Knowledge and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, and their association with information resource among men who have sex with men in Heilongjiang province, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Backgroud</p> <p>In Heilongjiang province, the HIV prevalence in men who have sex with men (MSM) is generally lower than other part of China. However, the official perception for their risk of HIV/AIDS infection has been increasing in the province over the years. Moreover, little information on HIV/AIDS was provided to the communities so that we have disadvantage of controlling HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of HIV among MSM in Heilongjiang province, to assess their knowledge levels and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, and to explore their associations with information resources.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study using a standardized questionnaire and blood test was administered in 2008 by local interviewers to a sample (1353) of MSM in four cities in Heilongjiang province.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 1353 MSM, 2.3% were identified with HIV infection. About 48.7% of the subjects had multiple male sexual partners and only 37.3% of the subjects had consistent condom use (use every time) in the past 6 months. Most had a fair level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS, with the highest mean knowledge score among the MSM from Jiamusi, those with income 2000-3000 RMB/month, those searching sexual partners via internet and those performed HIV testing over 1 year ago). However, some myths regarding viral transmission (e.g., via mosquito bites or sharing kitchen utensils) also existed. Resources of information from which knowledge and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS was most available were television (58.6%) among MSM, followed by sexual partner (51.6%), publicity material (51.0%) and internet (48.7%). Significantly statistical differences of mean knowledge score were revealed in favor of book (<it>P </it>= 0.0002), medical staff (<it>P </it>= 0.0007), publicity material (<it>P </it>= 0.005) and sexual partner (<it>P </it>= 0.02). Press (<it>P </it>= 0.04) and book (<it>P </it>= 0.0003) were contributory to the most frequent condom use (condom use every time), while medical staff (<it>P </it>= 0.005) and publicity material (<it>P </it>= 0.04) is associated with moderate rate of condom use (condom use often).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although the prevalence of HIV infection is low among MSM in Heilongjiang province, the situation that the risk behaviors were frequent in the population is alarming. The study suggests that some strategies like condom use and education intervention are practical approaches and need to be strengthened.</p

Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO Nanowire–CdO Composite Nanostructures

ZnO nanowire–CdO composite nanostructures were fabricated by a simple two-step process involving ammonia solution method and thermal evaporation. First, ZnO nanowires (NWs) were grown on Si substrate by aqueous ammonia solution method and then CdO was deposited on these ZnO NWs by thermal evaporation of cadmium chloride powder. The surface morphology and structure of the synthesized composite structures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The optical absorbance spectrum showed that ZnO NW–CdO composites can absorb light up to 550 nm. The photoluminescence spectrum of the composite structure does not show any CdO-related emission peak and also there was no band gap modification of ZnO due to CdO. The photocurrent measurements showed that ZnO NW–CdO composite structures have better photocurrent when compared with the bare ZnO NWs

Plasma levels of phosphorylated tau 181 are associated with cerebral metabolic dysfunction in cognitively impaired and amyloid-positive individuals

Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers are primarily evaluated through MRI, PET and CSF methods in order to diagnose and monitor disease. Recently, advances in the assessment of blood-based biomarkers have shown promise for simple, inexpensive, accessible and minimally invasive tools with diagnostic and prognostic value for Alzheimer’s disease. Most recently, plasma phosphorylated tau181 has shown excellent performance. The relationship between plasma phosphorylated tau181 and cerebral metabolic dysfunction assessed by [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET in Alzheimer’s disease is still unknown. This study was performed on 892 older individuals (297 cognitively unimpaired; 595 cognitively impaired) from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort. Plasma phosphorylated tau181 was assessed using single molecular array technology and metabolic dysfunction was indexed by [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET. Cross-sectional associations between plasma and CSF phosphorylated tau181 and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose were assessed using voxelwise linear regression models, with individuals stratified by diagnostic group and by β-amyloid status. Associations between baseline plasma phosphorylated tau181 and longitudinal (24 months) rate of brain metabolic decline were also assessed in 389 individuals with available data using correlations and voxelwise regression models. Plasma phosphorylated tau181 was elevated in β-amyloid positive and cognitively impaired individuals as well as in apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers and was significantly associated with age, worse cognitive performance and CSF phosphorylated tau181. Cross-sectional analyses showed strong associations between plasma phosphorylated tau181 and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET in cognitively impaired and β-amyloid positive individuals. Voxelwise longitudinal analyses showed that baseline plasma phosphorylated tau181 concentrations were significantly associated with annual rates of metabolic decline in cognitively impaired individuals, bilaterally in the medial and lateral temporal lobes. The associations between plasma phosphorylated tau181 and reduced brain metabolism, primarily in cognitively impaired and in β-amyloid positive individuals, supports the use of plasma phosphorylated tau181 as a simple, low-cost, minimally invasive and accessible tool to both assess current and predict future metabolic dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease, comparatively to PET, MRI and CSF methods

