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Background: Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is considered to be associated with numerous systemic conditions one of which includes Chronic Liver Disease (CLD). Hepatitis virus B and C (HBV and HCV) have known to be important causative agents of CLD and can be prevalent in asymptomatic carriers that can make them difficult to identify. Off late, the association of viral hepatitis with OLP has been a subject of controversy due to conflicting reports. Indian studies on this regard are sparse to evaluate the same. Association between the hepatitis virus and OLP, if present and established, can be of great help to format a protocol for identifying carrier states of viral hepatitis due to HBV and HCV. Methodology: Forty five cases of clinically and histologically confirmed OLP were subjected to a serological screening of hepatitis B and C viruses by detection of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies. Results: None of OLP cases were seropositive for the hepatitis viruses. Conclusion: We could not demonstrate any association between OLP and viral hepatitis. This could be attributed to lower prevalence of hepatitis viruses compared to the countries hyper endemic for these viruses or genotypic variation of the viruses or other etiological factors contributing for the present group of patients.

Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) is the separation of abdominal recti muscles which occurs in women during their pregnancy and postpartum time. This is because of the stretching of the linea alba, a fibrous connective tissue on the abdominal wall. The Linea Alba is elastic and retracts back after the delivery of the baby. When this tissue gets overstretched, it loses its elasticity and the gap in the abdominals may not be closed leading to DRA. The motive of this research is to analyze the postpartum rehabilitation for signals from Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors. The conservative treatment for women who are experiencing DRA is given in the form of physiotherapy. These physiotherapy exercises focus on the recti abdominis muscle to bring back the Linea alba together. It will be a difficult process for the physiotherapist to monitor, whether patients did the exercises correctly or not. If the exercises are not correct, they will not be effective in the reduction of inter-recti distance. This research aims to analyze the effectiveness of IMU signals in classifying the correct and incorrect exercises. It was inferred that the IMU signals are effective in classifying the correct and incorrect exercises with an accuracy of 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health challenge affecting nearly 700 million people worldwide. In the United States alone, the Medicare costs for CKD management has reached nearly USD 80 billion per year. While reversing CKD may be possible in the future, current strategies aim to slow its progression. For the most part, current management strategies have focused on employing Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone (RAS) inhibitors and optimizing blood pressure and diabetes mellitus control. Emerging data are showing that a disruption of the gut–kidney axis has a significant impact on delaying CKD progression. Recent investigations have documented promising results in using microbiota-based interventions to better manage CKD. This review will summarize the current evidence and explore future possibilities on the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbial transplant to reduce CKD progression.

Introduction: Bullying is an aggressive act with a hostile intent to dominate, abuse, or intimidate an individual(s) with a lesser social or physical power, repeatedly over a period of time. Though bullying can manifest in any social situation, its pernicious presence in the educational institutions has become a source of concern to all stakeholders. With their self-esteem and world view entwined in cyberspace, the present generation of young adults derive their social status and self-worth through affirmations through the internet via social networking sites. Cyberspace is an ideal environment for bullies as it is relatively anonymous, allows the participation of a large audience, and is almost impossible to supervise. Aim: To estimate the extent, coping resources, and psychological impact of cyberbullying among Indian college students. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out among undergraduate medical students of Sikkim. Cyberbullying, cybervictimization, coping strategies used by students, self-esteem, and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were estimated using standardized self-report scales. Results: Out of 213 medical students, more than half of the college students (60.6%) were victims of cyberbullying. Coping strategies commonly used by cybervictims were technical coping, support from friends, and assertively confronting the bully online. Victims of cyberbullying had significantly more depression, anxiety, stress, and lower self-esteem (p values

