Burdwan Raj College

Leishmaniases caused by Leishmania parasites may be fatal if proper treatment is lacking. These protozoan parasites employ several strategies to control the host immune system. Among these, manipulation of the antigen presentation pathway is crucial for survival in the host. In addition to protein antigens produced by Leishmania sp. parasite-derived lipid or glycolipid antigens are known which are potentially important at the interface of host-parasite interactions. CD1d is a cell surface-expressed receptor that presents both endogenous and exogenous lipids and glycolipids to the TCR of invariant NKT cells. The CD1d-iNKT axis is important during the initial stages of infection by several species of Leishmania, although it may not be required for resolution of the infection at a later stage in mice. Owing to the limited number of published reports, heterogeneity in response is evident in both mice and human. Organ-specific, host species-specific and parasite species-specific responses make the concept even more complex. In this review, we comprehensively summarise the role of the CD1d-iNKT axis in the regulation of Leishmania infection. A deeper understanding of the mechanistic role of the CD1d-iNKT axis during Leishmania infection in human may provide a foundation for the rational design of targeted immunotherapeutic interventions in the future.

This paper addresses the dearth of focused research on the influence of promotional policies on job satisfaction within the tourism sector of West Bengal, India, as well as the unique Human Resource Development (HRD) challenges faced by tourism service providers in this region. Drawing upon existing literature on job satisfaction, HRD, and tourism, this study fills crucial gaps by investigating the specific impact of promotional policies on employee satisfaction and engagement within the context of West Bengal's tourism industry. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including surveys, interviews, and case studies, the research explores the effectiveness of promotional strategies in enhancing job satisfaction among tourism employees. Additionally, the study identifies and examines the distinct HRD challenges encountered by tourism service providers in West Bengal, considering the region's socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural dynamics. By offering empirical insights and strategic recommendations, this paper contributes to both academic scholarship and practical policymaking efforts aimed at fostering organizational effectiveness, employee well-being, and sustainable growth within the tourism sector of West Bengal. Key Words: Tourism policy, Job Satisfaction, HRD, Economic Development, Promotional Policy.

The dengue virus (DENV) is spread through Aedes mosquitoes. In this present research work, envelope (E) protein sequences of different serotypes of DENV from various continents were retrieved. The divergence of the dengue virus envelope protein among different serotypes was investigated, with emphasis placed on genetic diversity and evolutionary perspectives. 71 DENV inhibiting bioactive molecules with antiviral properties were selected. Following Lipinski’s rule of five, the drug-likeness features including ADMET profile of active molecules were assessed and four active compounds (Baicalein, Quercetin, Artecanin and Genistein) were ultimately screened for molecular docking with different mutational ranges of DENV envelope protein. Among four active compounds, only Genistein (ΔG = -6.06±1.1kcal/mol) showed high binding affinity. According to Molecular dynamics simulations, Genistein interacts stably with different active sites and functional pockets of four DENV serotypes envelope protein which characterized by the creation of considerable number of hydrogen bonds within the complex. These findings suggest that Genistein may act as a potent broad-spectrum antiviral active compound against DENV E protein across serotypic variations. But in vitro and in vivo validation should be done.

Tropical cyclones (TCs) pose a serious threat to India's 5400 km long continental coastline strip. The historical data (1891-2019) claims that four eastern coastline states experience cyclonic storms more frequently than other coastal states. The analysis of historical data shows that the Bay of Bengal (BoB) has faced more TCs than the Arabian Sea (AS), with a frequency ratio of approximately 3:1. Most TCs in the BoB occur during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons with powerful winds, huge storm surges, and significant rains. This study also reveals an increasing intensification rate of severe TCs over both the BoB and AS, supported by regression and moving average trend lines. Fani, an extremely severe cyclonic storm (ESCS), was unique storm because of being a rare summer cyclone. It was one of the three most destructive storms in the last 150 years. The Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) dataset has been used in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) environment to determine the amount of inundation in West Bengal (203.30 km2) and Odisha (129.81 km2). So, this recent article successfully presents an overview of historical TCs in the North Indian Ocean (NIO) and provides a detailed account of the ESCS Fani.

The globally severe dengue infection caused by all four dengue virus serotypes continues to be a major public health burden. Thus, the present study aimed to design an epitope based peptide vaccine against the E protein using an immunoinformatic approach. Although there is a licensed vaccine against dengue, its efficacy varies across serotypes. We designed an epitope based vaccine against the E protein of dengue that is effective for all serotypes via rigorous computational screening. Immunoinformatic approaches have been used for identifying active domains and functional pockets of the DENV E protein, followed by epitope prediction, model generation, physico-chemical characterization, antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity analysis. After screening, epitopes within the 45-65 amino acid range were considered to design the vaccine construct. Our final vaccine construct is highly antigenic (0.7991), non-allergenic, and non-toxic. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the stability and high binding energy of the vaccine construct with TLR2 (ΔG = -13.9 kcal/mol), TLR3 (ΔG = -12.4 kcal/mol), human IgG heavy chain (ΔG = -11.7 kcal/mol, and light chain (ΔG = -11.3 kcal/mol). In silico immune simulations showed enhanced B-cell and T-cell responses. In silico cloning and codon optimization confirmed efficient translation of the vaccine construct and its successful expression in the Escherichia coli host system (E. coli K12 strain). However, in vitro and in vivo validations are required to confirm the above-mentioned computational results for the promotion of the vaccine efficacy process.