Objective To apply Estimation and Projection Package (EPP) and Spectrum models for the estimation and projection on HIV/AIDS epidemics in areas with relatively low HIV/AIDS prevalence in China,and to explore the influences of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on the outputs of the models.Methods Taizhou prefecture in Zhejiang province was selected as the study site.Social and demographic data as well as all the information on HIV/AIDS epidemics in Taizhou prefecture were collected,managed,input to EPP and Spectrum models to estimate and project the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Taizhou prefecture.Impact of ART on the HIV/AIDS epidemic was also assessed.Results According to the estimates from both EPP and Spectrum model,the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Taizhou prefecture was at a relatively low level.HIV prevalence rates among men having sex with men (MSM) and injection drug users (IDU) were relatively high and rapidly increasing.It was estimated that 1773 (1384-2449) people were living with HIV in 2010 in Taizhou prefecture,with an overall HIV prevalence of 0.03％ (0.02％-0.04％).ART had reduced and would continue to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS deaths,but had no significant impact on the overall HIV prevalence and the numbers of people living with HIV and adults who were in need of ART.Conclusion EPP and Spectrum models seemed to be suitable and useful tools for estimation and projection on HIV/AIDS in Taizhou prefecture,and the results could provide reference for the further studies in other areas with a relatively low epidemic level of HIV/AIDS.ART appeared effective for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their correlation with myocardial perfusion in patients with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM).

METHODSThe expression of TLR4 and TNF-α mRNA on PBMCs were examined by SYBR Green I real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the levels of TLR4 and TNF-α were examined by flow cytometric analysis and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) on DCM group (n = 20), Type 2 diabetic group (n = 22) and control group (n = 20). Myocardial perfusion was visualized by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

RESULTSThe expressions of TLR4 and TNF-α mRNA/protein on PBMCs in DCM group were significantly higher than in Type 2 diabetic group, and higher in Type 2 diabetic group than in control groups (P < 0.05); summed stress score (SSS) and summed rest score (SRS) of myocardial perfusion in DCM group were significantly higher than in Type 2 diabetic group, and higher in Type 2 diabetic group than in control groups (P < 0.01). The expression of TLR4, TNF-α was positively correlated with SSS (r = 0.75, P < 0.05; r = 0.931, P < 0.005) and SRS (r = 0.78, P < 0.005; r = 0.789, P < 0.005). SSS and SRS in DCM group were also positively correlated with soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) (r = 0.728, P < 0.005; r = 0.738, P < 0.005) but there was no correlation between SSS and SRS and brain natriuretic peptide, LVEF, E/A, HbA1c, FBG, FIN and LDL-C (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe increased expression of TLR4 and TNF-α mRNA/protein on PBMCs and increased serum sVCAM-1 is linked with reduced myocardial perfusion in DCM group. TLR4 and TNF-α may thus play a critical role in the myocardial perfusion inflammation injury in these patients.

Case-Control Studies ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of estrogen in the regulation of the expression of claudin-6 and biological behavior in MCF-7 cells.

METHODSRT-PCR and immunocytochemistry were conducted to analyze the expression and localization of claudin-6 in MCF-7 cells treated with 17β-estradiol. CCK-8 kit assay and Scratch Test were conducted to analyze the capability of proliferation and migration of 17β-estradiol treated MCF-7 cells.

RESULTSRT-PCR analysis and immunocytochemistry showed that 17β-estradiol induced a concentration-and time-dependent effect on claudin-6. At 5 nmol/L and at 24 h, 17β-estradiol treatment led to an increased level of claudin-6, which was located in the membrane of MCF-7 cells. CCK-8 analysis showed a significant decrease in the capability of proliferation of MCF-7 cells compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Cells Scratch Test showed decreased migration capability of MCF-7 cells compared with the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS17β-E2 might regulate the expression of claudin-6 and inhibit the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 cells. The inhibitory effects of 17β-E2 on growth and migration of MCF-7 cells may be mediated by claudin-6 expression regulation.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Claudins ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estradiol ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism

The present paper was designed to investigate the effect of varying concentrations of ethanol in receiver solution on the in vitro transdermal permeation of drug across the rat skin. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was used as the model drug on account of its good hydrophility, the excised rat skins were treated with different concentration ethanol prepared with normal saline for 12 h, then replaced by normal saline and added the saturated model drug into the donor compartment to determine the transdermal parameters of the drug. Meanwhile, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to monitor the effect of the different concentration ethanol on the stratum corneum of the rat skin. The ethanol below the concentration of 15% didn't significantly affect the barrier profile of the rat skin, while significant difference of in steady-state transdermal rate and lag times were observed when the concentration of ethanol was 20% or above. The SEM studies indicated that wrinkle of the intact rat skin gradually disappeared and a number of flakes were desquamated from the skin when the concentration of ethanol was above 20%. The results showed that the low concentration of the ethanol (below 15%) didn't obviously affect the excised skin, yet the barrier profile of rat skin would significantly disrupted with the concentration of ethanol above 20%.
Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Ethanol ; chemistry ; Fluorouracil ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Male ; Microscopy, Electrochemical, Scanning ; Permeability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; metabolism ; ultrastructure

To prepare Zhitong micro-emulsion in this study, with the empirical formula of Zhitong preparation as the model medicine, the essential oil in the formula as the oil phase, and the water decoction as the water phase. The types of surfactant and co-surfactant were investigated. The changes in micro-emulsion conductivity and construction, the water percentage in the micro-emulsion system, the changing curve of conductivity and the fine pseudo-ternary phase diagram of micro-emulsion were drawn to determine the surfactant-co-surfactant mass ratio (K(m)). Subsequently, the D-mixture design was used to optimize Zhitong Micro-emulsion formula, with particle size and surface tension of micro-emulsion as the indexes. Finally, efforts were made to determine part of physical parameters of Zhitong micro-emulsion and preliminarily detect its stability. The results showed that the micro-emulsion was optimal with the EL-35-tween 20 ratio of 4:1 in surfactant, whereas the absolute ethyl alcohol was recommended as the co-surfactant. The ratio between surfactant and co-surfactant (K(m)) was 1.5. The finalized micro-emulsion formula contains 12% surfactant, 8% co-surfactant, 70% 1 g x mL(-1) water decoction and 8% oil. The results of the preliminary stability experiment showed a better stability of Zhitong micro-emulsion.
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Temperature

Objective:To understand the symptom cluster and its connection with sense of coherence in patients with digestive tract cancer during chemotherapy.Methods:A total of 212 patients with digestive tract cancer during chemotherapy were surveyed with the M.D.Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) and the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale in 2 hospitals in Anhui Province.Exploratory factor analysis were used to extract the symptom clusters.Spearman correlation analysis were used to determine the relationships between the symptom clusters and SOC.Two subgroups were classified based on the scores of symptom clusters by using cluster analysis,and two independent samples t-tests were used to compare the differences between the two groups.Results:According to the factor analysis,four symptom clusters were identified,including psychological symptom cluster,gastrointestinal symptom cluster,fatigue-pain symptom cluster and neurotoxic symptom cluster.The cumulative variance contribution rate was 64.16％.The fatigue-pain symptom cluster was divided into fatigue symptom cluster and pain symptom cluster according to the correlation.Those 5 symptom clusters were negatively correlated with the SOC (r =-0.14-0.57,Ps ＜ 0.05).Two subgroups were classified based on the cluster analysis,patients in the high-score group (n =81) had significantly lower SOC scores (P ＜ 0.001) than those in low-score group (n =131).Conclusion:It suggests that digestive tract cancer patients during chemotherapy could experience several physiology and psychology symptom clusters,which are significantly negatively correlate with the sense of coherence.