Introduction: Diagnosis and histopathological evaluation in oral pathology has evolved over the years considerably and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is one such comprehensive computer system that is responsible for revolutionizing the digital storage and distribution of high resolution medical images for diagnosing various pathologies using the the digital pathology interface. Objectives: Current COVID-19 pandemic situation has a significant impact on routine pathology services. Digital pathology can play a key role in safeguarding the clinical services and pathology based research in both current and future. Current review highlights the importance of Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), its uses, impacts, advantages and disadvantages for the end users, i.e, oral pathologists. Materials and Methods: Literature review of several peer reviewed articles with the key word "PACS" were searched from the archives of indexed journals. Result & Conclusion: It was found that integrating PACS to oral pathology practice is pertinent and is necessary in the present global digitalization era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis has been associated with a multitude of complications including pancreatic necrosis, pseudocysts, abscesses, acute respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hyperglycemia. To date, only rare case reports have demonstrated diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) as a rare sequela of acute pancreatitis. We report a case of a 34-year-old female with no prior history of diabetes who was subsequently diagnosed with DKA after presenting with severe acute pancreatitis. This case serves as a framework to not only highlight DKA as a rare complication of acute pancreatitis but also to explore the potential pathophysiology that underlies this phenomenon including stress hyperglycemia and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus.

Monkeypox is primarily a painful cutaneous disease with occasional systemic manifestations. Monkeypox is transmitted predominantly through close physical contact and occasionally sexual contact. The first case was reported in the United States on May 17, 2022, in a recent monkeypox worldwide outbreak. We present a case of severe gastrointestinal bleeding as an atypical manifestation of monkeypox infection in a 40-year-old male with HIV. In our case, monkeypox-induced proctocolitis progressed to severe rectal bleeding requiring one unit of packed red blood cells transfusion despite one week of tecovirimat (TPOXX) therapy. So, patients should be educated about the possibility of unusual complications of monkeypox infection, i.e., bleeding in immunocompromised hosts.

BackgroundAdherence to medication for tuberculosis (TB) has been found to be deleteriously affected by psychosocial issues, including internalized and perceived stigma (IPS) and depression, usually resulting in the emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The objective of the study was to find the prevalence of depression among patients receiving treatment for pulmonary TB, and how stigma and depression affect the relationship between drug sensitivity status (DSS) and treatment adherence.MethodIt was a cross-sectional observational study conducted between January 2019 and July 2020 in two centers in Sikkim, India. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Internalized Social Stigma Scale (ISSS), and Tuberculosis Medication Adherence Scale were used to assess depression, IPS, and medication adherence, respectively. A path analysis was performed with DSS, treatment adherence, IPS, and depression. Education in years was included in the model as it was significantly correlated with IPS.ResultsA total of 71 patients who were on drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) regimen (n = 26) and MDR-TB regimen (n = 45) participated in the study. Notably, 56.3% (n = 40) of the participants were found to have depression. Among the depressed participants, 32.5% were on the DS-TB regimen and 67.5% were on the MDR-TB regimen. The path analysis indicated that IPS and depression were serially mediating the relationship between DSS and treatment adherence (β = −0.06, p < 0.05, 95% CI = −3.20, −0.02). Finally, years of education had an exogenous predictor role, not only directly affecting IPS (β = −0.38, p < 0.001, 95% CI = −0.99, −0.31) but also affecting treatment adherence through IPS and depression (β = 0.08, p = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.47). This indicated that with more years of education, the IPS decreases, which decreases depression and ultimately leads to better adherence.ConclusionWe found an important relationship between different psychosocial factors which may affect treatment adherence. Patients who have higher IPS are more likely to develop depression which negatively affect adherence. Patients on the MDR-TB regimen have higher stigma. There is an urgent need to integrate mental health services with TB Control Programs.

Background: Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is the negative perception of the weight and shape of one's body. It is a prominent risk factor for conditions ranging from eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. BID evolves from a complex interaction between psychological (personality, self-esteem), physical (body mass index), and cultural factors (social expectations and media messages). Once restricted to adolescent Caucasian females, BID has been increasing among men in developing Asian cultures. This study aimed to address the scarcity of research on BID and its correlates among young Indian men. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, quantitative, observational, questionnaire-based research design was chosen to address the objectives in a sample of male college students aged 18–25 years. The body shape questionnaire (BSQ-8c), sociocultural attitudes toward appearance questionnaire-4, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale and the mini-International personality item pool (MINI-IPIP) personality scale were used to measure BID, sociocultural pressures, self-esteem, and personality traits, respectively. Results: Of the 511 males, 34.44% (n = 176) had moderate to marked BID. Underweight men had greater BID than those who were obese. However, the differences in BSQ-8c scores across various BMI categories were not statistically significant (Kruskal–Wallis H = 6.07, df = 3, P = 0.108). BID significantly correlated with levels of neuroticism (rs = 0.093, P = 0.0360). Sociocultural pressure from the family, peers, and media significantly correlated with the internalization of thin and muscular body image ideals (all P < 0.001, highly significant). Conclusion: BID is a significant concern among young Indian men, especially those with high levels of neuroticism. This is compounded by the internalization of social pressures from the family, peers, and media.

