Disparities and risks of sexually transmissible infections among men who have sex with men in China: a meta-analysis and data synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Hepatitis B and C virus, are emerging public health risks in China, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aims to assess the magnitude and risks of STIs among Chinese MSM. METHODS: Chinese and English peer-reviewed articles were searched in five electronic databases from January 2000 to February 2013. Pooled prevalence estimates for each STI infection were calculated using meta-analysis. Infection risks of STIs in MSM, HIV-positive MSM and male sex workers (MSW) were obtained. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. RESULTS: Eighty-eight articles (11 in English and 77 in Chinese) investigating 35,203 MSM in 28 provinces were included in this review. The prevalence levels of STIs among MSM were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.5-11.0%) for chlamydia, 1.5% (0.7-2.9%) for genital wart, 1.9% (1.3-2.7%) for gonorrhoea, 8.9% (7.8-10.2%) for hepatitis B (HBV), 1.2% (1.0-1.6%) for hepatitis C (HCV), 66.3% (57.4-74.1%) for human papillomavirus (HPV), 10.6% (6.2-17.6%) for herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and 4.3% (3.2-5.8%) for Ureaplasma urealyticum. HIV-positive MSM have consistently higher odds of all these infections than the broader MSM population. As a subgroup of MSM, MSW were 2.5 (1.4-4.7), 5.7 (2.7-12.3), and 2.2 (1.4-3.7) times more likely to be infected with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HCV than the broader MSM population, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prevalence levels of STIs among MSW were significantly higher than the broader MSM population. Co-infection of HIV and STIs were prevalent among Chinese MSM. Integration of HIV and STIs healthcare and surveillance systems is essential in providing effective HIV/STIs preventive measures and treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO NO: CRD42013003721

Pathogen Populations Evolve to Greater Race Complexity in Agricultural Systems – Evidence from Analysis of Rhynchosporium secalis Virulence Data

Fitness cost associated with pathogens carrying unnecessary virulence alleles is the fundamental assumption for preventing the emergence of complex races in plant pathogen populations but this hypothesis has rarely been tested empirically on a temporal and spatial scale which is sufficient to distinguish evolutionary signals from experimental error. We analyzed virulence characteristics of ∼1000 isolates of the barley pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis collected from different parts of the United Kingdom between 1984 and 2005. We found a gradual increase in race complexity over time with a significant correlation between sampling date and race complexity of the pathogen (r20 = 0.71, p = 0.0002) and an average loss of 0.1 avirulence alleles (corresponding to an average gain of 0.1 virulence alleles) each year. We also found a positive and significant correlation between barley cultivar diversity and R. secalis virulence variation. The conditions assumed to favour complex races were not present in the United Kingdom and we hypothesize that the increase in race complexity is attributable to the combination of natural selection and genetic drift. Host resistance selects for corresponding virulence alleles to fixation or dominant frequency. Because of the weak fitness penalty of carrying the unnecessary virulence alleles, genetic drift associated with other evolutionary forces such as hitch-hiking maintains the frequency of the dominant virulence alleles even after the corresponding resistance factors cease to be used

Association between Ngb polymorphisms and ischemic stroke in the Southern Chinese Han population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Neuroglobin </it>(<it>Ngb</it>), one of novel members of the globin superfamily, is expressed predominantly in brain neurons, and appears to modulate hypoxic-ischemic insults. The mechanisms underlying <it>Ngb</it>-mediated neuronal protection are still unclear. For it is one of the candidate protective factors for ischemic stroke, we conducted a case-control study to clarify the association of <it>Ngb </it>polymorphisms with ischemic stroke in the Southern Chinese Han population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>355 cases and 158 controls were recruited. With brain imaging, cases were subdivided into large-artery atherosclerosis (LVD) and small-vessel occlusion (SVD) stroke. PCR amplified all the four exons of <it>Ngb </it>and flanking intron sequence for each exon. Genotyping for <it>Ngb </it>was achieved by direct sequencing and mismatched PCR-RFLP. Polymorphisms were studied both individually and as haplotypes in each group and subgroup which subdivided according to gender or age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two intronic polymorphisms 89+104 c>t and 322-110 (6a)>5a were identified. The allele frequency of 89+104 t was decreased in stroke cases. The protective effect seems to be more pronounced in subgroups of female patients and age > 60 years. Also, we have confirmed decreased LDL-C level and reduced hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in 89+104 t allele carriers. In contrast, the 322-110 (6a)>5a genotype distribution was similar between cases and controls. However, the haplotype 89+104 c>t/322-110 (6a)>5a was related with LVD and SVD stroke. The haplotype c-5a was more frequent in both LVD and SVD groups while t-6a was more frequent in controls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Ngb polymorphism 89+104 t had protective effects on LVD and SVD in the Southern Chinese Han population. A "hitchhiking" effect was observed for the 89+104 t/322-110 (6a) genotype combination especially for LVD.</p

