The “Professor G.S. Visweswaran Chair” aims to promote excellence and leadership in teaching, research, and development in the area of Microelectronics & VLSI Design and the “Professor Manoj Datta Chair” will encourage and support research inGeotechnical & Geo-environmental Engineering.

“IIT Delhi takes pride in its world-class faculty and alumni who have distinguished themselves in various walks of life. It’s gratifying to see our alumni recognizing their teachers by instituting chair professor positions to honour their commitment to the profession. As a society and as an Institution, we want to see more of this. I am proud that our eminent alumnus Saurabh Mittal and a few other alumni have come forward and are setting an example”, says Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi

Dr.Visweswaran joined the Electrical Engineering Department at IIT Delhi in 1980 and retired in 2015. He is well-known for his work in analog and mixed-signal circuit design, memory design, and digital electronics. During his stint at IIT Delhi, he also served as president, board of student welfare and head, students counselling service. After superannuation, Prof Visweswaran joined IIIT-Delhi as Dean of student affairs and held that office till July 2017.

Prof Manoj Datta has been with the civil engineering department of IIT Delhi since 1980 and is now an Emeritus Professor. Prof Datta is well-known for his work in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering and received the Lifetime Achievement Award (2017) and the Leadership award (2008) of the Delhi Chapter of Indian Geotechnical Society. He was Director, Punjab Engineering College (Deemed University), Chandigarh from 2008 to 2013 and Dean (Alumni Affairs& International Programmes) at IIT Delhi from 2004 to 2007.

Saurabh Mittal, while speaking of the two Chairs endowed by him, said, “The impact that Professors have on the lives of students during their IIT years goes beyond the classroom. Diligence, persistence, and the pursuit of excellence – all of which are hallmarks of any successful person – are honed under the guidance and high standards of our teachers. I certainly benefited immensely from their guidance during my graduate years, and it is my honour to be able to endow chairs in their names to support research excellence in their specific domain.”

Saurabh Mittal is the Founder and Chairman of Mission Holdings, which focuses on building strong operating platforms in technology, financial services, and media. Before founding Mission Holdings, Mr Mittal was a partner at Noonday, an affiliate of Farallon Capital Management, one of the world’s largest hedge funds where he was responsible for large public and private investments in the areas of Financial Services and Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT). In 1999, Mittal co-founded Indiabulls, India’s leading financial services, and real estate conglomerate, where he served as Co-founder & Vice Chairman from inception till 2014. In 2017, he was conferred the Distinguished Alumni Award by IIT Delhi in recognition of his contributions to Corporate Business Development & Entrepreneurship.

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Keywords: Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Delhi, research, micro-electronics, VLSI design, Geotechnical, Geo-Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Professor (Dr.) Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR- CMERI, Durgapur recently inaugurated a “naturally ventilated polyhouse facility” and laid the foundation stone of “retractable roof polyhouse” at CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI)’s regional centre based in Ludhiana.Briefing about the technology, Prof. Hirani said that with rapidly rising temperatures due to mounting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities, crops are increasingly facing both threats – extreme heat and pest attacks – simultaneously.

This is especially important for crops growing in the open field with no protection from the weather, and therefore its yield, quality, and crop maturity timings are changed. A combination of open field conditions and conventional greenhouse conditions is a more robust way to deal with climate change and associates problems in the future. Crop losses in India due to insect pests is about 15% at present and this loss may increase as climate change lowers the plant defense system against insects & pests.

Conventional greenhouses have a stationary roof to reduce the effect of weather anomalies and pests. However, there are still disadvantages due to roof covering which sometimes lead to excessive heat and insufficient light (early morning). Besides this, they are also prone to insufficient levels of CO₂, transpiration and water stress.

“Retractable Roof Polyhouse Technology will have an automatic retractable roof which will be operated based on weather conditions and crop requirements from the conditional database using PLC software. This ongoing development will be useful in our country with its 15 different agro-climatic zones and will help farmers to cultivate off-season crops that can fetch higher value and income”, says Dr Hirani.

Mr. Jagdish Manikrao, Senior Scientist, who is leading the research team on the development of this technology, explained that the retractable roof will be used to manipulate sunlight quantity, quality & duration, water stress, humidity, carbon-di-oxide levels, and crop & soil temperatures. Dr. Pradeep Rajan, Sr. Principal Scientist, Head, Farm Machinery and Precision Agriculture further elaborated that this structure is being developed in collaboration with CSIR-IHBT, Palampur and is in the process of integrating Artificial Intelligence in automating the Polyhouse based on the crop and weather requirements and providing an IoT enabled farmer friendly user interface.

The Director, also briefed that as the scientific experimental data on the advantages of the new polyhouse system are lacking, therefore horticultural crops will be cultivated in both naturally ventilated polyhouse and retractable roof polyhouse for comparing the crop production and produce quality. With installation of naturally ventilated polyhouse and retractable roof  polyhouse side by side, we can get the required scientific data and by analyzing the results we can enhance productivity. The developed facility will be used as a demonstration farm for the farmers.

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Keywords: Polyhouse, Technology, Hilly Regions, Crops, Climatic Conditions, Extreme Heat, Pest Attacks, CSIR- CMERI, Retractable Roof Polyhouse, Temperatures, Greenhouse Gases, Atmosphere, Climate Change, Agriculture, Crop Protection

The celebration is part of the Government of India’s nationwide initiative titled `SwatantrataAmritMahotsav’ to highlight a major milestone in the history of independent India, is being implemented in two phases. The first phase is getting completed by August 15 ‘21, and the second will start after that and will go on till the next Independence Day.

In the first phase, a Science Quiz Competition for the school students from class VI to XI was launched on the web portal of VidyarthiVigyanManthan (www.vvm.org.in); and posters were prepared on Indian scientists who worked during the pre-independence period and their contribution in igniting the spirit of swadeshi and nationalism in people, among other things.

The second phase will include bringing out documentaries depicting the heritage of indigenous science and technology of the past and show Britishers’ influence through policies of suppression and ignorance and how Indian scientists responded to colonial science; and holding of a national conference for science communicators and another  for academicians from school to higher education.

At a function organised online on Monday to mark the formal inauguration of the celebrations, General Secretary of RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh, DattareyaHosabale, appreciated the efforts to showcase the contribution of Indian scientists to the independence movement. “Many scientists of the period when India was fighting for its freedom were not confined to their labs alone. They were acutely aware of what was going on outside in the country and the world. Not much is known about their contributions. It is good that they are being brought out”.

Mr. Hosabale, who was the chief guest, also emphasised that science should not be left to scientists alone since it is connected to every aspect of life and noted that spiritual stalwarts had also made immense contributions to Indian science. He recalled that Swami Vivekananda had played an important role in the setting up of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

Union Minister for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr.Jintendra Singh, who was the guest of honour, said, science not only contributed to Indian independence but also defined its various contours. “Mahatma Gandhi was a remarkable practitioner of scientific strategies. Satyagraha was nothing but a silent biological warfare against aggression.”

He emphasised the need to promote scientific temper in the country and noted that the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, had a great scientific outlook. He recalled that at the inauguration of Shri Mata VaishnodeviKatra railway station in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Modi had noticed that the area had a lot of sunshine and had suggested that steps be taken to try and tap it and today the station is powered by solar energy.

He stressed the importance of science and said India can become a Vishwaguru only through the medium of science. “We need to synergise all streams of science and take up subject-based research projects with the involvement of other stakeholders also”.

National Organising Secretary of Vibha, Jayant Sahasrabhute, National President of Vibha, Vijay Bhatkar, and Director of VigyanPrasar, Dr. Nakul Prasar, hoped that the yearlong celebrations would help India attain new heights through the motivation of the younger generation.

The function marked the release of a book called `VigyanVidushi” on women scientists and entrepreneurs from the time of Indian independence; a compilation of transcripts of talks given under a lecture series; a special edition of VigyanPrasar’s Dream 2047 on science and 75th year of Indian independence and special issues of VigyanPrasar’s newsletters in regional languages. Besides, a web portal ‘swavigyan75.in’ for providing details on all aspects of the yearlong celebrations was also launched.

The function also celebrated the 160th birth anniversary of Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray. Rich tributes were paid to the eminent chemist, educationist, historian, industrialist and philanthropist. He established the first modern Indian research school in chemistry and is regarded as the father of chemical science in India.

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Keywords: VigyanPrasar, CSIR-NIScPR, VijnanaBharati, Vibha, SwatantrataAmrutMahotsav, VidyarthiVigyanManthan, RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh, Indian Institute of Science, Mahatma Gandhi, scientific temper, Vishwaguru, VigyanVidushi, Dream 2047,  swavigyan75.in, Acharya Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray

National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a joint initiative of IITs and IISc, has launched new courses on Electric Vehicles and Renewable Energy, Design for IoT, Business and Sustainable Development, for the July 2021 Semester through the SWAYAM platform.

NPTEL courses give an opportunity for students to learn from the comfort of their home. The enrolments for July – Dec 2021 Semester have already commenced. The Last Date to enroll for the first set of NPTEL courses is 2nd August 2021.

