HIV infection and associated risks among young men who have sex with men in a Florida resort community

OBJECTIVE: Several recent studies have reported high rates of sexual risk-taking and HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (MSM). Most of these studies used samples of convenience. The authors obtained population-based data on young MSM living in South Beach (Miami Beach, Florida), a resort community where some of the highest AIDS rates in the United States have been reported. METHODS: A household probability sample was drawn to survey unmarried 18- to 29-year-old MSM living in South Beach. Subjects were interviewed, completed self-administered questionnaires, and provided oral specimens for HIV antibody testing. RESULTS: From the 2,622 screened residential units, 100 mostly white and Hispanic MSM (92.6% of eligible participants) were enrolled in the study. Fifteen percent of the sample tested positive for antibodies to HIV. White and Hispanic MSM had similar rates. Forty-five percent of the sample reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in the prior 12 months, and 31% reported UAI with a nonprimary partner. The estimated annual incidence of HIV infection was 6.3%. CONCLUSION: The high prevalences of UAI and HIV infection in South Beach attest to a previously undocumented public health concern. The extremely high estimated incidence for young MSM in South Beach highlights the urgent need for more effective risk-reduction interventions and further epidemiological research on resort areas.     

1141610241Altered expression of HuR, an mRNA stabilizing protein, mediates aberrant Placenta Growth Factor (PlGF) expression in preeclampsia

Background:  Control of mRNA stability is an essential regulatory process in eukaryotic gene expression. HuR, a 3'UTR mRNA binding protein, can protect AU-rich mRNA from degradation in response to stresses. PlGF, an angiogenic growth factor, contains two consensus AU-rich sites suggesting that under normal conditions HuR may protect PlGF mRNA from degradation. Trophoblast expression of PlGF is significantly decreased in preeclampsia and by hypoxia in vitro . We hypothesize that decreased levels of cytoplasmic HuR may contribute to decreased PlGF expression in hypoxic and preeclamptic trophoblast.
Methods:  Western blots were used to determine relative effects of in vitro hypoxia on HuR protein expression and subcellular localization in trophoblast. Immunohistochemistry was used to compare HuR expression patterns in trophoblast of preeclamptic and normal placentae.
Results:  Cytoplasmic expression of HuR was decreased 1.4 fold in the cytoplasm and 1.2 fold in the nucleus of JEG3 cells. A shift in HuR was more apparent in primary trophoblast with a greater than 2-fold decrease in the cytoplasm and a 1.4 fold decrease in the nucleus following 24 hr of hypoxia. Immunohistochemical analyses detected HuR expression in near term trophoblast in situ . However, this technical approach did not detect a significant change in HuR expression between normal and preeclamptic trophoblast.
Conclusions:  HuR expression is decreased in hypoxic trophoblast, at least in vitro , which may provide a causal link to decreased PlGF mRNA expression. Down regulation of trophoblast PlGF expression is thought to contribute to the pathophysiology associated with preeclampsia including the relative lack of perfusion of the placenta and systemic renal effects.     

非受体型酪氨酸激酶-Syk蛋白的提取与纯化

目的 :从转染syk基因的Sf2 1细胞中提取、纯化免疫相关因子Syk蛋白。方法 :将syk基因转染Sf2 1细胞 ,于 2 8℃培养 48h ,收集细胞 ,用超声波破碎仪裂解细胞 ,提取裂解液中总蛋白 ,用Yellow 3凝胶和Toyopearl AF Heptin 650M凝胶层析柱分离、纯化。层析液中的Syk蛋白存在和性质 ,用SDS PAGE、免疫印迹实验和等电聚焦实验鉴定。结果 :从 2 5亿个Sf2 1细胞裂解液中提取了含有Syk的 2 2 5mg蛋白质。经Yellow 3凝胶层析分离 ,得到两个亚种的Syk蛋白 ,相对分子质量 (Mr)均为72× 10 3 。进一步用Toyopearl AF Heptin 650M凝胶层析纯化后 ,得到两个纯的Syk蛋白 ,SDS PAGE、免疫印迹实验结果显示 ,两种Syk的Mr 均为 72× 10 3,与Syk的理论相对分子质量吻合。但等电聚焦实验显示 ,这两种Syk蛋白成分具有不同的pI值。结论 :从 2 5亿个转染syk基因的Sf2 1细胞中纯化出8mgSyk蛋白 ,纯度高于 95%。这两种Syk的Mr 虽然相同 ,但具有不同的pI值 ,是两个亚种。这些Syk可用于研究Syk的作用机制、抗Syk抗体的制备和Syk诊断试剂盒的制备等     

Altered feeding responses in mice with targeted disruption of the dopamine-3 receptor gene

Dopamine signaling has been implicated in the control of food intake and body weight. In particular, dopamine is important in the control of meal size and number and is thought to mediate the response to metabolic deprivation states. In the present experiments, the authors assessed the role of the dopamine-3 receptor (D3R) in the feeding responses to 2-deoxy-D-glucose, mercaptoacetate, and peripheral insulin. All 3 compounds increased food intake in wild-type mice, but the hyperphagic responses were blunted in D3R-/- mice. In other experiments, D3R-/- mice were hyperresponsive to the administration of amylin and leptin relative to wild-type mice. These results support the hypothesis that D3Rs chronically inhibit the effects of adiposity hormones, thereby contributing to a net anabolic state.