Adverse events associated with Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign 2019 in India

Roop Sharma,Ajay Gaur 대한백신학회 2021 Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research Vol.10 No.1

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to study the various adverse reactions caused post measles and rubella vaccination done during measles rubella (MR) vaccine campaign in India. Materials and Methods: Prospective, observational study was done in a government tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit. Children aged between 9 months to 15 years, who presented with adverse effects (severe enough to warrant admission) within 7 days of MR vaccine administration. Results: Most common presenting complaint was fever (44.8%), followed by vomiting (34.5%), abdominal pain and dizziness (31%). Abnormal body movements were noted in two children (6.8%) on first day and in one child on fifth day of vaccine administration. Two children (6.8%) presented with generalized macular rashes all over the body on 4th day after vaccination. Altered sensorium on same day of vaccine administration was the presenting symptom of one child. All children improved gradually and were discharged after few days with no mortality or long-term morbidity. Investigations were done according to the protocol of the unit; nothing came significant to be reported. Neither of the children had positive blood culture. Conclusion: MR vaccination programs are scientifically sound, highly recommended and proven effective globally. Causality assessment of adverse events is still an evolving science, and despite taking all the measures and adopting all the available scientific methods, sometimes it is not possible to incontrovertibly prove the causal association of an event with a vaccine. Much more advancement in this area is needed.

2D materials: increscent quantum flatland with immense potential for applications

Ranjan Pranay,Gaur Snehraj,Yadav Himanshu,Urgunde Ajay B.,Singh Vikas,Patel Avit,Vishwakarma Kusum,Kalirawana Deepak,Gupta Ritu,Kumar Prashant 나노기술연구협의회 2022 Nano Convergence Vol.9 No.26

Quantum flatland i.e., the family of two dimensional (2D) quantum materials has become increscent and has already encompassed elemental atomic sheets (Xenes), 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), 2D metal nitrides/carbides/carbonitrides (MXenes), 2D metal oxides, 2D metal phosphides, 2D metal halides, 2D mixed oxides, etc. and still new members are being explored. Owing to the occurrence of various structural phases of each 2D material and each exhibiting a unique electronic structure; bestows distinct physical and chemical properties. In the early years, world record electronic mobility and fractional quantum Hall effect of graphene attracted attention. Thanks to excellent electronic mobility, and extreme sensitivity of their electronic structures towards the adjacent environment, 2D materials have been employed as various ultrafast precision sensors such as gas/fire/light/strain sensors and in trace-level molecular detectors and disease diagnosis. 2D materials, their doped versions, and their hetero layers and hybrids have been successfully employed in electronic/photonic/optoelectronic/spintronic and straintronic chips. In recent times, quantum behavior such as the existence of a superconducting phase in moiré hetero layers, the feasibility of hyperbolic photonic metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials with negative Poisson ratio, and potential usage in second/third harmonic generation and electromagnetic shields, etc. have raised the expectations further. High surface area, excellent young’s moduli, and anchoring/coupling capability bolster hopes for their usage as nanofillers in polymers, glass, and soft metals. Even though lab-scale demonstrations have been showcased, large-scale applications such as solar cells, LEDs, flat panel displays, hybrid energy storage, catalysis (including water splitting and CO2 reduction), etc. will catch up. While new members of the flatland family will be invented, new methods of large-scale synthesis of defect-free crystals will be explored and novel applications will emerge, it is expected. Achieving a high level of in-plane doping in 2D materials without adding defects is a challenge to work on. Development of understanding of inter-layer coupling and its effects on electron injection/excited state electron transfer at the 2D-2D interfaces will lead to future generation heterolayer devices and sensors.

Characterization of SPN Pickering emulsions for application in enhanced oil recovery

Narendra Kumar,Tushar Gaur,Ajay Mandal 한국공업화학회 2017 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.54 No.-

