Overview on Chemokine Co-Receptor-5 (CCR-5) HIV-1 Entry Inhibitors

In the 21st century, HIV-1 has turned into a noteworthy global challenge in medication. As per WHO report 2017, HIV is one of the deadliest diseases adding to an aggregate of 36.7 million contaminations until December 2016 among which 1.8 million were analyzed in 2016 itself. In 2016, 19.5 million individuals experienced to anti-retroviral treatment summing up to US$ 11 billion. With regards to rising resistance from anti-retroviral medication in HIV treatment, the advancement of most recent medication classes with a newer mode of action stays essential. The CCR5 co-receptor inhibitors suppress the fusion of HIV with the host cell by upsetting the connection of gp-120 protein with the CCR5 receptor. Though severalCCR5 antagonists are assessed in clinical trials, just Maraviroc has been endorsed for clinical use in the treatment of HIV infected patients. The efficacy and safety profile of CCR5 adversaries with a consideration on maraviroc are assessed here in conjunction with their use in newer and developing clinical trials. In the beginning time of HIV-1 infection in the most of patients, the HIV utilizes CCR5 receptor for passage in CD4 cell of the host (CCR5-tropic infection). Maraviroc did not decrease virus load (compared to optimized background therapy) in patients with CXCR4 or dual-tropic virus. Before prescribing a CCR5 blocker HIV tropism testing is recommended. Viral tropism is defined as the capability of the viruses to enter as well as infect the host cell, and it is based on the binding capacity of the viruses to receptors on those host cells. The co-receptor type should be recognized before the treatment started with a CCR5 blocker. Keywords: CCR5, CXCR4, HIV-1, CD4 cell, Tropism, CYP3A4

Surface morphology and morphometric analysis of sensilla of Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse): an SEM investigation

Background & objectives: The sensilla and sensory mechanism play a significant role in hostseeking and oviposition behaviour of mosquitoes, which enable them to transmit various diseases to humans. Aedes albopictus (Skuse) has emerged as a major vector of Chikungunya virus in the recent epidemics in most parts of southern India. Studies on the sensory structures of dengue vector, Aedes aegypti (Linn) are comprehensive; whereas information on the sensillary systems of Asian tiger mosquito, Ae. albopictus is inadequate. Therefore, the present study has been carried out to observe various types of sensilla located on the antenna, maxillary palp, labial palp, tarsi and ovipositor of Ae. albopictus using scanning electron microscopy. Methods: The antennae, maxillary palpi, labellum, tarsi and ovipositor of 10 different female mosquito of Ae. albopictus were fixed individually in 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution, washed twice and dehydrated with ascending grades of ethanol. Samples were cleared with xylene, air-dried, mounted on stubs, gold coated in an ion-sputtering unit and the sensilla were viewed between 5 and 10 KV using FEI Quanta 400 EDAX scanning electron microscope. ANOVA revealed significant differences in the morphometric features of various sensilla. Results: In the antenna Sensilla trichoidea are numerously distributed in all flagellar segments revealed four distinct subtypes. Two types of grooved peg sensilla were observed. Sensilla coeloconica was observed in the terminal flagellum of antenna and tarsomeres with large variation in diameter. Sensilla chaetica are distributed throughout the body and revealed greater variation in morphology and morphometric parameters. Interpretation & conclusion: The significant difference among various types of sensilla would possibly reveal their functions. The porous sensilla are olfactory and contact chemoreceptors while the aporous sensilla would play the role of mechanoreception. Sensilla coeloconica on the antenna, tarsus showed major differences with Ae. aegypti. The ovipositor sensilla revealed three types of chaetica arranged in rows but has not been reported earlier with other mosquito species

Women Empowerment in Select Novels of Ian McEwan

This article is an attempt to trace women empowerment in select novels of Ian McEwan. It is through this article that I would present the empowered female characters in Ian McEwan's novels The Cement Garden (1978) and Nutshell (2016). These three novels are different from each other in their material, plot and characterization. But these novels bear a unique similarity. These novels show highly empowered female figures who have endowed with amazing capacity of head and heart. His novels show that Ian himself advocates power shift from male to female. It is because of this advocacy Ian appears to be a feminist. The Cement Garden belong to the early phase of Ian McEwan while Nutshell belongs to the later phase of Ian McEwan. Unique thing that captures our attention is the presence of empowered female characters in both the novels

Epidemiological and time series analysis of tuberculosis with prediction during COVID-19 pandemic using ARIMA model: A study from churu district of Rajasthan

As Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in India and to achieve the goal of TB elimination, it is important to assess the trend of TB cases and the impact of lockdowns and other restrictions imposed for control of COVID-19 in India on the National TB Elimination Programme. Hence, the present study aims to study the temporal trend of TB cases and assess the impact of lockdown on TB detection. A retrospective record-based study was conducted in a tertiary care institute of India. A time series analysis of TB cases from April 2018 to May 2020 was carried out. An Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Averages (ARIMA) model was used to forecast TB cases during the lockdown period and the result was compared with actual cases detected. The statistical analysis was accomplished with R software. The time series analysis showed that the projected TB cases in April and May 2020 were 67 and 86, respectively, while the observed cases in these months were 35 and 76. The trend of TB cases during the study period showed no steady increase or decrease and the detection of TB has declined during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The TB cases peaked from April to June and males constitute the majority of TB cases