Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) combined with computed tomography (CT) for brucellar spondylitis (BS).Methods:From March 2019 to March 2024, patients with suspected BS admitted to Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Friendship Hospital were selected as study subjects. Their clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and imaging findings (mp-MRI and CT) were analyzed.Results:A total of 60 suspected BS patients were enrolled, including 43 males and 17 females. Among them, 39 cases (65.00%) were diagnosed with BS, while 21 cases (35.00%) were non-BS. CT examination was performed in 48 patients, mp-MRI in 40 patients, and both examinations in 28 patients. Among CT-examined patients, there were 28 BS cases, 1 case had cervical spine involvement, 3 case had thoracic spine involvement, 3 case had thoracolumbar spine involvement, and 21 case had lumbosacral spine involvement. There were 16 cases involved 2 vertebrae, 3 cases involved 3 vertebrae, and 9 cases involved > 3 vertebrae.There were 15 cases had vertebral osteophyte formation, 28 cases had vertebral bone destruction, 22 cases had intervertebral space stenosis, 25 cases had uneven intervertebral disc density, 28 cases had thickening of soft tissues around the vertebrae, 19 cases had paravertebral abscesses, and 6 cases had spinal canal stenosis. In the mp-MRI examination of patients, there were 30 BS patients, among whom 1 case had cervical spine involvement, 2 case had thoracic spine involvement, 4 case had thoracolumbar spine involvement, and 23 case had lumbosacral spine involvement. There were 16 cases involved 2 vertebrae, 3 cases involved 3 vertebrae, and 11 cases involved > 3 vertebrae, 24 cases had intervertebral space stenosis, 27 cases had intervertebral disc destruction. There were 27 cases had swelling and thickening of soft tissues around the vertebrae, and 21 cases had paravertebral, psoas major muscle, and/or spinal canal abscesses. The BS group showed lower fractional anisotropy value and higher apparent diffusion coefficient value compared to the non-BS group, with statistically significant differences ( t = 5.26, 5.63, P < 0.001). The mp-MRI combined with CT showed higher sensitivity (86.36%, 19/22) and specificity (5/6) for BS diagnosis compared to mp-MRI alone (78.57%, 11/14; 80.77%, 21/26) and CT alone (56.25%, 9/16; 71.88%, 23/32). Conclusions:BS patients present diverse imaging manifestations. The combination of mp-MRI and CT demonstrates better diagnostic efficacy for BS than single examinations alone, showing good diagnostic value.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) combined with computed tomography (CT) for brucellar spondylitis (BS).Methods:From March 2019 to March 2024, patients with suspected BS admitted to Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Friendship Hospital were selected as study subjects. Their clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and imaging findings (mp-MRI and CT) were analyzed.Results:A total of 60 suspected BS patients were enrolled, including 43 males and 17 females. Among them, 39 cases (65.00%) were diagnosed with BS, while 21 cases (35.00%) were non-BS. CT examination was performed in 48 patients, mp-MRI in 40 patients, and both examinations in 28 patients. Among CT-examined patients, there were 28 BS cases, 1 case had cervical spine involvement, 3 case had thoracic spine involvement, 3 case had thoracolumbar spine involvement, and 21 case had lumbosacral spine involvement. There were 16 cases involved 2 vertebrae, 3 cases involved 3 vertebrae, and 9 cases involved > 3 vertebrae.There were 15 cases had vertebral osteophyte formation, 28 cases had vertebral bone destruction, 22 cases had intervertebral space stenosis, 25 cases had uneven intervertebral disc density, 28 cases had thickening of soft tissues around the vertebrae, 19 cases had paravertebral abscesses, and 6 cases had spinal canal stenosis. In the mp-MRI examination of patients, there were 30 BS patients, among whom 1 case had cervical spine involvement, 2 case had thoracic spine involvement, 4 case had thoracolumbar spine involvement, and 23 case had lumbosacral spine involvement. There were 16 cases involved 2 vertebrae, 3 cases involved 3 vertebrae, and 11 cases involved > 3 vertebrae, 24 cases had intervertebral space stenosis, 27 cases had intervertebral disc destruction. There were 27 cases had swelling and thickening of soft tissues around the vertebrae, and 21 cases had paravertebral, psoas major muscle, and/or spinal canal abscesses. The BS group showed lower fractional anisotropy value and higher apparent diffusion coefficient value compared to the non-BS group, with statistically significant differences ( t = 5.26, 5.63, P < 0.001). The mp-MRI combined with CT showed higher sensitivity (86.36%, 19/22) and specificity (5/6) for BS diagnosis compared to mp-MRI alone (78.57%, 11/14; 80.77%, 21/26) and CT alone (56.25%, 9/16; 71.88%, 23/32). Conclusions:BS patients present diverse imaging manifestations. The combination of mp-MRI and CT demonstrates better diagnostic efficacy for BS than single examinations alone, showing good diagnostic value.

