Objective To understand the risk behavioral networks of newly reported HIV infections in Taizhou prefecture, Zhejiang province. Methods Newly reported HIV infections from May 2008 through March 2010 in Taizhou prefecture were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey which requested numbers and contact information of individuals with whom they had had high risk contacts as well as risk behavioral acts with them. Persons having had risky contacts with HIV-infected cases were thereof approached to participate in this survey and to receive HIV testing.Those who tested positive for HIV were subject to further round of the surveys. Results A total of 267 HIV cases were newly reported during this study period. Among them, 191 participated in the survey and served as 'index cases', including 158 cases identified from routine HIV surveillance programs and 33 cases identified from the present survey. Heterosexual transmission was the primary transmission route (74.9%, or 143/191 ), followed by homosexual transmission ( 19.4%, or 37/191 )and injection drug use (5.8%, or 11/191 ). These 191 HIV cases reported a total of 1152 individuals with whom they had had risky contacts. They were able to provide contact information of 461 risk contacts. Of them, 129 received HIV testing and 61 (47.3%) tested positive for HIV. HIV prevalence was the highest among spouses or long-term sex partners of HIV cases (45.6%, or 47/103) and malesex partners of HIV-infected men having sex with men (MSM) (60.0%, or 12/20). Condom use wasvery low among them, with only 33.9% consistently using condoms for sex. Conclusion Newlyreported HIV infections in Taizhou prefecture reported a large and complicated risk behavioral networks and low condom use, suggesting a potential risk of HIV among these connected people,especially among MSM. Much efforts are needed to intervene these high risk subgroups and high risk behavioral networks.

OBJECTIVETo study viruses infecting Pinellia ternata in China.

METHODSymptom observation, DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR detection were applied.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONDuring a survey in early spring, SMV and CMV were both commonly distributed as main viruses infecting P. ternata collected from different areas in China. But DsMV was the virus which infected P. ternate in natural condition. The infection ratio of cultivated P. ternate by SMV and CMV were 71.4% and 14.3% respectively for 21 samples collected from Ningbo, Zhejiang province; 100% and 44.4% for 18 samples from Xiaoshan, Zhejiang province; 61.9% and 33.3% for 21 samples from Hebei province; 50.0% and 41.7% for 12 samples from Anhui province; 16.7% and 16.7% for 12 samples from Sichuan province; 31.3% and none for 16 samples from Beijing. And the infection ratio of 25 wild samples from different areas of China infected by SMV and CMV were both 20.0%.

China ; Cluster Analysis ; Cucumovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; genetics ; Mosaic Viruses ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Pinellia ; virology ; Plant Diseases ; virology ; Plants, Medicinal ; virology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Adult ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fourth Ventricle ; Ganglioglioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2 ; Rosette Formation ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Doxorubicin loaded micelles were prepared by film-hydration method using stearyl sulfadiazine (SA-SD) which is pH sensitive, methoxy (polyethylene glycol)-2000-1, 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (mPEG-DOPE) and transactivator of transcription (TAT) peptide conjugated PEG-DOPE. Mean diameter of the pH-sensitive micelles was about 20 nm with a (99.1 +/- 2.1) % drug entrapment efficiency at pH 7.4. Flow cytometry studies revealed that the simple TAT micelles was taken up rapidly at the same level at pH 6.8 and pH 7.4. However, the pH-sensitive micelles entered the tumor cell less at pH 7.4 and significantly increase at pH 6.8. After 1 h incubation at pH 6.8, the amount of the pH-sensitive micelles taken up by cancer cell 4T1 was almost similar to simple TAT micelles. The confocal microscopy indicated that the pH-sensitive micelles entered the 4T1 cells at pH 6.8 more than at pH 7.4. It was indicated that the pH-sensitive micelles could shield TAT peptide at normal pH 7.4 and deshield it at pH 6.8. Hence, TAT peptides lead the drug-loaded micelles into the tumor cells and killed them selectively. The pH-sensitive micelle may provide a novel strategy for design of cancer targeting drug delivery system.
Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; chemistry ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Female ; Gene Products, tat ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Micelles ; Phosphatidylethanolamines ; chemistry ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Sulfadiazine ; chemistry

The aim of this study was to analyze the promoter methylation patterns of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) which gene expression and the effect of demethylation treatment were studied, and to explore the possible regulation mechanism of inhibitory kir gene expression. The promoter methylation levels of kir2DL1 and kir2DL2/kir2DL3 in NK-92MI cell line were detected by bisulfite sequencing technique. Then NK-92MI cells were treated with 5-azacytidine to induce the demethylation of CpG islands. The levels of gene expression of kir were determined by RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that the methylation frequencies of CpG dinucleotides surrounding the promoter regions of kir2DL1 and kir2DL2/kir2DL3 genes were 25% to 88% and 5% to 80% respectively. DNA-demethylating treatment with 5-azacytidine resulted in re-expression of kir2DL1 gene and increased expressions of kir2DL1, kir2DL2 and kir2DL3 genes in NK-92MI cells. In conclusion, the promoter DNA methylation participates in the regulation of kir gene expression in NK-92MI cells.
Cell Line ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; metabolism ; Receptors, KIR2DL1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, KIR2DL2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, KIR2DL3 ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the change in the distensibility of large arteries and its influencing factors in elderly patients with essential hypertension.

