The Fitting of the OJ Phase of Chlorophyll Fluorescence Induction Based on an Analytical Solution and Its Application in Urban Heat Island Research.

Chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence induction (FI) upon a dark-light transition has been widely analyzed to derive information on initial events of energy conversion and electron transfer in photosystem II (PSII). However, currently, there is no analytical solution to the differential equation of QA reduction kinetics, raising a doubt about the fitting of FI by numerical iteration solution. We derived an analytical solution to fit the OJ phase of FI, thereby yielding estimates of three parameters: the functional absorption cross-section of PSII (σPSII), a probability parameter that describes the connectivity among PSII complexes (p), and the rate coefficient for QA- oxidation (kox). We found that σPSII, p, and kox exhibited dynamic changes during the transition from O to J. We postulated that in high excitation light, some other energy dissipation pathways may vastly outcompete against excitation energy transfer from a closed PSII trap to an open PSII, thereby giving the impression that connectivity seemingly does not exist. We also conducted a case study on the urban heat island effect on the heat stability of PSII using our method and showed that higher-temperature-acclimated leaves had a greater σPSII, lower kox, and a tendency of lower p towards more shade-type characteristics.

Sexual activity, sexual satisfaction and their correlates among older adults in China: findings from the sexual well-being (SWELL) study.

Background: Sexual activity is important to the holistic health of older adults. However, the sexual lives of older adults are understudied. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of sexual activity and sexual satisfaction among older adults in China. Methods: In this multi-centre cross-sectional study, individuals aged 50 years and older were recruited from four regions in China between June 2020 and December 2022. An investigator-administered questionnaire was completed to collect information on socio-demographics, health status (general health and specific health), and sexual health characteristics. Sexual activity (including vaginal, oral, or anal sex) in the past year was treated as sexually active. Sexual satisfaction was measured using a validated five-point Likert scale. Logistic regression was used to assess correlates of sexual activity and sexual satisfaction. Findings: 3001 older adults (1182 women and 1819 men, mean age 60.3 ± 7.8 years) were recruited. Most participants were living in urban areas (1688, 56.2%), in a stable relationship (2531, 84.3%), and satisfied with life (2141, 71.3%). 46.8% of men and 40.7% of women were sexually active. Better self-reported general health status (good: aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.82; fair: 0.47, 0.29-0.76; bad or very bad: 0.58, 0.35-0.96; versus very good), no difficulty walking upstairs (0.63, 0.41-0.97), diabetes (0.64, 0.42-0.98), and menopause (0.57, 0.36-0.92), were associated with sexual activity among women. Such an association was not found among men. Among sexually active participants, about three-quarters (men: 73.6%, women: 73.4%) were sexually satisfied. Self-reported general health status (men [good: 0.25, 0.12-0.53; fair: 0.17, 0.08-0.37; bad or very bad: 0.15, 0.06-0.34]; women [good: 0.27, 0.10-0.70; fair: 0.11, 0.04-0.30; bad or very bad: 0.11, 0.04-0.32]), life satisfaction (men: 1.73, 1.22-2.46; women: 2.23, 1.34-3.71) and talking about sexual preferences with a partner (men: 1.77, 1.23-2.56; women: 2.93, 1.69-5.09) were associated with sexual satisfaction. Interpretation: Older adults who had better health status and talked easily with their partners about their sex life were more likely to report sexual satisfaction. For women, better self-reported general health status and lack of disability were associated with sexual activity. Further research should address measures that improve sexual satisfaction, especially among sexually active older adults. Funding: This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China International/Regional Research Collaboration Project [72061137001] and the Economic and Social Research Council [ES/T014547/1].

Loneliness and its correlates among older adults living with HIV: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: With the aging among people living with HIV, it is critical to understand the health needs of older adults (aged 50 years and above) living with HIV (OALHIV). Loneliness, as the next critical public health issue, was rarely mentioned among OALHIV. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2021 and April 2022. Participants were recruited from infectious diseases hospitals that provide HIV care in four cities in China. The associations with loneliness symptoms (measured by a three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale) were analyzed by logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 680 OALHIV (500 men, 180 women, mean age 60.3 ± 7.8 years) were included in the analysis. About one-fifth (18.1 %) of OALHIV reported loneliness symptoms. Living in urban areas (aOR 3.50, 95 % CI 1.76-6.95), having children without close intergenerational relationships (2.85, 1.15-7.07), higher self-perceptions of aging (1.10, 1.06-1.15), being heterosexual (0.26, 0.13-0.52) or bisexual (0.37, 0.16-0.82), having children with whom they kept close intergenerational relationships (0.36, 0.14-0.98), and reporting life satisfaction (0.40, 0.24-0.66), were associated with loneliness symptoms. LIMITATIONS: This study is a cross-sectional study and only included OALHIV who participated in antiretroviral therapy treatment for >18 months, which is not widely representative. CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness was prevalent among OALHIV. Living in urban areas, being homosexual, having children with whom they kept fragile intergenerational relationships, being dissatisfied with life, and having higher self-perceptions of aging were independent risk factors for loneliness. Routine health management for OALHIV needs to incorporate the assessment of aging perceptions and loneliness.

Sexual well-being among older adults in China (SWELL): protocol for a multicenter cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Existing studies on sexual health generally focus on younger populations, while the sexual well-being of older adults has received insufficient attention. This protocol describes the design of a study on sexual well-being and its correlates among older adults in China. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We present the protocol for a multicentre observational study to investigate sexual well-being among Chinese older adults (SWELL). Eligible participants are men and women aged 50 years and older from East, West, South and North China, including older adults living in the community and older adults living with HIV. A multistage sampling approach is used in the SWELL Study. We will collect a questionnaire about sexual health (sexual knowledge, sexual attitude, sexual behaviours, sexually transmitted infections, etc). Blood specimens will be tested for sex hormones (estradiol for women, testosterone for men), biochemical items (eg, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, urea, creatinine and uric acid) and syphilis (determined by toluidine red unheated serum test and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test). The primary analysis will elucidate the current status of sexual health among older adults in China and its correlates. Secondary analyses will compare sexual well-being among older adults in four regions across China. Approximately 3540 older adults will be recruited into the SWELL Study. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University (approval number SYSU-PHS[2019]006). Verbal informed consent will be obtained from all participants before any study procedure. Data will be anonymised, and participants will not be identified through any data, transcripts or publications. Findings from the SWELL Study will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed scientific journals and at national and international conferences.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies PSMB8 as a key gene in the cutaneous malignant melanoma tumor microenvironment.

Background: Cutaneous tumors are commonly seen in clinical practice, and malignant melanoma (MM) is the leading cause of cutaneous tumor-induced death. The tumor microenvironment (TME), a critical part of tumorigenesis, has been a research hotspot in recent years. However, the effects of the MM microenvironment components remain elusive. This study aimed to analyze the various components in the TME of MM to identify factors affecting the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of MM and the survival of MM patients. We also aimed to identify biomarkers related to TME rehabilitation to provide a new direction for MM treatment. Methods: We used bioinformatics to analyze the RNA-seq and somatic mutation data of 473 MM patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Firstly, the patients' immunity and stroma were separately scored by the Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data (ESTIMATE) method. According to the median score, the participants were split into high- and low-score groups. Then, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed, showing that high-expression genes were highly abundant in biological and metabolic activities associated with the immune system. Results: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially mutated genes (DMGs) were identified and intersected to obtain the key immune-related genes PSMB8, FAM216B, DYSF, and FAM131C. PSMB8 was finally selected as the preferred immune-related prognostic marker; it was positively associated with overall survival and therefore considered a protective gene for MM patients. The GSEA analysis showed that PSMB8 with high expression had greater gene abundance in biological and metabolic processes related to immune system. In addition, CIBERSORT analysis showed an association between the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and PSMB8 expression. Conclusions: Our results suggest that PSMB8 might be associated with tumorigenesis and MM progression and could serve as a biomarker for the TME rehabilitation of MM. Our findings provide a new perspective and direction for the treatment of MM.

