1-Deoxynojirimycin containing Morus alba leaf-based food modulates the gut microbiome and expression of genes related to obesity

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a serious disease with an alarmingly high incidence that can lead to other complications in both humans and dogs. Similar to humans, obesity can cause metabolic diseases such as diabetes in dogs. Natural products may be the preferred intervention for metabolic diseases such as obesity. The compound 1-deoxynojirimycin, present in Morus leaves and other sources has antiobesity effects. The possible antiobesity effect of 1-deoxynojirimycin containing Morus alba leaf-based food was studied in healthy companion dogs (n = 46) visiting the veterinary clinic without a history of diseases. Body weight, body condition score (BCS), blood-related parameters, and other vital parameters of the dogs were studied. Whole-transcriptome of blood and gut microbiome analysis was also carried out to investigate the possible mechanisms of action and role of changes in the gut microbiome due to treatment.

RESULTS

After 90 days of treatment, a significant antiobesity effect of the treatment food was observed through the reduction of weight, BCS, and blood-related parameters. A whole-transcriptome study revealed differentially expressed target genes important in obesity and diabetes-related pathways such as MLXIPL, CREB3L1, EGR1, ACTA2, SERPINE1, NOTCH3, and CXCL8. Gut microbiome analysis also revealed a significant difference in alpha and beta-diversity parameters in the treatment group. Similarly, the microbiota known for their health-promoting effects such as Lactobacillus ruminis, and Weissella hellenica were abundant (increased) in the treatment group. The predicted functional pathways related to obesity were also differentially abundant between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

1-Deoxynojirimycin-containing treatment food have been shown to significantly improve obesity. The identified genes, pathways, and gut microbiome-related results may be pursued in further studies to develop 1-deoxynojirimycin-based products as candidates against obesity.

Computational investigation of the impact of potential AT2R polymorphism on small molecule binding

For more than a century, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been acknowledged for playing a crucial part in the physiological control of arterial pressure, as well as sodium and fluid balance. It is now generally acknowledged that one of the receptor of RAS system i.e. angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) functions as a repair system during pathophysiologic circumstances and performs a significant protective role. Efforts have been made previously to design suitable agonist and antagonist molecules to potentially modulate AT2R. One of the agonists and antagonists, named C21 and EMA401, has been studied in a number of pathological conditions. Additionally, a wide panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has been reported for AT2R, which might potentially affect the efficacy of these molecules. Therefore, computational investigations have been carried out to analyze all the SNPs (1151) reported in NCBI to find potential SNPs affecting the active site of AT2R, as this domain is still unexplored. Structures of these polymorphic forms were modeled, and in silico drug interaction studies with C21 and EMA401 were carried out. The two mutants (rs868939201 and rs1042852794) that significantly affect the binding affinity as that of the wild type were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations. Our analysis of native and mutant AT2R and their complexes with C21 and EMA401 indicated that the occurrence of these mutations affects the conformation of the protein and has affected the binding of these ligand molecules. The study's findings will aid in the development of better, more versatile medications in the near future, and also in vitro and in vivo studies might be planned in accordance with recent findings.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The Bioactivity and Phytochemicals of Muscari comosum (Leopoldia comosa), a Plant of Multiple Pharmacological Activities

Leopoldia comosa (LC), popularly known as Muscari comosum, spontaneously grows in the Mediterranean region and its bulbs are used as a vegetable. Traditionally, they are also used to treat various diseases and conditions, which has inspired the study of the pharmacological activities of different parts of LC. These studies revealed the numerous biological properties of LC including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-Alzheimer's disease, antibacterial, and immune stimulant. High antioxidant activity compared to other non-cultivated plants, and the potential role of antioxidant activity in other reported activities make LC an excellent candidate to be developed as an antioxidant plant against important associated diseases. The presence of a diverse class of phytochemicals (n = 85), especially flavonoids and homoisoflavones, in LC, also imparts significance to the nutraceutical candidature of the plant. However, limited animal studies and the lack of a directional approach have limited the further design of effective clinical studies for the development of LC. The current study is the first attempt to comprehensively compile information regarding the phytochemicals and pharmacological activities of LC, emphasize the targets/markers targeted by LC, important in other activities, and also highlight the current gaps and propose possible bridges for the development of LC as a therapeutic and/or supplement against important diseases.

In silico Identification of MHC Displayed Tumor Associated Peptides in Ovarian Cancer for Multi-Epitope Vaccine Construct

BACKGROUND

Recognizing the potential of the immune system, immunotherapies have brought about a revolution in the treatment of cancer. Low tumour mutational burden and strong immunosuppression in the peritoneal tumor microenvironment (TME) lead to poor outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) and CART cell therapy in ovarian cancer. Alternative immunotherapeutic strategies are of utmost importance to achieve sound clinical success.

INTRODUCTION

The development of peptide vaccines based on tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) for ovarian cancer cells can be a potential target to provoke an anti-tumor immune response and subsequent clearance of tumour cells. The purpose of this in-silico study was to find potential epitopes for a multi-epitope vaccine construct using the immunopeptidomics landscape of ovarian carcinoma.

METHODS

The four TAAs (MUC16, IDO1, FOLR1, and DDX5) were selected as potential epitopes for B-cells, helper T-lymphocytes (HTLs), and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) predicted on the basis of antigenic, allergenic, and toxic properties. These epitopes were combined with suitable linkers and an adjuvant to form a multi-epitope construct.

RESULTS

Four HTLs, 13 CTLs, and 6 potential B-cell epitopes were predicted from the TAAs. The designed multi-epitope construct was potentially immunogenic, non-toxic, and nonallergenic. Physicochemical properties and higher-order structural analyses of the final construct revealed a potential vaccine candidate.

CONCLUSION

The designed vaccine construct has the potential to trigger both humoral and cellular immune responses and may be employed as a therapeutic immunization candidate for ovarian malignancies. However, further in vitro and animal experimentation is required to establish the efficacy of the vaccine candidate.