Background: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community faces unique stressors in the form of nondisclosure of their sexual orientation, relationship dissatisfaction, social isolation, and low self-esteem. Data regarding this community in India is scarce due to fear of discrimination and abuse. Aims: To describe the pattern of sexual orientation, relationships, social connectedness, and disclosure in men and to assess their self-esteem and its association with “coming out”. Method: This was a cross-sectional observational study of Indian men who use a gay dating website. Results: Majority of the 277 respondents were salaried, had higher education, unmarried, and belonged to Hindu religion. Seventy two per cent of the subjects expressed their orientation as either exclusively or predominantly homosexual and 18% as bisexual. Among those in relationship, an equal number reported being satisfied with the relationship (40%) and felt socially connected (53%). Seventy to 80% of them had a feeling of missing companionship and being left out. Sixty one per cent were not open about their orientation at all times. Eighty per cent of the subjects were not open at workplace and with family. The average age of coming out of the closet was 19.71 years (SD±6.67). The mean scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale of the entire sample was 28.49 (SD±5.55). There was no association between age of coming out and self-esteem scores. Self-esteem scores were significantly lower in subjects who were in the closet and those who had negative coming out experiences. Conclusion: There is a need to address the sexual minority stress faced by this community due to social isolation and concealment which affects the self-esteem.

Background: Mindfulness is a qualitatively unique way of paying attention: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. Rooted in ancient Buddhist philosophy, there has been a revival of interest in mindfulness as a psychotherapeutic tool in modern psychiatry. Mindfulness-based interventions have been used to treat a wide range of psychological problems successfully and have contributed to what is known as the third wave of psychotherapy. Mindfulness is a naturally occurring trait that varies across individuals. Research has shown mindfulness to be correlated with psychological well-being. Aims: We set out to study the variations in levels of mindfulness and explore its facets in a sample of undergraduate medical college students and analyse its association with depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: In a sample of 150 students who provided informed consent, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) were administered to assess mindfulness and psychopathology respectively. Results: There were individual differences in levels of mindfulness as a trait. Mindfulness was associated with significantly lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Among the facets of mindfulness, acting with awareness and non-judging were associated with significantly lower levels of all forms of psychopathology studied. Describing facet was associated with significantly lower levels of depression. Conclusion: Mindfulness is an inherent trait with inter-individual differences. The stressors of medical education that impact on the psychological well-being of students can be buffered by enhancing mindfulness. Research on the impact of integrating mindfulness training in medical education in the Indian context is needed.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic and disabling dermatological disorder. The quality of life (QoL) in psoriasis is determined not only by clinical factors such as the type and extent of lesions but also by important psychosocial variables such as stressful live events, stigmatization, and psychological morbidity. Aims and Objectives: To assess the clinical and psychosocial determinants of QoL in psoriasis. Methodology: Using a cross-sectional, hospital-based study design, outpatients with psoriasis were administered the psoriasis disability index, psoriasis severity (simplified psoriasis index), psoriasis life stress inventory (PLSI), 6-item stigmatization scale, and 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12). Results: The sample consisted of 39 psoriasis patients with a mean age of 41.77 years (standard deviation 13.15). Psoriasis vulgaris was the most common variant. Multiple regression analysis showed that among the clinical and psychosocial variables, only psychological morbidity (GHQ-12) significantly predicted psoriasis QoL (β = 0.314, t = 2.05, P < 0.049). Conclusion: Psychological factors are pivotal in determining QoL in psoriasis and need to be routinely assessed in dermatological settings.