Biomarker modeling of Alzheimer’s disease using PET-based Braak staging

Gold-standard diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) relies on histopathological staging systems. Using the topographical information from [18F]MK6240 tau positron-emission tomography (PET), we applied the Braak tau staging system to 324 living individuals. We used PET-based Braak stage to model the trajectories of amyloid-β, phosphorylated tau (pTau) in cerebrospinal fluid (pTau181, pTau217, pTau231 and pTau235) and plasma (pTau181 and pTau231), neurodegeneration and cognitive symptoms. We identified nonlinear AD biomarker trajectories corresponding to the spatial extent of tau-PET, with modest biomarker changes detectable by Braak stage II and significant changes occurring at stages III–IV, followed by plateaus. Early Braak stages were associated with isolated memory impairment, whereas Braak stages V–VI were incompatible with normal cognition. In 159 individuals with follow-up tau-PET, progression beyond stage III took place uniquely in the presence of amyloid-β positivity. Our findings support PET-based Braak staging as a framework to model the natural history of AD and monitor AD severity in living humans

Modulation of Sn concentration in ZnO nanorod array: intensification on the conductivity and humidity sensing properties

Tin (Sn)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays (TZO) were synthesized onto aluminum-doped ZnO-coated glass substrate via a facile sonicated sol–gel immersion method for humidity sensor applications. These nanorod arrays were grown at different Sn concentrations ranging from 0.6 to 3 at.%. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the deposited TZO arrays exhibited a wurtzite structure. The stress/strain condition of the ZnO film metamorphosed from tensile strain/compressive stress to compressive strain/tensile stress when the Sn concentrations increased. Results indicated that 1 at.% Sn doping of TZO, which has the lowest tensile stress of 0.14 GPa, generated the highest conductivity of 1.31 S cm− 1. In addition, 1 at.% Sn doping of TZO possessed superior sensitivity to a humidity of 3.36. These results revealed that the optimum performance of a humidity-sensing device can be obtained mainly by controlling the amount of extrinsic element in a ZnO film

Mutations and SNPs of human cardiac sodium channel alpha subunit gene (SCN5A) in Japanese patients with Brugada syndrome

Background: Brugada syndrome is an inherited arrhythmogenic disease characterized by right bundle branch block pattern and ST segment elevation, leading to the change of V1 to V3 on electrocardiogram, and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death resulting from ventricular fibrillation. The sodium channel alpha 5 subunit (SCN5A) gene encodes a cardiac voltage-dependent sodium channel, and SCN5A mutations have been reported in Brugada syndrome. However, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and gene mutations have not been well investigated in Japanese patients with Brugada syndrome. Methods and Results: The SCN5A gene was examined in 58 patients by using PCR and the ABI 3130xl sequencer, revealing 17 SNP patterns and 13 mutations. Of the 13 mutations, 8 were missense mutations (with amino acid change), 4 were silent mutations (without amino acid change), and one case was a mutation within the splicing junction. Six of the eight missense mutations were novel mutations. Interestingly, we detected an R1664H mutation, which was identified originally in long QT syndrome. Conclusion: We found 13 mutations of the SCN5A gene in 58 patients with Brugada syndrome. The disease may be attributable to some of the mutations and SNPs

Plasma pTau181 predicts cortical brain atrophy in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association of plasma pTau181, assessed with a new immunoassay, with neurodegeneration of white matter and gray matter cross-sectionally and longitudinally, in aging and Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Observational data was obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, in which participants underwent plasma assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. Based on their clinical diagnosis, participants were classified as cognitively unimpaired and cognitively impaired. Linear regressions and linear mixed-effect models were used to test the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between baseline plasma pTau181 and neurodegeneration using voxel-based morphometry. RESULTS: We observed a negative correlation at baseline between plasma pTau181 and gray matter volume in cognitively unimpaired individuals. In cognitively impaired individuals, we observed a negative association between plasma pTau181 and both gray and white matter volume. In longitudinal analyses conducted in the cognitively unimpaired group, plasma pTau181 was negatively correlated with gray matter volume, starting 36 months after baseline assessments. Finally, in cognitively impaired individuals, plasma pTau181 concentrations were negatively correlated with both gray and white matter volume as early as 12 months after baseline, and neurodegeneration increased in an incremental manner until 48 months. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of plasma pTau181 correlate with neurodegeneration and predict further brain atrophy in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Plasma pTau181 may be useful in predicting AD-related neurodegeneration, comparable to positron emission tomography or cerebrospinal fluid assessment with high specificity for AD neurodegeneration