METHODSAutomatic measuring system for pulse wave velocity (PWV) was applied to examine carotid-femoral PWV as an index reflecting distensibility of large arteries. 118 hypertensive patients aged 64 - 83 (mean age 67.12 +/- 10.26) years were included in the study. Of them, 87 were males and 31 were females.

RESULTSPWV of 118 hypertensive patients increased with increasing age (P < 0.001). Multivariate regressive analysis demonstrated that age and systolic blood pressure had the close relationship with PWV (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONHypertension of the elderly could cause reduction of distensibility of large arteries. Age and systolic blood pressure had the close relationship with distensibility of large arteries in elderly patients with essential hypertension.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Carotid Arteries ; physiopathology ; Elasticity ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; physiopathology ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulse

The study aimed to explore the changes of the immunocyte quantities and cytotoxicity in bone marrow, and how many hematopoietic progenitor cells retained after the bone marrow cells were activated by different combinations of various cytokines. Bone marrow cells were divided into four groups and were cultured in vitro: (1) Control: no cytokines were added. (2) IL-2 group: bone marrow cells were activated by IL-2. (3) CD3-AK group: bone marrow cells were activated by IL-2 and CD3-McAb. (4) CIK group: IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-2 and CD3-McAb were added. CFU-GM assay and CD3 phenotype detection were performed before and after activating culture in all groups. The changes of cell quantities during culture and cytotoxicity of cultured cells were tested. CD3 positive cells markedly increased in both CD3-AK and CIK groups. The cell numbers and cytotoxicity of CD3-AK and CIK groups were higher than those of control or IL-2 group obviously after culture (P < 0.05). CFU-GM were decreased in all groups after culture and there had no significant difference among four groups. The combination of IL-2 and CD3-McAb not only stimulates the proliferation of marrow immunocytes and increases their cytotoxicity but retains enough hematopoietic progenitor cells as well. This combination of cytokines can be used to purge autologous bone marrow in vitro.

To study immunophenotype and cytotoxicity of the immunocytes in bone marrow and peripheral blood after activation by combined cytokines, mononuclear cells (MNC) of bone marrow and peripheral blood were activated by IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-2 and McAb-CD3 in vitro. The cell amount and morphology during culture were observed. Cytochemical staining and immunophenotype analysis were done before and after culture in two groups of MNC. Cytotoxicity was tested by MTT method. The results showed that the cell number of two groups increased obviously in culture (P < 0.05), while the peripheral blood mononuclear cells increased more markedly (P < 0.05). The cytochemical staining showed POX decrease, but PAS increase in two groups. The positive ratios of CD3(+), CD56(+) and CD38(+) cells in two groups increased obviously after culture (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between those two groups. CD3(+) CD56(+) cells increased obviously in peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated by cytokines (P < 0.05), but CD3(+) CD56(+) cells did not increase in bone marrow mononuclear cells. There was no significant difference between two groups' cytotoxicity. It was concluded that IFN-gamma, IL-1, IL-2 and McAb-C D3 increased cell number and cytotoxicity of both bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells that can be used in cell immunotherapy.
ADP-ribosyl Cyclase ; immunology ; ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; pharmacology ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; CD3 Complex ; immunology ; CD56 Antigen ; immunology ; Cell Count ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytokines ; pharmacology ; Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-1 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; K562 Cells ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Time Factors

It has need to separate red blood cells (RBC) from marrow graft in ABO group unmatched BMT and auto-BMT with purging tumor cells, the separating effect of methylcellulose was observed. The mixture of 0.5% methylcellulose and bone marrow was laid up in an open transfusion system, and then sedimentation of RBC was performed in the transfusion tube. The separating results of 18 marrow grafts showed that the recovery rates of mononuclear cells and CD34(+) cells were (83.8 +/- 55.2)% and (90.3 +/- 7.2)%, respectively. RBC residual rate was (4.3 +/- 1.5)%. The yield of CFU-GM was (60.8 +/- 22.4)/2 x 10(5) MNC, and there was no difference to [(69.8 +/- 23.4)/2 x 10(5) MNC] yielded from same marrow samples, separated by Ficoll-Hypaque separation. It is concluded that this method could be used for bone marrow transplantation.
Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Erythrocytes ; immunology ; Humans ; Methylcellulose ; pharmacology

The aim of this research was to understand the influence of rhG-CSF on the sphingosine kinase (SphK) activity of monocytes. The peripheral blood monocytes were collected from 6 peripheral blood progenitor cell donors on the fifth day of mobilization with rhG-CSF and from 5 blood donors' buffy coats. The mRNA expressions of monocyte G-CSF receptor and SphK were tested with RT-PCR. The changes of SphK activity of monocytes were assayed after being treated with rhG-CSF. The results showed that the two kinds monocytes collected from both blood donors and peripheral blood progenitor cell donors mobilized with rhG-CSF expressed mRNA of G-CSF receptor and SphK. The SphK activity of monocytes collected from blood donors was not changed significantly after being treated with rhG-CSF (P > 0.05). The SphK activity of monocytes collected from peripheral blood progenitor cell donors transiently increased by (39.6 - 87.2)% after being treated by means of rhG-CSF (P < 0.05) without obviously dose-dependent effect. It is concluded that the SphK activity of monocytes collected from peripheral blood progenitor cell donors can be activated by rhG-CSF.
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Humans ; Monocytes ; cytology ; enzymology ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Receptors, Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins