BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that pathological change of substantia nigra (SN) is the main reason for Parkinson's disease (PD).From the medical imaging,spatial location,size and 3D morphology analysis of the tiny SN structure are very important to PD's diagnosis and treatment evaluation.As the physiology of rhesus monkey is much similar to human's,it has been used as an ideal experiment subject in many scientific researches.OBJECTIVE:To modify traditional shape-based interpolation method for SN structure of the rhesus monkey brain slices.METHODS:To gain the middle layers between two slices,traditional shape-based interpolation used linear weighted mean algorithm.However,considering the impact of adjacent multi-layer to the image,the middle layers were obtained by non-linear weight.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The new interpolation algorithm was assessed with a favorable results.Also,this method was applied to the 3D reconstruction of SN structure.The results show that the new interpolation method can be used in nucleus group interpolation with sparse slices and tiny structures,and offer reference to the related disease research.

OBJECTIVETo understand the illegal sidenafil use among middle-aged and elderly male clients of female sex workers (FSWs) in central region of Guangxi as well as on related risk factors. Initial evaluation regarding the effect of illegal sidenafil use on HIV infection among the middle-aged and elderly men was also conducted.

METHODSA survey was conducted among the over 50-year-olds male clients of low-grade prostitutions in central areas of Guangxi. Information on demographics, related behavior, and illegal sidenafil use was collected. 5 ml blood sample were taken to test antibodies of HIV and syphilis. PASW Statistics 18.0 was used for data analysis.

RESULTS2 056 questionnaires were completed. 23.1% of the participants said they had ever used illegal sidenafil. The risk of sildenafil use was low among the male clients who were not over 60 years old (OR = 0.586, 95% CI:0.459-0.749). The risks of sildenafil use among the male clients with frequencies(in the past 30 days) of having commercial sex behavior were:only once (OR = 0.184, 95%CI:0.090- 0.378), twice (OR = 0.187, 95%CI:0.089-0.378) or three times (OR = 0.181, 95%CI: 0.085-0.384) lower than those with more than five times. Being single (OR = 0.608, 95% CI: 0.396-0.933), married/cohabiting (OR = 0.533, 95% CI:0.391-0.727), having unstable partners (OR = 0.558, 95%CI:0.393-0.792) seemed to be protective on those who used sildenafil, among the study population. Factors as 'never use the condom (OR = 1.642, 95%CI:1.125-2.397) or 'seldom use as condom (OR = 1.840, 95%CI:1.278-2.648) when having commercial sex, were under high risk among the sildenafil users. Forty-seven subjects were HIV positive, with the prevalence as 2.29% in this study population. Male clients of the FSWs who used sidenafil were under 60 years of age and with higher risk of HIV infection.

CONCLUSIONpeople who were ≥60 years old, divorced/widowed/ separated, with frequencies (in the past 30 days) of having commercial sex more than 5 times, never or occasionally using a condom when having commercial sex etc., appeared at high risk. Middle-aged and elderly male clients who used sildenafil or sildenafil-like drugs were under high risk of contracting HIV infection.

Age Distribution ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Condoms ; utilization ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperazines ; administration & dosage ; Prescription Drug Misuse ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Prevalence ; Purines ; administration & dosage ; Risk Factors ; Sex Work ; Sex Workers ; Sexual Partners ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Sulfonamides ; administration & dosage ; Syphilis ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the cost effectiveness of HIV screening project in three Guangxi infectious disease special demonstration project countries in 2013.

METHODSTo calculate the funds used for the HIV screening project and to study the data on HIV/AIDS and HAART. A five-tree markov model was used to evaluate the quality adjusted life year (QALY) of this HIV screening project and to analyze the related cost effectiveness of the project.

RESULTSThe cost of HIV screening in Guangxi infectious disease special demonstration project areas was 19.205 million Yuan and having identified 1 218 HIV/AIDS patients. The average costs for HIV/AIDS positive detection in three project countries were 14.562, 18.424 and 14.042 thousand Yuan per case. The QALYs gained from finding a HIV/AIDS case were 12.736, 8.523 and 8.321 on average, with the total number of QALYs gained from the project as 5 973.184, 3 613.752 and 2 704.325. The overall cost effectiveness ratio of the project was 1.562 thousand Yuan per QALY, and 1.143, 2.162 and 1.688 thousand Yuan per QALY in these three project countries. Project country "A" showed better cost effectiveness index than country B and C.

CONCLUSIONThe HIV screening project in Guangxi seemed relatively cost-effective but the average cost of HIV/AIDS positive detection was expensive. To strengthen HAART work for HIV/AIDS could improve the cost-effective of the project.

Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; China ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; economics ; Program Evaluation ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

OBJECTIVETo understand the current situation and characteristics of commercial sexual behavior among old male clients in Guangxi, and to explore the associated risk factors of HIV infection.

METHODSThe areas in Guangxi where more old male HIV cases were reported followed by survey on those male clients who were over 60 years of age, were selected. A total of 5 ml blood sample was collected to test antibodies of HIV and syphilis. Risk factors were calculated by the multivariate logistic analysis method.

RESULTSA total of 1 236 questionnaires were completed in the survey. 65.61% of the old male clients were from low-grade venues with 53.64% of them never using a condom when engaging in commercial sex behavior. 47.33% of them patronized sex workers for around 10 years. 53.32% of them patronized prostitutes not less than 2 times in the last 30 days. Thirty subjects were HIV positive (2.43%) and 40 were syphilis positive (3.24%). Factor as 'having fixed partners' (OR = 0.302, 95% CI:0.140-0.650) appeared protective for the old male clients of HIV infection, with a history of patronizing sex workers from 1 to 5 years (OR = 2.552, 95% CI: 1.086-5.998). Frequency of patronizing sex workers not less than 4 times in the last 30 days (OR = 3.002, 95%CI:1.047-8.607) seemed the high risk factor of HIV infection.

CONCLUSIONOlder-aged male clients showed high HIV and syphilis infection rates in Guangxi, and most of them were using the low-grade venues. Commercial sexual behaviors in the areas would include early and, frequent exposure, but with poor protections. High risk factors of HIV infection might relate to "no fixed sexual partners" and "frequently commercial sexual behavior".

Aged ; Antibodies ; China ; epidemiology ; Condoms ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Sex Work ; statistics & numerical data ; Sex Workers ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Partners ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syphilis ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo understand the demographic characteristics of the HIV positive cases detected in the screening project in communicable disease prevention demonstration area in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and analyses the related factors of HIV infection.

METHODSHIV antibody detection was conducted for local people aged no less than 15 years old in 3 demonstration counties, and the demographic information of the subjects were collected. The factors influencing HIV infection were analyzed with software PASW Statistics 18.0.

RESULTSA total of 770 454 local people aged over 15 years were screened, the HIV infection rate was 1.58‰ among them. The positive cases were mainly married males aged≥30 years and with the educational level of primary school and junior middle school. Thus male, age over 30 years and educational level of primary school and junior middle school. were the common risk factors for HIV infection, whereas being married was a protective factor for HIV infection in 3 demonstration counties, but Han ethnic group and divorced/widowed were risk factors for HIV infection in the demonstration county A, non-farmer, divorced/widowed and educational level of senior middle school were the risk factors for HIV infection in demonstration county B and Han ethnic group and farmer were risk factors HIV infection in demonstration county C.

CONCLUSIONIt suggested to conduct targeted HIV infection screening according to the survey results to find out the HIV cases in general population.