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Introduction: HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) among pregnant women is a key indicator to estimate the HIV prevalence in the general population, as nearly 85% of HIV transmission in India is linked to the heterosexual route. Tracking the levels and trends of the HIV prevalence at state, regional, and district levels help to prioritize and facilitate a tailor-made intervention. Here, we analyze the region and district-wise levels and trends of HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics (ANC) from 2003 to 2019 in Tamil Nadu. Methods: Eleven rounds of HSS data collected from pregnant women in Tamil Nadu, from 2003 to 2019 were analysed. Consistent sites were grouped into four geographical regions (North, Central, West and South), a total of 67 sites including 33 urban 31 rural, and 3 private sites. Chi-square trend test used to find linear trends and spatial analysis used to understand the geographical distribution of HIV prevalence over the years. Results: In total, 2,77,444 blood samples were collected during HSS from 2003 to 2019. In 2019, the state HIV prevalence was 0.18 (95% CI: 0.13–0.23); region-wise prevalence was 0.21, 0.07, 0.32 and 0.12 in North, Central, West and South respectively. HIV prevalence in Tamil Nadu had significantly declined since 2003, which however, was not significant in all districts; with inter-district fluctuations. Conclusion: HIV interventions have to be strengthened in the districts with inconsistent trends, specifically the West region. This requires a more detailed analysis of region-specific contextual factors associated with the transmission risk.

Background: The proximity of Northeast India to the Golden Triangle facilitates easy accessibility to illicit drugs, resulting in a higher proportion of injecting drug users (IDUs) in the states of Northeast India. The estimated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence among IDU in Manipur which is 1.43% is higher than that of the national figure. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to find the factors associated with HIV infection and correlate the association between HIV status and self-assessed risk to HIV among IDUs in Manipur. Methods: National Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (2014–2015) data were used for the study; all analyses done were weighted. In Manipur, information was collected from 1594 IDUs during the surveillance between 2014 and 2015 across four domains, namely Chandel (396), Imphal East (397), Thoubal (401), and Senapati (400). Chi-square test was performed to test the association between the independent and dependent variables. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors associated with HIV positivity. Results: Higher age, unsafe injecting practice, low education status, and low-income status were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with HIV infection among IDUs in Manipur. Self-assessed risk of HIV infection by IDU was significantly associated with HIV positivity. Conclusion: Interventions among IDUs in Manipur should focus on emphasizing safe injecting practices along with creating awareness on HIV prevention and management.

Background and Objective: Periodic tracking of the trends and the levels of HIV prevalence at regional and district levels helps to strengthen a state’s HIV/AIDS response. HIV prevalence among pregnant women is crucial for the HIV prevalence estimation of the general population. Karnataka is one of the high HIV prevalence states in India. Probing regional and district levels and trends of HIV prevalence provides critical insights into district-level epidemic patterns. This paper analyzes the region- and district-wise levels and trends of HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics (ANC) from 2003 to 2019 in Karnataka, South India. Methods: HIV prevalence data collected from pregnant women in Karnataka during HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) between 2003 and 2019 was used for trend analysis. The consistent sites were grouped into four zones (Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga and Mysore regions), totaling 60 sites, including 30 urban and 30 rural sites. Regional and district-level HIV prevalence was calculated; trend analysis using Chi-square trend test and spatial analysis using QGIS software was done. For the last three HSS rounds, HIV prevalence based on sociodemographic variables was calculated to understand the factors contributing to HIV positivity in each region. Results: In total, 254,563 pregnant women were recruited. HIV prevalence in Karnataka was 0.22 (OR: 0.15 95% CI: 0.16 - 0.28) in 2019. The prevalence was 0.24, 0.32, 0.17 and 0.14 in Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga, and Mysore regions, respectively. HIV prevalence had significantly (P< 0.05) declined in 26 districts. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: HIV prevalence among pregnant women was comparatively higher in Bangalore and Belgaum regions. Analysis of contextual factors associated with the transmission risk and evidence-based targeted interventions will strengthen HIV management in Karnataka. Regionalized, disaggregated, sub-national analyses will help identify emerging pockets of infections, concentrated epidemic zones and contextual factors driving the disease transmission. Copyright © 2021. Arumugam et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative etiology of ‘Corona Virus Disease-2019’ (COVID-19); formerly referred as ‘novel-Coronavirus-2019’. It was originated in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China in early December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it as ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ due to their rapid transmission and causing public and health-care-related casualties worldwide. This review provides an updated overview of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), in comparison with the etiologies of the same group viz. SARS and MERS and also its future perspectives for planning appropriate strategies for prevention, control and treatment modalities to avert similar catastrophe in near future.

Abstract Over the present material synthesis routes, the sonochemical route is highly efficient and comfortable way to produce nanostructured materials. In this way, the copper sulfide (CuS-covellite) and sulfur doped reduced graphene oxide (S-rGO) nanocomposite was prepared by sonochemical method. Interestingly, the structure of the as-prepared S-rGO/CuS was changed from the covellite to digenite phase. Herein, the S-rGO was act as a mild oxidizer and liable for the structural transformations. These structural changes are sequentially studied by various physicochemical characterizations such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After scrupulous structural evaluations, the transformation of CuS phase was identified and documented. This oxidized CuS has an excellent electrocatalytic activity when compare to the bulk CuS. This S-rGO/CuS was further used for the determination of glucose and acquired good electrocatalytic performances. This S-rGO/CuS was exhibited a wide linear concentration range, 0.0001–3.88 mM and 3.88–20.17 mM, and a low-level detection limit of 32 nM. Moreover, we have validated the practicability of our developed glucose sensor in real biological samples.

The structure of the title salt, (C8H10NO)2[HgCl4], is isotypic with that of the cuprate(II) and cobaltate(II) analogues. The asymmetric unit contains one 4-acetylanilinium cation and one half of a tetrachloridomercurate(II) anion (point group symmetry m). The Hg—Cl distances are in the range 2.4308 (7)–2.5244 (11) Å and the Cl—Hg—Cl angles in the range of 104.66 (2)–122.94 (4)°, indicating a considerable distortion of the tetrahedral anion. In the crystal, cations are linked by an intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen-bonding interaction, leading to a C(8) chain motif with the chains extending parallel to the b axis. There is also a π–π stacking interaction with a centroid-to-centroid distance of 3.735 (2) Å between neighbouring benzene rings along this direction. The anions lie between the chains and interact with the cations through intermolecular N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, leading to the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.

Simple Summary: The extensive field work study between 2020 and 2023 led to the discovery of three new species of wood-inhabiting fungi; Tropicoporus pannaensis, Tropicoporus subindicus, and Tropicoporus xerophyticus from the southern part of India. The detailed descriptions and illustrations along with molecular support are presented. These discoveries may contribute to our understanding of species diversity and ecology, ultimately benefiting the society by informing the conservation efforts and exploring the potential biomolecules. This study aimed to investigate the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of three new species of Tropicoporus from the southern parts of India. The analyses of the ITS and nLSU regions revealed the novelty of these species, which have been named T. pannaensis, T. subindicus, and T. xerophyticus. All three species possess pileate basidiomes, a monomitic hyphal system in the context, and the presence of cystidioles and setae. However, they differ significantly in their phylogenetic placements and other morpho-taxonomic features. Tropicoporus pannaensis is characterized by a meagrely ungulate basidiome, indistinct zones, and an obtuse margin. Tropicoporus subindicus has a triquetrous basidiome and a radially cracked, crusted pileal surface with an acute margin, while T. xerophyticus is distinguished by an imbricate, perennial basidiome with an abundantly warted pileal surface. A phylogenetic tree is provided to show the placement of the three new species, along with detailed descriptions and illustrations. Additionally, a key for the identification of the Asian species of Tropicoporus is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necessity for highly sensitive and precise methodologies for monitoring water quality and safety is imperative. The substantial health risks linked with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) in water samples and its contact with the skin and eyes are noteworthy. Despite the utilization of numerous techniques for NHS analysis, the adoption of a rapid and uncomplicated electrochemical process has been infrequent. This article details the fabrication of an electrochemical NHS detection system using a cerium zirconium oxide (CZO)-doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite. The CZO/rGO nanocomposite was prepared through a straightforward method involving precipitation and sonication. Structural analysis of the CZO/rGO involved various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), elemental mapping, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis (XPS). Crucial kinetic parameters, such as the effective surface area, were evaluated for CZO/rGO on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Additionally, the CZO/rGO/GCE showcased reduced charge transfer resistance (Rct = 99 Ω), exceptional electrochemical activity, a high electron transfer rate, and strong selectivity. This electrode demonstrated excellent electrochemical sensing capabilities for NHS, boasting an extremely low detection limit (0.045 μM) and heightened sensitivity of 0.020 μA μM–1 cm–2. Demonstrating its potential for swiftly detecting NHS in river water, the CZO/rGO/GCE sensor achieved over 97% recovery. This approach is particularly well-suited for creating water pollution sensors in various sensing devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel g-C3N4/ZnO-TiO2 nanocomposite was prepared by facile calcination and hydrothermal assisted route to boost the photocatalytic efficiency of g-C3N4. The structural, morphology and optical properties of as-obtained nanocomposites (NCs) were examined by various physicochemical methods such as XRD, FT-IR, FESEM-EDX, HR-TEM, UV-DRS and PL spectra relatively. The as-obtained g-C3N4/ZnO-TiO2 heterojunction NCs displays an optimum efficiency (93.6%) and high photo-degradation rate constant towards the photo-degradation of RhB dye in 75 min under visible-light exposure. Likewise, the synergistic effects on heterostructure strong-coupling interfaces assembly of g-C3N4 and TiO2/ZnO NPs, which facilitates the excellent photo-excited charge separation efficiency, suppressing the recombination rate and also widening the visible-light fascination ability. Hence, the resulting in a prolonged lifetime leading to continuous generation of h+ and •OH− species which were eventually improved the photo-degradation process. Also, the as-obtained hybrid g-C3N4/ZnO-TiO2 photocatalysts (PCs) revealed superior recycling stability. Moreover, a probable photocatalytic reaction mechanism of the novel PCs was also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Female sex workers (FSWs) who inject drugs (FSW-IDs) have a higher risk of HIV infection and transmission. Understanding the socio-demographic characteristics and other risk behaviours among FSW-IDs will help in strengthening targeted interventions for HIV prevention and management. In the present study, the HIV prevalence, associated socio-demographic characteristics and risk behaviours among FSWs who injected drugs (FSW-IDs) and those who did not ID (FSW-NIDs) was determined in India. Methods: The national cross-sectional, community-based, integrated biological and behavioural surveillance was conducted in 2014-2015 at 73 randomly selected FSW domains across 28 States and Union Territories in India. The sample size was fixed at 400 for each domain, and a probability-based sampling method was followed. The data were analyzed by logistic regression methods. Results: Data from 27,007 FSWs were included in the analysis, of which 802 (3%) were FSW-IDs. HIV prevalence among FSW-IDs was significantly higher than that in FSW-NIDs (4.5 vs. 1.9%). Univariate analysis showed that factors significantly associated with higher HIV prevalence among FSW-IDs were older age, sex work as the only source of income, dissolved marriage, living with a sex worker, urban locality of sex work and consumption of alcohol or oral drugs. In multivariable analysis, factors such as older age of FSW-IDs (35 yr and above), having a dissolved marriage and sex work being the only source of income were observed to be independently and significantly associated with higher HIV prevalence. Interpretation & conclusions: Scaling up the HIV preventive interventions for FSW-IDs, such as facilitating awareness and improved access to needle and syringe exchange programme (NSEP) and opioid substitution therapy (OST), encouraging safe sex and injecting practices, educating on the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs and providing alternative vocation options to secure their financial needs are several strategies that may reduce HIV transmission among FSWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) serves to estimate the levels and trend of HIV prevalence among high-risk, bridge, and general population and monitors HIV management at national, state, and district levels. Data from HSS are valuable in understanding the risk factors associated with HIV transmission with particular demographic characteristics. Objectives: The objective was to analyze the sociodemographic profile of the pregnant mothers attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Karnataka, in order to understand the dynamics of HIV within the general population in Karnataka. Materials and Methods: Study design: this was a cross-sectional study conducted using consecutive sampling method. Study setting: the surveillance was conducted at select antenatal clinics, in Karnataka, India, between January and March, in the years 2013, 2015, and 2017. Methodology: in total, 74,278 eligible pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years, attending the sentinel sites for the first time during the surveillance period, were included in the study. Information on their sociodemographic characteristics and blood samples was collected. Results: HIV prevalence among the ANC clinic attendees has significantly declined, reaching a recent stabilization. The risk factors significantly associated with HIV among pregnant women were age, education, occupation, and marital status. HIV is highly concentrated in the northern and southern districts of Karnataka. Conclusion: Despite the declining trends of HIV prevalence in Karnataka, the epidemic is heterogeneous and concentrated within the state, calling for decentralized region-specific interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]