Pharmacological Properties of Shionone: Potential Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemical against Different Diseases

Shionone is a triterpenoid that is the primary constituent of an important ancient Chinese medicine named Radix Asteris. It has emerged as an attractive candidate against different important diseases, including interstitial cystitis, colitis, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and urinary tract infections, and was found to have a protective effect on multiple organs, including the colon, kidneys, lungs, brain, and bladder. The anti-inflammation activity of shionone may be considered an important property that imparts the positive health outcomes of shionone. Important molecular targets and markers such as TNF-α, STAT3, NLRP3, and NF-κB were also found to be targeted by shionone and were verified in different diseases. This suggests the possible potential of shionone against other diseases associated with these targets. Pharmacokinetic studies also support the therapeutic potential of shionone and provide the initial track that may be pursued for its development. Yet, the compilation of the pharmacological activities of shionone and its important genes and pathway targets are absent in the existing literature, which would direct its development as a therapeutic and/or supplement. Hence, the present review provides a compilation of information concerning pharmacological activities, highlights the existing holes, and proposes a specific direction for the expansion of shionone as a therapeutic against different diseases and conditions.

Biogenic silver NPs alleviate LPS-induced neuroinflammation in a human fetal brain-derived cell line: Molecular switch to the M2 phenotype, modulation of TLR4/MyD88 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways, and molecular docking analysis

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have inconsistent findings against inflammation. Although a wealth of literature on the beneficial effects of green-synthesized AgNPs has been published, a detailed mechanistic study of green AgNPs on the protective effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation using human microglial cells (HMC3) has not yet been reported. For the first time, we studied the inhibitory effect of biogenic AgNPs on inflammation and oxidative stress induced by LPS in HMC3 cells. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize AgNPs produced from honeyberry. Co-treatment with AgNPs significantly reduced mRNA expressions of inflammatory molecules such as interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, while increasing the expressions of anti-inflammatory markers such as IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. HMC3 cells were also switched from M1 to M2, as shown by lower expression of M1 markers such as cluster of differentiation (CD)80, CD86, and CD68 and higher expression of M2 markers such as CD206, CD163, and triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells (TREM2). Furthermore, AgNPs inhibited LPS-induced toll-like receptor (TLR)4 signaling, as evidenced by decreased expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and TLR4. In addition, AgNPs reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhanced the expression of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), while decreasing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. The docking score of the honeyberry phytoconstituents ranged from -14.93 to - 4.28 KJ/mol. In conclusion, biogenic AgNPs protect against neuroinflammation and oxidative stress by targeting TLR4/MyD88 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in a LPS-induced in vitro model. Biogenic AgNPs could be utilized as potential nanomedicine against LPS-induced inflammatory disorders.

Conservation and Evolution of Antigenic Determinants of SARS-CoV-2: An Insight for Immune Escape and Vaccine Design

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most devastating pandemic of the century, which is still far from over. The remarkable success of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines is the working hope, but the evolving variants are the huge concern that can turn the tide. Potential immune escape mutations (PIEMs) in the past and circulating variants were not studied at large scale (all available data). Hence, the conservation of antigenic determinants (epitopes) was analyzed in all available sequences of SARS-CoV-2 according to time (months), proteins, hosts, and variants. Numerous highly conserved B- and T-cell epitopes were identified in 24 proteins of SARS-CoV-2. A decrease in the conservation of epitopes with time was observed in almost all proteins, which was more rapid in neutralizing epitopes. Delta variant still has the highest PIEM in the circulating strains, which pose threat to the effectiveness of current vaccines. The inclusion of identified, highly conserved, and important epitopes in subunit vaccines can increase vaccine effectiveness against evolving variants. Trends in the conservation of epitopes in different proteins, hosts, and variants with time may also help to inspire the counter measure against the current pandemic.

Comparative evaluation of various diagnostic techniques for detection of Cryptosporidium infection from the faecal samples of diarrhoeic bovine calves

BACKGROUND

Cryptosporidium, an opportunistic, zoonotic, apicomplexan parasite, is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in neonatal bovine calves around the globe. Bovine calves act as a major source of infection by excreting huge numbers of highly resistant oocysts in faeces, which can survive for a long time in extreme environmental conditions. As low as ten oocysts can cause disease and mortality, leading to the requirement of an early and accurate diagnosis for proper and favorable prognosis, management, and control.

AIMS

The current study was conducted with the objective to evaluate various diagnostic techniques (acid fast staining, negative staining, fluorescent, ELISA, PCR, nested PCR, and qPCR) for the detection of Cryptosporidium in the faecal samples of diarrheic bovine calves.

METHODS

Two hundred diarrheic faecal samples from bovine calves were collected and subjected to these techniques for Cryptosporidium diagnosis. Results of these were evaluated for diagnostic comparison.

RESULTS

Out of 200 faecal samples evaluated, 24% (48/200) were detected positive for Cryptosporidium using a combination of two techniques as gold standard criteria. Cohen's kappa value indicated moderate to almost perfect agreement (0.616 to 0.986) among all the techniques used in the present study. Leishman staining showed the lowest sensitivity (54.17%), while nested PCR and qPCR showed the highest sensitivity (97.92%). Diagnostic specificity of all these tests ranged from 98.68 to 100%.

CONCLUSION

Auramine stain was used for the first time in the bovine calves in India for the detection and diagnostic comparison of Cryptosporidium. It showed strong agreement with the molecular as well as classical diagnostic techniques, and can be used for primary screening for better diagnosis.

The Bioactivity and Phytochemicals of Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb.: A Multifunctional Underutilized Crop Plant

Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb. is an underutilized crop plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. In recent years, the plant received huge attention and was introduced in different countries owing to properties such as a high nutritional content, its nitrogen-fixing abilities, and different biological activities such as its antioxidant, immune modulation, anticancer, anti-diabetes, anti-osteoporosis, antiviral, and antiaging affects, among others. In this review, an attempt has been made to comprehensively compile the biological activities of the plant to provide a panoramic view of the current efforts and further directions, which may lead to the development of pharmacological applications. This information will be helpful in creating interest towards P. erosus and it may be useful in developing the plant for medical applications and/or as a functional food. More than 50 phytochemicals have been reported from the plant, which belong to different chemical classes such as triterpenoids, organic acid, flavonoids, and fatty acids. Numerous biological activities were reported from the plant through in vivo, in vitro, ex vivo, and human studies. However, well-defined clinical studies are still lacking for the establishment of any biological properties that could be further developed. Suggestions for the further development of P. erosus, according to current knowledge about the different biological properties, has also been provided.

