•Immunological and pathological correlations of Mucormycosis.•Involvement of iron in the pathogenesis of Mucormycosis.•The elevated risk factors caused due to Mucormycosis.•Complications in Assessing ...Treatment Strategies in Mucormycosis.•Antifungal Agents in the Treatment and Management of Mucormycosis.
In a retrospective view, this review examines the impact of mucormycosis on health workers and researchers during the COVID era. The diagnostic and treatment challenges arising from unestablished underlying pathology and limited case studies add strain to healthcare systems. Mucormycosis, caused by environmental molds, poses a significant threat to COVID-19 patients, particularly those with comorbidities and compromised immune systems. Due to a variety of infectious Mucorales causes and regionally related risk factors, the disease's incidence is rising globally. Data on mucormycosis remains scarce in many countries, highlighting the urgent need for more extensive research on its epidemiology and prevalence. This review explores the associations between COVID-19 disease and mucormycosis pathology, shedding light on potential future diagnostic techniques based on the fungal agent's biochemical components. Medications used in ICUs and for life support in ventilated patients have been reported, revealing the challenge of managing this dual onslaught. To develop more effective treatment strategies, it is crucial to identify novel pharmacological targets through “pragmatic” multicenter trials and registries. In the absence of positive mycology culture data, early clinical detection, prompt treatment, and tissue biopsy are essential to confirm the specific morphologic features of the fungal agent. This review delves into the history, pathogens, and pathogenesis of mucormycosis, its opportunistic nature in COVID or immunocompromised individuals, and the latest advancements in therapeutics. Additionally, it offers a forward-looking perspective on potential pharmacological targets for future drug development.
Graphical representation of mucormycosis infection and therapeutic interventions Display omitted
Background: Tobacco especially cigarette, smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as stroke and ischemic heart disease. According to the World Health Organization that ...10% of all deaths due to CVD are attributed to smoking. Basic ingredients of tobacco, causes an increase the risk of oxidative stress, impair the vascular endothelial function and activate the sympathetic nervous system. These associated with significantly higher serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides and lower levels of HDL. Smoking may leads to impairment in physical fitness. We have observed the effects of smoking on cardiorespiratory fitness stratified by body mass index (BMI) in the college students and also hypothesized that smoking may lead to decreased physical fitness despite a good level of physical activity in daily life. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of smoking on cardio-respiratory fitness and physical performances of an individual. Methods: This was a cross sectional study, 50 smoker (Group-I), 50 non-smoker (Group-II) college students were used. Each subject’s age, smoking habits, the duration of smoking, health conditions were recorded. Anthropometrics, body composition, BMI, BP, PFT and PFI testing were assessed. Results: Result shows that 32 people are smoking <10 cigarettes daily but only 2 persons smoke ≥20 cigarettes daily. SBP and DBP were more in smoker’s College students. The respiratory rate of smoker’s college students is higher than that of non-smoker. Smokers strength of the respiratory muscle is less than non-smoker as a result they have reduced vital capacity. Conclusion: Smoking increases the risk of virtually all CVD parameters, including that of the newly identified risk of paroxysmal tachycardia.
Arsenic (AS) toxicity is considered as one of the biggest environmental issue and a major public health problem. In this chapter we have summarized the impact of AS contamination on human health. A ...perusal of literature reveals that exposure to higher concentrations of AS is serious for a number of reasons. Such exposure for a longer period leads to ill effect on several organ systems of the human body. The adverse effects of inorganic AS cause many human diseases, human sufferings and increased human mortality and also affect various age groups variously. Population of some countries are more vulnerable to AS contamination problems. Studies have revealed the mechanisms of many AS induced diseases particularly cancer, cardiovascular effects, immunological effects and neurological effects in human. This article presents the scientific information emerged especially during the last two decades in the field of the ecotoxicological properties of AS and the potential mechanism of AS-induced toxicity, with a special emphasis on AS-induced carcinogenesis.
Arsenic (AS) toxicity is considered as one of the biggest environmental issue and a major public health problem. In this chapter we have summarized the impact of AS contamination on human health. A ...perusal of literature reveals that exposure to higher concentrations of AS is serious for a number of reasons. Such exposure for a longer period leads to ill effect on several organ systems of the human body. The adverse effects of inorganic AS cause many human diseases, human sufferings and increased human mortality and also affect various age groups variously. Population of some countries are more vulnerable to AS contamination problems. Studies have revealed the mechanisms of many AS induced diseases particularly cancer, cardiovascular effects, immunological effects and neurological effects in human. This article presents the scientific information emerged especially during the last two decades in the field of the ecotoxicological properties of AS and the potential mechanism of AS-induced toxicity, with a special emphasis on AS-induced carcinogenesis.
