Analysis and Monitoring of Indoor Radon Concentrations of 37 Kindergartens - Beijing Municipality, China, 2023.

Introduction: Radon (222Rn or 222radon) is a radioactive gas emitted from building materials, foundations, and soil. Children are especially susceptible to radon exposure, underscoring the need to assess indoor radon levels in kindergartens. This study monitored radon concentrations in 37 Beijing kindergartens from June to October 2023. Methods: A random sample of 37 kindergartens was selected from 18 administrative districts in Beijing. The indoor radon concentration was measured using the solid track accumulation method, with radon detectors continuously monitored over a 3-month period. Results: The mean indoor radon level in 37 kindergartens, observed at 252 monitoring points, was 84.3 Bq/m3, with values varying from 12.9 to 263.5 Bq/m3. About 20.2% of points showed radon levels between 100.0 and 200.0 Bq/m3, while 2.4% exceeded 200.0 Bq/m3. Notably, radon levels were significantly elevated on the ground floor compared to the upper floors. Conclusion: Indoor radon levels in 37 kindergartens remained below the national standard limit of 300.0 Bq/m3 for buildings (GB/T 16146-2015). Nonetheless, 18.9% of the kindergartens exceeded the 100.0 Bq/m3 limit set for new constructions. It is advised to improve radon monitoring in kindergartens and consider developing a national standard for maximum permissible radon levels in such facilities.

DNA methylome profiling in occupational radon exposure miners using an Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip.

Background: A causal relationship between occupational radon exposure in underground miners and lung cancer risk has been demonstrated through large cohort epidemiological studies. However, the mechanisms by which radon exposure causes adverse effects on lung tissue remain unclear. Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation may provide new insights into interactions at molecular levels induced by prolonged radon exposure. Methods: We used the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChip to detect and compare genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in peripheral blood samples from underground miners (n = 14) and aboveground workers (n = 9). Results: The average concentration of radon in underground workplaces was significantly higher than that of aboveground places (1,198 Bq·m-3 vs 58 Bq·m-3, p < 0.001). A total of 191 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) corresponding to 104 hub genes were identified when |Δß| ≥ 0.1 and p < 0.05, with 107 hypermethylated sites and 84 hypomethylated sites. GO and KEGG analysis revealed that differentially methylated genes between underground miners and aboveground workers were prominently enriched in pathways/networks involved in neurotransmitter regulation, immunomodulatory effects and cell adhesion ability. Furthermore, methylation changes of selected genes FERMT1, ALCAM, HLA-DPA1, PON1 and OR2L13 were validated by pyrosequencing, which may play vital roles in these biological processes induced by radon. Conclusion: In summary, the DNA methylation pattern of the underground miners exposed to radon was distinct from that of the aboveground workers. Such abnormalities in the genomic DNA methylation profile associated with prolonged radon exposure are worth studying in terms of neuro- and immune-system regulation, as well as cell adhesion ability in the future.

Alteration of genome-wide DNA methylation in non-uranium miners induced by high level radon exposure.

In China, according to statistics about underground non-uranium mine radon levels, 15% exceed the national standard intervention level of 1000 Bq/m3, and some mines may exceed 10,000 Bq/m3. The relationship between radon exposure in underground miners and lung cancer has already been established, but the mechanisms and biological processes underlying it are poorly understood. In order to identify the genome-wide DNA methylation profile associated with long-term radon exposure, we performed the Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChip measurement in whole blood samples obtained from 15 underground non-uranium miners and 10 matched aboveground control workers. Radon concentrations in the air of workplaces and living environments were measured by CR-39 radon detectors, and annual effective doses were calculated using the detection data. Under the high radon concentration with an average value of 12,700 Bq·m-3, a total of 165 significant differentially methylated positions (127 hypermethylated sites and 38 hypomethylated sites) annotated to 71 genes were identified in underground miners (|Δß| ≥ 0.10, p < 0.05), and the average DNA methylation level of 165 DMPs was significantly higher than that of the control workers. Most DMPs were found on chromosome 1, and approximately one-quarter of them were located in genomic promoter regions. Through bioinformatics analysis and pyrosequencing validation, five candidate genes differentially methylated by radon, including TIMP2, EMP2, CPT1B, AMD1 and SLC43A2 were identified. GO and KEGG analysis implicated that long term radon exposure could induce the lung cancer related biological processes such as cell adhesion and cellular polarity maintenance. Our study provides evidence for the alterations of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles induced by long-term high level radon exposure, and new insights into searching for carcinogenic biomarkers of high radon exposure in future studies.