An efficient synthesis of (3 Z,6 Z)- cis-9,10-epoxy-3,6-henicosadiene ( 1), the major component of sex pheromone of saltmarsh caterpillar moth Estigmene acrea (Drury), was accomplished from commercially available pentadec-3-yn-1-ol and bromoundecane. Chirality was introduced by employing Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation on cis-olefin intermediate in the synthesis of 1, for the first time. The other key reactions include metal-dissolving coupling, Lindlar's catalyst-assisted partial hydrogenation, one-pot, three-step epoxidation from vicinal diol, and Wittig olefination. The overall yield of 1 was 24.7% in eight steps. The efficiency and simplicity of this synthesis allow the potential use of pheromone 1 in pest management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel series of (-)-catechin derivatives 1a-l were synthesized, characterized and assayed for their cytotoxicity against four selected human cancer cell lines by standard MTT assay method. Most of the compounds significantly active among which 1d exhibited promising activity with IC50 values of 2.5,4.8 and 5.4 μM specifically against hepatocellular liver carcinoma (HepG2), lung adenocarcinoma (A549) and prostate (DU-145) cell lines, while compound 1j showed promising cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 (IC50 value of 6.6 μM). Compounds 1a, 1d, 1e, 1f and 1j exhibited broad spectrum cytotoxicity against all the cell lines screened. Molecular docking studies of compound 1d established the good binding affinity and are in favor of the observed biological activity. These data collectively suggest that compound 1d could serve as a new template for further optimization as anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new family of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) based esters have been synthesized that consists eight ester functional groups. These are classified into Type-I and Type-II esters based on the starting materials, octakis(3-chloropropyl)silsesquioxane (Cl-POSS) and octakis(3-hydroxypropyldimethylsiloxy) octasilsesquioxane (OHPS) respectively. These new POSS type ester moieties can be used as insulating oils and oil additives in the transformers and also considered to be alternatives to mineral and vegetable oils that are presently used in the insulation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Introduced in DSM-IV, acute stress disorder (ASD) is a psychiatric diagnosis characterised by severe anxiety, dissociation, intrusive thoughts, and other symptoms occurring within one month of experiencing a traumatic event. Research indicates that ASD may place individuals at increased risk of developing chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is growing evidence that increased media exposure to traumatic events is a risk factor for the development of posttraumatic symptomatology. Aims: We hypothesised that in the aftermath of a natural disaster, excessive exposure to television and Internet coverage might be a risk factor for ASD. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design in a sample of 300 medical and nursing college students exposed to an earthquake, ASD was assessed with the Stanford Acute Stress Disorder Questionnaire (SARSQ) and media exposure by an interview to capture exposure to earthquake-related news via television and Internet. Results: Thirty six students developed ASD (12%). The odds of greater exposure to earthquake-related content via television was 1.93 times more (95% CI 1.02-3.66, p-value=0.042) and Internet 2.28 times more (95% CI 1.18-4.41, p-value=0.015) in students who developed ASD than those who did not. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that excessive exposure to earthquake-related media content via television and Internet in its aftermath is associated with a statistically significant risk of developing ASD.

Background: The sexual minority status of the gay and bisexual community puts them into a unique vulnerability state for mental health problems. One of the factors associated with this stress is remaining in “closet” leading to a higher prevalence of depression. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression in Indian men who have sex with men (MSM) and to assess the association of depression with disclosure, if any, in this community. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study of Indian men recruited through an advertisement on a dating website exclusive for gay men. Depression was assessed on self-reported scale of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R). Results: Most of the men who took part in the study belonged to the age group of 25–35 years with mean age of the study sample being 30.31 years (standard deviation [SD] ±8.58). A majority of them were salaried, had higher education, and belonged to the Hindu religion. Most of the participants were either exclusively or predominantly homosexual (72%) followed by men with bisexual orientation (18%). On measures of disclosure/“outness,” out of 277 respondents, 171 (61.73%) were not open about their sexuality, 92 (33.21%) were sometimes open, while only 14 (5.05%) were always open about their sexual orientation in front of others. The average age of coming out of closet (n = 232) was 19.71 years (SD ± 6.67). The mean score on CESD-R scale was 25.65 (SD ± 16.38). Depression was present in 163 participants (58.84%) of the entire sample. The depression scores negatively correlated with age, with scores being higher in younger age group. Depression was not associated with the type of sexual orientation. Although the depression scores were higher in those who were in the closet, it was not statistically significant. Those who had negative experience of coming out of closet had significantly higher scores on CESD-R compared to those who had positive reaction on coming out. Conclusion: Depression is highly prevalent in Indian MSM.

