The usefulness of a new rapid diagnostic test, the First Response® Malaria Combo (pLDH/HRP2) card test, for malaria diagnosis in the forested belt of central India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria presents a diagnostic challenge in tribal belt of central India where two Plasmodium species, <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>and <it>Plasmodium vivax</it>, are prevalent. In these areas, rapid detection of the malaria parasites and early treatment of infection remain the most important goals of disease management. Therefore, the usefulness of a new rapid diagnostic (RDT), the First Response^®Combo Malaria Ag (pLDH/HRP2) card test was assessed for differential diagnosis between <it>P. falciparum </it>with other Plasmodium species in remote villages of Jabalpur district.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A finger prick blood sample was collected to prepare blood smear and for testing with the RDT after taking informed consent. The figures for sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and predictive values were calculated using microscopy as gold standard.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis revealed that overall, the RDT was 93% sensitive, 85% specific with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 79%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95%. The accuracy 88% and J-index was 0.74. For <it>P. falciparum</it>, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were 96% and 95% respectively, with a PPV of 85% and a NPV of 99%. The RDT accuracy 95% and J-index was 0.84. For non-falciparum malaria, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 83%, 94% and 92% respectively with a PPV of 69% and a NPV of 97%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The RDTs are easy to use, reliable and simple to interpret. RDTs are more suited to health workers in situations where health services are deficient or absent. Therefore, the test can be used as an epidemiological tool for the rapid screening of malaria.</p

Surface Wear Studies in Some Materials Using α-induced Reactions

The radio-activity produced during the irradiation of 63,65Cu, 59Co, 93Nb and 121,123Sb targets with α-particles have been measured using activation technique. he yields of radioactive isotopic products 66,67,68 Ga, 61 Cu, 96g,mTc and 123,124,126I have been determined in the energy range ≈ 10-40 MeV using stacked foil Technique. Radioactive counting of samples was performed with a high-resolution gamma-spectrometer. As light ion beams produce an extremely narrow layer of activities in the surface of a material, these reactions may be useful for thin layer activation study

Nuclear matrix elements calculation for 0νββ0\nu\beta\beta decay of 124^{124}Sn using nonclosure approach in nuclear shell model

In this study, we calculate the nuclear matrix elements (NMEs) for the light neutrino-exchange mechanism of neutrinoless double beta $0\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{124}$Sn within the framework of the interacting nuclear shell model using the effective shell model Hamiltonian GCN5082. A novel method based on a nonclosure approach is employed, wherein for the intermediate nucleus $^{124}$Sb, effects of energy of 100 states for each $J_{k}^{\pi}$=$0^{+}$ to $11^{+}$ and $2^{-}$ to $9^{-}$ ($\Delta J_{k}$=1) are explicitly included in the NMEs calculation. Other common effects such as the finite size of nucleons, higher-order effects of nucleon currents, and short-range correlations (SRC) of nucleons are also taken into account. The extracted optimal closure energy is 2.9 MeV for a total NME of $^{124}$Sn $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay, which is independent of different forms of SRC parametrizations. A comparison of NMEs and half-lives with some of the recent calculations is presented. Further, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of nuclear structure on the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay, the dependence of NMEs on spin-parity of the intermediate states, coupled spin-parity of neutrons and protons, and the number of intermediate states, is explored. It is observed that the inclusion of the effects of excitation energies of the intermediate nucleus yields more reliable NMEs. The present findings provide valuable insights for experimental investigations of $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay of $^{124}$Sn in India and elsewhere.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted in the journal Physical Review C. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2308.0821

Therapeutic efficacy of artemether–lumefantrine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria from three highly malarious states in India

Additional file 1. Flowchart showing site-wise enrolment and follow-up profile

Effect of projectile on incomplete fusion reactions at low energies

Present work deals with the experimental studies of incomplete fusion reaction dynamics at energies as low as ≈ 4 - 7 MeV/A. Excitation functions populated via complete fusion and/or incomplete fusion processes in 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems have been measured within the framework of PACE4 code. Data of excitation function measurements on comparison with different projectile-target combinations suggest the existence of ICF even at slightly above barrier energies where complete fusion (CF) is supposed to be the sole contributor, and further demonstrates strong projectile structure dependence of ICF. The incomplete fusion strength functions for 12C+175Lu, and 13C+169Tm systems are analyzed as a function of various physical parameters at a constant vrel ≈ 0.053c. It has been found that one neutron (1n) excess projectile 13C (as compared to 12C) results in less incomplete fusion contribution due to its relatively large negative α-Q-value, hence, α Q-value seems to be a reliable parameter to understand the ICF dynamics at low energies. In order to explore the reaction modes on the basis of their entry state spin population, the spin distribution of residues populated via CF and/or ICF in 16O+159Tb system has been done using particle-γ coincidence technique. CF-α and ICF-α channels have been identified from backward (B) and forward (F) α-gated γspectra, respectively. Reaction dependent decay patterns have been observed in different α emitting channels. The CF channels are found to be fed over a broad spin range, however, ICF-α channels was observed only for high-spin states. Further, the existence of incomplete fusion at low bombarding energies indicates the possibility to populate high spin state

Regulatory T Cells Suppress T Cell Activation at the Pathologic Site of Human Visceral Leishmaniasis

Suppression of T cell response is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Regulatory T cell (Treg) mediated immune-suppression is reported in animal models of Leishmania infection. However, their precise role among human patients still requires pathologic validation. The present study is aimed at understanding the frequency dynamics and function of Treg cells in the blood and bone marrow (BM) of VL patients. The study included 42 parasitologically confirmed patients, 17 healthy contact and 9 normal bone marrow specimens (NBM). We show i) the selective accumulation of Treg cells at one of the disease inflicted site(s), the BM, ii) their in vitro expansion in response to LD antigen and iii) persistence after successful chemotherapy. Results indicate that the Treg cells isolated from BM produces IL-10 and may inhibit T cell activation in IL-10 dependent manner. Moreover, we observed significantly higher levels of IL-10 among drug unresponsive patients, suggesting their critical role in suppression of immunity among VL patients. Our results suggest that IL-10 plays an important role in suppression of host immunity in human VL and possibly determines the efficacy of chemotherapy

Fusion of 60Ni + 100Mo below barrier

The fusion cross section of 60Ni + 100Mo has been measured down to microbarn level, looking for hindrance at low energy, in a system with positive Q-values for neutron transfer. The measured cross sections look similar to those of the nearby 64Ni + 100Mo, but no conclusive statement can be made at this stage, as to the onset of hindrance in this system