Amlodipine, a cardiovascular drug, exhibited remarkable antibacterial action in vitro against 504 bacterial strains belonging to both Gram positive and Gram negative genera, as well as in vivo ...against a mouse-virulent bacterium. Based on such findings, the present study was undertaken to determine whether the efficacy of this non-antibiotic drug could be enhanced in the presence of any antibiotic. Twelve bacterial strains, sensitive to amlodipine as well as to 6 antibiotics, viz., benzyl penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin were chosen. Disc diffusion test with amlodipine and streptomycin revealed marked synergism between the combination, compared with their individual effects. The synergism was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). To assess the degree of synergy, the checkerboard analysis was performed. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of this combination turned out to be 0.24, which confirmed synergism. This antibiotic–non-antibiotic pair was then administered to mice, challenged with S. typhimurium to determine whether this was effective in vivo. Statistical analysis of the mouse protection tests suggested that the combination was highly synergistic (p<0.001), according to Student's t-test. This synergistic drug combination may help us in enhancing the scope of prolonged antibiotic therapy in various types of infections, and might open a new therapeutic approach to combat drug resistance in bacterial diseases.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by immune system dysregulation, impacting both central and peripheral immune responses. The study aimed to investigate the mechanism behind the neurotoxic ...effects of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the rat brain including the study of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and alterations in peripheral immune responses (PIR). The neuroinflammation brought on by Aβ1–42 and is unknown to influence PIR. Animal models were prepared, after 28 days, control, sham, and treated rats were anaesthetized and inflammatory markers of hippocampus and serum levels (reactive oxygen species, nitrite, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β), and some markers of PIR (splenic mononuclear cells or MNC, cytotoxicity and phagocytic index of the white blood cells leukocyte adhesion inhibition index or LAI), as well as polymorphonuclear cells of the spleen, were assessed. In addition to changes in peripheral immune responses, the present study found that AD rats had higher blood levels of inflammatory markers. Based on the study, the immune system irregularities observed in AD rats in the peripheral regions might be connected to neuroinflammation, which is facilitated by a compromised blood–brain barrier. Hence, it is viable to propose that the neuroinflammatory condition in rats with Aβ-induced AD could modify immune responses in the peripheral areas with significantly higher levels of inflammatory cytokines markers in the hippocampal tissue in Aβ-injected AD rats.
An arsenic-resistant bacterium, strain KRPC10Y
T
, was isolated from arsenic-infested bore-well of West Bengal, India. The bacterium was resistant to exceeding concentrations of arsenate (30 mM) and ...arsenite (20 mM). The bacterium was Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile and yellowish to orange-pigmented. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15∶0. The DNA G+C content was 49 mol %. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, it was identified as a member of the genus
Planococcus
and is the first known
Planococcus
resistant to arsenic. KRPC10Y
T
T was positive for indole, catalase, tolerated up to 12.0% NaCl and exhibited phenotypic differences with other type strains of genus
Planococcus
. Strain KRPC10Y
T
thus could be a novel species of the genus
Planococcus
. The type strain is KRPC10Y
T
(= MTCC7758
T
, =JCM 13947
T
).
Tuberculosis (TB) causes maximum mortality and morbidity worldwide. 25 per cent of the global population harbour Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and therefore are at risk of developing active ...disease. Of late, the disseminated diseases of TB are on the increase. Nearly one-third of all TB infections can be classified as extrapulmonary-TB (EPTB). TB can spread to the bone, brain, intestine, peritoneum, genitourinary system, and female genital sites leading to problems of conception. Therefore undoubtedly, TB has turned out to be a tremendous public health problem globally. The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria calls for new anti-tuberculous drugs to enhance response to antimicrobial therapy for active TB. However, discoveries of very effective anti-TB new medicines have not materialised yet. Thus, nutritional anti-TB intervention is highly important. In the pre-antibiotic era, Vitamin D was used for the treatment of TB. Its active component 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 was shown to display anti-TB activity in vitro. Vitamin D deficient humans display greater susceptibility to TB. Vitamin D deficiency induces worse disease progression in TB cases as observed in many clinical trials. The efficacy of the addition of vitamin D supplements in TB treatment has also been estimated. Thus, by now, the role of vitamin D in TB prevention and treatment is well established. Knowledge of the molecular mechanism of vitamin D is crucially vital for new anti-TB drug design. This review article discusses the recent advancement regarding the molecular mechanism of vitamin D-related anti-TB action. Further elucidation of this area may help novel anti-TB drug development.
Background: Physical fitness has been associated with the state of physical well-being of a person, which ultimately influences the physical, mental and social qualities. The importance of physical ...fitness depends on activities that focus not only of improving the physical health but also the daily life style of an individual. Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to compare selected physiological variables among rural and urban school students in Bankura district. The allied objectives of the study are as follows: 1) To compare the cardiovascular parameters among rural and urban school students of Bankura, 2) To compare BMI, Waist-hip ratio (WHR) and life style parameters; 3) To compare the physical fitness index (PFI) among rural and urban areas of Bankura, and 4) To compare the muscle strength of rural and urban areas of Bankura school students. Methods: For the present study, subjects were selected from male students of Bankura district. 25-rural students (Group-1) and 25-urban students (Group-2) with the age group of 12-14 years were selected in the present study at Bankura District. Different anthropological, cardiovascular, respiratory and physical fitness index parameters were measured. The level of significance was kept at 0.05, to testing the hypothesis. Results and Conclusion: Rural students had performed significantly better in almost all the physical fitness variables as compared to urban students. This study proves that the potential differences in physical fitness of among the rural and urban school going students of Bankura.
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