Peribiliary glands (PBG) is a kind of microscopic structure around the intra-hepatic bile ducts and extrahepatic bile ducts. PBG not only participates in maintaining the normal physiological function of biliary epithelial tissue, but also plays an important role in its damage and repair process. Biliary tree stem/progenitor cells in PBG are important cell sources of biliary epithelial regeneration and repair. PBG and the surrounding peribiliary vascular plexus are key influencing factors for the occurrence of ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL) after liver transplantation. Based on relevant literatures and clinical practice, the authors summarize the function of PBG as well as its relationship with ITBL.

There is an increasing histological clinical evidence that both hepatic fibrosis and some degree of cirrhosis reversal can improve prognosis. Hepatic fibrosis involves a variety of cells and steps, and its reversal mechanism is also very complex, mainly including the reduction of hepatocyte necrosis and regeneration, the apoptosis and inactivation of activated hepatic stellate cells, and the reversal of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells and microvessels, restorative hepatic macrophages polarization and cell-to-cell interactions. Furthermore, the biochemical basis for reversal of hepatic fibrosis is decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase activity, and increased degradation of extracellular matrix. However, at present, there are few studies on the clinicopathological mechanism of liver fibrosis reversal, and the key target groups of different etiologies with different degrees are still unclear, and the corresponding translational application research is lacking. Therefore, an in-depth and systematic understanding of the characteristics and mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis reversal can not only enrich the understanding of the natural history of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, but also provide reference for the development and clinical application of anti-hepatic fibrotic drugs.

Objective:To analyze the regional inequality of height among Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years from 1985 to 2014.Methods:The Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years with complete basic information and height data from 30 mainland provinces (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Tibet in China) were extracted as participants from 6 successive cross-sectional surveys of the Chinese National Survey on Student′s Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). After excluding extreme and illogical cases, a total of 1 495 182 students were included in the analysis. The data of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of each province at each survey year were collected from the website of National Bureau of statistics of China. Mann-Kendall trend test was used to analyze the trend of mean height across years. Weighted linear regression model was used to analyze the association between mean height of students aged 7 to18 years and GDP per capita at provincial level. Height difference, height ratio, slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were used to measure the height inequality by gender and age groups.Results:The mean height of Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years increased from 144.9 cm in 1985 to 151.8 cm in 2014 ( P<0.05). The height difference between urban and rural students in all age groups was reducing ( P<0.05). The height difference between urban and rural boys aged 13 to 15 years decreased from 5.3 cm in 1985 to 2.5 cm in 2014, and the difference between urban and rural girls aged 7 to 12 years decreased from 4.6 cm in 1985 to 2.4 cm in 2014. The mean height of students aged 7 to 18 years was positively associated with GDP per capita in all survey years for both genders ( P<0.001). Taking Shanghai and Guizhou as the representatives of economically developed and underdeveloped provinces, from 1985 to 2014, the height differences between two provinces were 6.8-9.2 cm, 8.0-12.4 cm and 6.3-8.8 cm for boys aged 7 to 12 years, 13 to 15 years and 16 to 18 years, respectively, and the height ratios were stable at 1.05-1.07, 1.05-1.08 and 1.04-1.05 respectively. From 1985 to 2014, the SII of mean height for boys in three age groups were 4.4-6.2, 4.9-6.7 and 2.5-4.7, respectively. The RII of mean height of boys in three age groups were 1.03-1.05, 1.03-1.04 and 1.01-1.03, respectively. In the same period, the SII of mean height for girls in three age groups were 4.2-6.2, 2.8-4.5 and 2.5-3.9, and the RII were 1.03-1.05, 1.02-1.03 and 1.02, respectively. Conclusion:From 1985 to 2014, the urban-rural inequality of height development among Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years was narrowing, but the socio-economic inequality of height persisted and remained at a relatively stable level.