Differences in and verification of genetic alterations in chemotherapy and immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic melanoma has poor therapeutic response and may present resistance to chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Significant differences are observed in the survival time of patients with metastatic melanoma based on the administration of chemotherapy or immunotherapy; thus, we have explored the important role of specific differential genes between the two therapies in their effect on treatment response in melanoma. METHODS: Metastatic melanoma gene expression data (RNAseq, mutation and methylation) and patient clinical information were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and grouped according to chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The differentially expressed genes of the two groups were further screened for signature genes through a protein-protein interaction network and Lasso-Cox regression model. Then, differences in the treatment response, overall survival, mutation and methylation of characteristic genes were compared. Finally, western blot and real-time qPCR technology were used to detect the expression differences of the signature genes in metastatic melanoma tumor tissues in patients undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy. RESULTS: The overall survival of the chemotherapy-based treatment group was significantly higher than that of the immunotherapy-based group. The immune infiltration level of immature dendritic cells (DCs) in the chemotherapy group was significantly higher than that in the immunotherapy group. Finally, seven signature genes were selected: CCKBR, KCNJ11, NMU, MMP13, ITGA10, IGFBP1 and CEACAM5. The results of these signature genes were significantly differentiated between the chemotherapy and immunotherapy groups in terms of overall survival and disease progression in response to treatment. In addition, differences in the expression of these genes were verified by western blot and real-time qPCR. CONCLUSION: In this study, significant differences in the expression of signature genes were verified. The findings indicate that immature DCs with potential application value should be considered and high mutation sites of signature genes should be identified to reduce the occurrence of treatment resistance.

The Polygenic Map of Keloid Fibroblasts Reveals Fibrosis-Associated Gene Alterations in Inflammation and Immune Responses.

Due to many inconsistencies in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to genomic expression changes during keloid formation and a lack of satisfactory prevention and treatment methods for this disease, the critical biomarkers related to inflammation and the immune response affecting keloid formation should be systematically clarified. Normal skin/keloid scar tissue-derived fibroblast genome expression data sets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and ArrayExpress databases. Hub genes have a high degree of connectivity and gene function aggregation in the integration network. The hub DEGs were screened by gene-related protein-protein interactions (PPIs), and their biological processes and signaling pathways were annotated to identify critical biomarkers. Finally, eighty-one hub DEGs were selected for further analysis, and some noteworthy signaling pathways and genes were found to be closely related to keloid fibrosis. For example, IL17RA is involved in IL-17 signal transduction, TIMP2 and MMP14 activate extracellular matrix metalloproteinases, and TNC, ITGB2, and ITGA4 interact with cell surface integrins. Furthermore, changes in local immune cell activity in keloid tissue were detected by DEG expression, immune cell infiltration, and mass CyTOF analyses. The results showed that CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and NK cells were abnormal in keloid tissue compared with normal skin tissue. These findings not only support the key roles of fibrosis-related pathways, immune cells and critical genes in the pathogenesis of keloids but also expand our understanding of targets that may be useful for the treatment of fibrotic diseases.

Nuciferine Inhibits Skin Cutaneous Melanoma Cell Growth by Suppressing TLR4/NF-κB Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma causes more than 80% of deaths from all dermatologic cancers. Hence, screening and identifying effective compounds to inhibit the growth of melanoma have crucial importance in basic and clinical treatment. METHODS: High throughput screening was performed to screen and identify compounds that have anti-melanoma ability. Melanoma cell and mouse allograft models were used to examine the anti-tumor effects of Nuciferine (NCFR). Western blot, qPCR, and lentivirus overexpression were applied to detect the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. RESULTS: NCFR administration significantly suppressed melanoma cell growth and tumor size by inhibiting the phosphorylation of p65. NCFR treatment also could suppress TNF-α-induced activation of NF-κB signaling. The anti-tumor effect of NCFR might be mediated by targeting Toll-like receptors 4. CONCLUSION: NCFR inhibits melanoma cell growth and suppresses tumor size, which provides potential therapeutic strategies for melanoma treatment.

