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ILC2s are key players in allergic airway inflammation. Lei et al. show that ICAM-1 controls ILC2 development and function through regulating ERK signaling pathway, suggesting targeting ICAM-1 as a potential strategy for ILC2-induced asthma., Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are emerging as key players in the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation. The mechanisms regulating ILC2, however, are not fully understood. Here, we found that ICAM-1 is required for the development and function of ILC2. ICAM-1–deficient (ICAM-1−/−) mice displayed significantly lower levels of ILC2s in the bone marrow and peripheral tissues than wild-type controls. CLP transfer and in vitro culture assays revealed that the regulation of ILC2 by ICAM-1 is cell intrinsic. Furthermore, ILC2s from ICAM-1−/− mice were functionally impaired, as indicated by the diminished production of type-2 cytokines in response to IL-33 challenge. The reduction in lung ILC2s caused a clear remission of airway inflammation in ICAM-1−/− mice after administration of papain or Alternaria alternata. We further demonstrate that ILC2 defects caused by ICAM-1 deficiency are due to ERK signaling-dependent down-regulation of GATA3 protein. Collectively, these observations identify ICAM-1 as a novel regulator of ILC2.

Genetic diversity of Pneumocystis jirovecii isolates based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the nuclear rRNA locus has previously been reported. The information about ITS genotype and epidemiology of this organism in Chinese human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients has not been available. In this study, 12 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens obtained from HIV-infected patients were analyzed by PCR followed by cloning, sequencing and typing. Three ITS1 genotypes (E, B and 'H') and four ITS2 genotypes (b, g, i and r) as previously reported were identified, the most common of which were E, b and i. Five ITS haplotypes (Eg, Eb, Bi, Er and 'H'r) and 19 new combination types were also identified with the most common types being Eg (four of 12 patients, 10 of 60 clones), Eb (three of 12 patients, 11 of 60 clones) and Bi (three of 12 patients, 10 of 60 clones). Nine patients were found to be co-infected with more than one ITS genotype of P. jirovecii. The prevalence of ITS genotypes in HIV patients from one Chinese hospital did not seem to be significantly different when compared to reports from other countries.

A density functional study of the RhCn(n = 1−6) clusters with different spin states has been carried out systematically by using the B3LYP/Lan2DZ method. The equilibrium geometries associated with total energies and natural populations of RhCn (n = 1−6) clusters are calculated and presented. Stabilities and electronic properties are discussed in detail. The relative stabilities in term of the calculated fragmentation energies show that the lowest-energy RhCn clusters with rhodium atom being located at terminal of carbon chain are the linear geometries and the ground states of the RhCn clusters alternate between doublet (for n-odd members) and quartet (for n-even members) states. Furthermore, the calculated fragmentation energies of the RhCn show strong even−odd alternations: the RhCn clusters with an odd number of carbon atoms are more stable than those with an even number ones. In addition, we comment on the charge transfer and chemical bonding properties within the clusters.

This study investigated whether treatment with IFN-α and ribavirin (RBV) reduces 2LTR circular HIV DNA in addition to the total and integrated HIV DNA. Two groups of patients were enrolled. Group 1 comprised HIV/HCV co-infected patients who were treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), IFN-α and RBV for 48 weeks. After the 48 weeks of treatment, IFN-α and RBV treatment was discontinued and HAART was continued. Group 2 comprised HIV-infected patients who were treated with HAART. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify the levels of HIV-1 DNA. We found that compared with Group 2 patients, Group 1 patients exhibited an obvious decrease in the CD4 cell count and the total DNA, 2LTR circular DNA, and integrated HIV DNA after 48 weeks of treatment. After the discontinuation of IFN-α and RBV treatment in Group 1 patients, the levels of HIV DNA recovered. Therefore, we concluded that treatment with IFN-α and ribavirin (RBV) reduces 2LTR circular HIV DNA.

The transformation of material treated by laser-melting needs to be elucidated in order to enhance the development of laser technology. The steel X165CrMoV12-1 was treated by laser-melting, resulting in a layer of undercooled austenite on the surface of the steel. Austenite has a strong stability. Although it contains high levels of carbon and chromium, the austenite transformed into lath martensite after tempering at 550°C. The transformation is thought to be caused by the matrix structure determined by austenite solidification.