Objective:To observe the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM)on pacing parameters and postoperative com-plications in patients With implantation of permanent artificial cardiac pacemaker.Methods:A total of 80 patients With sick sinus syndrome,Who received implantation of permanent artificial cardiac pacemaker from Jun 2008 to Jun 2011,Were enrolled.According to complicated With DM or not,they Were divided into DM group (n=40)and non-DM control group (n=40).Pacing parameters and postoperative complications Were compared betWeen tWo groups.Results:There Were no significant difference in atrial and ventricular pacing threshold,sensing and of pace-maker impedance in baseline betWeen tWo groups (P>0.05).All parameters of pacemaker increased in tWo groups after implantation 12 months;compared With non-DM control group,there Were significant increase in pacing threshold [atrial:(0.59±0.23)V vs.(0.67±0.25)V,ventricular:(0.47±0.28)V vs.(0.54±0.35)V],sens-ing [atrial:(2.33±1.16)mV vs.(2.92±1.36)mV,ventricular:(12.21±4.82)mV vs.(12.77±5.36)mV], impedance [atrial:(537.12±115.32)Ωvs.(662.48±235.26)Ω,ventricular:(602.48±222.46)Ωvs.(762.41± 235.38)Ω]of pacemaker in DM group,P<0.05 or <0.01;and incidence rate of postoperative complications (12.5%)in DM group Was significantly higher than that of non-DM control group (5%),P<0.05.Conclusion:Electrocardiographic reconstruction is more severe in SSS patients complicated DM,in these patients postoperative complication incidence significantly elevates.

Objective To study the effect of increased brain edema and the expression of A-β protein in the hippocampus on learning and memory functions of rats after subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH).Methods We randomly divided 48 adult SD rats into model group and sham-operation group,each with 24.The model of SAH was established by Bederson method.Morris water maze was used to detect the spatial learning and memory functions of the rats at day 3,7,14 and 28 after modeling;A-β protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by the immunohistochemical method.Results At the corresponding time points after modeling,the latency of escape was significantly longer in model group than that in sham-operation group(P＜ 0.05).However,the two groups did not significantly differ in A-β protein expression at day 3(P＞0.05);A-β positive cell counts increased significantly at days 7,14 and 28(P＜0.05).Conclusion Memory impairment of learning machine,edema of brain tissue,and the increase of A-β protein expression may induce cognitive dysfunction after SAH.

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.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of microbial isolates and the positive rate from bile cultures taken from obstructive jaundice patients, then compare the antimicrobial sensitivities to guide the rational choice and use of antibiotics. Methods Bile cultures from 322 patients from January 2012 to April 2016 were reviewed. Specimens were obtained from patients that were diagnosed obstructive jaundice. The bile specimens were examined for pathogenic respectively. At the same time, the empirical antibiotics of the 322 cases prior to operation were also analyzed. Results Bile culture was positive in 246 among322 cases, the positive culture rate was 76.40%. A total of 267 pathogens were isolated in bile culture: 208 Gram-negative bacteria, 48 Gram-positive bacteria and 11 fungus. The most common pathogens in all were Escherichia coli (208 strains, 53.18%), Enterococcus faecium (28 strains, 10.49%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (27 strains, 10.11%). The most sensitive antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria were imipenem and meropenem (with susceptibility rate for 98.08%, respectively). The more sensitive antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria were efoperazone/sulbactam, amikacin, piperacillin/tazobactam (susceptibility 92.31%, 88.46% and 85.58%). The lowest susceptibility rate of Gram-negative to twelve kings of antimicrobial agents were levofloxacin, andaztreonam (susceptibility 29.81%, 28.37%). The most sensitive antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria were linezolid, teicoplanin and vancomycin(with susceptibility rate for 100.00%, respectively). The more sensitive antibiotics against Gram-positive bacteria was chloromycrtin (susceptibility 88.89%). The lower susceptibility rate of Gram-positive were levofloxacin (susceptibility 25.00%). 281 cases of patients before surgery empirical use of antimicrobial drugs. Monotherapy was used in 219 cases. The main drug was levofloxacin (86/219), the second was cefoperazone/sulbactam (70/219). The dual therapy was used in 62 cases, the mainly was cefoperazone/sulbactam plus ornidazole or metrornidazole(27/62), the second was levofloxacin plus ornidazole or metrornidazole (12/62). Conclusions Gram negative bacteria were the predominant bile pathogens found in patients with obstructive jaundice. And the most prominent Gram-negative pathogens were Escherichia coli. The sensitive rates of cefoperazone/sulbactam, amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam were higher, which could be used as the preferred antimicrobial agents. Imipenem and meropenem should remain the last alternative when all other therapies fail or serious infection; The empirical antibiotics's pertinence was not very suitable, levofloxacin's resistance rates in obstructive jaundice was higher. It should be avoided to choose during empirical antimicrobial therapy.