Ferulic acid alleviates atopic dermatitis-like symptoms in mice via its potent anti-inflammatory effect.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors. The pathogenesis of AD is still not completely clear. Steroid topical therapy has severe side effects for chronic AD symptoms and new therapeutic options are urgently needed. Ferulic acid (FA) is a novel natural dietary polyphenol with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.Methods: FA was assessed in BALB/c mice with AD-like lesions resulted from repetitive applications of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Molecular and serological properties of the AD lesions as well as the overall symptomatic score were evaluated.Results: FA ameliorated the overall symptoms of AD, including the severity of skin lesion and incidence of scratching behavior. Systemically, FA markedly decreased DNCB-induced Th2 cytokines and IgE in the peripheral blood. In the local tissue with AD lesions, FA suppressed DNCB-stimulated mRNA production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, and IL-31. In THP-1 cells, a human monocyte model, FA dose-dependently suppressed DNCB-elicited up-regulation of CD54 and CD86 at cell surface, secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, and NFκB signaling activation.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that FA could serve as a promising therapeutic agent in AD treatment.

Possible treatment for cutaneous lichen planus: An in vitro anti-inflammatory role of Angelica polysaccharide in human keratinocytes HaCaT.

Cutaneous lichen planus (CLP) is an autoimmune disease. Angelica polysaccharide (AP) has been found to exert immunomodulation activity. In this study, we explored the roles of AP in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory injury of human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), as well as the underlying mechanisms. LPS-induced cell injury was evaluated by alterations of cell viability, apoptosis, and expressions of proteins associated with apoptosis and inflammatory cytokines. Then, the protective effects of AP on LPS-induced cell injury were assessed. The protein expressions of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and key kinases in the Nrf2/HO-1 and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathways were measured using western blotting. SIRT1 knockdown and overexpression were used to analyze whether AP affected HaCaT cells through regulating SIRT1. Finally, the possible inhibitory effects of AP on cell injury after LPS treatment were also evaluated. We found that LPS reduced HaCaT cell viability, enhanced apoptosis, and induced release of inflammatory cytokines. AP alleviated LPS-induced HaCaT cell inflammatory injury. The expression of SIRT1 was enhanced after AP treatment. AP activated Nrf2/HO-1 pathway while inhibited NF-κB pathway in HaCaT cells. The protective effects of AP on LPS-induced HaCaT cell injury were reversed by SIRT1 knockdown. Dysregulation of SIRT1 altered the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB pathways in LPS-treated HaCaT cells. Furthermore, AP also exerted inhibitory effects on HaCaT cell injury after LPS stimulation. In conclusion, AP could alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory injury of HaCaT cells through upregulating SIRT1 expression and then activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway but inactivating NF-κB pathway. This study provided a possible therapeutic strategy for clinical CLP treatments.

The first case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Bipolaris spicifera in Northern China: A case report.

Phaeohyphomycosis (PHM) is a term used to describe any fungus presenting in tissues with pseudohyphae, hyphae, brown yeast-like cells or a combination of these forms. Sinusitis and skin infections are the most common presentation of subcutaneous PHM caused by the fungus Bipolaris spicifera. However, the majority of cases have so far been encountered in tropical climatic zones. The present study documents a case of subcutaneous PHM caused by infection with Bipolaris spicifera in a 56-year-old Chinese man, who presented with plaque papillomatosis on the left foot. The organism isolated from the lesion scar and tissue was identified as Bipolaris spicifera by its morphology, histopathology and DNA sequencing. The patient was successfully treated with itraconazole and terbinafine.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate augments therapeutic effects of mesenchymal stem cells in skin wound healing.

