Current syphilis infection in virally suppressed people living with HIV: a cross-sectional study in eastern China.

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral replication and ultimately achieve viral suppression and eliminate HIV transmission. However, little is known about the impact of viral suppression on high-risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Objective: This study aimed to assess the rates of current syphilis infection in virally suppressed people living with HIV (PLWH) and whether with the duration of ART can reduce the current syphilis infection in eastern China. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of PLWH in Zhejiang Province, China, in 2022. PLWH who were on ART >6 months and were virally suppressed (viral load <50 copies/mL) were included in the study. Data were collected from the National Epidemiological Database of Zhejiang Province and all participants were tested for viral load and current syphilis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with current syphilis infection. Result: A total of 30,744 participants were included in the analysis. 82.7% of participants were male, the mean age was 44.9 ± 14.1 years, 84.9% had received ART in a hospital setting, the mean time on ART was 5.9 ± 3.1 years and 5.6% of participants were infected with current syphilis. Multivariable logistic regression showed that being male [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69-2.66], high level of education (aOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.49), homosexual route of HIV infection (aOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.60-2.04), non-local registered residence (aOR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.11-1.51), had history of STIs before HIV diagnosis (aOR: 1.95, 95 % CI: 1.75-2.18) and treatment provided by a municipal hospital (aOR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.31-3.55) were associated with increased risk of current syphilis infection. Being married (aOR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.58-0.76) was associated with a decreased risk of current syphilis infection. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a high rate of current syphilis infection among virally suppressed PLWH in eastern China. Duration of ART did not reduce the prevalence of current syphilis infection. Targeted interventions to reduce current syphilis infection should be prioritized for subgroups at higher risk.

Examining HIV Testing Coverage and Factors Influencing First-Time Testing Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Zhejiang Province, China: Cross-Sectional Study Based on a Large Internet Survey.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) constitute a significant population of patients infected with HIV. In recent years, several efforts have been made to promote HIV testing among MSM in China. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess HIV testing coverage and factors associated with first-time HIV testing among MSM to provide a scientific basis for achieving the goal of diagnosing 95% of patients infected with HIV by 2030. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2023 and December 2023. MSM were recruited from the "Sunshine Test," an internet platform that uses location-based services to offer free HIV testing services to MSM by visiting the WeChat official account in Zhejiang Province, China. Participants were required to complete a questionnaire on their demographic characteristics, sexual behaviors, substance use, and HIV testing history. A logistic regression model was used to analyze first-time HIV testing and its associated factors. RESULTS: A total of 7629 MSM participated in the study, with 87.1% (6647) having undergone HIV testing before and 12.9% (982) undergoing HIV testing for the first time. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that first-time HIV testing was associated with younger age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.55, 95% CI 1.91-3.42), lower education (aOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.03-1.88), student status (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.04-1.75), low income (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16-2.08), insertive anal sex role (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.56), bisexuality (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.40-2.03), fewer sex partners (aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.13-1.83), use of rush poppers (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.70-2.49), unknown HIV status of sex partners (aOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.17-1.69), lack of awareness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (aOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.03-1.88), and offline HIV testing uptake (aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.80-2.41). CONCLUSIONS: A notable 12.9% (982/7629) of MSM had never undergone HIV testing before this large internet survey. We recommend enhancing HIV intervention and testing through internet-based platforms and gay apps to promote testing among MSM and achieve the target of diagnosing 95% of patients infected with HIV by 2030.

The impact of anxiety, depression, and social support on the relationship between HIV-related stigma and mental health-related quality of life among Chinese patients: a cross-sectional, moderate-mediation study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: People living with HIV (PLWH) are prone to mental health problems and evidence indicates that HIV-related stigma can negatively impact mental health-related quality of life. This study explored potential mechanisms between HIV-related stigma and mental health-related quality of life, specifically whether anxiety or depression mediates, and whether social support moderates, the relationship. METHOD: A total of 1197 Chinese PLWH participated in the study. The Berger HIV Stigma Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the 12-item Brief Health Survey (SF-12), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were employed. RESULTS: HIV-related stigma was negatively associated with mental health-related quality of life. Anxiety and depression partially mediated the relationship between HIV-related stigma and mental health-related quality of life; social support played a moderating role. CONCLUSIONS: The mental health-related quality of life in PLWH was shown to be indirectly affected by HIV-related stigma through anxiety and depression in China. The negative impact of HIV-related stigma decreased with increased social support.

