Drugs resistance and new strategies of prevention against Malaria: An ongoing battle.

From ancient times until 21st century, Malaria has remained a fatal disease. It causes death in many poor and developing countries. Excluding vector control, Antimalarial drugs are the most reliable and effective weapon to tackle this severe disease. The emergence of antimalarial drug resistance in Plasmodium spp. becomes a barrier in Malaria elimination program as there has been no effective antimalarial vaccine till today. Apart from artemisinin, most of the antimalarial drugs have become resistant against malaria at present. Although, reduced efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has also been reported from southeast regions of Asia. Mutation of some genes within the parasite play a vital role in this drug resistance. Therefore, malaria is still a prime threat to human death and an unsolved problem. Newly emerging approaches like, vaccine development, plants based antimalarial drugs, nanoparticles, next generation antimalarial drugs should be taken & supported. In addition to that, public awareness is much needed for understanding the fatality of the disease and for encouraging self-protection and early treatment.

Monocystis julkae sp.nov., (Protista: Apicomplexa: Monocystidae) a new aseptate gregarine species of the genus Monocystis Stein, 1848 obtain from an Indian Earthworm, Eutyphoeus kherai, Julka, 1978.

During the course of a biodiversity survey of the endoparasitic aseptate gregarines in the Malda district of West Bengal, India, seminal vesicles of the earthworm, Eutyphoeus kherai, Julka 1978 were found to be infested with a new species, Monocystis julkae sp.nov., of the genus, Monocystis Stein (Arch Anat Phys Med 181-223, 1848). The trophozoite is elongated but slightly constricted posteriorly. A tail like protrusion appears in the posterior end. Anterior end is rather wider than the posterior one. The whole body size of the trophozoite measures 102.2-184.0 (126.7 ± 19.9) µm × 40.9-81.8 (58.2 ± 10.0) µm. Size of the nucleus ranges from 10.2 to 16.3 (11.9 ± 1.9) µm × 8.1-12.2 (8.8 ± 1.2) µm. The gametocysts are ovoidal containing two unequal gametocytes. Diameter of it measures 61.3-98.1 (75.8 ± 8.6) µm. Oocysts are navicular and measures 6.9-10.0 (8.7 ± 0.9) µm × 3.0-4.6 (4.3 ± 0.4) µm.

Assessment of morphology and property of graphene oxide-hydroxypropylmethylcellulose nanocomposite films.

Graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized by Hummer's method and characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The as synthesized GO was used to make GO/hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) nanocomposite films by the solution mixing method using different concentrations of GO. The nanocomposite films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis. Mechanical properties, water absorption property and water vapor transmission rate were also measured. XRD analysis showed the formation of exfoliated HPMC/GO nanocomposites films. The FESEM results revealed high interfacial adhesion between the GO and HPMC matrix. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the nanocomposite films containing the highest weight percentage of GO increased sharply. The thermal stability of HPMC/GO nanocomposites was slightly better than pure HPMC. The water absorption and water vapor transmission rate of HPMC film was reduced with the addition of up to 1 wt% GO.

Description of two new species of ectoparasitic Trichodina Ehrenberg, 1830 (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) from freshwater fishes in the river Ganges, India.

Two new species of the genus Trichodina Ehrenberg, 1838, T. silondiata sp. nov. and T. pangasi sp. nov. from the gills of freshwater fish Silonia silondia (Hamilton 1822) and Pangasius pangasius (Hamilton-Buchanan) respectively from the river Ganges of West Bengal are described here. Wet smears of gills and skins were prepared in the field, air dried and impregnated with Klein's dry silver method. In case of S. silondia (Hamilton 1822) 24 out of 146 host fishes were parasitized on the gills. Infestation rate in case of P. pangasius (Hamilton-Buchanan) was not significant. From a total of 86 examined host fish, only seven were parasitized on the gills. The mean diameters of the body of the specimens of T. silondiata sp. nov. and T. pangasi sp. nov. were 32.7-60.6 (46.4 ± 6.3) µm and 38.9-54.1 (44.9 ± 3.0) µm respectively. Taxonomic and morphometric data for these ectoparasitic trichodinids based on wet silver nitrate impregnated specimens are presented.

Apolocystis cognetti sp. nov. (Apicomplexa: Monocystinae) a new aseptate gregarine species from the earthworm Amynthas hawayanus (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from West Bengal, India.

During the course of surveys of endoparasitic aseptate gregarines in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, seminal vesicles of Amynthas hawayanus (Rosa 1891) found to be infested with a new species of the genus Apolocystis (Cognetti de Martiis 1923). Trophozoites are spherical or rounded and without any polar differentiation. Diameter of the trophozoite ranges from 65.4 to 126.7 (91.8 ± 17.5) µm. Nucleus diameter measures 12.2-20.4 (14.4 ± 2.2) µm. Gametocyst is round and measures 73.6-110.4 (93.3 ± 14.0) µm and contains two unequal gametocytes. Oocyst measures 7.7-10.7 (9.5 ± 0.9) µm × 3.8-5.3 (4.6 ± 0.4) µm.

Occurrence of Trichodinid Ciliophorans (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) in the freshwater fishes of the river Churni with description of Trichodina glossogobae sp. nov. in West Bengal, India.

Between January 2011 and March 2011 occurrence of trichodinid ciliophorans were studied in the freshwater fishes of the river Churni. The biodiversity survey revealed presence of a new species of the genus Trichodina (Ehrenberg 1830) infesting Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton-Buchanan). Another freshwater fish Labeo bata (Hamilton 1822) were found to be infested with two species of the genus Tripartiella Lom 1959: Tripartiella bulbosa (Davis 1947) Lom 1959 and T. copiosa Lom 1959. Adhesive disc size of the new Trichodina species is small measuring 30.6-46.9 (36.2 ± 3.9) µm in diameter. The centre of the disc is finely granular and transforms into dark when impregnated with silver. The overall prevalence of this species is 15.6% (12/77). Tripartiella bulbosa and T. copiosa are very small sized ciliophorans, measuring 16.7-23.8 (20.6 ± 2.2) µm and 15.2-22.4 (19.7 ± 1.9) µm in diameter, respectively.

A new species of Monocystis stein, 1848 (Protista: Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) from the Indian earthworm, Amynthas Hawayanus Rosa, 1891 (Annelida: Oligochaeta).

As a part of an ongoing biodiversity survey of aseptate gregarine fauna of oligochaete hosts of West Bengal, an expedition was carried out in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal and most of the earthworms collected were found to be infested with a species of Monocystis Stein, 1848. The monocystid species was collected from the seminal vesicles of the earthworm and was identified as a new species, Monocystis amynthae sp. nov. The gamont of the new species is characterized by having an elongated body with broad anterior end, separated from the narrow posterior end by a prominent constriction measuring 49.0-77.0 (66.0+/-1.3) microm x 32.0-41.0 (37.0+/-2.8) microm. The gametocysts are oval-shaped, measuring 40.0-65.0 (58.0+/-2.1) microm. The oocysts are navicular, measuring 8.0-12.0 (10.5+/-1.1) microm x 4.0-6.0 (5.5+/-1.1) microm.