In non-healing wounds, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies have the potential to activate a series of coordinated cellular processes, including angiogenesis, inflammation, cell migration, proliferation and epidermal terminal differentiation. As pro-inflammatory reactions play indispensable roles in initiating wound repair, sustained and prolonged inflammation exhibit detrimental effects on skin wound closure. We investigated the feasibility of using an antioxidant agent epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), along with MSCs, to improve wound repair through their immunomodulatory actions. In a rat model of wound healing, a single dose of EGCG at 10 mg/kg increased the efficiency of MSC-induced skin wound closure. Twenty days after the wound induction, MSC treatment significantly enhanced the epidermal thickness, which was further increased by EGCG administration. Consistently, the highest extent of growth factors upregulation for neovascularization induction was seen in the animals treated by both MSCs and EGCG, associated with a potent anti-scarring effect throughout the healing process. Finally, expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-6, in the wound area were reduced by MSCs, and this reduction was further potentiated by EGCG co-administration. EGCG, together with MSCs, can promote skin wound healing likely through their combinational effects in modulating chronic inflammation.

Clinical Features of Adult/Adolescent Atopic Dermatitis and Chinese Criteria for Atopic Dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by chronic recurrent dermatitis with profound itching. Most patients have personal and/or family history of atopic diseases. Several criteria have been proposed for the diagnosis of AD. Although the clinical features of childhood AD have been widely studied, there has been less large-scale study on adult/adolescent AD. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of adult/adolescent patients with chronic symmetrical eczema/AD and to propose Chinese diagnostic criteria for adult/adolescent AD. METHODS: A hospital-based study was performed. Forty-two dermatological centers participated in this study. Adult and adolescent patients (12 years and over) with chronic symmetrical eczema or AD were included in this study. Questionnaires were completed by both patients and investigators. The valid questionnaires were analyzed using EpiData 3.1 and SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 2662 valid questionnaires were collected (1369 male and 1293 female). Of all 2662 patients, 2062 (77.5%) patients had the disease after 12 years old, while only 600 (22.5%) patients had the disease before 12 years old, suggesting late-onset eczema/AD is common. Two thousand one hundred and thirty-nine (80.4%) patients had the disease for more than 6 months. One thousand one hundred and forty-four (43.0%) patients had a personal and/or family history of atopic diseases. One thousand five hundred and forty-eight (58.2%) patients had an elevated total serum IgE and/or eosinophilia and/or positive allergen-specific IgE. Based on these clinical and laboratory features, we proposed Chinese criteria for adult/adolescent AD. Of all 2662 patients, 60.3% were satisfied with our criteria, while only 48.2% satisfied with Hanifin Rajka criteria and 32.7% satisfied with Williams criteria, suggesting a good sensitivity of our criteria in adult/adolescent AD patients. CONCLUSION: Late-onset of eczema or AD is common. The clinical manifestations of AD are heterogeneous. We have proposed Chinese diagnostic criteria for adolescent and adult AD, which are simple and sensitive for diagnosis of adult/adolescent AD.

[Study on the association of partner-seeking and high risk behaviors related to AIDS among men who have sex with men in the different sites].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the situation of AIDS-related high risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) ever experienced partner-seeking in different sites. METHODS: Target sampling for cross-sectional study ("snowball") and valid anonymous questionnaires were adopted to compare the differences of high risk behaviors related to AIDS. 1834 MSM were studied in nine cities who sought sex partners through internet, bars or bath ponds. RESULTS: Compared to the other corresponding groups, those MSM from the bath pond group had a significant larger number of total sexual partners, chances of having anal and oral sex with same sex, and ones of anal sex in the previous six months with the median number as 40, 16, 20 and 4 respectively. Internet group had a higher rate of bleeding (36.4%) when having sexual intercourse in the previous year and a lower proportion of 8.7% exchanged sex for money, and 14.9% and 13.3% in both bar and bath pond groups respectively. Bar group had significant lower rates of condom use with 79.6% while having sex with men and 45.3% with women, but higher rates (28.9%) ever participated in group sex in the last year and 4.2% with HIV infection. CONCLUSION: MSM had high risk behaviors related to AIDS appeared in different sites when seeking partners. Intervention strategy should be taken, according to the characteristics of different subpopulations, especially on the bath pond group.