Perceived social support and depression among people living with HIV in China: roles of stigma and adherence self-efficacy.

INTRODUCTION: People living with HIV (PLHIV) are a high-risk group for depression. In particular, the prevalence and burden of depression is higher and more severe among PLHIV in developing and less-developed countries. There is evidence that perceived social support has a positive impact on reducing the occurrence of depression, and high stigma and low adherence self-efficacy are barriers to the effectiveness of social support for depressed PLHIV. However, how these risks affect the effect of social support on depression still needs further identification. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2018, a total of 1139 Chinese PLHIV (74.36% male, mean age = 43.91 years) from three provinces (Shanghai, Zhejiang and Henan) in China were enrolled in the study. Data were analyzed by multiple regression, mediation model, and moderation model. RESULTS: A total of 43.99% of PLHIV had mild to severe depression. There was a significant negative association between perceived social support and depression (B = -0.049, P < 0.05). Stigma and adherence self-efficacy played a chain mediating role (B = -0.058, 95% CI: -0.078 ~ 0.039) and a moderating role in the effect of perceived social support on depression (stigma: B = -0.003, P < 0.05; adherence self-efficacy: B = 0.004, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Stigma and adherence self-efficacy indirectly predicted depression, and perceived social support was more effective in reducing depression among PLHIV with high stigma or low adherence self-efficacy. Enhancing multiple social support resources for PLHIV may reduce their risk of depression. Moreover, the need for social support is greater for those with high stigma or low adherence self-efficacy.

Effects of organic zinc on production performance, meat quality, apparent nutrient digestibility and gut microbiota of broilers fed low-protein diets.

The high cost of feed and nitrogen pollution caused by high-protein diets have become major challenges restricting sustainable development in China's animal husbandry sector. Properly reducing protein levels and improving protein utilization in feed are effective approaches to solving this problem. To determine the optimal dose of methionine hydroxyl analogue chelated zinc (MHA-Zn) in broiler diets with a 1.5% reduction in crude protein (CP), a total of 216 1-day-old broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups (each group consisted of 3 replications with 18 broilers per replicate), and growth and development indexes were assessed after 42 days. The broilers in control group were fed a basic diet, whereas those in the three test groups were fed diets with a 1.5% reduction in CP. The results showed no significant difference in the edible parts of broilers between low-protein (LP) diet group (90 mg/kg MHA-Zn) and normal diet group (p > 0.05), and adding 90 mg/kg MHA-Zn to LP diet significantly improved ileum morphology and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrient (p < 0.01; p < 0.05). A 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicated that supplementing the LP diet with 90 mg/kg MHA-Zn was adequate for production performance of broilers and promoted beneficial bacteria in the cecum (Lactobacillus, Butyricoccus, Oscillospira, etc.) (p < 0.01). In summary, adding an optimal dose of organic zinc (90 mg/kg MHA-Zn) in low protein diets led to enhanced production performance of broilers and optimized cecum microbiota. Additionally, the reduction of crude protein consumption in broiler production proved to be a cost-effective measure, while also mitigated nitrogen pollutant emissions in the environment.

Successful virologic outcomes over time among HAART-treated HIV-infected patients.

Few large studies evaluated the effects of time trends on virologic suppression in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China. To address this, An retrospective observational longitudinal study was conducted. We examined annual trends in the rate of virologic suppression, the viral load at the time of virologic suppression, and other determinants of virologic suppression in Zhejiang Province, China in PLWHA between January 2013 and July 2018. Patients who received a treatment regimen for at least 24 weeks were included. Virologic suppression was defined as VL ≤50 copies/mL. Generalized estimating equation logistic regression models were used to adjust for covariates. We included 16,265 patients with 45023 tests. The proportion of patients who experienced an unsuccessful virologic outcome decreased continuously throughout the observation period (18.14% to 6.64%). Time was significantly negatively associated with detectable VL (all ORs <1). Other factors were positively associated with detectable VL, including patients <30 years of age, single, non-adherent to treatment, and with a follow-up CD4 count <200 cells/µL. Patients infected through homosexual transmission and those with a longer ART duration were more likely to reach virologic suppression. We demonstrated outstanding time trend improvements in the virological outcomes of PLWHA in China.