Glucose can produce H2O2 in solution when irradiated with UV light even in the absence of glucose oxidase. Based on this effect, photons were utilized as a substrate for glucose oxidase, and a new fluorescent method was developed for indirect determination of glucose by a coupled fluorescence reaction of p-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid and H2O2 with hemin as a catalyst. The calibration graph is linear over the range 0–6.0×10−7 mol/l glucose, the detection limit is 1.7×10−8 mol/l glucose. The method has been applied to the determination of glucose in human sera with satisfactory results.

In a weak acidic medium (pH 4.0). a photochemical reaction of cephradine occurs under the irradiation of ultraviolet light, forming a fluorescent product (γex = 334 nm, γem = 442 nm). Based on this fact, a new photochemical fluorimetric method was developed for the determination of cephradine. The linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity and the concentration of cephradine is over the range of 0.01 – 4.0 μg/ml. The detection limit is 0.66 ng/ml (n = 11) and the relative standard deviation is 0.72% (n = 8). This method is simple and sensitive, and has been successfully applied to the determination of cephradine in urine samples. Mechanism of the photochemical reaction was also discussed.

To analyze the death causes of 345 cases with HIV/AIDS in Guangdong area.The situations of 345 hospitalized death cases with HIV/AIDS were conducted by retrospective analysis.(1)There were total 3406 hospitalized cases with HIV/AIDS in a hospital from January 2001 to December 2011 and 345 cases died, the fatality rate was 10. 13%. Since 2005 the introduction of free anti-viral treatment, the fatality rate of HIV/AIDS declined. The fatality rate of the patients whose CD4+ T lymphocyte counts200 cells/microl was 14.61% (299/2046) and it was significantly higher than that of patients whose CD4 T lymphocyte countsor=200 cells/microl (P0.01). (2) 99.42% of the death cases had more than one kind of opportunistic infections (OI) and there were 924 cases of OI totally. 84. 64% of OI related to the death directly. Fungal infection was the most common in OI, followed by bacterial infection. Most OI occurred in the lungs, mouth, other systemic disseminated diseases, gastrointestine, central nerver system, septicemia, skin. The AIDS defining opportunistic infections such as several pneumonia, disseminated penicilliosis marneffei and CNS infections accounted for 29.65%. Other factors that caused HIV/AIDS death included opportunistic tumors, HIV related disease and non AIDS-related disease accounted for 15.36%. No accepted effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT) also constituted factors of death. Among cases which accepted HARRT treatment, only 6.96% had the period of treatment over three months.The fatality rate of end-stage AIDS patients was high and the opportunistic infections was the most important cause of death. Early diagnosis and treatment for opportunistic infections, timely effective HARRT were the key to improve the quality of life of AIDS patients.

Penicillium marneffei (P. marneffei) is an emerging pathogenic fungus that can cause invasive mycosis in patients with AIDS. The epidemiological features of P. marneffei infection in AIDS patients in Guangdong province remain unclear so far. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity within a population of 163 P. marneffei isolates obtained from AIDS patients and search for the dominant clinical strains in Guangdong province.One hundred and sixty-three P. marneffei isolates obtained from AIDS patients in Guangdong province during January 2004 and December 2009 were studied by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using two random primers (H2 and H22). The degree of similarity between samples was calculated through similarity coefficients from RAPD fragment data and the dendrogram was assessed using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA).Two primers showed a high degree of discrimination and good stability. Primer H2 yielded eight different patterns (H2-1 to H2-8) among 163 isolates with the discriminatory power being 0.413. Primer H22 identified seven types (H22-1 to H22-7) among 163 isolates with the discriminatory power being 0.467. Genetic similarity coefficients based on RAPD data among 163 P. marneffei isolates ranged from 0.681 to 0.957, 61.96% of which were no less than 0.83. The discriminatory power of the two primers was 0.524. One hundred and sixty-three P. marneffei isolates were clustered into nine distinct groups (groups I to IX) at the similarity coefficient value of 0.83 and group I was the most common, including 101 strains (61.96%).The RAPD analyses could provide important information as to the degree of genetic diversity and the relationship among clinical P. marneffei isolates, revealing genetic polymorphism and dominant strains.