Objective:To analyze the regional inequality of height among Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years from 1985 to 2014.Methods:The Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years with complete basic information and height data from 30 mainland provinces (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Tibet in China) were extracted as participants from 6 successive cross-sectional surveys of the Chinese National Survey on Student′s Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). After excluding extreme and illogical cases, a total of 1 495 182 students were included in the analysis. The data of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of each province at each survey year were collected from the website of National Bureau of statistics of China. Mann-Kendall trend test was used to analyze the trend of mean height across years. Weighted linear regression model was used to analyze the association between mean height of students aged 7 to18 years and GDP per capita at provincial level. Height difference, height ratio, slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were used to measure the height inequality by gender and age groups.Results:The mean height of Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years increased from 144.9 cm in 1985 to 151.8 cm in 2014 ( P<0.05). The height difference between urban and rural students in all age groups was reducing ( P<0.05). The height difference between urban and rural boys aged 13 to 15 years decreased from 5.3 cm in 1985 to 2.5 cm in 2014, and the difference between urban and rural girls aged 7 to 12 years decreased from 4.6 cm in 1985 to 2.4 cm in 2014. The mean height of students aged 7 to 18 years was positively associated with GDP per capita in all survey years for both genders ( P<0.001). Taking Shanghai and Guizhou as the representatives of economically developed and underdeveloped provinces, from 1985 to 2014, the height differences between two provinces were 6.8-9.2 cm, 8.0-12.4 cm and 6.3-8.8 cm for boys aged 7 to 12 years, 13 to 15 years and 16 to 18 years, respectively, and the height ratios were stable at 1.05-1.07, 1.05-1.08 and 1.04-1.05 respectively. From 1985 to 2014, the SII of mean height for boys in three age groups were 4.4-6.2, 4.9-6.7 and 2.5-4.7, respectively. The RII of mean height of boys in three age groups were 1.03-1.05, 1.03-1.04 and 1.01-1.03, respectively. In the same period, the SII of mean height for girls in three age groups were 4.2-6.2, 2.8-4.5 and 2.5-3.9, and the RII were 1.03-1.05, 1.02-1.03 and 1.02, respectively. Conclusion:From 1985 to 2014, the urban-rural inequality of height development among Chinese Han students aged 7 to 18 years was narrowing, but the socio-economic inequality of height persisted and remained at a relatively stable level.