In silico Approach for Exploring the Role of AT1R Polymorphism on its Function, Structure and Drug Interactions

Background:

AT1R (Angiotensin II type 1 receptor) is the main component of RAS (renin-angiotensin system) system which activates when ANG II (angiotensin II) binds to it. AT1R helps in maintaining osmotic homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. A huge number of polymorphism is associated with AT1R and few of them were studied and found to be associated with the diseases and drug efficacy. Although it is very important receptor but most of the polymorphisms (SNPs) were not studied for their implications in diseases. Huge number of polymorphisms is reported in the databases for AT1R which provide an avenue to explore these polymorphisms for their implications in protein structure, function and drug efficacy.

Methods:

In the current study all the SNPs (10234) reported in NCBI were analyzed and SNPs which were important in protein structure and drug interactions were identified. Structures of these polymorphic forms were modeled and in silico drug interaction studies were carried out.

Results:

Result of the interaction studies with polymorphism was in correlation with the reported case. Two SNP mutated structures of AT1R i.e. rs780860717 (G288T), rs868647200 (A182C) shows considerably less binding affinities in case of all angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). As a result these polymorphisms may show less efficacy toward these ARBs. The other mutated structures rs12721226 (A163G), rs749234826 (A292G), rs775810028 (A87G) shows increased binding affinities in case of Eprosartan and most of the mutated structures shows increased binding affinity toward Telmisartan than the wild type AT1R. Similarly, these polymorphisms may show increased efficacy in case of these two ARBs.

Conclusion:

The outcome of the study will help in designing better drugs in near future with broader spectrum. Furthermore in vitro and in vivo studies can be designed according to current results.

Symptomatology, prognosis, and clinical findings of COVID 19 induced myocarditis: a systematic review

Background

With the advent of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in December 2019, numerous case studies have been reported on its impact on cardiac cells, and we purpose to perform a systematic review that explains the symptomatology, prognosis, and clinical findings of COVID-19-related myocarditis patients.

Methods

PRISMA guidelines were employed and peer–reviewed journals in English related to COVID – 19 were included. Exclusion criteria included <50 y, known heart problems. Age criteria was guided by prior systematic report by Kariyanna et al (2020). Search engines included Pubmed, Google scholar, Cochrane Central and Web of Science database using “SARS-CoV-2” or “COVID 19” and “myocarditis”. The data were analyzed and synthesized qualitatively using MS Excel PIVOT and quality was rated using the “Research and Quality Scoring Method” by Sackett and Haynes, the Jadad scale, and the items published by Cho and Bero (Han et al., 2011).

Results

A total of 22 studies on 37 patients were included; 6 were confirmed myocarditis while the rest have possible myocarditis. Among all these 62% were male and showing dominance. The most common presenting symptoms appear to be fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. Most of the patients have shown elevation in cardiac biomarkers (troponin levels, CRP, CK level, CK-MB, NT-pro BNP). Electrocardiogram changes include sinus rhythm, tachycardia, and non specific ST - segment elevation and T wave changes. Echocardiography results commonly found were left ventricular dysfunction and increased wall thickness. CMR was performed in 8 patients, with features of reduced ejection fraction, myocardial edema, and hypokinesia, whereas biopsy has been performed among 3 patients due to the invasive nature of the procedure and common findings include inflammatory biomarkers were raised. Overall Prognosis appears to be bad in which 25% of patients were not able to survive and 75% of them were recovered.

Conclusions

Myocarditis-related COVID-19 mortality continues to be high and under-estimated. The patient manifestations are identical and difficult to distinguish from COVID-19-related symptoms. Just a limited number of patients undergo confirmatory tests, such as an MRI or an endomyocardial biopsy, which may not be available. Further studies are needed to confirm and quantify the actual prognosis and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 myocarditis. Moreover, available data on the usage of glucocorticoids in the coronavirus infection is controversial to our knowledge. Corticosteroid therapy is unsuccessful in the treatment of viral myocarditis, according to a Cochrane systematic review conducted in 2013. It also allows viral clearance to be overdue. Corticosteroids, on the other hand, reduce the chance of mortality for ICU patients in Wuhan. To concede, more studies, clinical trials, and duration is needed for a thorough understanding of COVID – 19, and its impact on cardiac health

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Other.

Effect of black ginseng and silkworm supplementation on obesity, the transcriptome, and the gut microbiome of diet-induced overweight dogs

Like humans, weight control in overweight dogs is associated with a longer life expectancy and a healthier life. Dietary supplements are one of the best strategies for controlling obesity and obesity-associated diseases. This study was conducted to assess the potential of black ginseng (BG) and silkworm (SW) as supplements for weight control in diet-induced overweight beagle dogs. To investigate the changes that occur in dogs administered the supplements, different obesity-related parameters, such as body condition score (BCS), blood fatty acid profile, transcriptome, and microbiome, were assessed in high energy diet (HD) and HD with BG + SW supplementation (HDT) groups of test animals. After 12 weeks of BG + SW supplementation, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced in the HDT group. In the transcriptome analysis, nine genes (NUGGC, EFR3B, RTP4, ACAN, HOXC4, IL17RB, SOX13, SLC18A2, and SOX4) that are known to be associated with obesity were found to be differentially expressed between the ND (normal diet) and HD groups as well as the HD and HDT groups. Significant changes in some taxa were observed between the HD and ND groups. These data suggest that the BG + SW supplement could be developed as dietary interventions against diet-induced obesity, and obesity-related differential genes could be important candidates in the mechanism of the anti-obesity effects of the BG + SW supplement.

