Dissecting the intricacies of human antibody responses to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) causes more severe disease than SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19. However, our understanding of antibody response to SARS-CoV-1 infection remains incomplete. Herein, we studied the antibody responses in 25 SARS-CoV-1 convalescent patients. Plasma neutralization was higher and lasted longer in SARS-CoV-1 patients than in severe SARS-CoV-2 patients. Among 77 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated, 60 targeted the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and formed 7 groups (RBD-1 to RBD-7) based on their distinct binding and structural profiles. Notably, RBD-7 antibodies bound to a unique RBD region interfaced with the N-terminal domain of the neighboring protomer (NTD proximal) and were more prevalent in SARS-CoV-1 patients. Broadly neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and bat and pangolin coronaviruses were also identified. These results provide further insights into the antibody response to SARS-CoV-1 and inform the design of more effective strategies against diverse human and animal coronaviruses.

Comorbidity of Myasthenia gravis and Graves' disease as immune reconstitution-associated autoimmune disease in HIV infection: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Comorbidity of Myasthenia gravis (MG) and Graves' disease (GD) in treated HIV-infected individuals has rarely been described and little study has been done on the link between HIV-related immune reconstitution and autoimmune diseases occurring post antiretroviral therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report on a 33-year-old Chinese man with HIV infection who had been virologically suppressed since 2018. The patient was diagnosed with GD and was treated in 2020. Early in 2022, he developed fluctuating weakness and fatigue involving the bilateral extraocular muscles and limbs. With a positive neostigmine test, he was considered to have MG, but showed a poor response to oral medication. After multiple failed medication attempts, a thymectomy was finally performed to resolve his symptoms. The consecutive onset of immunological events may have partially resulted from immune reconstitution after viral control. CONCLUSIONS: This is a rare case of HIV-related immune reconstitution-associated autoimmune disease (IRAD) with comorbidity of MG and GD which was reported initially. Cooperation with multidisciplinary teams is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and to promote the overall health of HIV-infected patients.

Development and Validation of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Ultraviolet Detection Method for Quantification of Bictegravir in Human Plasma.

BACKGROUND: To establish a method for determining the bictegravir (BIC) concentration in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection. METHODS: The analysis was performed on a CLC-octadecylsilane column (150 × 6.0 mm, 5 µm) using a mixture of phosphate buffer and acetonitrile (62:38, v/v) as the mobile phase at the flow rate of 1.4 mL/min. The column temperature was maintained at 40°C. Using triamcinolone acetonide as the internal standard, 100 µL of plasma sample was extracted by methyl tert-butyl ether, followed by evaporating under nitrogen stream, redissolving with 100 µL mobile phase, and injection of 20-40 µL of supernatant into the chromatographic system. Ultraviolet detection was performed at 260 nm, and the total run time for each sample was 14 minutes. RESULTS: The method exhibited good linearity within the range from 0.10 to 10.0 mcg/mL (r = 0.9995, n = 5). The intraday and interday relative standard deviations for low-, medium-, and high-concentration quality control samples (0.20, 4.00, 8.00 mcg/mL) and the lower limit of quantification (0.10 mcg/mL) were 1.31%-6.20% (n = 10) and 1.18%-2.87% (n = 5), respectively. The intraday and interday accuracies were 100.53%-102.32% and 97.96%-103.84%, respectively. The extraction recovery rates ranged from 80.00% to 88.09% (n = 3). The stability tests showed that the BIC concentration changed by <15%. CONCLUSIONS: This study successfully established a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection method for determining plasma BIC concentrations. This method is simple, selective, sensitive, and accurate, making it suitable for clinical monitoring and pharmacokinetic studies of BIC.

Clinical study of 400mg efavirenz treatment in newly diagnosed patients with HIV/AIDS.