To explore the transmission routes, genotypes/subtypes distribution and genetic character of HCV in HIV/HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected individuals in Guangdong Province.Reverse transcription (RT) nested PCR was performed to amplify the HCV NS5B gene region from 95 HIV/HCV co-infected and 99 HCV mono-infected individuals lived in Guangdong province. The PCR products were then sequenced for HCV subtyping. Genetic analysis was done by MEGA4 software.(1) HIV/HCV co-infected individuals infected HCV mostly through injection drug use (IDU, 78.9%), the HCV subtypes were identified as 6a (53.7%), 3a (17.9%), 1b (15.8%), 3b (11.6%) and 1a (1.0%) respectively, the genetic distance within subtype 1b was longer than those within other subtypes, the predominant HCV subtype in HIV/HCV co-infected individuals infected through IDU was 6a (60.0%). (2) HCV mono-infected individuals infected HCV mostly through blood or blood products transfusions (80.8%), the HCV subtypes were identified as 1b (67.7%), 6a (17.2%), 3a (6.1%), 2a (5.0%), 3b (2.0%), 4a (1.0%) and 5a (1.0%) respectively, the genetic distance within subtype 1b was also longer than those within other subtypes, the predominant HCV subtype in HCV mono-infected individuals infected through blood or blood products transfusions was 1b (76.2%).The diversity of HCV subtypes in HIV/HCV co-infected and HCV mono-infected individuals in Guangdong Province was high, both the major transmission route and HCV subtype between HIV/HCV co-infected individuals and HCV mono-infected individuals were different.

Liver injury is one of the most important adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy, leading to therapy changing or discontinuation. Data on liver injury in human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy are limited in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the features of liver injury in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients receiving non-nucleosides reverse transcriptase inhibitors-based antiretroviral therapy in China.Seventy-five patients on antiretroviral therapy containing non-nucleosides reverse transcriptase inhibitors were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (with liver injury, n = 45) and group 2 (without liver injury, n = 30). The features of liver injury were analyzed. The sex, age, baseline CD4 counts, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection, hepatotoxic drug use and nevirapine or efavirenz use were compared between two groups.Forty-five patients (60.0%), 31 (68.9%) males and 14 (31.1%) females, aged 12 to 52 years (averaged (39 ± 9) years), experienced at least one episode of liver injury. Forty (53.3%) patients were co-infected with HBV and/or HCV, 42 (56%) patients had concomitant use of antituberculosis drugs or cotrimoxazole, 46 (61.3%) and 29 (38.7%) patients received regimen containing nevirapine and efavirenz, respectively. Grade 1 liver injuries were observed in 26 (57.8%) patients, grade 2 in 16 (35.6%), grade 3 in 2 (4.0%) and grade 4 in 1 (2.2%). Three (6.7%) patients discontinued highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) due to liver injury. In group 1, there were 29 (64.4%) patients co-infected with HBV and/or HCV, 32 (71.1%) patients received regimen containing nevirapine, and 30 (66.7%) patients had concomitant use of anti-tuberculosis drugs or cotrimoxazole, respectively, significantly higher than those in group 2 (11 (36.7%), 14 (46.7%) and 12 (40%), respectively; P = 0.018, 0.033, 0.023, respectively). The sex, age, baseline CD4 counts and disease stage were not factors associated with liver injury.Liver injury associated with HAART containing non-nucleosides reverse transcriptase inhibitors was mild to moderate and those who were co-infected with HBV and/or HCV, had concomitant use of antituberculosis drugs or cotrimoxazole and received a regimen containing nevirapine were prone to liver injury while receiving HAART.

To investigate the different infective mode, the time from be infectived to be diagnosed and the time from be diagnosed to be treated of patients with hepatitis C.The different infective mode, the time from be infectived to be diagnosed and the time from be diagnosed to be treated of 216 patients with hepatitis C from march 2004 to march 2009 were retrospectively analyzed.72.22 percents patients suffered from post transfusion hepatitis C (PTHC) and 27.78 percents patients suffered from sporadic hepatitisC (SHC). 32.61 percents patients were diagnosed after be infectived 15-20 years later. 3.26 percents patients were diagnosed after be infectived more than 20 years later. 33.80 percents patients were treated after be diagnosed more than 5 years later. 17.13 percents patients were treated after be diagnosed 10-15 years later.Most patients were infectived with hepatitis C by transfusing blood or blood products. Most patients were diagnosed after be infectived more than 15 years later. Almost half of patients were treated after be diagnosed more than 5 years later, and a significant portion of percents patients were treated after be diagnosed more than 10 years later.

