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Objective: To explore the association between infections with HIV and Schistosoma japonicum, and to determine the influences of the HIV-S. japonicum coinfections on the immune system of Yi people.Methods: A block design study was conducted in a Yi county in southwestern China, one of the endemic areas of both HIV/AIDS and S. japonicum in China. All participants were screened for HIV antibodies and S. japonicum antibodies (SjAb) and were classified into four groups: HIV(+)/S. japonicum(-), HIV(-)/S. japonicum (+), HIV(+)/S. japonicum(+), and HIV(-)/S. japonicum(-).Results: There were significant differences among the four groups in both CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes, but no significant difference in CD3+ T lymphocytes. Both the CD4+ T lymphocyte counts and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were lower in HIV-infected people compared with those uninfected. People infected with S. japonicum had increased CD4+ T lymphocyte counts but reduced CD8+ T lymphocyte counts. Similarly, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was higher in S. japonicum-infected people compared with those uninfected. People coinfected with HIV and S. japonicum had lower CD4+ T lymphocyte counts, lower ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and higher CD8+ T lymphocyte counts compared with those infected with HIV only or S. japonicum only. People infected with HIV only and those coinfected with HIV and S. japonicum had a higher level of IFN-γ compared with people with no infection. There were no significant differences between people infected with HIV only and with S. japonicum only in the levels of IFN-γ and IL-10.Conclusions: People coinfected with HIV and S. japonicum might have a suppressed immune function because of a decrease in CD4+ T lymphocyte counts, a lowered ratio of CD4+/CD8+, and an increase in CD8+ T lymphocyte counts. Coinfection with HIV and S. japonicum would alter the level of IFN-γ in plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effect of particle size and density on the classification and separation of cyclones, separation experiments of <3 mm coal slimes were carried out on a hydrocyclone with 20° cone and a water-only cyclone with 130° cone. Screen and sink-and-float analysis of each size fraction were conducted and the distribution law of particles with different size and density was obtained. The results show that classification predominates in hydrocyclone with 20° cone, while density-based separation effect does exist in each size fraction, and the density-based separation effect is especially significant for <0.125 mm fraction, which is the origin of low ash coarse coal loss into the vortex finder and fine coal slime entrainment in the underflow. Density-based separation predominates in water-only cyclone with 130° cone while significant classification does occur for particles of higher density, which is the origin of high ash contaminate in the vortex finder. This size-based classification does not occur for low density particles, but becomes apparent for higher density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]