Search

Background: Targeting multiple key antigens that mediate distinct Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion pathways is an attractive approach for the development of blood-stage malaria vaccines. However, the challenge is to identify antigen cocktails that elicit potent strain-transcending parasite-neutralizing antibodies efficacious at low immunoglobulin G concentrations feasible to achieve through vaccination. Previous reports have screened inhibitory antibodies primarily against well adapted laboratory parasite clones. However, validation of the parasite-neutralizing efficacy against clinical isolates with minimal in vitro cultivation is equally significant to better ascertain their prospective in vivo potency.Methods: We evaluated the parasite-neutralizing activity of different antibodies individually and in combinations against laboratory adapted clones and clinical isolates. Clinical isolates were collected from Central India and Mozambique, Africa, and characterized for their invasion properties and genetic diversity of invasion ligands.Results: In our portfolio, we evaluated 25 triple antibody combinations and identified the MSP-Fu+CyRPA+RH5 antibody combination to elicit maximal parasite neutralization against P. falciparum clinical isolates with variable properties that underwent minimal in vitro cultivation.Conclusions: The MSP-Fu+CyRPA+RH5 combination exhibited highly robust parasite neutralization against P. falciparum clones and clinical isolates, thus substantiating them as promising candidate antigens and establishing a proof of principle for the development of a combinatorial P. falciparum blood-stage malaria vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spray process under different applied voltages (0 V to 700 V) is used for the deposition of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transport layer (HTL). The deposition of PEDOT:PSS film by spray process under the effect of electric field results in smoother film morphology, increase in conductivity and reduction in the sheet resistance. The improvement in surface morphology and conductivity enhancement of PEDOT: PSS films are the key to the improvement in the J-V characteristics of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Al solar cell structures. The XPS peak height for PEDOT at 164.4 eV increased by 47% and that for PSS at 169.0 eV decreased by 30%, showing that the enhancement in the conductivity of the films deposited under electric field is due to the change in the PEDOT: PSS ratio. The organic solar cell using the electric field (created using 700 V) assisted spray deposited PEDOT:PSS film exhibit 42% and 69% improvement in the short circuit current density(Jsc) and power conversion efficiency, respectively, in comparison to the cells having PEDOT:PSS films deposited without the electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Balaghat district in Central India is a highly malarious district where both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax are prevalent. In this district, the persistence of malaria was on an increase and not responsive to intervention measures even though there was no drug resistance. This study was undertaken by conducting mass screening to determine the prevalence of malaria among particularly vulnerable tribe of Balaghat, for developing evidence-based intervention measures for malaria control in hard to reach areas. Methods: This prospective study was carried out during 2013-2014 by conducting mass survey of the population in 10 villages of Birsa community health centre (CHC) and 12 villages of Baihar CHC. Finger-pricked blood smears were collected from all consenting individuals with or without fever for microscopic examination. Results: In the febrile group, the slide positivity rate (SPR) and slide falciparum rate (SFR) were 32.4 and 28.9 per cent, respectively, with 89.4 per cent P. falciparum, while in the afebrile individuals also, the SPR and SFR were high (29 and 26%, respectively), but these were significantly lower than that of febrile group. The gametocyte carriers were significantly higher (odds ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.25-2.25, P=0.0004) in afebrile patients when compared with febrile group. Vector incrimination showed the presence of four sporozoite-positive Anopheles culicifacies out of 1953 assayed. Interpretation & conclusions: Plasmodium falciparum malaria was high in young children (up to 8 years) as compared to the adult in both afebrile and febrile group in Balaghat district. High prevalence of gametocyte was observed in all age groups among the afebrile cases. The identification of afebrile malaria parasitaemia is an important challenge for the malaria elimination initiatives. A strong malaria surveillance system is fundamental to both programme design and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission blocking malaria vaccines are aimed to block the development and maturity of sexual stages of parasite within mosquitoes. The vaccine candidate antigens (Pfs25, Pfs48/45, Pfs230) that have shown transmission blocking immunity in model systems are in different stages of development. These antigens are immunogenic with limited genetic diversity. Pfs25 is a leading candidate and currently in phase I clinical trial. Efforts are now focused on the cost-effective production of potent antigens using safe adjuvants and optimization of vaccine delivery system that are capable of inducing strong immune responses. This review addresses the potential usefulness, development strategies, challenges, clinical trials and current status of Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage malaria vaccine candidate antigens for the development of transmission-blocking vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium-doped zinc oxide (IZO) thin films were deposited on a glass substrate using spray technique with a direct current (DC) voltage applied to the nozzle to create an electric field during deposition. It was found that the presence of the electric field has a strong effect on doping efficiency, structural, electrical, and optical properties. Incorporation of indium in ZnO was confirmed by the Rutherford back scattering and X-ray diffraction peak analysis. Scanning electron microscope micrograph showed that the surface morphology changed from rice-like structure to flower-like compact structure. The electrical resistivity of IZO film prepared under the electric field was 2 x 10-3Ωcm, transmission in the visible region