Emulsion, stabilized by solid particles that get adsorb on to the surface of the interface is known as Pickering emulsion, which has potential application in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In present study, a stable oil-in-water surfactant–polymer–nanoparticle (SPN) Pickering emulsion has been formulated using light mineral oil, carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) and silica nanoparticles (SiO2) in presence of anionic surfactant, for use in EOR. The nanoparticles (NPs) show synergetic effect in presence of surfactant and polymer thus prevents the droplets from coalescence and lowers the interfacial tension (IFT) at the oil–water interface. The emulsion was characterized in terms of particle size, creaming behavior and zeta potential measurements. The viscosity remains stable in wide range temperature (30– 100 C) indicating thermal stability of the Pickering emulsion. The emulsion exhibits pseudo-plastic behavior in wide range of shear rate (1–1000 s1). The investigation of viscoelastic properties (G0 and G00) of the Pickering emulsion as a function of pressure (0–5 MPa) and temperature (30–100 C) shows a stable value of G00 indicating better flow ability of the emulsion. The emulsions show viscous behavior below the specific frequency (SF) indicated by the crossing point between G0 and G00 on the viscoelastic curve and elastic behavior above the SF. Flooding experiment was conducted on sand pack system to study the efficiency of Pickering emulsion in EOR and additional recovery of more than 24% was observed after conventional water flooding.

The Ser/Thr protein kinase PrkC imprints phenotypic memory in <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> spores by phosphorylating the glycolytic enzyme enolase

Virmani, Richa,Sajid, Andaleeb,Singhal, Anshika,Gaur, Mohita,Joshi, Jayadev,Bothra, Ankur,Garg, Richa,Misra, Richa,Singh, Vijay Pal,Molle, Virginie,Goel, Ajay K.,Singh, Archana,Kalia, Vipin C.,Lee, Ju American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Bi 2019 The Journal of biological chemistry Vol.294 No.22

<P><I>Bacillus anthracis</I> is the causative agent of anthrax in humans, bovine, and other animals. <I>B. anthracis</I> pathogenesis requires differentiation of dormant spores into vegetative cells. The spores inherit cellular components as phenotypic memory from the parent cell, and this memory plays a critical role in facilitating the spores' revival. Because metabolism initiates at the beginning of spore germination, here we metabolically reprogrammed <I>B. anthracis</I> cells to understand the role of glycolytic enzymes in this process. We show that increased expression of enolase (Eno) in the sporulating mother cell decreases germination efficiency. Eno is phosphorylated by the conserved Ser/Thr protein kinase PrkC which decreases the catalytic activity of Eno. We found that phosphorylation also regulates Eno expression and localization, thereby controlling the overall spore germination process. Using MS analysis, we identified the sites of phosphorylation in Eno, and substitution(s) of selected phosphorylation sites helped establish the functional correlation between phosphorylation and Eno activity. We propose that PrkC-mediated regulation of Eno may help sporulating <I>B. anthracis</I> cells in adapting to nutrient deprivation. In summary, to the best of our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence that in sporulating <I>B. anthracis</I>, PrkC imprints phenotypic memory that facilitates the germination process.</P>

The Clinical, Etiological, and Demographic Profile of Children Aged 1 to 14 Years with Seizures Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Gwalior District, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vasudevan Mani,Ghanshyam Das,Arvind Gupta,Ajay Gaur,Durgesh Shukla 대한소아신경학회 2024 대한소아신경학회지 Vol.32 No.2

Purpose: The clinical profile of seizures among children exhibits ethnic and geographical variations. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical, etiological, and demographic profiles of childhood seizures. Methods: This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study. Data were collected on the socio-demographic profile, details of the clinical presentation of seizure episodes, past history of meningitis, and neuroimaging (i.e., computed tomography [CT] scans), as well as the history of risk factors. Numbers, percentages, the chi-square test, and the Fisher exact test statistic were calculated. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: This study included 102 patients, of whom 82 experienced generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) and the remaining 20 had focal seizures. The most common age at presentation was between 1 and 4 years (55.9%). Approximately 70.0% of the children experienced postictal confusion and drowsiness, 38.2% had fever or sleep deprivation, and 25.5% suffered from headaches or vomiting. Postictal confusion and drowsiness were significantly more prevalent in children with GTCS (76.8%) compared to those with focal seizures (45.0%). Cerebral edema was the most common abnormality detected on CT scans in children with GTCS (n=6). Conclusion: Younger age, neonatal brain insult, and family history were found to be associated with a higher risk of seizure episodes. Postictal confusion and drowsiness were identified as the most common clinical features. Postictal confusion and drowsiness were significantly more prevalent in GTCS compared to focal seizures. Cerebral edema was the most common abnormality observed in GTCS on CT neuroimaging.