The efficacy of 400mg efavirenz (EFV) once daily is reported to be similar to that of 600mg EFV. However, EFV-related toxic and side effects of 400mg EFV are significantly reduced. Here, the feasibility of reducing EFV to 400mg once a day in HIV-infected/AIDS patients was evaluated. Fifty patients were included. Patients were given 3TC+TDF+400mg EFV (n=25) or 3TC+TDF+600mg EFV (n=25). The proportion of patients with HIV RNA < 40 copies/mL and the adverse events served as the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. HIV inhibition rates of the 3TC+TDF+400mg EFV group and 3TC+TDF+600mg EFV group were both 56.52% at week 24 and respectively 100%, 91.3% at week 48. During 48 weeks, 27 cases of adverse events were reported in the 3TC+TDF+400mg EFV group, lower than those in the 3TC+TDF+600mg EFV group, which had 39 cases. Compared with the 3TC+TDF+400mg EFV group, the incidence of transaminase, dizziness, hyperlipidemia and rashes all increased in the 3TC+TDF+600mg EFV group (P>0.05). No serious adverse events of the central nervous system occurred. The incidence of depression, sleep disturbance, and vertigo were similar (P>0.05). The efficacy of 400mg EFV is comparable to 600mg EFV. However, patients receiving 400mg EFV have fewer adverse events.

Memory CD4+T cell profile is associated with unfavorable prognosis in IgG4-related disease: Risk stratification by machine-learning.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic immune-mediated disease with heterogeneity. In this study, we used machine-learning approaches to characterize the immune cell profiles and to identify the heterogeneity of IgG4-RD. The XGBoost model discriminated IgG4-RD from HCs with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.963 in the testing set. There were two clusters of IgG4-RD by k-means clustering of immunological profiles. Cluster 1 featured higher proportions of memory CD4+T cell and were at higher risk of unfavorable prognosis in the follow-up, while cluster 2 featured higher proportions of naïve CD4+T cell. In the multivariate logistic regression, cluster 2 was shown to be a protective factor (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.10-0.91, P = 0.011). Therefore, peripheral immunophenotyping might potentially stratify patients with IgG4-RD and predict those patients with a higher risk of relapse at early time.

Risk factors and longitudinal changes of dyslipidemia among Chinese people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improved the prognosis of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). Life-long treatment is required in PLWH and is accompanied by various metabolic abnormalities in the disease course. Data about the epidemiology and the dynamic changes of dyslipidemia in PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy were scarce in Asian countries. This study aimed to explore the risk factors of dyslipidemia and analyze the longitudinal changes of dyslipidemia among Chinese PLWH receiving HAART. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of PLWH enrolled in two large multicenter clinical trials across China, and outpatients followed at the clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Demographic data and clinical parameters were collected. The risk factors and longitudinal changes in lipid profiles associated with HIV-1 infection were analyzed. The definition of dyslipidemia was made based on the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 1542 PLWH were included. The median follow-up was 6 years. At baseline, the concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were 4.1 ± 0.91 mmol/L, 1.2 (interquartile ranges [IQR] 0.85-1.75) mmol/L, 1.1 ± 0.37 and 2.4 ± 0.76 mmol/L, respectively. The rate of hypercholesterolemia, hyperglyceridemia, high LDL-C, and low HDL-C were 10.18%, 26.39%, 9.08%, and 44.94%, respectively. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia was 69.3%, which raised to 84.3% after antiretroviral therapy, substantially higher. CD4/CD8 ratio < 0.3 and viral load > 105 copies/mL were risk factors associated with any subtype of dyslipidemia. A negative correlation between CD8+CD38+ percentage and HDL-C concentration was found. The regimens including efavirenz (EFV) and tenofovir (TDF) showed better lipid profiles. Longitudinal analysis revealed that both the level and the percentage of abnormal TG and HDL-C occurred drastic change in the first 6 months after ART initiation (from 4.07 to 4.41, from 1.11 to 1.28mmol/L, from 26.39 to 31.1% and from 44.94 to 29.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of dyslipidemia is high in PLWH and increases after ART, mainly represented as high TG and low HDL-C and associated with advanced stage of HIV-1 infection. The greatest changes in lipids occurred in the early stage after initiating ART therapy. The results suggest that dyslipidemia should be monitored and managed when starting ART.

Development and validation of an HPLC method for quantification of dolutegravir in human plasma.

