Analysis of genotype resistance and HIV-1 transmission risk in HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men in Guiyang, China.

Background: As the social economy has developed and population mobility has increased, differences in the Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genotype distribution among men who have sex with men (MSM) have become apparent in the provinces and cities across China. The high variability and drug resistance characteristics of HIV-1 can lead to the widespread spread of resistant strains, which may also result in antiretroviral therapy failure and an increase in the mortality rate.

Objective: The genotypic drug resistance characteristics and HIV-1 transmission risks among HIV-1-infected MSM in Guiyang, Guizhou Province were analyzed in the current study.

Engineered Protein Fibers with Reinforced Mechanical Properties Via β-Sheet High-Order Assembly.

Protein fibers are ideal alternatives to synthetic polymers due to their unique mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and sustainability. However, engineering biomimetic protein fibers with high mechanical properties remains challenging, particularly in mimicking the high molecular weight of natural proteins and regulating their complex hierarchical structures. Here, a modular design and multi-scale assembly strategy is developed to manufacture robust protein fibers using low- or medium-molecular-weight proteins.

Modular Protein Fibers with Outstanding High-Strength and Acid-Resistance Performance Mediated by Copper Ion Binding and Imine Networking.

Engineered protein fibers are promising biomaterials with diverse applications due to their tunable protein structure and outstanding mechanical properties. However, it remains challenging at the molecular level to achieve satisfied mechanical properties and environmental tolerance simultaneously, especially under extreme acid conditions. Herein, the construction of artificial fibers comprising chimeric proteins made of rigid amyloid peptide and flexible cationic elastin-like protein (ELP) module is reported.

Spidroin-mimetic Engineered Protein Fibers with High Toughness and Minimized Batch-to-batch Variations through β-sheets Co-assembly.

Synthetic spidroin fibers have not yet attained the same level of toughness and stability as natural spider silks due to the complexity of composition and hierarchical structure. Particularly, understanding the intricate interactions between spidroin components in spider fiber is still elusive. Herein, we report modular design and preparation of spidroin-mimetic fibers composed of a conservative C-terminus spidroin module, two different natural β-sheets modules, and a non-spidroin random-coil module.

Growth history of hepatitis C virus among HIV/HCV co-infected patients in Guizhou Province.

The evolutionary and epidemiological history and the regional differences of various hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes are complex. Our aim was to better understand the molecular epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics of HCV among HIV/HCV co-infected individuals in Guizhou Province. This information could contribute to improve HCV prevention and control strategies in Guizhou and surrounding provinces.