Publications by authors named "L J Else"

Article Synopsis
  • Tight junctions (TJs) act as barriers in cells and have numerous proteins associated with them, yet TJs in the male genital tract are not well-researched due to limited tissue availability.
  • The study involved analyzing 132 TJ genes from foreskin tissue of men undergoing voluntary medical male circumcision as part of a larger HIV prevention trial in South Africa and Uganda, measuring the impact of various PrEP drugs on TJ protein expression.
  • Results showed that 118 out of 132 TJ genes were highly expressed in foreskin tissue, and that the PrEP regimens tested did not alter TJ gene expression or protein levels, indicating the safety of these treatments in preventing HIV-1 transmission during sexual activity.
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Background: There are few data on tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentrations in pregnant and postpartum women on Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate-Emtricitabine (TDF-FTC) or Tenofovir Alafenamide-Emtricitabine (TAF-FTC).

Methods: Eligible pregnant women were randomized to TDF-FTC or TAF-FTC and followed for 16 weeks (8-weeks pregnant, 8-weeks postpartum) with weekly collection of dried blood spot (DBS) and 4-weekly peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PrEP dosing was observed daily via asynchronous videos sent via cell phone.

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Background: We investigated the impact of Drug-Drug Interactions (DDIs) on virologic control among HIV-positive pregnant women initiating antiretroviral therapy while identifying drivers for Traditional Medicine (TM) use and exploring the nature and extent of TM-related DDIs.

Methods: Employing a three-pronged approach, we examined DDIs arising from comedication, including TM, in ART. The DolPHIN-2 trial (NCT03249181) randomized 268 HIV-positive pregnant women in Uganda and South Africa to dolutegravir (DTG)-based (135) or efavirenz-based (133) regimens while systematically recording comedications and screening for DDIs.

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Background: Poor adherence to ART and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can impact patient and public health. Point-of-care testing (POCT) may aid monitoring and adherence interventions.

Objectives: We report the pharmacokinetics of tenofovir [dosed as tenofovir disoproxil (TDF) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)], emtricitabine (FTC), lamivudine (3TC) and dolutegravir (DTG) in plasma and urine following drug cessation to evaluate adherence targets in urine for POCT.

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Favipiravir is a broad-spectrum antiviral that is metabolised intracellularly into the active form, favipiravir ribofuranosyl-5'-triphosphate (F-RTP). Measurement of the intracellular concentration of F-RTP in mononuclear cells is a crucial step to characterising the pharmacokinetics of F-RTP and to enable more appropriate dose selection for the treatment of COVID-19 and emerging infectious diseases. The described method was validated over the range 24 - 2280 pmol/sample.

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