Machine learning algorithms to automate differentiating cardiac amyloidosis from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac amyloidosis has a poor prognosis, and high mortality and is often misdiagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, leading to delayed diagnosis. Machine learning combined with speckle tracking echocardiography was proposed to automate differentiating two conditions. A total of 74 patients with pathologically confirmed monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain cardiac amyloidosis and 64 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were enrolled from June 2015 to November 2018. Machine learning models utilizing traditional and advanced algorithms were established and determined the most significant predictors. The performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC). With clinical and echocardiography data, all models showed great discriminative performance (AUC > 0.9). Compared with logistic regression (AUC 0.91), machine learning such as support vector machine (AUC 0.95, p = 0.477), random forest (AUC 0.97, p = 0.301) and gradient boosting machine (AUC 0.98, p = 0.230) demonstrated similar capability to distinguish cardiac amyloidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. With speckle tracking echocardiography, the predictive performance of the voting model was similar to that of LightGBM (AUC was 0.86 for both), while the AUC of XGBoost was slightly lower (AUC 0.84). In fivefold cross-validation, the voting model was more robust globally and superior to the single model in some test sets. Data-driven machine learning had shown admirable performance in differentiating two conditions and could automatically integrate abundant variables to identify the most discriminating predictors without making preassumptions. In the era of big data, automated machine learning will help to identify patients with cardiac amyloidosis and timely and effectively intervene, thus improving the outcome.

Effects of Compound Chinese Herbal Medicine Additive on Growth Performance and Gut Microbiota Diversity of Zi Goose.

This study investigated the effects of CCHMA on growth performance, slaughter performance, serum biochemical indicators, intestinal morphology and microbiota of Zi goose. Initially, it was determined the optimal addition concentration of CCHMA to be 3 g/kg by the first feeding experiment. Then, 78 Zi geese were divided into control and CCHMA supplemented groups. The results showed that the body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) of the CCHMA supplemented group was significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the feed/gain (F/G) of the CCHMA supplemented group was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. The dressed yield percentage in the CCHMA supplemented group significantly increased by 0.78% (p < 0.05). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly lower in the CCHMA fed birds than in the control group (p < 0.05). Further, 16S rDNA gene sequencing conducted for cecal flora composition found that 3 g/kg CCHMA significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (CHKCI001, Colidextribacter and Subdoligranulum) (p < 0.05; p < 0.01) and suppressing harmful bacteria (Bacteroidetes and Methanobrevibacter) (p < 0.05) in the cecum of Zi goose. In conclusion, adding 3 g/kg of CCHMA in the diet can improve the growth performance, slaughter performance of Zi goose, and optimize the cecum microflora.

De novo assembly of a wild swan goose (Anser cygnoides) genome.

The swan goose (Anser cygnoides) is the ancestor of the Chinese domestic goose. A previous study reported a scaffold-level genome version for a Chinese indigenous goose breed, and this assembly was used as the swan goose's reference genome. To date, there is still a lack of a chromosome-level genome for the swan goose. Here, we reported a de novo assembly of the genome of a wild swan goose using an integrated strategy that combines Illumina Hiseq, Oxford Nanopore and chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing. A total of 134.6 Gb Nanopore data with sequencing coverage of 110.33 and 69.45 Gb Illumina data with coverage of 56.93 were obtained. The genome assembly size was 1153.41 Mb, with a contig N50 of 22.75 Mb. The total size and N50 length of our assembly were larger than the previously reported scaffold-level genome version. In addition, whole-genome sequencing data of 10 geese were mapped to the previous and the current assemblies. On average, 97.88 and 93.18% of the reads were properly mapped and paired into our and the previous assemblies. This high-quality chromosome-level swan goose genome could provide a valuable resource for the utilisation of goose studies and breeding.

Integrated strategy for identifying isoflavones in Belamcandae Rhizoma based on the combination of mass defect filtering and neutral-loss-triggered multistage fragmentation.