Radiation exposure due to 222Rn, 220Rn and their progenies in three metropolises in China and Japan with different air quality levels.

Radiation exposure due to radon contributes most of the ionizing radiation exposure to people among natural radiation sources. This research measured the 222Rn, 220Rn by the RADUET and their progeny concentrations by the improved deposition based 222Rn and 220Rn progeny monitor, and the contribution of outdoor PM2.5 concentrations to indoors by a modified steady-state mass balance model in Beijing, Changchun, China and Aomori, Japan. Based on these results, we preliminarily explored the relevance between the city level outdoor PM2.5 exposure and indoor 222Rn, 220Rn inhalation exposure in these three metropolises with different air quality levels. The average equilibrium equivalent radon concentration (EERC) and equilibirum equivalent thoron concentration (EETC) indoor were 17.2 and 1.1 Bq m-3 in Beijing, 19.4 and 1.3 Bq m-3 in Changchun, and 10.8 and 0.9 Bq m-3 in Aomori, respectively. The indoor EERC and EETC in Beijing showed 1.4 and 2.2 times as high as that measured in 2006. The indoor radiation dose due to inhalation presented in a descending order as Changchun, Beijing and Aomori, which were in accordance with their outdoor 222Rn concentrations. The indoor radiation doses due to 220Rn contributed 30% of the total dose in the three cities, indicating that 220Rn cannot be neglected when evaluating indoor radiation dose. It should be noted that, the indoor PM2.5 concentrations of outdoor origin presented strong correlation (r = 0.772) with indoor EETC and moderate correlation (r = 0.663) with indoor EERC, indicating that the PM2.5 of outdoor origin can break the concentration balance of the indoor PM2.5, then affect the indoor 222Rn and 220Rn behaviors, and further affect the inhalation exposure of radon.

Modeling crash severity by considering risk indicators of driver and roadway: A Bayesian network approach.

INTRODUCTION: Traffic crashes could result in severe outcomes such as injuries and deaths. Thus, understanding factors associated with crash severity is of practical importance. Few studies have deeply examined how prior violation and crash experience of drivers and roadways are associated with crash severity. METHOD: In this study, a set of risk indicators of road users and roadways were developed based on their prior violation and crash records (e.g., cumulative crash frequency of a roadway), in order to reflect certain aspect or degree of their driving risk. To explore the impacts of those indicators on crash severity and complex interactions among all contributing factors, a Bayesian network approach was developed, based on citywide crash data collected in Kunshan, China from 2016 to 2018. A variable selection procedure based on Information Value (IV) was developed to identify significant variables, and the Bayesian network was employed to explicitly explore statistical associations between crash severity and significant variables. RESULTS: In terms of balanced accuracy and AUCs, the proposed approach performed reasonably well. Bayesian modeling results indicated that the prior crash/violation experiences of road users and roadways were very important risk indicators. For example, migrant workers tend to have high injury risk due to their dangerous violation behaviors, such as retrograding, red-light running, and right-of-way violation. Furthermore, results showed that certain variable combinations had enhanced impacts on severity outcome than single variables. For example, when a migrant worker and a non-motorized vehicle are involved in a crash happening on a local road with high cumulative violation frequency in the previous year, the probability for drivers suffering serious injury or fatality is much higher than that caused by any single factor. Practical applications: The proposed methodology and modeling results provide insights for developing effective countermeasures to reduce crash severity and improve traffic system safety performance.

Colorimetric detection of low dose gamma radiation based on the aggregation of gold nanoparticles and its application for the blood irradiation.

