Dr. Lavkush Dwivedi

Parasites with their ability to vibrate our immune system are known as potent immunomodulators. In the course of life struggle of parasites within host body, they induce our immune system to produce immunosuppressive cytokines like IL-4 and IL-10 by the immune cells to create parasite friendly environment within host body. Co-incidentally, several autoimmune and inflammatory disorders of the host body, if existed get also relax from self aggression of the immune cells. Various recent reports have proven the relieving effects of parasitic infection among the people suffering from discriminative failure of the immune system between self and non-self. Few of those reports, on the basis of their detailed mechanism of action are critically reviewed in the present article to find out if they can be clinically employed for the treatment of billions of people across the world suffering from immune aggression.

India is a great repository of variety of medicinal plants. Presence of nearly 8000 species of medicinal plants has proved it one of the richest genetic resources of the world. Moreover, about 45000 plants species i.e. 12 % of global wealth of flowering plants are reported to occur in India, out of which nearly 33% are endemic. However, the use of plants as medicine is as old as human civilization and reported from 400-500 BC but, in the last couple of decades, global demand of herbal medicine has led to a quantum jump with 7% annual growth rate. However, several of them due to lack of scientific attention and acknowledgement are yet to be evaluated. Hence, an attempt is made in the present book to systematically compile the taxonomic, therapeutic and other detail of 52 important medicinal plants of India, so that they can be known, conserved, cropped and further researched for their maximum therapeutic utilization.

Today, the rapid scientific and technological advancements have caused several health risks alongside the comforts in life. Human health risk assessment is a process which evaluates such health issues in a logical and systemic manner to bring them at acceptable level. However, many human health risk assessment and management (HHRAM) approaches are developed and employed in developed countries, but due to different orientation most of them are found incompatible for developing countries. Therefore, in the present book, an investigation to design and develop a predictive in-silico tool for HHRAM and ehealth survey of developing countries' population is described. The book may be useful into developing the HHRAM program at individual to community (Provincial/National/International) level by various regulatory agencies and research organizations. Hence the students, Researchers, regulatory agencies (state/provincial) and most importantly every common man may take the revenue of it.

Human Health Risk Assessment & Management (HHRAM) is a systemic process to identify and characterize the nature and concentration of human health risks and possible restoration of health by scientific and technological methods. Such approaches are developed and communicated through internet in western countries to predict and manage the health risks of their own population. But due to entirely different circumstances they are found unfit for the country like India where diversity is an emblem. Since, Internet penetration is at pace and being developing nation growing health risks may not be an exception in India also. Therefore a HHRAM approach addressing to Indian population was attempted to design and develop in the present investigation which could predict and manage the health risks online. Study completed in three phases (1) Preparation of online health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) containing variables of our interest related to personal history, occupational health status, environmental and socio-economical status (2) Development of Database Management System (DBMS) to logically collect, retrieve and evaluate the collected data in computerized format (3) Designing and development of website (www.healthrisk.co.in) holding all the developed tools and other health related information for online survey and HHRAM. The health status inferences in addition to affordable mitigations are programmed to figure as risk report and produced to every end user at every assessment. MySQL, Microsoft office 2007, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) languages and application software were used for its development. More than 2000 individuals' consented data have been collected and evaluated so far.

Madhucalongifolia member of the family Sapotaceae was studied for its immunomodulatory activity on albino mice in the present study. The ethanolic extract of the plant (EEML) was administered at the dose of 100 and 200mg/kg body weight in the treated groups III and IV. The antibody titre value, DTH response and effect on myelosuppression were checked against the control group I and cyclophosphomide induced myelosuppressed group II. The significant (p<0.01) increase in antibody titre value and DTH response in group III & IV was reported as a sign of its stimulating effect on humoral and cell mediated immunity respectively. Moreover, the restoration of Total Leukocyte Count (TLC) and Differential Leukocyte Count (DLC) to normal level in EEML treated group III & IV as compared to cyclophosphomide treated group II has shown it ameliorating effect on myeloid regeneration too. Hence, the M. longifolia with the significant immunostimulatory activity on both the specific and non-specific immune mechanisms holds great promises for being used as an immunomodulating agent. However, more in-depth studies of various other extracts of different parts of the plant may further explore its probability to be used as immunomodulatory drug for the management of infectious diseases.

