Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and various risk factors responsible for spread of human immunodeficiency virus in pregnant women in Jammu, India

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing at an alarming rate among pregnant women in various parts of India. Purpose of present study is to investigate the seroprevalence of HIV infection in Jammu region of India and to trace various risk factors responsible for its spread. Another objective is to look for strategies which can be adapted to curtail transmission of this dreadful infection.Methods: Pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu (India) from October 2013 to September 2014, were counseled and those who agreed to undergo testing, were subjected to HIV testing by ELISA method. Pre-designed and post-testing questionnaire was used for collecting the data. In addition, all the unbooked HIV positive patients, who were directly admitted in labor ward and delivered in this hospital during this period, were also included in the present study.Results: Out of 17918 women attending the antenatal clinic, 5695 agreed for HIV testing at ICTC (integrated counseling and testing center), SMGS hospital and only 5 cases were confirmed positive. Prevalence rate of HIV positivity was found to be 0.088%. Majority of women were between 21-25 years of age, primigravidas, from rural background, lower middle class and spouses of laborers/drivers.Conclusions: Seroprevalence of HIV in Jammu region is relatively low when compared to the national figures. More attention is to be focused on the risk factors to control the transmission of HIV infection

IDENTIFICATION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIA HAVING ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY

Objective: The aim of the current study was to isolate and identify the bacteriocinogenic strain exhibiting broad range antimicrobial activity and antibiofilm activity from soil of animal farms.Methods: In the current study, bacterial strains were isolated from soil of twelve different regions of animal farm all over India and screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas fluorescence and Escherichia coli. Antibiofilm ability of these selected strains was checked on preformed biofilm of S. epidermidis and in addition biofilm disruption potential was also determined. The potent bacterial strain was identified at molecular level by 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing.Results: 30 out of 231 strains isolated from soil were selected on the basis of antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis. One potential candidate (GAS 101) exhibited ≥99% inhibition against S. epidermidis, M. luteus, P. fluorescence and E. coli and also showed antibiofilm activity. GAS 101 16S rDNA sequencing data identified it as Bacillus subtilis. The sequence of B. subtilis was submitted to genbank under accession no. KJ564301.Conclusion: B. subtilis GAS 101 isolated from soil of animal farm showed the antibacterial activity against all indicator organisms and also displayed antibiofilm activity against preformed biofilm and inhibited biofilm formation of S. epidermidis

Role of biochemical and inflammatory markers in assessing COVID-19 severity among the Indian population: An observational study

Introduction: Different laboratory parameters get altered in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); therefore, the changes of these parameters could help recognize the patients with severe disease. This study was conducted to achieve a comprehensive biochemical and inflammatory profile of COVID-19 among the Indian population. Methods: The study consisted of 730 patients admitted to Jaya Arogya Hospital, Gwalior, with COVID-19 from August 2020 to December 2020. The patients were divided into mild disease group (MDG) (n=533) and severe disease group (SDG) (n=197) depending on certain criteria, and their biochemical and inflammatory markers were collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Statistically significant rise in blood urea (P=0.011), serum creatinine (P=0.008), serum bilirubin (P=0.012), interleukin 6 (IL-6) (P<0.001), and troponin I (P<0.001) was observed in SDG as compared to MDG. Serum electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and serum protein (total protein and albumin) showed a significant fall in SDG as compared to MDG (P<0.001 for electrolytes and P=0.023 for proteins). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) showed a high diagnostic value of IL-6. Conclusion: Patients with severe COVID-19 showed a high prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia, hypoproteinemia, electrolyte imbalance, and raised inflammatory markers (IL-6, troponin I, and procalcitonin). Results showed their effectiveness in assessing disease severity and predicting outcomes in patients with COVID-19