The courses are taught by the faculty from IITs and IISc. Learners can enroll for NPTEL courses through https://swayam.gov.in/NPTEL.

NPTEL offers more than 500 courses completely free of cost to learners across the country in online mode. The possibility for anyone to learn anywhere and anytime has made the teaching-learning process more student-centered, and innovative. This online mode of education has also proved invaluable in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Highlighting the unique aspects of NPTEL, Prof. VigneshMuthuvijayan, NPTEL Coordinator at IIT Madras, said,“SWAYAM-NPTEL is currently working with more than 4,000 educational institutions in engineering, arts, science, commerce, and management across the country. Students and faculty from these institutions take up NPTEL courses to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Some of the popular courses on NPTEL platform include Data Science for Engineers, courses on programming in Python, C, C++, Introduction to Machine Learning, Soft skills, Project Planning and Control, among others.”

NPTEL offers certification courses through the MOOCs format. Learners must watch videos online, submit assignments on a weekly/monthly basis and can register for an optional proctored final exam. There is a nominal fee charged towards the in-person proctored exam for the certification. Students can request for transfer of credits once they clear the NPTEL certification exam, if it is approved by the educational institute they are affiliated with.

A wide variety of courses are available on NPTEL platform across Engineering, Humanities, Basic Sciences, and Management, etc. NPTEL has received more than 1.4 crore enrolments till date. NPTEL videos have received more than one billion views so far and NPTEL channels on YouTube have more than 3.1 million subscribers.

In order to streamline the efforts of learners and to guide them to obtain expertise in an area, NPTEL has initiated the concept of ‘Domain Certification.’ A domain comprises a set of core and elective NPTEL courses. There are no additional charges/fees involved in obtaining domain certification. There are 51 domains across 12 disciplines available now and 85 learners have completed domain certification from NPTEL till date.

Age has never been a barrier for taking up courses through NPTEL. Mr. HarshwardhanPatil, a 15-year-old student from SavitribaiPhule High School, Nanded, Maharashtra, is one of the youngest NPTEL learners and has completed five certification courses through NPTEL, namely Effective Writing, Soft Skills Development, Stress Management, Biochemistry, and English Language for Competitive Exams.

Ms. Singam Nirmala Devi, an NPTEL learner from Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, said, “The knowledge I gained through the NPTEL course, ‘The joy of computing using python’ was very much helpful in getting a job as a software engineer in an MNC. Through the NPTEL courses, I was able to understand concepts of python easily and was able to answer questions asked in the interview.”

NPTEL was initiated by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati and Roorkee) along with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 2003. NPTEL is the largest provider of MOOCs in India today, with a credible proctored certification exam that clearly qualifies and differentiates the learners who do these courses.

The program was formally launched on the 23rd of July, 2021 through a virtual session. Speaking at the Program Launch, Dr. Vipin Chaudhary, Department Chair, Computer and Data Sciences Department at Case School of Engineering elaborated on how the Department is taking huge strides in nurturing world class computer scientists. Dr. Vipin who is a President’s Gold Medal recipient from IIT – Kharagpur was excited about the research opportunities students are exposed to and also the opportunities to make a global career in Computational Data Sciences. “The MS Program in Computer Science and Data Science is highly competitive. If students who are not from IT or Computer Sciences background would like to take up Computer Sciences as a masters, there are pathway programs through which they can consider moving into computer science from any other master’s programs in the University.”

Dr.Dakshinamurthy V Kolluru, President and Co-Founder of INSOFE explained the vision and philosophy behind the dual specialisation masters. Dr. Murthy further explained how the program is structured to open multiple career avenues to students who would like to be AI Specialists and ML Researchers. “We are looking at building a knowledge capital that can think of engineering solutions to solve computational challenges, problems in Data Storage, security and Privacy using Artificial intelligence” Dr. Murthy added, “The current day computer sciences student should focus on innovation – Engineering a query language that could be smarter than SQL could be a problem they would like to solve. This collaborative master’s program aims at creating students who are committed to building such intellectual capital.”

Dr. Vincenzo Liberatore, Co-Chair of the program explained the employment outlook and how students at Case Western Reserve University are getting employed at some of the world class companies. Dr. Brian Amkraut, Executive Director at Siegal Lifelong Learning added –“We are happy about the quality of the students who are joining the dual specialization masters. It is an excellent opportunity for students to master the engineering core as well as application of Data Science, AI and Machine Learning on Engineering Problems.”

The Head of INSOFE Education – Americas and the CEO of Soothsayer Analytics, Mr. Gaurav Agrawal welcomed the panel and explained how INSOFE has grown to be a trusted partner in Case Western Reserve University’s endeavour to provide masters education in various engineering fields with a blend of advanced Data Science, AI and Machine Learning Concepts.