Dolutegravir (DTG) has been the first-line drug in many human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) guidelines for the treatment of naïve and experienced HIV-infected individuals, which calls for cost-effective and convenient methods for quantitative detection of DTG in human plasma for pharmacokinetic studies and patient adherence evaluation. Here, an HPLC-ultraviolet method in combination with liquid-liquid extraction with isocratic elution was developed for the first time. The analysis was performed on a CLC-ODS column (6 mm internal diameter × 15 cm, 5 µm) using a mixture of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (40:60, v/v) as the mobile phase at the flow rate of 1 mL/min. Using triamcinolone as the internal standard, 100 µL of plasma sample was extracted by methyl tert-butyl ether, followed by evaporating under nitrogen stream, re-dissolving with 100 µL mobile phase, and injection of 20-40 µL of supernatant into the chromatographic system. The linearity of DTG was good in the range of 0.05-10 µg/mL (r = 0.9995), and the inter- and intra-day variabilities were 0.4%-4.3% (n = 10) and 1.2%-6.2% (n = 10) for the lower limit of quantification, low-, medium-, and high-concentration quality control samples (0.05, 0.1, 0.8, and 8 µg/mL), respectively, while the methodological and extraction recoveries were 98.0%-103.0% (n = 20) and 65.2%-75.7% (n = 3), respectively. This method was successfully applied to analyze DTG plasma concentration in 84 Chinese patients with HIV.

The spectrum of kidney biopsy findings in Chinese HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVES: HIV-associated kidney disease is common but data on the pathology spectrum of kidney biopsy in China is lacking. This study aimed to illustrate the clinical presentation, laboratory findings and pathological spectrum of different subtypes of HIV-associated kidney disease in China. METHODS: Eighteen HIV patients with renal biopsy indications at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2002 to October 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. All had CD4 counts and HIV viral load measurements. Renal biopsies were examined with light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to test whether the data was normally distributed. The data is presented as medians (interquartile range), number (%), or means (±SD) according to their distribution. RESULTS: Seventeen patients had glomerular disease, and one patient had interstitial nephritis. Membranous nephropathy was present in eight patients (47.1%), and IgA nephropathy in four patients (23.5%). The difference in urine protein and serum albumin before and after treatment was statistically significant and no deaths or dialysis were observed to the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study found that classic HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) was uncommon in Chinese HIV patients. HIV immune complex kidney (HIVICK) disease, such as membranous or IgA nephropathy, was more common, and associated with better prognosis. Antiretroviral therapy, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers were effective in decreasing proteinuria and preserving renal function. The use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents seems safe. However, the nephrotoxic effect of antiretroviral agents and other medications should be carefully monitored.

HBV pgRNA profiles in Chinese HIV/HBV coinfected patients under pre- and posttreatment: a multicentre observational cohort study.

Data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) pregenomic (pgRNA) levels in HIV/HBV coinfected patients pre- and post-combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of HBV pgRNA levels in treatment-naive coinfected patients and explore the changes that occur after the initiation of cART by examining patients from multicentre cohort studies performed in China. We included HIV/HBV coinfected subjects from the China AIDS Clinical Trial cohorts established from 2008 to 2014. Clinical and serological markers of HIV and HBV infection and biochemical data were acquired at baseline and after 96 and 240-480 weeks of cART. The correlations between HBV pgRNA and HBV DNA levels as well as HBsAg levels were calculated using Spearman's bivariate correlation analysis, and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with undetectable HBV pgRNA levels before cART and HBeAg loss after cART. A total of 132 HIV/HBV coinfected patients were enrolled, and 100 individuals were HBeAg-negative. A total of 34.4% (32/93) of patients were positive for HBV pgRNA, and the median HBV pgRNA level was 4.92 (IQR: 4.21-6.12) log10 copies/mL before cART. The median HBV pgRNA level was significantly lower in HBeAg-negative individuals than in HBeAg-positive individuals (4.22 (IQR: 2.70-4.84) log10 copies/mL vs. 5.77 (IQR: 4.63-6.55) log10 copies/mL, p = 0.002). HBV pgRNA was moderately correlated with HBsAg (r = 0.594, p = 0.001), and positively associated with HBV DNA (r = 0.445, p = 0.011). The factors independently associated with undetectable HBV pgRNA level before cART were HBV DNA (OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 1.50-20.96, p = 0.01) and HBeAg status (OR: 5.95, 95% CI: 1.52-23.25, p = 0.01). A total of 87.5% (28/32) of patients were followed for a median duration of 138 (IQR: 54-240) weeks, and the HBV pgRNA levels became undetectable in seven patients. The 132 patients were observed for 695.5 person-years, and no HBsAg loss occurred. Thirteen individuals achieved HBeAg loss, four patients had undetectable levels of HBV pgRNA pre-cART, and the level of six individuals became undetectable during the 48-week (IQR: 48-264) follow-up period. HBeAg status was significantly associated with HBV pgRNA level in HIV/HBV coinfected patients pre- and post-cART. Additionally, undetectable HBV pgRNA level may be associated with HBeAg loss after cART.

[Candida Infection-caused Lumbar Vertebral Osteomyelitis:Report of One Case].

Candida vertebral osteomyelitis,a rare but challenging clinical disease without specific clinical manifestations,is prone to delay in diagnosis,with potential risks of serious complications.Therefore,early diagnosis is the key to improving the cure rate of this disease.A case of invasive candida lumbar osteomyelitis after gastrointestinal surgery is reported in this paper.We analyzed the clinical characteristics of the patient and reviewed the relevant literature,aiming to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Naïve CD4+ cell counts significantly decay and high HIV RNA levels contribute to immunological progression in long-term non-progressors infected with HIV by blood products: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Some long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) have decreasing CD4+ T cell counts and progress to AIDS. Exploring which subsets of CD4+ T cell decreasing and the determinants associated with the decay in these patients will improve disease progression surveillance and provide further understanding of HIV pathogenesis. METHODS: Twenty-five LTNPs infected with HIV by blood products were classified as decreased (DG) if their CD4+ cell count dropped to < 400 cells/µL during follow-up or as non-decreased (non-DG) if their CD4+ cell count was ≥400 cells/µL. Laboratory and clinical assessments were conducted at 6 consecutive visits to identify DG characteristics. RESULTS: The LTNPs were infected with HIV for 12 (IQR: 11.5-14) years, and 23 were classified as the B' subtype. Six individuals lost LTNP status 14.5 (IQR: 12.5-17.5) years after infection (DG), and the CD4+ T cell count decreased to 237 (IQR: 213-320) cells/µL at the latest visit. The naïve CD4+ T cell count decrease was greater than that of memory CD4+ T cells [- 128 (IQR: - 196, - 107) vs - 64 (IQR: - 182, - 25) cells/µL)]. Nineteen individuals retained LTNP status (non-DG). At enrolment, the viral load (VL) level (p = 0.03) and CD8+CD38+ percentage (p = 0.03) were higher in DG than non-DG individuals. During follow-up, viral load and CD8+CD38+ percentage were significantly increased and negatively associated with CD4+ cell count [(r = - 0.529, p = 0.008), (r = - 0.476, p = 0.019), respectively]. However, the CD8+CD28+ percentage and B cell count dropped in DG and were positively correlated with CD4+ T cell count [(r = 0.448, p = 0.028), (r = 0.785, p < 0.001)]. CONCLUSION: Immunological progression was mainly characterized by the decrease of naïve CD4+ T cell in LTNPs infected with HIV by blood products and it may be associated with high HIV RNA levels.

Pharmacodynamics of efavirenz 400 mg in treatment-naïve Chinese HIV-infected patients in a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The plasma concentration of patients treated with efavirenz (EFV) 600 mg was found to exceed the upper limit of the proposed therapeutic window in most Chinese HIV-infected individuals; thus, dosage reduction of EFV to 400 mg daily warranted consideration. This study aimed to assess the pharmacodynamics of EFV 400 mg for HIV-1-infected patients in China. METHOD: Twenty cART-naïve individuals were enrolled in this study. EFV 400 mg combined with tenofovir (TDF) and lamivudine (3TC) as an initial antiretroviral regimen was administered for 48 weeks. EFV concentration and T cell subsets as well as HIV RNA load were evaluated at baseline and at 4, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. Moreover, neuropsychiatric adverse effects were also assessed by the Hamilton depression (HAMD) scale and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). RESULTS: Eighteen males and two females whose median age was 26 (interquartile range [IQR]: 23-32) years completed 48 weeks of follow-up. The median EFV concentrations were 1.88 (IQR: 1.54-2.42), 1.74 (IQR: 1.36-1.93), 1.93 (IQR: 1.66-2.22), and 1.85 (IQR: 1.54-2.14) mg/L at weeks 4, 12, 24, and 48, respectively. The viral load was 4.59 (IQR: 4.10-5.19) log10 copies/mL at baseline, and it decreased by 4.6 (IQR: 3.98-5.18) log10 copies/mL from baseline to week 48. Three of 20 (15%), 10 of 20 (50.0%), 17 of 20 (85%), and 18 of 19 (95%) participants had a plasma viral load less than 50 copies/mL at weeks 4, 12, 24, and 48, respectively. The median CD4 cell count was 330 (IQR: 237-410) cells/µL at baseline, and it increased to 473 (IQR: 344-574) cells/µL at 48 weeks. The HAMD score was 5 (IQR: 3-9.8) and 3 (IQR: 2.25-4) at baseline and 48 weeks, respectively. The PSQI score was 4 (IQR: 2-5.8) and 3 (IQR: 2-4) at baseline and 48 weeks, respectively. Dizziness was the most common event, occurring in 70% of patients within the first 2 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: Patients prescribed with EFV 400 mg-containing agents demonstrated favourable virological and immunological responses. And the plasma EFV concentration was within the recommended therapeutic range, with fewer adverse reactions than with EFV 600 mg. EFV 400 mg was effective and safe in Chinese HIV-infected patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04596488 ; Registered 21 October, 2020; Retrospectively registered.