To develop a simple and sensitive sensor for gamma radiation is of great importance not only for public safety, but also for rational utilization of ionizing radiation. In this study, a simple and sensitive method for colorimetric detection of low dose gamma radiation has been developed based on the single-strand DNA modified AuNPs (ssDNA-AuNPs), which were synthesized by immobilizing the sulfhydryl ssDNA on the surface of AuNPs. After the gamma radiation, the colors of ssDNA-AuNPs changed from wine-red to blue-purple gradually, and this can be easily distinguished by the naked eyes. Over a range from 0 to 30 Gy, a good linear relationship between the ratio of absorbance at 625 nm to that at 521 nm (A625/A521) in the UV-vis spectrum and radiation dose was obtained. The detection limit was as low as 0.5 Gy. The colorimetric mechanism was ascribed to the generation of hydroxyl radical during the gamma radiation. As a result, ssDNA was cut off and released from the AuNPs. Then the salt effect caused the aggregation leading to the distinct color change. The capability of the method has also been demonstrated for anti-radiation efficiency comparison of different radioprotectors. In addition, lymphocytes irradiation expriment indicated that the ssDNA-AuNPs prepared in this work can be successfully used for an indicator during blood irradiation to avoid transfusion associated graft vs. host disease (TA-GVHD).

An upconversion luminescence nanoprobe for the ultrasensitive detection of hyaluronidase.

A new upconversion luminescence nanoprobe for the detection of hyaluronidase has been developed by coupling the hyaluronic acid-bearing upconversion fluorescence nanoparticles (HA-UCNPs) with poly(m-phenylenediamine) (PMPD) nanospheres via covalent linkage. The nanoprobe alone exhibits an extremely low background signal owing to the effective fluorescence quenching by electron-rich PMPD and the near-infrared excitation characteristic (λex = 980 nm) of HA-UCNPs; upon reaction with hyaluronidase, however, a more than 31-fold fluorescence enhancement is produced. Compared with the corresponding nanosystem assembled via physical adsorption, the prepared nanoprobe shows a largely increased stability and a much higher signal-to-background ratio, which offers an ultrasensitive assay for hyaluronidase, with a detection limit of 0.6 ng/mL. The nanoprobe has been successfully used to determine hyaluronidase in human serum samples from both colorectal cancer patients and healthy people, disclosing that the serum hyaluronidase level in colorectal cancer patients is roughly 3 times higher than that in healthy people. Furthermore, the nanoprobe has also been employed to study the activity change of hyaluronidase affected by different concentrations of arsenate (a potential carcinogen), and the results show that even a low dosage of arsenate (50 µg/L) can raise the activity of hyaluronidase by about one-third, revealing the relationship between arsenate and the enzyme. The proposed method is not only simple but also highly sensitive, making it useful to assay hyaluronidase in relevant clinical samples.

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with cresyl violet and porphyrin via hyaluronic acid for targeted cell imaging and phototherapy.

Gold nanoparticles are functionalized as a nanoprobe with cresyl violet and porphyrin via hyaluronic acid. The nanoprobe becomes highly fluorescent in the presence of hyaluronidase or under ultraviolet irradiation, and can be used to target cancer cells via the overexpressed CD44 receptor for fluorescence imaging and phototherapy.

A cresyl violet-based fluorescent off-on probe for the detection and imaging of hypoxia and nitroreductase in living organisms.

A new cresyl violet-based fluorescent off-on probe has been developed through a one-step synthesis for the detection of nitroreductase (NTR) and hypoxia. The detection mechanism is based on the NTR-catalyzed reduction of the probe to cresyl violet, accompanied with a large fluorescence enhancement at a long wavelength of 625 nm. The probe can detect NTR in aqueous solution with high selectivity and sensitivity, and the detection limit is 1 ng mL(-1) NTR. Most importantly, the probe has been successfully used to image not only NTR and hypoxia in living cells, but also the distribution of NTR in zebrafish in vivo.

The cell cycle distribution should be given more consideration in cell-based in vitro toxicological studies.

