OBJECTIVETo study the association between the prevalence of overweight/obesity and copy number variations (CNVs) among Han, Uyghur, and Kazak children in Xinjiang, China.

METHODSThe kindergartens in Ili, Altay, and Karamay in Xinjiang were selected as research sites, and stratified cluster sampling was used to select the children aged 3-7 years. Body height and body weight were measured, and exfoliated buccal mucosa cells were collected. CNVplex® was used to measure the CNVs of FTO_1, IRX3_1, IRX3_2, MC4R_1, and MC4R_2.

RESULTSA total of 603 children were surveyed (307 boys and 296 girls). There were 261 Han children, 194 Uyghur children, and 148 Kazak children. The overweight/obesity rates in Han, Uyghur, and Kazak children were 28.3%, 10.3%, and 31.1%, respectively (P<0.001). In Kazak children, the CNVs of IRX3_1 and MC4R_2 were associated with overweight/obesity (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of overweight/obesity in Han and Kazak children was 3.443 times (95%CI: 2.016-5.880) and 3.924 times (95%CI: 2.199-7.001), respectively, that in Uyghur children. The CNV of IRX3_1 was a risk factor for overweight/obesity (P=0.028, OR=2.251, 95%CI: 1.418-5.651).

CONCLUSIONSThe CNV of IRX3_1 is associated with overweight/obesity in Han, Uyghur, and Kazak children, and the association between the CNV of IRX3_1 and overweight/obesity in Kazak children should be taken seriously.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Female ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Obesity ; etiology ; genetics ; Overweight ; etiology ; genetics ; Risk Factors ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

Objective To understand the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection status in men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited from gay bathhouses and HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) clinics in Urumqi,Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region,and identify the associated risk factors.Methods A total of 200 MSM aged ≥≥ 18 years were recruited by using the "snowballing" sampling method from gay bathhouses and VCT clinics in Urumqi during March-May,2016.The MSM recruited completed questionnaires after filling in the informed consent form.The information about their demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors were collected,and anal swabs were collected from them for HPV genotyping.Results The overall HPV infection rate was 54.0％.The HPV infection rate was 66.7％(74/111) in MSM from gay bathhouses and 38.2％(34/89) in MSM from VCT clinics and the high risk type HPV infection rate was 39.6％ (44/111) in MSM from gay bathhouses and 14.6％(13/89) in MSM from VCT clinics,the differences were significant (x2=16.112,P＜0.05;x2=15.190,P＜0.05).Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the major risk factors for HPV infection included activity in gay bathhouse (OR=3.732,95％CI:1.950-7.141) and anal sexual behavior (OR=2.555,95％ CI:1.329-4.912).Conclusion The prevalence of HPV in MSM from gay bathhouses was higher than that in MSM from VCT clinics,indicating that close attention should be paid to the behavior intervention in MSM.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether trajectory model can be used to explore the trend of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection status among HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM).

METHODSHIV-negative MSM were recruited by using the "snowball" method from 1st September 2016 to 30th September 2017 in Urumqi. The subjects were followed-up every six months since enrollment. The cell samples in anal canal were collected and the 37-type HPV test kits were used for identification and classification of HPV infection at both baseline and follow-up visits. Taking the cumulative number of different types of HPV as the dependent variable and follow-up visits as the independent variable, the trajectory model was established for the study subjects who completed baseline, 6 months and 12 months follow-up. The model was used to simulate the trend of HPV infection status when the subjects were divided into 1, 2, 3 and 4 subgroups. Bayesian information criterion (BIC), log Bayes factor and average posterior probability (AvePP) were used to evaluate the fitting effect.

RESULTSA total of 400 HIV-negative MSM were recruited at baseline and 187 subjects completed baseline and two follow-ups. The fitting effect attained best when the variation trend was divided into two subgroups. The first subgroup accounted for 54.5%(102/187) of the total, and the curve of change in HPV infection was decreasing; the second subgroup accounted for 45.5%(85/187) of the total, and the curve of change in HPV infection was increasing.

CONCLUSIONSTrajectory model can effectively distinguish the trend of HPV infection status in HIV-negative MSM to identify the high-risk group of HPV infection.

Anal Canal ; Bayes Theorem ; HIV Infections ; Homosexuality, Male ; Humans ; Male ; Papillomavirus Infections ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sexual and Gender Minorities

Objective To investigate the effect of LAG-3 deficiency (LAG3^-/-) on natural killer (NK) cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis. Methods C57BL/6 mice, each weighing (20 ± 2) g, were divided into the LAG3^-/- and wild type (WT) groups, and each mouse in both groups was inoculated with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via the hepatic portal vein. Mouse liver and spleen specimens were collected 12 weeks post-infection, sectioned and stained with sirius red, and the hepatic lesions and fibrosis were observed. Mouse hepatic and splenic lymphocytes were isolated, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportions of hepatic and splenic NK cells, the expression of CD44, CD25 and CD69 molecules on NK cell surface, and the secretion of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17A. Results Sirius red staining showed widening of inflammatory cell bands and hyperplasia of fibrotic connective tissues around mouse hepatic lesions, as well as increased deposition of collagen fibers in the LAG3-/-group relative to the WT group. Flow cytometry revealed lower proportions of mouse hepatic (6.29% ± 1.06% vs. 11.91% ± 1.85%, P < 0.000 1) and splenic NK cells (4.44% ± 1.22% vs. 5.85% ± 1.10%, P > 0.05) in the LAG3^-/- group than in the WT group, and the mean fluorescence intensity of CD44 was higher on the surface of mouse hepatic NK cells in the LAG3^-/- group than in the WT group (t = −3.234, P < 0.01), while no significant differences were found in the mean fluorescence intensity of CD25 or CD69 on the surface of mouse hepaticNK cells between the LAG3^-/- and WT groups (both P values > 0.05). There were significant differences between the LAG3^-/- and WT groups in terms of the percentages of IFN-γ (t = −0.723, P > 0.05), TNF-α (t = −0.659, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = −0.263, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = −0.455, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse hepatic NK cells (t = 0.091, P > 0.05), and the percentage of IFN-γ secreted by mouse splenic NK cells was higher in the LAG3^-/- group than in the WT group (58.40% ± 1.64% vs. 50.40% ± 4.13%; t = −4.042, P < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the proportions of TNF-α (t = −1.902, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = −1.333, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = −1.356, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse splenic NK cells (t = 0.529, P > 0.05). Conclusions During the course of E. multilocularis infections, LAG3^-/- promotes high-level secretion of IFN-γ by splenic NK cells, which may participate in the reversal the immune function of NK cells, resulting in aggravation of hepatic fibrosis.