Dr. Srinivasa Varadharajan, Dear – R&D at INSOFE explained depth and breadth at which students will master the computer science curriculum with extreme focus on Artificial Intelligence.

“There is a misconception that this is a pathway or a student exchange program” SomagiriParupalli, Vice – President at INSOFE said, “INSOFE does not control the admission or the grades or the curriculum of the program, in short, Case Western Reserve University student studies at INSOFE Campuses. We are proud that Case Western Reserve University has entrusted the responsibility of delivering the first semester at INSOFE. The conviction to quality education of the faculty and the academics team at INSOFE has ensured that we are seen as an able partner by the university.”

MS in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence is the fourth program in the list of dual specialisation programs offered by Case Western Reserve University and INSOFE. Mechanical Engineering with AI and Robotics, Civil and Environmental Engineering with AI and Machine Learning in addition to the Biomedical Engineering with Digital Health Analytics were offered starting Summer 2020. The students of these STEM Category programs study their first semester in India and then go to Case Western Reserve University to complete their subsequent course work. The students can get unto 25% assured scholarship and get an education waiver for GRE and TOEFL.

About INSOFE

INSOFE is a world-class research, consulting, and education institution with a focus on baking Data Science ways of solving problems in many domains like healthcare, supply chain, financial markets, and robotics.  It is present in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai in India and has partner university programs in France, USA, UK, and Canada. In addition, the institute works with global enterprise leaders extensively helping them adopt data science in their organizations.

• INSOFE’s unique aspects:
• 70+ Faculty
• 4 products, 75 patents, 1000+ publications, 100+ conference proceedings
• 100+ enterprise training events per year and
• 6000+ Alumni

INSOFE specializes in

• Creating innovative academic programs in applications of data science in various domains.
• Researching the changing roles within the enterprise due to the proliferation of Data Science
• Create & offer suitable intervention driven hands-on programs for each of these roles.
• Conducting research, building IP, innovating products and consulting with companies to help solve some extremely challenging real-world problems.

About Case Western Reserve University

With more than 125 years of experience, the Case School of Engineering at Case Western Reserve University is rooted in collaborative research and experiential learning. Students inquire, discover and create alongside distinguished faculty, and build a global professional network while attending classes in one of the most culturally robust communities in Cleveland.

Ranks Among Top Private research Institutions in USA.  Accredited by Higher Learning Commission

• Founded in 1826
• 17 Noble Laureates
• 12,000 Students from 81 Different Countries
• 20000+ Alumni

Millets are marvellous sources of nutrition. Traditional and rural societies everywhere in the country and agricultural scientists in the top echelons of the Indian government have long known it. But it took free India 70 years to notify millets as “Nutri-Cereals”–in 2018–which was also nationally declared as “The Year of Millets”.

According to a note prepared by the Union Agriculture Ministry,“Millets can help tackle health challenges such as obesity, diabetes and lifestyle problems as they are gluten-free, have a low glycemic index and are high in dietary fibre and antioxidants.”The note further states that “millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice owing to their higher levels of protein with a more balanced amino acid profile, crude fibre and minerals, such as iron, zinc, and phosphorous.”

Curative Power

A Mysuru-based scientist, Dr KhaderValli, popularly known as the “Millet Man of India”, explains why millets are superior to rice and wheat. How our body processes food is important to the absorption and value of food:

“Any food that takes a longer time to break down the glucose and fructose to be absorbed by the blood is truly healthy. While rice takes only 45 minutes to be absorbed by the blood, positive grains or millets take six hours”, says Dr Valli.

A post-doctoral fellow of Environment Science at Beaverton, Oregon, Dr. Valli did his PhD on steroids at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. But that was a long time ago. For the last 35 years, since he quit a lucrative job in the U.S., Dr. Valli has dedicated himself to the promotion of millets. He swears by their therapeutic value and prescribes a mix of five millets to his patients. Called the Siridhanya (rich grains) diet plan, it includes Kodo, Barnyard, Foxtail, Brown Top and Little Millets, and is reported to have cured patients suffering from a host of diseases, including anaemia, infertility, diabetes and cancer. Dr. Valli says, Barnyard millet, known as Udalu in Kannada and jhangora in Hindi, is his “personal favourite”.

Popular Dishes

In south India, Barnyard Millet flour is popularly used for making local foods like idli and dosa. In the north, especially in Uttarakhand, it is mixed with milk and sugar/jaggery to make a sweet dish, madirakikheer and with buttermilk known as paleu. Mixed millets khichdi is also popular in many parts of India while millet cookies, puffs, flakes and laddus are fancied items at high-end organic food stores all over the country. Research studies confirm the high nutrition of millets in general and Barnyard Millet in particular.