[Study on the AIDS-related high risk behaviors of men who have sex with men under the experience of exchanging money for the same sex].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the AIDS-related high risk behaviors of men who have sex with men (MSM) who ever exchanged money for the same sex. METHODS: Target sampling for cross-sectional study and valid anonymous questionnaires were adopted to compare the differences of AIDS-related high risk behaviors between MSM with the experience of exchanging money for the same sex and those without that experience. 1959 rstadied samples were recruited in nine cities. SPSS 13.0 was used and t, χ(2) and Mann-Whitney tests were taken for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared to corresponding ones without "buying" the same sex experience, MSM who ever engaged in "buying" sex had the characteristics of being prone to in marriage and living in larger cities with older age and higher income (P < 0.01). They also had a significant larger number in the following events: total sexual partners, anal sex and oral sex episodes with same sex, number of sexual partners, anal sex and oral sex in the previous six months, with the figure of median 50.0, 20.0, 20.0, 5.0, 4.0, 5.0 respectively. 31.5% had ever participated in 'group sex', 48.0% had sex with male partners away from his own region in the previous year, 70.5% had sexual intercourse with strangers at MSM avenues in the last six months. The OR (95%CI) values were 2.288 (1.702 - 3.077), 3.231 (2.462 - 4.241), 2.840 (2.140 - 3.770). All the above mentioned figures were higher than those without the experience, with significant differences. They had a significant lower rate of 45.7% of condom use while having sex with female partners (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MSM with the experience of exchanging money for the same sex would have more AIDS-related high risk behaviors, AIDS preventative measures should be taken to target different subgroups.

[Study on the high risk behaviors related to AIDS among men who having sex with men in the floating population].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risks on sexual behaviors related to AIDS among men who having sex with men (MSM) in floating population and to develop relevant interventions. METHODS: Study objectives were recruited through target sampling and anonymous questionnaires were adopted. Male sexual behaviors were compared between floating population and permanent registered residents. RESULTS: Among those MSM, the average numbers of same-gender partners, oral sex, anal sex and sex with females during the past 6 months among floating population were 9.61, 8.61, 7.52 and 1.17 respectively. Numbers of partners on oral sex and anal sex during the past month were 2.89 and 3.69 respectively. Both figures were higher than those of the permanent registered residents (P<0.05 or P< 0.01). The rates of condom use among floating population when having anal sex with men or with non-marital female partners were 37.15% and 23.28% respectively. The figures were all higher than those of permanent registered residents' (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Among floating population, the percentages of men who had sex with male sex workers or who had sex with men acquainted through inter-net or with stable female sex partners were 17.89%, 12.56%, and 31.86% respectively. The rates of men who had group sex among gay men, who bled when having sex with men or who had sex with men from other areas during the past year were 22.13%, 31.38% and 32.36% respectively. The figures were all higher than those of permanent registered residents' (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Sex-related high risk behaviors were more ubiquitous among floating population than those of permanent registered residents because they were more likely to transmit HIV to people from/to other areas. More attention should be paid to the floating population with MSM in particular, when health interventions are carried out.

