Virulence and Replicative Fitness of HIV-1 Transmitted/Founder (T/F) Viruses Harbouring Drug Resistance-Associated Mutation.

The biological characteristics of early transmitted/founder (T/F) variants are crucial factors for viral transmission and constitute key determinants for the development of better therapeutics and vaccine strategies. The present study aimed to generate T/F viruses and to characterize their biological properties. For this purpose, we constructed 18 full-length infectious molecular clones (IMCs) of HIV from recently infected infants.

Role of individual and combined impact of simvastatin and α-TCP in rat calvarial bone defect: An experimental study.

Background: Bone substitutes have been used by doctors for a long time to treat osseous abnormalities. Recently, scientists have been searching for suitable materials to replace bone. Autogenous bone grafts are considered the gold standard for osseous regeneration.

An Optimized Tat/Rev Induced Limiting Dilution Assay for the Characterization of HIV-1 Latent Reservoirs.

The administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) leads to a rapid reduction in plasma viral load in HIV-1 seropositive subjects. However, when ART is suspended, the virus rebounds due to the presence of a latent viral reservoir. Several techniques have been developed to characterize this latent viral reservoir.

Erratum: Correction Notice: An Optimized Tat/Rev Induced Limiting Dilution Assay for the Characterization of HIV-1 Latent Reservoirs.

[This corrects the article .].

An Improved Tat/Rev Induced Limiting Dilution Assay With Enhanced Sensitivity and Breadth of Detection.

Tat/Rev Induced Limiting Dilution Assay (TILDA) is instrumental in estimating the size of latent reservoirs of HIV-1. Here, we report an optimized TILDA containing a broader detection range compared to the reported methods and high sensitivity. Giving priority to sequence conservation, we positioned the two forward primers and the probe in exon-1 of HIV-1.

Cryptic association of B7-2 molecules and its implication for clustering.

T-cell co-stimulation through CD28/CTLA4:B7-1/B7-2 axis is one of the extensively studied pathways that resulted in the discovery of several FDA-approved drugs for autoimmunity and cancer. However, many aspects of the signaling mechanism remain elusive, including oligomeric association and clustering of B7-2 on the cell surface. Here, we describe the structure of the IgV domain of B7-2 and its cryptic association into 1D arrays that appear to represent the pre-signaling state of B7-2 on the cell membrane.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of precipitate formation following interaction of chlorhexidine with sodium hypochlorite, neem, and tulsi.

Introduction: The interaction between chlorhexidine (CHX) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) yields a thick precipitate capable of occluding dentinal tubules. Previous studies are unclear as to the above-mentioned precipitate contains para-chloroaniline (PCA) or not. PCA is a known toxic and carcinogenic compound which may lead to methemoglobinemia in humans.

Concentrated Growth Factors as an Ingenious Biomaterial in Regeneration of Bony Defects after Periapical Surgery: A Report of Two Cases.

The overall success of a periapical surgery is assessed in terms of regeneration of functional periradicular tissues. The regenerative potential of platelets has been well documented. This article describes the use of concentrated growth factors (CGF), a new family of autologous platelet concentrates, as a sole material for bone regeneration after periapical surgery.

Toll-Like Receptor 9 Activation Rescues Impaired Antibody Response in Needle-free Intradermal DNA Vaccination.

The delivery of plasmid DNA to the skin can target distinct subsets of dermal dendritic cells to confer a superior immune response. The needle-free immunization technology offers a reliable, safe and efficient means to administer intradermal (ID) injections. We report here that the ID injection of DNA vectors using an NF device (NF-ID) elicits a superior cell-mediated immune response, at much lesser DNA dosage, comparable in magnitude to the traditional intramuscular immunization.

Functional Incompatibility between the Generic NF-κB Motif and a Subtype-Specific Sp1III Element Drives the Formation of the HIV-1 Subtype C Viral Promoter.

Unlabelled: Of the various genetic subtypes of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), only in subtype C of HIV-1 is a genetically variant NF-κB binding site found at the core of the viral promoter in association with a subtype-specific Sp1III motif. How the subtype-associated variations in the core transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) influence gene expression from the viral promoter has not been examined previously. Using panels of infectious viral molecular clones, we demonstrate that subtype-specific NF-κB and Sp1III motifs have evolved for optimal gene expression, and neither of the motifs can be replaced by a corresponding TFBS variant.