Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is a highly contagious pathogenic coronavirus to emerge and spread in human populations. Although substantial exertions have been laid to avert spread of COVID-19 by therapeutic and preventive countermeasures, but emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants as a result of mutations make the infection more ominous. New viral confers a higher nasopharyngeal viral load, increased viral transmissibility, higher infectiousness, immune escape, increased resistance to monoclonal/polyclonal antibodies from convalescence sera/vaccine, and an enhanced virulence. Thus, it is pertinent to monitor evolving mutations and genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 as it is decisive for understanding the viral variants. In this review we provide an overview of colloquial nomenclature and the genetic characteristics of different SARS-CoV-2 variants in the context of mutational changes of the circulating strains, transmissibility potential, virulence and infectivity.

No abstract

Background: Biochemical markers of acute neuronal injury may aid in the diagnosis and management of cerebrovascular stroke. Neuron specific enolase (NSE) is one such marker which is released in the blood in acute neuronal injury and can be estimated in the serum of patients to assess the short-term neurological outcome. This study was carried out on patients of acute cerebrovascular stroke with the aim to compare NSE levels in normal subjects with that in cerebrovascular stroke patients. Methods: 60 subjects investigated in the study included 30 cerebrovascular stroke patients who were admitted within 72 hours of onset of stroke symptoms, in the Emergency Department and the Department of Neurology at HIMS, and 30 healthy controls. Serum NSE levels of cases and controls were determined on day 1 and day 7 using DRG-NSE ELISA kit. Statistical analysis was performed using the unpaired 't' test on SPSS software for windows version 17.0 Results: There was a significant difference in the levels of serum NSE between cases and controls (p<0.001).The mean levels of serum NSE in controls were 2.25±2.12 ng/ml and in cases at the time of admission were 89.18±46.89 ng/ml . The normal range of serum NSE is 0-12 ng/ml. It was also observed that the levels of serum NSE showed no difference in males or females or among different age groups. Conclusion: This study showed that estimation of serum NSE levels can be used as an early marker of neuronal damage in acute cerebrovascular stroke patients.

No abstract

Background: The physical fitness profile of medical students who are future promoters and educators of health care, is not adequate enough to cope up with the demands of medical profession. The purpose of this study was to assess the physical fitness profile of medical students on the basis of cardiovascular and muscular fitness parameters and to find an association between BMI and cardiorespiratory fitness. Methods: we conducted an observational, analytical study in the Department of Physiology, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS), Dehradun, Uttarakhand. We included 60 MBBS students (18-25 years), who volunteered for the study, both males and females studying in HIMS. The anthropometric parameters like Height, Weight, and BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist: hip ratio were assessed on day one of the study. On the same day muscular fitness parameters like Sit and reach test, vertical jump test and sit-up test were done. On eighth day, cardiorespiratory fitness parameters in terms of VO2max, was assessed using Beep test, of the same subjects and results recorded. Results: After informed and written consent was taken, 60 students including 30 males and 30 females were assessed. The mean flexibility score in males was -1.73 and in females was 3.6 (p<0.01). The mean number of sit-ups performed by males was 23.2 and by females was 16 (p<0.01). The mean height in cm. that could be reached by males in a vertical jump was 38.33 cm. and by females it was 29.5 cm (p<0.01). The mean value of VO2 max in males was 35.15 ml/kg/min and in females it was 30.00 ml/kg/min. (p<0.01). Conclusion: As educators and promoters of health care, it is important to increase awareness among students so that they become role models for their patients. Our results show that overall health status of our Medical students is not adequate enough. Males had higher aerobic physical fitness as compared to that of females, exception being the flexibility scores which were better in females. Regular physical exercise is known to have beneficial effects on health. Realizing the fact that diseases are related to lack of fitness, a need to counteract a sedentary lifestyle with planned physical activity through sports and formal exercise is required.