Exploring AT2R and its polymorphism in different diseases: An approach to develop AT2R as a drug target beyond hypertension

The Angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) is one of the critical components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which performs diverse functions like inhibiting cell differentiation, cell proliferation, vasodilatation, reduces oxidative stress and inflammation. AT2R is relatively less studied in comparison to other components of RAS despite its uniqueness (sex-linked) and diverse functions. The AT2R is differentially expressed in different tissues, and its gene polymorphisms are associated with several diseases. The molecular mechanism behind the association of AT2R and its gene polymorphisms with the diseases remains to be fully understood, which hinders the development of AT2R as a drug target. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AT2R are found at different locations (exons, introns, promoter, and UTR regions) and were studied for association with different diseases. There may be different mechanisms behind these associations as some AT2R SNP variants were associated with differential expression, the SNPs (A1675G/A1332G) affect the alternate splicing of AT2R mRNA, A1332G genotype results in shortening of the AT2R mRNA and subsequently defective protein. Few SNPs were found to be associated with the diseases in either females (C4599A) or males (T1334C). Several other SNPs were expected to be associated with other similar/related diseases, but studies have not been done yet. The present review emphasizes on the significance of AT2R and its polymorphisms associated with the diseases to explore the precise role of AT2R in different diseases and the possibility to develop AT2R as a potential drug target.

The insights of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Current understanding, research and therapeutic updates

BACKGROUND

Humans can be infected with various coronaviruses that cause serious illness and death. One such pandemic strain of coronavirus was recently identified in December 2019 and lead to a devastating outbreak in Wuhan city of China. It is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is highly contagious which causes symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to highlight the current understanding, research and therapeutic updates of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS

A thorough literature search was conducted for research papers and patents in context to COVID-19. All articles with respect to this subject was taken from various public repositories such as Google Scholar, Pubmed, ScienceDirect (Elsevier), Springer, Web of Science, etc. Results: The present analysis showed that key areas of the inventions were the vaccines and diagnostic kits apart from the composition for the treatment of CoV. It was also observed that no specific vaccine treatments are available for the treatment of 2019-nCov; however, developing novel chemical or biological drugs and kits for early diagnosis, prevention, and disease management is the primary governing topic among the patented inventions. The present study also indicates potential research opportunities for the future, particularly to combat 2019-nCoV. The current focus of the researches has turned towards developing four potential treatments including development of candidate vaccine, development of novel potential drugs, repurposing of existing drugs and development of convalescent plasma therapy. The PCR based diagnosis is the gold standard for the COVID-19 testing but it require resource time, expertise and high associated cost hence the researchers are also developing different diagnosis methods for the COVID-19. Although vaccines are being developed by various companies and have passed the pre-clinical stages but still there exists no guarantee for these to become the effective vaccine. The current treatments which are being used for COVID-19 patients are not well established and have limited success.

CONCLUSION

The pandemic has challenged the medical, economic and public health infrastructure across globe. There is urgent need to explore all available and possible methods/approaches to study this disease for drug and vaccine development at the earliest.

Role of whole-body vibration exposure and posture of dumper operators in musculoskeletal disorders: a case study in metalliferous mines

Objectives. The combined role of whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure and awkward posture on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) experienced by dumper operators in two metalliferous mines in India was evaluated through a cross-sectional study. Methods. Frequency-weighted root mean square (rms) acceleration was used for WBV exposure assessment. Anthropometry and rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) were used for static and dynamic posture assessment, respectively. Prevalence of MSDs was assessed using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ). Logistic regression was used to assess the factors contributing to MSD problems. Results. The rms values revealed that the operators exceeded the lower limit of Standard No. ISO 2631-1:1997. The dynamic posture study revealed that the majority of dumper operators were taking awkward postures and 58-74% of them were subjected to high and medium levels of MSD risk. The adjusted odds ratio (7.96, 95% confidence interval [1.24, 41.35]) for the most awkward postures revealed WBV exposure as the significant risk factor for MSD problems among the operators. Conclusion. WBV exposure and posture of operators should be regularly monitored and corrective actions implemented to reduce their MSD problems. Ergonomic seat design based on the anthropometry of the operators should be assessed at the time of procuring new equipment.

The Role of Advanced Technologies Supplemented with Traditional Methods in Pharmacovigilance Sciences

BACKGROUND

The immediate automatic systemic monitoring and reporting of adverse drug reactions, improving the efficacy is the utmost need of the medical informatics community. The venturing of advanced digital technologies into the health sector has opened new avenues for rapid monitoring. In recent years, data shared through social media, mobile apps, and other social websites has increased manifolds requiring data mining techniques.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this report is to highlight the role of advanced technologies together with the traditional methods to proactively aid in the early detection of adverse drug reactions concerned with drug safety and pharmacovigilance.

METHODS

A thorough search was conducted on papers and patents regarding pharmacovigilance. All articles with respect to the relevant subject were explored and mined from public repositories such as Pubmed, Google Scholar, Springer, ScienceDirect (Elsevier), Web of Science, etc. Results: The European Union's Innovative Medicines Initiative WEB-RADR project has emphasized the development of mobile applications and social media data for reporting adverse effects. Only relevant data has to be captured through the data mining algorithms (DMAs) as it plays an important role in timely prediction of risk with high accuracy using two popular approaches; the frequentist and Bayesian approach. Pharmacovigilance at the pre-marketing stage is useful for the prediction of adverse drug reactions in the early developmental stage of a drug. Later, post-marketing safety reports and clinical data reports are important to be monitored through electronic health records, prescription-event monitoring, spontaneous reporting databases, etc. Conclusion: The advanced technologies supplemented with traditional technologies are the need of the hour for evaluating a product's risk profile and reducing risk in population especially with comorbid conditions and on concomitant medications.

A review on current advances in machine learning based diabetes prediction

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder comprising of high glucose level in blood over a prolonged period in the body as it is not capable of using it properly. The severe complications associated with diabetes include diabetic ketoacidosis, nonketotic hypersmolar coma, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic renal failure, retinal damage and foot ulcers. There is a huge increase in the number of patients with diabetes globally and it is considered a major health problem worldwide. Early diagnosis of diabetes is helpful for treatment and reduces the chance of severe complications associated with it. Machine learning algorithms (such as ANN, SVM, Naive Bayes, PLS-DA and deep learning) and data mining techniques are used for detecting interesting patterns for diagnosing and treatment of disease. Current computational methods for diabetes diagnosis have some limitations and are not tested on different datasets or peoples from different countries which limits the practical use of prediction methods. This paper is an effort to summarize the majority of the literature concerned with machine learning and data mining techniques applied for the prediction of diabetes and associated challenges. This report would be helpful for better prediction of disease and improve in understanding the pattern of diabetes. Consequently, the report would be helpful for treatment and reduce risk of other complications of diabetes.

