The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world.The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In 2007 the organization established the Clinical Trials Registry - India, which is India's national registry for clinical trials.ICMR's 26 national institutes address themselves to research on specific health topics like tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera and diarrhoeal diseases, viral diseases including AIDS, malaria, kala-azar, vector control, nutrition, food & drug toxicology, reproduction, immuno-haematology, oncology, medical statistics, etc. Its 6 regional medical research centres address themselves to regional health problems, and also aim to strengthen or generate research capabilities in different geographic areas of the country.The council's research priorities coincide with National health priorities such as control and management of communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health, control of nutritional disorders, developing alternative strategies for health care delivery, containment within safety limits of environmental and occupational health problems; research on major non-communicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, blindness, diabetes and other metabolic and haematological disorders; mental health research and drug research (including traditional remedies). These efforts are undertaken with a view to reduce the total burden of disease and to promote health and well-being of the population.
Background: Neutralizing antibody is reported to correlate with protection from symptomatic chikungunya disease. In addition to direct virus neutralization, virus-specific antibodies can also protect through antibody effector functions via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mechanism. Methods: We have assessed NK cell-mediated chikungunya virus (CHIKV) specific ADCC response in 56 acute, 56 prolonged, 44 chronic chikungunya arthritis patients, 23 recovered individuals from chikungunya (CHIK) & 50 healthy controls using a flow cytometry-based antibody-dependent heterologous NK cell activation assay with ADCC surrogate markers CD107a & IFN-γ. Results: Persistent ADCC response in recovered individuals spanning over a duration of 3 months to 18 years post-infection and progressive decline in ADCC response in chronic chikungunya arthritis patients over the period of time were observed. ADCC response correlated with lower plasma viral load in acute patients (p=0.022, r=-0.709). Recovered individuals elucidated a positive correlation between ADCC response and plasma anti-CHIKV IgG and IgG3 antibody levels (IgG: r=0.4503, IgG3: r=0.4583, p-value<0.01 in each). Conclusion: Overall, the current study establishes the prognostic role of NK cells-mediated ADCC response in chikungunya infection. In a nutshell, these findings provide a base for future antibody-based therapeutics for chikungunya utilizing IgG3 antibody that has functional ADCC capacity. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
Identifying influential nodes in complex networks is a fundamental challenge in network analysis, as these nodes often regulate information spreading and structural robustness. While node centrality methods have been widely used for identifying such nodes, they are often tailored to specific problems. In this research work, a novel method InfVIKOR is proposed which aims to accurately identifying influential nodes in complex networks. This method utilizes Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach called VIKOR, which integrates four centrality measures into a unified group utility score. It leverages the VIKOR compromise ranking principle to balance group utility and individual regret. Compared with conventional MCDM techniques such as TOPSIS and AHP, InfVIKOR achieves higher consistency, reduced computational complexity, and rankings that better align with real diffusion dynamics. The node rankings are generated using the quick sort algorithm applied to the group utility function. To validate the effectiveness of proposed method, the SI simulation model demonstrate superior accuracy and scalability on six real-world networks. InfVIKOR thus offers a robust, efficient, and generalizable framework for identifying influential nodes in complex and scale-free networks.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health challenge in India. Given substantial heterogeneity across states and union territories (UTs) in India, understanding temporal and spatial patterns in the HIV epidemic is essential for monitoring the ongoing programs. However, recent scientific evidence on spatio-temporal dynamics in HIV epidemiological indicators remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyse spatio-temporal trends in HIV prevalence, positivity, and burden across Indian states and UTs. This study utilized data from the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), India. Temporal and spatial variations in testing growth rate, positivity rate, prevalence, and burden were assessed, and Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between testing and positivity rate. The growth rate of HIV testing increased (+ 137.3
Aims and Objectives: Scrub typhus is a reemerging disease that can cause severe complications like meningoencephalitis, especially in children. This study examines the clinical features and predictors of scrub typhus meningoencephalitis (SME). Materials and Methods: Conducted at a tertiary care hospital from October 2020 to September 2022, this study involved children aged 6 months to 18 years with undifferentiated fever or eschar. The diagnosis was confirmed using immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, neurological assessments, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Results: Among 119 children (68 males), 17 (14.29%) had SME requiring intensive care for a longer duration. Significant predictors of SME included vomiting (58.8% vs. 17.6%), myalgia (35.3% vs. 10.8%), altered sensorium (29.4% vs. 2.9%), seizures (35.3% vs. 2%), and higher mean C-reactive protein levels (102.32 mg/L vs. 53.07 mg/L, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Early diagnosis of SME by monitoring key clinical and biochemical features and prompt treatment are crucial in reducing scrub typhus complications, especially in endemic regions.
Mental disorders, including substance use disorders (MSUDs) and other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) together contribute substantially to morbidity, mortality, and economic burden in India. Faridabad district in Haryana is one of the most populous and health system-challenged districts. It exemplifies the urgent need for integrated approaches to address these conditions. Evidence highlights the bidirectional association between MSUDs and NCDs. The Government of India's National Program for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), a flagship under the National Health Mission, offers an opportunity to integrate MSUD care into existing service delivery frameworks. Leveraging its established infrastructure, resources, and wide population reach can help improve the care delivery for MSUD. Integrating MSUD into NP-NCD aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3.4. The Indian Council of Medical Research's MINDS project in Faridabad district aims to operationalize this integration by implementing and evaluating a scalable service delivery model across 116 health facilities. The initiative aims to integrate the screening, assessment, treatment and referral linkage for MSUD among individuals seeking NCD care. This integrated approach offers a pathway to reduce the treatment gap for MSUD, improve patient outcomes, and inform adoption of evidence-based, sustainable health strategies at a larger scale in the state of Haryana.