Objective:To analyze the gender difference in secular trends of body height in Chinese Han adolescents aged 18 years from 1985 to 2014.Methods:Data were extracted from 1985, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2014 Chinese National Surveys in Students' Constitution and Health. A total of 124 099 Chinese Han adolescents aged 18 years were included in the analysis. ANOVA test was used to compare the body height between different subgroups stratified by gender and the mean difference and ratio in body height were calculated. Quantile regression model was used to assess the association between body height and gender over time in the adolescents stratified by region or area.Results:The mean body height of adolescents aged 18 years increased significantly from 1985 to 2014 with the rate of 1.3 cm/decade in male adolescents and 0.8 cm/decade in female adolescents, and the highest increment occurred from 1995 to 2005 in both groups. Male adolescents were taller than female adolescents at each subgroup ( P<0.05). Gender difference in body height increased from 11.1 cm in 1985 to 12.6 cm in 2014 and ratio remained to be 1.07-1.08. The body height was taller in adolescents in urban area than in rural area ( P<0.05) and in northeastern China than in other regions ( P<0.05) in both male and female adolescents. The body height of obese male adolescents had been taller since 2000 and the body height of obese female adolescents had been taller since 2010 than other groups. When adjusted for urban-rural areas, region, socioeconomic status and nutritional status, the body height increased over time at P 5, P 25, P 50, P 75 and P 95 in both male and female adolescents, and the increments of gender difference in body height at different percentile ranged from 0.45 cm/decade to 0.57 cm/decade. When stratified by region, the gender difference in body height showed similar trend with total sample except P 5 and P 95 in northeastern China, the difference of increments were not significant. Conclusions:From 1985 to 2014, the gender difference in body height of Chinese Han adolescents aged 18 years increased, and male adolescents showed greater increase than female adolescents. Moreover, the adolescents in northeastern and eastern China had larger increment in body height. It is necessary to paid more attention to the adolescents in central and western China to promote their physical development.

Objective:Using the Chinese National Survey on Students′ Constitution and Health data from 1985 to 2014 to analyze the trend of excellent and good physical fitness and health status among Chinese Han students aged 13 to 18 years and the related influencing factors.Methods:738 523 students aged 13 to 18 years with completed data of gender, age, urban and rural, physical form, vital capacity and physical fitness were selected from the six Chinese National Surveys on Students′ Constitution and Health. According to National Standards for Students′ Physical Health (2014 revision), the comprehensive scores and the prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status were calculated (90.0-120.0 was classified as excellent, and 80.0-89.9 was classified as good). The trend of prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status in different years and the corresponding differences among students with different characteristics were analyzed and compared. The log-binomial regression model was used to analyze related factors of physical fitness and health status.Results:From 1985 to 2014, the overall prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status increased from 27.6% in 1985 to 35.6% in 1995, and then declined to 13.9% in 2005. In the 2010 and 2014 cycles, the prevalence increased steadily, at 16.5% and 19.1% respectively. Except for 1995 and 2014, the prevalence of boys was higher than that of girls ( P<0.001). The prevalence of students aged 13 to 15 was higher than that of students aged 16 to 18 ( P<0.001). Log-binomial regression model analysis showed that girls ［ PR（95% CI）=1.03（1.00-1.05）, P=0.021］, rural area ［ PR（95% CI）=1.09（1.07-1.12）, P<0.001］, 13-15 years old［ PR（95% CI）=1.89（1.84-1.94）, P<0.001］, eastern region［ PR（95% CI）=1.94（1.88-2.00）, P<0.001］, middle region［ PR（95% CI）=1.15（1.11-1.20）, P<0.001］, Exercise time ≥1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.41（1.37-1.45）, P<0.001］, parents support participation in sports activities after school［ PR（95% CI）=1.10（1.06-1.15）, P<0.001］, TV time ≤1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.26（1.21-1.30）, P<0.001］, playing video games, watching videos or e-books ≤1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.05（1.02-1.09）, P<0.001］ were all related to the high prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status. Conclusion:The prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status among students aged 13 to 18 was changing between 1985 and 2014. Gender, age, area, physical exercise time, screen time for non-learning purposes, and parents′ attitudes toward students′ participation in physical activities were all related to the excellent and good physical fitness and health status of students.