A 2019 research paper by V. G. Ranganathan and others of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Madurai, titled “Barnyard Millet for Food and Nutritional Security: Current Status and Future Research”, published in Frontiers in Genetic Nutrigenomics, June 23, 2020, says: “The nutritive value of Barnyard Millet is superior to that of other major and minor millets. It is a rich source of calcium, protein, magnesium, fat, vitamins, and some essential amino acids.”

According to the paper, the average carbohydrate content of Barnyard Millet varies between 51.5 and 62.9/100 grams, which is lower than that of other millets; its fibre, ranging between 8.1%  and 16.3%, is higher than in any other cereal and the protein content, between 11.2% and 12.7%, is reasonably higher than in other millets and cereals. “The high ratio of carbohydrates to crude fibre ensures the slower release of sugar in the blood, aiding in maintaining blood sugar levels.”

Recognising their nutritional value, the agriculture ministry recommended the inclusion of millets in the Public Distribution System (PDS) for improving nutritional support, but the idea has not caught on. Only Karnataka, Odisha and Uttarakhand have introduced millets in PDS, the main problems being the low shelf life of millets and poor storage facilities. For the same reasons, millets have not been included in mid-day meal schemes, among the most important places for the implementation of the government’s plan for millets.

Food as Status Symbol

While the government is still struggling against bottlenecks, private businesses are retailing millets successfully. Not just whole millets and millet flour, but also ready-to-eat items made out of them, are in high demand at upmarket food stores, which many find “unusual”.  “Initially, I was surprised to find foreigners and high-profile Indians asking for items made out of such desithings as ragi and jhangora that I thought were rather crude,” says saleswoman Meenakshi at one such store.“But now I know better,” she adds. Experts understand why she thought poorly of millets.

According to Senior Scientist at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)–Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Delhi, Dr. R S Bana, the young population of traditional and tribal societies have an “inferiority complex” about millets, and need to be educated about their nutritional value. They perceive rice and wheat as superior foods, he says, an observation that is endorsed by researchers. However, the scene has changed over the last decade.

Coarse Vs Refined

Lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, sourced to the preference for chemically processed and fast foods over the whole and coarse ones, have made the wealthy review their dietary choices. Refined and polished foodsare being blacklisted by them and crude foods with good roughage are the order of the day.

Dr.Bana agrees that there is a sizeable section of the rich and educated that is lately quite sensitive to the value of millets. It is they who offer the best hope of promoting millets. “Once they adopt these cereals as a staple diet, the approach of the poor people would also change.” As of now, Dr. Bana says, poor people are eating these nutritious foods “by default”.

POSHAN Atlas

A document,“The Current Position of Millets”, prepared by the Union Agriculture Ministry, talks about ways to promote the consumption and production of millets. Interestingly, it refers to a millet recipe book in regional languages published by The Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR).

As if to underline the importance of millets in the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN), a “POSHAN Atlas” is being prepared under the guidance of the Principal Scientific Advisor; the atlas has information on state-specific recipes that account for cultural food preferences and palates. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has designed and is running the “Eat Right India Initiative”, which, the ministry paper says, could be an avenue for pushing for a wider use of millets.

The flip-flop over millets—from being known as the poor man’s food to being projected as a health food—also makes one wonder about the origin and composition of millets. According to a research paper by P. Ashoka and others, (published in November, 2020 in The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences), millets originated in and around India, and have been the staple diet and health guardians of traditional societies for centuries. Belonging to the Poaceae/Graminae family, they are small-seeded grasses, yielding two major millets (Sorghum and bajra) and six minor millets (Finger, Foxtail, Little, Proso, Kodo, and Barnyard millets). Recently, a few minor millets have been added to this group, likeFonio, Quinoa and BrownTop millet.

“Each of the millets”, the paper notes, “is three to five times nutritionally superior to the widely promoted rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals (calcium and iron), and vitamins and fibre.” Millets, it adds, “are an ideal food for all the people, irrespective of age, and especially beneficial for children, pregnant and lactating women who are prone to anaemia.”

Local to Global

Today, India is the number one producer and consumer of millets in the world with Rajasthan as the top producer of millets in the country followed by Karnataka.The most interesting part of the millet graph is that in March this year, the United Nations declared 2023 as “The International Year of Millets”. The resolution in the U.N. General Assembly was proposed by India, and the Union Agriculture Ministry is already busy planning its campaign.