Background: WhatsApp (WA), a free cross-platform smartphone application has revolutionized social communication over the virtual world. It enables information sharing, both personal and professional, individually and across social groups. Despite these positive changes, there have been concerns about excessive WA use, especially among college students, resulting in the neglect of important social and academic commitments. However, there is lack of quality research on WA use in this vulnerable population. Aims: The aim of this study is to understand the patterns and attitudes toward WA use and measure the level of dependence among college students. Materials and Methods: In a sample of 150 undergraduate medical college students who provided informed consent, comprehensive questionnaires were administered to assess the patterns, attitudes, and dependence toward WA use. Results: WA was the most common social media platform used (70%) which eclipsed the time spend on other apps (Facebook, Twitter, etc). While half of the students spent 1–2 h/day, a significant minority (10.67%) spent almost 6–7 h/day on WA. Nearly 12% (n = 18) of students qualified for WA dependence. There were no significant differences in patterns of WA use between students with or without WA dependence. Students with WA dependence had significantly lesser negative attitudes toward its use compared to the rest. Scores on all dimensions of WA addiction, namely, salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse were significantly higher in students with WA dependence. Conclusion: WA dependence is an emerging behavioral addiction among college students. With no specific pattern of use to distinguish dependent users, it is difficult to recognize this problem. Changing the attitudes towards WA use by creating awareness about it's addictive potential, monitoring and restricting the use of mobile phones especially during class hours, encouraging face to face interactions with friends and family can help reduce the progression of this behavioral problem. It is essential for clinicians to equip themselves to deal with technological addictions. Research on the the management of WA dependence using biopsychosocial principles suited to the Indian context are needed.

We present a two-tier distributed hash table-based scheme for data-collection in event-driven wireless sensor networks. The proposed method leverages mobile sinks to significantly extend the lifetime of the sensor network. We propose localized algorithms using a distributed geographic hash-table mechanism that adds load balancing capabilities to the data-collection process. We address the hotspot problem by rehashing the locations of the mobile sinks periodically. The proposed mobility model moves the sink node only upon the occurrence of an event according to the evolution of current events, so as to minimize the energy consumption incurred by the multihop transmission of the event-data. Data is collected via single-hop routing between the sensor node and the mobile sink. Simulation results demonstrate significant gains in energy savings, while keeping the latency and the communication overhead at low levels for a variety of parameter values.

We propose a novel data-delivery method for delay-sensitive traffic that significantly reduces the energy consumption in wireless sensor networks without reducing the number of packets that meet end-to-end real-time deadlines. The proposed method, referred to as SensiQoS, leverages the spatial and temporal correlation between the data generated by events in a sensor network and realizes energy savings through application-specific in-network aggregation of the data. SensiQoS maximizes energy savings by adaptively waiting for packets from upstream nodes to perform in-network processing without missing the real-time deadline for the data packets. SensiQoS is a distributed packet scheduling scheme, where nodes make localized decisions on when to schedule a packet for transmission to meet its end-to-end real-time deadline and to which neighbor they should forward the packet to save energy. We also present a localized algorithm for nodes to adapt to network traffic to maximize energy savings in the network. Simulation results show that SensiQoS improves the energy savings in sensor networks where events are sensed by multiple nodes, and spatial and/or temporal correlation exists among the data packets. Energy savings due to SensiQoS increase with increase in the density of the sensor nodes and the size of the sensed events.