Pharmacokinetic and molecular docking studies to design antimalarial compounds targeting Actin I

OBJECTIVE

Malaria is an ancient disease that still causes more than 200 million of cases 7 with high mortality globally. Identification of new drug targets and development of novel antimalarial drugs with unique mode of action encounter the drug resistance and reduce the mortality by Plasmodium parasites. Actin protein is one of the key proteins in Plasmodium falciparum playing multifarious important roles including transport, cell motility, cell division, and shape determination. This study investigated Actin I as a drug target, in silico screening of diverse molecules through molecular docking was considered. Further, pharmacokinetic parameters of the selected molecules from the docking and interaction studies were planned to propose the lead molecules.b.

METHODS

Molecules were selected according to score and protein ligand interaction and selected molecules were subjected for pharmacokinetic studies to investigate important drug parameters.

RESULTS

The docked molecules were ranked according to the binding score and good interaction pattern was observed with Actin I within top 20 scoring molecules. The selected molecules also had optimum pharmacokinetic parameters.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides a set of hit molecules which can be further explored through in vitro and in vivo experiments for the development of potential drugs against malaria, there by encountering drug resistance and establishing Actin I as an important drug target.

Machine Learning Based Support System for Students to Select Stream (Subject)

Background:

In most of the countries, students have to select a subject/stream in the secondary education phase. Selection of subject/stream is crucial for students because further their career proceeds according to their selection. Mostly subject/stream selection cannot be changed in the further career. Inappropriate selection of subjects due to parental pressure, lack of information etc. can lead to limited success in the selected stream. Guidance for subject/stream selection based on information of successful scholars of their stream and information of students such as interest, family background, previous education and other associated can enhance the success in career.

Methods:

Data mining and machine learning based methods were developed on the above information. Data from the different institutions and students of two different streams were used for training and testing purposes. Different machine learning algorithms were used and methods with high accuracy (86.72) were developed.

Result:

Developed methods can be extended and used for different subject/stream selection.

Integrated genomic view of SARS-CoV-2 in India

Background: India first detected SARS-CoV-2, causal agent of COVID-19 in late January 2020, imported from Wuhan, China. From March 2020 onwards, the importation of cases from countries in the rest of the world followed by seeding of local transmission triggered further outbreaks in India. Methods: We used ARTIC protocol-based tiling amplicon sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 (n=104) from different states of India using a combination of MinION and MinIT sequencing from Oxford Nanopore Technology to understand how introduction and local transmission occurred. Results: The analyses revealed multiple introductions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, including the A2a cluster from Europe and the USA, A3 cluster from Middle East and A4 cluster (haplotype redefined) from Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia) and Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan). The local transmission and persistence of genomes A4, A2a and A3 was also observed in the studied locations. The most prevalent genomes with patterns of variance (confined in a cluster) remain unclassified, and are here proposed as A4-clade based on its divergence within the A cluster. Conclusions: The viral haplotypes may link their persistence to geo-climatic conditions and host response. Multipronged strategies including molecular surveillance based on real-time viral genomic data is of paramount importance for a timely management of the pandemic.

Screening of Antibiotics against β-amyloid as Anti-amyloidogenic Agents: A Drug Repurposing Approach

Background:

β-amyloid (Aβ) production and aggregation is the main culprit of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is becoming crisis where no treatment available for halting the disease progression. Antibiotics are used not only to treat infections, but also some of the non-contagious diseases and have found active as anti-amyloidogenic agents.

Objective:

The work aim’s to investigate anti-amyloidogenic activity of antibiotics as re-purposing agents via inhibiting Aβ aggregation and fibril formation employing in-silico and in-vitro approaches.

Mehtods:

In-silico screening was designed with receptor and ligand preparation, grid formation, docking simulation and its analysis. Thioflavin T-amyloid binding and protease-digestion studies were intended as in-vitro assays. The pharmacological potential of antibiotics as anti-amyloidogenic agents was assessed by these methods.

Results:

Paromomycin and Neomycin were identified with higher order of estimated free energy of binding in in-silico sreening. In in-vitro screening, paromomycin significantly (p<0.01) reduced the fluorescence intensity and resistance to tryptic degradation of Aβ(1-42) peptides while neomycin had no or little effect (p<0.01) when compared to control. Results from docking and wet lab studies were found in correlation.

Conclusion:

Paromomycin exhibited higher anti-Aβ aggregating and defibrillogenic activity than neomycin and leaves an indication for further in-vivo testing and could be a future promising anti-amyloidal candidate for the treatment of several amyloidoses.

Percutaneous retrieval of fractured intravascular catheters in premature infants

BACKGROUND

Premature infants often require long-term indwelling intravascular catheters. Occasionally, catheters fracture and migrate into cardiovascular structures, risking perforation, infection, thrombosis, and interference with cardiac and valve function. This case series describes our experience with percutaneous retrieval of broken intravascular catheters.

METHODS

A gooseneck micro-snare was used to retrieve fractured catheters in four premature infants, weighing between 840 and 1930 grams.

RESULTS

All procedures were successful without complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Gooseneck-snare retrieval of broken indwelling intravascular catheters can be performed safely and successfully in premature infants even those that weigh less than 1000 grams.

Random Mutagenesis of Thermophilic Xylanase for Enhanced Stability and Efficiency Validated through Molecular Docking

BACKGROUND

Xylanases of thermophilic origin are more robust and stable and hence more suitable for industrial applications. The aim of the research was to develop a patent using a robust mutant exhibiting enhanced xylanase activity. The strain (Bacillus aestuarii SC-2014) subjected to mutagenesis is thermophilic in origin and hence it is envisioned that the enhancement of its catalytic potential will enhance its industrial applicability.

