Tuberculosis & COVID-19 Pandemic

Tuberculosis & COVID-19 Pandemic

Corona-viruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold, in people. There are hundreds of corona-viruses, most of which circulate among animals including pigs, camels, bats, and cats. Sometimes those viruses jump to humans—called a spillover event—and can cause disease. After a Pandemic outbreak from china, The disease is now called COVID-19. 

The virus has caused a widespread outbreak of disease similar to SARS throughout China, with exported cases occurring in 183 other countries, including India. 

Ultrastructure of  COVID-19

But, you need not suffer from this evil COVID-19, else we can say, you will not get affected with COVID-19 at all if you had vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) (Vaccine for Tuberculosis)

Yes! Sam Behar, and his colleague at the Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, US. Recently published a peer-reviewed paper and show that “ BCG stimulates general immune response” called Trained Immunity. This results in faster response to infections that could reduce the severity of disease and lead to faster recovery.

BCG —(Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) developed in 1921 in France Epidemiological data, however, showed it could be effective against the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2). This vaccine is composed of a live, weakened strain of the bacterium Mycobacterium Bovis, related to tuberculosis (TB) pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Trained Immunity

How Vaccines Works ...

when you are attacked by a microbe, the innate immune system started doing his duty.

Monocytes - types of white blood cells — penetrate the infected tissue, convert to macrophages and provide the first line of defense.

But Vaccines, on the other hand, lead to the development of the acquired immune system in the human body. This works slowly and focuses specifically on certain invaders.

BCG vaccination has been shown to produce positive “heterologous” or non-specific immune effects leading to improved response against other non-mycobacterial pathogens. For instance, BCG vaccinated mice infected with the virus were protected by increased IFN-Y production from CD4+ cell. 

This phenomenon is called Trained immunity and is proposed to be caused by metabolic and epigenetic changes leading to the promotion of genetic regions encoding for pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Multiplication of COVID-19 in alveoli cells. 

BCG vaccination significantly increases the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, specifically, IL-1B, which has been shown to play a vital role in antiviral immunity. 

The correlation between the beginning of universal BCG vaccination and the protection against COVID-19 suggests that

BCG might confer long-lasting protection against the current strain of coronavirus. 

However, randomized controlled trials using BCG are required to determine how fast an immune response develops that protects against COVID-19. BCG is generally innocuous with the main side effect of the development of inflammation at the site of injection so care should be taken when applying these possible interventions for COVID-19.

I'm trying to understand the molecular mechanism behind this, and, once I'm clear with it, I'll share it with you.

Understood this relation? Got any doubt? anything wrong in my explanation? Kindly comment and I would try to reply or correct as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: I wrote this article based on my understanding after reading a paper. There may be mistakes. If you find any, kindly let me know with your valuable comments.

References :

• Kristensen, I., Aaby, P. & Jensen, H. Routine vaccinations and child survival: Follow up study in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Br. Med. J. 321, 1435–1439 (2000).
• Zwerling, A. et al. The BCG world atlas: A database of global BCG vaccination policies and practices. PLoS Med. 8, (2011).
• Zhou, F. et al. Articles Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China : a retrospective cohort study. Lancet 6736, 1–9 (2020).
• Japan was expecting a coronavirus explosion. Where is it? | The Japan Times. Available at: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/03/20/national/coronavirus-explosion expected-japan/#.XnllWahKjIU. (Accessed: 23rd March 2020)
• Development and expectation of the tuberculosis service system in China. Available at: http://www.zgflzz.cn/EN/Y2012/V34/I9/557. (Accessed: 24th March 2020)
• Komine-Aizawa, S. et al. Influence of advanced age on Mycobacterium Bovis BCG vaccination in guinea pigs iatrogenically infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Clin. Vaccine Immunol. 17, 1500–1506 (2010).
• Moorlag, S. J. C. F. M., Arts, R. J. W., van Crevel, R. & Netea, M. G. Non-specific effects of BCG vaccine on viral infections. Clinical Microbiology and Infection 25, 1473–1478 (2019).
• Horwitz, M. A., Harth, G., Dillon, B. J. & Masleša-Galić, S. Commonly administered BCG strains including an evolutionarily early strain and evolutionarily late strains of disparate genealogy induce comparable protective immunity against tuberculosis. Vaccine 27, 441– 445 (2009).
• Fact Sheets | Infection Control & Prevention | Fact Sheet - BCG Vaccine | TB | CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/prevention/bcg.htm. (Accessed: 23rd March 2020)

HITLER AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

HITLER AND BIOTECHNOLOGY- Ultimate killing machine 

Nazi scientists secretly researched the possibility of dropping malaria-infected mosquitoes behind enemy lines during World War Two, a German academic has claimed

Hitler’s scientists planned to use malaria-infected mosquitoes as biological weapons by sending them behind enemy lines in the Second World War, according to research.

SS leader Heinrich Himmler ordered secret research into how insects infected with the disease could be kept alive long enough to be used against the allies, German academic Dr Klaus Reinhardt has claimed.

