AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms ; Sarcoma, Kaposi

BACKGROUNDTo investigate epidemiology and HLA typing of highly exposed to HIV but persistently seronegative subjects (HEPS) in commercial blood donors in China.

METHODSThis was a cohort study for epidemiologic characteristics of highly exposed but persistently seronegative subjects. PCR with sequence-specific primer and PCR-SSP for HLA typing were applied.

RESULTSEight HEPS were identified. Compared HLA typing with seropositive couple, high frequency of HLA-a24, HLA-B40 genotyping was observed.

CONCLUSIONHighly exposed to HIV but persistently seronegative subjects in commercial blood donors in China had high frequency of HLA-A24 and HLA-B40 genotype.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; HIV ; immunology ; HIV Antibodies ; blood ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; HIV Seronegativity ; HLA Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-A Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-A24 Antigen ; Histocompatibility Testing ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the short-term effect of patients with poly-infarctional vascular dementia (PIVD) treated by CT positioning scalp circum-needling (SCN) combined with Chinese herbal medicine.

METHODSEighty-nine patients of PIVD were enrolled and divided into the treated group (n = 57) and the control group (n = 32). They were all treated with oral taking of Fuyuan mixture (FYM, consisted of ginseng, medlar, salvia, bitter cardamon, etc). To the treated group, SCN was applied additionally with the unilateral area around the reflecting region (localized by CT) in scalp as main needling points and Ganshu, Shenshu, Zusanli, Hegu as supplementary points. Two courses of SCN were performed. The changes of clinical symptoms, intelligence and hemorrheological characteristics in patients were analysed.

RESULTSAfter two courses of treatment, the total effective rate in the treated group was 96.5%, which was better than that in the control group (75.0%), with significant difference (u = 2.423, P < 0.01); HDS scores increased in both groups after treatment, showing significant difference as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.01), hemorrheologic parameters were also apparently improved.

CONCLUSIONCT positioning SCN combined Chinese herbal medicine treatment has definite therapeutic effect in treating PIVD.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Aged ; Dementia, Multi-Infarct ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Electroacupuncture ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Scalp ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To find out severity and types of syphilis infection in blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premrital medical examination in Zhoushan City and offer a new measure for prevention and treatment of syphilis. Methods Totally, 174 589 blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premarital medical examinations were screened preliminarily for inapparent syphilis with non-TPHA, and then TPHA was applied to confirm the diagnosis, according to the National Standard No. GB 15974-1995, combining with clinical symptoms and physical check-up. Results A total of 1 327 cases of syphilis from 174 589 samples tested, including blood donors, attendants and persons to have their premarital medical examinations, were diagnosed, with an inapparent infection rate of 7. 60‰ in average, 6. 42‰in males and 8. 74‰ in females, with a sex ratio of 0.71 (X2 = 29. 92, P

OBJECTIVEAnalyzing the relationships between peripheral blood CD4+ CD25hi regulatory T (Treg) cells and peripheral blood immune status or plasma HIV-lviral load in HIV-infected individuals,so as to determine whether Treg were related to the progression of HIV-infected disease.

METHODS116 HIV-infected patients in different stages and 21 healthy control individuals were included in this study. The CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts were determined by a standard 4-color flow cytometry technique. The Treg cells were examined with 3-color immune staining flow cytometry. The plasma HIV-1 viral load was detected by real time PCR.

RESULTSThe frequencies of Treg cells decreased in HIV-infected individuals with high CD4+ T cell counts( > 300/microl) compared with normal controls. With the progression of disease the frequencies of Treg cells were raised gradually, until were increased in HIV-infected individuals with low levels of CD4+ T cell counts ( < 100/microl). In addition, the frequencies of Treg cells were inversely related to CD4+ T cell counts and CD4+ /CD8+ ratio, data showed a statistically significant (respectively, r = -0.564, P < 0.001; r = -0.377, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the proportions of Treg cells were closely related to plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load (r = 0.514, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONCD4 CD25hi Treg cells should be a kind of important cells participating the immunopathogenesis of AIDS. It may play different roles in different stages of HIV-infected disease. The exact mechanism of Treg cells in the progression of the HIV-infected disease needs to be investigate further.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Progression ; Female ; HIV Infections ; immunology ; pathology ; virology ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology ; Viral Load