OBJECTIVE

The main aim was to develop a stable and vigorous mutant having higher xylanase activity and improved thermostability.

METHODS

The bacterial strain isolated from the Tattapani hot springs of Himachal Pradesh (India) was mutagenized by single separate exposure of Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) and N-methyl N-nitro N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG).

RESULTS

A mutant library was generated and extensive screening led to the identification of the most potent mutant strain selected and designated as Bacillus sp. SC-2014 EMS200 (MTCC number 25046) which displayed not only enhanced xylanase activity and thermo stability but also appreciable genetic stability. This strain displayed a 3-fold increase in enzyme activity and simultaneously, a significant reduction in fermentation time from 72 h to 48 h was also observed. The xylanase gene from wild and mutant strain was cloned, sequenced and subjected to molecular docking. Two mutations H121D and S123T were present inside the binding pocket.

CONCLUSION

Mutation H121D made the binding pocket more acidic and charged, thus enhancing the xylanase activity for mutant protein. Mutations also resulted in charged amino acids (Y99K and H121D) which were identified as a probable cause for enhancing the thermostability of mutant protein.

Potential Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors from Moringa oleifera

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is the chronic medical condition and it affected billions of people worldwide. Natural medicines are the main alternatives to treatment for a majority of people suffering from hypertension. Niazicin-A, Niazimin-A, and Niaziminin-B compounds from Moringa oleifera ethanolic leave extract were reported to have potent antihypertensive activity.

OBJECTIVE

These compounds were targeted with Angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] which is one of the main regulatory enzymes of the renin-angiotensin system.

METHODS

Protein-ligand docking of these compounds with [ACE] [both domain N and C] was conceded out through Autodock vina and visualization was done by chimera. Pharmacokinetics study of these compounds was predicted by ADME-Toxicity Prediction.

RESULTS

Niazicin-A, Niazimin-A, and Niaziminin-B showed high binding affinity with ACE and partially blocked the active sites of the enzyme. Niazicin-A, Niazimin-A and Niaziminin-B showed the estimated free binding energy of -7.6kcal/mol kcal/mol, -8.8kcal/mol and -8.0kcal/mol respectively with C-domain of ACE and -7.9kcal/mol, -8.5kcal/mol and -7.7kcal/mol respectively with N-domain of ACE. The compounds showed better binding energy with angiotensinconverting enzyme in comparison to Captopril -5.5kcal/mol and -5.6kcal/mol and Enalapril [standard] -8.4kcal/mol and -7.5kcal/mol with C and N domain, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Computationally, the selected bioactive molecules have shown better binding energy to known standard drugs which have been already known for inhibition of ACE and can further act as a pharmacophore for in vitro and in vivo studies in the development of alternative medicine.

Functional redundancy in Echinocandin B in-cluster transcription factor ecdB of Emericella rugulosa NRRL 11440

Echinocandin B is a potent antifungal against the majority of fungal pathogens and its biosynthesis occurred by ecd and hty gene clusters in Emericella rugulosa NRRL 11440. We elucidated the functional necessity of in-clustered transcription factor; ecdB in the production of echinocandin B. We deleted the ecdB gene and found that ΔecdB mutant has no significant effect on echinocandin B production. The expression level of most of the ecd and hty cluster genes was not significantly altered except few of them up-regulated in knockout strain. The complete abrogation in ecdB gene expression was observed in ΔecdB strain. However, the interactions of purified EcdB protein with DNA sequence of ecdA, ecdH, ecdK and ecdI promoter was confirmed in-vitro. Our results conclude that EcdB protein in-vitro binds to the ecdA, ecdH, ecdK and ecdI promoter but in-vivo, it could not significantly affect the gene expression and echinocandin B production in Emericella rugulosa.

Subcellular localization based comparative study on radioresistant bacteria: A novel approach to mine proteins involve in radioresistance

Radioresistant bacteria (RRB) are among the most radioresistant organisms and has a unique role in evolution. Along with the evolutionary role, radioresistant organisms play important role in paper industries, bioremediation, vaccine development and possibility in anti-aging and anti-cancer treatment. The study of radiation resistance in RRB was mainly focused on cytosolic mechanisms such as DNA repair mechanism, cell cleansing activity and high antioxidant activity. Although it was known that protein localized on outer areas of cell play role in resistance towards extreme condition but the mechanisms/proteins localized on the outer area of cells are not studied for radioresistance. Considering the fact that outer part of cell is more exposed to radiations and proteins present in outer area of the cell may have role in radioresistance. Localization based comparative study of proteome from RRB and non-radio resistant bacteria was carried out. In RRB 20 unique proteins have been identified. Further domain, structural, and pathway analysis of selected proteins were carried out. Out of 20 proteins, 8 proteins were direct involvement in radioresistance and literature study strengthens this, however, 1 proteins had assumed relation in radioresistance. Selected radioresistant proteins may be helpful for optimal use of RRB in industry and health care.

Isolation of isoflavones from Iris kashmiriana Baker as potential anti proliferative agents targeting NF-kappaB

Cancer is possibly one of the most devastating and complex disease and therefore involves chemotherapy as one of the frontline strategies in its therapy. However, expected toxicity and resistance with chemotherapeutic agents encourage us to use the plant derived natural chemotherapeutic sources at the clinical stage of cancer therapy. In view of this strategy, herein new glycosides and isoflavonoids were isolated from Iris kashmiriana Baker and subjected to structure elucidation followed by their biological evaluation. Isolated compounds and their derivatives were purified by the column chromatography and structural identification was made by a combination of various spectroscopic technique vis. UV, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, DEPT, 2-D NMR and mass spectrometry coupled with chemical analysis. Furthermore, an in silico library of isolated isoflavones and its analogues were designed. NF-kappaB (transcription factor that facilitates angiogenesis, inflammation, invasion and metastasis) was selected as a target to evaluate the anticancer and antioxidant activity of isoflavones and its analogues. Designed library of isoflavones and analogues were docked into the active site of NF-kappa B and the most active 15 analogues were selected for synthesis. Finally, all compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against various cell lines and antioxidant activity with different methods that demonstrate their anti-cancer and anti-oxidant potential. The cell cycle specificity of the cytotoxicity was further analyzed by corresponding analysis, using flow cytometer. Most of the compounds exhibit moderate activity, whereas the 5,7,8-trihydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one, 5,7,8-trihydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one, 5,7,8-triacetoxyoxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one and 6,7-diacetoxyoxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H-chromen-4-one showed distinct broad-spectrum anticancer activity with IC₅₀ values ranges between 3.8 and 5.6 μg/mL. Cell cycle analysis indicates that these compounds induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase.