Keratophilic fungi, a type of dermatophytes cause infection to hair, glabrous skin and nails of human beings and animals. Soil is well known to be supporting the transient existence of them. The volatile plant oils have been of concern recently to develop a new antifungal agent. The present study attempts to evaluate four different commercially available Itra-Bella (Lonicera x bella zabel), Kewda (Pandanus odoratissimus), Rajnigandha (Polianthes tuberosa) and Mogra (Jasminum sambac) for their antifungal activity against the Aspergillus flavus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton verrucosum, Epidermatophyton floccosum and Microsporum nanum isolated from soil. A few among the selected Itra were observed and were found to be showing better antifungal activity than existing antifungal drugs like Terbinafine, Itraconazole and Fluconazole (taken as control). The maximum effect was shown by Bella against T.tosurans with inhibitory zone of 47mm. The paper concludes that the Itra can be used as antifungal agent against prevalent keratinophilic fungi.

Madhucalongifolia member of the family Sapotaceae was studied for its immunomodulatory activity on albino mice
in the present study. The ethanolic extract of the plant (EEML) was administered at the dose of 100 and 200mg/kg
body weight in the treated groups III and IV. The antibody titre value, DTH response and effect on myelosuppression were checked against the control group I and cyclophosphomide induced myelosuppressed group II. The significant (p<0.01) increase in antibody titre value and DTH response in group III & IV was reported as a
sign of its stimulating effect on humoral and cell mediated immunity respectively. Moreover, the restoration of Total
Leukocyte Count (TLC) and Differential Leukocyte Count (DLC) to normal level in EEML treated group III & IV as compared to cyclophosphomide treated group II has shown it ameliorating effect on myeloid regeneration too.
Hence, the M. longifolia with the significant immunostimulatory activity on both the specific and non-specific immune mechanisms holds great promises for being used as an immunomodulating agent. However, more in-depth
studies of various other extracts of different parts of the plant may further explore its probability to be used as immunomodulatory drug for the management of infectious diseases.

Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) proteins are the negative regulator of cytokine signals as a natural precaution to prevent excessive responses that could cause damage to body tissues. However, their over expression is suggested to inhibit the anti-proliferative and antiviral activities of Interferon (IFN). Several viruses including HIV-1 have been reported to exploit the SOCS proteins for minimizing the activity of Interferon (IFN). Hence, attempts to regulate the SOCS expression may be a novel roadblock into viral proliferation and pathogenesis. Present review is an effort to summarize the SOCS contribution in viral contagion and future therapeutic prospects against HIV-1.

Dreamed quality of life can be achieved by good health and further restored and maintained by the identification of health related issues and their effective management. Human health risk assessment & management (HHRAM) approaches are applied for doing so. As internet is now increasingly being used by citizens as a major source of health information, the HHRAM approach was developed in the present study which could predict and manage online the health risks associated with any possible health hazard present in an Indian scenario. The approach is communicated to the entire population through the developed website www.healthrisk.co.in. The study was completed in three phases (1) Preparation of online health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) containing variables of our interest related to personal history, occupational health status, environmental and socio-economical status (2) Design and development of the Database Management System (DBMS) to logically collect, retrieve and evaluate the collected data in a computerized format (3)Design and development of a website containing all the developed tools and other health related information for the online survey and HHRAM. Finally, health status inferences added with a few affordable manegement tips are configured as a risk report by DBMS and presented to every end user upon every assessment. MySQL, Microsoft office 2007, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) application software and computer languages were used for development. Data for more than 2000 individuals has been collected and evaluated so far.

Cancer is still an unsolved puzzle and a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. Today, about one in every thousand people is dying due to cancer. No effective agent has yet been found which can cure cancer in its metastatic stage. However, attempts in the shape of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and vaccines are made worldwide to find a remedy through a proper regimen. In continuation, tumor specific mRNA has been introduced as part of vaccines in recent days. It is mostly used in transfection with Dendritic Cells (DCs) for better effectiveness and safety. The DCs are selected for transfection because they are highly potent Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs) with the ability to take up & process tumor antigen in peripheral blood & tissues and can also migrate to the draining lymph nodes to present antigen to naïve T lymphocytes & induce the immune response. Although initially the RNA vaccination was administered alone, due to its unstable and easily degradable nature, it was found to be quite less effective, which led it to be used in combination with some stability enhancers’ viz. RNA packaging in liposomes. They not only increased its stability, but even worked as active immune stimulators as well. RNA could remain stable. Although it showed significant promise in cancer treatment, immune suppression was noticed after vaccination. To enhance the effectiveness it is now being used in combination with few drugs viz. SUNITINIB which can reduce the suppressive effect of suppressor cells. It might be a good choice for combined therapy with RNA vaccine.

