Introduction Japanese encephalitis (JE) is among the most important viral encephalitides in Asia, especially in rural and suburban areas where rice culture and pig farming coexist. (1-3) It has also occurred rarely and sporadically in northern Australia and parts of the Western Pacific. (4-6) JE is due to infection with the JE virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus. The main JEV transmission cycle involves Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes and similar species that lay eggs in rice paddies and other open water sources, with pigs and aquatic birds as principal vertebrate amplifying hosts. (1,2,7) Humans are generally thought to be dead-end JEV hosts, i.e. they seldom develop enough viremia to infect feeding mosquitoes. Fewer than 1% of human JEV infections result in JE. Approximately 20-30% of JE cases are fatal and 30-50% of survivors have significant neurologic sequelae. (8) JE is primarily a disease of children and most adults in endemic countries have natural immunity after childhood infection, but all age groups are affected. In most temperate areas of Asia, JEV is transmitted mainly during the warm season, when large epidemics can occur. In the tropics and subtropics, transmission can occur year-round but often intensifes during the rainy season. (1-3) The global incidence of JE is unknown because the intensity and quality of JE surveillance and the availability of diagnostic laboratory testing vary throughout the world. Countries that have implemented high-quality childhood JE vaccination programmes have seen a dramatic decline in JE incidence. Although JE is reportable to the World Health Organization (WHO) by its Member States, reporting is highly variable and incomplete. In the late 1980s, Burke and Leake estimated that 50 000 new cases of JE occurred annually among the 2.4 billion people living in the 16 Asian countries considered endemic at the time (approximate overall annual incidence: 2 per 100 000). (2) In the intervening two decades, despite major population growth, urbanization, changes in agricultural practices and increased use of the JE vaccine in many countries, this figure has been widely quoted, including very recently. (9-13) In 2000, assuming an annual, age-group-specific incidence of 25 cases per 100 000, Tsai estimated that in the absence of vaccination 175 000 cases of JE would occur annually among Asian children aged 0-14 years living in rural areas. (14) The current study used more recent, published, local or national incidence estimates and current population data to produce an updated estimate of the annual global incidence of JE. Methods We approximated the JE-affected territory of each of the 24 countries endemic for JE using a recent update (15) of an earlier approximation by Tsai (16) with some modifications (Table 1, available at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/ volumes/89/10/10-085233). Based on these same approximations, (15,16) we then stratified the JE-affected territory of some countries (e.g. China excluding Taiwan, India and Nepal) into two or more incidence strata. Because suitable studies of JE incidence were not available for every endemic country or incidence stratum, we sorted JE-endemic countries and incidence strata into 10 incidence groups (A, B, C1, C2 and D through I) based primarily on geographic proximity, ecologic similarity, vaccine programme similarity. Table 1 briefly describes the status of each endemic country's JE vaccination programme as of 2009, according to recent publications and unpublished sources. (8,17-20) Incidence data We identified studies that contained potentially useful data on the incidence of JE in Asia in a manner similar to the one used in a recent study of global typhoid fever incidence. (21) Whenever possible, this review followed the relevant guidelines for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). (22) The review process is described as follows and no protocol is available. …

Estimated Global Incidence of Japanese Encephalitis: A Systematic review/Estimation De L'incidence Mondiale De L'encephalite Japonaise: Une Evaluation Systematique/ Incidencia Global Estimada De la Encefalitis Japonesa: Una Revision Sistematica

Plant-based analogues identified as potential inhibitor against tobacco mosaic virus: A biosimulation approach

Background & objective: Molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) using GROMACS are among the commonly used computational experiments in the area of molecular biology and drug discovery. This article pr...

HeroMDAnalysis: an automagical tool for GROMACS-based molecular dynamics simulation analysis.

Spectroscopic and in silico insight into the interaction between dicofol and human serum albumin

The use of the bacterial efflux pump mechanism to reduce the concentrations of antibiotics in the intracellular to the extracellular region is one of the main mechanisms by which bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics. The present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the α,β-amyrin mixture isolated from Protium heptaphyllum against the multidrug-resistant strains of Escherichia coli 06 and Staphylococcus aureus 10, and to verify the inhibition of the efflux resistance mechanisms against the strains of S. aureus 1199B and K2068, carrying the NorA and MepA efflux pumps, respectively. The α,β-amyrin did not show clinically relevant direct bacterial activity. However, the α,β-amyrin when associated with the gentamicin antibiotic presented synergistic effect against the multidrug-resistant bacterial strain of S. aureus 10. In strains with efflux pumps, α,β-amyrin was able to inhibit the action of the efflux protein NorA against Ethidium Bromide. However, this inhibitory effect was not observed in the MepA efflux pump. In addition, when evaluating the effect of standard efflux pump inhibitors, clorptomazine and CCCP, α,β-amyrin showed a decrease in MIC, demonstrating the presence of the efflux mechanism through synergism. Docking studies indicate that α, β-amyrin have a higher affinity energy to MepA, and NorA than ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. Also, α, β-amyrin bind to the same region of the binding site as these antibiotics. It was concluded that the α, β-amyrin has the potential to increase antibacterial activity with the association of antibiotics, together with the ability to be a strong candidate for an efflux pump inhibitor.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

In silico and in vitro evaluation of efflux pumps inhibition of α,β-amyrin

A recent research has identified chymase, a mast cell-specific protease as an exclusive novel therapeutic target to prevent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induced encephalitis. Interestingly, JE...

