β-cell-specific deletion of PFKFB3 restores cell fitness competition and physiological replication under diabetogenic stress.

HIF1α and PFKFB3 play a critical role in the survival of damaged β-cells in type-2 diabetes while rendering β-cells non-responsive to glucose stimulation. To discriminate the role of PFKFB3 from HIF1α in vivo, we generated mice with conditional β-cell specific disruption of the Pfkfb3 gene on a human islet pancreatic polypeptide (hIAPP) background and a high-fat diet (HFD) [PFKFB3 + diabetogenic stress (DS)]. PFKFB3 disruption in β-cells under DS led to selective purging of hIAPP-damaged β-cells and the disappearance of insulin- and glucagon positive bihormonal cells.

A retrospective case-cohort study comparing treatment outcomes in abacavir versus stavudine containing first line antiretroviral treatment regimens in children <3yrs old, at a paediatric programme based in Soweto, South Africa.

Introduction: The current World Health Organization guideline for first line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected children recommends the use of abacavir and lamivudine as nucleoside backbones and no longer includes stavudine. We compared treatment outcomes with abacavir (ABC) versus stavudine (d4T) in a cohort of HIV-1 infected children 6 and 12 months after antiretroviral therapy was initiated.

Methods: This was a retrospective case-cohort study, using programmatic data from children enrolled in the Paediatric Wellness Programme at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, South Africa between 2005 and 2013.

The effects of the natural enzyme, Pectinex Ultra SP-L, on human cell cultures and bacterial biofilms in vitro.

Background: Pectinex Ultra SP-L (Pectinex) is a microbial-derived enzyme that is used in the food industry and that has been shown to inhibit bacterial biofilms. It has been suggested that Pectinex may be useful in the management of biofilm-related bacterial infections and therefore warrants further investigation in this regard. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of Pectinex on cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa), lymphocytes and neutrophils.

Assessing adherence to the 2010 antiretroviral guidelines at the antiretroviral rollout clinic in 1 military hospital, South Africa: a retrospective, cross sectional study.

Background: HIV research is a therapeutic area for which well-defined population-specific treatment and prophylaxis guidelines exist. However, there are limited objective, evidence-based data for assessing adherence to these guidelines.

Objective: To conduct a retrospective, cross sectional study of adult HIV-infected patients receiving treatment at the antiretroviral (ARV) roll-out clinic of the Infectious Diseases Clinic Pharmacy at 1 Military Hospital (1MH) over a period of 3 years to assess clinicians' adherence to the 2010 ARV guidelines.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors v. angiotensin receptor blockers in the management of hypertension: a funder's perspective.

Background: Hypertension poses a huge financial risk to any funder/medical aid, including the risk-mitigating strategies provided by the managed care organisations that are required to manage patients with hypertension. The South African Hypertension Guideline states that the choice of therapy--an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)--should be based on cost and tolerability.

Objective: To assess the costs of ACEIs v.