The association of serum lipids with the histological pattern of rectosigmoid adenoma in Taiwanese adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The mortality rate of colorectal cancer ranks third behind lung and hepatic cancer in Taiwan. Colorectal cancer mostly arises from adenomatous polyps of left colon. The aim of our study was to examine the association of serum lipids with the histological pattern of rectosigmoid adenoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>There were 2,506 eligible examinees aged 20 and above who underwent sigmoidoscopy as a screening examination in National Cheng Kung University Hospital between January 2003 and October 2006. They were classified into three groups: tubular adenoma (333 subjects), villous-rich (tubulovillous/villous) adenoma (53 subjects) and normal (2,120 subjects). We defined high total cholesterol (TC) as a level ≧200 mg/dl, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as a level <40 mg/dL, and high triglyceride (TG) as a level ≧200 mg/dl according to the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults. Adenoma histology was classified as tubular, tubulovillous and villous according to the proportion of villous part.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the study population, 333 subjects (13.3%) had tubular adenomas and 53 subjects (2.1%) had villous-rich adenomas. The odds ratio (OR) for villous-rich adenoma in subjects with TG≧200 mg/dL compared to those with TG < 200 mg/dL was 3.20 (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.71-6.01), after adjusting for age, gender, general obesity, central obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and alcohol consumption. If further taking high TC and low HDL-C into consideration, the OR was 4.42 (95% CI:2.03-9.63).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study showed that subjects with high serum TG tended to have a higher risk of tubulovillous/villous adenoma in rectosigmoid colon. Therefore, reducing the serum TG level might be one method to prevent the incidence of colorectal cancer.</p

Dihydroartemisinin Enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells via ROS-Mediated Up-Regulation of Death Receptor 5

BACKGROUND: Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has recently shown antitumor activity in various cancer cells. Apo2 ligand or tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) is regarded as a promising anticancer agent, but chemoresistance affects its efficacy as a treatment strategy. Apoptosis induced by the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL has not been well documented, and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we report that DHA enhances the efficacy of Apo2L/TRAIL for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We found that combined therapy using DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL significantly enhanced apoptosis in BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cells compared with single-agent treatment in vitro. The effect of DHA was mediated through the generation of reactive oxygen species, the induction of death receptor 5 (DR5) and the modulation of apoptosis-related proteins. However, N-acetyl cysteine significantly reduced the enhanced apoptosis observed with the combination of DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL. In addition, knockdown of DR5 by small interfering RNA also significantly reduced the amount of apoptosis induced by DHA and Apo2L/TRAIL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that DHA enhances Apo2L/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells through reactive oxygen species-mediated up-regulation of DR5

Effects of Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilizers on CH4 and CO2 Emissions and Soil Organic Carbon in Paddy Fields of Central China

Quantifying carbon (C) sequestration in paddy soils is necessary to help better understand the effect of agricultural practices on the C cycle. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of tillage practices [conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (0 and 210 kg N ha−1) on fluxes of CH4 and CO2, and soil organic C (SOC) sequestration during the 2009 and 2010 rice growing seasons in central China. Application of N fertilizer significantly increased CH4 emissions by 13%–66% and SOC by 21%–94% irrespective of soil sampling depths, but had no effect on CO2 emissions in either year. Tillage significantly affected CH4 and CO2 emissions, where NT significantly decreased CH4 emissions by 10%–36% but increased CO2 emissions by 22%–40% in both years. The effects of tillage on the SOC varied with the depth of soil sampling. NT significantly increased the SOC by 7%–48% in the 0–5 cm layer compared with CT. However, there was no significant difference in the SOC between NT and CT across the entire 0–20 cm layer. Hence, our results suggest that the potential of SOC sequestration in NT paddy fields may be overestimated in central China if only surface soil samples are considered