP-5) was microinjected into the CeA of satiated and euhydrated rats.

RESULTSIntra-CeA injection of 8.50, 17.00, or 34.00 nmol NMDA did not alter food intake but significantly increased water intake 0-1 h after the injection (F(3,32)=3.191, P=0.037) independent of food intake. Without affecting the food intake, injection of 6.34, 12.70, or 25.40 nmol D-AP-5 into the CeA significantly decreased water intake 0-1 h after the injection (F(3,28)=3.118, P=0.042) independent of food intake.

CONCLUSIONNMDA receptors in the CeA may participate in the control of water intake rather than food intake.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate ; pharmacology ; Amygdala ; drug effects ; Animals ; Drinking ; drug effects ; Eating ; drug effects ; Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists ; pharmacology ; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Injections, Intraventricular ; Male ; N-Methylaspartate ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; agonists ; antagonists & inhibitors

The noninvasive measurement of liver stiffness (LS) was evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan) and the possible influencing factors from the patients' clinical situations including age,gender,liver inflammation represented by alanine transaminase (ALT) and total billirubin (TBIL) level,HBV replication (HBV DNA loads),portal vein pressure (portal vessel diameter,PVD),splenic thickness (SPT) and body mass index (BMI) were analyzed in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).A total of 466 patients including 31 patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF),and 435 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) among which 82 patients were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (LC) by clinical manifestations and liver B-type ultrasonic inspection were enrolled at Tongji Hospital from April to December 2009.LS was measured by a FibroScan device (EchoSens,France).Simultaneously,ALT and TBIL levels,HBV DNA loads,PVD,SPT and BMI in all patients were also tested.Forty-one healthy volunteers served as controls.The values of LS were correlated positively with ages of CHB patients and significantly higher in males than in females.In patients with BMI＞28 kg/m2 (obesity) and abnormal levels of ALT and TBIL,LS values were significantly increased as compared with those having normal levels of ALT and TBIL.The patients with ACLF had the highest LS value.Furthermore,LS values in the patients with LC were significantly higher than those in patients without LC.It is concluded that noninvasive measurement of liver fibrosis by FibroScan provides an alternative method to evaluate liver fibrosis of patients with CHB.In order to properly illustrate the stiffness value taken by transient elastography,patients' gender should be taken into consideration and it is also suggested to avoid possible influencing factors including liver inflammation (high levels of ALT and TBIL) and obesity (high BMI).

Objective:To investigate the injury effect of hyperoxali acid on human arterial endothelial cells (HAECs) and its mechanism.Methods:HAECs were divided into intervention group and control group according to whether oxalic acid was used for intervention. The cells in the intervention group were stimulated with 30, 100, 200 and 300 μmol/L oxalic for different time. The effect of oxalic acid on the proliferation of HAECs was detected by MTT colorimetry. The change of cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. The content of intracellular calcium was detected by fluorescence detection technology. The protein and mRNA expressions of cell cycle and anion transporter-related proteins were detected by Western blotting and fluorescence quantitative PCR. Besides, JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway-related proteins were measured by Western blotting.Results:MTT colorimetry results showed that the intervention groups with high concentration of oxalic acid (100, 200, 300 μmol/L) could significantly inhibit the proliferation of HAECs, which was significantly different from the control group (all P<0.05). Fluorescence detection showed that the contents of intracellular calcium of HAECs in the intervention groups with high concentration of oxalic acid (100, 200, 300 μmol/L) were significantly higher than those in the control group after 48 hours ( P<0.05, P<0.001, P<0.001, respectively). Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of S phase of cells in the 200 μmol/L oxalic acid intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( P<0.05). The results of Western blotting and PCR showed that the relative protein and mRNA expressions of anion transporter-related proteins slc26a1, slc26a5, slc26a11 in the intervention groups were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Western blotting showed that the expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in the intervention groups after 24 hours were significantly higher than those in control group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Hyperoxalic acid may enter HAECs through transporters slc26a1, slc26a5 and slc26a11 to inhibit cell proliferation and increase the intracellular calcium concentration. The mechanism may be through the activation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Therefore, oxalic acid may be one of the uremic toxins leading to atherosclerosis.

Objective:To investigate interleukin-37 (IL-37) expression in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and to assess the regulation of exogenous IL-37 on CD8 + T cell function in DKD patients. Methods:A cross-section study was carried out. Twenty healthy controls, thirty-six patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), and forty-seven DKD patients were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood was collected. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated. IL-37 and soluble IL-1 receptor 8 (IL-1R8) levels in the plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-18 receptor α chain (IL-18Rα), IL-1R8 and immune checkpoint molecules levels in CD8 + T cells were measured by flow cytometry. CD8 + T cells were purified, and were stimulated with recombinant IL-37. CD8 + T cells were co-cultured with HEK293 cells in either direct contact or indirect contact manner. Levels of perforin, granzyme B, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. The proportion of target cell death was assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase level. Results:Plasma IL-37 levels in DKD patients [(63.42±23.30) ng/L] were significant lower than those in healthy controls [(143.02±50.67) ng/L] and T2DM patients [(87.88±40.62) ng/L] ( t=8.848, P<0.001; t=3.456, P<0.001). Plasma IL-37 level had good predictive values for T2DM in health individuals and for DKD in T2DM patients [the area under the curve was 0.797 (95% CI 0.676-0.917, P<0.001) and 0.691 (95% CI 0.576-0.807, P=0.003), respectively]. Plasma IL-37 level was negatively correlated with urea nitrogen ( r=-0.313, P=0.032) and creatinine ( r=-0.477, P<0.001), and positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ( r s=0.478, P<0.001) in DKD patients. IL-1R8 + CD8 + cell proportion in DKD patients (33.60%±9.47%) was significantly higher compared to healthy controls (16.29%±5.97%) and T2DM patients (17.13%±4.85%) ( t=7.545, 9.516, both P<0.001), but did not correlate with fast blood glucose, urea nitrogen, creatinine, or eGFR (all P>0.05). There were no statistical differences of IL-18Rα + CD8 + cell proportion, soluble IL-1R8 level, or immune checkpoint molecule proportion in CD8 + T cells among healthy controls, T2DM patients, and DKD patients (all P>0.05). Perforin and granzyme B secretions by CD8 + T cells were significantly elevated in DKD patients compared with healthy controls [(108.78±12.42) ng/L vs. (94.60±10.07) ng/L, t=3.096, P=0.005; (261.34±48.79) ng/L vs. (166.28±30.80) ng/L, t=3.387, P=0.002] and T2DM patients [(108.78±12.42) ng/L vs. (92.58±14.71) ng/L, t=3.263, P=0.003; (261.34±48.79) ng/L vs. (170.66±39.24) ng/L, t=2.627, P=0.014]. There were no significant differences of either IFN-γ or TNF-α secretions by CD8 + T cells among healthy controls, T2DM patients, and DKD patients (all P>0.05). In direct contact co-culture manner, CD8 + T cell-induced HEK293 cell death was down- regulated (13.03%±4.97% vs. 17.88%±5.19%, t=2.235, P=0.037). The levels of perforin [(222.02±25.79) ng/L vs. (294.30±25.58) ng/L, t=6.603, P<0.001], granzyme B [(416.27±90.24) ng/L vs. (524.71±115.53) ng/L, t=2.454, P=0.023], IFN-γ [(23.66±4.20) ng/L vs. (35.18±8.51) ng/L, t=4.026, P<0.001] and TNF-α [(1.62±0.29) μg/L vs. (2.09±0.57) μg/L, t=2.302, P=0.034] were also reduced as well. In indirect contact co-culture manner, there were no significant differences of CD8 + T cell-induced HEK293 cell death, perforin, or granzyme B levels between no stimulation and IL-37 stimulation (all P>0.05). IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in the supernatants were reduced in response to IL-37 stimulation [(23.56±6.24) ng/L vs. (32.56±9.90) ng/L, t=2.550, P=0.019; (1.41±0.31) μg/L vs. (2.10±0.44) μg/L, t=4.011, P<0.001]. Conclusion:IL-37 level is reduced in DKD patients.Exogenous IL-37 suppresses the cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells in DKD patients.

Since 2010, the incidence of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has been increased. Owing the progress in diagnosis and treatment, the overall mortality of SFTS in China has decreased, while the mortality in critical SFTS patients is still high. In order to provide guidance and working procedures for clinicians to diagnose and treat critical SFTS, the National Medical Center for Major Public Health Events invited experts to discuss and formulate this consensus based on their experience and up-to-date knowledge on SFTS.

Objective: To analyze the immune responses of bone-marrow derived macrophages and osteoclasts to lipopolysaccharide from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg-LPS) so as to provide reference for host immunomodulatory therapy of periodontitis. Methods: Bone marrow mononuclear cells from C57BL/6 mice were obtained and induced into bone marrow macrophages (BMM) and osteoclasts (OC) by conditioned medium. The BMMs and OCs were divided into blank control group and Pg-LPS treated experimental group. Pg-LPS (10 μg/ml) was used to stimulate BMM and OC. The mRNA and protein expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 and secretion of inflammatory cytokines were detected, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of Pg-LPS on the differentiation of BMM into OC was evaluated. Results: Mouse bone marrow mononuclear cells were successfully induced into BMM and mature OC. In the presence of Pg-LPS, the gene level of TLR-2 in BMM was significantly up-regulated by (41.41±13.07) folds (P<0.01), while the level of TLR-4 mRNA was not significantly changed. TLR-2 mRNA and TLR-4 mRNA levels in OC increased by (2.24±0.23) times (P<0.05) and (4.83±1.07) times (P<0.01), respectively. Flow cytometry results showed that TLR-2 protein expression in BMM was robustly enhanced (P<0.01), as mean fluorescence intensities (MFI) were (39.85±5.27) in blank group and (221.57±13.13) in experimental group, respectively. The MFI of TLR-2 in OC also increased as (83.31±2.69) in blank group and (108.65±6.32) in experimental group, respectively (P<0.01). However, no significant TLR-4 expressions were observed in both BMM and OC (P>0.05). Moreover, the productions of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 in response to LPS in BMM and OC remarkably increased (P<0.01). Lower cytokine expression was observed in OC than that in BMM (P<0.01). In addition, Pg-LPS obviously inhibited the number and size of OC formation, with a reduction in area percentage of approximately 47%. Conclusions Pg-LPS generated a robust immune inflammatory response to BMM, while OC had a relatively weaker immune response to the Pg-LPS. Pg-LPS might inhibite the differentiation of BMM into OC.

Novel coronavirus Omicron variant infection can cause severe illness and even death in certain populations. Omicron variant infection may lead to systemic inflammatory response, coagulation disorder, multi-organ dysfunction and other pathophysiological changes, which are different from other Novel coronavirus variants to a certain extent, so therapeutic strategies should not be the same. The National Medical Center for Major Public Health Events invited experts in fields of infectious diseases, respiratory medicine, intensive care, pediatrics and fever clinic to develop this quick guideline based on the current best evidence and extensive clinical practices. This quick guideline aims to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of novel coronavirus Omicron infection, and to improve the disease management abilities of clinicians.