HIV Activist Identity, Commitment, and Orientation Scale (HAICOS): Psychometric Evaluation to Assess Clinician's Propensity Towards HIV Activism in Malaysia.

HIV activism has a long history of advancing HIV treatment and is critical in dismantling HIV-related stigma. This study evaluated the psychometric quality of the HIV Activist Identity, Commitment, and Orientation Scale (HAICOS) to assess clinicians' propensity towards HIV activism in Malaysia. From November 2022 to March 2023, 74 general practitioners and primary care physicians in Malaysia participated in the study.

"I want the doctors to know that I am as bright as a candle": : Experiences with and Hopes for Doctor Interactions Among Malaysian Key Populations and People Living with HIV.

Stigma in healthcare settings is a pernicious barrier to HIV prevention and treatment in contexts with strong HIV-related structural stigma. Previous work has documented substantial stigma towards key populations and people living with HIV (PLWH) among Malaysian doctors. The perspectives of Malaysian key populations and PLWH, however, remain understudied.

Acceptability and Feasibility of Online, Asynchronous Photovoice with Key Populations and People Living with HIV.

Photovoice is an action-oriented qualitative method involving photography and story-telling. Although photovoice yields a powerful form of data that can be leveraged for research, intervention, and advocacy, it has arguably been underutilized within HIV research. Online, asynchronous photovoice methods represent a promising alternative to traditional in-person methods, yet their acceptability and feasibility with key populations and people living with HIV (PLWH) have yet to be explored.

Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Project ECHO in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In Malaysia, HIV is concentrated among key populations who experience barriers to care due to stigma and healthcare discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to healthcare. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a transformative tele-education strategy that could improve HIV prevention and treatment.

Conformational and energy evaluations of novel peptides binding to dengue virus envelope protein.

Effective novel peptide inhibitors which targeted the domain III of the dengue envelope (E) protein by blocking dengue virus (DENV) entry into target cells, were identified. The binding affinities of these peptides towards E-protein were evaluated by using a combination of docking and explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. The interactions of these complexes were further investigated by using the Molecular Mechanics-Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) and Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MMGBSA) methods.

Dengue envelope domain III-peptide binding analysis via tryptophan fluorescence quenching assay.

In the efforts to find an anti-viral treatment for dengue, a simple tryptophan fluorescence-screening assay aimed at identifying dengue domain III envelope (EIII) protein inhibitors was developed. Residue Trp391 of EIII was used as an intrinsic probe to monitor the change in fluorescence of the tryptophan residue upon binding to a peptide. The analysis was based on the electron excitation at 280 nm and fluorescence emission at 300-400 nm of EIII, followed by quenching of fluorescence in the presence of potential peptidic inhibitors coded DS36wt, DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt.

Current approaches in antiviral drug discovery against the Flaviviridae family.

Viruses belonging to the Flaviviridae family primarily spread through arthropod vectors, and are the major causes of illness and death around the globe. The Flaviviridae family consists of 3 genera which include the Flavivirus genus (type species, yellow fever virus) as the largest genus, the Hepacivirus (type species, hepatitis C virus) and the Pestivirus (type species, bovine virus diarrhea). The flaviviruses (Flavivirus genus) are small RNA viruses transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks that take over host cell machinery in order to propagate.

In vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities of columbin through the inhibition of cycloxygenase-2 and nitric oxide but not the suppression of NF-κB translocation.

Columbin, a diterpenoid furanolactone, was isolated purely for the first time from the plant species Tinspora bakis. The anti-inflammatory effects of columbin were studied in vitro, in silico and in vivo. The effect of columbin on nitric oxide was examined on lipopolysaccharide-interferon-gamma (LPS/IFN) induced RAW264.