Objective To analyze the changes of CD4⁺ T cell numbers at different periods of antiviral therapy in HIV-infected and AIDS patients (HIV/AIDS) in Yichang City. Methods The relevant information was retrieved from the National AIDS Comprehensive Prevention Information System-Antiretroviral Treatment Management Database. Changes in the number of CD4⁺ T cells were analyzed in HIV/AIDS patients who started receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and continued the treatment for 3 years from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2017 in Yichang. Results The number of CD4⁺T lymphocytes in 550 HIV/AIDS cases increased significantly at various time points within 3 years after treatment, and increased with the increase of treatment time（F=100.20，P<0.001）. The CD4+T cell counts of different baseline level groups were statistically different before and after treatment（F=8.57，P<0.01）. The CD4+ T cell counts of patients who started treatment at age of 15-30 years old increased faster than those who started treatment at age of over 30 years old（F=1.27，P<0.05）. Conclusion HAART has a significant effect on the increase of CD4+T cells, and the early treatment is more effective. Early detection, diagnosis and treatment should be promoted, and anti-viral treatment should be actively carried out.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of syphilis in Yichang City from 2011 to 2020, and provide a scientific basis for developing effective control measures. Methods The data of syphilis cases reported in Yichang City from 2011 to 2020 were collected and analyzed by descriptive epidemiological methods. Results A total of 8 107 cases of syphilis were reported in Yichang City from 2011 to 2020, with an average annual reported incidence rate of 19.76 per 100 000.The reported incidence of syphilis increased from 17.39/100 000 in 2011 to 24.49/100 000 in 2018 （APC=6.82%，95%CI：2.34%~11.49%， P＜0.05）, from 24.49/100 000 in 2018 Decline to 17.55/100 000 in 2020（P＞0.05）. Recessive syphilis is the main type, with 5 837 cases (72.00%), and the annual reported incidence rate is 14.23 per 100 000. The number of cases peaked in July, at 836 (10.31%), and 433 (5.34%) of the lowest in February . The top 3 counties with annual average reported incidence rates were Zigui County (28.51/100 000) , Xiling District (25.01/100 000), and Dangyang City (23.73/100 000). There were a statistically significant differences in reported incidence between counties (2 =933.92, P＜0.01). Gender ratio was 0.72. Cases mainly concentrated in people over 20 years old, 7901 cases (97.46%). The occupation distribution is mainly farmers, housework, unemployed, and retired people. Conclusion The incidence of syphilis in Yichang City has been on the rise in recent ten years, and there is still a long way to go to prevent and control syphilis. We suggested to continue to strengthen the prevention and control of syphilis and comprehensively prevent and control the spread of syphilis.

Objective To provide reference for the development of prevention and control strategies for HIV/AIDS cases aged 50 and above in Yichang city from 2013 to 2020 by epidemiological characteristics anaylsing. Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the epidemic situation and epidemiological data. Results A total of 1 126 HIV/AIDS cases were reported during the monitoring period, and 296 cases were 50 years old and above, accounting for 26.29%. The proportion of cases aged 50 years and above to the total number of cases and the annual reported incidence rate both showed an upward trend (P＜0.01). The cases were mainly male (74.66%), and the older the age, the greater the proportion of males (P=0.02). The age of confirmed cases is mainly concentrated in 50-59 years (68.58%), of which 49.66% were married and 74.32% were at junior high school and below. Sexual contact (accounting for 99.66%) was the main route of infection, the proportion of non-marital heterosexual sex was relatively high, especially in female cases (accounting for 74.67%). Those who had been infected for more than 8 years accounted for 48.75%, and the proportion of infected age ≥50 years in the total number of cases showed an upward trend. Cases were found mainly from medical institutions (74.66%). Conclusion The HIV/AIDS epidemic situation of people aged 50 and above in Yichang City was relatively severe and has became a key population for prevention and control. Targeted and effective prevention and control measures should be taken to reduce the harm of AIDS to the population.

Objective To investigate the pathogenesis,clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of Ceftriaxone-associated urinary tract and biliary pseudolithiasis in children.Methods A 6-year-old boy was treated in our hospital in March 2011.The initial diagnosis was acute suppurative tonsillitis.Ceftriaxone was administered intravenously at a dose of 3 g/d [ 117 mg/( kg · d) ]for three days.After that the boy complained of bilateral abdominal pain and nausea.Abdominal sonogram obtained after cessation of ceftriaxone treatment revealed urinary tract and gallbladder stone and hydronephrosis.After cessation of ceftriaxone treatment and intubation tube into the ureters by cystoscope,symptoms gradually disappeared and renal function recovered.Results After cessation of ceftriaxone treatment,symptoms gradually disappeared,with urinary tract CT scan normal after 10 days.Urinary tract and gallbladder sonograms were found to be normal 22 days after diagnosis without specific treatment.Followed up for 1 month,no recurrence of stone was observed.Conclusions Ceftriaxone-associated urinary tract and biliary pseudolithiasis in children is rare.These complications generally resolve spontaneously with cessation of the ceftriaxone therapy.Physicians should be aware of these complications so as to avoid unnecessary therapeutic procedures.

