Objective To compare the ability of the fourth and the third generation HIV assay kits available in Chinese market to detect early HIV infection.Methods 8 BBI HIV seroconversion panels (PRB924,930,940,942,943,944,946 and 948) and 2 National AIDS Reference Lab's HIV seroconversion panels (2004XJ727 and 20505217) were respectively detected with one HIV antigen assay kit,2 fourth generation HIV assay kits and 4 third generation HIV assay kits.The ability of these kits to detect early HIV infection was analyzed and compared.Results For every panel,the fourth generation HIV assay kits could detect HIV-1 infection 4 to 8 days earlier than the third generation kits,and 2 to 4 days later than the antigen kit.The detection ability of different brands of kits was different.Conclusions The fourth generation HIV assay kits could reduce the window period to detect HIV infection.It's meaningful for diagnosing early HIV infection,blood safety and etc.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepatitis C ; diagnosis ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; blood ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; blood

Animals ; China ; Ectoparasitic Infestations ; veterinary ; Geography ; Rats ; Rodent Diseases ; parasitology

Usage of reverse genetic techniques in the research area of the fundamental etiology of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), has resolved the issue about the function of viral gene of FMDV on genomic integer level. At present, a further recognition and apprehension for the molecular etiology of FMDV based on the development in reverse genetics was made. Combined with the research work in our labs, we reviewed international advances about the molecular pathogenic mechanism, the relationship be-tween virulence and variation in the genomes, influencing factors for the viral replication, and the develop-ment of new-type gene vaccine of FMD in this article, and propose the potential research aspects in reverse genetics of FMDV in the future.

Objective To investigate the effect of MDM2-p53 feedback loop on the sensitivity to cis- platin in ovarian cancer xenograft in vivo and explore its mechanism.Methods Human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 with wild type p53 was inoculated subcutaneously into the back of nude mice.When tumor nod- ules could be observed after 7 days of inoculation,the mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with each of 6 mice.Treatment group received an intratumoral injection of a combination of pCMV-MDM2-Lipofectamine and cisplatin.Control groupⅠwas injected with cisplatin,control groupⅡwas injected with pCMV-MDM2- Lipofectamine,control groupⅢwas injected with empty pCMV-Lipofectamine,control groupⅣwas injected with RPMI1640.General conditions and tumor growth rate were observed.The volume and the weight of the tumor were compared among these five groups.The expression of MDM2 and p53 in these tumors were de- tected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.The changes of cell cycles in these tumors were examined by using flow cytometry assay.Results Tumor volume in treatment group[(0.321?0.086) cm~3]was significant- ly smaller than control groupⅠandⅡ[(1.832?0.165) cm~3 and (3.251?0.179) cm~3,respectively)].The weight of the treatment group [(0.513?0.089) g]was also significantly lower than control groupⅠandⅡ[(1.412?0.134) g,and (2.665?0.153) g,respectively)].There was a significant difference between control groupⅠandⅡ, but no difference between the other three control groups.Obvious MDM2 protein expression and pronounced S-phase arrest were observed in treatment group.However,control groupⅠwas with intact wild type p53,and arrested primarily in G_2/M phase.Conclusion MDM2 overexpression can increase cisplatin cytotoxicity on experimental ovarian cancer through inhibition of p53 expression and the loss of G_1 check point of cell cycle.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepacivirus ; isolation & purification ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo understand the correlation between CD4+ cell count, HIV viral load (VL) and clinical characteristics among patients when HIV-1 was tested positive and initial AIDS diagnosis was made.

METHODS690 HIV-infected cases from Beijing Di-Tan Hospital were included and under a cross sectional study while SPSS statistical method was used.