With so much energy being injected into the campaign, it would be no surprise if millets, described as “the first crops” in a government book, “The Story of Millets”, turn out to be “the future crops”– not just in India but across the globe.(India Science Wire)

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Keywords: Millets, Nutri-cereals, Food,Nutritional Security, Nutrition, Agriculture,Scientists, Agriculture Ministry, Antioxidants, ICAR, AahaarKranti, CSIR-CFTRI, ICMR-NIN

The human biological clock is composed of several molecular mechanisms which are synchronous with the day-night cycle or circadian rhythm. Disruption in the cycle can lead to chronic metabolic disorders.

Among other things, the circadian rhythm keeps a check on the proliferation of cells in the body. However, when cells become cancerous, they break away from the circadian rhythm and escape from the circadian control system to undergo uncontrolled proliferation.

The processes that promote cancerous growth can hijack the metabolic balance to fuel the rapidly proliferating cancer cells. The dysregulated metabolic balance in cancer cells results in the increased generation of a substance called lactate.  Further, cancer cells produce large quantities of a protein called IL-1β that promotes the growth of tumors. Till now, it was not clear how cancer cells sustain the high rate of production of lactate and IL-1β in conjunction with the cellular circadian rhythm.

The researchers at NBRC have now unraveled the mystery. They have found that cancer cells modify the molecular components of cellular circadian rhythm to create a new regulatory network that produces more lactate and IL-1β. The network has been named as Lactate-Inflammation-Clock (LIC).

In their first set of experiments, the research team used chemicals to activate/inhibit lactate and IL-1β in glioma cells, a type of tumor that occurs in the brain and spinal cord.

They found that, when activated, lactate and IL-1β induce the expression of important circadian proteins called Clock and Bmal1. Further molecular experiments revealed that Clock/Bmal1 transcriptionally activates the expression of LDH-A (Lactate producing enzyme) and IL-1β thus confirming the existence of the LIC regulatory network.

The team found that LIC controls the key pathways of glioma progression such as cell cycle, DNA damage and repair of cytoskeletal architecture and modification of chromatin,which is a complex of DNA and proteins that forms chromosomes within the nucleus of cells.

In further studies, the researchers found that similar LIC regulatory networks were present in stomach and cervical cancer cells as well and that disruption of these networks can interfere with their tumor-promoting signals too.

Speaking to India Science Wire, leader of the team, Ellora Sen, said, “We noted significant correlation of LIC circuit with patient survival and anti-cancer drug sensitivity. Patients with stomach, cervical or brain cancers survived longer when they had lower levels of Clock, Bmal1, LDHA and IL1-β protein. We found that clinically approved EGFR inhibitors such as gefitinib and erlotinib can be utilized for disrupting the LIC regulatory loop in cancer cells”.

She and her team are now working in collaboration with IIT-Mumbai to develop the mathematical model for the LIC regulatory circuit. “The model, when fitted to the patient molecular profile of LIC components, could serve as a framework for a new approach to cancer treatment based on the body clock. It may be called cancer chronotherapy”.

The study team included Pruthvi Gowda, KirtiLathoria, Shalini Sharma, Shruti Patrick and Sonia B. Umdor. The study has been accepted for publication in American Society for Microbiology journal `Molecular and Cellular Biology’.

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keywords: National Brain Research Centre, NBRC, molecular mechanism, cancer, circadian rhythm, metabolic, proliferation, protein, tumour, glioma, brain, spinal cord, DNA, chromosomes, cervical, mathematical model

Ecotine is a protein molecule that naturally occurs in bacteria that are extremely or moderately halophilic or salt-solving. They serve as a protective substance in bacterial cells. They help protect the microorganisms from extreme environmental conditions like high salinity, pressure, heat or aridity stress, and UV-radiation.

A team of scientists from NIOT, Port Blair, identified a halophilic bacteria, Bacillus clausii NIOT-DSB04 while analysing sediment samples collected from deep sea (at a depth of 1,840 metres) near Barren Island in the Andaman and Nicobar region during a cruise conducted by the Ministry’s Ocean Research Vessel `SagarManjusha’. They found it had ecotine molecules. They further developed a recombinant DNA technology method to optimise its production.

Ectoine has applications in dermo-pharmacy and the medical field.In the dermopharmacyindustry, ectoine and its derivatives are used as a major ingredient in moisturizers, UV protection creams, and as a freeze-stabilizing agent for enzymes. It accelerates the production of heat shock proteins by the skin and protects the skin cells from environmental effects such as dryness and UV radiation. Ectoine is mainly used in sun protection, moisture protection, and anti-aging creams.

