High Prevalence of Cervical High-Grade Lesions and High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infections in Women Living with HIV: A Case for Prioritizing Cervical Screening in This Vulnerable Group.

Introduction: Women living with HIV (WLHIV) are at an increased risk of developing cervical precancerous lesions and cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This study aimed at evaluating the prevalence of cervical lesions and high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection in WLHIV in comparison to the HIV-negative women undergoing opportunistic screening. In addition, these findings among WLHIV were correlated with the clinic-demographic factors.

A Regional Pooling Intervention in a High-Throughput COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory to Enhance Throughput, Save Resources and Time Over a Period of 6 Months.

An effective and rapid diagnosis has great importance in tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through isolation of the infected individuals to curb the transmission and initiation of specialized treatment for the disease. It has been proven that enhanced testing capacities contribute to efficiently curbing SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the initial phases of the outbreaks. RT-qPCR is considered a gold standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

Computational identification of natural product inhibitors against EGFR double mutant (T790M/L858R) by integrating ADMET, machine learning, molecular docking and a dynamics approach.

Double mutated epidermal growth factor receptor is a clinically important target for addressing drug resistance in lung cancer treatment. Therefore, discovering new inhibitors against the T790M/L858R (TMLR) resistant mutation is ongoing globally. In the present study, nearly 150 000 molecules from various natural product libraries were screened by employing different ligand and structure-based techniques.

Composition and Ecological Functionality of Fungal Communities Associated with Smokeless Tobacco Products Mainly Consumed in India.

The microbial communities present in smokeless tobacco products (STPs) perform critical steps in the synthesis of carcinogens, mainly tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). Most studies emphasize the bacterial component, and the mycobiome of STPs has not been well characterized. In this study, we investigated the fungal communities in the different categories of STPs by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA region of the fungal genome.

Coverage of Quality Maternal and Newborn Healthcare Services in India: Examining Dropouts, Disparity and Determinants.

Background: Abundant research studies has recorded availability, accessibility and quality of antenatal care and safe delivery in India but comparatively less information is known for postnatal care and furthermore limited attempts at capturing the whole spectrum of obstetric and newborn health services. Assessing discontinuity in maternal and child health service utilization provides us holistic information about existing health inequities and barriers in service provision.

Objective: Current study evaluated the coverage of quality antenatal care (QANC), delivery care (QDC) and postnatal care (QPNC) in India as a part of a single continuum accounting for significant regional and sub-regional disparities.

Smokeless tobacco use and public health nutrition: a global systematic review.

Objective: Tobacco consumption among low- and middle-income countries where food insecurity remains a challenge poses several concerns. This review examines the available global evidence linking smokeless tobacco (SLT) use with public health nutrition and its implications.

Design: Systematic review of articles extracted from PubMed and Scopus from January 2000 to December 2020.

Structural comparisons reveal diverse binding modes between nucleosome assembly proteins and histones.

Nucleosome assembly proteins (NAPs) are histone chaperones that play a central role in facilitating chromatin assembly/disassembly which is of fundamental importance for DNA replication, gene expression regulation, and progression through the cell cycle. In vitro, NAPs bind to the core histones H2A, H2B, H3, H4 and possibly to H1. The NAP family contains well-characterized and dedicated histone chaperone domain called the NAP domain, and the NAP-histone interactions are key to deciphering chromatin assembly.

Delineating the Bacteriome of Packaged and Loose Smokeless Tobacco Products Available in North India.

Smokeless tobacco product (STP) consumption is a significant public health threat across the globe. STPs are not only a storehouse of carcinogens and toxicants but also harbor microbes that aid in the conversion of tobacco alkaloids to carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), thereby posing a further threat to the health of its consumers. The present study analyzed the bacterial diversity of popular dry and loose STPs by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Microbiome and Development of Ovarian Cancer.

Cancer of the female reproductive system involves abnormal cell growth that can potentially invade the peritoneal cavity resulting in malignancy and disease severity. Ovarian cancer is the most common type of gynecological cancer, which often remains undiagnosed until the later stages of the disease or until cancer has metastasized towards the peritoneum and omentum, compelling it to be a deadly disease complicating the prognosis and therapeutics. Environmental, genetics and microbial factors are the common mainsprings to the disease.

Development of a pH-sensitive functionalized metal organic framework: study for simultaneous delivery of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in breast cancer.

Exploration of an efficient dual-drug based nanocarrier with high drug loading capacity, specific targeting properties, and long-term stability is highly desirable in cancer therapy. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be a promising class of drug carriers due to their high porosity, crystalline properties with defined structure information, and their potential for further functionalization. To enhance the drug efficacy as well as to overcome the burst effect of drugs, here we synthesized a pH responsive folic acid (FA) and graphene oxide (GO) decorated zeolitical imidazolate frameworks-8 (GO-FA/ZIF-8), for targeted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and cyclophosphamide (CP), simultaneously.

prediction and interaction of resveratrol on methyl-CpG binding proteins by molecular docking and MD simulations study.

Resveratrol enhances the BRCA1 gene expression and the MBD family of proteins bind to the promoter region of the BRCA1 gene. However, the molecular interaction is not yet reported. Here we have analyzed the binding affinity of resveratrol with MBD proteins.