Objective:To investigate the effect of the integrin-linked kinase(ILK) small interfering RNA(siRNA) on prostate cancer in nude mice by orthotopic injection of human cell line DU145.Methods:The cultured human cell line DU145 was knocked down for ILK using a siRNA.Cellular ILK expression was quantified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.Moreover,cell attachment,invasiveness and microfilament dynamics assays were performed.Furthermore,the impact of the ILK siRNA on the prostate cancer was tested using a nude mice model in which prostate cancer was induced by orthotopic injection of human prostate cancer cell line DU145.Gross tumor volume of prostate in nude mice,cell differentiation,the state of apoptosis and proliferation were tested after 5 weeks of injection.Results:The expression of ILK was suppressed significantly by siRNA,cellular mRNA and protein of ILK decreased 87% and 81% separately.The knockdown of ILK also induced the attachment and invasiveness of DU145 cell growing down.The tumor volume,cell differentiation,apoptosis index and proliferation index of prostate in nude mice of ILK siRNA orthotopic injection model were significantly smaller,better,increased and decreased separately than those in control group.Conclusion:Targeting inhibition of ILK not only decreases attachment and invasiveness of human DU145 cells,but also suppresses the growth and development of prostate cancer of orthotopic injection human DU145 cell line model in nude mice.

Objective To investigate the characteristics and influencing factors of mental health status of permanent residents in Yichang, Hubei Province. Methods A total of 9 576 permanent residents aged 18 years and older from Yichang City were selected by a multistage random sampling method between June and October 2022. The PHQ-9 was used to assess the residents’ depressive symptoms, the GAD-7 was used to assess their anxiety symptoms, the ISI was used to assess their insomnia status, and the PCL-5 was used to assess their stress status. The influence factors of depression and anxiety were analyzed using χ2 test and logistic regression. Results A total of 9 122 valid questionnaires were completed. The detection rate of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress symptoms were 29.98%, 19.03%, 11.97% and 1.58%, respectively. Gender, education level, monthly family income, self-rated health status, mental health literacy level, total GAD-7 score, total ISI score, and total PCL-5 score were the main factors that caused residents' anxiety symptoms, while gender, education level, self-rated health status, total PHQ-9 score, total ISI score, and total PCL-5 score were the main factors that caused residents' anxiety symptoms. Conclusion The prevalence of depression and anxiety is high among the permanent residents in Yichang, while the situation of insomnia and stress is relatively good. Measures such as improving the level of mental health literacy can be taken to improve mental health level of residents in Yichang.

Objective To understand the timeliness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in Yichang from 2016 to 2022 and its influencing factors, and to provide a scientific basis for improving the timeliness of ART in Yichang City. Methods HIV/AIDS cases data from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022 were collected, and chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the factors influencing the timeliness of ART. Results A total of 1 126 HIV/AIDS cases were collected, with local reported cases accounting for 83.13%. The male to female ratio was 5.15:1. The median age was 42 years old (28-53 years old). 41.03% of the cases were unmarried. 38.99% of cases had a first-time CD4+T lymphocytes (CD4 cells) count < 200 cells/µL. Cases with timely first CD4 cell test accounted for 67.85%. The overall timely rate of ART from 2016 to 2022 was 57.19%, with a median time from diagnosis to initiation of ART of 20 days. There was no statistically significant difference in the trend of ART timely rate from 2016 to 2022 (P=0.251). Cases with timely first CD4 cell test were more likely to initiate ART in time (OR=3.831, 95% CI:2.454-5.981), while cases reported from other areas (OR=0.497, 95% CI:0.345-0.716) and cases with higher first CD4 cell count levels (OR_≥500=0.473, 95% CI:0.312-0.718) were less likely to initiate ART in time. Conclusion The timely rate of antiviral treatment in Yichang City needs to be further improved. High attention should be paid to cases reported from other places, cases with delayed CD4 cell testing, and cases with high CD4 cell count levels. Treatment mobilization and referral should be done well, and early detection services should be provided in time.