In January 1942, the SS chief created a special laboratory at Dachau concentration camp with the official aim of finding new remedies against diseases transmitted by lice and other insects, as well as the typhoid that plagued German troops.

But in the journal Endeavour, Reinhardt said records kept by Dachau Entomological Institute revealed its scientists also pursued research into biological warfare.

They tested the life spans of different mosquito breeds to try and find one that would remain alive long enough to be dropped into enemy territory.

At the end of the trials in 1944 a breed of anopheles mosquito, particularly effective in transmitting malaria to humans, was recommended by the director of the institute, according to Reinhardt, from Germany's Tuebingen University.

Image Source : INTERNET 

It is not known whether there was a connection between the work of the Entomological Institute and the chilling experiments carried out by Dr Claus Schilling who used prisoners as human guinea pigs deliberately infecting them with malaria.

Schilling was sentenced to death by hanging after the war.

The mosquito research had to remain secret because Germany, alongside the allied nations, had signed up to the 1925 Geneva protocol banning the use of biological and chemical weapons.

But Reinhardt dismissed the project as "a bizarre mix of Himmler's smattering of scientific knowledge, personal paranoia, an esoteric world view, and genuine concerns about his SS troops" which proved of no use to Hitler’s war effort

Suger A sweet villan

Its nice to write here after a long time, how are u all 😊
Nowadays, I'm very much interested in reading something new regarding my subject, "Biotechnology".People say, "oh Tahakik you are bright student, then why you chose Biotechnology?
It has no scope. ,😣😣
You won't earn better. You might have chosen Engineering , Pharmacy or medical , UPSC's.
something like that..." But, who cares 😐💰💰
I'm loving my subject. Biotechnology is the branch where you can survive only when you are much interested. anyway
I'm thirsty , reading a lot for my ongoing and new research project. But, I'm finding it sometimes much difficult to organize and start with. I'm getting hundreds of ideas, but, I find some of them silly, I find  some of them  complicated, I find  some of them  impossible! But, still, with hope in myself and interest in the subject, I'm continuing with them spend lots of time to think and playing with ideas ...
My dream is to  find something new and publish an article in a high impact journal.
Okay, let's stop here with my story, and go with the main matter. (sry for this )
We all love sweets, isn’t it? From a cute baby who had just started feeling and enjoying the tastes to 100 year old people, love sweets! 😘😋

Oh, I could hear you, yes, "Diabetic patients"
can’t enjoy sweets.
But, they too love to have sweets. Even, my Grandfather is diabetic and he uses to eat sweets hiding from my gramdmaa
Okay, what for that sweet love,🌷🌷
you are asking? Nothing wrong in that, but, if you are crazy about the bottled drinks, then, I’m sorry, you must start worrying!

Aspartame – is an artificial sweetener which is used in most of the bottled drinks. And, that is an approved artificial sweet nerby FDA (US Food and Drug Administration –which tests and approves all food and drug items before they are marketed)

“It is approved by FDA, then, why we must worry?”, is this your next question? Let me answer you!Aspartame is formed using two

aminoacids –
L-Phenyl alanine
L aspartate.

This when broken down during metabolism in ourbody produces – phenylalanine and hence must be avoided by people who are suffering from the genetic disorder called Phenyl Ketone Urea (PKU) – these people can’t metabolise phenyl alanine further!

This Aspartame will be unstable at higher temperatures and they are stable in the pH of 4 in general. As most of the bottled drinkshave the pH of 3 to 5, this is generally used in bottled drinks.(prefer chilled)

Moreover, this is preferred because this has 200% greater sweetness than the normal sucrose we use.

This is enough for us right?
The taste? The taste is enough, right?Okay, what is the problem in consuming thisaspartame? Only the PKU people must avoid this?

No, even normal healthy individual’s health will be affected on consuming aspartame in long run – many researches revealed this!

There are several published articles narrating the link between the aspartame consumption and Cancer! Yes, cancer,

leukemia!In 1965 Aspartame was discovered and was approved by FDA initially in 1974. Even after the approval, the safety of aspartame is being questioned by many researchers and the FDA considered the approval again!A trick to hide the risks behind a product is generally done by showing the results of short term tests and analysis. People are misled by such short term analysis!The metabolized products of aspartame not only include aspartate and phenyl alanine but also methanol. Methanol is toxic! But, many scientists and researches argue that methanol could be degraded by alcohol dehydrogenases. But, this degradation results in formaldehyde which will degrade DNA and proteins! This will lead to several Auto immune diseases and cancer!

And, researches reveal that men are affected more by the consumption of aspartame!
Many products like this, which are synthesized artificially might have long termeffects over our health, as this is going to affect us only in long run we won’t realize this.My mom use to advice me not to take bottled drinks and she suggests fresh juices instead (By Patanjali 😂😂).

She says, if I drink bottled items, it would affect my health.
It’s true isn’t it? Aspartame or other artificial sweeteners might be the reason behind this?I’m not sure about the worst effects of Aspartame, I just wrote this post by reading various articles and information already published.You are sick? May be it is due to artificial sweeteners? To check this, just avoid artificial sweeteners. Check the label of everything you consume sweet! If you are fine after avoiding these artificial sweets, then, the problem is with the artificial sweeteners.Just try to be safe with natural sweets!