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in treatment-naïve Chinese patients with AIDS, to provide evidences for standardizing HAART.Seventy-four treatment-naive AIDS patients were initiated with HAART and followed up regularly for 3 years. The clinical and laboratory data, side effects and drug resistance were observed and analyzed during the follow-up period.Of the 74 patients, 46 were males and 28 were females, with the average age being 42 years. The mean HIV viral load was (2.2 ± 2.0) × 10(5) copies/ml and the baseline mean CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte count was (62 ± 71) cells/µl before treatment. After treatment for 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months, the percentage of undetectable HIV viral road (less than 50 copies/ml) was 71.6%, 83.8%, 75.7%, 77.0%, 82.4%, 81.1% and 79.7% respectively, and CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte count ascended to (167 ± 105), (177 ± 129), (238 ± 137), (290 ± 158), (304 ± 191), (331 ± 175) and (352 ± 202) cells/µl. The increase in amplitude of CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte count in different periods examined was different, with the period of 0-3 months post-treatment demonstrating the most obvious augmentation (P0.01). The most common adverse reactions were liver function injury (52/74, 70.3%), hyperlipemia (52/74, 70.3%), hematopoietic inhibition of the bone marrow (33/74, 44.6%), peripheral neuritis (32/74, 43.2%) and lipoatrophy (26/74, 35.1%). Clinical drug resistance were found in nine patients and HIV gene mutations were detected in these patients.Chinese treatment-naive AIDS patients have achieved good virological and immunological response to generic-drug-predominant HAART regimes with low drug resistance, but relatively more side effects.

To analyze the characteristics of opportunistic infection (OI) in patients with HIV/AIDS in Guangdong and the relationship between OI and the change in blood CD4+ T lymphocyte count (CD4+).Seven hundred and sixty two patients with HIV/AIDS admitted were analyzed.Among all the 762 patients, 704 (92.39%) had more than one kind of OI, with 1428 episodes totally. Etiologically, fungus infection (38.38%) was most common, followed by bacteria (36.20%), and virus (7.77%) infection. Most OI occurred in the lungs (33.05%), mouth (26.89%), skin (10.29%) and gastro-intestine (8.96%). Septicemia and other systemic disseminated diseases accounted for 6.58% and 9.94% respectively. The incidence of OI in patients with CD4+≥200/µl (103/136, 75.74%) was significantly lower than that in patients with CD4+200/µl (601/626, 96.01%), P0.01. All the AIDS defining OI were found in patients with CD4+200/µl. Among them, 81.97% of patients with pneumonia carinii pneumonia (PCP), 71.43% of patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis and all the patients with cryptococcal meningitis, disseminated cryptococcosis, disseminated histoplasmosis, mycobacterium avium intracellular complex (MAC), disseminated penicilliosis marneffei and toxoplasma cerebritis had the CD4+ less than 50/µl.The most common OI in patients with AIDS in Guangdong area are fungi, bacterial and viral infections. Lung, mouth, skin, gastro-intestine and systemic disseminated infections are the most prevalent infections. As the CD4+ decreased, the incidence of OI especially AIDS defining OI increased. Dynamic detection of CD4+ will be of great help for the prediction, prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of OI in patients with AIDS.

Background: Immunoassays composed of screening and confirmation are the established algorithm to confirm HIV infection in China, with a Western blot result as the final diagnosis. Case Presentation: In this report, three late-stage AIDS patients were initially tested HIV antibody positive using multiple screening kits, but tested indeterminate using Western blot. HIV infection diagnosis was confirmed based on nucleic acid assays, clinic manifestations and epidemiological history. Case A was identified positive at 30 months, using Western blot, Case B at 8 months, and case C remained indeterminate until he died of Kaposi's sarcoma 4 months after HAART. Conclusion: The report indicates that current antibody-based testing algorithms may miss late-stage AIDS patients and therefore miss the opportunity for preventing these cases from further transmission. The report also implies that viral load assays is not easy to be universely applicated in developing country like China although it is helpful in diagnosing complicated cases of HIV infection, so the counselling before and after testing is imperative to the diagnosis of HIV infection and risk behavior survey on the eaxminee should be as detailed as possible., published_or_final_version

To investigate the infection of Cryptosporidium and its epidemiological characteristics in AIDS patients of Southern China.Stool samples colleted from AIDS confirmed patients. The samples were detected for oocyst of Cryptosporidium by acid fast bacteria stain and indirect fluorescent antibody stain respectively, CD4 count was detected by Flow Cytometry.212 samples of fresh stool obtained from the AIDS patients who live in Guangdong and Yunnan province. The total infection rate of Cryptosporidium in AIDS patients was 4.25% (9/212), the infectious rate of oocyst in the group of 50- 59-years-old was significantly higher than those in 30-39 (P0.01); the infectious rate of oocyst in patients with antiretroviral therapy (ART) was also significantly lower (P = 0.0000); we found the patients coinfected with Cryptosporidium with CD4 count all below 100 cells/microl. However, there were no any difference between the infectious rate to the patient's gender, areas and stool shape.AIDS patients infected by Cryptosporidium are not rare in southern China, and the infectious rate was lower than western country. Patients received ART could decrease the infectious rate of Cryptosporidium, Cryptosporidium always happen in patient whose CD4 count was very low (100 cells/microl).

