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Lymphatic filariasis (LF), a neglected tropical disease is targeted for elimination globally by 2020. National Health Policy of India set the goal by 2017 and annual single-dose mass drug administration (MDA) with anti-filarial drugs is in operation in endemic districts since 2004. Performance and effectiveness of MDA was diverse across the nation and prevalence of infection continues above threshold level in 50% of endemic districts which requires alternative strategies. National programme aims at achieving >65% consumption for transmission control. Post 10 rounds of MDA in an endemic district of Kerala state, a three-arm study identified determinants in gap in outreach and consumption, based on which context-dependent intervention using social group work and networking (SGWN) was implemented and impact assessed. A spill over effect with overall increase in coverage and consumption rates irrespective of arms apparently is due to inclusive improvement in MDA programme whereas, significant relative improvement in intervention arm reflects effectiveness of SGWN strategy. Though reduction in microfilaria prevalence in all arms was observed, it was significant between intervention and comparison arm. This study highlights need for context-dependent communication strategy to improve MDA for accelerating LF elimination by the targeted 2020.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is reported among Kani tribes in forest settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and 27 histopathologically confirmed cases of CL have been reported from five settlements indicating transmission of disease within settlements. One of the priorities for control/prevention of CL is to create awareness among the community and ensure optimal utilization of interventions. First step in this direction would be to carry out a situation analysis on prevailing knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of inhabitants. A study among 103 respondents from 10 Kani tribal settlements showed that though 39.8% of respondents recognized pictures of CL shown to them, but did not have any lay perceptions. There was absolutely no awareness on vector, transmission, risk factors and control measures. The role of sandflies in CL causation was not known to the residents and this prevented them from using any personal protection and adhering to control measures which in turn pose risk of spread of infection within settlements and to newer areas. CL has emerged as a challenging infection in this area and an urgent need for designing appropriate preventive measures and health education strategies is addressed in this article.

Globally mosquito-borne lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for elimination by 2020. Towards this goal, the scope of community-based vector control as a supplementary strategy to mass drug administration (MDA) was assessed through an intensive education campaign and evaluated using pre- and post-educational surveys in an intervention and comparison village in Tamil Nadu, South India. Environmental and entomological indicators for breeding sites and mosquito density were examined before and after the intervention. Significant ("P" less than 0.05) increase in knowledge was observed in intervention area with regard to transmission and control of LF. Relative change between intervention and comparison villages before and after intervention was also significant ("z" = greater than 1.96). Multiple mosquito control and personal protection methods were in use during the post-intervention assessment and was evident from the significantly ("P" less than 0.05) higher average score. Breeding sources declined significantly ("P" less than 0.05) in the intervention village with a significant relative change ("z" = 4.32). Significant reduction in per man-hour indoor resting density of mosquitoes was observed in the intervention area compared to baseline. The per capita cost for reducing 87% of the mosquito density was $0.32 indicating the effectiveness of community-based approach. The usefulness of this strategy in the elimination of LF is discussed.

The history of incessant struggle and the current global burden associated with emerging infectious disease especially tuberculosis, guided us to define the scope of this research project, and to identify research gaps in synthesizing some heterocyclic compounds for anti-tubercular activity. In this research project, we have synthesized a series of novel heterocyclic (benzothiazoles) compounds viz N'-((1-(7-chloro-6-fluorobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-3-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl) methylene)isonicotinohydrazide 12a-c their 5-nitro 15a-c and 4-nitro 18a-c derivatives, by a series of reactions of their respective synthons. The completion of reaction and the purity of the synthesized compounds have been established by chromatographic analysis. All the newly synthesized compounds satisfactorily show acceptable analysis for their anticipated structures, which have been confirmed based on physicochemical and spectral data. These newly synthesized compounds have been primarily evaluated for their in vitro anti-tubercular activity by Ziehl-Neelsen stain method. Compounds 15a, 15b, 15c, 18b and 18c have shown 100% inhibition at 25 mg/mL and MIC values of around 45 nM against M. tuberculosis H37Rv (ATCC 27294). Cytotoxicity on THP-1 cell line shows that all the tested compounds are safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keeping in view the drawbacks associated with research on anti-TB drugs based on plant extracts and the non-availability of fluorinated natural products with antitubercular activity has prompted us to make an effort towards the synthesis and characterization of a novel series of fifteen substituted fluorobenzimidazoles. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by I.R, 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, Mass, and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds 4(a-f) and 5(b-j) have been evaluated for their in - vitro antimycobacterial activity against H37Rv strain (ATCC 27294) by MABA method. Incorporation of methylenedioxyphenyl moiety at 2- and 6-position of the benzimidazole ring furnished compounds 4d and 5i with antitubercular activity comparable or more potent than the naturally occurring compounds with reported antitubercular activity. Among the fifteen tested compounds, 4d and 5i emerged as promising hits characterized by MIC lower than that determined for sesamin against the pathogenic H37Rv strain. Antitubercular activity results indicate that these compounds may be suitable for further lead optimization. The cytotoxic effect of these active compounds on THP-1 cell line was assessed by MTT assay and the results suggest that these two molecules are potential candidates for further development as antitubercular agents.