Objective To introduce an efficient method for culturing and purifying Schwann cells (SCs) in vitro. Methods Sciatic nerves were harvested from neonatal SD rats and the epineuria were removed. Single enzyme digestion combined with explans and double enzyme digestion were employed, respectively, to digest the nerve tissues following trituration. The proliferation of SCs and degree of purification were evaluated by viable count method and the combination of S-100 labeled monoclonal antibody and SCs. Results Proximally 3.5 × 106 cells were harvested with 96% survival rate and a purity of Schwann cells over 94% by single enzyme digestion combined with explans, however only 3.0×106 cells were gained with the purity being 90% and survival rate being 92% by double enzyme digestion. Conclusion This method yields large amount of viable Schwann cells with high purity and survival rate.

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

Objective To study the analytical sensitivity on 31 HBsAg enzyme immunoassy (EIA) test kits.Methotis Thirty one HBsAg EIA kits produced by domestic or overseas manufactories and applied for approval during May 2007 to May 2008,were evaluated using the national reference panels.The hyperbolic curve of the log A value and log concentration for the national sensitivity standards was established.The cut-off value of each kit was substituted into the curvilinear equation to determine the analytical sensitivity which was compared between different HBsAg EIA kits.Results Twenty seven(351 lots) domestic and 4(27 lots) overseas kits were compared.Among 378 lots of the 31 HBsAg EIA kits,only 2 lots of the domestic kits had a lower sensitivity when tested with the national HBsAg reference panels,with an average approvalr ate of 99.43%(349/351).The mean analytical sensitivity of the domestic kits for adr,adw,ay serotypes were 0.307,0.419,0.513 ng/ml,respectively.There was a significant difierence between serotypes (F=97.30,P<0.01).The mean analytical sensitivity of the overseas kits for adr,adw,ay serotypes were 0.054,0.066,0.050 ng/ml respectively,with no significant difference between serotypes(F=0.65,P>0.05).The analytical sensitivity of the overseas kits for all the three serotypes was higher than that of the domestic kits(P<0.01).There was no significant difference found between the analytical sensitivities of the kits produced by the same manufactory using 30- or 60- minute incubation of detection(P>0.05).In contrast,there was significant diffefence noticed between the analytical sensitivities of the kits produced by the same manufactory when tested for 10 or 15- minute coloration of the results(P<0.01).Conclusion Analytical sensitivity of the HBsAg EIA domestic kits should be further improved,especiatry for detecting adw and ay serotypes.

Objective To study the sero-epidemiological starus regarding Rickettsia (R.) typhi,Bartonella (B.) henselae and Orientia (O.) tsutsugamushi in farmers from rural areas of Tianjin.Methods Field epidemiological surveys were performed in 8 districts (county) of Tianjin city from 2007 to 2009.886 farmers were randomly recruited and their serum samples collected to detect the specific antibodies of R.typhi,B.henselae and O.tsutsugamushi by micro-indirect immunoflorescence (IFA).Results The total antibody positive rates of R.typhi increased from 5.0% to 58.2% while B.heaselae had an increase from 2.6% to 14.5% and O.tsutsugamushi increased from 1.8% to 39.8%.Geographic distribution showed that farmers living in the central and southeast areas were higher than that in other areas.Conclusion Infections of both R.typhi,B.henselae and O.tsutsugamushi in farmers from Tianjin areas were popular and the antibody positive rates ofR.typhi,B.henselae and O.tsutsugamushi had an annual increase.

OBJECTIVETo detect TB specific T cell responses by using the recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus in Chinese HIV infected patients.

METHODSELISPOT-IFN-gamma assay by using the recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus to detect specific T cell responses in HIV+ patients with or without clinical manifestation of TB diseases.

RESULTSRecombinant ESAT-6 protein specific T cell responses show significant high frequencies in both of TB patients with or without HIV infection than that in the healthy control and HIV+ group without clinical TB diseases.

CONCLUSIONThe ELISPOT-IFN-gamma assay by using recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus could be used in diagnoses of TB infection in Chinese HIV infected patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; immunology ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Female ; HIV Infections ; blood ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; methods ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tuberculosis ; blood ; immunology ; Young Adult