Belamcandae Rhizoma is a widely used traditional Chinese herbal medicine with isoflavones as the main active ingredient. In this paper, an integrated strategy was developed to discover and identify new isoflavones in Belamcandae Rhizoma by an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution multistage mass spectrometry. Different characterization methods were used based on structural features of isoflavone aglycones and glycosides. On one hand, we adopted a data-dependent acquisition mode incorporated into intelligent AcquireX deep scan algorithms to analyze crude extract, and used a mass defect filtering technique to filter out two kinds of isoflavone aglycones from the extract. On the other hand, neutral-loss-triggered MSn was used to analyze isoflavone glycosides, and under this acquisition mode, MSn scan only took place when chemical components exhibited specific neutral losses. Identification of isoflavones was achieved either by comparison with reference compounds or analysis of characteristic product ions based on MS2 or MSn fragmentation patterns. UV absorbance spectra also contributed to the confirmation of isoflavones. As a result, a total of 65 isoflavone aglycones (42 new aglycones) and 142 isoflavone glycosides (122 new glycosides) were discovered, including a number of trace components. Meanwhile, modifications of new sugar moieties, such as xylose, rhamnose and 6-O-(4­hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoyl)-ß-D-glucose, were discovered in Belamcandae Rhizoma for the first time. These results indicated the feasibility of this established strategy for in-depth identification of new isoflavone aglycones and glycosides.

Comparative Analyses of Production Performance, Meat Quality, and Gut Microbial Composition between Two Chinese Goose Breeds.

Goose meat is consumed by consumers because it contains a relatively high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This study was conducted to explore the main differences in production performance, breast meat quality traits, and cecal microbiota compositions between the Zi goose (ZG) and Xianghai flying goose (FG). The production performance and breast meat quality trait analyses showed that compared with the ZG, the FG had a higher right breast muscle index, ileum villi height/crypt depth ratio (VH/CD), and cecum fermentation rate (higher short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) concentration); a lower abdominal fat index; a higher proportion of PUFAs; and a lower shear force. Spearman's correlation coefficients between the cecal microbiota composition and production performance indexes suggested that the genus Faecalibacterium was positively associated with production performance; in contrast, the genus Candidatus Saccharimonas was negatively correlated with production performance; moreover, the Ruminococcus torques group, Parasutterella, and Methanobrevibacter were negatively related to the VH/CD. Taken together, in this particular trial, FG had better production performance, healthier meat quality traits, and better intestinal digestion and absorption capacities than ZG. These results not only provide a useful data reference for the production of healthy geese for human consumption but can also help guide the utilization of goose breed resources.

miR-375 Induced the Formation and Transgenerational Inheritance of Fatty Liver in Poultry by Targeting MAP3K1.

The liver of poultry is the primary site of lipid synthesis. The excessive production of lipids accumulates in liver tissues causing lipid metabolism disorders, which result in fatty liver disease and have a transgenerational effect of acquired phenotypes. However, its specific mechanisms have not yet been fully understood. In this study, the differentially expressed miR-375 as well as its target gene MAP3K1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1) were screened out by interaction network analysis of microRNA sequencing results and transcriptome profiling in the fatty liver group of the F0-F3 generation (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Furthermore, the results showed that the number of lipid droplets and triglyceride content were significantly decreased after upregulation of miR-375 in primary hepatocyte culture in vitro (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). The MAP3K1 knockdown group exhibited the opposite trends (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). P53, Bcl-x, PMP22, and CDKN2C related to cell proliferation were significantly upregulated or downregulated after knocking down MAP3K1 (p < 0.05). This research uniquely revealed that silencing miR-375 inhibits lipid biosynthesis and promotes cell proliferation, which may be due to the partial regulation of the expression level of MAP3K1, thereby further participating in the transgenerational inheritance process of regulating liver lipid metabolism. These results reveal the pathogenesis of fatty liver in noncoding RNA and provide good candidate genes for breeding progress of disease resistance in chickens.

IMP3 promotes re-endothelialization after arterial injury via increasing stability of VEGF mRNAhv.

IMP3, an RNA-binding protein (RBP) that participates in the process of post-transcriptional modifications of mRNA transcripts, is capable of altering cellular functions, and in some cases, be involved in specific disease progression. We aimed to investigate whether IMP3 has the ability to regulate the functional properties of endothelial cells and re-endothelialization in response to arterial injury. Wire injury was introduced to the right carotid arteries of wildtype C57/BL6 mice. As a result, IMPs' expressions were up-regulated in the induced arterial lesions, and IMP3 was the most up-regulated RNA among other IMPs. We overexpressed IMP3 before the wire-injured surgery using adeno-associated virus AAV2-IMP3. In vivo studies confirmed that IMP3 overexpression accelerated the progress of re-endothelialization after arterial injury. In vitro, endothelial cells were transfected with either ad-IMP3 or Si-IMP3, cell functional studies showed that IMP3 could promote endothelial cell proliferation and migration, while reducing apoptosis. Mechanistic studies also revealed that IMP3 could enhance VEGF mRNA stability and therefore up-regulate activities of VEGF/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Our data indicated that IMP3 promotes re-endothelialization after arterial injury and regulates endothelial cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis via increasing stability of VEGF mRNA and activation of VEGF/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

