In the past 37 years, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has undergone various major transmission routes in China, with the world most complex co-circulating ...HIV-1 subtypes, even the prevalence is still low. In response to the first epidemic outbreak of HIV in injecting drug users and the second one by illegal commercial blood collection, China issued the Anti-Drug Law and launched the Blood Donation Act and nationwide nucleic acid testing, which has avoided 98,232 to 211,200 estimated infections and almost ended the blood product-related infection. China has been providing free antiretroviral therapy (ART) since 2003, which covered >80% of the identified patients and achieved a viral suppression rate of 91%. To bend the curve of increasing the disease burden of HIV and finally end the epidemic, China should consider constraining HIV spread through sexual transmission, narrowing the gaps in identifying HIV cases, and the long-term effectiveness and safety of ART in the future.
Introduction
This study explores the preference for daily versus on‐demand pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in developing countries when both regimens are ...available.
Methods
From 11 December 2018 to 19 October 2019, we recruited MSM for an open‐label real‐world PrEP demonstration study in four major cities in China. Subjects selected their preferred PrEP (oral tenofovir/emtricitabine) regimen (daily vs. on‐demand) at recruitment and underwent on‐site screening before initiation of PrEP. We used logistic regression to assess preference for daily PrEP and correlates.
Results
Of 1933 recruited MSM, the median age was 29 years, 7.6% was currently married to or living with a female; the median number of male sexual partners was four and 6.1% had used post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in the previous six months. HIV infection risk was subjectively determined as very high (>75%) in 7.0% of subjects, high (50% to 75%) in 13.3%, moderate (25% to 49%) in 31.5% and low or none (0% to 24%) in 48.1%. On average, participants preferred on‐demand PrEP over daily PrEP (1104 (57.1%) versus 829 (42.9%)) at recruitment. In multivariable analysis, currently being married to or living with a female was associated with 14.6 percentage points lower preference for daily PrEP (marginal effect = −0.146 95% CI: −0.230, −0.062, p = 0.001); whereas the number of male sexual partners (marginal effect = 0.003 95% CI: 0.000, 0.005, p = 0.034) and a subjective assessment of being very high risk of HIV infection (vs. low and no risk, marginal effect size = 0.105 95% CI: 0.012, 0.198, p = 0.027) were associated with increased preference for daily versus on‐demand PrEP. Among the 1933 potential participants, 721 (37.3%) did not attend the subsequent on‐site screening. Lower‐income, lower education level, lower subjective expected risk of HIV infection risk and younger age positively correlated with the absence of on‐site screening.
Conclusions
MSM in China prefer both daily and on‐demand PrEP when both regimens are provided free. Social structural factors and subjective risk of HIV infection have significant impacts on PrEP preference and use. The upcoming national PrEP guideline should consider incorporating both regimens and the correlates to help implement PrEP in China.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Anxiety and depression can influence adherence to Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). However, there is limited research on the temporal dynamics of anxiety and depression among men who have sex with ...men (MSM) using PrEP.
From December 2018 to November 2020, we administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to participants in the China Real-World Oral Intake of PrEP (CROPrEP) to measure their anxiety and depression levels. The group-based trajectory model (GBTM) depicted the dynamic changes of anxiety and depression scores over time.
A total of 1023 MSM were included, with 4523 follow-up assessments. The GBTM categorized the trajectories into three distinct patterns: consistently low (54.8% for anxiety, 60.7% for depression), consistently moderate (39.3% for anxiety, 31.4% for depression), and high but bell-shaped (5.9% for anxiety, 7.9% for depression). Higher anxiety levels were associated with being aged 18-30 years old, earning less than US$619 per month, female-identifying, adopting the bottom sexual role with men, and having two or more anal sex partners in the past three months; similarly, higher depression levels correlated with a monthly income under US$619, female-identifying, sexual behavior as bottom and a positive syphilis at baseline. PrEP adherence was notably lower in the high but bell-shaped anxiety and depression group compared to the other groups, particularly at the 12th-month follow-up.
Close monitoring of anxiety and depression levels in MSM on PrEP is crucial. Provision of targeted mental health support is essential to enhance PrEP effectiveness.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures severely compromise quality of life in elderly people and lead to early death. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-derived extracellular ...vesicles (hucMSC-EVs) possess considerable therapeutic effects in tissue repair and regeneration. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the effects of hucMSC-EVs on primary and secondary osteoporosis and explored the underlying mechanisms.
: hucMSCs were isolated and cultured. EVs were obtained from the conditioned medium of hucMSCs and determined by using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and Western Blot analyses. The effects of hucMSC-EVs on ovariectomy-induced postmenopausal osteoporosis and tail suspension-induced hindlimb disuse osteoporosis in mouse models were assessed by using microcomputed tomography, biomechanical, histochemical and immunohistochemical, as well as histomorphometric analyses. Proteomic analysis was applied between hucMSC-EVs and hucMSCs to screen the candidate proteins that mediate hucMSC-EVs function. The effects of hucMSC-EVs on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs), and osteoclastogenesis of the macrophage cell line RAW264.7
were determined by using cytochemical staining and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Subsequently, the roles of the key protein in hucMSC-EVs-induced regulation on BMSCs and RAW264.7 cells were evaluated.
hucMSCs were able to differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes or chondrocytes and positively expressed CD29, CD44, CD73 and CD90, but negatively expressed CD34 and CD45. The morphological assessment revealed the typical cup- or sphere-shaped morphology of hucMSC-EVs with diameters predominantly ranging from 60 nm to 150 nm and expressed CD9, CD63, CD81 and TSG101. The systemic administration of hucMSC-EVs prevented bone loss and maintained bone strength in osteoporotic mice by enhancing bone formation, reducing marrow fat accumulation and decreasing bone resorption. Proteomic analysis showed that the potently pro-osteogenic protein, CLEC11A (C-type lectin domain family 11, member A) was very highly enriched in hucMSC-EVs. In addition, hucMSC-EVs enhanced the shift from adipogenic to osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via delivering CLEC11A
. Moreover, CLEC11A was required for the inhibitory effects of hucMSC-EVs on osteoclast formation.
