Development and Challenge of HIV/AIDS Testing Laboratory Network and Quality Assurance System in China

This paper describes the development and challenge of HIV/AIDS testing laboratory network and quality assurance system in China. At present,the HIV/AIDS testing laboratories includes three classes,the National AIDS Reference Laboratory,HIV/AIDS confirmatory laboratories and HIV/AIDS screening laboratories. All of them are accredited by the health authorities,and each class of laboratories take charge of their function strictly according to the "National Management of HIV/AIDS Detection (2006)". A complete quality assurance and quality control system for HIV/AIDS testing has been developed,which includes technical training,strict laboratory monitoring and approval,examination or proficiency testing on HIV/AIDS detection,and quality evaluation and supervision of HIV/AIDS diagnostic kits. Besides conduct the routine anti-HIV antibody test,more and more laboratories began to conduct other tests,such as CD4 T lymphocyte cell counting,HIV viral load,HIV DNA PCR,genotyping,drug resistance,and HIV-1 recent infection test. The primary challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS testing laboratory network are in the areas of laboratory management and quality control. For example,the provincial PT program is inefficient,the internal quality control is conducted perfunctorily,personnel training can not met the needs of the workplace,which need to be improved.     

Analysis of recruitment and industrial human resources management for optimal productivity in the presence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

The aim of this paper is to analyze the recruitment effects of susceptible and infected individuals in order to assess the productivity of an organizational labor force in the presence of HIV/AIDS with preventive and HAART treatment measures in enhancing the workforce output. We consider constant controls as well as time-dependent controls. In the constant control case, we calculate the basic reproduction number and investigate the existence and stability of equilibria. The model is found to exhibit backward and Hopf bifurcations, implying that for the disease to be eradicated, the basic reproductive number must be below a critical value of less than one. We also investigate, by calculating sensitivity indices, the sensitivity of the basic reproductive number to the model’s parameters. In the time-dependent control case, we use Pontryagin’s maximum principle to derive necessary conditions for the optimal control of the disease. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the analytical results. The cost-effectiveness analysis results show that optimal efforts on recruitment (HIV screening of applicants, etc.) is not the most cost-effective strategy to enhance productivity in the organizational labor force. Hence, to enhance employees’ productivity, effective education programs and strict adherence to preventive measures should be promoted.     

Rates of amino acid change in the envelope protein correlate with pathogenicity of primate lentiviruses

A spectrum of pathogenicity has been observed for primate lentiviruses in their natural hosts. For example, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a potent etiologic agent for AIDS in man, whereas there is no evidence to date which indicates that simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys (SIVAGM) causes immunodeficiency in AGM. We measured the relative rates of amino acid change, as the ratio of the number of nonsynonymous to synonymous (silent) nucleotide substitutions, for six primate lentiviruses evolving in their respective hosts. These rates for the external envelope glycoprotein (gp120) and gag coding sequences are 2–3 times higher for pathogenic HIV-1 and SIV..ac (macaque) than for minimally pathogenic SIVAGM and SIVsn,m (sooty mangabey), and intermediate for HIV-2. We speculate that the increased rates of nonsynonymous changes in gp120 and gag coding sequences are due to viral escape from immune surveillance and are indicative of higher immunogenicity of these proteins in their hosts. Based on these results and available experimental data, we conclude that there is a positive correlation between lentiviral pathogenicity and immunogenicity of the Env and Gag proteins in a given host. This hypothesis is consistent with recent data suggesting that immune system activation or autoimmunity induced by viral antigens may be important in the pathogenesis of AIDS.Correspondence to: E.G. Shpaer     

替换HIV-1衣壳蛋白基因SHIV的构建及其活性测定

将猴免疫缺陷病毒(Simianimmunodeficiencyvirus,SIVmm239)中gag基因的衣壳蛋白部分置换成人免疫缺陷病毒(Humanimmunodeficiencyvirustype1,HIV-1HXBc2)的相应部分,构建出替换了衣壳蛋白基因的人/猿嵌合免疫缺陷病毒(SHIV)原病毒DNA。用此SHIV原病毒DNA转染293T细胞,细胞中能够检测到嵌合病毒基因的转录与翻译;在细胞培养液上清中亦可检测到装配出的病毒颗粒。病毒颗粒形态正常,含有基因组RNA,具有反转录酶活性,嵌合的外源衣壳蛋白能够正确剪切,形成棒状的核心。将此嵌合SHIV病毒感染MT4细胞,病毒能够吸附并进入细胞,能完成反转录过程,但不能增殖。     