In this study, to discuss the importance of the cell cycle distribution in cell-based in vitro toxicity mechanism studies, diethyl sulfate (DES) was selected as a model chemical that induced the alteration of the cell cycle distribution in human bronchial epithelial cell line 16HBE 14o- (HBE) cells. Cells were treated with various concentrations of DES, cell proliferation and apoptosis were then determined. The results showed that DES concentration-dependently inhibited HBE cells proliferation and induced apoptosis. When cells were treated with 2.0 mM of DES for 20 or 28 h, significant S and G2/M phase accumulation was observed. Then, the relative cellular levels of Cdk4, p-Cdk2 (Thr160), Cyclins A and B1 in DES-treated HBE cells at 20 and 28 h were determined by two ways. The differences of the cell cycle distribution between DES and control groups were ignored in one way and eliminated by using flow cytometric cell sorting in the other. The results obtained by the two ways were quite different, which indicated that the cell cycle distribution might result in confounding if it was significantly different between the treated and control groups. Therefore, we propose that the cell cycle distribution should be given more consideration in cell-based in vitro toxicological studies.

Parallel comparative studies on the toxic effects of unmodified CdTe quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, and carbon nanodots on live cells as well as green gram sprouts.

By using confocal fluorescence microscopy and direct visualization, a parallel comparative investigation has been systematically made on the relative toxicity of three common nanomaterials, such as unmodified CdTe quantum dots (QDs), Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) and carbon nanodots (C-dots), to live cells as well as green gram sprouts. Bare CdTe QDs exert the most toxic effect on a variety of cell lines (HeLa, MCF-7, NIH/3T3 cells) as well as live plants (green gram sprouts). For cells, this toxic effect leads to the partial death of cells, the decrease of cell metabolic activity, the shrinkage of cells, the breakage of chromatin, the damage of cell membrane integrity, and the fragmentation of mitochondria; for green gram sprouts, the presence of CdTe QDs markedly inhibits their growth. Moreover, the toxic behaviors of CdTe QDs are dose- and time-dependent. Under the same conditions, Au NPs only decrease the metabolic activity of cells to a small extent, and do not affect the appearance of cellular/subcellular structures and the plant growth; interestingly, C-dots exert no obvious toxicity to both live cells and the growth of green gram sprouts, showing good biocompatibility. These parallel comparative studies clearly reveal that the relative toxicity of the three nanomaterials in their native forms is bare CdTe QDs>>Au NPs>C-dots, whose IC50 values for normal NIH/3T3 cells are 0.98 µg/mL, 62 µg/mL, and >250 µg/mL, respectively. This quantitative information is of great importance for right choice of the nanomaterials in their practical applications.

Diethyl sulfate-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells.

In this study, we investigated the effects of diethyl sulfate (DES) on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis in human bronchial epithelial 16HBE cells. Cells were treated with various doses of DES (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 or 8.0mM) for 12, 24 or 36h. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay and flow cytometer, respectively. The results showed that DES inhibited cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and induced significant apoptosis in 16HBE cells. Apoptosis related proteins measurement results revealed that DES-induced apoptosis was concurrent with the increasing of Bax and cleavage fragment caspase-3 and the decreasing of Bcl-2 and full length procaspase-3. When cells were incubated with 2.0mM of DES for several time intervals, S and G2/M phase accumulation was observed. Further analysis indicated that both DES-induced G1/S transition acceleration and S arrest resulted in S phase accumulation, and that DES-induced G2/M arrest resulted in G2/M phase accumulation. Western blotting results demonstrated that after DES treatment p-chk1 (Ser345) and p-chk2 (Thr68) levels decreased in G1 cells, and increased in S and G2/M cells. In addition, the increasing of chk1 and chk2 were also induced by DES treatment. With the increase in the dose of DES, p53 levels first increased (0.5-4.0mM) and then decreased (8.0mM). Down-regulation of p53 by RNA interference increased 4.0mM of DES-induced apoptosis but did not affect 2.0mM DES-induced cell cycle arrest. In conclusion, DES inhibits 16HBE cells proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent behavior. Within the sublethal dose, DES induces S and G2/M arrest through activating DNA damage checkpoints. Within the lethal dose, DES induces apoptosis through evoking apoptosis programs. p53 might play an important role in the transition between evoking cell cycle arrest/pro-survival and apoptosis programs upon DES exposure.

Distinguishing folate-receptor-positive cells from folate-receptor-negative cells using a fluorescence off-on nanoprobe.

Based on the high affinity of folic acid (FA) for folate receptor (FR) that is overexpressed on the surface of many human cancer cells, we have developed a simple fluorescence nanoprobe (1) with multiple capability (fluorescence off-on response and cell-targeting ability) for imaging of FR-positive cells by covalently linking both FA and Rhodamine B (RB) to graphene oxide (GO) through disulfide bonds. The nanoprobe shows a weak fluorescence due to the electron transfer from GO to RB. However, the specific binding of FA to FR-positive cells leads to the internalization of the nanoprobe into the cells. As a result, the disulfide bonds of 1 are cleaved by intracellular glutathione, causing the release of the RB moiety from GO and thereby the generation of fluorescence. Compared to most of the reported fluorescence always-on nanoprobes for imaging FR-positive cells, the present fluorescence off-on nanoprobe can not only produce a high signal/background ratio but also avoid the false positive results often caused by nonspecific adsorption of the always-on nanoprobes on the surface of nontarget cells. Notably, the proposed off-on nanoprobe has been demonstrated to distinguish the cells with different expression levels of FR by culturing and analyzing different cell mixtures (Hela/NIH-3T3 and Hela/MCF-7 cells). Moreover, the nanoprobe is capable of discriminating FR-positive from FR-negative cells even with similar morphology. This method is simple and selective for fluorescence imaging of FR-positive cells.

In vivo monitoring of hydrogen sulfide using a cresyl violet-based ratiometric fluorescence probe.

A new cresyl violet-based ratiometric fluorescence probe is developed and applied to fluorescence imaging of H(2)S in living cells and zebrafish in vivo.

In vitro malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by benzo(a)pyrene.

In this study, the human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were treated five times with 10µM benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), followed by 20 passages culture, and the in vitro BaP-induced malignant transformation of 16HBE cells was established. Five colonies in soft agarose were then amplified and donated as T-16HBE-C1∼5 cells, respectively. T-16HBE-C1∼5 cells can form tumors subcutaneously in nude mice. Histopathological changes in the tumors indicated nests growth, high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios, coarse and clumped chromatin, numerous and distinctly atypical mitoses, cell necrosis and surrounding normal adipose, muscle and connective tissue immersed. In addition, lung metastasis was observed in nude mice in T-16HBE-C1, 3 and 4 groups. In vitro cell migration assay results indicated that T-16HBE-C2∼5 cells showed much lower migration capabilities than 16HBE cells. Western blotting analysis showed that the expressions of p53 and p-Akt (Ser473) in T-16HBE-C1∼5 cells were significant higher than those in 16HBE cells. Our results demonstrated that BaP could induce the malignant transformation of 16HBE cells, and p53 and p-Akt (Ser473) might play crucial roles in BaP-induced carcinogenesis. The five monoclonal cell lines (T-16HBE-C1∼5) with different migration capabilities could be used as research models for further understanding the mechanisms of BaP-induced carcinogenesis and cell migration.

An unprecedented strategy for selective and sensitive fluorescence detection of nitric oxide based on its reaction with a selenide.

A new strategy that utilizes the interaction between NO and a selenide is reported for fluorescence detection of NO, in which rhodamine B selenolactone serves as a model selenide.

Magnetic, luminescent Eu-doped Mg-Al layered double hydroxide and its intercalation for ibuprofen.

A magnetic, luminescent Eu-doped Mg-Al layered double hydroxide with ibuprofen (IBU) intercalated in the gallery has been successfully prepared by a simple coprecipitation method. The physicochemical properties of the samples were well characterized by powder XRD, TEM, FTIR, TGA, inductively coupled plasma MS (ICP-MS), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and fluorospectrophotometry. The results revealed that Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles are coated on the surface of layered double hydroxides and the obtained (Mg(2)Al(0.95)Eu(0.05))(Fe)-(IBU) sample exhibits both superparamagnetic and luminescent properties, with a saturation magnetization value of 1.86 emu g(-1) and a strong emission band at 610 nm, respectively. Additionally, it was found that the ibuprofen loading amount is about 31 % (w/w), and the intercalated ibuprofen possesses sustained release behavior when the magnetic, luminescent composite is immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF).