In the medical field, it helps stabilize Langerhans’ cells of the skin, by preventing the entry of harmful microorganisms and allergens. It intensively assists the moisture retention of the skin by protecting the hydrolipid system. Further, it encourages the regeneration processes of the skin, maintains the vitality of the skin cells, supports the skin’s immune system, and protects the cell structures of the human skin and their genetic material.

The study team was led by Dr. L. Anburajan and Dr. B. Meena and included Dr. N. V. Vinithkumar, Dr. R. Kirubagaran and Dr. G. Dharani. They published a report on their work in Elsevier’s Microbial Pathogenesis journal.

The researchers noted, “So far, Ecotine has been imported. Now, with the development of our technology and its transfer for commercial production, it would be available to the domestic industry with greater ease”.

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keywords:National Institute of Ocean Technology, NIOT, Cosmos Biotech LLP, Ecotine, skin care, sun protection, protein, bacteria, halophilic, salinity, pressure, heat, aridity, UV-radiation, deep sea, Barren Island, Andaman and Nicobar, recombinant DNA technology.(India Science Wire)

TB has been associated with mankind since the beginning of human civilization. It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). It travels through the air from one human to another human till it finds its happy home in the lungs. Tuberculosis is a curable disease if treated properly and timely. There is a need for a fast and advanced detection system for the diagnosis of tuberculosis disease, like a smoke detector, that could detect fire and blare alarm before the fire could go out of hand. Identification of important virulent proteinsof M.tb is important for TB care and management program. The arsenal of M.tb is equipped with several such proteins which help the bacterium to avoid and weakenthe host immune-responses. A protein called PPE2 is one such.

Earlier studies by the group of researchers had shown that PPE2 protein works by blocking the production of compounds called reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are some of the key elements of the human immune system.

The new study has taken the work forward by getting new insights that suggest that PPE2 could also be playing an important role in regulating the synthesis of Vitamin B₁₂ in the bacterium. Vitamin B₁₂ plays a fundamental role in bacterial metabolism and gene regulation.The human body cannot synthesize Vitamin B₁₂ and depends upon gut microbiota or external food supplements to meet the daily requirement of Vitamin B₁₂. M.tb, on the other hand, has genes for Vitamin B₁₂ synthesis. The true nature of the Vitamin B₁₂ pathway in the bacterium, however, is still a mystery. The new study gives some insight into this.

A striking feature in M.tb physiology is the presence of a regulatory RNA element or riboswitch in a cluster of genes known as an operonin a functioning unit of its DNA. The cluster has three genes – ppe2, cobq, and cobu. While cobq and cobu genes are already known to be part of the Vitamin B₁₂ biosynthesis process, not much is known about PPE2’s role.

The new study has helped unravel the mystery to some extent. In this study, it has been observed that PPE2 could bind to DNA located beforeoperon ppe2–cobq–cobu suggesting thatPPE2 protein might be playing a role in the regulation of the ppe2-cobq1-cobucluster.

Speaking to India Science Wire, the leader of the team, Dr. Sangita Mukhopadhyay stressed that it was only a first step and more research is needed in the form of a detailed understanding of the underlying mechanism. “Vitamin B₁₂ has a fundamental role in bacterial metabolism and gene regulation and if carefully investigated, ppe2-cobq1-cobu cluster and riboswitch together, may present opportunities to translate the basic knowledge of microbial metabolism into effective therapeutic methods”, she added.

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Keywords: Hyderabad, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, CDFD, molecular mechanism, bacterium, immune system, Mycobacterium tuberculosis,M.tb, lung, diagnosis, protein, Vitamin B_12, gut, microbiota,RNA, DNA, genes

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), affects a few children who have been infected with COVID19. Several body organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs, become inflamed, threatening the child’s life. With medical care, many are cured. Yet, the mechanisms by which the conduction results have remained a mystery until now.

The study led by MasschusettsGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital,Boston,USA,has revealed the critical mechanism that triggers the onset of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children.  The research, published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation says that the SARS-CoV-2 virus travels from the respiratory pathway to the gut andlurks there before entering the bloodstream to reach various parts of the body.

What is MIS-C?

Although it occurs only in one percent of the children and adolescents afflicted with SARS-CoV-2 infections, the rare condition, the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), is a post-covid-19 severe complication, at times fatal.

Puzzlingly, the condition suddenly erupts post-infection when the patients and caregiver are ready to heave a sigh of relief. The debilitating illnesses occursat times, several weeks after testing negative. However, the inflammation is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which somehow remains hidden and stealthily raises its head once again.

Researchers have found that the virus can hide and remain in the gut long after an initial COVID-19 infection is cleared in the respiratory tract. From the stomach, it spreads into the bloodstream, instigating infection and inflammation in various parts of the body, eventually threatening the child’s life.