Sialadenoma papilliferum of a minor salivary gland with transformation to mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Sialadenoma papilliferum (SP) is a rare benign tumor usually occurring in the minor salivary glands. Only two cases of malignant transformation of SP and an occasional case of dysplasia in SP have been reported in the literature till now. We report a case of SP of a minor salivary gland in a middle-aged male where the exophytic component retained the histomorphological features of SP while the endophytic component displayed characteristics of a mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Mixed Effect of Alcohol, Smoking, and Smokeless Tobacco Use on Hypertension among Adult Population in India: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study.

Sporadic evidence is available on the association of consuming multiple substances with the risk of hypertension among adults in India where there is a substantial rise in cases. This study assesses the mutually exclusive and mixed consumption patterns of alcohol, tobacco smoking and smokeless tobacco use and their association with hypertension among the adult population in India. Nationally representative samples of men and women drawn from the National Family and Health Survey (2015-2016) were analyzed.

Psychological distress and burnout among healthcare worker during COVID-19 pandemic in India-A cross-sectional study.

Background: COVID-19 has inundated the entire world disrupting the lives of millions of people. The pandemic has stressed the healthcare system of India impacting the psychological status and functioning of health care workers. The aim of this study is to determine the burnout levels and factors associated with the risk of psychological distress among healthcare workers (HCW) engaged in the management of COVID 19 in India.

A comprehensive meta-analysis of non-coding polymorphisms associated with precancerous lesions and cervical cancer.

Objectives: To study the risk of polymorphisms present in the non-coding regions of genes related with cervical cancer.

Methods: The PubMed database was extensively searched using text-mining techniques to identify literature containing the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms and cervical cancer. Case-control studies published till June 2020 were considered for the meta-analysis if they fulfilled the selection criteria.

Smokeless Tobacco Use among Pregnant Women in India: The Tale of Two Nationally Representative Surveys.

The prevalence of smokeless tobacco (SLT) is pervasive in many Asian countries, including India. SLT use among pregnant women is markedly high, and is considered to be a global concern. Consequently, the associated health effects of SLT consumption on pregnant women and the foetus cause long-term adverse effects.

Anal cytological abnormalities and human papillomavirus infection in women living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To provide a summary estimate of the prevalence of anal cytological abnormalities and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as well as their covariates in women living with HIV (WLHIV).

Methods: Four databases - PubMed, Cochrane Library, ProQuest and Web of Science - were searched up to 31 May 2021 for studies reporting on the prevalence and/or covariates of abnormal anal cytology and/or anal HPV infection in WLHIV. The data were extracted independently by two authors using standardized extraction forms.

Systematic review of determinants and interventions of areca nut cessation: curbing a public health menace.

Background: Areca nut (AN) is a proven human carcinogen and a global public health menace. There is yet no review providing comprehensive information on the determinants and interventions available for cessation of AN. This systematic review was aimed at summarizing the available literature on drivers and interventions for cessation of AN chewing habit and to highlight the research lacunae.

Schleichera oleosa Seed Extract Reduced the Proliferation of Breast Cancer by Regulating the BRCA1 and p16 Genes.

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in females worldwide. Schleichera oleosa (kusum tree) belongs to the Sapindaceae family commonly found in many states of India. This plant is traditionally being used in various pathological conditions.

Risk Reversal of Oral, Pharyngeal and Oesophageal Cancers after Cessation of Betel Quid Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Areca nut (AN), the principal ingredient of betel quid (BQ) has been categorized as a human carcinogen associated with various cancers of upper aerodigestive tract. However, there has been no attempt at summarizing the risk reversal of oral and other cancers after cessation of BQ with or without tobacco (BQ+T/BQ-T).

Objective: To analyze the effect of cessation of betel quid without tobacco (BQ-T) and with tobacco (BQ+T) on reversal of the risk of oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal cancers.

Prevalence and determinants of undernutrition among adolescents in India: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Undernutrition is one of the serious health problems among adolescents in India where 253 million adolescents are in the age group of 10-19 years. Since adolescents represent the next generation of adults, it is important to understand the nutritional status of adolescents. Even though several studies have been carried out in different states in India on adolescent undernutrition (stunting, wasting /underweight), there is no study or review that estimated the national pooled prevalence of adolescent undernutrition and its determinants.

Characterization of Tobacco Microbiome by Metagenomics Approach.

Chronic consumption of tobacco in all forms, either smoked/smokeless forms, causes major health hazards to humans that include cancer, cardiovascular, lung diseases, diabetes, fertility issues, etc. Among tobacco-mediated cancers, the prominent one being the oral cancers are caused due to chronic tobacco chewing. The biochemicals present in tobacco are involved in carcinogenesis, and their presence is partly mediated by the existence of microbes in tobacco products.

Feasibility of Training Community Health Workers in the Detection of Oral Cancer.

Importance: Visual screening for oral cancer has been found to be useful in a large randomized clinical trial in Kerala, India, showing substantial reduction in mortality. To address the shortage of medical personnel in resource-deficient regions, using the services of community health workers has been proposed as a strategy to fill the gap in human resources in health care.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of community health workers in screening and early detection of oral cancer using a mobile application capturing system.

Does secondhand smoke exposure increase the risk of acute respiratory infections among children aged 0-59 months in households that use clean cooking fuel? A cross-sectional study based on 601 509 households in India.

This study examines whether exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases the risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI) among children aged 0-59 months. Study utilized nationally representative data from National Family Health Survey (2015-2016), which adopted two-stage stratified random sampling. Four mutually exclusive groups based on the type of cooking fuel usage and SHS exposure were created.