Beginning......(Written My first science paper)

I recently published my first research paper in International Journal of research with IMPACT factor (5.6) not only my first in any journal, but also my first as a sole or lead author. I have never written an article for a scientific journal before, though I have experience of scribbling , here in this Blog, 

Now, I know enough about how to to write a research article, How to handle research experiment,it's so exciting and fun to learn new things, I've done lots of mistake and learn so many new things also , till before i am not aware all this and  Today I am writing my first Research experience as a UG student here we go....
Yes there are long list of peoples who help me to sucess in writeing a research paper My professor, my juniors my sweet and cute classmate's, & my dear besties, Some FB and Whatsapp frds, and all my wellwishers thank  you very much all.... 
The path from idea to publication was long, winding and sometimes wandering off in the wrong direction i was so excited and it makes some mistake in manuscript writing
Like many teachers, my interests in Biochemistry education research are firmly rooted in classroom practice rather than in the rich, pedagogical literature.
The activity that I presented in the paper actually came from Learning a lectures from my BIOCHEMISTRY teacher. Sir was explaining us about Spectrophotometetry and I imagining about Is it possible to measure Phosynthetic activity by this method how cool it is just by extracting leaf sample we measure Phosynthetic activity but sir also explain that only biomolecules can quantity using this technique. and I just go for it I have read lots of books regarding this but I never get ant idea then I am go for check Oxygen amount by calculate oxygen amount i.e. one of byproduct of photosynthesis and by calculate oxygen amount i.e. easy to measure Phosynthetic activity I just go for it I done lots of experiment most of them go fail but every failures i got something new and I finally   After nearly 2 month of practising the activity in my college laboratory, and sharing it with my colleague  I thought I was onto something that was worth luckily communicating.Choosing somewhere to publish was tricky
I wanted a peer-reviewed journal with a good impact factor to support my fledgling academic career, but I’m not happy with educational content being behind a paywall. However, the best match for my work was the Journal of Agricultural Education, which unfortunately has just that issue.
Internal conflicts aside, I then set about embedding the work in the existing literature. Strictly speaking, this is the reverse of the ideal, more efficient research process. The process of ‘referencifying’ felt very much like a literature review exercise that I might set for undergraduates. I buried myself in papers on teaching sequences and student misconceptions until I had enough of a framework to put my work in context.
I called in favours with My professor and my friends who are established researchers and already publish their paper in High IMPACT journal,asked them to give me feedback.
This act build base of my research paper , I redrafted mistakes and correct typographical errors, add references, read more paper's, and make new abstract rewrite result and conclusion, i try my best to make paper according to their comments
I finally submitted the paper to International Journal of Research and after 3-4 days they repLy on my E-mail that they like my paper and they Resend me. research manuscript for minor revision then I pay publishing fees and they ready to publish my paper in March issue so blessed 
That’s a 1 month gap, so what happened in the meantime?
The administration side seemed to run reasonably well and I had comments back from reviewers. It was only then I realised that my Professor  Chandre sir had shielded me from the real brutality of the peer review process.
The three reviewers fell with almost comedic placement into
(a) it’s great, publish it as it is,
(b) it’s ok, tweak it and send it back and
(c) The concept for the paper is fine and could be a useful contribution. Thereare spelling mistakes in the manuscript which should be corrected. More result-oriented discussion may be added. Also more justification of results against simulation work may be added further. Overall the paper is accepted with minor revision.
Some of the comments were cutting, suggesting there was nothing new about what I was reporting and querying why I hadn’t referenced publications in journals that were so obscure even our (extensive) university library didn’t have access to them.
It was hard to reconcile the comments of reviewer (c) with those of reviewer (a), and it felt very personal. Some kind words and email counselling from those same experienced friends helped me to regroup and take reviewer (b) as the middle ground and work from there.
So the paper was rewritten with a clearer emphasis. I took advice from an Mr. Mahesh chandre and Dr.Ashwinikumar kshirsagar to help decode some ‘lost in translation’ moments which had come across in the reviewers comments
A final hurdle: the images I had provided (taken with the camera on my Galaxy Note 3) but still they were low quality to publish (I am not a good photographer it's proved). This, farcically, led to me retaking and providing much higher resolution images, which were too large to be processed by the online submission system.
What I learned: lessons for anyone new to publishing education research
My research interests have now developed into new areas but I don’t think I will completely lose the tendency to do things backwards, Learning  will probably always lead to ideas for me.
I would start reviewing the literature earlier in the development of the idea, even if I had to rely on Google Scholar rather than waiting for better access to journals.
I would remember that reviewer comments, especially in large fields like education, are rarely personal, and I would laugh off the most absurd comments.
I would also sort out my side of the administration earlier; copyright forms and, of course, image requirements
In the end, the value in writing a research paper is why we should be encouraged from the start to approach it as it was intended to be approached ...Find my paper here