Metallic and metal oxide-derived nanohybrid as a tool for biomedical applications.

Nanotechnology covers a variety of scientific areas including chemistry, material science, physics, biomedicine, biology, and engineering. Metal nanohybrid with extraordinary properties is highly researched in comparison to bulky individual nanoparticles. Especially, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are a new class of functional nanohybrids having broad, intriguing physio-chemical properties showing applications in nanoscience and biomedical research. Engineered inorganic nanoparticles have paved an essential component in the advancement of nanotechnologies. Synthesis is done through various physical, chemical, and biological methods with their special features and manipulation at the nano level in their physiochemical properties, controlling their shape, size, and surface functionality. Application of metal and metal oxide nanohybrid are discussed, including, gene delivery, theranostics, and catalysis. Due to the versatile application of nanohybrids, it can be used in the detection of tumors, cell tracking, and visualizing the specific region of disease. Development of accurate, multifunctional imaging and ambient data are indispensable for futuristic applications. Nanohybrids (NHs) can load therapeutic drugs in their sector of core and shell and have the ability to release them in a controlled and sequential manner of a delivery system. Novel nanohybrid with their multidimensional, integrated mechanistic property has also shown a great effect on environmental pollution control also. A proteomics and transcriptomics approach for the nanohybrid action of mechanism has been discussed and also includes limitations of MNHs and MONHs. The current manuscript critically reviewed several available recent kinds of literature and has the potential to offer a better understanding of metallic and metallic oxide nanohybrids having a multifunctional role in various biomedical applications.

Prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides infections among elementary school children and associated risk factors from Southern Ethiopia.

Intestinal parasitic infections are distributed virtually throughout the world, with high prevalence rates in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world as well as in Ethiopia. Children between age groups of 5-10 years are at the highest risk of infection. The intestinal nematode Ascaris lumbricoides infects approximately 25% of the world's population annually. Hence, this study was the first attempt to assess the prevalence and associated factors of A. lumbricoides infection among the school children from Offa district, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April, 2020 in three selected elementary school. Data were collected through questionnaires and stool samples examination. The overall prevalence of A. lumbricoides was noted as 41.4% and was the leading cause of intestinal parasitoids followed by Schistosoma mansoni (27.6%), Trichuris trichiura (18.1%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (4.1%). Children age group between 5 and 10 years found more susceptible to the infection. Eating habits like unwashed raw vegetables (P = 0.035), absence of toilets (P = 0.000), children who defecate in open field (P = 0.041), drinking unprotected water (P = 0.034), toilet without cover (P = 0.027), lack of hand washing before meal and after defecation (P = 0.000), (P = 0.048) were the key factors significantly associated with A. lumbricoides infection. The present study showed that A. lumbricoides was a major health problem among school children and requires annual de-worming to control morbidity associated with intestinal parasites.

Exploration of Novel Lichen Compounds as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro: Ligand-Based Design, Molecular Dynamics, and ADMET Analyses.

In the year 2019-2020, the whole world witnessed the spread of a disease called COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. A number of effective drugs and vaccine has been formulated to combat this outbreak. For the development of anti-COVID-19 drugs, the main protease (Mpro) is considered a key target as it has rare mutations and plays a crucial role in the replication of the SARS CoV-2. In this study, a library of selected lichen compounds was prepared and used for virtual screening against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro using molecular docking, and several hits as potential inhibitors were identified. Remdesivir was used as a standard inhibitor of Mpro for its comparison with the identified hits. Twenty-six compounds were identified as potential hits against Mpro, and these were subjected to in silico ADMET property prediction, and the compounds having favorable properties were selected for further analysis. After manual inspection of their interaction with the binding pocket of Mpro and binding affinity score, four compounds, namely, variolaric acid, cryptostictinolide, gyrophoric acid, and usnic acid, were selected for molecular dynamics study to evaluate the stability of complex. The molecular dynamics results indicated that except cryptostictinolide, all the three compounds made a stable complex with Mpro throughout a 100-ns simulation time period. Among all, usnic acid seems to be more stable and effective against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In summary, our findings suggest that usnic acid, variolaric acid, and gyrophoric acid have potential to inhibit SARS-Cov-2 Mpro and act as a lead compounds for the development of antiviral drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Community towards an Onchocerciasis Elimination Program from South West Ethiopia.

Onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease that is prevalent throughout Africa, including developing countries such as Ethiopia. It affects around 37 million people, the majority of whom are from Africa. As a result, the study was designed to look into the community's knowledge, attitude, and practice about the onchocerciasis elimination campaign. Four communities from Gesha town, Southwest Ethiopia, were chosen. The population was selected using a basic random selection procedure, and 312 people were identified for the study based on the eligibility requirements, with 302 (96.79%) of them responding correctly. The data were analyzed using the descriptive method with the SPSS program version 20. It was discovered that the majority of communities (89.4%) are aware of onchocerciasis. They also have a good awareness of the severity, preventability, therapy, and mode of transmission, yet they have certain misunderstandings. The communities attitude towards community directed therapy (CDT) using Ivermectin is positive (68.5%). According to 56% of the community, offering incentives for community drug distributors (CDD) has the potential to make the elimination campaign more successful. Different measures, such as avoiding any activities near the river, are important in the process of eradicating this disease at the community level. As a result, the respondent demonstrates that covering the lower body part lessens the black fly's vulnerability because they may attack below the knee. In general, community awareness and attitude are required to eradicate this disease from the district. In addition, increased stakeholder participation and offering motivating rewards for CDT are required to make the elimination program a success.

Cross-Sectional Study on Assessment of Frequency of Intestinal Helminth Infections and Its Related Risk Factors among School Children from Adola Town, Ethiopia.

The three main intestinal helminth infections (IHIs), ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm, are common clinical disorders worldwide. These IHIs are more prevalent in tropics and subtropical countries especially in developing countries like sub-Saharan Africa responsible for morbidity, mortality, and physical as well as intellectual growth retardation in children. In Ethiopia, the burden of IHIs appears in all ages mainly due to factors like lack of education, low socio-economic status, and inadequate supply of drugs and proper awareness. The present study was carried out to access the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections and associated risk factors among school children in Adola town from Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, from August 2019 to December 2019. 404 stool samples were collected in a clean, dry, screw-capped, and wide-mouthed plastic container, fixed with 10% formal-saline solution, and transported to the Adola Hospital laboratory for further microscopic analysis by wet mount following formal ether concentration technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 by binary logistic regression model using odd ratio with 95% CI. The overall prevalence of IHIs among school children was found to be 33.91% (137/404). Rate of double infection was noted to be 2.72% (11/404). Most dominant species was Ascaris lumbricoides (8.9%) followed by Hymenolepis nana (7.7%), Taenia saginata (5.4%), hookworm (4.7%), Trichuris trichiura (2.5%), Schistosoma mansoni (2.2%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.7%), and Strongyloides stercoralis (0.7%), respectively. Highest prevalence was observed in male students (39.6%) compared to female students (28.8%) (P < 0.05). The prevalence of IHIs among school children in the age group of 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, and above 20 was 49.6%, 35.8%, 10.9%, and 3.6%, respectively (P < 0.05). IHI was significantly associated with some of the risk factors such as gender, educational level of students', toilet usage habit, habit of hand washing, hand washing habit before feeding and after defecation, purpose of hand washing, and awareness to intestinal helminths (P < 0.05). In the study area, the prevalence of IHIs is moderately high and represents a public health problem in the school children. Therefore, all stakeholders should pay attention to raise awareness about health education programs such as proper personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, improving the quality of drinking water, and treatment to reduce the consequences of intestinal helminths.

Isolation, characterisation and kinetic studies on SEVA TB ES-31 antigen, a metallo-serine protease of interest in serodiagnosis.

BACKGROUND: SEVA TB Excretory secretory-31 (ES-31) antigen, a glycoprotein isolated from M. tb H37Ra culture filtrate, was found to be useful in the serodiagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), extrapulmonary TB and in HIV-TB coinfection. Further, it has been shown to be a zinc containing serine protease. AIM: To isolate and purify SEVA TB ES-31 antigen from M. tb H37Ra culture filtrate and study of its enzyme properties and peptide sequence. METHODS: ES-31 antigen was purified from culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis H37Ra strain by ammonium sulphate precipitation, SDS-PAGE fractionation and FPLC. Protease activity of ES-31 antigen was studied using azocasein as substrate. ES-31 antigen was further fractionated by two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE) followed by LCMS-T analysis. RESULTS: Mycobacterial metallo-serine protease was purified 3096 fold from M. tb H37Ra culture filtrate protein. Purified enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 7.0 at 37 degrees C. Of the four substrates explored, the enzyme has shown maximum activity with azocasein and had a Km value of 0.01 mM with specific activity of 6250 x 10(-6) U/mg protein. Further, analysis of ES-31 antigen by 2D PAGE showed two protein spots (A and B). CONCLUSION: Kinetic studies on SEVA TB ES-31 protein, an immunogen with metallo serine protease activity are reported for the first time. Purified enzyme had a Km value of 0.01 mM with azocasein as substrate. Further, study on structure and biological role of serine protease will be of interest.