Leishmania donovani triose phosphate isomerase: a potential vaccine target against visceral leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most important parasitic diseases with approximately 350 million people at risk. Due to the non availability of an ideal drug, development of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine could be a solution for control and prevention of this disease. In this study, a potential Th1 stimulatory protein- Triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), a glycolytic enzyme, identified through proteomics from a fraction of Leishmania donovani soluble antigen ranging from 89.9–97.1 kDa, was assessed for its potential as a suitable vaccine candidate. The protein- L. donovani TPI (LdTPI) was cloned, expressed and purified which exhibited the homology of 99% with L. infantum TPI. The rLdTPI was further evaluated for its immunogenicity by lymphoproliferative response (LTT), nitric oxide (NO) production and estimation of cytokines in cured Leishmania patients/hamster. It elicited strong LTT response in cured patients as well as NO production in cured hamsters and stimulated remarkable Th1-type cellular responses including IFN-ã and IL-12 with extremely lower level of IL-10 in Leishmania-infected cured/exposed patients PBMCs in vitro. Vaccination with LdTPI-DNA construct protected naive golden hamsters from virulent L. donovani challenge unambiguously (∼90%). The vaccinated hamsters demonstrated a surge in IFN-ã, TNF-á and IL-12 levels but extreme down-regulation of IL-10 and IL-4 along with profound delayed type hypersensitivity and increased levels of Leishmania-specific IgG2 antibody. Thus, the results are suggestive of the protein having the potential of a strong candidate vaccine

Elucidating the Interacting Domains of Chandipura

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of Chandipura virus (CHPV) plays a crucial role in viral life cycle, besides being an important structural component of the virion through proper organization of its interactions with other viral proteins. In a recent study, the authors had mapped the associations among CHPV proteins and shown that N protein interacts with four of the viral proteins: N, phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), and glycoprotein (G). The present study aimed to distinguish the regions of CHPV N protein responsible for its interactions with other viral proteins. In this direction, we have generated the structure of CHPV N protein by homology modeling using SWISS-MODEL workspace and Accelrys Discovery Studio client 2.55 and mapped the domains of N protein using PiSQRD. The interactions of N protein fragments with other proteins were determined by ZDOCK rigid-body docking method and validated by yeast two-hybrid and ELISA. The study revealed a unique binding site, comprising of amino acids 1–30 at the N terminus of the nucleocapsid protein (N1) that is instrumental in its interactions with N, P, M, and G proteins. It was also observed that N2 associates with N and G proteins while N3 interacts with N, P, and M proteins

Unraveling Prostaglandin and NLRP3 Inflammasomemediated Pathways of Primary Dysmenorrhea and the Role of Mefenamic Acid and Its Combinations

Painful menstrual cramps during or around the time of the monthly cycle are known as dysmenorrhea. The estimated global prevalence in women of reproductive age ranges from 45% to 95%. It has a significant negative impact on regular activities and productivity at work. However, despite the severe consequences on quality of life, primary dysmenorrhea&nbsp;(PD) is underdiagnosed. Dysmenorrhea has complex pathogenesis. It involves the release of prostaglandins and activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and also includes the involvement of other mediators such as bradykinin, histamine and acetylcholine. Even though nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain the most common type of pain medication, the question of which one should be the most preferred is still open to debate. The current review examines the existing evidence for the pathogenesis of PD and makes evidence based and clinical experience based recommendations for the use of mefenamic acid and its combination in the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Mefenamic acid alleviates PD by inhibiting endometrial prostaglandin formation, restoring normal uterine activity, and reducing the inflammatory response by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome and reducing the release of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β. It is also known to have bradykinin antagonist activity. Dicyclomine has a dual action of blocking the muscarinic action of acetylcholine in postganglionic parasympathetic effect or regions and acting directly on uterine smooth muscle by blocking bradykinin and histamine receptors to relieve spasms. According to the experts, mefenamic acid and dicyclomine act synergistically by acting on the different pathways of dysmenorrhea by blocking multifactorial agents attributed to the cause of dysmenorrhea. Hence, the combination of mefenamic acid and dicyclomine should be the preferred treatment option for dysmenorrhea