was more than about 80%, and figure of merit (ΦTC) was 3.39 x 10-3Ω-1. The films deposited under the electric field showed a band gap narrowing, which is explained using the many body effects in the perturbation theory. Spray deposited IZO film under the electric field was shown to be useful for making self-cleaning top glass in solar cell module fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stoichiometric thin films of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) were deposited by the spray technique on a FTO coated glass substrate, with post-annealing in a H2S environment to improve the film properties. CZTS films were used as a counter electrode (CE) in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSCs) with N719 dye and an iodine electrolyte. The DSC of 0.25 cm2 area using a CE of CZTS film annealed in a H2S environment under AM 1.5G illumination (100 mW cm−2) exhibited a short circuit current density (JSC) = 18.63 mA cm−2, an open circuit voltage (VOC) = 0.65 V and a fill factor (FF) = 0.53, resulting in an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) = 6.4%. While the DSC using as deposited CZTS film as a CE showed the PCE = 3.7% with JSC = 13.38 mA cm−2, VOC = 0.57 V and FF = 0.48. Thus, the spray deposited CZTS films can play an important role as a CE in the large area DSC fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this digital world computer is playing an important role in collection, analysis, organization and dissemination of Information. Progressing technologies of Multimedia System (MMS) has changed the way of presentation of the ideas and facts because of their unique interactive feature. Multimedia, as a powerful tool for instructions, has significantly influenced the present processes of teaching, learning and presentation in many field. MMS incorporates many components. which can be accessed simultaneously for an integrated approach. Recent advances In information technology have created-sweeping and profound changes in research libraries. As electronic information and communication technologies are reshaping research libraries, preserving rare and valuable documents in the digital environment has become imperative and this MMS has made it easy to store, organize and disseminate the information in digital form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the molecular investigation of a magnesium dependent activation mechanism. Use of combined site-directed mutagenesis and structural analysis; Mechanism for the coupling between magnesium binding and channel opening; Effects of mutations on magnesium sensitivity; Site-directed mutations that affect channel gating.

Background: We report the first evidence of sympatric distribution of Plasmodium ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri from India. Methods: Fingerprick blood samples were collected from fever cases in district Bastar, Chhattisgarh State for malaria screening by microscopy and PCR. Results: Two cases of mono infection of P. ovale, and a fatal case of cerebral malaria with a mixed infection of P. vivax, P. falciparum and P. ovale were confirmed by PCR. Sequencing analysis revealed the presence of P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri. Conclusions: This study highlights the need of molecular diagnosis of malaria cases in forested areas for treatment and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ballistic compression type soft recovery system can stop a free-flying supersonic projectile in a controlled manner. The moment such a projectile enters the System, a normal shock gets created and starts hurtling down, to kick off a train of events involving shock reflections, diaphragm rupture, shock merger, creation of new shocks and contact discontinuities, and expansion wave-shock interactions. A good understanding of these phenomena and sensitivity of the System's performance to changes in design parameters is needed to design an efficient soft recovery system. Unfortunately, not much information is available about this. The present work fills this gap. We have developed a numerical model for the system and conducted sensitivity analyses using four design parameters; pressure, molecular weight, the ratio of specific heats, and temperature of gas used in the system. We show that while there is a strong, positive correlation between the first two parameters and projectile deceleration, the other two parameters are less critical. We conducted experiments to corroborate our conclusions and improve our numerical model. Post such improvements, we found the difference between simulation and experimental data to be acceptable. Experiments also confirmed the findings of our sensitivity studies. Finally, we conducted a two-dimensional finite volume analysis to understand the reasons underlying the residual difference between our numerical and experimental data. We show that such differences are due to pressure-rise at a point once a shock passes by it, and such a rise in pressure is attributable to boundary layer effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pertaining to the optimal band alignment of ZnO and CZTS, the heterostructure was fabricated with CZTS as the absorber layer and ZnO being the buffer layer coated on the FTO glass for photovoltaic application. Both the layers were deposited by using sol–gel spin coating technique. The results revealed the polycrystalline nature of both ZnO and CZTS films with distinct phase formations, with ZnO exhibiting prominent diffraction peaks at 31.77, 34.31, 36.20, 47.47, and 56.59° corresponding to (100), (002), (101), (102), and (110) planes, while CZTS showed diffraction peaks at (112), (220), and (312) planes. ZnO thin films demonstrated high optical transmittance (∼90%) and exhibited a wide band gap of 3.24 eV, while CZTS demonstrated a band gap of 1.44 eV. AFM images showed smooth surfaces with favorable topography for both films. Hall effect measurements indicated differences in electrical properties of the two films. Raman spectroscopy revealed vibrational energy patterns in both films. Additionally, current–voltage (I-V) characteristics revealed the electrical behavior of the ZnO/CZTS heterojunction, shedding light on its diode characteristics under both dark and illuminated conditions. With CZTS’s ideal band gap of 1.44 eV, sunlight is easily absorbed, and ZnO’s high electron mobility makes it an effective layer for electron transport. As a result, power conversion efficiency can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]