The syndrome can occur several weeks after initial infection. Initially, the child experiences symptoms include high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes and extreme fatigue. Once the infection spreads out from the gut, Child’s immune response goes overdrive to clear the virus from various systems to which it has spread. The hyper-inflammatory response and “cytokine storm” put the life of the young patient under threat.

Eighty percent of children hospitalized with MIS-C develop severe cardiac pathology and face a prolonged hospital stay and extensive recovery period. Current treatment strategies include an aggressive, long-term course of steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin; effective but not adequate.

Mystery solved

Early in the pandemic, other researchers had found that the virus migrates to the gut and can infect it. Thus, often the stool of the infected was found to contain virus particles.  This means if the virus is waiting in the gut long after primary recovery, then the excreta must have virus particles.

To test this hypothesis, the researchers collected the stool samples of the MIS-C affected children. “We realized that 95 percent of the children with MIS-C had SARS-CoV-2 viral particles in their stool, but no or low levels of particles in their noses or throats,” says Yonker, lead author of the paper.

The team hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 viral particles linger in the gastrointestinal tract of children and then move into the bloodstream. This then leads to the hyper-inflammatory immune response characteristic of MIS-C.  The inner side of the gut is lined with a particular type of cells called gut epithelial cells. The epithelial gut cells have small spaces near the junctions where one cell meets the other. These gaps are the doorway for the transport of products of digestion such as glucose and amino acids from the gut epithelial cells lining the small intestine into the blood.

It was known earlier that big macro-molecule like gluten can seep through the small gaps between the epithelial cells into the bloodstream. The researchers speculated that the virus wiggles the same way into the bloodstream. They later found out that the patients’ blood samples clearly showed the presence of the virus. “This is the first study showing viral particles in the blood of MIS-C coinciding with the hyper-inflammatory response,” says Yonker.

What next?

Co-senior author Alessio Fasano, MD, head of MGHfC’s Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition,  an expert on the mechanics of intestinal immune responses to pathogens, came with an idea to stop the seepage of the virus from the guts into the bloodstream.

In 2000, Fasano and his team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered that zonulin, a protein, regulates intestinal permeability by opening the tight junctions between gut epithelial cells in the small intestine. If one can block the zonulin, the gate will be shut for the virus to ooze into the bloodstream. The MIS-C syndrome can be averted.

Celiac disease is caused by gluten seeping into the blood from the gut. In the early 2000s, Fasano developed larazotide acetate to work as a zonulin blocker to shut the gaps between the gut epithelial cell to prevent gluten from transporting across. This provided a clue.

“Our hypothesis was that larazotide would reduce the hyper-inflammatory by closing the tight junctions and preventing the large spike proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering the bloodstream,” says Fasano. The researchers measured high levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus in the stools and high levels of zonulin in the blood of children with MIS-C. This suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 was tunneled through the gaps between the gut cells into the blood.

The immune response in MIS-C is consistent with superantigenic activation of the blocking of the passage of the virus across the cell gap. “The large spike protein–the superantigen–basically holds onto a T-cell and makes it fire off a continuous immune response,” says Yonker

Clinical trials in India

The researchers hoped that zonulin blocker larazotide acetate could help health care providers assist children suffering from the MIS-C syndrome. After obtaining compassionate use permission from the Food and Drug Administration, USA, the research team tried larazotide acetate therapy on children affected with MIS-C. Preliminary data on the efficacy of larazotide acetate is encouraging. This has opened the possible use of larazotide acetate as the first oral treatment for COVID-19 and its complications.

MIS-C cases are increasing in India, and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, has also geared up to tackle it. After a successful trial in the USA, the researchers are now hoping to conduct tests in India. DrDhiren Gupta, Covid Specialist and Pediatric Pulmonologist and Intensivist, Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that almost 70 percent of these MIS-C patients require ICU bed. “Last year, we also had MIS-C cases, but this time the cases are much higher. At Ganga Ram, we have seen as many as 10 cases in 24 hours. We have transformed one of the acute COVID wards into an MIS-C ward,” he said.

Gearing up

“We need to increase the testing among children,” says Dr Ajay Gambir, Member, Delhi Medical Council. Only a handful of children and young below 18 are tested for COVID19. While pointing out at this stage that tertiary care is not the paramount need, DrGambir says, “We need to improve the primary and secondary care for children under 18 for COVID19; We need customized pulse oximeter for kids as the oximeters used for adults have a different interface.” (India Science Wire)

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Keywords: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, MIS-C, Children, COVID-19, heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, gastrointestinal organs, medical care, ICMR, DBT, SARS-CoV-2, Virus