On transient effects in the HIV/AIDS epidemic

During the initially exponential spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV—the causative agent of AIDS) the growth rate of the number of AIDS cases decreases from plus infinity to the growth rate of HIV infections. A sensitivity analysis shows that for all reasonable values of the parameters of the HIV epidemic (incubation period, initial doubling time, etc.) the effect of this positive transient becomes negligible when the annual number of AIDS cases reaches a few dozen. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the growth rate of the number of AIDS cases to be monotonically decreasing during the positive transient. A mildly pathological density function for the incubation period of AIDS provides an example of a growth rate of AIDS that does not decrease monotonically, even though HIV is spreading exponentially. A negative transient occurs when the growth rate of HIV begins to decrease. In this context a somewhat surprising result emerges under the assumption that the growth rate of HIV is non-increasing: the growth rate of AIDS is at all times larger than the growth rate of HIV. A logistic HIV epidemic illustrates this result, and implications for the growth of the HIV epidemic in the United States and Europe are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the positive transient must have passed by 1982 in the United States and by 1986 or 1987 for the five European countries with the largest caseloads.     

反式激活HIV—1LTR的人疱疹病毒6型（HHV—6）基因片段的初步研究

艾滋病（ＡＩＤＳ）主要是由人免疫缺陷病毒（ＨＩＶ）侵入人体后,破坏人的免疫系统造成的。许多流行病学研究已证明,疱疹病毒与ＨＩＶ的共感染可以导致对ＨＩＶ－１启动子的激活,并加速细胞的病理性反应〔１〕,从而加大个体对ＨＩＶ感染的敏感和加快疾病的进程。人疱...     

Direct quantification of HIV-1 RNA by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence

HIV-1 RNA was quantitated directly by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). CE-LIF was used to analyze cellular RNA and various nucleotide complexes. A fluorescently labeled DNA probe (DNA/RNA complex) in conjunction with thiazole orange intercalator was determined to have optimal stability and sensitivity for RNA analysis. Based on this observation, a hybridization method using a HIV-specific fluorescently labeled probe with analysis by CE-LIF was developed. Plasma samples from a HIV-seropositive patient were lysed to obtain RNA, hybridized with the HIV-specific probe and analyzed by CE-LIF. As little as 19 fg (1710 copies per 1 ml of starting plasma) of HIV RNA can be reliably and quantitatively detected. CE-LIF appears to be an efficient and sensitive method to quantitatively analyze RNA from a variety of sources.     

Mathematical modeling of viral kinetics under immune control during primary HIV-1 infection

Primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by an initial exponential increase of viral load in peripheral blood reaching a peak, followed by a rapid decline to the viral setpoint. Although the target-cell-limited model can account for part of the viral kinetics observed early in infection [Phillips, 1996. Reduction of HIV concentration during acute infection: independence from a specific immune response. Science 271 (5248), 497-499], it frequently predicts highly oscillatory kinetics after peak viremia, which is not typically observed in clinical data. Furthermore, the target-cell-limited model is unable to predict long-term viral kinetics, unless a delayed immune effect is assumed [Stafford et al., 2000. Modeling plasma virus concentration during primary HIV infection. J. Theor. Biol. 203 (3), 285-301]. We show here that extending the target-cell-limited model, by implementing a saturation term for HIV-infected cell loss dependent upon infected cell levels, is able to reproduce the diverse observed viral kinetic patterns without the assumption of a delayed immune response. Our results suggest that the immune response may have significant effect on the control of the virus during primary infection and may support experimental observations that an anti-HIV immune response is already functional during peak viremia.     

