ABSTRACT
The men who have sex with men (MSM) population infected with HIV is poorly studied in Russia because of stigma and discrimination. In the first years of the HIV epidemic, the only HIV genetic variant that circulated among MSM was subtype B, usually acquired abroad. Meanwhile, the massive epidemic of HIV in Russia was caused by a highly homogenic subtype A variant, AFSU (A6), and spread mainly among drug users. In this study, 155 HIV pol sequences from MSM collected during the 2006-2016 period were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis found that 19.4% of the viral sequences from MSM clustered with HIV genetic variants A6 and BFSU, which were previously identified only among drug users and their heterosexual partners. These data show that the MSM population in Russia is gradually becoming less isolated from the general epidemic process. Urgent measures should be taken to prevent the spread of HIV among the MSM population.
Subject(s)
Genetic Variation/genetics , HIV Infections/epidemiology , HIV Infections/transmission , HIV-1/genetics , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Adult , HIV Infections/virology , HIV-1/classification , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phylogeny , Russia/epidemiology , Sexual Partners , Young AdultABSTRACT
According to well-known procedures, alpha- and beta-crystal polymorphic modifications of zinc(II)tetra-tert-butylphthalocianine (Zn(t-Bu)4Pc) were prepared and X-ray analysis of their powders was carried out. It was found that four tert-butyl groups in Zn(t-Bu)4Pc molecule do not prevent the formation of the alpha- and beta-polymorphs. The alpha- and beta-polymorphs differ from each other mainly by a mutual arrangement of neighboring metallophthalocyenine molecules in pi-stacking. Comparison of IR spectra of the alpha- and beta-polymorphs of ZnPc and Zn(t-Bu)4Pc was carried out. It was indicated that new bands appear at 670-690, 1256 and 1362 cm(-1) in the spectrum of Zn(t-Bu)4Pc in comparison with that of ZnPc. The appearance of new band at 1256 cm(-1) is assigned to rocking C-CH(3) vibrations and the band at 1362 cm(-1) to symmetrical deformational C-H vibrations of methyl groups of the peripheral substitutes. The main spectral characteristics for identification of the polymorphic modifications of Zn(t-Bu)4Pc are listed.
