HIV,Syphilis, and Behavioral Risk Factors among Female Sex Workers before and after Implementation of Harm Reduction Programs in a High Drug-Using Area of China

Objective

To evaluate the impact of harm reduction programs on HIV and syphilis infection and related risk behaviors among female sex workers (FSWs) in a drug trafficking city in Southwest China.

Design

Before and after harm reduction program study.

Methods

Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted among FSWs before and after harm reduction programs were launched in Xichang city, Sichuan province. The first and second cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2004 and 2010, respectively. Temporal changes in odds of HIV, syphilis, and behavioral risk factors were assessed by multivariable logistic regression while controlling for socio-demographics.

Results

The 2004 and 2010 cross-sectional surveys recruited 343 and 404 FSWs, respectively. From 2004 to 2010, the odds of syphilis infection decreased by 35% and was of borderline statistical significance (AOR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41–1.03), while odds of HIV infection rose, but not significantly (AOR: 4.12, 95% CI: 0.76–22.45). Although odds of unprotected sex with primary sex partners did not significantly change over time (AOR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.61–1.50), odds of unprotected sex with clients declined significantly and remarkably (AOR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.09–0.21). Notably, the odds of reporting ≥10 new sex partners in the previous month increased by 37% (AOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 0.98–1.90).

Conclusions

Harm reduction strategies may be an effective means of reducing unprotected sex with clients among FSWs. Future research is needed to better target both FSWs and IDUs and interrupt bridging networks for HIV transmission in high drug-using areas of China.     

影响肝癌周围肥大细胞数量的相关因素研究

探讨影响肝癌周围肥大细胞数量的相关因素及其意义。采用二乙基亚硝胺诱发大鼠肝癌模型。应用光镜,免疫组织化学,核酸原位分子杂交和细胞图像分析技术,检测肝癌细胞转化生长因子β（TGFβ）,血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）,c-fosmRNA的表达与癌周肥大细胞（MS）数量变化的相关性。结果显示肝癌细胞浆中TGFβ,VEGF和c-fosmRNA呈阳性表达,其中TGFβ,c-fosmRNA表达的强度与癌周MC数量变化呈平行关系。而VEGF表达的强度与癌周MC数量变化无关。结果表明：肝癌细胞通过释放TGFβ并通过激活原癌基因（c-fos)以旁分泌方式或癌基因产物影响癌周MC的数量。     

The Evidence for Association of ATP2B2 Polymorphisms with Autism in Chinese Han Population

Background

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a high estimated heritability. ATP2B2, located on human chromosome 3p25.3, encodes the plasma membrane calcium-transporting ATPase 2 which extrudes Ca²⁺ from cytosol into extracellular space. Recent studies reported association between ATP2B2 and autism in samples from Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) and Italy. In this study, we investigated whether ATP2B2 polymorphisms were associated with autism in Chinese Han population.

Methods

We performed a family based association study between five SNPs (rs35678 in exon, rs241509, rs3774180, rs3774179, and rs2278556 in introns) in ATP2B2 and autism in 427 autism trios of Han Chinese descent. All SNPs were genotyped using the Sequenom genotyping platform. The family-based association test (FBAT) program was used to perform association test for SNPs and haplotype analyses.

Results

This study demonstrated a preferential transmission of T allele of rs3774179 to affected offsprings under an additive model (T>C, Z = 2.482, p = 0.013). While C allele of rs3774179 showed an undertransmission from parents to affected children under an additive and a dominant model, respectively (Z = −2.482, p = 0.013; Z = −2.591, p = 0.0096). Haplotype analyses revealed that three haplotypes were significantly associated with autism. The haplotype C-C (rs3774180–rs3774179) showed a significant undertransmission from parents to affected offsprings both in specific and global haplotype FBAT (Z = −2.037, p = 0.042; Global p = 0.03). As for the haplotype constructed by rs3774179 and rs2278556, C-A might be a protective haplotype (Z = −2.206, p = 0.027; Global p = 0.04), while T-A demonstrated an excess transmission from parents to affected offsprings (Z = 2.143, p = 0.032). These results were still significant after using the permutation method to obtain empirical p values.

Conclusions

Our research suggested that ATP2B2 might play a role in the etiology of autism in Chinese Han population.     

