Drug Use and Sex Work: Competing Risk Factors for Newly Acquired HIV in Yunnan,China

Objective

To investigate the HIV incidence and its related factors among female sex workers (FSWs) in a high prevalence area where injection drug use is also widely documented.

Method

A cross-sectional study of 1642 female sex workers (FSWs) was conducted in Honghe Prefecture of Yunnan Province. Interviewed-questionnaires were administrated to collect information on sexual partnerships, condom use and illicit drug using behaviors etc. Blood samples were collected to test for HIV antibodies, and all HIV seropositive specimens were tested with the BED IgG capture-based enzyme immunosorbent assay (BED-CEIA) to distinguish between new and established HIV infection (<153 days).

Results

15.9% (261/1642) of participants reported ever having used drugs, and 7.4% had injected in recent 3 months. The overall HIV prevalence was 10.2% (168/1642), among which 16.7% (28/168) were identified as recent infections using BED-CEIA. The crude HIV incidence estimated from BED-CEIA results was 4.4 (95%CI 2.8–6.0) /100 person years (PY). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that an illicit drug using history (by either self-reporting or urine opiates testing) was both significant risk factors both for HIV established and recent infection (each p<0.05). Drug using FSWs (DU-FSW) reported more male clients in the previous week, and had significantly higher prevalence of HIV, chlamydia trachomatis and HSV-2 as compared to non DU-FSW (each p<0.05).

Conclusion

Our results show that a history of drug use poses significant risks for both new and established HIV infection among FSWs, and that HIV-incidence among Honghe FSWs is relatively high compared to similar populations. Comprehensive interventions targeted at DU-FSWs'' injection drug using and high risk sexual behaviors are urgently needed to reduce the rapid spread of HIV epidemic.     

Association of DNA Methylation at CPT1A Locus with Metabolic Syndrome in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) Study

In this study, we conducted an epigenome-wide association study of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 846 participants of European descent in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN). DNA was isolated from CD4+ T cells and methylation at ~470,000 cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) pairs was assayed using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. We modeled the percentage methylation at individual CpGs as a function of MetS using linear mixed models. A Bonferroni-corrected P-value of 1.1 x 10⁻⁷ was considered significant. Methylation at two CpG sites in CPT1A on chromosome 11 was significantly associated with MetS (P for cg00574958 = 2.6x10^-14 and P for cg17058475 = 1.2x10^-9). Significant associations were replicated in both European and African ancestry participants of the Bogalusa Heart Study. Our findings suggest that methylation in CPT1A is a promising epigenetic marker for MetS risk which could become useful as a treatment target in the future.     

A simple and biosafe method for isolation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC_S) are used as an irreplaceable tool for the study of vascular diseases. However, the technicians who isolate HUVECs are largely exposed to potential infectious threats. Here we report the development of a specialized instrument to protect researchers from known or unknown infectious agents when they operate on human umbilical cords. This instrument can be assembled by common laboratory supplies and adapted to accommodate umbilical cords of different lengths. When the cord is enclosed within the instrument, the risk of sample contamination and operator infection is greatly reduced. Using our instrument, endothelial cells were successfully isolated from human umbilical veins without contamination. The cells were verified by their cobblestone-like morphology and by immunofluorescence staining (Factor VIII and CD31 positivity and α-SMA negativity). Our instrument simplifies and optimizes the cell extraction process, and most importantly elevates the biosafety to a higher level during the isolation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.     

Genomic constitution and taxonomy of the Chinese hexaploids Elymus cylindricus and E. breviaristatus (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Elymus cylindricus (2n = 6x = 42) and E. breviaristatus (2n = 6x = 42) are distributed in grasslands and deserts of northern and north‐western China. Their genomic constitution and taxonomic status are unclear. Elymus cylindricus was crossed with E. wawawaiensis J.R.Carlson & Barkworth ( StH ), Roegneria grandis Keng ( StY ) and Campeiostachys dahurica (Turcz. ex Griseb.) B.R.Baum, J.L. Y ang & C. Y en var. dahurica ( StYH ). Meiotic pairing in the hybrids E. cylindricus × E. wawawaiensis ( StH ), E. cylindricus × R. grandis ( StY ) and E. cylindricus × C. dahurica var. dahurica ( StYH ) showed on average 10.00, 11.30 and 20.92 bivalents per cell, respectively. Elymus breviaristatus was crossed with C. dahurica var. dahurica ( StYH ) and E. cylindricus. Chromosome pairing in the hybrids of E. breviaristatus × C. dahurica var. dahurica and E. breviaristatus × E. cylindricus showed on average 19.60 and 19.27 bivalents, respectively. Genomic in situ hybridization (GI SH ) revealed the presence of St , Y and H genomes in E. cylindricus and E. breviaristatus. An intergenomic rearrangement was observed in E. cylindricus using GI SH . Meiotic pairing data and GI SH indicated that both E. cylindricus and E. breviaristatus are allohexaploids containing the StYH genomes. Elymus cylindricus and E. breviaristatus should be treated as Campeiostachys dahurica var. cylindrica and Campeiostachys breviaristata, respectively.     

Glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure is mediated by ROS production,Ca2+ and water channel in Vicia faba

Sugars act as vital signaling molecules that regulate plant growth, development and stress responses. However, the effects of sugars on stomatal movement have been unclear. In our study, we explored the effects of monosaccharides such as glucose and mannose on stomatal aperture. Here, we demonstrate that glucose and mannose trigger stomatal closure in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner in epidermal peels of broad bean (Vicia faba). Pharmacological studies revealed that glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure was almost completely inhibited by two reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH), was significantly abolished by an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenylene iodonium chloride (DPI), whereas they were hardly affected by a peroxidase inhibitor, salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). Furthermore, glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure was strongly inhibited by a Ca²⁺ channel blocker, LaCl₃, a Ca²⁺ chelator, ethyleneglycol‐bis(beta‐aminoethylether)‐N,N'‐tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and two water channel blockers, HgCl₂ and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); whereas the inhibitory effects of the water channel blockers were essentially abolished by the reversing agent β‐mercaptoethanol (β‐ME). These results suggest that ROS production mainly via NADPH oxidases, Ca²⁺ and water channels are involved in glucose‐ and mannose‐induced stomatal closure.     

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of a new wheat-rye 1BL•1RS translocation line expressing superior stripe rust resistance and enhanced grain yield

Main conclusion

A new wheat-rye 1BL?1RS translocation line, with the characteristics of superior stripe rust resistance and high thousand-kernel weight and grain number per spike, was developed and identified from progenies of wheat-rye- Psathyrostachys huashanica trigeneric hybrids.

Abstract

The wheat-rye 1BL?1RS translocation line from Petkus rye has contributed substantially to the world wheat production. However, due to extensive growing of cultivars with disease resistance genes from short arm of rye chromosome 1R and coevolution of pathogen virulence and host resistance, these cultivars successively lost resistance to pathogens. In this study, a new wheat-rye line K13-868, derived from the progenies of wheat-rye-Psathyrostachys huashanica trigeneric hybrids, was identified and analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (A-PAGE), and molecular markers. Cytological studies indicated that the mean chromosome configuration of K13-868 at meiosis was 2n = 42 = 0.14 I + 18.78 II (ring) + 2.15 II (rod). Sequential FISH and GISH results demonstrated that K13-868 was a compensating wheat-rye 1BL?1RS Robertsonian translocation line. Acid PAGE analysis revealed that clear specific bands of rye 1RS were expressed in K13-868. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) and rye 1RS-specific markers ω-sec-p1/ω-sec-p2 and O-SEC5′-A/O-SEC3′-R suggested that the 1BS arm of wheat had been substituted by the 1RS arm of rye. At the seedling and adult growth stage, compared with its recurrent wheat parent SM51 and six other wheat cultivars containing the 1RS arm in southwestern China, K13-868 showed high levels of resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Pst) pathogens prevalent in China, which are virulent to Yr10 and Yr24/Yr26. In addition, K13-868 expresses higher thousand-kernel weight and more grain number per spike than these controls in two growing seasons, suggesting that this line may carry yield-related genes of rye. This translocation line, with significant characteristics of resistance to stripe rust and high thousand-kernel weight and grain number per spike, could be utilized as a valuable germplasm for wheat improvement.

     

Length–weight relationships for three fish species from the Yalong River,southwestern China

Length–weight relationships were determined for three fish species: Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus (Herzenstein, 1892), Discogobio yunnanensis (Regan, 1907), and Triplophysa pseudostenura (He, Zhang & Song, 2012). Samples were collected from the Yalong River, southwestern China using fishing gear (gillnets, 30 × 15 m, mesh‐size 5 mm) and electroshock fishing (CWB‐2000 P, 12 V, 250 HZ) in June 2007. Prior to this study, length–weight relationships for these three species were unknown. For two of the species [Discogobio yunnanensis (Regan, 1907) and Triplophysa pseudostenura (He, Zhang & Song, 2012)], new maximum standard lengths not yet reported in the scientific literature were noted.