Contribution of Travelers to Malaria in South West Delhi, India: Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: India is committed to malaria elimination by the year 2030. According to the classification of malaria endemicity, the National Capital Territory of Delhi falls under category 1, with an annual parasite incidence of <1, and was targeted for elimination by 2022. Among others, population movement across states is one of the key challenges for malaria control, as it can result in imported malaria, thus introducing local transmission in an area nearing elimination.

Effectiveness of the primary Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine against the risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease: a meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Background: Tuberculosis vaccine trials using disease as the primary endpoint are large, time consuming, and expensive. An earlier immunological measure of the protection against disease would accelerate tuberculosis vaccine development. We aimed to assess whether the effectiveness of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was consistent with that for prevention of tuberculosis disease.

Differential associations of anti-cytomegalovirus antibodies and soluble CD14 levels with immunosenescence in people living with HIV on long term antiretroviral therapy.

Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) demonstrate accelerated aging and immunosenescence in spite of immune-restoration following long-term antiretroviral treatment (ART). Low level inflammation leading to inflammaging plays an important role in mediating premature immunosenescence. Ongoing viral replication, antiretrovirals and subclinical infections with the common viruses like Cytomegalovirus (CMV) are known to induce inflammaging.

Performance characteristics of the point-of-care tests for HPV-based cervical cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: We aimed to conduct an updated and comprehensive summary of the sensitivity and specificity of three human papillomavirus (HPV) point-of-care (POC) tests (careHPV™, oncoE6™ cervical test, Xpert® HPV) to guide resource-constrained countries for their implementation in cervical cancer screening.

Methods: Databases including Medline, Embase, Web of Science and cumulated index in nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL) were searched between January 2004 and October 2024. Observational studies analyzing the three tests for cervical cancer screening were included.

Adult vaccination in India: A rapid review of current status & implementation challenges.

Background & objectives The expanded programme on immunization launched in India in 1978, with its focus on preventing six diseases in children (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, poliomyelitis, typhoid, and childhood tuberculosis), was widened in its scope in 1985-86. This new avtaar, the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), incorporated measles vaccine for children and rubella and adult diphtheria vaccines for pregnant women. We conducted this rapid review on adult immunization relevant for India, as recent COVID-19 experience revealed how newly emergent or re-emergent pathogens could have their onslaughts on the elderly and adults with comorbidities.

Impact of combinatorial immunotherapies in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers affecting females worldwide. Several new effective therapeutic strategies are being developed to minimize the number of breast cancer-related deaths and improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. However, resistance to conventional therapies in breast cancer patients remains a challenge which could be due to several reasons, including changes in the tumor microenvironment.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Indicating Curcumin to Enhance the Synergistic Potential of Paclitaxel and Reduce Cell Viability, Tumor Volume, and Drug Resistance in Different Cancers.

Background: To treat diseases like cancer, conventional Paclitaxel (PTX)- based monotherapy treatment regimens are becoming less effective due to the development of resistance. In this aspect, the phytomolecule curcumin (Cur), having ethnopharmacological importance in traditional South Asian remedies, like Ayurveda and Chinese traditional medicine, has been studied as a promising chemo-sensitizing and synergistic partner of PTX.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of PTX and Cur compared to PTX therapy alone in the in vitro and in vivo environments.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer: Current knowledge and future perspectives.

MDSCs (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) are crucial for immune system evasion in cancer. They accumulate in peripheral blood and tumor microenvironment, suppressing immune cells like T-cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells. They promote tumor angiogenesis and metastasis by secreting cytokines and growth factors and contribute to a tumor-promoting environment.

Fibrosis and Hepatocarcinogenesis: Role of Gene-Environment Interactions in Liver Disease Progression.

The liver is a complex organ that performs vital functions in the body. Despite its extraordinary regenerative capacity compared to other organs, exposure to chemical, infectious, metabolic and immunologic insults and toxins renders the liver vulnerable to inflammation, degeneration and fibrosis. Abnormal wound healing response mediated by aberrant signaling pathways causes chronic activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), leading to hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Genomic landscape of gallbladder cancer: insights from whole exome sequencing.

Background: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a common gastrointestinal malignancy noted for its aggressive characteristics and poor prognosis, which is mostly caused by delayed detection. However, the scarcity of information regarding somatic mutations in Indian patients with GBC has hampered the development of efficient therapeutic options. In the present study, the authors attempted to bridge this gap by revealing the mutational profile of GBC.

Somatic mutational landscape across Indian breast cancer cases by whole exome sequencing.

Breast cancer (BC) has emerged as the most common malignancy among females. The genomic profile of BC is diverse in nature and complex due to heterogeneity among various geographically different ethnic groups. The primary objective of this study was to carry out a comprehensive mutational analysis of Indian BC cases by performing whole exome sequencing.

Risk management in a clinical pathology laboratory: Application of brainstorming and probability analysis for risk reduction.

Introduction: Risk management includes identifying various risks, assessing the probability of occurrence, and evaluating the severity of their consequences. As clinical laboratories are integrally involved in patient care, risks in the laboratories could present grave consequences in some instances. This study aimed to utilize simple techniques for risk management in a clinical laboratory.

Overlap in oncogenic and pro-inflammatory pathways associated with areca nut and nicotine exposure.

Background: Betel nut/areca nut/ is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substance, and is also a major preventable cause of cancer. Unlike other psychoactive substances, such as nicotine, the mechanisms underlying addiction to areca nuts and related oncogenesis remain elusive. Recent reports suggest a possible overlap in the mechanisms of action of nicotine and areca nuts in the human body.

Public Health System's Preparedness to Address Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Rapid Assessment Survey of Health-care Providers in India.

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders largely affecting women of reproductive age group.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the Indian public health-care systems' preparedness in addressing PCOS.

Materials And Methods: A multicentric rapid assessment cross-sectional study was undertaken among 173 health-care providers serving across various public health-care facilities in India.

Microbial community and functions involved in smokeless tobacco product: a metagenomic approach.

Smokeless tobacco products (STPs) are attributed to oral cancer and oral pathologies in their users. STP-associated cancer induction is driven by carcinogenic compounds including tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). The TSNAs synthesis could enhanced due to the metabolic activity (nitrate metabolism) of the microbial populations residing in STPs, but identifying microbial functions linked to the TSNAs synthesis remains unexplored.