Whole Genome Mining and Characterization of a New Probiotic Strain Levilactobacillus brevis ILSH3 from Handia: An Ethnic Fermented Beverage of Odisha, India.

Isolation and characterization of probiotics from traditional fermented food have contributed many beneficial strains to the field of health and nutritional sciences. Handia, a traditional fermented alcoholic beverage popular in different parts of Odisha, was our source of isolation. This study characterizes one such potential bacteria, Levilactobacillus brevis ILSH3 (H3) isolated from Handia.

Anticancer activity of Bacopa monnieri through apoptosis induction and mitophagy-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Bacopa monnieri (BM) is traditionally used in human diseases for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, its anticancer potential has been poorly understood.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the detailed anticancer mechanism of BM against oral cancer and to identify the bioactive BM fraction for possible cancer therapeutics.

Statins abrogate gemcitabine-induced PD-L1 expression in pancreatic cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer cells with improved therapeutic outcome.

A combination of chemotherapy with immunotherapy has been proposed to have better clinical outcomes in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). On the other hand, chemotherapeutics is known to have certain unwanted effects on the tumor microenvironment that may mask the expected beneficial effects of immunotherapy. Here, we have investigated the effect of gemcitabine (GEM), on two immune checkpoint proteins (PD-L1 and PD-L2) expression in cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs).

Vaginal Vault Infiltration with Bupivacaine for Postoperative Pain Control after Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Randomized control trial.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of local infiltration of anesthetic to the vaginal vault on postoperative pain after total laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Materials And Methods: This was a single-center, randomized trial. Women assigned to laparoscopic hysterectomy were randomly divided into two groups.

Economic evaluation of participatory women's groups scaled up by the public health system to improve birth outcomes in Jharkhand, eastern India.

An estimated 2.4 million newborn infants died in 2020, 80% of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. To achieve the Sustainable Development Target for neonatal mortality reduction, countries with high mortality need to implement evidence-based, cost-effective interventions at scale.

Biochemical, functional and genomic characterization of a new probiotic Ligilactobacillus salivarius F14 from the gut of tribes of Odisha.

Characterization of new potential probiotics is desirable in the field of research on probiotics for their extensive use in health and disease. Tribes could be an unusual source of probiotics due to their unique food habits and least dependence on medications and consumption of antibiotics. The aim of the present study is to isolate lactic acid bacteria from tribal fecal samples of Odisha, India, and characterize their genetic and probiotic attributes.

SMRT and NCoR1 fine-tune inflammatory versus tolerogenic balance in dendritic cells by differentially regulating STAT3 signaling.

Dendritic cell (DC) fine-tunes inflammatory versus tolerogenic responses to protect from immune-pathology. However, the role of co-regulators in maintaining this balance is unexplored. NCoR1-mediated repression of DC immune-tolerance has been recently reported.

Gemcitabine induces polarization of mouse peritoneal macrophages towards M1-like and confers antitumor property by inducing ROS production.

In patients with pancreatic cancer (PC), the peritoneal cavity is the second-most common site of metastasis after the liver. Peritoneal macrophages (PMs) have been demonstrated to play a significant role in the peritoneal metastases of different cancers. Gemcitabine (GEM) is known to affect PC-associated immune cells, including macrophages.

Fluvastatin sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells toward radiation therapy and suppresses radiation- and/or TGF-β-induced tumor-associated fibrosis.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is highly resistant to chemo and radiotherapy. Radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) is a major cause of clinical concern for various malignancies, including PC. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the radiosensitizing and anti-RIF potential of fluvastatin in PC.

Effectiveness of participatory women's groups scaled up by the public health system to improve birth outcomes in Jharkhand, eastern India: a pragmatic cluster non-randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: The WHO recommends community mobilisation with women's groups practising participatory learning and action (PLA) to improve neonatal survival in high-mortality settings. This intervention has not been evaluated at scale with government frontline workers.

Methods: We did a pragmatic cluster non-randomised controlled trial of women's groups practising PLA scaled up by government front-line workers in Jharkhand, eastern India.

Fusogenic Viral Protein-Based Near-Infrared Active Nanocarriers for Biomedical Imaging.

An effective drug delivery system (DDS) relies on an efficient cellular uptake and faster intracellular delivery of theranostic agents, bypassing the endosomal mediated degradation of the payload. The use of viral nanoparticles (VNPs) permits such advancement, as the viruses are naturally evolved to infiltrate the host cells to deliver their genetic material. As a proof of concept, we bioengineered the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G)-based near-infrared (NIR) active viral nanoconstructs (NAVNs) encapsulating indocyanine green dye (ICG) for NIR bioimaging.

Tissue Distribution of ACE2 Protein in Syrian Golden Hamster () and Its Possible Implications in SARS-CoV-2 Related Studies.

The Syrian golden hamster () has recently been demonstrated as a clinically relevant animal model for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, lack of knowledge about the tissue-specific expression pattern of various proteins in these animals and the unavailability of reagents like antibodies against this species hampers these models' optimal use. The major objective of our current study was to analyze the tissue-specific expression pattern of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, a proven functional receptor for SARS-CoV-2 in different organs of the hamster.

Plasmodium falciparum sexual parasites develop in human erythroblasts and affect erythropoiesis.

Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes, the sexual stage responsible for malaria parasite transmission from humans to mosquitoes, are key targets for malaria elimination. Immature gametocytes develop in the human bone marrow parenchyma, where they accumulate around erythroblastic islands. Notably though, the interactions between gametocytes and this hematopoietic niche have not been investigated.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhances prostate cancer metastasis potentially through NF-κB activation and recurrent dexamethasone administration fails to suppress it in vivo.

Background: Previous studies have shown the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on enhanced cancer cells' growth and metastasis. However, the effect of LPS on prostate cancer (PCa) cells metastasis has not been investigated in details. This study aimed to investigate the functional role of LPS on PCa cells metastasis and determine the effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on this event.

Sleeping Habits among School Children and their Effects on Sleep Pattern.

Sleep problems can occur at any age. Inadequate sleep affects the physiological as well as psychological well-being of an individual. Thus, the objective of the present study is, to determine the pre sleep habits, duration and pattern of sleep among school children and to determine association between their sleep schedules and sleep habits.

Care seeking for childhood pneumonia by rural and poor urban communities in Lucknow: A community-based cross-sectional study.

Context: Globally, around 16% of under-five children die due to pneumonia. Childhood pneumonia, if identified early is a readily treatable through low-cost antibiotics. Access to timely and appropriate care is a key action to control pneumonia.

The sensitivity and specificity of a urine based Rapid Diagnostic Test for the diagnosis of plasmodium falciparum in a malaria endemic area in Odisha, India.

Background: Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial in the treatment of malaria. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) using blood have been recommended by the WHO as an acceptable method for the diagnosis of malaria. RDTs provide results quickly, is simple to use and easy to interpret.

Nanomedicine-mediated drug targeting of cancer stem cells.

Tumors are heterogeneous and contain a small population of cells that has a crucial role in tumor progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and relapse as a result of their self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation properties. These cells are known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) and accumulating evidence suggests that they show significant resistance to conventional chemotherapy. Thus, various antitumor strategies have been developed to eliminate therapeutic-resistant CSCs by targeting the molecular differences between CSCs and bulk cancer cells.

Rasmussen's aneurysm: A rare and forgotten cause of hemoptysis.

Hemoptysis as a sequelae of past tubercular infection of lungs is a known occurrence. Hemoptysis in such a patient can result from a number of etiologies like tubercular reactivation, bronchiectasis, aspergiloma and vascular complications like hypervascularity from bronchial arteries, arteriovenous fistula formation, pseudoaneurysms, etc. Massive hemoptysis in such a patient is usually treated by bronchial artery embolization and occasionally by surgical lobectomy.

Synergistic combination of antioxidants, silver nanoparticles and chitosan in a nanoparticle based formulation: Characterization and cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines.

Hypothesis: Chitosan (Cs) is a biocompatible, biodegradable cationic polymer having the ability of targeted drug delivery. Vitamin E and C are not synthesized in our body thus, when encapsulated within a carrier system these vitamins in combination with/alone can be utilized for their anti-cancer potentials.

Experiment: The present investigation was conducted to develop a stable nanoparticle based formulation encapsulating antioxidants (Vitamin E, catechol) and silver nanoparticles synthesized from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (HRS) petal extracts within a chitosan matrix.

Fatal meningitis by Cryptococcus laurentii in a post-partum woman: A manifestation of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompetent post-partum women has been rarely reported. Immune restoration during post-partum period leads to unmasking of many opportunistic infections that may have been acquired during pregnancy but manifest itself in the post-partum period due to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This case highlights the importance of considering opportunistic pathogens in immunocompetent patients who may be undergoing immune restoration.

Nodulation: an unexplored cellular defense mechanism in insects.

Nodulation is a highly conserved process that involves aggregation of cells around microorganisms, leading to their entrapment with the help of cellular milieu. In insects upon infection, the humoral and cellular arms of the innate immune system orchestrate recognition of pathogens facilitating effector responses through various signaling pathways. Existing data suggests a wide range of immune functions for multiple pattern recognition molecules but their role in nodulation is not known.