Our results suggest that hucMSC-EVs serve as a critical regulator of bone metabolism by transferring CLEC11A and may represent a potential agent for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
The GCr15 steel was subjected to laser surface treatment using a diode laser with rectangular spot. Based on the simulated temperature field, the microstructure distribution of the laser hardened ...layer was analyzed, and an empirical equation was proposed to predict the peak temperature at different depths. The results indicated that with the decrease of depth, the peak temperature increased exponentially, and the peak temperature at different depths was approximately linear with the power density and the reciprocal of square root of scanning speed. High peak temperature led to the coarsening of grain and the significant dissolution of cementite near the surface of hardened layer. At the deeper position of hardened layer, the prior austenite grain size decreased slightly due to high nucleation rate. The cementite dissolution and coarsening occurred simultaneously near the surface, and the cementite dissolution process was postponed due to the significant enrichment of Cr near the interface of austenite and cementite. Additionally, an empirical model about grain coarsening was established, which can be used to predict the prior austenite grain size near the surface during the laser surface treatment.
Graphical Abstract
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Background
Detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is vital for the diagnosis of hepatitis B infection. A novel test loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been successfully applied to detect ...various pathogens. However, the accuracy of LAMP in diagnosing HBV remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, the accuracy of LAMP for HBV detection was evaluated systematically.
Methods
Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases were searched for studies using LAMP to detect HBV. Then, two researchers extracted data and assessed the quality of literature using the QUADAS‐2 tool independently. I2 statistic and chi‐square test were analyzed to investigate the heterogeneity, and Deek's funnel plot assessed the publication bias. The pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive LR (PLR), negative LR (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and 95% confidence intervals were displayed in forest plots. We calculated the area under the curve (AUC) to assess the overall efficiency of LAMP for HBV detection.
Results
A total of nine studies with 1298 samples were finally included in this evaluation. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of HBV detection were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.89 ~ 0.92) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94 ~ 0.99), respectively. The PLR, NLR, and DOR were 16.93 (95% CI: 6.15 ~ 46.55), 0.08 (95% CI: 0.05 ~ 0.14), and 397.57 (95% CI: 145.41 ~ 1087.07). Besides, the AUC was 0.9872, and Deek's plot suggested that there existed publication bias in the studies.
Conclusion
Compared with PCR, LAMP is a simple, rapid, and effective assay to diagnose HBV. However, additional evidence is essential to confirm that LAMP can replace other methods in diagnosing HBV infection.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Recently, the gut microbiota (GM) has been shown to be a regulator of bone homeostasis and the mechanisms by which GM modulates bone mass are still being investigated. Here, it is found that ...colonization with GM from children (CGM) but not from the elderly (EGM) prevents decreases in bone mass and bone strength in conventionally raised, ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced osteoporotic mice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals that CGM reverses the OVX‐induced reduction of Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk). Direct replenishment of Akk is sufficient to correct the OVX‐induced imbalanced bone metabolism and protect against osteoporosis. Mechanistic studies show that the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is required for the CGM‐ and Akk‐induced bone protective effects and these nanovesicles can enter and accumulate into bone tissues to attenuate the OVX‐induced osteoporotic phenotypes by augmenting osteogenic activity and inhibiting osteoclast formation. The study identifies that gut bacterium Akk mediates the CGM‐induced anti‐osteoporotic effects and presents a novel mechanism underlying the exchange of signals between GM and host bone.
Colonization with gut microbiota from children (CGM) but not from the elderly (EGM) reverses the ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced reduction of Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) and prevents OVX‐induced osteoporosis. Direct replenishment of Akk also induces bone benefits in OVX mice. Extracellular vesicles from CGM and Akk can enter into bone to directly attenuate the OVX‐induced osteoporotic phenotypes by augmenting osteogenesis and inhibiting osteoclastogenesis.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The use of poppers is highly prevalent in MSM, but little is known about the association between their use and HIV incidence in China. A prospective cohort study was conducted from 2011 to 2013 in ...MSM in Shenyang. 475(79.6%) of eligible HIV-negative MSM participated in this prospective survey and near one fourth MSM (23.4%) ever used poppers. About one-third of the participants had condomless anal intercourse, half had multiple sexual partners and 10.5% were syphilis positive. The HIV incidence densities were15.5 (95% CI:9.4-23.4)/100 PYperson-years) and 4.6 (95% CI:2.9-7.0)/100 PY in poppers-users and non-poppers-users, respectively. Predictors of HIV seroconversion included poppers-using-behavior, having had more than two male partners, practicing group sex, unprotected anal intercourse(UAI) with male partners, and baseline syphilis positivity (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of poppers, high-risk-sexual behaviors and syphilis infection significantly increase the HIV incidence among Shenyang MSM. It is essential for policy makers to add poppers to the official controlled illicit drug list to reduce HIV transmission among the MSM community. A comprehensive strategy should also be implemented to control both their high-risk-sexual behaviors and risk of syphilis infection, since these may represent novel ways to prevent new HIV infections in these MSM.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK