Deepti Gupta

Abstract Various methods for mining association rules atmultiple conceptual levels focusing on different sets of dataand applying different thresholds at different levels havebeen proposed in literature. These are ML_T2L1, ML_T1LA, ML_TML1, and ML_T2LA. It has ...

There is faster progression to fibrosis in persons with liver injury who are also infected with HIV. Other reports have suggested that HIV can directly infect and activate stellate cells, and the viral Tat and gp160 proteins also induce profibrogenic factors from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We tested the role of HIV-1 Vpu accessory protein in promoting profibrogenic activation of hepatic stellate cells. Human stellate LX2 cells were cocultured with human monocytic U937 cells stably expressing the Vpu protein or latently infected U1 cells knocked down for Vpu expression, LX2 cells were also cultured with the supernatants from these cells. The expression of profibrogenic markers was evaluated in LX2 cells usingquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR),western blotting, immunofluorescence,flow cytometry and ELISA were used to confirm and quantitate protein expression. Monocytic cells expressing Vpu increased the expression of profibrogenic m...

Patients with liver disease infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exhibit accelerated progression of hepatic fibrosis and liver cirrhosis compared to uninfected individuals. We studied the effects of soluble factors secreted by HIV-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which are central mediators of liver fibrosis. An in vitro model was used in which a HSC line, LX2, was treated with culture supernatants of human PBMCs infected with macrophage tropic (R5) or T cell tropic (X4) strains of HIV-1. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to assess the expression of fibrogenic and proinflammatory markers; LX2 proliferation and intracellular signaling pathways were also studied. A qRT-PCR based miRNome array was used for comparative miRNA profiling of LX2 cells treated with infected PBMC culture supernatants. Pro-fibrogenic, angiogenic and proinflammatory markers, and proliferation of LX...

We report the enrichment of and immune responses mediated by genes expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis inside macrophages as a function of time. Results indicate that M. tuberculosis expresses different genes at different times postinfection. Genes expressed early (day 1) following infection enhance M. tuberculosis-mediated activation of dendritic cells (DCs), whereas genes expressed later (day 5) in the infection prevent DC activation. However, all genes downmodulated MHC class I and II expression on infected macrophages, thus compromising their ability to interact with Ag-specific T cells. Day-1 and -5 genes downmodulated proinflammatory cytokine production from DCs, thus impairing signal 3 during DC-T cell cognate interactions. Consequently, T cells activated by Ag-experienced DCs secreted low levels of IFN-gamma and IL-17 but maintained high IL-10 secretion, thus inducing suppressor responses. Further characterization revealed that day-1 and -5 genes increased TLR2-induced e...

Oral health is an important but inadequately addressed area in medical school curricula. Primary care practitioners are in an ideal position to help prevent oral disease but lack the knowledge to do so. We developed an oral health elective that targeted 1st- and 2nd-year medical students as part of a previously described oral health initiative and oral health curriculum. To promote interprofessional collaboration, we utilized medical-dental faculty teams for lectures and hands-on peer instruction by dental students for clinical skills. Evaluations revealed positive shifts in attitudes toward oral health and significant gains in oral health knowledge and self-confidence. Students rated the course highly and advocated for further integration of oral health into required medical curricula. We describe the elective including curriculum development, course evaluation results, and steps for implementing a successful oral health elective into medical education. We highlight interprofessional collaboration and constituency building among medical and dental faculty and administrators.

The essential oil of the aerial parts of the Wedelia chinensis Merrill was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Nineteen compounds have been identified accounting for 94% of the oil. It was made up of mainly monoterpenes hydrocarbons (50.6%), sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (22.5%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (20.3%) with only small amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes (0.7%). The main constituents were found to be α-pinene

The essential oil, which was produced by hydrodistillation ofAnnona squanwsa (Annonaceae) leaves was investigated by GC and GC/MS. Eighteen compounds have been identified accounting for 86% of the oil. The oil of A. squamosa was made up of ...

Abstract The hydrodistilled essential oil from the aerial parts of Chenopodium ambrosioides L. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Fifteen constituents, representing 95% of the oil, having six monoterpene hydrocarbons (85%) and nine oxygenated monoterpenes (10%), were ...

ABSTRACT The roots of Arnebia nobilis have traditionally been used as a colorant in food and cosmetic preparations. The deep red colour obtained is attributed to the presence of shikonin and its isomer alkannin and their derivatives. In this study, five colouring components were extracted from the roots of A. nobilis. These were separated and purified chromatographically and characterised using various spectrophotometric techniques. Three of the five components were identified. The major component was found to be alkannin β, β-dimethylacrylate [5,8-dihydroxy-2-(1′-β, β-dimethylacryloxy-4′-methylpent-3′-enyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone], accounting for nearly 25% of the total colouring matter. Alkannin acetate [2-(1′-acetoxy-4′-methylpent-3′-enyl)-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone] made up ca. 8% and shikonin [(5,8-dihydroxy-4′-methylpent-3′-enyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone] contributed ca. 6% of the colouring matter. Polyester was dyed pink, nylon was dyed blue and all other substrates acquired a purple hue under similar dyeing conditions. The dyed fabrics showed excellent wash, rub and perspiration fastness; however, light fastness was found to be poor.

This study assessed HIV attitudes among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the Namakkal district of Tamilnadu, India, as well as HIV knowledge before and after group counseling sessions. Two hundred thirteen women (97%) attending five antenatal clinics in July 2004 accepted HIV counseling and testing and completed precounseling and postcounseling questionnaires. Although the majority of women had heard of HIV, precounseling knowledge was low (mean precounseling score; 6.9/18, SD: 4.53), with scores correlating with the women's educational level and the number of sources from which they had received information about HIV. Posttest scores increased by 21%, however, understanding of modalities to prevent HIV infection remained poor. Group counseling sessions achieve small gains in HIV knowledge, but there is a continued need for ongoing and multifaceted HIV education in rural India.