Pneumocystis jirovecii dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene mutations are associated with failure of sulfur prophylaxis of Pneumocystis pneumonia. Here the P. jirovecii DHPS gene was amplified from bronchoalveolar fluid of 10 AIDS patients in China. No DHPS gene mutations were observed. The results suggest that the prevalence of DHPS mutations in China may be low.

To study the pathogens and drug resistance profiles of pulmonary infection in patients with AIDS.The pathogens and their drug susceptibility of pulmonary infection diagnosed by fibrobronchoscopy-induced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) culture and/or transbronchial biopsy in 116 AIDS cases were analyzed.Monopathogenic infection in lungs were detected in 18 cases (15.5%) and mixed infection in 98 cases (84.5%). Of the 116 cases, bacteria were present in 91 patients, fungi in 62, tubercle bacillus in 49, pneumocystis jiroveci in 29, and cytomegalovirus in 11. Ninety-five bacterial strains were isolated from BALF, mainly including Streptococci (34), coagulase negative Staphylococcus (20), Klebsiella pneumoniae (10) and Escherichia (7). The isolated bacteria were resistant to beta-lactam, macrolides, quinolones and aminoglycosides, of which were 14 methicillin-resistant Streptococci (MRS) strains and 12 extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) strains. Sixty-eight fungal strains were isolated, including 36 Candida mycoderma, 19 Penicillium, 6 Aspergilli and 5 Mold fungi; they were sensitive to amphotericin B but resistant to fluconazole (5.6% - 50.0%) and itraconazole (10.5% - 60.0%).Pneumonia in AIDS patients are usually caused by multiple pathogens, predominantly consisting of multiresistant bacteria and fungi. Therefore, antibiotics should be rationally chosen according to drug susceptibility test.

To study the clinical characteristics of the patients with dengue fever (DF) seen from 2002 to 2006 in Guangzhou in order to prevent and treat dengue fever better.Clinical data from 1342 inpatients with DF seen from 2002 to 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. The dengue virus was isolated by C6/36 cell culture and genotyped by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and gene sequence analysis.The average age of the patients was 34.4 years, without sex difference in distribution. Most of the patients had obvious toxemic symptoms including fever (100 percent), headache (85.9 percent), myalgia (64.5 percent), bone soreness (46.6 percent) and skin rash (65.9 percent). Leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, elevated alanine aminotransferase, elevated aspartate aminotransferase and hypokalemia were found in 66.0 percent, 61.3 percent, 69.0 percent , 85.7 percent and 28.4 percent of patients, respectively. DF-IgM could be detected in 90 percent of patients. The virus was identified as dengue virus type-I.The epidemic of DF was caused by dengue virus- I from 2002 to 2006 in Guangzhou. Most of the patients had classic DF clinical manifestation with high percentage of hepatic injury. Few patients progressed to dengue hemorrhagic fever.

To study methods of diagnosis and treatment for atypical pneumonia (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), outbreak of the illness in Guangzhou during Jan. - Mar., 2003.190 cases with atypical pneumonia were analyzed, and the cases were admitted in Guangzhou municipal First Hospital and Guangzhou municipal Eighth Hospital.Patients were infected by close quarters contacting each other. All patients manifest high fever, and accompany by dyspnea, cough, palpitate, weakness, headache and swirl. Other 46 cases were accompanied by diarrhea. Most of patients, manifestation of lungs was negative. Chest X-ray, shadow of lungs were light in beginning, and change to severity slowly or suddenly during 5 - 10 days. Of these cases, 36 cases develop to ARDS and 11 cases died with severity ARDS. Using general antibiotic was of no effect for the illness. Continual positive airway pressure (CPAP) and glucocorticoid was required that can control deprivation of the disease when toxicosis symptom of patients was severity and shadow of lungs diffuse more and more.Infectivity of the illness is evidence and spread by airway. Using general antibiotic was of no effect for the illness. Continual positive airway pressure (CPAP) and glucocorticoid are effective for control of the disease.