Computational identification of natural product leads that inhibit mast cell chymase: an exclusive plausible treatment for Japanese encephalitis.

Investigates interaction between abscisic acid and bovine serum albumin using various spectroscopic and in-silico techniques

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the viral diseases affecting millions of peoples across the globe specifically developing countries. There is no specific treatment available, however, vaccines are available for its prevention. Unfortunately, available vaccines are not effective against all clinical isolates and are also associated with neurological complications in some individuals. We have screened the selected phytoconstituents of Andrographis paniculata against various targets of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) using Schrodinger suite 2019-3. Among all selected phytoconstituents, andrographolide has shown a good binding affinity towards NS3 protease as compared to NS3 helicase and NS5 Rdrp (RNA dependent RNA polymerase) of JEV. The molecular dynamics (MD) results have also shown good stability of andrographolide in the active site of NS3 protease. The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analysis has also indicated a good pharmacokinetic and safety profile of andrographolide. Finally, the in-vitro target-based assay have confirmed the inhibitory potential of andrographolide against the NS3 protease of JEV. In conclusion, andrographolide could have the potential to develop as an antiviral agent against JEV through inhibition of protease, however, further investigations are required.

Screening of phytoconstituents of Andrographis paniculata against various targets of Japanese encephalitis virus: An in-silico and in-vitro target-based approach

Every year, over 400 million MT of plastic are produced around the world, majority of which aren’t managed properly, leading to immeasurable damage to the environment. Only 14-18% as a global average of plastic waste is recycled with only few companies take part in the plastic recycling process. The main goal of the study was to analyse the energy demand and provide a feasible technical solution to conserve energy and reduce the plant's operating costs. A plastic waste recycling station, Amazia Vision Enterprise Private Limited, Satara, India, was purposively chosen to conduct an extensive evaluation of energy requirements. An energy analysis was performed on the process to determine the potential for energy savings and cost reductions. It also aims to reduce the amount of energy used at each stage of the process. Theoretical solutions to conserve energy, reduce waste generation, and thus lower operating costs have been proposed. According to the analysis and subsequent evaluation, the energy requirement can be reduced to 8% of the initial value. A technical solution for recycling of plastics has been proposed which can be implemented to test the feasibility interms of both technical and economical parameters. An energy conservation analysis of a plant has been presented in this paper which will provide a road-map to conserve ever increasing energy consumption and drive more investors in the plastic recycling sector for best plastic waste management practices.

Energy Consumption Analysis in the Plastic Waste Recycling Process: A Case Study of Amazia Vision Enterprise Private Limited, Satara, India

BACKGROUND
5, 11 dihydroindolo [3, 2-ß] carbazole is one of the phytoconstituent of Arisaema genus which might have various important biological activities. Recently, we have also predicted antiviral potential of this phytoconstituent against Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV).


METHODOLOGY
Thus, in the current study, acute toxicity profile of 5, 11 dihydroindolo [3, 2-ß] carbazole as per OECD regulatory guidelines in female Wistar rats was evaluated.


RESULTS
We did not find any adverse effects, mortality, and altered behaviour in animals after administration of 5, 11 dihydroindolo [3, 2-ß] carbazole at a dose of 300 and 2000 mg/Kg. Further, no significant changes in physiological and haematological parameters were observed. The histopathological study of vital organs has also shown no significant changes as compared to control.


CONCLUSION
Based on findings of the current investigation, 5, 11 dihydroindolo [3, 2-ß] carbazole is safe phytoconstituent of Arisaema genus which can be explored for various biological activities.

Shailesh Bhosale

Papers

Computational identification of natural product leads that inhibit mast cell chymase: an exclusive plausible treatment for Japanese encephalitis.

Investigates interaction between abscisic acid and bovine serum albumin using various spectroscopic and in-silico techniques

Screening of phytoconstituents of Andrographis paniculata against various targets of Japanese encephalitis virus: An in-silico and in-vitro target-based approach

Energy Consumption Analysis in the Plastic Waste Recycling Process: A Case Study of Amazia Vision Enterprise Private Limited, Satara, India

Acute toxicity study of 5, 11 dihydroindolo [3, 2-ß] carbazole as per OECD regulatory guidelines.