E-learning tools and smart campus: boon or bane during COVID-19

The sudden spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19 across the world has been leading to the drastic changes in complete structural, organizational and social aspects of every sector, including the education system. The quick closure of universities and schools for public health safety during COVID-19 pandemic has become a catalyst for searching innovative solutions within a short span of time. In the context of this new and challenging situation, e-learning tools have become the new educational policy and practice for virtual classrooms. This chapter presents an analysis of various e-learning tools for synchronous and asynchronous learning. It also focuses on the various health issues arising due to the excessive exposure of everyone to screens with the growing adoption of online learning tools and technologies.

SARS-CoV-2: Potential Drug Targets and Its Virtual Screening

The well-established structure of SARS-CoV-2 proteins has opened the door for the drug development of the potent inhibitors. The interaction of spike proteins of the virus with human angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE-2) via receptor binding domain start the journey of the virus in the host cell. The entry of corona virus by endocytosis is followed by genomic replication, transcription and formation of the positive sense RNA. The assembling of genomic material with viral structure proteins, endoplasmic reticulum & golgi intermediate forms mature viron, which on exocytosis completes the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. The entire cycle highlights the importance of different proteins involved in functioning and virulence of the virus. Targeting some of these proteins such as spike proteins, 3C like protease (3CL pro), papaine like protease (PL pro), helicase, RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and N protein plays important role in the development of the antiviral drugs. Using computational approach the researchers are investigating important targets interaction with ligands (novel or existing) for the development of potent antiviral drugs. Number of existing FDA approved drug molecules are repurposed against 3CL pro, PL pro, RdRp and few of them, e.g. remdisivir, favipiravir and lvermectin, are currently used in clinical application against SARS-CoV-2. Numbers of small molecules libraries are also high through output screened for the identification of novel ligand molecule for new drug development. In the present chapter various approaches and strategies for the development of antiviral drugs using the computation tools has been highlighted for the main targets of SARS-CoV-2. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Analysis of Covid-19 Complications in Diabetic Patients

Currently, the whole world is facing the pandemic which is caused by covid-19 or SARS-CoV-2. The corona virus infection with its mutant strains is causing massive, rapid transmission globally. Its most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, headache, running nose, body ache and sometimes diarrhoea too. The underlying medical problems like diabetes mellitus and old age are some factors which may contribute to the severity of the disease. Since, the diabetic patients are immunocompromised;they must take proper care necessary precautions against the covid-19 infection. If there is infection in diabetic patients, then frequent monitoring of blood sugar level is required. The patients with uncontrolled diabetes are at higher risk of hospitalization and mortality. Thus, covid-19 results in worsening of the diabetic conditions. But, the reason behind this is still not clear, as the evidences available are limited.