Abstract
Ultra-compact wireless implantable medical devices are in great demand for healthcare applications, in particular for neural recording and stimulation. Current implantable technologies based ...on miniaturized micro-coils suffer from low wireless power transfer efficiency (PTE) and are not always compliant with the specific absorption rate imposed by the Federal Communications Commission. Moreover, current implantable devices are reliant on differential recording of voltage or current across space and require direct contact between electrode and tissue. Here, we show an ultra-compact dual-band smart nanoelectromechanical systems magnetoelectric (ME) antenna with a size of 250 × 174 µm
2
that can efficiently perform wireless energy harvesting and sense ultra-small magnetic fields. The proposed ME antenna has a wireless PTE 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than any other reported miniaturized micro-coil, allowing the wireless IMDs to be compliant with the SAR limit. Furthermore, the antenna’s magnetic field detectivity of 300–500 pT allows the IMDs to record neural magnetic fields.
Dietary practices are one of the most common modifiable risk factors for cancers. Foods rich in dietary fibers are considered protective, meanwhile fast & junk foods are risk for common cancers. ...Adolescence period is marked by habit formation and is thus suited for delivering behavioral intervention. Schools offer an optimal setting for planning and executing these interventions to a large number of adolescents.
To assess the effectiveness of a teacher-delivered cancer-prevention education in changing dietary behaviors of school going adolescents.
A cluster randomized trial was conducted in government secondary and senior secondary schools with schools as clusters. A minimum required sample of 1032 students was estimated from 16 schools with 1:1 allocation in intervention and non-intervention groups. Dietary behaviors were recorded as dichotomous variable. The determinants were recorded as per theory of planned behavior framework using Likert-scale. Two teachers from each intervention school were trained to deliver cancer prevention education with focus on role of dietary behavior. Pre-post training assessment of teachers' knowledge towards common cancers was done using a self-administered questionnaire. Gender adjusted difference-in-difference analysis was done to assess intervention effect on both healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
In selected schools all students from classes 8 to 10 were approached and a total of 1224 students were enrolled, of whom 1096 completed the study. The study recorded significant improvement in scores of students from intervention group compared to non-intervention group for their attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and intention towards consuming healthy and avoiding unhealthy foods. The intervention was effective in significantly improving the proportion of students limiting fried/fast/packed food & sugar sweetened beverages (OR:1.51, 95%CI:1.08,2.12,p:0.017), and consuming fruits & vegetables daily (OR:1.55, 95%CI:1.08,2.22, p:0.017) while adjusting effect of gender.
Classroom-based cancer prevention education delivered through teachers during regular working hours is effective in improving dietary behaviors and its determinants among adolescent students. Thus, we recommend integrating a section focusing on the role of diet in cancer prevention and other lifestyle diseases in the existing school curriculum.
The trial was registered under Clinical Trial Registry-India with registration number CTRI/2018/12/016586, dated-10/12/2018.
BBV152 is a whole-virion inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that has been deployed in India. The results of the phase 3 trial have shown clinical efficacy of BBV152. We aimed to evaluate the ...effectiveness of BBV152 against symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
We conducted a test-negative, case-control study among employees of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India), who had symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and had an RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 during the peak of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India between April 15 and May 15, 2021. Cases (test-positives) and controls (test-negatives) were matched (1:1) on the basis of age and gender. The odds of vaccination with BBV152 were compared between cases and controls and adjusted for level of occupational exposure (to COVID-19), previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and calendar time, using conditional logistic regression. The primary outcome was effectiveness of two doses of BBV152 (with the second dose received at least 14 days before testing) in reducing the odds of symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, expressed as (1 – odds ratio) × 100%.
Between April 15 and May 15, 2021, 3732 individuals had an RT-PCR test. Of these, 2714 symptomatic employees had data on vaccination status, and 1068 matched case-control pairs were available for analysis. The adjusted effectiveness of BBV152 against symptomatic COVID-19 after two doses administered at least 14 days before testing was 50% (95% CI 33–62; p<0·0001). The adjusted effectiveness of two doses administered at least 28 days before testing was 46% (95% CI 22–62) and administered at least 42 days before testing was 57% (21–76). After excluding participants with previous SARS-CoV-2 infections, the adjusted effectiveness of two doses administered at least 14 days before testing was 47% (95% CI 29–61).
