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Background: HIV testing is a primary prevention strategy against the HIV epidemic and an entry point for HIV/AIDS-related care, prevention and treatment. This study aimed to estimate the uptake of HIV testing among Sino-Vietnam female sex workers (FSWs) in Guangxi, China, from 2016 to 2018, and to identify the factors influencing HIV testing uptake. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among FSWs in two Sino-Vietnam border cities of Guangxi, China. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interview, the data were collected by a structured questionnaire, and HIV-1 infection was detected simultaneously. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with uptake of HIV testing. Results: In total, 4565 Chinese local FSWs (CL-FSWs) and 636 cross-border migrant Vietnamese FSWs (CMV-FSWs) were recruited into this study. HIV-1 prevalence in CL-FSWs and CMV-FSWs was 0.70% and 3.14%, respectively. The rate of self-reported uptake of HIV testing in CL-FSWs and CMV-FSWs was 54.56% and 45.44%, respectively. The rates of self-reported uptake of HIV testing declined in both groups from 2016 to 2018. Logistic regression analysis indicated that a number of factors, including socio-demographic characteristics (age < 35 years, higher education, location in Chongzuo City), behaviour factors (having received free AIDS education, condom distribution services and peer education services, high risk sexual behaviours such as inconsistent condom use, having regular commercial sexual partners, etc.), psychological factors (perception of vulnerability to HIV/STIs, perception of risk for HIV infection) were the factors significantly related to uptake of HIV testing. Conclusion: In recent years, the rate of HIV testing uptake among Sino-Vietnam border FSWs in Guangxi, China was low, which may be an important reason for the high HIV-1 prevalence among FSWs in the region. A number of factors were identified to be associated with HIV-1 testing uptake, suggesting that HIV testing prevention strategies in this region could include accelerating AIDS education training, raising personal awareness of HIV testing, and improving accessibility of HIV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) is becoming an obstacle to the success of ART. This study investigated the prevalence of PDR and the transmission clusters (TCs) of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in two cities where drug abuse used to be high to describe the local HIV-1 transmission dynamics. Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from 1,027 ART-naïve patients in Guangxi. Viral subtypes and DRMs were identified. Transmission network and related factors were also determined. Results: A total of 1,025 eligible sequences were obtained from Qinzhou (65.8%) and Baise (34.2%) cities. The predominant HIV-1 genotype was CRF08_BC (45.0%), followed by CRF01_AE (40.9%). The overall prevalence of PDR was 8.3%, and resistance to NNRTI was the most common. Putative links with at least one other sequence were found in 543/1,025 (53.0%) sequences, forming 111 clusters (2–143 individuals). The most prevalent shared DRMs included V106I (45.35%), V179D (15.1%), and V179E (15.1%). Clusters related to shared DRMs were more frequent and larger in CRF08_BC. The prevalence of shared DRMs increased with time, while the proportion of PDR gradually decreased. Age > 50 years was associated with clustering. Subtype CRF08_BC was more likely to have DRMs, PDR propagation, and DRM sharing. Conclusion: PDR prevalence is moderate in this region. The association between PDR and subtype CRF08_BC suggested that DRMs spreading from injection drug users (IDUs) to heterosexuals (HETs) might be the major source of PDR in this region. Our findings highlight the significance of continuous surveillance of PDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The relation between urbanization and eco-environment in SREB was explored. • Coupling coordination degree model between UAEE of SREB was established. • The negative interaction effect of UAEE is mainly focused on the northwest regions. • Advocate sustainable development, realize the balance between UAEE. Rapid urbanization in China in recent decades has given rise to increasingly serious ecological and environmental problems. Specifically, the provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) in China have experienced rapid urbanization, and need to take pro-active action in balancing urbanization development with eco-environment conservation. This paper aims to develop comprehensive urbanization and eco-environment (UAEE) evaluation models to explore UAEE development of SREB in China from 2004 to 2018. In terms of methodology, these evaluation models are subsequently combined with CCDM (Coupling coordination degree model) and GTWR (Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression) models to measure and analyze coupling degree and spatio-temporal heterogeneity of UAEE. The results show that: Firstly, from 2004 to 2018 in all regions of the SREB, the urbanization showed a gradual upward trend. Among them, comprehensive urbanization index (CUI) of Guangxi increased by 3.067%. Secondly, the comprehensive eco-environment index (CEI) of Chongqing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Shaanxi and Gansu has improved; while the eco-environment quality of Yunnan, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang has deteriorated during this period, with the rate of decrease in Xinjiang reaching a significant 2%; Thirdly, in 2018, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Shaanxi and Gansu are in a state of high coordination level with the eco-environment under the rapid urbanization process, while Yunnan, Qinghai, Ningxia and Xinjiang are at a moderate coordination level. Since 2011, these areas are in a state of lagging development of the eco-environment. Finally, the interactive relationship between UAEE tends to converge. There is heterogeneity in time and space among SREB regions. The negative interaction effect of UAEE is mainly focused on the northwest regions. In conclusion, this research will provide a basis of scientific evaluation for the coordinated degree of UAEE, promote regional urbanization vis-à-vis the improvement in environmental policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]