The Global Fund has long been the largest international assistance in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)responses for three Southeast Asian countries,including Myanmar,Laos,and Vietnam.However,it recently decided to reduce or withdraw its funding from countries not yet going through donor phase-out,aiming to make these countries respond with their own resources.In examining whether these three countries are well-prepared to donor transition,we uncover potential challenges that will appear in their healthcare systems and especially in the prevention and control for vulnerable populations.By reviewing China's successful experience in donor transition,we propose recommendations for these pre-transition countries,in terms of program operation,budget allocation,and social stigmatization.

Objective:To examine the association of blood uric acid (UA) and cognitive impairment (CI) among oldest-old adults in China.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas of China from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) conducted during 2017-2018. Finally,1, 622 elderly aged 80 years and older with complete information on blood UA and cognitive function score were included in this study. Information on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health status were collected through questionnaire and physical examination. Venous blood samples of the participants were collected to test blood UA level. Cognitive impairment (CI) was assessed using the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) according to personal educational level. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model for binary data was used to analyze the association of blood UA and CI, and further compared the associations among different age and body mass index (BMI) groups.Results:Of the 1 622 oldest-old, the mean age was (92.2±8.1) years, 656 (40.4%) were male, the mean level of blood UA was (343.3±86.2) μmol/L, and 482 (29.7%) oldest-old had CI. Compared with the lowest quartile of UA, the risks of CI in the second, third and highest quartiles were gradually reduced, the corresponding ORs and 95% CI were 0.99 (0.71-1.33), 0.87 (0.68-0.94) and 0.69 (0.48-0.85), respectively; and the linear trend test was statistically significant ( P<0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effects of higher UA associated with lower risk of CI were stronger in younger oldest-old (aged 80-89 years) and thinner group (BMI<24) ( Pinteraction<0.05). Conclusions:Blood UA was negatively associated with the risk of having CI in the oldest-old among the nine longevity areas of China.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the risk of depression symptoms among older adults aged 65 and above in 9 longevity areas of China.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas of China from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) conducted between 2017 and 2018. Finally,2018 elderly aged 65 years and above with complete information on neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and depressive symptoms were included in this study. Information on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health status was collected through questionnaire and physical examination. Complete blood counts which included lymphocytes and neutrophils were obtained by testing venous blood samples. Participants were divided into four groups by the quartile of NLR level, i.e. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4. Logistic regression model was applied to analyze the association of NLR with depression symptoms. Results:Among 2 018 older adults, the mean(±SD) age was 82.6(±10.73), 1 032(51.14%) were male, 390(19.33%) were detected with depressive symptoms. Compared with participants of NLR in the 1 st quartile, the OR(95% CI) of risk for depressive symptoms was 1.47 (0.99, 2.19), 1.67 (1.13, 2.47) and 1.95 (1.32, 2.89), respectively. Conclusion:Increased NLR level is significantly related to depressive symptoms among elderly aged 65 years and above in 9 longevity areas in China.

Objective:To investigate the association of blood arsenic level with hyperuricemia among elderly aged 65 years and older.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study between 2017 and 2018. 2 438 participants aged 65 years and older with complete information on blood arsenic and uric acid were included in this study. Information including demographics characteristic, life style and health status was collected by questionnaire and physical examination. Meanwhile, venous blood was collected to detect the levels of blood arsenic and uric acid. Subjects were stratified into three groups (low, middle and high) by tertiles of blood arsenic level. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of blood arsenic level with hyperuricemia.Results:The age of participants was (84.57±11.41) years, of which 1 172 (48.07%) were male and 1 525 (62.55%) were over 80 years old. The detection rate of hyperuricemia was 17.23% (420), and the detection rates of hyperuricemia were 11.77%, 19.25% and 20.62% among participants with low, middle and high blood arsenic, respectively ( P<0.001). After controlling confounding factors, compared with participants who had low blood arsenic, the ORs (95% CI) of hyperuricemia for the participants with middle and high blood arsenic were 1.57 (1.12-2.23) and 2.08 (1.46-2.99), respectively. Subgroups analysis showed that compared with female, the association between blood arsenic level and hyperuricemia was more obvious in males ( Pinteraction<0.05). Conclusion:Blood arsenic level is associated with the risk for hyperuricemia among the elderly aged 65 years and older in 9 longevity areas in China.