HIV and HCV： from Co-infection to Epidemiology, Transmission, Pathogenesis, and Treatment

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the infectious agent causing acquired immu-nodeficiency syndrome (AIDS),a deadliest scourge of human society. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of chronic liver disease and infects an estimated 170 million people worldwide,resulting in a serious public health burden. Due to shared routes of transmission,co-infection with HIV and HCV has become common among individuals who had high risks of blood exposures. Among hemophiliacs the co-infection rate accounts for 85%; while among injection drug users (IDU) the rate can be as high as 90%. HIV can accelerate the progression of HCV-related liver disease,particularly when immunodeficiency has developed. Although the effect of HCV on HIV infection is controversial,most studies showed an increase in mortality due to liver disease. HCV may act as a direct cofactor to fasten the progression of AIDS and decrease the tolerance of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT). Conversely,HAART-related hepatotoxicity may enhance the progression of liver fibrosis. Due to above complications,co-infection with HCV and HIV-1 has imposed a critical challenge in the management of these patients. In this review,we focus on the epidemiology and transmission of HIV and HCV,the impact of the two viruses on each other,and their treatment.     

HIV and HCV: from Co-infection to epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis, and treatment

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the infectious agent causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a deadliest scourge of human society. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of chronic liver disease and infects an estimated 170 million people worldwide, resulting in a serious public health burden. Due to shared routes of transmission, co-infection with HIV and HCV has become common among individuals who had high risks of blood exposures. Among hemophiliacs the co-infection rate accounts for 85%; while among injection drug users (IDU) the rate can be as high as 90%. HIV can accelerate the progression of HCV-related liver disease, particularly when immunodeficiency has developed. Although the effect of HCV on HIV infection is controversial, most studies showed an increase in mortality due to liver disease. HCV may act as a direct cofactor to fasten the progression of AIDS and decrease the tolerance of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT). Conversely, HAART-related hepatotoxicity may enhance the progression of liver fibrosis. Due to above complications, co-infection with HCV and HIV-1 has imposed a critical challenge in the management of these patients. In this review, we focus on the epidemiology and transmission of HIV and HCV, the impact of the two viruses on each other, and their treatment.      

A modeled time-varying density function for the incubation period of AIDS

Building on the Weibull distribution, we develop a modeled time-varying density function of the incubation time between exposure to HIV infection and full-blown AIDS. This approach leads to a series of cohort-specific density functions that take into account the increasing impact of new therapies such as zidovudine (AZT). The resulting modeled density functions are studied in detail, particularly with regard to their modes and medians. The mode is sensitive to changes in the period incubation time distribution, with even a possibility of a bimodal distribution for certain combinations of the parameters that determine the rate at which the period median incubation time changes. An important substantive result is that when a period median incubation period slowly increases to some leveling off value, say m(x _c ), then it is surprisingly early on that cohorts of infected individuals have a median incubation period very close to that ultimate value m(x _c ).     

全球抗病毒药物研发进展与展望

病毒是危害人体健康的主要病原体之一,病毒感染和传播造成的传染性疾病严重威胁人类健康。目前,艾滋病、病毒性肝炎等发病率高、治愈率低的病毒性疾病仍在全球蔓延,流感病毒、冠状病毒等呼吸道病毒不断发生变异,2019年以来,新冠病毒引起的全球疫情对世界各国产生巨大影响,疫情走向还存在很大不确定性,开发安全有效的抗病毒药物成为应对病毒性疾病的重要手段。拟在总结全球抗病毒药物研发整体现状的基础上,分析抗艾滋病病毒、肝炎病毒、新冠病毒等重点领域的新药研发进展,提出抗病毒药物的发展建议,为未来研发更加高效的抗病毒药物提供指引和参考。     