SWOT analysis of HIV control strategy in key areas of Zhejiang Province / 预防医学

Objective @#To analyze the problems in the AIDS control strategy in key areas of Zhejiang Province, so as to provide insights into the improvement of the control strategy.@*Methods @#The AIDS control data were collected from 10 key counties (districts) in Zhejiang Province, and the AIDS control strategy was comprehensively evaluated using a SWOT analysis.@*Results @#The strengths of the AIDS control strategy in key counties (districts) of Zhejiang Province included distinct working objectives, well-organized leadership, and effective control measures, the weaknesses included large number of HIV-infected cases, high burden of disease, difficulty in management of AIDS transmission and insufficient AIDS control capability, and the opportunities included the AIDS control in key counties (districts) conforming to the current status of AIDS control, strong support of innovative strategies and technical support from professional teams, while the threats included insufficient working mechanisms for AIDS control, the gap between the effectiveness of AIDS control and the target goal and unverified scientific evidence of the control strategy. Supported policies should be fully used, working mechanisms need to be improved, control strategies need to be innovated, and assessments need to be implemented for AIDS control in key counties (districts). @*Conclusions @#There are both opportunities and challenges for AIDS control in key counties (districts) of Zhejiang Province. Optimization of the working mechanisms, promotion of precision interventions, and search for repeatable control strategy in other disease-affected regions are required for AIDS control.

Longitudinal Deformation of Deep Shield Tunnels Caused by Upper Load Reduction.

Above-crossing excavations may cause uplift damages on existing shield tunnels. Therefore, to accurately calculate the deformation of shield tunnels is very necessary for geotechnical engineers. At present, the single-sided elastic foundation beam model is usually used in longitudinal deformation calculations for shield tunnels, which overestimates the uplift of deep shield tunnels. Because of the existence of the ground arch, deep shield tunnels are subjected to two-sided foundation reaction forces. Therefore, this paper proposes a partial missing double-sided elastic foundation beam model and the related fourth-order partial differential equations. In this model, the shield tunnel is subjected to double Winkler foundation springs and is simply considered a Euler-Bernoulli beam. A two-stage analysis method is used to solve the problem. First, the vertical unloading stress due to the above-crossing tunnelling at the tunnel location is calculated through Mindlin's solution. Second, the deformation response of the beam subjected to an unloading stress is calculated by the finite difference method. Two engineering cases are used to verify the research. The results indicate that the proposed model is more accurate than traditional models in predicting the maximum uplift value, which is basically consistent with the observations. Due to the existence of segment staggering, the longitudinal influence range of the calculation by two models is larger than the actual measurement.

A spatial analysis of the epidemiology of HIV-infected students in Zhejiang province, China.

BACKGROUND: The upsurge in HIV infections among students is a matter of particular concern. However, few studies have explored the epidemiological characteristics including the risky sexual networking of HIV-infected students in Zhejiang province, China. METHODS: Using the provincial surveillance data of HIV-infected students, we conducted a retrospective epidemiology study to describe the epidemiological characteristics of 628 newly diagnosed cases from 2011 to 2016 and detailed information of 124 cases from 2015 to 2016. Spatial analyses were conducted using ArcGIS software, and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. RESULTS: A total of 628 cases of HIV/AIDS were diagnosed among students in Zhejiang Province, China between 2011 and 2016. The cases showed an overall increasing trend over time, while the proportions of students with HIV disease status, cases diagnosed by HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and cases of homosexual transmission remained stable over time. Significant spatial heterogeneity in the cases was seen at the county level. Detailed data on 124 HIV-positive individuals collected from the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2015 and 2016, showed that the majority of them (85.5%,) engaged in homosexual behavior, and 93.4% had sex with casual partners. These partners included not only social members, but also other students. Online dating applications represented the most common means of seeking and communicating with homosexual partners. The level of awareness regarding the risk of HIV infection, and the amount coverage of face-to-face education towards students were both low. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infections among students were characterized by increasing trend and spatial clustering in Zhejiang Province between 2011 and 2016, with homosexual sexual activity being the main mode of infection. Interventions are urgently required to prevent HIV infection in this population by increasing awareness of the disease. HIV testing programs and information regarding disease prevention specifically through online dating applications are needed.

