Comparative outcome analysis of hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, remdesivir and standard of care treatment against COVID-19 infection

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine (HCQ/CQ), remdesivir and standard of care treatment (SOC) in patients with nCoV-19 based on the RCTs available in the literature. We conducted a cumulative review of all the RCTs published for the treatment of nCoV-19. Analysis for odds of patient recovery on HCQ/CQ, remdesivir and SOC treatment was accomplished and recovery was expressed as undetectable viral RNA levels. Total sample size in our analysis was 978 from six RCTs, in which nCoV-19 positive patients treated with HCQ/CQ, remdesivir and SOC were 166,560 and 252, respectively. SOC treatment showed increase in 2-fold of patients’ recovery as compared to the HCQ/CQ group (p=0.0006). Further, patients reported 1.5-3-fold increase in adverse events in remdesivir and HCQ/CQ group as compared to SOC group (p=0.0016 and p<0.0001). Our finding suggests remdesivir or HCQ/CQ ensures no benefit over SOC treatment, which may be attributed to the adverse events exhibited by remdesivir, or inefficacy of HCQ/CQ

A comparative study of antinociceptive effect of paroxetine with pethidine in acute pain in albino rats

Background: Pain is the most common reason patients seek medical care. Increased level of monoamines (serotonin and norepinephrine) in synaptic clefts lead to changes in pain threshold and induce antinociception. The study was carried out to evaluate antinociceptive effect of paroxetine in albino rats and to probe into its possible mechanism of action. The study was carried out to evaluate anti-nociceptive effect of paroxetine in albino rats.Methods: Male Albino rats of average weight 150-240gms were used. The drugs used were paroxetine 5mg/Kg, pethidine 5mg/kg (standard drug). Anti-nociceptive effect tested by using thermal method i.e. Tail flick response and Tail warm water immersion method.Results: In this study, Anti-nociceptive effect of respective drugs were measured by using two methods i.e. tail flick test and tail warm water immersion method at 0 min., 30 min., 60 min. and 90min.after administration of drugs. Reaction time started to increase from baseline at 0 min. and peak effect was seen at 60 min. then it started to decrease at 90 min. in almost all the groups except in control group.Conclusions: Paroxetine have significant analgesic effect in acute pain, which may be mediated via central and peripheral mechanisms. Efficacy of Paroxetine is almost equal to that of standard drug pethidine in acute pain management

To study the effect of various combinations of haart in CD4+ cell count in HIV patient at RIMS, Ranchi Art Centre

Background: India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world. In 2013, HIV prevalence in India was an estimated 0.3%, an estimated 130,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses. Overall, India’s HIV epidemic is slowing down, with a 19% decline in new HIV infections (130,000 in 2013), and a 38% decline in AIDS-related deaths between 2005 and 2013. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the treatment of HIV infection has improved steadily since the advent of potent combination therapy in 1996. ART has dramatically reduced HIV-associated morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to see the change in CD4+ count in patient taking various combination of HAART (Highly active anti-retroviral treatment).Methods: A total of 215 patients were included in this study that came to the rims art centre for regular follow up and there cd4+ count at 6 monthly interval upto 18 months was taken and analysed.Results: The patients were evaluated for their change in CD4+ cell count. Mean of CD4+ count at 6 monthly interval was taken in this study which showed that haart combination causes significant improvement in cd4+ count in each group (1) stavudine, lamivudine, nevirapine (2)stavudine, lamivudine, efavirenz (3) zidovudine, lamivudine, nevirapine (4) zidovudine, lamivudine, efavirenz, (5) tenofovir, lamivudine, efavirenz.Conclusions: SLN combination was found most effective in increasing the CD4+ Cell count in comparision to the other combination. Other drugs combinations in decreasing order are as follows- SLE, ZLE, TLE, ZLN.