Comparative whole-transcriptome analysis in Podophyllum species identifies key transcription factors contributing to biosynthesis of podophyllotoxin in P. hexandrum

Podophyllum species (Podophyllum hexandrum Royle and Podophyllum peltatum) are a major source of deriving anticancer drugs from their major chemical constituent, podophyllotoxin. However, information lacks on regulatory components of podophyllotoxin biosynthesis; therefore, different classes of transcription factors were identified through mining transcriptomes of Podophyllum species and validated through qRT-PCR analysis vis-à-vis podophyllotoxin contents in different tissues/organs of Podophyllum hexandrum. A total of 82, 278, 70, and 90 transcripts were identified in shoots and 89, 273, 72, and 91 transcripts in rhizomes of P. hexandrum transcriptome; 70, 268, 48, and 92 transcripts were in shoots and 58, 245, 41, and 85 transcripts in rhizomes of P. peltatum transcriptome corresponding to bZIP, MYB, WRKY, and bHLH families of transcription factors, which have been shown in regulating biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Two unique transcripts encoding bHLH and MYB/SANT TFs in shoots of P. peltatum (medp_podpe_41091 and medp_podpe_2547) and bZIP and MYB TFs in rhizomes of P. hexandrum (medp_podhe_163581 and medp_podhe_147614) correlated with podophyllotoxin content. Quantification of podophyllotoxin and comparative expression analysis between high (2.51 %) versus low (0.59) podophyllotoxin content accessions revealed 0.04 to ~16-folds increase in transcripts of transcription factors, thereby further supporting the association of identified transcription factors with podophyllotoxin content. bZIP TF showed the highest transcript abundance (19.60-folds) in P. hexandrum rhizomes (2.51 % podophyllotoxin) compared to shoots (0.01 %). In silico analysis of putative promoter regions of pathway genes in other plant species revealed the presence of sequence elements for MYB and WRKY transcription factors, thereby suggesting their role in controlling the production of podophyllotoxin. A repertoire of additional transcription factors has been provided, which can be functionally validated and used in designing a suitable genetic intervention strategy towards enhanced production of podophyllotoxin.

Homology modelling of frequent HLA class-II alleles: A perspective to improve prediction of HLA binding peptide and understand the HLA associated disease susceptibility

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) plays significant role via the regulation of immune system and contribute in the progression and protection of many diseases. HLA molecules bind and present peptides to T- cell receptors which generate the immune response. HLA peptide interaction and molecular function of HLA molecule is the key to predict peptide binding and understanding its role in different diseases. The availability of accurate three dimensional (3D) structures is the initial step towards this direction. In the present work, homology modelling of important and frequent HLA-DRB1 alleles (07:01, 11:01 and 09:01) was done and acceptable models were generated. These modelled alleles were further refined and cross validated by using several methods including Ramachandran plot, Z-score, ERRAT analysis and root mean square deviation (RMSD) calculations. It is known that numbers of allelic variants are related to the susceptibility or protection of various infectious diseases. Difference in amino acid sequences and structures of alleles were also studied to understand the association of HLA with disease susceptibility and protection. Susceptible alleles showed more amino acid variations than protective alleles in three selected diseases caused by different pathogens. Amino acid variations at binding site were found to be more than other part of alleles. RMSD values were also higher at variable positions within binding site. Higher RMSD values indicate that mutations occurring at peptide binding site alter protein structure more than rest of the protein. Hence, these findings and modelled structures can be used to design HLA-DRB1 binding peptides to overcome low prediction accuracy of HLA class II binding peptides. Furthermore, it may help to understand the allele specific molecular mechanisms involved in susceptibility/resistance against pathogenic diseases.

Sex-Biased Temporal Gene Expression in Male and Female Floral Buds of Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

Seabuckthorn is an economically important dioecious plant in which mechanism of sex determination is unknown. The study was conducted to identify seabuckthorn homologous genes involved in floral development which may have role in sex determination. Forty four putative Genes involved in sex determination (GISD) reported in model plants were shortlisted from literature survey, and twenty nine seabuckthorn homologous sequences were identified from available seabuckthorn genomic resources. Of these, 21 genes were found to differentially express in either male or female flower bud stages. HrCRY2 was significantly expressed in female flower buds only while HrCO had significant expression in male flowers only. Among the three male and female floral development stages (FDS), male stage II had significant expression of most of the GISD. Information on these sex-specific expressed genes will help in elucidating sex determination mechanism in seabuckthorn.

Common antigens prediction in bacterial bioweapons: a perspective for vaccine design

Bioweapons (BWs) are a serious threat to mankind and the lack of efficient vaccines against bacterial bioweapons (BBWs) further worsens the situation in face of BW attack. Experts believe that difficulties in detection and ease in dissemination of deadly pathogens make BW a better option for attack compared to nuclear weapons. Molecular biology techniques facilitate the use of genetically modified BBWs thus creating uncertainty on which bacteria will be used for BW attack. In the present work, available resources such as proteomic sequences of BBWs, protective antigenic proteins (PAPs) reported in Protegen database and VaxiJen dataset, and immunogenic epitopes in immune epitope database (IEDB) were used to predict potential broad-specific vaccine candidates against BBWs. Comparison of proteomes sequences of BBWs and their analyses using in-house PERL scripts identified 44 conserved proteins and many of them were known to be immunogenic. Comparison of conserved proteins against PAPs identified six either as PAPs or their homologues with a potential of providing protection against multiple pathogens. Similarly, mapping of conserved proteins against experimentally known IEDB epitopes identified six epitopes which had exact epitope match in four proteins including three from earlier predicted six PAPs. These epitopes were also reported to provide protection against several pathogens. In the backdrop of conserved heat shock GroEL protein from Salmonella enterica providing protection against five diverse bacterial pathogens involved in different diseases, and synthetic proteins produced by combination of epitopes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 4 viruses providing protection against both bacterium and viruses, the identified putative immunogenic conserved proteins and immune-protective epitopes can further be explored for their potential as broad-specific vaccine candidates against BBWs.