Social support, stigma, and the mediating roles of depression on self-reported medication adherence of HAART recipients in China.

Discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is a persistent issue in China, which affects their psychological health. However, the association between psychological factors and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has not been systematically investigated before. Therefore, this study examined the impact of social support, depression, and medication-taking self-efficacy on ART adherence among PLWHA based on Cha et al.'s model, and included "stigma" to the original model to explain the psychological mechanism. Of the 504 participants receiving HAART, 37.8% had mild-to-severe depression. According to structural equation modeling, social support was directly associated with depression, stigma, and adherence; depression partially mediated the positive relationship between social support and adherence self-efficacy and the negative association between stigma and self-efficacy. The modified and extended Cha et al.'s model had a satisfactory fit. Interventions to improve mental health through mental health services, social support, and enhancement of adherence self-efficacy beliefs are required.

Butyrylcholinesterase Levels on Admission Predict Severity and 12-Month Mortality in Hospitalized AIDS Patients.

BACKGROUND: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is synthesized mainly in the liver and an important marker in many infectious/inflammatory diseases, but its role in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients is not clear. We wished to ascertain if BChE level is associated with the progression/prognosis of AIDS patients. METHODS: BChE levels (in U/L) were measured in 505 patients; <4500 was defined as "low" and ≥4500 as "normal." Associations between BChE level and CD4 count, WHO stage, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and duration of hospitalization were assessed. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model were used to assess associations between low BChE levels and mortality, after adjustment for age, CD4 count, WHO stage, and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: A total of 129 patients (25.5%) had a lower BChE level. BChE was closely associated with CD4 count, WHO stage, CRP level, and BMI (all P < 0.001). Eighty-four patients (16.6%) died in the first year of follow-up. One-year survival was 64.5 ± 4.5% for patients with low BChE and 87.6 ± 1.8% for those with normal BChE (log-rank, P < 0.001). After adjustment for sex, age, BMI, WHO stage, and CD4 count, as well as serum levels of hemoglobin, sodium, and albumin, the hazard ratio was 1.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.2) for patients with a low BChE compared with those with a normal BChE (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: BChE level is associated with HIV/AIDS severity and is an independent risk factor for increased mortality in AIDS patients.

Reduction in HIV community viral loads following the implementation of a "Treatment as Prevention" strategy over 2 years at a population-level among men who have sex with men in Hangzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the increased coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) could reduce the community viral load (CVL) and reduce the occurrence of new HIV infections. However, the impact on the reduction of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) is much less certain. The frequency of HIV infections in MSM have been rapidly increasing in recent years in Hangzhou, China. The "Treatment as Prevention" strategy was implemented at a population-level for HIV-infected MSM from January 2014 to June 2016 in Hangzhou; it aimed to increase the ART coverage, reduce the CVL, and reduce HIV transmission. METHODS: We investigated a subset of MSM diagnosed with HIV pre- and post-implementation of the strategy, using random sampling methods. Viral load (VL) testing was performed for all enrolled individuals; the lower limits of detection were 20 and 50 copies/mL. The data on infections were collected from the national epidemiology database of Hangzhou. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the differences in social demographic characteristics and available VL data. RESULTS: The ART coverage increased from 60.7% (839/1383) during the pre-implementation period to 92.3% (2183/2365) during the post-implementation period in Hangzhou. A total of 940 HIV-infected MSM were selected for inclusion in this study: 490 (52.1%) and 450 (47.9%) MSM in the pre- and post-implementation periods, respectively. In total, 89.5% (841/940) of patients had data available on VL rates. The mean CVL was 579 copies/mL pre-implementation and this decreased to 33 copies/mL post-implementation (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.001). The mean CVL decreased for all variables investigated post-implementation of the treatment strategy (P < 0.05). The undetectable VL (≤400 copies/mL) rate pre-implementation period was 50.0% which increased to 84.7% post-implementation (P < 0.001). The mean CVL at the county level significantly decreased in each county post-implementation (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed a population-level association between increased ART coverage and decreased mean CVL; overall 84.7% of HIV infected MSM had an undetectable VL and were no longer infectious.