This study shows the effectiveness of two doses of BBV152 against symptomatic COVID-19 in the context of a huge surge in cases, presumably dominated by the potentially immune-evasive delta (B.1.617.2) variant of SARS-CoV-2. Our findings support the ongoing roll-out of this vaccine to help control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, while continuing the emphasis on adherence to non-pharmacological measures.
None.
For the Hindi translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
Echinatin (Ech), a characteristic retrochalcone isolated from liquorice, a widely used herbal medicine, has been investigated in detail in terms of its conformational and electronic properties in ...different dielectric media using density functional calculations. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis suggests an extended conjugation in the molecule, including a keto-ethylenic group (–CO–CH=CH–) connecting both the rings. The aromaticity of Ech has been studied using the nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) method. The acidity constants (p
K
a
) have been simulated for both the hydroxyl groups in the molecule. Molecular electrostatic potentials (MEPs) have been computed to predict the reactivity of Ech toward both electrophiles and nucleophiles. Further, the electronic spectra of the neutral and deprotonated states have been computed in different solvents using an implicit solvation model, SMD. The vibrational spectra of both the neutral and anionic forms have also been simulated. Besides these,
1
H-NMR and
13
C-NMR spectra have been computed and compared with the experimental values. In addition, the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energies, a number of global reactivity descriptors, viz., chemical hardness (
η
), chemical potential (
μ
), global softness (
S
), global electrophilicity (
ω
), and nucleophilicity (
N
) indices and various thermodynamic parameters have also been calculated in order to get a better insight into the molecular properties.
Hydroxychloroquine has gained much attention as one of the candidate drugs that can be repurposed as a prophylactic agent against SARS-CoV-2, the agent responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to ...high transmissibility and presence of asymptomatic carriers and presymptomatic transmission, there is need for a chemoprophylactic agent to protect the high-risk population. In this review, we dissect the currently available evidence on hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis from a clinical and pharmacological point of view.
studies on Vero cells show that hydroxychloroquine effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by affecting viral entry and viral transport via endolysosomes. However, this efficacy has failed to replicate in
animal models as well as in most clinical observational studies and clinical trials assessing pre-exposure prophylaxis and postexposure prophylaxis in healthcare workers. An analysis of the pharmacology of HCQ in COVID-19 reveals certain possible reasons for this failure-a
failure due to failure to achieve adequate drug concentration at the target site and attenuation of its inhibitory effect due to the presence of TMPRSS2 in airway epithelial cells. Currently, many clinical trials on HCQ prophylaxis in HCW are ongoing; these factors should be taken into account. Using higher doses of HCQ for prophylaxis is likely to be associated with increased safety concerns; thus, it may be worthwhile to focus on other possible interventions.
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•Total syntheses of retrochalcones isolated from liquorice root are reported.•A wide range of biological applications of retrochalcones are discussed.•Licochalcone A exhibits ...anticancer activity against a number of cell lines.
In the search for novel drugs for health preservation, the active ingredients of medicinal herbs have been used since time immemorial. Liquorice, a potent medicinal herb derived from the root and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza species, has been used worldwide for the treatment of various diseases. A number of compounds have been isolated from the liquorice root, including retrochalcones, viz. echinatin, licochalcone A, B, C, D and E, having a diverse range of pharmacological applications such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-parasitic, to name a few. This review highlights the different synthetic procedures for retrochalcones and their in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo and in silico studies, along with the underlying molecular mechanisms. In addition, the total syntheses of licochalcone F and H, the regioisomers of licochalcone E and C, respectively, have also been included. Herein, the maximum possible biological applications of retrochalcones cited so far in the literature have been reviewed. The insights from this review will further advance the role and application of retrochalcones in the field of medicinal chemistry.
Diagnosis and management of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are scarcely described in the published literature. The aim of this ...systematic review was to delineate the triggers of HLH in patients with HIV and understand the role of steroids in the management. We conducted a comprehensive search of English medical literature via the Medline ⁄ PubMed database using different synonyms of "HIV" AND "HLH". The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018099987). The titles and abstracts of the 185 articles between January 1986 and April 2018 were reviewed. The final analysis was done from 42 articles with 52 patients. HLH was associated with malignancy in 17 patients, while infection was found in 25 patients. No cause was identified in eight patients, out of which four had acute HIV infection. Death was reported in 21 patients. Presence of either malignancy (p = 0.051) or opportunistic infection (p = 0.69) was not associated with increased chances of death by univariate analysis. A total of 26 patients were treated with steroids, while etoposide was used in only four patients. Administration of steroids as a treatment of HLH was associated with more chances of death (p = 0.048). Malignancy and Opportunistic infections are important triggers for HLH in patients with HIV. Acute HIV by itself can act as a trigger for HLH. Evidence on the use of steroids as a treatment of HLH in patients with HIV is not convincing.