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of pus culture in a tertiary care hospital of Jharkhand, India

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is developing day by day leading to increase not only in health care cost but also severity and death rate from certain infection that could have been avoided by rational use of existing and new antimicrobial agents. Present study is undertaken for this purpose to analyse the types of pathogens involved and their antibiotic sensitivity isolated from pus culture reports in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: Observational study was conducted using pus culture and sensitivity reports collected retrospectively from the records maintained in the Department of Microbiology over a period of 5 months from August 2016 to December 2016 in tertiary care hospital.Results: 85 percent pus samples were found culture positive of which microorganism isolated in decreasing order were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, Klebsella and E. coli. Staphylococcus aureus was sensitive to fixed drug combination of piperacillin with tazobactam, linezolid, ceftriaxone with sulbactum, levofloxacillin and ciprofloxacin and resistance to cefotaxime, cloxacillin and ampicillin. Pseudomonas was highly sensitive to fixed drug combination of cefoperazone with sulbactum, piperacillin with tazobactum, ceftriaxone with sulbactum and resistance to cloxacillin and cefotaxime. Klebsiella showed high sensitivity to piperacillin with tazobactum, cefoperazone with sulbactum, ceftriaxone with sulbactum and was found resistant with norfloxacin and amoxycillin. E. coli showed high sensitivity in decreasing order with amikacin and gentamycin and resistance in increasing order with cefotaxime, cloxacillin, ampicillin and norfloxacin.Conclusions: The sensitivity patterns were different for each isolated microorganism but high sensitivity was found with fixed antimicrobial drug combination and resistance to frequently used drugs

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of urine culture isolates in a tertiary care hospital of Jharkhand, India

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the common infections encountered by the clinicians. Though a good number of antimicrobial agents are available, still UTIs have become difficult to treat due to development of resistance by the uropathogens. So, regional data regarding the common uropathogens and their sensitivity pattern is required to guide the clinicians to start empirical therapy while managing UTIs. The purpose of the study was to identify different species of microorganisms, along with their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, causing urinary tract infection in outpatient and indoor patients at RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand.Methods: Observational study was conducted using urine culture and sensitivity reports collected retrospectively from records maintained in the department of Microbiology over a period from July 2016 to Feb 2017 in tertiary care hospital.Results: UTI was more common in females (57.74%) than in males (42.26%). Among the uropathogens isolated Escherichia coli (37.41%) was found to be the predominant organism followed by Klebsiella species (32.79%), Pseudomonas species (25.86%), and gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus accounted (3.92%) of total cases. The most common isolates were E. coli showed high sensitivity to amikacin (79.24%), followed by levofloxacin (77.21%) and gentamycin (62.26%). It was found to be resistant to norfloxacin (86%), nalidixic acid (86.76%) and cefotaxime (69.88%).Conclusions: Though various microorganisms are responsible for UTI. Escherichia coli species is the most common organism. Antimicrobial resistance has already emerged against many antibiotics, making empirical treatment of these infections challenging

Evaluation of prescribing pattern of antidiabetic drugs in medicine outpatient clinic of a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Diabetes is rapidly gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India with more than 62 million diabetics currently diagnosed with the disease. Drug utilization studies are of paramount importance for the optimization of drug therapy and promote rational drug use among health care providers. The aim of this study was to investigate the drug utilization pattern in type-2 diabetic patients. The objective of the study was to analyse the prescribing pattern of anti-diabetic drugs in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was carried out in medicine outpatient clinic of tertiary care hospital, RIMS Ranchi for a period of 7 months. The data was analysed using WHO core indicators and Microsoft Excel 2013.Results: The total number of encounters surveyed was 94. Avg no of drugs per prescription was 3.04. Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was found to be 34.2%. Percentage of prescriptions was a) with antibiotics was 27.6%, b) with insulin was 14.89%, c) from essential drugs list 44.05%. Most common co morbid disease was found to be hypertension present in 27.6% cases.Most commonly use drug was found to be metformin followed by glimepiride.Conclusions: Implementation of WHO core prescribing indicators by the prescribers would help us to reduce the cost, to recognize and prevent potentially dangerous drug- drug interaction and antibiotic resistance

Point-of-Care Devices for Viral Detection: COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

The pandemic of COVID-19 and its widespread transmission have made us realize the importance of early, quick diagnostic tests for facilitating effective cure and management. The primary obstacles encountered were accurately distinguishing COVID-19 from other illnesses including the flu, common cold, etc. While the polymerase chain reaction technique is a robust technique for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 in patients of COVID-19, there arises a high demand for affordable, quick, user-friendly, and precise point-of-care (POC) diagnostic in therapeutic settings. The necessity for available tests with rapid outcomes spurred the advancement of POC tests that are characterized by speed, automation, and high precision and accuracy. Paper-based POC devices have gained increasing interest in recent years because of rapid, low-cost detection without requiring external instruments. At present, microfluidic paper-based analysis devices have garnered public attention and accelerated the development of such POCT for efficient multistep assays. In the current review, our focus will be on the fabrication of detection modules for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we have included a discussion on various strategies for the detection of viral moieties. The compilation of these strategies would offer comprehensive insight into the detection of the causative agent preparedness for future pandemics. We also provide a descriptive outline for paper-based diagnostic platforms, involving the determination mechanisms, as well as a commercial kit for COVID-19 as well as their outlook