Therapeutic prediction of HIV-1 DNA decay: a multicenter longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Factors predicting peripheral blood total HIV-1 DNA size in chronically infected patients with successfully suppressed viremia remain unclear. Prognostic power of such factors are of clinical significance for making clinical decisions. METHODS: Two sets of study populations were included: 490 China AIDS Clinical Trial (CACT) participants (Training cohort, followed up for 144 to 288 weeks) and 117 outpatients from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) (Validation cohort, followed up for more than 96 weeks). All patients were chronically HIV-1-infected and achieved successful HIV-1 plasma RNA suppression within week 48. Total HIV-1 DNA in blood at baseline, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144 and 288 weeks after combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation were quantified. Generalized estimating equations and logistic regression methods were used to derive and validate a predictive model of total HIV-1 DNA after 96 weeks of cART. RESULTS: The total HIV-1 DNA rapidly decreased from baseline [median = 3.00 log10 copies/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)] to week 24 (median = 2.55 log10 copies/106 PBMCs), and leveled off afterwards. Of the 490 patients who had successful HIV-1 plasma RNA suppression by 96 w post-cART, 92 (18.8%) had a low total HIV-1 DNA count (< 100 copies/106 PBMCs) at week 96. In the predictive model, lower baseline total HIV-1 DNA [risk ratio (RR) = 0.08, per 1 log10 copies/106 PBMCs, P < 0.001] and higher baseline CD4+ T cell count (RR = 1.72, per 100 cells/µL, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with a low total HIV-1 DNA count at week 96. In an independent cohort of 117 patients, this model achieved a sensitivity of 75.00% and specificity of 69.52%. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline total HIV-1 DNA and CD4+ T cell count are two independent predictors of total HIV-1 DNA after treatment. The derived model based on these two baseline factors provides a useful prognostic tool in predicting HIV-1 DNA reservoir control during cART.

Comparison of Differences in Bone Mineral Density Measurement With 3 Hologic Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Scan Modes.

Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered a diagnostic parameter for osteoporosis by the World Health Organization (WHO). DXA densitometers have different scanning modes for BMD measurements, although the specific scanning modes vary based upon the manufacturer. For DXA machines manufactured by Hologic, which are used globally, a range of scanning modes exist, including but not limited to (in order of decreasing spatial resolution) Array, Fast Array, and Express Array. Only a handful of prior studies have compared the reproducibility of BMD measurements across scan modes. The present study aimed to add to this body of literature by investigating the differences in BMD measured between 3 scanning modes in Hologic DXA machines at 19 different health centers. As part of cross-calibration activities for two multi-center studies in China measuring BMD, the European spine phantom (ESP, 1.000 g/cm2) was scanned on 19 different Hologic DXA machines. To measure differences in BMD between the 3 scan modes most commonly found on the Hologic models available (i.e., Array, Fast Array, Express Array), the ESP measurement was performed 10 times for each scan mode on each Hologic DXA machine. One-sample t test was used to compare the average difference between the measured ESP results of the 3 scanning modes at each hospital and reference ESP values. Single factor analysis of variance was performed to compare the average differences between the pairs of scanning modes using the reference ESP. Statistically significant differences between the measured ESP results with reference ESP values were found with each scanning mode at 19 hospitals (all p values <0.05). Consistent with this finding, differences in average BMD between the Array mode and Fast Array mode were invariably the smallest compared to differences seen between the other two pairs of scan modes. Significant differences were observed between average ESP BMD for the Array and Express Array scan modes (0.971 ± 0.013 vs 0.935 ± 0.027, p < 0.001), and between Fast Array and Express Array scan modes (0.972 ± 0.012 vs 0.935 ± 0.027, p < 0.001). However, no significant difference in average ESP BMD was observed between the Array and Fast Array scan modes (0.971 ± 0.013 vs 0.972 ± 0.012, p = 0.997). The selection of ideal scanning mode requires a balance of scanning time, radiation exposure, and measurement accuracy. In this ex vivo study, the Fast Array scanning mode appeared to be a reasonable choice compared with Array and Express Array for BMD measurements by Hologic DXA. Future in vivo studies can help guide the clinical application of these findings.