RESULTSThe 690 HIV-infected cases would include 458 males and 232 females with age range from 2-72 years (mean age as 35.3). The modes of transmission showed that: homosexual contact taking up 17.5% while heterosexual was 16.7%. Most of the homosexual-infected ones lived in Beijing and most of them had bachelor or master's degrees. 19.4% of the transmission happened between heterosexual/bisexual couples, suggesting that HIV was transmitted through the "bridge population" while the rest were infected by contaminated blood/plasma. Many of the cases were identified when they lately visited the pre-operation surveillance point in the hospital. Serious immunodeficiency symptoms or signs were discovered as: CD4+ count < 50 cell/microl, serious opportunistic infections including pneumocystosis pulmonary, cerebral toxoplasmosis and cryptococcal meningitis. Higher frequencies of diseases seen were dermotosis, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection, hepatitis and digestive tract moniliasis.

CONCLUSIONBecause of the late identification of the disease, serious immuo-suppression situation often appeared, suggesting that there was an urgent need to improve STD/AIDS knowledge on those HIV (+) people so they might have an early access to accept medical care.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections ; diagnosis ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HIV Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; transmission ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

Adult ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genotype ; HIV Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDPax-6 gene plays an important role in the process of eye development. This study was to determine the role of pax-6 in the axial myopia produced by hyperopic optical defocus and form deprivation in infant monkeys.

METHODSAmong seven normal infant rhesus monkeys (aged 1 to 1.5 months), five wore -3.00 D spectacle lenses over their right eyes and zero-powered lenses over their left eyes. Monocular form deprivation was produced by eyelid fusion in two monkeys. Ten weeks later, the monkeys were sacrificed by an overdose of barbiturates and their eyes were removed immediately. A 5 mm x 5 mm button of retina and sclera was taken from the posterior poles along with a 4-mm optic nerve. RNA was isolated separately from each of these three types of tissues. After that, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for determining gene expression in the retina, sclera and optic nerve. Semi-quantitative analyses were performed on the PCR products.

RESULTSAs expected, the optically induced hyperopic defocus and the form deprivation produced myopic growth. For the lens-treatment monkeys, pax-6 gene expression in the retinas of the defocused eyes was significantly higher than in the retinas of the left eyes (t = 5.703, P = 0.005). However, there were no analogous significant differences between pax-6 expression in the scleras or the optic nerves. For the two form-deprived monkeys, there were no obvious differences in pax-6 gene expression in the retinas or the optic nerves.

CONCLUSIONThe result that the expression of pax-6 was enhanced by hyperopic defocus in the infant monkey retina suggests that pax-6 may be involved in vision-dependent eye growth and emmetropization.

Animals ; Eye Proteins ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Macaca mulatta ; Myopia ; metabolism ; Optic Nerve ; metabolism ; PAX6 Transcription Factor ; Paired Box Transcription Factors ; Repressor Proteins ; Retina ; metabolism ; pathology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sclera ; metabolism

Objective To determine the urinary iodine level of people in Yunyang and Bishan County of Chongqing and explore into its influencing factors. Methods Using multistage cluster stratified simple random sample method, Yunyang and Bishan County were chosen as research spots, then thirty children aged 8-10 in each 3 primary school of the 2 counties were selected using stratified randomization sampling method to inspected their urine and household salt for iodine and the iodine content in drinking water. Results Five hundred and seventy-one urine samples were inspected and the urinary iodine median was 261.47 μg/L. 5.78% (33/571) and 37.48%(214/571) of samples had an urinary iodine median less than 100 μg/L and more than 300 μg/L. The urinary iodine median of Yunyang County was higher than that of Bishan (H = 7.42, P < 0.01). The iodine salt coverage rate, the qualified rate and edible qualified iodine salt rate respectively were 99.64%(554/556), 94.22% (522/554) and 93.88% (522/556) in 556 samples of family table salt. Eighty-seven samples of drinking water were inspected, resulting an averaged iodine content of 8.81 and 2.97 μg/L, respectively in the 2 counties. Conclusions The 2 counties are all the area of iodine deficiency. The urinary iodine level, although meeting the demand of eliminating iodine deficiency diseases, is a little bit higher given that iodized salt of present doage has been taken for a long time. The content of iodized salt should be adjusted accordingly.