Infectious diseases and consequent immune imbalances are major constraint in human health management throughout the world. However, in recent decades enormous efforts have been made to elucidate the immunomodulatory approaches against infectious diseases. Immunomodulation is a therapeutic approach in which we try to intervene in auto regulating processes of the defense system to adjust the immune response at a desired level. The present special issue on cutting edge issues in Immunomodulation like Immune stimulation, Immune suppression, Immune potentiating and immunereinforcement summarizes our current understanding of this complex mosaic. The accompanying selection of recent articles from across the world provides further insight into this topic.

Quality of life is determined by the sound health behaviors. Whereas behaviors like smoking, tobacco chewing and alcohol consumption persuade moderate to severe, acute and chronic illness of many vital organs of human body. Therefore, in the present study, a human health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) based consented health survey of 2000 individuals of Jhansi city was done to distinguish the major biological systems generally suffer from the smoking and narcotic habits. As a result, about 68% (n=739/1087) individuals among smokers in comparison to only 24% (n=218/913) among non-smokers were found unhealthy. Total 957/2000 volunteers were assessed unhealthy. All volunteers were keenly observed for any illness related to Respiratory system, Nervous system, Cardio-vascular system, Teeth & Gums, Musculo-skeletal system, Gastrointestinal and Genito-urinary system. The highest complaints (n=182) were recorded from Respiratory system while cases related to Genito-urinary system were minimum. Interestingly, about 30% drop in quantity and intensity of illness was reported after dedicated counseling of individuals for passing the smoking free healthy life. So, at one hand where smoking leave a lethal impact on validity of body organs, at the same time proper and endured counseling of individuals for healthy and smoking free life can revitalize the health by some extent.

Today, rapid scientific and technological advancement in nearly every sector of life have incontrovertibly boosted the living standard but the simultaneous birth of health hazards and their consistent exposure to environment and human being has opened the window for several health risks to grow. However, putting it at health priority, many human health risk assessment and management (HHRAM) approaches are developed and employed in developed countries to heed the health risks and bring them on acceptable level. But due to different orientation they all are found incompatible in the country like India where diversity is an emblem. There is no any significant HHRAM approach addressing to Indian population is available. Therefore, in the present investigation attempts are made to design and develop a predictive in-silico tool for ehealth survey and HHRAM of the population of developing countries. The tool was developed with the help of advanced computer software and programming languages viz. MySQL (System Query Language), Microsoft office 2007, PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor), CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) etc. Since, the risk communication is third important step of risk process (Risk assessment, risk management and risk communication) and internet is better mode of communiqué now days therefore, the entire investigation was communicated worldwide through developed website named www.healthrisk.co.in to get better health risk assessment implications and depth of reach.  Moreover, bio-calculators were also developed during investigation to calculate the biological end points related to various body indexes and to provide a subtle platform to carry out complex experimental calculations in fraction of minute.

Keratophilic fungi, a type of dermatophytes cause infection to hair, glabrous skin and nails of human beings and animals. Soil is well known to be supporting the transient existence of them. The volatile plant oils have been of concern recently to develop a new antifungal agent. The present study attempts to evaluate four different commercially available Itra- Bella (Lonicera x bella zabel), Kewda (Pandanus odoratissimus), Rajnigandha (Polianthes tuberosa) and Mogra (Jasminum sambac) for their antifungal activity against the Aspergillus flavus, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton verrucosum, Epidermatophyton floccosum and Microsporum nanum isolated from soil. A few among the selected Itra were observed and were found to be showing better antifungal activity than existing antifungal drugs like Terbinafine, Itraconazole and Fluconazole (taken as control). The maximum effect was shown by Bella against T.tosurans with inhibitory zone of 47mm. The paper concludes that the Itra can be used as antifungal agent against prevalent keratinophilic fungi.

Education is an important social determinant of health. Knowledge and skills (personal & social) achieved through it can better equip us to get benefitted from maximum health services and incentive programmes. It is a factor responsible to generate more cohesive, safer, healthier and wealthier society. Conversely, the lower level of education provide shelter to increased risk of durable illness and finally to die at younger age. Jhansi, a globally famed historical district of Bundelkhand is remaining a socio-economically backward area due to political negligence. The education level of the population is not very satisfactory. Therefore, a study was done in the present investigation to explore the health impact of education on the population of Jhansi. The health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) based consented health survey of total 2000 individuals of stated area was done. As a result, the increased incidences of ill health behaviors (87%) were reported among uneducated volunteers while the educated respondents were found comparatively healthy (only 32% unhealthy cases). Interestingly, the number of educated volunteers (n=1419) was more than the uneducated ones (n=581).

