Low awareness but high acceptability of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV among men who have sex with men and transgender persons in Delhi, India.

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is part of India's HIV prevention policy. We aimed to determine awareness of and willingness-to-use PrEP among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender-persons (TG) in Delhi, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted at five purposively selected targeted-intervention projects in Delhi.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on HIV Testing Uptake Among Key Populations Enrolled in Targeted Intervention Program in Maharashtra, India.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to HIV services globally. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the uptake of HIV testing in the Targeted Intervention (TI) program in Maharashtra-a high HIV burden state in India. Annual HIV testing was sustained during the pandemic year (2020-2021), at levels similar to the pre-pandemic year (2019-2020), among Female Sex Workers (FSW), Men having Sex with Men (MSM), Transgender (TG), and Truckers; but not among Migrants and Intravenous Drug Users (IDU).

Pregnane-Oximino-Alkyl-Amino-Ether Compound as a Novel Class of TGR5 Receptor Agonist Exhibiting Antidiabetic and Anti-Dyslipidemic Activities.

Introduction: The present study deals with the synthesis of pregnane-oximino-amino-alkyl-ethers and their evaluation for antidiabetic and anti-dyslipidemic activities in validated animal and cell culture models.

Methods: The effect on glucose tolerance was measured in sucrose-loaded rats; antidiabetic activity was evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and genetically diabetic db/db mice; the anti-dyslipidemic effect was characterized in high-fructose, high-fat diet (HFD)-fed dyslipidemic hamsters. The effect on glucose production and glucose utilization was analyzed in HepG2 liver and L6 skeletal muscle cells, respectively.

Studies of Antimicrobial Activities of some 4-Thiazolidinone Fused Pyrimidines, [1,5]-Benzodiazepines and their Oxygen Substituted Hydroxylamine Derivatives.

Thiazolidin-4-one fused pyrimidines, [1,5]-benzodiazepines and their oxygen substituted hydroxylamine derivatives have been screened for antibacterial, antifungal and antimalarial activity. Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Salmonella typhi were used for antibacterial screening. Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans were used for antifungal screening and Plasmodium species were used for antimalarial screening.

CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYBA gene polymorphisms associated with oxidative stress in COPD.

Background: The genetic susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) depends on detoxification and antioxidant enzymes, which detoxify cigarette smoke reactive components that, otherwise, generate oxidative stress.

Methods: In a case-control study of 346 subjects with and without COPD, we examined the polymorphisms 462Ile/Val, 3801T/C of CYP1A1, -3860G/A of CYP1A2 and -930A/G, 242C/T of CYBA individually or in combination and their contribution to oxidative stress markers by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx).

Results: COPD patients had significantly increased MDA concentration (p<0.

Reducing agent-mediated precipitation of high-abundance plasma proteins.

Depletion of high-abundance proteins is regarded as a critical sample preparation step for most plasma proteomic analyses and profiling strategies. This report describes a process that rapidly and reproducibly precipitates high-abundance disulfide-rich proteins, including albumin and transferrin, from serum and plasma. A low volume of concentrated reducing agent, viz.

COX2 and p53 risk-alleles coexist in COPD.

Background: Cigarette smoke stimulates airway epithelial cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines which influence various inflammation-related genes, including COX2, whereas p53 expression is known to alter in such a condition. Since both the genes share several common physiological functions including inflammation and oxidative stress, we investigated within gene and gene-gene interactions towards susceptibility to the disease.

Method: In a prospective gene-association study we conducted PCR-RFLP for genotyping the COX2 -765G/C and 8473T/C and p53 72Pro/Arg polymorphisms in 229 COPD patients and 147 healthy controls.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene variants contribute to oxidative stress in COPD.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays critical role in endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in COPD, pointing to the significance of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene (eNOS) variants. We investigated the association of -786T/C, -922A/G, 4B/4A, and 894G/T polymorphisms of eNOS with the disease and its impact on nitrite and malonaldehyde levels in 190 COPD patients and 134 healthy controls, all smokers. The -786C, -922G and 4A alleles were significantly over-represented in patients (p=0.

Correlation of oxidative status with BMI and lung function in COPD.

Objectives: The imbalance in oxidative status together with nutrition depletion and low body weight play a vital role in the pathogenesis and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study was undertaken to ascertain if a relationship existed between oxidative status and BMI in COPD. In addition, association of oxidative status and BMI with lung function of the disease was also examined.

Genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 and mEPHX correlate with oxidative stress markers and lung function in COPD.

The genetic susceptibility to COPD might depend on variations in detoxification enzymes that activate and detoxify cigarette smoke products, which otherwise generate oxidative stress causing pathogenesis. In a case-control study of 202 COPD patients and 136 normals, we examined the association of polymorphisms I105V, A114V of GSTP1 and Y113H, H139R of mEPHX individually or in combination with disease and their contribution to oxidative stress markers such as MDA, GSH, GPx and airflow obstruction. Patients were over-represented by the alleles 105V, 114V of GSTP1 and 113H, 139H of mEPHX (chi(2)=10.

Association of CYP2E1 and NAT2 gene polymorphisms with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Detoxification genes are potential candidates in the susceptibility of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Polymorphisms in these genes alter the metabolism of xenobiotics such as present in cigarette smoke.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study to investigate total 9 polymorphisms of CYP2E1, CYP2D6 and NAT2 genes by PCR-RFLP.

Identification and functional characterization of the novel BM-motif in the murine phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthetase.

PAPS synthetase (SK) catalyzes the two sequential reactions of phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthesis. A functional motif in the kinase domain of mouse SK, designated the BM-motif ((86) LDGDNhRxhh(N/S)(K/R)(97)), was defined in the course of identifying the brachymorphic (bm) defect. Sequence comparison and the secondary structure predicted for APS kinase suggest that the BM-motif consists of a DGD-turn sequence flanked by other conserved residues.