India has the largest problem of tuberculosis (TB) infection globally (estimated at about 35-40 crores cases), and around 18-36 lakh develop active tuberculosis annually. Latent TB is defined as a ...state of persistent immune response to stimulation by
antigens with no evidence of clinically manifested active TB. The progression of a latent infection to active tuberculosis increases several-fold in children < 5 years of age and in people with some or the other form of an immunocompromising condition. Therefore, to cater to this gigantic problem of tuberculosis, it is necessary to have awareness about latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) amongst clinicians and to prioritise its diagnosis and treatment in high-risk groups. India plans to end TB well before the deadline set by the World Health organisation (WHO). However, this can only be achieved with effective strategies targeting LTBI. Multiple treatment regimens have been approved for LTBI treatment, and all have comparable efficacy. The selection of one regimen over the other depends on various factors, such as availability, risk of adverse events, age, and drug interactions. Recently, the WHO, as well as the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP), have updated their guidelines on TB preventive treatment in 2020 and 2021, respectively. This review has been especially prepared to acknowledge the differences in approach to LTBI in developed and developing countries.
Oral lesions of pemphigus vulgaris are usually recalcitrant and respond slowly to treatments. Corticosteroid injection is considered to be the most effective local treatment in oral pemphigus ...vulgaris. However, intralesional corticosteroids are not effective in all remnant lesions. In 3 such patients with pemphigus vulgaris, we evaluated the utility of 2 injections (on days 1 and 15) of intralesional rituximab, 5 mg/cm², in terms of accelerated healing, limitation of the use of systemic immunosuppressants, and reduction of their adverse effects.
Three patients (1 man and 2 women) received 2 doses of intralesional rituximab in March and April 2013. All 3 patients responded to the treatment. In patients 1 and 2, the objective severity score was reduced to 0 at the final visit from a baseline score of 4 and 5, respectively (range, 0-11). The subject severity score in these patients was reduced to 1.0 and 0 from a baseline score of 22.0 and 22.5, respectively. After clinical remission was achieved, patient 3 developed a relapse of mucosal lesions. At the final visit, all of the patients were satisfied with the treatment, with a mean satisfaction score of 8 (maximum score, 10). We found a marked decline in the CD19 cell count from a pretreatment mean count of 287 cells/µL to 6 cells/µL on day 15 after a single intralesional rituximab injection. Adverse events were limited to local pain in 1 patient.
Intralesional rituximab administration lacks the adverse effects of intravenous administration. This method reduces the amount of drug administered and therefore is less expensive. Encouraging results from our study should prompt further evaluation of this novel route of rituximab administration in patients with refractory oral pemphigus vulgaris.
Post COVID-19 sequelae are a constellation of symptoms often reported after recovering from COVID-19. There is a need to better understand the clinical spectrum and long-term course of this clinical ...entity. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical features and risk factors of post COVID-19 sequelae in the North Indian population. This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare centre in Northern India between October 2020 and February 2021. Patients aged >18 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were recruited after at least two weeks of diagnosis, and details were captured. A total of 1234 patients were recruited and followed up for a median duration of 91 days (IQR: 45-181 days). Among them, 495 (40.1%) had persistent symptoms post-discharge or recovery. In 223 (18.1%) patients, the symptoms resolved within four weeks; 150 (12.1%) patients had symptoms till 12 weeks, and 122 (9.9%) patients had symptoms beyond 12 weeks of diagnosis/symptom-onset of COVID-19. Most common symptoms included myalgia (10.9%), fatigue (5.5%), shortness of breath (6.1%), cough (2.1%), insomnia (1.4%), mood disturbances (0.48%) and anxiety (0.6%). Patients who were hospitalized were more likely to report fatigue as a feature of long COVID. Hypothyroidism (OR: 4.13, 95% CI: 2.2-7.6, p-value < 0.001) and hypoxia (SpO2 ≤ 93%) (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.4, p-value 0.012) were identified as risk factors for long COVID sequelae. In conclusion, long COVID symptoms were common (22%), and 9.9% had the post COVID-19 syndrome. Myalgias, fatigue and dyspnoea were common symptoms. Patients with hypothyroidism and hypoxia during acute illness were at higher risk of long COVID.
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