Introduction: This study presents a Mammalian Linear Expression System (MLES), a linear covalently closed (LCC) vector based on pVAX-1. The purpose of this system was to improve gene expression in mammalian cells and to test the efficacy of MLES in transient transfection and transgene expression using in vitro and in vivo models. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate potential inflammatory responses in vivo., Materials and Methods: MLES was developed by modifying pVAX-1, and the construct was confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Lipofectamine ® 2000 was used to assess the transfection efficiency and expression of MLES in various cell lines. In vivo studies were conducted in mice injected with MLES/EGFP, and the resulting transfection efficiency, gene expression, and inflammatory responses were analyzed., Results: MLES exhibited higher transfection efficiency and expression levels compared to pVAX-1 when tested on HEK-293, CHO-K1, and NIH-3T3 cells. When tested in vivo, MLES/EGFP showed elevated expression in the heart, kidney, liver, and spleen compared with pVAX-1/EGFP. Minimal changes are observed in the lungs. Additionally, MLES induced a reduced inflammatory response in mice compared with pVAX-1/EGFP., Conclusions: MLES offer improved transfection efficiency and reduced inflammation, representing a significant advancement in gene therapy and recombinant protein production. Further research on MLES-mediated gene expression and immune modulation will enhance gene therapy strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Tuberculosis (TB) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, which is caused by a single infectious agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. For years, many TB control programmes are established for effective diagnosis and treatment of active TB cases, but these approaches alone are insufficient for TB eradication. This review aims to discourse on the crucial management of latent tuberculosis infection. This review will first summarize the current status, and methods for diagnosing latent tuberculosis then describes the challenges involved in the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis, and finally encounters the purpose of biomarkers as predicting tool in latent tuberculosis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that humanity struggled with for centuries and continues to struggle with. The bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis often infects the lungs through respiratory transmission and manifests itself through various symptoms, including cutaneous infections. Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) comprises about 1% to 1.5% of all extrapulmonary manifestations and is often accompanied by polymorphous lesions, including papules, nodules, plaques, ulcers, gummas, and verrucous lesions. CTB is most commonly observed in low-income, HIV, and immunosuppressed populations, similar to intrapulmonary manifestations. The main pathogen for CTB is M. tuberculosis but less commonly with M. bovis and BCG vaccine, and the modes of transmission are largely classified into exogenous and endogenous CTB. Current treatment options for CTB include oral therapy of antibiotic medications such as rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide, which is occasionally combined with surgical intervention.

The viral envelope glycoproteins are essential for entry into their host cells and studied extensively for designing vaccines. We hypothesize that the glycosylation on the HIV-1 viral envelope glycoprotein 41(gp41) at critical residues offers viral escape from the specific immune surveillant neutralizing antibodies Z13, 4E10 and 10E8 targeted to their linear epitopes in the Membrane Proximal External Region (MPER). The glycosylation occurring on the 50th residue (Asparagine) contained in the target (NWFNIT) can mask itself to be inaccessible for these neutralizing antibodies. The glycosylation rate of the epitopes which are shared by the Z13, 4E10 and 10E8 neutralizing antibodies of HIV-1 were predicited in silico. We analyzed the reliable frequency of glycosylation on the HIV-1 envelope gp41 using prediction tools to unravel the plausibility of the glycosylation by a mannose at 50th residue in the 59 amino acid long HIV-gp41 trimer (PDBID: 2M7W and 2LP7). It is evident that the glycosylation by a mannose that masks these targets is possible only when the 50th amino-acid is N (Asparagine, Asn) which is not possible when N is mutated to D (Aspartatic acid, Asp). The additive advantage for the retrovirus is its error-prone reverse transcriptase which can choose to copy these survivable mutants with Asn N-50 that can be glycosylated as explained by the Copy-choice model. So the glycan shields varying in their intensity and patterns have to be essentially studied to understand the viral escape strategies that will give a way forward towards a successful vaccine that can elicit a neutralizing antibody response to confer protection.

Background: Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) is considered to be associated with numerous systemic conditions one of which includes Chronic Liver Disease (CLD). Hepatitis virus B and C (HBV and HCV) have known to be important causative agents of CLD and can be prevalent in asymptomatic carriers that can make them difficult to identify. Off late, the association of viral hepatitis with OLP has been a subject of controversy due to conflicting reports. Indian studies on this regard are sparse to evaluate the same. Association between the hepatitis virus and OLP, if present and established, can be of great help to format a protocol for identifying carrier states of viral hepatitis due to HBV and HCV., Methodology: Forty five cases of clinically and histologically confirmed OLP were subjected to a serological screening of hepatitis B and C viruses by detection of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies., Results: None of OLP cases were seropositive for the hepatitis viruses., Conclusion: We could not demonstrate any association between OLP and viral hepatitis. This could be attributed to lower prevalence of hepatitis viruses compared to the countries hyper endemic for these viruses or genotypic variation of the viruses or other etiological factors contributing for the present group of patients.