IL-12基因对HIV-1核酸疫苗诱导的免疫应答的影响

研究白细胞介素-12(IL 12)基因对HIV-1核酸疫苗诱导免疫应答的影响,以探求治疗性HIV-1核酸疫苗的新策略.将pCI-neoGAG联合白细胞介素-12基因或者pCI-neoGAG单独免疫Balb/c小鼠,通过ELISA检测免疫小鼠的特异性抗体和IFN-γ,通过MTT实验检测免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖实验,通过乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)实验检测小鼠特异性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)反应.与pCI-neoGAG免疫组比较,pCI-neoGAG联合白细胞介素-12基因免疫组小鼠血清的抗HIV-1p24抗体滴度降低,有显著性差异(P＜0.01);而与pCI-neoGAG免疫组比较,pCI-neoGAG联合白细胞介素-12基因免疫组小鼠血清的IFN-γ升高,有显著性差异(P＜0.01);pCI-neoGAG联合白细胞介素-12基因免疫组小鼠的脾淋巴细胞增殖实验刺激指数(SI)以及特异性CTL活性均高于pCI-neoGAG免疫组,有显著性差异(P＜0.01).因此,白细胞介素-12基因基因联合HIV-1核酸疫苗免疫小鼠,可能增强特异性Th1细胞和CTL反应,白细胞介素-12基因对体液免疫有抑制作用.     

IL-12基因对HIV-1核酸疫苗诱导的免疫应答的影响

研究白细胞介素 12(IL 12)基因对HIV 1核酸疫苗诱导免疫应答的影响,以探求治疗性 HIV 1 核酸疫苗的新策略。将 pCI neoGAG联合白细胞介素 12基因或者 pCI neoGAG单独免疫 Balb/c小鼠,通过 ELISA检测免疫小鼠的特异性抗体和 IFN γ,通过MTT实验检测免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞增殖实验,通过乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)实验检测小鼠特异性细胞毒性T淋巴细胞(CTL)反应。与 pCI neoGAG免疫组比较,pCI neoGAG联合白细胞介素 12基因免疫组小鼠血清的抗 HIV 1p24 抗体滴度降低,有显著性差异(P< 0. 01);而与 pCI neoGAG 免疫组比较, pCI neoGAG联合白细胞介素 12基因免疫组小鼠血清的 IFN γ升高,有显著性差异(P<0.01);pCI neoGAG联合白细胞介素 12基因免疫组小鼠的脾淋巴细胞增殖实验刺激指数(SI)以及特异性 CTL活性均高于 pCI neoGAG免疫组,有显著性差异(P<0.01)。因此,白细胞介素 12基因基因联合HIV 1核酸疫苗免疫小鼠,可能增强特异性Th1细胞和CTL反应,白细胞介素 12基因对体液免疫有抑制作用。     

Exploring optical spectroscopic techniques and nanomaterials for virus detection

Viral infections pose significant health challenges globally by affecting millions of people worldwide and consequently resulting in a negative impact on both socioeconomic development and health. Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a clear example of how a virus can have a global impact in the society and has demonstrated the limitations of detection and diagnostic capabilities globally. Another virus which has posed serious threats to world health is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which is a lentivirus of the retroviridae family responsible for causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Even though there has been a significant progress in the HIV biosensing over the past years, there is still a great need for the development of point of care (POC) biosensors that are affordable, robust, portable, easy to use and sensitive enough to provide accurate results to enable clinical decision making. The aim of this study was to present a proof of concept for detecting HIV-1 pseudoviruses by using anti-HIV1 gp41 antibodies as capturing antibodies. In our study, glass substrates were treated with a uniform layer of silane in order to immobilize HIV gp41 antibodies on their surfaces. Thereafter, the HIV pseudovirus was added to the treated substrates followed by addition of anti-HIV gp41 antibodies conjugated to selenium nanoparticle (SeNPs) and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). The conjugation of SeNPs and AuNCs to anti-HIV gp41 antibodies was characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential while the surface morphology was characterized by fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. The UV–vis and zeta potential results showed that there was successful conjugation of SeNPs and AuNCs to anti-HIV gp41 antibodies and fluorescence microscopy showed that antibodies immobilized on glass substrates were able to capture intact HIV pseudoviruses. Furthermore, AFM also confirmed the capturing HIV pseudoviruses and we were able to differentiate between substrates with and without the HIV pseudoviruses. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of biomolecules related to HIV and therefore this system has potential in HIV biosensing applications.     

17种植物中蛋白质提取物的抗HIV—1活性

以化合物对ＨＩＶ－１诱导Ｃ８１６６细胞形成合胞体的抑制实验和化合物对ＨＩＶ－１感染细胞的保护实验作为初筛方法,筛选了来源７科１７种植物的４７个样品,其中８个样品经测定是核糖体失活蛋白,其余为粗提蛋白。