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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an emerging and highly infectious disease making global public health concern and socio-economic burden. It is caused due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). It has the tendency to spread rapidly through person-to-person. Currently, several molecular diagnostic platforms such as PCR, qRT-PCR, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), CRISPR are utilized for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. These conventional techniques are costly, time consuming and require sophisticated instrumentation facility with well trained personnel for testing. Hence, it is tough to provide testing en-masse to the people in developing countries. On the other hand, several serological biosensors such as lateral flow immunosensor, optical, electrochemical, microfluidics integrated electrochemical/fluorescence is currently utilized for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. In current pandemic situation, there is an urgent need of rapid and efficient diagnosis on mass scale of SARS-CoV-2 for early stage detection. Early monitoring of viral infections can help to control and prevent the spreading of infections in large chunk of population. In this review, the SARS-CoV-2 and their biomarkers in biological samples, collection of samples and recently reported potential electrochemical immunosensors for the rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 are discussed.

The aim of the study was to compare serum levels of Transthyretin in prediabetics and controls and to correlate levels of same with HOMA-IR and mean CIMT Method: It was a case control study in which 60 prediabetic patients and 60 controls (age, sex, BMI matched) were employed. Plasma levels of glucose (fasting and postprandial), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and serum levels of insulin (fasting) were measured in both cases and controls. HOMA-IR values in both the groups were calculated using fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin levels. Serum Transthyretin levels were measured using ELISA. The values obtained were compared between cases and controls. In cases, obtained serum levels of Transthyretin were correlated with HOMA-IR values and mean CIMT (measured in cases only using B-mode ultrasonography).Median (IQR) of serum levels of insulin (fasting in µIU/ml) in cases {11.3 (10.175-13.505)} was significantly higher than that of controls {5.73 (4.3-7.1)}. HOMA-IR median (IQR) in cases and controls was 3.12 (2.73-3.595) and 1.21(0.918- 1.505) respectively. Median (IQR) for serum levels of Transthyretin was also significantly higher in cases as compared to controls [46.74 (30.43-81.225) and 22.38 (16.628-27.89) respectively]. Significant positive correlations were observed between serum levels of Transthyretin with both HOMA-IR and mean CIMT (with correlation coefficients being 0.288 and 0.536 respectively). Univariate linear regression analysis showed that with increase in serum Transthyretin by 1 mg/ dl, mean CIMT increases by 0.001 mm.Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance have been found to have increased risk of atherosclerosis as compared to normoglycemics after excluding other risk factors. Assessment for the risk of same with the help of novel markers can help in diagnosis and intervention at an early stage and thereby preventing risk of further complications.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in both diabetics and prediabetics. In insulin resistant states, increased levels of various adipose derived cytokine (adipokine) have been found to have an important role in the process of atherosclerosis. One such novel adipokine is RBP4, (belonging to lipokalin family) which also by exerting an inflammatory process has a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and CVD.. Early detection of all these inflammatory cytokines may immensely help us in prognosticating the pace of disease besides instituting early interventional manuevers.The aim of the study was to compare serum levels of RBP4 in prediabetics and controls and to correlate levels of RBP4 with HOMA-IR and CIMT.60 prediabetic patients and 60 age, sex, BMI matched controls were employed in the case control study. In both cases and controls serum levels of fasting and postprandial blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting insulin levels were measured. HOMA-IR values in both the groups were calculated using fasting glucose and insulin levels. Serum RBP4 levels were measured using ELISA. The values obtained were compared between cases and controls. CIMT was only measured in cases using B-mode ultrasonography.Median (IQR) of fasting plasma insulin levels (uIU/ml)in cases was 11.3 (10.175-13.505) versus that of controls which was 5.73 (4.3-7.1). HOMA-IR median (IQR) in cases and controls was 3.12 (2.73-3.595) and 1.21(0.918-1.505) respectively. Median (IQR) for RBP4 in cases was 67.4 (46.166-111.088) which was significantly higher as compared to controls 33.92 (23.902-52.45). Significant positive correlation was seen between RBP4 with both, HOMA-IR and mean CIMT with correlation coefficients of 0.3693 and 0.621 respectively. On performing univariate linear regression analysis it was found that with increase in serum RBP4 levels by 1 mg/L, HOMA-IR and mean CIMT significantly increased by 0.007 units and 0.001 mm respectively.60 prediabetic patients and 60 age, sex, BMI matched controls were employed in the case control study. In both cases and controls serum levels of fasting and postprandial blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting insulin levels were measured. HOMA-IR values in both the groups were calculated using fasting glucose and insulin levels. Serum RBP4 levels were measured using ELISA. The values obtained were compared between cases and controls. CIMT was only measured in cases using B-mode ultrasonography.Prediabetics have been found to have more risk of cardiovascular events as compared to normoglycemics. Early assessment of the same with the use of novel biomarkers like RBP4 can be considered for early detection of atherosclerosis in prediabetic individuals. It may further help in early intervention and thus prevention from future complications.