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism and protective effect of total saponins of Panax japonicas (TSPJ) on HepG2 cells apoptosis induced by palmitic acid (PA).The HepG2 cells were cultured , and divided into five groups: the control group, the model group, the high-dose group (50 mg·L⁻¹), the middle-dose group (25 mg·L⁻¹) and the low-dose group (12.5 mg·L⁻¹).The cells of the five groups were cultured continuously for 24 hours. The cell viability was measured with MTT. HepG2 cells apoptosis was detected by Hoechest staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The protein expressions of BCL-2, CHOP and TLR4 were measured with western blotting and flow cytometry analysis. The mRNA expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, BCL-2, CHOP and GAPDH were measured with RT-PCR. The results suggested that compared with the control group, the number of HepG2 cells of the model group were reduced significantly (<0.01), while the number of apoptotic HepG2 cells were increased. Compared with the model group, the number of HepG2 cells of the high-dose group and the middle-dose group were increased significantly (<0.01), whereas the number of apoptotic HepG2 cells were reduced. Compared with the control group, TNF-α, IL-1β and CHOP mRNA expressions and CHOP and TLR4 protein expressions in the model group were significantly up-regulated (<0.01), while BCL-2 protein and mRNA expressions in the model group were significantly decreased (<0.01). Compared with the model group, TNF-α, IL-1β and CHOP mRNA expressions and CHOP and TLR4 protein expressions in the high-dose group were significantly decreased (<0.01), while BCL-2 protein and mRNA expressions in the high-dose group were significantly up-regulated (<0.01).In conclusion, TSPJ can reduce inflammation and apoptosis induced by palmitic acid, with a certain protective effect on liver cells.
Apoptosis ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Palmitic Acids ; Panax ; chemistry ; Phytochemicals ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

The material basis and mechanism of Chaenomelis Fructus in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) were explored by network pharmacology, and the potential anti-RA targets of Chaenomelis Fructus were verified by molecular docking and animal experiments. The active components and targets of Chaenomelis Fructus were searched against the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform. GeneCards, DisGeNET, and OMIM were used to obtain RA-related targets. The common targets shared by Chaenomelis Fructus and RA were considered as the potential targets of Chaenomelis Fructus in the treatment of RA. Cytoscape 3.9.0 was employed to establish a "traditional Chinese medicine-active component-common target-disease" network. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was established by STRING, and the core genes were visualized by RStudio 4.1.0. DAVID was used for Gene Ontology(GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment to predict and visualize the involved signaling pathways. Molecular docking was carried out with the active components screened out as ligands and RA core genes as the targets. Finally, the prediction results were verified by animal experiments. Four main active components of Chaenomelis Fructus were obtained, which corresponded to 137 targets. Chaenomelis Fructus and RA shared 37 common targets. GO annotation yielded 239 terms(P<0.05), and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis screened out 94 signaling pathways(P<0.05), mainly involving interleukin-17(IL-17), tumor necrosis factor, Toll-like receptor, and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathways. Molecular docking results showed that the main active components of Chaenomelis Fructus bound well with the core targets of RA. The results of animal experiments proved that Chaenomelis Fructus can alleviate joint swelling in the mice with RA. The results of ELISA showed that Chaenomelis Fructus lowered the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β). Western blot showed that Chaenomelis Fructus down-regulated the protein level of vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA). Chaenomelis Fructus exerts anti-inflammatory effect and reduces pannus formation by regulating the core targets such as VEGFA, IL-1β, and IL6 in the treatment of RA. The findings of this study provide new ideas for the future treatment of RA with Chaenomelis Fructus.
Animals ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; NF-kappa B ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To investigate the changes of human penile smooth muscle cell contraction and stretch resulting from the integrin-linked kinase (ILK) gene knock-down.Methods Cultured human penile smooth muscle cells were knocked down for ILK using a small interfering RNA (SiRNA).Cellular ILK expression was quantified by Western blot analysis.Cell attachment,spreading and migration were also performed.Furthermore,microfilament dynamics was tested by means of Alexa Fluor 488 phalloidin stain.Results First,blocking the expression of ILK by siRNA significantly inhibited human penile smooth muscle cell attachment,speading and migration; moreover,ILK down-regulation affected actin cytoskeleton reorganization and changed cell morphology in human penile smooth muscle cell.Conclusions Targeting of ILK with a small interfering RNA not only inhibits human penile smooth muscle cell attachment,spreading and migration,but also effectively suppresses microfilament dynamics.This may be of potential therapeutic usefulness in treating erectile dysfunction (ED).