Validation of a six-item dietary calcium screening tool among HIV patients in China.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with HIV are at increased risk for osteoporosis. A healthy diet with adequate Ca is recommended to promote bone health. However, lengthy nutritional assessments pose barriers to routine screenings in clinical practice. This study aimed to examine the validity and reproducibility of a six-item dietary Ca screening tool among Chinese individuals with HIV. DESIGN: We conducted a two time-point study in an outpatient setting. Volunteers self-administered the six-item tool upon enrolment and again at 1-month follow-up. At baseline, participants also completed a validated FFQ and surveys regarding demographic and clinical risk factors. SETTING: Beijing, China; Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. PARTICIPANTS: Upon enrolment, 127 individuals with HIV participated in the study, of whom 83 completed the follow-up screening. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 35·2 (sd 9·3) years, average BMI was 22·8 (sd 3·8) kg/m2 and 89 % were men. Among the participants, 54·7 % reported Ca intake less than 800 mg/d. The six-item tool demonstrated fair-to-moderate relative validity with a correlation of 0·39 and 75·7 % of subjects classified in same/adjacent quartiles as the reference, and moderate-to-good reproducibility with a correlation of 0·60 and 83·1 % of subjects classified in same/adjacent quartiles. Finally, receiver operating characteristic analyses yielded a sensitivity of 87·0 % and a specificity of 39·4 % with optimised cut-off level. CONCLUSIONS: The six-item tool presented adequate validity and reproducibility to identify individuals with low Ca intake among the target population, providing a convenient instrument for categorising Ca intake in clinical practice, prompting referrals for further assessment, and raising awareness of dietary Ca in bone disease prevention.

Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 releases epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 replication by displacing the polycomb repressive complex 2 from binding to the LTR promoter.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may either repress or activate HIV-1 replication and latency; however, specific mechanisms for their action are not always clear. In HIV-1 infected CD4+ T cells, we performed RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis and discovered an up-regulation of MALAT1 (metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1), an lncRNA previously described in cancer cells that associate with cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, we found that MALAT1 promoted HIV-1 transcription and infection, as its knockdown by CRISPR/Cas9 markedly reduced the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)-driven gene transcription and viral replication. Mechanistically, through an association with chromatin modulator polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), MALAT1 detached the core component enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) from binding with HIV-1 LTR promoter, and thus removed PRC2 complex-mediated methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and relieved epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 transcription. Moreover, the reactivation of HIV-1 stimulated with latency reversal agents (LRAs) induced MALAT1 expression in latently infected cells. Successful combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was accompanied by significantly diminished MALAT1 expression in patients, suggesting a positive correlation of MALAT1 expression with HIV-1 replication. Our data have identified MALAT1 as a promoter of HIV-1 transcription, and suggested that MALAT1 may be targeted for the development of new therapeutics.

Circulating activated immune cells as a potential blood biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer occurrence and progression.

BACKGROUND: Treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has greatly improved in recent years. However, noninvasive early screening for carcinogenesis and progression unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of peripheral blood immune cells in untreated NSCLC patients. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 305 untreated NSCLC patients and 132 healthy participants from February 2016 to August 2019 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Immune cell levels were determined by flow cytometry and routine blood tests. RESULTS: NSCLC patients had lower levels of T lymphocytes, NK cells, CD8+ T cells, naïve CD4+/CD4+, naïve CD4+ T cells and higher levels of CD4+ T cells, memory CD4+/CD4+ T cells, memory CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+/CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+ T cells, CD8+CD28+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+HLA-DR+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+HLA-DR+ T cells T cells, CD8+CD38+/CD8+ T cells, CD8+CD38+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ T cells than those in controls. The percentages of specific lymphocyte subtypes were significantly different in cancer patients versus healthy individuals. For instance, cancer patients had lower levels of B cells, CD4+ T cells, naïve CD4+/CD4+ T cells, naïve CD4+ T cells, CD4+CD28+ T cells, CD8+CD28+ T cells and higher levels of NK cells, white blood cells (WBC), monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), eosinophil to lymphocyte ratio (ELR), basophil to lymphocyte ratio (BLR), and blood platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal T cell levels can be used as an independent predictive biomarker for noninvasive early screening in NSCLC occurrence and progression.