Objective:To examine the association of blood uric acid (UA) and cognitive impairment (CI) among oldest-old adults in China.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas of China from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) conducted during 2017-2018. Finally,1, 622 elderly aged 80 years and older with complete information on blood UA and cognitive function score were included in this study. Information on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health status were collected through questionnaire and physical examination. Venous blood samples of the participants were collected to test blood UA level. Cognitive impairment (CI) was assessed using the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) according to personal educational level. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) model for binary data was used to analyze the association of blood UA and CI, and further compared the associations among different age and body mass index (BMI) groups.Results:Of the 1 622 oldest-old, the mean age was (92.2±8.1) years, 656 (40.4%) were male, the mean level of blood UA was (343.3±86.2) μmol/L, and 482 (29.7%) oldest-old had CI. Compared with the lowest quartile of UA, the risks of CI in the second, third and highest quartiles were gradually reduced, the corresponding ORs and 95% CI were 0.99 (0.71-1.33), 0.87 (0.68-0.94) and 0.69 (0.48-0.85), respectively; and the linear trend test was statistically significant ( P<0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effects of higher UA associated with lower risk of CI were stronger in younger oldest-old (aged 80-89 years) and thinner group (BMI<24) ( Pinteraction<0.05). Conclusions:Blood UA was negatively associated with the risk of having CI in the oldest-old among the nine longevity areas of China.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the risk of depression symptoms among older adults aged 65 and above in 9 longevity areas of China.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas of China from Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) conducted between 2017 and 2018. Finally,2018 elderly aged 65 years and above with complete information on neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and depressive symptoms were included in this study. Information on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health status was collected through questionnaire and physical examination. Complete blood counts which included lymphocytes and neutrophils were obtained by testing venous blood samples. Participants were divided into four groups by the quartile of NLR level, i.e. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4. Logistic regression model was applied to analyze the association of NLR with depression symptoms. Results:Among 2 018 older adults, the mean(±SD) age was 82.6(±10.73), 1 032(51.14%) were male, 390(19.33%) were detected with depressive symptoms. Compared with participants of NLR in the 1 st quartile, the OR(95% CI) of risk for depressive symptoms was 1.47 (0.99, 2.19), 1.67 (1.13, 2.47) and 1.95 (1.32, 2.89), respectively. Conclusion:Increased NLR level is significantly related to depressive symptoms among elderly aged 65 years and above in 9 longevity areas in China.

Objective:To investigate the association of blood arsenic level with hyperuricemia among elderly aged 65 years and older.Methods:Data was collected in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study between 2017 and 2018. 2 438 participants aged 65 years and older with complete information on blood arsenic and uric acid were included in this study. Information including demographics characteristic, life style and health status was collected by questionnaire and physical examination. Meanwhile, venous blood was collected to detect the levels of blood arsenic and uric acid. Subjects were stratified into three groups (low, middle and high) by tertiles of blood arsenic level. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of blood arsenic level with hyperuricemia.Results:The age of participants was (84.57±11.41) years, of which 1 172 (48.07%) were male and 1 525 (62.55%) were over 80 years old. The detection rate of hyperuricemia was 17.23% (420), and the detection rates of hyperuricemia were 11.77%, 19.25% and 20.62% among participants with low, middle and high blood arsenic, respectively ( P<0.001). After controlling confounding factors, compared with participants who had low blood arsenic, the ORs (95% CI) of hyperuricemia for the participants with middle and high blood arsenic were 1.57 (1.12-2.23) and 2.08 (1.46-2.99), respectively. Subgroups analysis showed that compared with female, the association between blood arsenic level and hyperuricemia was more obvious in males ( Pinteraction<0.05). Conclusion:Blood arsenic level is associated with the risk for hyperuricemia among the elderly aged 65 years and older in 9 longevity areas in China.