Point-of-Care Devices for Viral Detection: COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

The pandemic of COVID-19 and its widespread transmission have made us realize the importance of early, quick diagnostic tests for facilitating effective cure and management. The primary obstacles encountered were accurately distinguishing COVID-19 from other illnesses including the flu, common cold, etc. While the polymerase chain reaction technique is a robust technique for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 in patients of COVID-19, there arises a high demand for affordable, quick, user-friendly, and precise point-of-care (POC) diagnostic in therapeutic settings. The necessity for available tests with rapid outcomes spurred the advancement of POC tests that are characterized by speed, automation, and high precision and accuracy. Paper-based POC devices have gained increasing interest in recent years because of rapid, low-cost detection without requiring external instruments. At present, microfluidic paper-based analysis devices have garnered public attention and accelerated the development of such POCT for efficient multistep assays. In the current review, our focus will be on the fabrication of detection modules for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we have included a discussion on various strategies for the detection of viral moieties. The compilation of these strategies would offer comprehensive insight into the detection of the causative agent preparedness for future pandemics. We also provide a descriptive outline for paper-based diagnostic platforms, involving the determination mechanisms, as well as a commercial kit for COVID-19 as well as their outlook

Point-of-Care Devices for Viral Detection: COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

The pandemic of COVID-19 and its widespread transmission have made us realize the importance of early, quick diagnostic tests for facilitating effective cure and management. The primary obstacles encountered were accurately distinguishing COVID-19 from other illnesses including the flu, common cold, etc. While the polymerase chain reaction technique is a robust technique for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 in patients of COVID-19, there arises a high demand for affordable, quick, user-friendly, and precise point-of-care (POC) diagnostic in therapeutic settings. The necessity for available tests with rapid outcomes spurred the advancement of POC tests that are characterized by speed, automation, and high precision and accuracy. Paper-based POC devices have gained increasing interest in recent years because of rapid, low-cost detection without requiring external instruments. At present, microfluidic paper-based analysis devices have garnered public attention and accelerated the development of such POCT for efficient multistep assays. In the current review, our focus will be on the fabrication of detection modules for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we have included a discussion on various strategies for the detection of viral moieties. The compilation of these strategies would offer comprehensive insight into the detection of the causative agent preparedness for future pandemics. We also provide a descriptive outline for paper-based diagnostic platforms, involving the determination mechanisms, as well as a commercial kit for COVID-19 as well as their outlook

Molecular docking, DFT analysis, and dynamics simulation of natural bioactive compounds targeting ACE2 and TMPRSS2 dual binding sites of spike protein of SARS CoV-2

© 2021 Elsevier B.V.The scientific community is continuously working to discover drug candidates against potential targets of SARS-CoV-2, but effective treatment has not been discovered yet. The virus enters the host cell through molecular interaction with its enzymatic receptors i.e., ACE2 and TMPRSS2, which, if, synergistically blocked can lead to the development of novel drug candidates. In this study, 1503 natural bioactive compounds were screened by HTVS, followed by SP and XP docking using Schrodinger Maestro software. Bio-0357 (protozide) and Bio-597 (chrysin) were selected for dynamics simulation based on synergistic binding affinity on S1 (docking score −9.642 and −8.78 kcal/mol) and S2 domains (-5.83 and −5.3 kcal/mol), and the RMSD, RMSF and Rg analyses showed stable interaction. The DFT analysis showed that the adsorption of protozide/chrysin, the band gap of protozide/chrysin-F/G reduced significantly. From SERS, results, it can be concluded that QDs nanocluster will act as a sensor for the detection of drugs. The docking study showed Bio-0357 and Bio-0597 bind to both S1 and S2 domains through stable molecular interactions, which can lead to the discovery of new drug candidates to prevent the entry of SARS-CoV-2. This in-silico study may be helpful to researchers for further in vitro experimental validation and development of new therapy for COVID-19