[Study on HIV/AIDS related high risk behaviors among unmarried men who have sex with women].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk of sexual behaviors related to AIDS among unmarried men who often have sex with women. METHODS: Study objectives were recruited through target sampling and anonymous questionnaires were adopted. Men' s sexual behaviors were compared with each other between the group of men who always had sex with women (group A) and who never had sex with women (group B) in the past 6 months. RESULTS: The average numbers of same-gender partners among group A who acted as the male role in the past 6 months and who had anal intercourse in the last month were 5.64 and 3.09 respectively, which were both higher than those of group B's (P < 0.05). The rate of condom use among men in group A when having sex with men was 81.94%. The percentages of condom use among men in group A who having had oral or anal sex with male sex buyers last time were 15.38% and 70.27% respectively. They were all higher than those of group B' s (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The rates of men in group A who were male sex workers and who having had sex with unknown men in gay places during the past 6 months were 27.59% and 61.70% respectively. Among group A, the percentages of men who had had sex with unknown men during the last time and who had had sex with nonlocal male partners during the past year were 43.06% and 40.28% respectively. They were all higher than those of group B's (P < 0.01). The percentage of condom use among men in group A when having had sex with women during the past 6 months was 68.94%, but only 25.96% of the men used condom regularly. The rate of condom use in men from group A when having sex with women during the last sexual intercourse was 65.45%. CONCLUSION: HIV high-risk sex behaviors were more ubiquitous among unmarried MSM who always had sex with women, suggesting that different interventions be developed to prevent them from transmitting HIV from MSM to women or other men.

[The impact of childhood sexual abuse on the development of AIDS related high risk behaviors and psychological appearances among men who have sex with men].

OBJECTIVE: To study the AIDS related high risk behaviors and psychological appearances among men who have sex with men (MSM) who ever experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA). METHODS: Target sampling for a cross-sectional study was developed and valid anonymous questionnaires were adopted to compare the differences of high risk behaviors related to AIDS and psychological appearances between those with or without CSA experiences among 2147 MSM from nine cities. RESULTS: Compared to corresponding ones without CSA experience, CSA group had a significant larger numbers in the following events: total sexual partners, anal sex episodes with same sex, female sexual partners and anal sex in the previous six months, with the figures of median as 20.0, 10.0, 3.0, 3.0 respectively. In the previous year, 30.8% of them had ever participated in 'group sex', 19.2% ever exchanged money for sex, 36.7% bled while having sexual intercourse, 37.3% had sex with male partners away from his own region. All the above said figures were higher than non-CSA group, with significant differences. It also appeared that CSA experience had an impact on significant lower rate of condom use (67.3%) in the last anal sex. Those with CSA experience had more psychological problems which appeared as: 75.6% considered they would suffer from serious discrimination if their sexual orientation ever disclosed, 34.7% had a strong intention of suicide and 24.3% ever having had suicidal attempts. The differences of the two groups showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION: CSA experience not only increased the number of AIDS related high risk behaviors in adulthood, but also had negative impact on their psychological appearances. It is of urgent need to carry out psychological intervention approaches to target on MSM with CSA experiences while childhood sexual education and rights assurance towards juvenile population should also not be neglected.

[Study on the comparison of high risk behaviors related to AIDS among different status of income in men who have had sex with men].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk sexual behaviors related to AIDS among different status of income among men who have had sex with men and to provide relevant interventions for AIDS control and prevention. METHODS: Study objectives were recruited through target sampling and anonymous questionnaires were adopted. Men's sexual behaviors were reported under the categories as high, mid or low-income. RESULTS: The total number of same-gender partners with high and mid-income was 110.17 with an average of 71.97. Among high and mid-income men, the number of partners for oral sex was 62.45, with an average of 46.6 respectively. The number of partners having anal intercourse was 52.21, with an average of 32.3, obviously more than in the low-income group (P < 0.01). The rates of condom use among high-income and mid-income men were 79.03% and 77.29% respectively and were higher than that those among low-income men (P < 0.01). The percentage of high-income men who recently had had sex with male sex workers was 3.81%, higher than that of the mid-income and the low-income men (P < 0.01). The rates of high-income and mid-income men who had paid for sex from men were 24.27% and 14.7% respectively and were all higher than that of the low-income men with the highest in the high-income group (P < 0.01). The rates of high-income and mid-income men who were male sex workers were 6.72% and 11.05% respectively, which were all lower than that from the low-income group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The characteristics of sexual behaviors related to AIDS were different in the three groups. In high-income group, risk sexual behaviors also existed, suggesting that different interventions for different people should be developed.