The current scenario, an ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, places a dreadful burden on the healthcare system worldwide. Subsequently, there is a need for a rapid, user-friendly, and inexpensive on-site monitoring system for diagnosis. The early and rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 plays an important role in combating the outbreak. Although conventional methods such as PCR, RT-PCR, and ELISA, etc., offer a gold-standard solution to manage the pandemic, they cannot be implemented as a point-of-care (POC) testing arrangement. Moreover, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) having a high enhancement factor provides quantitative results with high specificity, sensitivity, and multiplex detection ability but lacks in POC setup. In contrast, POC devices such as lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) offer rapid, simple-to-use, cost-effective, reliable platform. However, LFIA has limitations in quantitative and sensitive analyses of SARS-CoV-2 detection. To resolve these concerns, herein we discuss a unique modality that is an integration of SERS with LFIA for quantitative analyses of SARS-CoV-2. The miniaturization ability of SERS-based devices makes them promising in biosensor application and has the potential to make a better alternative of conventional diagnostic methods. This review also demonstrates the commercially available and FDA/ICMR approved LFIA kits for on-site diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.

The pathophysiological effects of diabetes on the heart and the rest of the cardiovascular system begins much earlier in its precedent stage of prediabetes and one major underlying defect is insulin resistance. Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a recently studied molecule inherent to the cardiac myocytes found to rise in both coronary and non-coronary heart diseases. The utility of the molecule in prediabetes and its relationship with insulin resistance is being studied.The aim of the study is to compare serum levels of H-FABP in prediabetics and controls and correlate them with Homeostatic model assessment - insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).50 prediabetic patients and 50 age, sex and BMI matched controls were employed in the case control study. Serum fasting and postprandial blood sugars, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin levels were measured in cases and controls. HOMA-IR index was calculated from fasting glucose and insulin values. Serum H-FABP was measured in both cases and controls using Immunoturbidimetric method with anti- H-FABP coated latex reagent kits. The values were compared between both the groups.The mean serum fasting insulin level among cases was 12.22mIU/ml and that of the control group was 5.37mIU/ml (p value0.0001). HOMA- IR mean values were 3.31 ± 1.56 and 1.16 ± 0.44 in cases and controls respectively (p-0.001). The mean serum levels of H-FABP among cases and controls were 6.38± 2.76ng/ml and 3.24 ± 2.47 ng/ml respectively (p0.0001). The correlation between the two variables, HOMA-IR and H-FABP was also found to be strongly positive (r=0.675). Linear regression analysis showed that for 1 unit increase in HOMA-IR, H-FABP increased by 1.095 and for 1 unit increase in Fasting insulin, H-FABP increased by 0.038.Prediabetics have a higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity when compared to normoglycemics with insulin resistance being the single most important contributor. Serum H-FABP levels are elevated in prediabetes representing a marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD).