Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023.

Background: Evaluating the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza among young children in LMICs is crucial to inform implementation policies, given the importance of maternal influenza and RSV vaccination, which may not yet be widely available.

Methods: This study established a one-year surveillance of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from June 2022-2023 in hospitalized children 1-24 months from rural West Bengal India. We tested nasopharyngeal swabs collected from children admitted with SARI using multiplex real-time PCR for influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, with a subset (N = 81) tested for additional respiratory pathogens and analyzed clinical features, factors influencing infections, and hospitalization duration.

Molecular epidemiology of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, SARS-CoV-2, other respiratory viruses and bacteria among children 0-2-year-olds in West Bengal: a one-year influenza-like illness surveillance study (2022-2023).

Background: Lower respiratory infections are the leading cause of paediatric morbidity and mortality. This study documents the incidence and etiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) among young children in rural eastern India.

Methods: We conducted a surveillance of ILI in children visiting paediatric clinics of two hospitals in District West Midnapore, West Bengal from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.

ct-DNA compaction by nanoparticles formed by silica and gemini surfactants having hydroxyl group substituted spacers: In vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo gene uptake to cancer cells.

Hybrid nanoparticles formed by Silica (SiO) coated with cationic gemini surfactants with variable hydroxyl group substituted spacers, 12-4(OH)-12,2Br and 12-4(OH)-12,2Br have shown a great extent of compaction of calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) compared to conventional counterpart cationic surfactant, dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). Study shows not only the hydrophobicity of the spacer but also the hydrogen bonding interactions between the hydroxyl group substituted spacer and DNA have a great role in DNA compaction. 12-4(OH)-12,2Br is more efficient in compacting ct-DNA compared to 12-4(OH)-12,2Br due to the stronger binding of the former with ct-DNA than the latter.

Facilitators and barriers to maternal immunization and strategies to improve uptake in low-income and lower-middle income countries: A systematic review.

Maternal immunization (MI) is an emerging strategy to combat infant mortality in low-income (LIC) and lower-middle income countries (LMIC). We conducted a systematic review to identify the facilitators and barriers to MI and strategies that improve uptake in LICs and LMICs. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies published in English from January 1, 2011, to October 31, 2021, from all LICs and LMICs.

Factors influencing vaccine acceptance in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicenter study from West Bengal, India.

Influenza, COVID-19, tetanus, pertussis and hepatitis B pose increased risk for pregnant women and infants and could be mitigated by maternal immunization. In India Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) and COVID-19 vaccines are recommended during pregnancy, while influenza and tetanus-acellular pertussis-diphtheria (Tdap) vaccines are not. We conducted a multicenter study from November 2021 to June 2022 among pregnant women ( = 172) attending antenatal clinics in three public hospitals in West Bengal, to understand the factors that influence women's decisions to get vaccinated during pregnancy.

Role of Gemini Surfactants with Variable Spacers and SiO Nanoparticles in ct-DNA Compaction and Applications toward / Gene Delivery.

Compaction of calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) by two cationic gemini surfactants, 12-4-12 and 12-8-12, in the absence and presence of negatively charged SiO nanoparticles (NPs) (∼100 nm) has been explored using various techniques. 12-8-12 having a longer hydrophobic spacer induces a greater extent of ct-DNA compaction than 12-4-12, which becomes more efficient with SiO NPs. While 50% ct-DNA compaction in the presence of SiO NPs occurs at ∼77 nM of 12-8-12 and ∼130 nM of 12-4-12, but a conventional counterpart surfactant, DTAB, does it at its concentration as high as ∼7 μM.

Refolding of denatured gold nanoparticles-conjugated bovine serum albumin through formation of catanions between gemini surfactant and sodium dodecyl sulphate.

The present work elucidates binding interactions of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) with the conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-bovine serum albumin (BSA), unfolded by each of two gemini surfactants, 1,4-bis(dodecyl-,-dimethylammonium bromide)-butane (12-4-12,2Br) or 1,8-bis(dodecyl-,-dimethylammonium bromide)-octane (12-8-12,2Br). Initially, at a low concentration of SDS there is a relaxation of bioconjugates from their compressed form due to the formation of catanions between SDS and gemini surfactants. On moving towards higher concentrations of SDS, these relaxed unfolded bioconjugates renature by removal of residual bound gemini surfactants.

Binding interactions of cationic gemini surfactants with gold nanoparticles-conjugated bovine serum albumin: A FRET/NSET, spectroscopic, and docking study.

This work demonstrates binding interactions of two cationic gemini surfactants, 12-4-12,2Br and 12-8-12,2Br with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA) presenting binding isotherms from specific binding to saturation binding regions of surfactants. The binding isotherm has been successfully constructed using Förster's resonance energy transfer (FRET) and nanometal surface energy transfer (NSET) parameters calculated based on fluorescence quenching of donor, tryptophan (Trp) residue by acceptor, AuNP. Energy transfer efficiency (E) changes due to alteration in the donor-acceptor distance when surfactants interact with bioconjugates.

Binding interactions and FRET between bovine serum albumin and various phenothiazine-/anthracene-based dyes: a structure-property relationship.

The present study demonstrates binding interactions and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and a series of structurally and electronically diverse phenothiazine (PTZ) and anthracene (ANT) dyes. Upon selective excitation of tryptophan (Trp) residues of BSA, radiationless energy transfer to a dye takes place, resulting in fluorescence quenching of the former. Fluorescence quenching mechanisms, FRET parameters, possible locations, and binding constants of dyes with the BSA have been examined to deduce a structure-property relationship.

Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Small-Angle Neutron Scattering, and Dynamic Light Scattering Study on Interactions of Gemini Surfactants Having Different Spacer Groups with Protein at Various Regions of Binding Isotherms.

The binding interactions of three gemini surfactants having different spacer groups (12-4-12, 12-8-12, and 12-4(OH)-12) with a high concentration (150 μM) of bovine serum albumin (BSA) at various regions of binding isotherms have been studied by means of steady-state fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, time-correlated single-photon counting fluorescence of -2-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]benzothiazole, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer phenomenon between the twisted intramolecular charge transfer fluorescent molecule, -2-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]benzothiazole as an acceptor, and tryptophan 213 (Trp-213) of BSA as a donor has been successfully used to probe the binding interactions of gemini surfactants with protein at all regions of binding isotherms. The increasing order of energy transfer efficiency at a higher concentration range of surfactants is 12-8-12 > 12-4-12 > 12-4(OH)-12.

Effect of Urea on Solvation Dynamics and Rotational Relaxation of Coumarin 480 in Aqueous Micelles of Cationic Gemini Surfactants with Different Spacer Groups.

The present work highlights the effect of urea on solvation dynamics and the rotational relaxation of Coumarin 480 (C-480) in the Stern layer of aqueous micelles of cationic gemini surfactants, 12-4(OH) -12 ( = 0, 1, 2). UV-visible absorption, steady-state fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, and dynamic light scattering measurements have been carried out for this study. The formation of micelles becomes disfavored in the presence of urea at high concentration.

Effect of Hydrophobicity of Tails and Hydrophilicity of Spacer Group of Cationic Gemini Surfactants on Solvation Dynamics and Rotational Relaxation of Coumarin 480 in Aqueous Micelles.

Solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation of coumarin 480 in aqueous micelles of cationic gemini surfactants with diethyl ether (EE) spacer group (-EE-) and tails with varying tail lengths ( = 12, 14, and 16) have been studied. Studies have been carried out by measuring UV-visible absorption, steady-state fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy, H NMR spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Effects of hydrocarbon tail length and hydrophilicity of spacer group on solvation dynamics and rotational relaxation processes at inner side of the Stern layer of micelles have been studied.