Purpose: Immunomodulatory as well as in vivo
antimicrobial properties of Lactobacillus casei were
investigated. L. casei was administered orally in Wistar
rats.
Methods: Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli were used. Both live and dead culture of L. casei were used. 2x10 8 CFU/ml of each culture was given to respective group daily from day 1st upto 28th days.
Results: Beneficial effects such as increased adhesive property shown by L. casei, increased hemoglobin content and RBC and decreased WBC counts were observed in LL ( live L. casei ) and LD (dead L. casei ) group when compared with EC group (Administerd E. coli). Serum biomarkers like Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), Serum glutamic oxaloacteic transaminase (SGOT) and total proteins (TP) were also decreased in LL and LD group. Moreover, L. casei in both live and dead form has decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and a TNF) while it has increased anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). Histopathological analysis also confirmed the protective effect of L. casei against enteropathogenic E. coli.
Conclusion: Present study revealed that L. casei consumption may provide gastrointestinal tract immunity against enteropathogenic E. coli

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), with about 30 million deaths and double infections in developing countries, is an open challenge today for global scientists. Developing safe and effective measurements against it has become the prime need of hour. Though, putting it at health priority, various efforts like chemotherapy, immune activation through vaccine development
and others are made globally over the last decade. Consequently, Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) was introduced but fails to completely block the viral replication due to drug resistance and various other severe side effects. Moreover, the antigenic variability and lack of appropriate experimental models has backed it to be a great puzzle. However, to overcome the present hurdles and to emerge a preventive HIV vaccine, efforts at various platforms are continued. A renewed, coordinated research, preclinical studies, clinical trials together with sufficient long term scientific and commercial commitments are made. Few of the therapeutic efforts viz. RNA interference (RNAi) and nanotechnology based approaches to control the HIV, viral enzymes’ inhibitors and various preclinically trialed vaccines are reviewed in this paper. Also, the observed toxicity of existing therapeutic regimen, key challenges and future prospects for the development of better tolerated prophylactic HIV‐1 vaccine are discussed.

“Health is wealth”, which depends on the interaction of various biotic and abiotic factors at individual, family, community, national and international level. Enduring exposure of various health hazards generated as a consequence of rapid modernization is deteriorating the health and making us ill. Additionally, the contamination in air, water and food has caused brutality in its behavior. Conditions are even more substantial in socio-economically compromised areas. Jhansi, due to considerably lesser political interest is a socio-economically backward area. Like many other cities of India the ambient air quality of Jhansi is also being depreciated day after day. Poor traffic control, uneven roads and extensive automobile exhausts are additionally helping in its quality drop. Certain man made pollutants e.g. O3 (produced by photochemical reaction) and other particulate matters (<10 μ in size) are airing the illness. Since, they can cross the innate immune barriers of human respiratory system and plays a significant role in genesis and amplification of hypersensitive allergic reactions. Various asthmatic, allergic and other respiratory effects of certain air pollutants have been reported. Chief air contaminating resource in the area is poorly maintained three wheeler automobiles emission. The ambient air quality of seven important and crowded places of city was assessed. Furthermore, the health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) based survey was conducted to estimate the exposure and it’s after effect on health of middle class subpopulation (activity-wise) in the area. Total 2000 individuals’ data was collected and analyzed through developed In-silico tool. The outcomes are discussed here in detail in the present study.

Human health risk assessment and management (HHRAM) is a systemic approach to characterize the nature and concentration of human health risks associated with any health hazard and the possible restoration of health by utilizing the scientific and technological knowledge. Computer simulated work has been backbone in European countries for developing such approaches. Since not any synchronized HHRAM tool addressing to Indian population was available hence an in-silico approach allied to Indian circumstances was needed and so attempted to develop in present investigation. The study was completed in three phases; (1) HRA Questionnaire based data collection (2) Development of database and Database management system holding the data surveyed (3) Design and development of website uploaded with developed tool for risk communication and online health risk assessment & management. It is capable to reduce the health risks by identifying and characterizing the environmental, occupational and socio-economical health hazards exposing to human beings. The tool was developed with the help of advance computer software and programming languages viz. MySQL, Microsoft office 2007, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Bio-calculators were also developed for statistical analysis of the data. Later the entire work was communicated worldwide through developed website named www.healthrisk.co.in for risk communication.