Background:This study aimed to investigate the changes in the clinical indicators and influencing factors of treatment duration among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in whom antiretroviral therapy (ART) was unsuccessful.Methods:In this retrospective study,a total of 9,418 HIV patients who failed in ART during 2004-2016 were included and divided into two treatment groups-Group 1 (treatment time ≤ 3 years,n1 =5,218) and Group 2 (treatment time ＞ 3 years,n2 =4,200).Patient follow-up data,including age,cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count,and viral load,glucose,creatinine,and triglyceride levels,were extracted from electronic health record databases.Covariance analysis for repeated measures was used to analyze the biochemical indicators,and multiple logistic regression modeling was used to compare relevant data extracted from the Group 1 and Group 2 HIV patient cohorts with different treatment time.Results:The median initial CD4 count was 175.0 cells/μl (interquartile range,77.0-282.0),while the initial CD4 counts for Group 1 were lower than those for Group 2 (P ＜ 0.05).A significant interaction between group and time effects was observed (P ＜ 0.05) in total cholesterol (TC).Changes in hemoglobin level among HIV patients were also significantly associated with treatment time (P =0.001).The initial CD4 count (odds ratio [OR] =0.756),female sex (OR =0.713),Zerit (d4T) (OR =1.443),TC (OR =1.285),and aspartate aminotransferase level (OR =1.002) were significantly associated with the survival time of dead patients with HIV (P ＜ 0.05).Additionally,the initial CD4 count (OR =1.456),age (OR =1.022),time interval (OR =0.903),patient's living status (OR =0.597),d4T (OR =2.256),and triglyceride (OR =0.930) and hemoglobin levels (OR =0.997) were significantly associated with the treatment time of HIV patients with drug withdrawal (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:The initial biochemical parameters can affect the survival and treatment time of HIV patients.With a comprehensive understanding of the physiological and biochemical indicators of patients,we can reduce the probability of drug withdrawal and prolong the survival time of HIV patients.

Through the effort in nearly 40 years of Tanzania, the total number of reported cases, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and the number of death have declined, while the number of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy has increased significantly in Tanzania. At the same time, however, there are new challenges that require more attention, such as the HIV spread to rural areas, middle and lower social classes, and female teenagers. Although the overall performance of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control response is great, there is still a need to survey the new trends of this disease at the micro-level in Tanzania. In addition, there is a necessity of interdisciplinary concern due to the prevalence of heterosexual anal sex in Tanzania.

Background: The rate of death among people living with HIV/AIDS has decreased significantly as a result of treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). However, the issues of drug induced toxicities and complexity of current HAART regimens has remained of great concern. The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing antiretroviral regimen changes among people living with HIV/AIDS in China. Methods: This retrospective study collected data through face-to-face interviews with people living with HIV/AIDS who were receiving HAART, and gathered relevant information from infectious disease hospitals. The following information were collected: social-demographic characteristics, antiretroviral therapies, CD4 cell counts, virus loads, reasons for changing medication and other related data. Mean and percentages were used to describe the frequency of regimen change among patients, and binary logistic regression was employed to test the factors influencing regimen change. Results: 1,123 people who had experienced regimen change were included in the analysis. On average, patients remained on HAART for 10.2 months before changing regimen, and the average CD4 cell count and viral load (VL) were 383.1 cells/μl and 28,132.4 copies/mL respectively when changing regimen. The reasons for modification were determined as treatment failure (52.5％), adverse reactions (32.3％), and other reasons including pregnancy (15.2％). There are significant differences in regimen change among people with different genders (P<0.001), modes of transmission (P<0.001), duration of HAART (P<0.001) and initial CD4 cell counts (P=0.0024). Males, drug users, people taking long-term medication, and those with lower initial CD4 counts when starting HAART tend to change regimen. Conclusion: Treatment failure was the main reason for the change of HAART regimen. Males, drug users, people on long-term medication and those with lower initial CD4 cell counts when starting HAART were most likely to change regimen.