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Background and objective Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease that affects millions of people worldwide and can cause dire effects in immunocompromised, HIV/AIDS patients and younger children. Cryptosporidium species are causative agents for cryptosporidiosis. The presently available chemotherapeutic options are not fully effective in curbing the menace of disease in all patients. The deprived experimental traceability of the pathogen, lack of a suitable in-vivo model are few factors that hindered the development of reliable chemotherapeutic options despite continuous efforts. The underway COVID-19 pandemic widens this gap as most of the scientific resources and researches shifted priority. The genome sequencing of the Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum) has discovered many new targets, such as Inosine 5′-Monophosphate Dehydrogenase (IMPDH), Lactate Dehydrogenase and many more. The parasite uses the host adenosine pool to synthesize guanine nucleotide in a streamlined pathway, where IMPDH catalyzes the first rate-limiting step. The present study aims to discover new anti-cryptosporidial agents that work against the IMPDH of the parasite. Methodology and results In this study, The PharmaGist ( https://bioinfo3d.cs.tau.ac.il/PharmaGist/ ) tool was deployed for the pharmacophore model generation employing previously reported Cryptosporidium parvum IMPDH (CpIMPDH) inhibitors having IC50 values ranging from 0.009 μM to 0.028 μM. The model having the highest scores was used as a 3D query for high throughput screening of the Zinc database via ZINC pharmer ( http://zincpharmer.csb.pitt.edu/ ) tool. The screened 'hits' were further subjected to molecular docking in the active site of CpIMPDH (PDB ID: 4IXH ), Lipinski's rule of 5, and SwissADME ( http://www.swissadme.ch/ ) filter. Finally, the best three 'hits' or proposed leads (ZINC09672610, ZINC16511373, and ZINC39780256) docked CpIMPDH were further subjected to 50 ns molecular dynamic simulation (MDL) analysis for stability analysis. Conclusion and significance The ZINC09672610 and ZINC39780256 compounds show excellent in-silico inhibitory efficacy against CpIMPDH. These compounds were used as a starting point for the discovery and development of new anti-cryptosporidial compounds. Future anti-cryptosporidial agents could be designed by utilizing these three molecules.

Background: This study was done to know the distribution and frequencies of blood groups among blood donors attending voluntary blood donation camps organized by the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, Jharkhand so that demand and supply ratio of the four blood groups can be maintained so that no patient dies due to lack of a particular blood group. Context: Up till now about 400 red cells antigen have been identified. The majority follow Mendelian inheritance. The ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood group system are most important for blood transfusion purposes, parental testing, legal medicine, and in population genetic study. Aims: This study was conducted to determine and compare the frequency and distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups among voluntary blood donors attending blood donation camps in Jharkhand organized by RIMS. The aim is to know the demand and supply ratio of a particular blood group in light of their distribution in the society so that no patient dies due to the deficient supply of blood. Settings and Design: It is a retrospective study carried out at blood bank. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted at Blood bank, RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand, over a period of 4 years from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2015. Blood group of the blood donors was determined by commercially available standard monoclonal antisera by test tube agglutination technique accompanied by reverse grouping. Results: Out of 20,455 subjects, 18,717 (91.73%) were male and 1738 (8.27%) were female subjects. The ABO blood group present was B (35.15%) followed by O (34.73%), A (22.09%), and AB (8.03%) in blood donors while in Rh system, (96.46%) donors were Rh +ve and (3.54%) donors were Rh −ve. The study has a significant implication regarding the inventory management of blood bank and transfusion services for the indoor patients of RIMS and for emergency supply to other hospitals of Jharkhand in dire need of blood. Conclusions: The knowledge of distribution of blood group is very important for blood banks and transfusion services which play an important role in the patient's health care. This study will also throw light on the reasons of deficiency of a particular group in a particular area so that deficient group donors may be encouraged to donate more frequently.