Human Health Risk Assessment & Management (HHRAM) is a systemic process to identify and characterize the nature and concentration of human health risks and possible restoration of health by scientific and technological methods. Such approaches are developed and communicated through internet in western countries to predict and manage the health risks of their own population. But due to entirely different circumstances they are found unfit for the country like India where diversity is an emblem. Since, Internet penetration is at pace and being developing nation growing health risks may not be an exception in India also. Therefore a HHRAM approach addressing to Indian population was attempted to design and develop in the present investigation which could predict and manage the health risks online. Study completed in three phases (1) Preparation of online health risk assessment questionnaire (HRAQ) containing variables of our interest related to personal history, occupational health status, environmental and socio-economical status (2) Development of Database Management System (DBMS) to logically collect, retrieve and evaluate the collected data in computerized format (3) Designing and development of website (www.healthrisk.co.in) holding all the developed tools and other health related information for online survey and HHRAM. The health status inferences in addition to affordable mitigations are programmed to figure as risk report and produced to every end user at every assessment. MySQL, Microsoft office 2007, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) languages and application software were used for its development. More than 2000 individuals’ consented data have been collected and evaluated so far.

Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), the evolutionarily conserved molecules are identified as the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in vertebrates and invertebrates which recognize the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The TLRs signaling is via interactions with adaptor proteins including MyD88 and toll receptor associated activator of interferon (TRIF). They directly detect the pathogen invasion and induce either immuno-stimulatory or immunomodulatory biological response. This ability of TLRs to modulate the immune system has been taken in concern in recent studies to develop an adaptive immunotherapy against cancer and several other neurological disorders. Moreover, to trace their auxiliary therapeutic effects, the TLR agonists are now undergoing the extensive clinical investigation. This review discusses the therapeutic potential of TLRs as Immunostimulators and Immunomodulators. Alongside, the association of TLRs with autoimmune responses and human diseases is also explored.
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Toll‐like Receptors (TLRs) are identified as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) present in vertebrates and invertebrates which recognize the pathogen‐ associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) shared by pathogens. They are a type of innate immune receptors, involved in the cytokine production, cellular activation and phagocytosis of microorganisms during microbial infection. They exist on various immune cells therefore, considered for targeted immunotherapeutic research in current approaches. In the present review, we have extensively discussed that how TLRs play a crucial role in mediating the innate immune response and forming a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Moreover, their role in immunological disorders and treatment of human diseases is also discussed in length.

Schistosoma mansoni, a trematode is a significant parasite of human beings causing intestinal schistosomiasis. In the present investigation, 294 volunteers from central India were screened for schistosomic infection, and the serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were calculated as an anti‐schistosomic immune response in them. Also, an attempt was made to correlate the observed Ig level with the brutality of infection. Consequently, total 138 (46.9%) out of 294 volunteers were reported to have ova of Schistosoma mansoni in their urine samples. Among which, 84 (28.6%) volunteers with <50 ova in per 10 ml of urine showed light infection while remaining 54 (18.4%) volunteers with >50 ova in per 10 ml of urine showed heavy infection. This difference was found statistically significant (X2= 6.52, p > 0.05). The mean immunoglobulin status observed in their serum sample were; IgE (2141.6 ± 143.7 mg/dL), IgG (13.6 ± 3.53 mg/dL), IgA (3.72 ± 0.149 mg/dL), IgM (2.82 ± 0.48 mg/dL) and IgD (0.12 ± 0.04 mg/dL). The relationship between intensity of infection and serum level of IgM & IgE were positively correlated (r =0.27 and r =0.65, respectively) while IgG, IgA and IgD were showing negative correlation with the strength of infection (r = ‐0.65, r = ‐ 0.39 and r = ‐0.18, respectively). Therefore, IgG and IgA can be considered as markers of light infection and IgM and IgE for heavy infection respectively. Since, the levels of IgG, IgA and IgD were found very low in infected volunteers than control subjects hence, are suggested to play insignificant protective role in schistosomic infection.

Aflatoxins, the naturally occurring mycotoxins are produced by many species of Aspergillus, a fungus, especially Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They contaminate several food commodities including cereals, peanuts and crops. Being highly toxic and carcinogenic in nature, the aflatoxins are reported to be involved in various health complications including liver cancer. This review presents the detailed discussion of aflatoxin production and various biological control methods of them so that their lethal effects could be minimized.

Institute of Biomedical Sciences located at Bundelkhand University Campus, Jhansi (a UP's no. 1, ISO certified and A NAAC ranked state University) came into existence  in July 2002, dedicated to research, UG , PG and Doctorate education of Biomedical Sciences in India is one of the premier institute of India. The institute have been produced so far more than 700 alumni with record over 90% placement history. The reasons of institute's success in such a short span of its age,  the state of art infrastructure, advanced facilities, grand achievements and noteworthy practices of the institute is explored in this presentation.