Objective:Using the Chinese National Survey on Students′ Constitution and Health data from 1985 to 2014 to analyze the trend of excellent and good physical fitness and health status among Chinese Han students aged 13 to 18 years and the related influencing factors.Methods:738 523 students aged 13 to 18 years with completed data of gender, age, urban and rural, physical form, vital capacity and physical fitness were selected from the six Chinese National Surveys on Students′ Constitution and Health. According to National Standards for Students′ Physical Health (2014 revision), the comprehensive scores and the prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status were calculated (90.0-120.0 was classified as excellent, and 80.0-89.9 was classified as good). The trend of prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status in different years and the corresponding differences among students with different characteristics were analyzed and compared. The log-binomial regression model was used to analyze related factors of physical fitness and health status.Results:From 1985 to 2014, the overall prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status increased from 27.6% in 1985 to 35.6% in 1995, and then declined to 13.9% in 2005. In the 2010 and 2014 cycles, the prevalence increased steadily, at 16.5% and 19.1% respectively. Except for 1995 and 2014, the prevalence of boys was higher than that of girls ( P<0.001). The prevalence of students aged 13 to 15 was higher than that of students aged 16 to 18 ( P<0.001). Log-binomial regression model analysis showed that girls ［ PR（95% CI）=1.03（1.00-1.05）, P=0.021］, rural area ［ PR（95% CI）=1.09（1.07-1.12）, P<0.001］, 13-15 years old［ PR（95% CI）=1.89（1.84-1.94）, P<0.001］, eastern region［ PR（95% CI）=1.94（1.88-2.00）, P<0.001］, middle region［ PR（95% CI）=1.15（1.11-1.20）, P<0.001］, Exercise time ≥1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.41（1.37-1.45）, P<0.001］, parents support participation in sports activities after school［ PR（95% CI）=1.10（1.06-1.15）, P<0.001］, TV time ≤1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.26（1.21-1.30）, P<0.001］, playing video games, watching videos or e-books ≤1 h/d［ PR（95% CI）=1.05（1.02-1.09）, P<0.001］ were all related to the high prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status. Conclusion:The prevalence of excellent and good physical fitness and health status among students aged 13 to 18 was changing between 1985 and 2014. Gender, age, area, physical exercise time, screen time for non-learning purposes, and parents′ attitudes toward students′ participation in physical activities were all related to the excellent and good physical fitness and health status of students.

Objective To analyze the secular trends and geographic disparities of all-cause mortality among Chinese adolescents aged 10-24 years over the period of 1953-2010.Methods Data were extracted from the Chinese National Census in 1953-2010.We calculated the all-cause mortality and annualized rates of the changes.Using the provincial gross domestic product (GDP) per capita as an indicator of regional socio-economic development level,we calculated the Wagstaff normal concentration indices for adolescent mortality.Results Over the period of 1953-2010,the general patterns of Chinese adolescent mortality appeared higher in males than those in females,higher in the 20-24-year-old than those in the 15-19 year-old and in the 10-14 year-old groups,higher in adolescents from the western than those in the eastern regions.The mortality of adolescents decreased from 554.6/100 000 in 1953-1964 to 55.7/100 000 in 2010 in males and decreased from 488.4/100 000 to 26.7/100 000 in females,respectively.The percentage of decrease for females (94.5％) was higher than that for males (90.0％).In 1981-2010,the highest annualized rate of decline for males was seen in Beijing (4.4％),with the lowest seen in Qinghai (0.1％).For girls,Hubei showed the highest annualized rate of decline (6.4％) while Qinghai the lowest (0.8％).Provinces that with higher mortality tended to have lower annualized rate of decline.The concentration indices for boys were-0.07 (95％ CI:-0.11--0.03),-0.13 (95 ％ CI:-0.18--0.08),and-0.16 (95 ％ CI:-0.22--0.10) in 1990,2000,and 2010,respectively,and were-0.07 (95％CI:-0.13--0.02),-0.18 (95％CI:-0.24--0.12),and-0.18 (95％CI:-0.26--0.09) respectively in girls.The indices among 1990,2000,and 2010 did not show statistically significantly differences,both for boys and girls (P＞0.05).Conclusions Over the half century,the mortality of Chinese adolescents showed dramatic decreasing trend.However,in terms of death rates,gender and geographic disparities were consistently seen in the adolescents.