Myocardial Injury on Admission as a Risk in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective in-ICU Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, clinical presentation, cardiovascular (CV) complications, and mortality risk of myocardial injury on admission in critically ill intensive care unit (ICU) inpatients with COVID-19. DESIGN: A single-center, retrospective, observational study. SETTING: A newly built ICU in Tongji hospital (Sino-French new city campus), Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-seven critical COVID-19 patients. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided into a myocardial injury group and nonmyocardial injury group according to the on-admission levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Demographic data, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, treatment, and clinical outcome were evaluated, stratified by the presence of myocardial injury on admission. Compared with nonmyocardial injury patients, patients with myocardial injury were older (68.4 ± 10.1 v 62.1 ± 13.5 years; p = 0.02), had higher prevalence of underlying CV disease (34.1% v 11.1%; p = 0.02), and in-ICU CV complications (41.5% v 13.9%; p = 0.008), higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (20.3 ± 7.3 v 14.4 ± 7.4; p = 0.001), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (7, interquartile range (IQR) 5-10 v 5, IQR 3-6; p < 0.001). Myocardial injury on admission increased the risk of 28-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.200; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29 to 3.74; p = 0.004). Age ≥75 years was another risk factor for mortality (HR, 2.882; 95% CI 1.51-5.50; p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Critically ill patients with COVID-19 had a high risk of CV complications. Myocardial injury on admission may be a common comorbidity and is associated with severity and a high risk of mortality in this population.

Clinicopathological Features and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill COVID-19 with Prolonged Disease Course: A Retrospective Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The incidence, severity, and outcomes of AKI in COVID-19 varied in different reports. In patients critically ill with COVID-19, the clinicopathologic characteristics of AKI have not been described in detail. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 81 patients critically ill with COVID-19 in an intensive care unit. The incidence, etiologies, and outcomes of AKI were analyzed. Pathologic studies were performed in kidney tissues from ten deceased patients with AKI. RESULTS: A total of 41 (50.6%) patients experienced AKI in this study. The median time from illness to AKI was 21.0 (IQR, 9.5-26.0) days. The proportion of Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 AKI were 26.8%, 31.7%, and 41.5%, respectively. The leading causes of AKI included septic shock (25 of 41, 61.0%), volume insufficiency (eight of 41, 19.5%), and adverse drug effects (five of 41, 12.2%). The risk factors for AKI included age (per 10 years) (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.24 to 2.69; P=0.002) and serum IL-6 level (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.73; P=0.003). KDIGO stage 3 AKI predicted death. Other potential risk factors for death included male sex, elevated D-dimer, serum IL-6 level, and higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. The predominant pathologic finding was acute tubular injury. Nucleic acid tests and immunohistochemistry failed to detect the virus in kidney tissues. CONCLUSIONS: AKI was a common and multifactorial complication in patients critically ill with COVID-19 at the late stage of the disease course. The predominant pathologic finding was acute tubular injury. Older age and higher serum IL-6 level were risk factors of AKI, and KDIGO stage 3 AKI independently predicted death.

SARS-CoV-2 Is Not Detectable in the Vaginal Fluid of Women With Severe COVID-19 Infection.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spread mainly through respiratory droplets or direct contact. However, the infection condition of the genital system is unknown. Our aim in this study was to determine if SARS-CoV-2 is present in the vaginal fluid of women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: Ten women with confirmed severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the Tongji Zhongfa Hospital intensive care unit from 4 February 2020 through 24 February 2020 were included. Clinical records, laboratory results, and computed tomography examinations were retrospectively reviewed. The potential for genital infection was accessed by testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in vaginal fluids obtained from vaginal swab samples. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaginal fluids. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics of the 10 women were similar to those reported in other severe COVID-19 patients. All 10 patients were tested for SARS-CoV-2 in vaginal fluid, and all samples tested negative for the virus. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this small group of cases suggest that SARS-CoV-2 virus does not exist in the vaginal fluids of severe COVID-19 patients.