EpiCombFlu: exploring known influenza epitopes and their combination to design a universal influenza vaccine

MOTIVATION

Influenza is responsible for half a million deaths annually, and vaccination is the best preventive measure against this pervasive health problem. Influenza vaccines developed from surveillance data of each season are strain-specific, and therefore, are unable to provide protection against pandemic strains arising from antigenic shift and drift. Seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics of influenza have created a need for a universal influenza vaccine (UIV). Researchers have shown that a combination of conserved epitopes has the potential to be used as a UIV.

RESULT

In the present work, available data on strains, proteins, epitopes and their associated information were used to develop a Web resource, 'EpiCombFlu', which can explore different influenza epitopes and their combinations for conservation among different strains, population coverage and immune response for vaccine design. Forward selection algorithm was implemented in EpiCombFlu to select optimum combination of epitopes that may be expressed and evaluated as potential UIV.

AVAILABILITY

The Web resource is freely available at http://117.211.115.67/influenza/home.html.

CONTACT

chittaranjan.rout@juit.ac.in

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Jenner-predict server: prediction of protein vaccine candidates (PVCs) in bacteria based on host-pathogen interactions

Background

Subunit vaccines based on recombinant proteins have been effective in preventing infectious diseases and are expected to meet the demands of future vaccine development. Computational approach, especially reverse vaccinology (RV) method has enormous potential for identification of protein vaccine candidates (PVCs) from a proteome. The existing protective antigen prediction software and web servers have low prediction accuracy leading to limited applications for vaccine development. Besides machine learning techniques, those software and web servers have considered only protein’s adhesin-likeliness as criterion for identification of PVCs. Several non-adhesin functional classes of proteins involved in host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis are known to provide protection against bacterial infections. Therefore, knowledge of bacterial pathogenesis has potential to identify PVCs.

Results

A web server, Jenner-Predict, has been developed for prediction of PVCs from proteomes of bacterial pathogens. The web server targets host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis by considering known functional domains from protein classes such as adhesin, virulence, invasin, porin, flagellin, colonization, toxin, choline-binding, penicillin-binding, transferring-binding, fibronectin-binding and solute-binding. It predicts non-cytosolic proteins containing above domains as PVCs. It also provides vaccine potential of PVCs in terms of their possible immunogenicity by comparing with experimentally known IEDB epitopes, absence of autoimmunity and conservation in different strains. Predicted PVCs are prioritized so that only few prospective PVCs could be validated experimentally. The performance of web server was evaluated against known protective antigens from diverse classes of bacteria reported in Protegen database and datasets used for VaxiJen server development. The web server efficiently predicted known vaccine candidates reported from Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli proteomes. The Jenner-Predict server outperformed NERVE, Vaxign and VaxiJen methods. It has sensitivity of 0.774 and 0.711 for Protegen and VaxiJen dataset, respectively while specificity of 0.940 has been obtained for the latter dataset.

Conclusions

Better prediction accuracy of Jenner-Predict web server signifies that domains involved in host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis are better criteria for prediction of PVCs. The web server has successfully predicted maximum known PVCs belonging to different functional classes. Jenner-Predict server is freely accessible at http://117.211.115.67/vaccine/home.html

Novel quinolone substituted thiazolidin-4-ones as anti-inflammatory, anticancer agents: design, synthesis and biological screening

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) has been reported to regulate various genes involved in cancer and inflammation. Accordingly, drugs suppressing or inhibiting NF-κB may possess both anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. A library of quinolone substituted thiazolidin-4-ones was docked into the active site of NF-κB and the top-ranked 31 compounds were synthesized and evaluated for anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. The best-ranked compound 6b showed highest anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced paw edema model. In vitro anticancer studies revealed 1a and 16a as most active compounds against BT-549, HeLa, COLO-205 and ACHN human cancer cell lines. Compounds 1a and 16a exhibited NF-κB dependent anticancer properties and apoptosis mediated cell death. In vivo Ehrlich ascites carcinoma study further confirmed the antitumor activity of 1a and 16a.

Supervision and Quality Control Measures in Annual Sentinel Surveillance for HIV Infection in India

The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) has been entrusted by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to undertake monitoring and supervision of annual Sentinel Surveillance (ASS) activity in India since 1998, to ensure that the data obtained are valid. Earlier Regional coordinating teams cooperated with NIHFW in this task. From 2006 onwards, NACO identified five regional institutes covering all the states and Union Territories and Central team members consisting of experts from various organisations for the monitoring and supervision of the ASS cycle to ensure quality control of both epidemiological data collection and HIV testing (NACO 2006a and b). We describe here the process of quality control and observations of the ASS rounds held from 2005 to 2007. The performance of a majority of sites was satisfactory. The testing laboratories usually adhered to standard operating procedures (SOPs). Lacunae observed during the supervisory visits have been enumerated along with the recommendations for the future surveillance rounds.

Eyelid squamous cell carcinoma in xeroderma pigmentosa: a therapeutic challenge

A 10-year-old male, Muslim child diagnosed with xeroderma pigmentosa with a right upper lid malignancy presented as a therapeutic challenge because of the non-availability of normal facial skin for grafting and lid reconstruction. The lid lesion had been present for the last one month. The disease had been present for past five years with polymorphous, erythematous lesions all over the body. On examination, there was a hard reddish yellow mass in the lower lid with features of secondary infection along with corneal xerosis in both eyes. With a clinical diagnosis of malignancy, the lesion was subjected to a wide excision after the investigations. The resultant large tissue defect in the right lower lid region was managed by a full thickness trans-midline lateral forehead flap based on superficial temporal artery. Post operatively, there was a satisfactory graft uptake. The paucity of surgical options for the plastic reconstruction coupled with the large area to be reconstructed made our case worth reporting.