Quality of life and hostile mentality trend of patients with HIV/AIDS in China.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life (QOL) and hostile mentality trend (HMT) of patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in China, and to identify their major concerns. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Short Form-36 (SF-36) was used to assess QOL, and seven items were developed to assess the HMT. In-depth interviews were conducted with patients and health workers. RESULTS: SF-36 had moderate reliability, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.75 to 0.90 and test-retest correlation coefficients ranging from 0.54 to 0.80 for the eight domains. The item-subscale correlation coefficients ranged from 0.46 to 0.97. The QOL of patients with HIV/AIDS was significantly lower than the average QOL of the general population (P<0.01). Hostile mentality of patients was significant (mean scores of the seven items ranged from 2.87 to 4.32, and the mean sum of scores was 3.45 from a range of 1-5). Cronbach's alpha coefficient of HMT items was 0.75 and the test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.80. The major concerns of patients with HIV/AIDS were financial insecurity and family responsibilities, followed by the fear of death and no cure for HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: SF-36 is a reliable instrument for the assessment of QOL of patients with HIV/AIDS. The QOL of patients with HIV/AIDS in China is poor. The HMT is a valuable indicator to monitor the outcomes of care for patients with HIV/AIDS.

[Quality of life and hostile mentality trend among 299 patients living with HIV/AIDS].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life (QOL) and hostile mentality trend (HMT) of 299 patients living with HIV/AIDS (Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) in three provinces in China, and to understand the major concerns of the these patients. METHODS: The SF-36 (short form -36) was used for assessing the QOL among 299 HIV-infected patients in Sichuan, Hubei and Guizhou provinces. Reliability and validity of SF-36 were evaluated. Consulting with experts and professionals, seven additional items were developed to evaluate the HMT. Mean scores of the 8 scales were compared between the patients and general rural residents in Sichuan province. RESULTS: For SF-36, internal consistent coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of the 8 scales were between 0.75 to 0.90, test-retest reliability coefficient ranged from 0.54 to 0.80. The item-subscale correlation coefficients ranged from 0.46 to 0.97. Mean scores of the 8 scales of the patients ranged from 28.50 to 77.87, and 70.27 to 91.87 for the general rural residents. The variations of the scales were tested by means of Mann-Whitney test with u value ranged from -17.43 to -23.87. The QOL of the patients living with HIV/AIDS were significantly inferior to those of general population (all P < 0.01). The mean scores of the seven items to evaluate HMT ranged from 46.21 to 82.89. The major concerns of the patients living with HIV/AIDS included financial insecurity and family responsibilities, followed by death threat and no cure of HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: The SF-36 is a reliable instrument for assessing QOL of patients living with HIV/AIDS. The QOL of the patients living with HIV/AIDS in China is poor.

[Using the SF-36 to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV in Sichuan].

OBJECTIVE: To test the reliability and validity of the SF-36 in assessing the quality of life of people living with HIV in Sichuan province. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was undertaken in 114 people living with HIV in Dazhu and Zizhong county of Sichuan, which included the SF-36 for assessing quality of life and additional items for assessing the hostility mentality trend. A repeated survey was undertaken two weeks later in 40 out of the 114 respondents to evaluate the retest reliability of the questionnaire. The quality of life of the people living with HIV was assessed against the norm of 1604 rural residents in Sichuan. RESULTS: The internal consistent coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of the eight scales of the SF-36 ranged from 0. 75 to 0. 92. The test-retest reliability coefficients of the eight scales of the SF-36 ranged from 0. 53 to 0. 83. The respondents who reported worse health scored significantly lower in all of the eight scales. The factor analysis extracted eight scales, with only four items without a dominant factor load on its corresponding scales. The average scores of the people living with HIV for the eight scales ranged from 21. 4 to 61. 0, significantly lower than the norm of the general rural residents. Age, gender, and length of infection were the major factors that impacted the quality of life of people living with HIV. It was common for the people living with HIV felt being stigmatized and dissatisfied with live. CONCLUSION: HIV infection deteriorates people's quality of life and the SF-36 is a valid instrument to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV.