Effect of debranching on the rheological properties of Ca2+-pectin gels

Water-soluble pectin (WSP) extract was subjected to controlled carrot pectin methylesterase treatment, thereby producing de-esterified pectin (DEP). Both WSP and DEP were incubated with a mixture of endo-arabinanase and α-L-arabinofuranosidase to yield partially debranched pectins (WSPDBᵣ and DEPDBᵣ respectively). Pectin samples were characterised in terms of degree of methylesterification (DM), neutral sugar content, and degree of branching (DBr). The characterised pectins were used for the preparation of pectin gels with high and low calcium ion (Ca²⁺) concentrations. The rheological characteristics of the produced gels were evaluated by means of small-amplitude oscillatory tests. These characteristics include network development of the gel, gel strength (G′), gel elastic character and gel type. Partial debranching of pectin resulted in a reduction of the arabinose content (by approximately 50%) and caused a slight decrease in polymer DBr. Gels produced from semi-dilute solutions of partially debranched pectins showed network development profiles similar to those prepared from semi-dilute solutions of the corresponding non-debranched polymers. Yet, the former gels showed lower G′ values, poor gel elastic character and a “weaker” nature as compared to the latter. Next to Ca²⁺ cross-links, the presence of long arabinose-containing side chains is suggested to play an important role in the rheological characteristics of Ca²⁺–pectin gels.status: publishe

A randomized, controlled, trial of short cycle intermittent compared to continuous antiretroviral therapy for the treatment of HIV infection in Uganda.

Short cycle treatment interruption could reduce toxicity and drug costs and contribute to further expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs.A 72 week, non-inferiority trial enrolled one hundred forty six HIV positive persons receiving ART (CD4+ cell count > or =125 cells/mm(3) and HIV RNA plasma levels <50 copies/ml) in one of three arms: continuous, 7 days on/7 days off and 5 days on/2 days off treatment. Primary endpoint was ART treatment failure determined by plasma HIV RNA level, CD4+ cell count decrease, death attributed to study participation, or opportunistic infection.Following enrollment of 32 participants, the 7 days on/7 days off arm was closed because of a failure rate of 31%. Six of 52 (11.5%) participants in the 5 days on/2 days off arm failed. Five had virologic failure and one participant had immunologic failure. Eleven of 51 (21.6%) participants in the continuous treatment arm failed. Nine had virologic failure with 1 death (lactic acidosis) and 1 clinical failure (extra-pulmonary TB). The upper 97.5% confidence boundary for the difference between the percent of non-failures in the 5 days on/2 days off arm (88.5% non-failure) compared to continuous treatment (78.4% non failure) was 4.8% which is well within the preset non-inferiority margin of 15%. No significant difference was found in time to failure in the 2 study arms (p = 0.39).Short cycle 5 days on/2 days off intermittent ART was at least as effective as continuous therapy.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00339456

HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B virus infection and male circumcision in five Sub-Saharan African countries: Findings from the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment surveys, 2015-2019.

Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) has primarily been promoted for HIV prevention. Evidence also supports that male circumcision offers protection against other sexually transmitted infections. This analysis assessed the effect of circumcision on syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HIV. Data from the 2015 to 2019 Population-based HIV Impact Assessments (PHIAs) surveys from Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were used for the analysis. The PHIA surveys are cross-sectional, nationally representative household surveys that include biomarking testing for HIV, syphilis and HBV infection. This is a secondary data analysis using publicly available PHIA data. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were created using pooled PHIA data across the five countries to assess the effect of male circumcision on HIV, active and ever syphilis, and HBV infection among sexually active males aged 15-59 years. Circumcised men had lower odds of syphilis infection, ever or active infection, and HIV, compared to uncircumcised men, after adjusting for covariates (active syphilis infection = 0.67 adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52-0.87, ever having had a syphilis infection = 0.85 aOR, 95% CI, 0.73-0.98, and HIV = 0.53 aOR, 95% CI, 0.47-0.61). No difference between circumcised and uncircumcised men was identified for HBV infection (P = 0.75). Circumcised men have a reduced likelihood for syphilis and HIV compared to uncircumcised men. However, we found no statistically significant difference between circumcised and uncircumcised men for HBV infection