The first complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Nanorana parkeri and Nanorana ventripunctata (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae), with related phylogenetic analyses

Members of the Nanorana genus (family Dicroglossidae) are often referred to as excellent model species with which to study amphibian adaptations to extreme environments and also as excellent keystone taxa for providing insights into the evolution of the Dicroglossidae. However, a complete mitochondrial genome is currently only available for Nanorana pleskei. Thus, we analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of Nanorana parkeri and Nanorana ventripunctata to investigate their evolutionary relationships within Nanorana and their phylogenetic position in the family Dicroglossidae. Our results showed that the genomes of N. parkeri (17,837 bp) and N. ventripunctata (18,373 bp) encode 13 protein‐coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 23 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a noncoding control region. Overall sequences and genome structure of the two species showed high degree of similarity with N. pleskei, although the motif structures and repeat sequences of the putative control region showed clear differences among these three Nanorana species. In addition, a tandem repeat of the tRNA‐Met gene was found located between the tRNA‐Gln and ND2 genes. On both the 5′ and 3′‐sides, the control region possessed distinct repeat regions; however, the CSB‐2 motif was not found in N. pleskei. Based on the nucleotide sequences of 13 PCGs, our phylogenetic analyses, using Bayesian inference and maximum‐likelihood methods, illustrate the taxonomic status of Nanorana with robust support showing that N. ventripunctata and N. pleskei are more closely related than they are to N. parkeri. In conclusion, our analyses provide a more robust and reliable perspective on the evolutionary history of Dicroglossidae than earlier analyses, which used only a single species (N. pleskei).     

金雀异黄素对不同淋巴转移能力的小鼠肝癌细胞株的抑制作用

MTT法检测大豆提取物金雀异黄素（genistein,Gen）对不同淋巴转移能力的腹水型小鼠肝癌细胞株HepA-H和HepA-L的生长抑制作用。应用电镜观察细胞形态和流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。将HepA-H和HepA-L接种NIH小鼠,制备荷瘤动物模型,Gen腹腔给药后第14天取淋巴结观察,并计算转移率。TUNEL法检测淋巴结凋亡细胞,并计算凋亡指数。实验发现：（1）Gen对两株细胞均具有良好的生长抑制作用,且对HepA-H的抑制优于HepA-L;（2）Gen在体外诱导两株细胞发生凋亡,且HepA-H的凋亡率高于HepA-L,并呈量效关系;（3）Gen抑制荷瘤动物肿瘤生长和肿瘤淋巴转移,且对HepA-H的抑制强于HepA-L,实验组H的凋亡指数（3．87％）也显著高于实验组L（1．69％）。故研究认为Gen显著抑制HepA-H和HepA-L肝癌细胞淋巴转移的作用机制,可能与诱导细胞凋亡有关,对高淋巴转移细胞的抑制作用强于低淋巴转移细胞,提示Gen抗肿瘤作用具有一定的选择性。     

Lysophosphatidic Acid Increases the Electrophysiological Instability of Adult Rabbit Ventricular Myocardium by Augmenting L-Type Calcium Current

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has diverse actions on the cardiovascular system and is widely reported to modulate multiple ion currents in some cell types. However, little is known about its electrophysiological effects on cardiac myocytes. This study investigated whether LPA has electrophysiological effects on isolated rabbit myocardial preparations. The results indicate that LPA prolongs action potential duration at 90% repolarization (APD₉₀) in a concentration- and frequency-dependent manner in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes. The application of extracellular LPA significantly increases the coefficient of APD₉₀ variability. LPA increased L-type calcium current (I_Ca,L) density without altering its activation or deactivation properties. In contrast, LPA has no effect on two other ventricular repolarizing currents, the transient outward potassium current (I_to) and the delayed rectifier potassium current (I_K). In arterially perfused rabbit left ventricular wedge preparations, the monophasic action potential duration, QT interval, and Tpeak-end are prolonged by LPA. LPA treatment also significantly increases the incidence of ventricular tachycardia induced by S₁S₂ stimulation. Notably, the effects of LPA on action potentials and I_Ca,L are PTX-sensitive, suggesting LPA action requires a G_i-type G protein. In conclusion, LPA prolongs APD and increases electrophysiological instability in isolated rabbit myocardial preparations by increasing I_Ca,L in a G_i protein-dependent manner.     