Diethylcarbamazinecitrate (DEC) salt in conjunction with annual single-dose mass drug administration (MDA) with DEC tablets can be considered as potential option to hasten the process of Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) elimination. Consumption of DEC tablet/salt by at least 80% of the endemic population is crucial in achieving elimination in five years. This study examines the determinants of rural-urban population movement and its implication on DEC fortified salt program to control LF. Data was collected through questionnaire from 150 each movers and non-movers from 10 randomly selected villages and also using Key informant (KI) interviews in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. Households with at least one family member engaged in movement at any point of time in the previous year, range from 24 - 43% in different villages. Knowledge on cause, control, ongoing LF elimination programs and compliance with DEC tablets (28.7%) and salt (30%) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) among non-movers than movers (4.7% and 3.3% respectively). In order to achieve the goal of elimination of LF by 2020, measures need to be undertaken to ensure that the social mobilization activities and LF intervention programs need to cover the 24-43% of mobile population.

Objective: To estimate the burden of chikungunya in terms of financial and opportunity costs through a cross sectional survey from an affected area in Tamil Nadu., Methods: A survey of 809 households with a population of 4393 showed 59 individuals suffered from clinical symptoms of chikungunya. Using pre-tested questionnaire, information on the source of treatment, costs and income foregone were generated., Results: Both public and private health facilities were utilized by the patients. The per capita cost on treatment and average loss of income was Rs.223 and Rs.543 respectively. Extrapolation of this result to the entire village with 615 suspected cases showed estimates of Rs.1.38 and 3.35 lakhs towards treatment and productivity loss respectively. The cost saving per patient would be Rs. 59.93 if recommended line of treatment was followed., Conclusion: The results of the study justify the need for appropriate preventive measures with active surveillance support towards epidemic preparedness.

When plants experience an imbalance between the absorption of light energy and the use of that energy to drive metabolism, they are liable to suffer from oxidative stress. Such imbalances arise due to environmental conditions (e.g. heat, chilling or drought), and can result in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we present evidence for a novel protective process - feedback redox regulation via the redox poise of the NADP(H) pool. Photosynthetic electron transport was studied in two transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) lines - one having reduced levels of ferredoxin NADP+-reductase (FNR), the enzyme responsible for reducing NADP+, and the other reduced levels of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), the principal consumer of NADPH. Both had a similar degree of inhibition of carbon fixation and impaired electron transport. However, whilst FNR antisense plants were obviously stressed, with extensive bleaching of leaves, GAPDH antisense plants showed no visible signs of stress, beyond having a slowed growth rate. Examination of electron transport in these plants indicated that this difference is due to feedback regulation occurring in the GAPDH but not the FNR antisense plants. We propose that this reflects the occurrence of a previously undescribed regulatory pathway responding to the redox poise of the NADP(H) pool.

The pgr5 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana has been described as being deficient in cyclic electron flow around photosystem I, however, the precise role of the PGR5 protein remains unknown. To address this issue, photosynthetic electron transport was examined in intact leaves of pgr5 and wild type A. thaliana. Based on measurements of the kinetics of P700 oxidation in far red light and re-reduction following oxidation in the presence of DCMU, we conclude that this mutant is able to perform cyclic electron flow at a rate similar to the wild type. The PGR5 protein is therefore not essential for cyclic flow. However, cyclic flow is affected by the pgr5 mutation under conditions where this process is normally enhanced in wild type leaves, i.e. high light or low CO(2) concentrations resulted in enhancement of cyclic electron flow. This suggests a different capacity to regulate cyclic flow in response to environmental stimuli in the mutant. We also show that the pgr5 mutant is affected in the redox poising of the chloroplast, with the electron transport chain being substantially reduced under most conditions. This may result in defective feedback regulation of photosynthetic electron transport under some conditions, thus providing a rationale for the reduced efficiency of cyclic electron flow.

We have investigated the occurrence of cyclic electron flow in intact spinach leaves. In particular, we have tested the hypothesis that cyclic flow requires the presence of supercomplexes in the thylakoid membrane or other strong associations between proteins. Using biochemical approaches, we found no evidence of the presence of supercomplexes related to cyclic electron flow, making previous structural explanations for the modulation of cyclic flow rather unlikely. On the other hand, we found that the fraction of photosystem I complexes engaged in cyclic flow could be modulated by changes in the redox state of the chloroplast stroma. Our findings support therefore a dynamic model for the occurrence of linear and cyclic electron flow in C3 plants, based on the competition between cytochrome b(6)f and FNR for electrons carried by ferredoxin. This would be ultimately regulated by the balance between the redox state of PSI acceptors and donors during photosynthesis, in a diffusing system.