Climate Drivers on Malaria Transmission in Arunachal Pradesh,India

The present study was conducted during the years 2006 to 2012 and provides information on prevalence of malaria and its regulation with effect to various climatic factors in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Correlation analysis, Principal Component Analysis and Hotelling’s T² statistics models are adopted to understand the effect of weather variables on malaria transmission. The epidemiological study shows that the prevalence of malaria is mostly caused by the parasite Plasmodium vivax followed by Plasmodium falciparum. It is noted that, the intensity of malaria cases declined gradually from the year 2006 to 2012. The transmission of malaria observed was more during the rainy season, as compared to summer and winter seasons. Further, the data analysis study with Principal Component Analysis and Hotelling’s T² statistic has revealed that the climatic variables such as temperature and rainfall are the most influencing factors for the high rate of malaria transmission in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.     

In vitro assessment of praziquantel and a novel nanomaterial against protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus

The present study describes the activity of a nanomaterial on protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus, which exhibited morphological changes and apoptosis. Apoptotic changes were deduced on the basis of effector caspase activation and nucleosomal laddering. Invaginated protoscoleces maintained in vitro became evaginated and had hooks, presumptive suckers and stalks. Degenerative changes of protoscoleces were evidenced after treatment with praziquantel and nano-combination. Protoscoleces treated with praziquantel had distinct attestation of necrosis and nano-combination-treated protoscoleces had signatures of apoptosis.     

Prediction of the three-dimensional structure of aflatoxin of Aspergillus flavus by homology modelling

Aflatoxins are polyketide-derived secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus spp. The toxic effects of aflatoxins have adverse consequences for human health and agricultural economics. The aflR gene, a regulatory gene for aflatoxin biosynthesis, encodes a protein containing a zinc-finger DNA-binding motif. AFLR-Protein three-dimensional model was generated using Robetta server. The modeled AFLR-Protein was further optimization and validation using Rampage. In the simulations, we monitored the backbone atoms and the C-α-helix of the modeled protein. The low RMSD and the simulation time indicate that, as expected, the 3D structural model of AFLR-protein represents a stable folding conformation. This study paves the way for generating computer molecular models for proteins whose crystal structures are not available and which would aid in detailed molecular mechanism of inhibition of aflatoxin.     

Mapping the amino acid properties of constituent nucleoporins onto the yeast nuclear pore complex

Visualization of molecular structures aids in the understanding of structural and functional roles of biological macromolecules. Macromolecular transport between the cell nucleus and cytoplasm is facilitated by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The ring structure of the NPC is large and contains several distinct proteins (nucleoporins) which function as a selective gate for the passage of certain molecules into and out of the nucleus. In this note we demonstrate the utility of a python code that allows direct mapping of the physiochemical properties of the constituent nucleoporins on the scaffold of the yeast NPC׳s cytoplasmic view. We expect this tool to be useful for researchers to visualize the NPC based on their physiochemical properties and how it alters when specific mutations are introduced in one or more of the nucleoporins. The code developed using Python is available freely from the authors.     

A cohort study of lymphatic filariasis on socio economic conditions in Andhra Pradesh, India

Background

To assess the impact of socioeconomic variables on lymphatic filariasis in endemic villages of Karimnagar district, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Methods

A pilot scale study was conducted in 30 villages of Karimnagar district from 2004 to 2007. These villages were selected based on previous reports from department of health, Government of Andhra Pradesh, epidemiology, entomology and socioeconomic survey was conducted as per protocol. Collected data were analysed statistically by Chi square test, Principal Component Analysis, Odds ratio, Bivariate, multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

Total of 5,394 blood samples collected and screened for microfilaria, out of which 199 were found to be positive (3.7%). The socioeconomic data of these respondents/participants were correlated with MF prevalence. The socioeconomic variables like educational status (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.1–6.5), house structure (hut OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.2–3.1; tiled OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 0.8–2) and participation in mass drug administration program (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3–2.6) were found to be highly associated with the occurrence of filarial disease. The socioeconomic index was categorized into low (3.6%; OR-1.1, 95% CI: 0.7–1.5) medium (4.9%; OR-1.5, 95% CI = 1–2.1) and high (3.3%) in relation to percentage of filarial parasite prevalence. A significant difference was observed among these three groups while comparing the number of cases of filaria with the type of socioeconomic conditions of the respondents (P = 0.067).

Conclusions

From this study it is inferred that age, education of family, type of house structure and awareness about the filarial disease directly influenced the disease prevalence. Beside annual mass drug administration program, such type of analysis should be undertaken by health officials to target a few socioeconomic factors to reduce the disease burden. Health education campaigns in the endemic villages and imparting of protection measures against mosquitoes using insecticide treated bed nets would substantially reduce the disease in these villages.     

Data base management system for lymphatic filariasis--a neglected tropical disease

Background

Researchers working in the area of Public Health are being confronted with large volumes of data on various aspects of entomology and epidemiology. To obtain the relevant information out of these data requires particular database management system. In this paper, we have described about the usages of our developed database on lymphatic filariasis.

Methods

This database application is developed using Model View Controller (MVC) architecture, with MySQL as database and a web based interface. We have collected and incorporated the data on filariasis in the database from Karimnagar, Chittoor, East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Conclusion

The importance of this database is to store the collected data, retrieve the information and produce various combinational reports on filarial aspects which in turn will help the public health officials to understand the burden of disease in a particular locality. This information is likely to have an imperative role on decision making for effective control of filarial disease and integrated vector management operations.     

Enhancement of DNA vaccine (P12A3C-pcDNA) efficacy against foot-and-mouth disease by coadministration of interleukin-18-expressing (IL18 pcDNA) plasmid in guinea-pigs

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals causing considerable economic loss in the affected countries. The presently used tissue-cultured inactivated vaccine protects the vaccinated animals for a short duration of immunity. As one of the approaches to develop alternative vaccines, P12A3C-pcDNA (containing P12A and 3C coding sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus) and bovine IL18 pcDNA plasmids were constructed and the immune response of these constructs was evaluated when they were coinoculated in guinea-pigs. The humoral response was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (for levels of IgG1, IgG2) and a serum neutralization test (SNT), and the cellular response using an MTT assay. Significantly higher humoral and cell-mediated immune responses were seen in the P12A3C and the IL-18 coinoculated group than that in P12A3C-pcDNA alone and inactivated virus vaccine inoculated groups. Similarly, a higher population of CD4(+) , CD8(+) and T-helper type 1 (Th1), and Th2 cytokine levels were seen in the former group in comparison with the other groups. P12A3C+IL-18 protected all the six animals when challenged with a homologous virus compared with five and four in an inactivated virus vaccine and the P12A3C-pcDNA groups, respectively. These results have shown that the plasmid encoding for P12A3C-pcDNA, when coinoculated with IL-18, induced higher responses and protected the animals from a virus challenge.     

The treatment of isolated genera

Problems presented by genera, or small groups of genera, which have been given family rank are reviewed, and the genera are divided into a number of categories according to the closeness of their affinity to other genera or families. Satellite genera that stand in close relation to families should be united with them. Binary families, that have been divided into two (or more) related families, should be re–united. Families connected by linking genera, should, logically, be united but practical considerations usually prevent this. Clusters of diverse but more or less distantly related genera present unusual problems, being treated either as several, often monogeneric families or as a loosely structured family. Truly isolated genera must be given family and often ordinal rank.