Interactions of two monoclonal antibodies with BNP: high resolution epitope mapping using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Structure-function studies of antibody-antigen systems include the identification of amino acid residues in the antigen that interact with an antibody and elucidation of their individual contributions to binding affinity. We used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and alanine-scanning mutagenesis to characterize the interactions of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) with two monoclonal antibodies. Human BNP is a 32 amino acid residue long cyclic polypeptide with the ring structure confined between cysteines in positions 10 and 26. It is an important cardiovascular hormone and a valuable diagnostic cardiac marker. We compare the binding strength of the N-terminus Alexa488-labeled BNP, native cyclic BNP, BNP alanine-substituted mutants, linear BNP, and its short fragments to determine the individual contributions of amino acid residues included in the continuous antigenic epitopes that are recognized by two different monoclonal antibodies raised toward BNP. Implementation of FCS for these studies offers all of the advantages of solution phase measurements, including high sensitivity, simplicity of manipulation with reagents, and elimination of solid phase interferences or separation steps. Significant differences in the molecular masses of the free and antibody bound BNP results in a substantial ( approximately 2.5-times) increase in the diffusion rates. Determination of the binding constants and inhibition effects by measuring the diffusion rates of the ligand at the single molecule level introduces the ultimate opportunity for researching systems where the fluorescence intensity and/or fluorescence anisotropy do not change upon interaction of the ligand with the protein. Monoclonal antibodies 106.3 and BC203 demonstrate high affinities to BNP and bind two distant epitopes forming robust antibody sandwiches. Both antibodies are used in Abbott diagnostic assays on AxSYM, IMx, and Architect platforms.     

Home range and habitat use of male Reeves’s pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) during winter in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province, China

Home range and habitat use of male Reeves’s pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) were studied during winter of 2001∼2002 and 2002∼2003 in the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province. Results from five individuals of Reeves’s pheasant with over 30 relocations, indicated that the average size of home range was 10.03 ± 1.17 hm² by Minimum Convex Polygon method, 8.60 ± 0.35 hm² by 90% Harmonic Mean Transformation method, and 9.50 ± 1.90 hm² by 95% Fixed Kernel method. It was observed that the winter range is smaller than that in the breeding season. The mean core area of the home range was found to be 1.88 ± 0.37 hm². Although the habitat composition of the core area varied greatly for individuals, a large part of the habitats used were composed of confier and broadleaf mixed forests, masson pine forests, fir forests, and shrubs. Habitat use within the study area was non-random, while habitats within home ranges were randomly used. Habitat use was dictated by tree diameter at breast height, shrub height and coverage at 2.0 m. The proximity between forests and shrubs were also found to be important in providing refuge for the birds during winter. Recommendations for conservation management include protecting the existing habitats in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, increasing suitable habitat for Reeves’s Pheasant through artificial plantations (e.g. firs), and restoring some parts of the large shrub area into forests. __________ Translated from Biodiversity Science, 2005, 13 (5) [译自: 生物多样性, 2005,13(5)]     

Role of hypoxia in the hallmarks of human cancer

Hypoxia has been recognized as one of the fundamentally important features of solid tumors and plays a critical role in various cellular and physiologic events, including cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, immunosurveillance, metabolism, as well as tumor invasion and metastasis. These responses to hypoxia are at least partially orchestrated by activation of the hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs). HIF‐1 is a key regulator of the response of mammalian cells to oxygen deprivation and plays critical roles in the adaptation of tumor cells to a hypoxic microenvironment. Hypoxia and overexpression of HIF‐1 have been associated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy resistance, an increased risk of invasion and metastasis, and a poor clinical prognosis of solid tumors. The discovery of HIF‐1 signaling has led to a rapidly increasing understanding of the complex mechanisms involved in tumor hypoxia and has helped greatly in screening novel anticancer agents. In this review, we will first introduce the cellular responses to hypoxia and HIF‐1 signaling pathway in hypoxia, and then summarize the multifaceted role of hypoxia in the hallmarks of human cancers. J. Cell. Biochem. 107: 1053–1062, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.