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India has recorded 16,561 new Covid-19 cases in the previous 24 hours with 49 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfares.

India’s active caseload currently stands at 1,23,535 and accounts for 0.28 per cent of the total cases. The recovery rate is currently at 98.53 per cent.

As many as 18,053 recoveries from the infection were logged in the last 24 hours thereby increasing the total recoveries to 4,35,73,094.

India’s COVID-19 death toll has reached 5,26,928, the government data added.

Also Read: Omicron strains 20-30 % more infectious; INSACOG to review data of genomic surveillance of COVID variants

The daily positivity rate and weekly positivity rate stand at 5.44 per cent and 4.88 per cent, respectively.

As many as 3,04,189 COVID samples were tested during this period. 87.95 crore tests have been conducted in the country so far.

Covid vaccines

Under the nationwide vaccination drive, 17,72,441 doses of COVID vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. The cumulative vaccine doses administered till date rose to 207.47 crore, of which 93.71 are second doses while 11.63 crore are precaution doses.

India has now administered over 100 million precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the Union health ministry said.

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According to one study, SARS-COV-2 infects brain cells known as astrocytes, producing structural abnormalities in the brain. SARS-CoV-2 infection can produce brain changes and neurocognitive impairment, particularly in protracted COVID-19 syndrome, although the underlying processes remain unknown.

Daniel Martins-de-Souza and colleagues employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine brain anatomy in 81 research participants recovering from a moderate COVID-19 infection versus 81 healthy people. The scientists discovered that the former group had lower cortical thickness, which was linked to cognitive deficits and symptoms like anxiety and sadness.

The authors analyzed brain samples from 26 people who had died of COVID-19, finding that samples from five of these individuals exhibited tissue damage.

Further analysis of damaged brain samples revealed that astrocytes, which are brain cells that sustain neuronal metabolism, were particularly likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and that the virus enters these cells through the NRP1 receptor.

Once infected, astrocytes exhibited altered levels of metabolites used to fuel neurons and neurotransmitter production, and the infected cells secreted neurotoxic molecules. According to the authors, the findings uncover structural changes observed in the brains of people with COVID-19.

The significance of the study denotes the neurological symptoms that are among the most prevalent of the extrapulmonary complications of COVID-19, affecting more than 30 per cent of patients. In this study, we provide evidence that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is found in the human brain, where it infects astrocytes and to a lesser extent, neurons.

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We also show that astrocytes are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection through a noncanonical mechanism that involves spike-NRP1 interaction and respond to the infection by remodeling energy metabolism, which in turn, alters the levels of metabolites used to fuel neurons and support neurotransmitter synthesis. The altered secretory phenotype of infected astrocytes then impairs neuronal viability. These features could explain the damage and structural changes observed in the brains of COVID-19 patients.

Although increasing evidence confirms neuropsychiatric manifestations associated mainly with severe COVID-19 infection, long-term neuropsychiatric dysfunction (recently characterized as part of “long COVID-19” syndrome) has been frequently observed after mild infection.

The study shows the spectrum of cerebral impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, ranging from long-term alterations in mildly infected individuals (orbitofrontal cortical atrophy, neurocognitive impairment, excessive fatigue and anxiety symptoms) to severe acute damage confirmed in brain tissue samples extracted from the orbitofrontal region (via endonasal transethmoidal access) from individuals who died of COVID-19.

In an independent cohort of 26 individuals who died of COVID-19, we used histopathological signs of brain damage as a guide for possible SARS-CoV-2 brain infection and found that among the 5 individuals who exhibited those signs, all of them had genetic material of the virus in the brain.

Brain tissue samples from these five patients also exhibited foci of SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication, particularly in astrocytes. Supporting the hypothesis of astrocyte infection, neural stem cell-derived human astrocytes in vitro are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection through a noncanonical mechanism that involves spike-NRP1 interaction.
SARS-CoV-2-infected astrocytes manifested changes in energy metabolism and in key proteins and metabolites used to fuel neurons, as well as in the biogenesis of neurotransmitters. Moreover, human astrocyte infection elicits a secretory phenotype that reduces neuronal viability.

The study results in cognitive Impairments and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients Correlate with Altered Cerebral Cortical Thickness. A cortical surface-based morphometry analysis (using a high-resolution 3T MRI) on 81 subjects diagnosed with mild COVID-19 infection (62 self-reported anosmias or dysgeusia) who did not require oxygen support.

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According to a recent study, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing health inequities among ethnic minorities with diabetes.

After exposing a rise in health inequities, academics from the University of Leicester are pushing care agencies to address the disproportionate impact of the epidemic on people from ethnic minority backgrounds. The team of researchers from the UK and the US analysed the bigger structural hurdles in society that placed ethnic minorities with diabetes at a higher risk of catastrophic COVID-19 outcomes in this study.

Structured imbalances in appropriate housing, food, education, career prospects, and neighbourhood services are among these hurdles.

These obstacles, according to this exhaustive analysis, are critical health factors for persons with diabetes or COVID-19, particularly those in high-risk communities like as ethnic minorities.

The researchers discovered that people from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to have severe coronavirus outcomes due to differences in comorbid conditions (the presence of one or more additional conditions that frequently co-occur with a primary condition), exposure risk, and access to treatment.

Previous academic research have neglected to address larger systemic concerns that might contribute to health disparities among people of colour.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands and the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre funded the study.

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Professor Kamlesh Khunti CBE, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands and the Real World Evidence Unit and Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, lead author of the review, said: “Diabetes is a risk factor for severe COVID-19, and the combination of these ethnic disparities may have contributed to the inequality of coronavirus outcomes for those living with the condition.

“As we now plan for recovery, improved surveillance, and risk factor management, it will be imperative that primary and specialist care services urgently focus on the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on ethnic minority populations.”

“Only by taking a long-term, holistic view of health care will we, and particularly our most vulnerable populations, be able to cope better with future pandemics.”

NIHR ARC East Midlands finances critical work to address the region’s health and care concerns by accelerating research uptake on the frontlines of health and social care. The organisation implements evidence-based solutions in order to improve care standards while saving time and money.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust hosts NIHR ARC East Midlands, which collaborates with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network. It has offices at the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham.

The study, titled ‘The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ethnic Minority Diabetes Groups,’ was published in Diabetes Care.

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According to reports, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) will evaluate the results of genetic monitoring of COVID-19 variations on Friday, amid mounting COVID cases in the national capital and other States.

Different strains of Omicron are proliferating across the country, including the nation’s capital; these strains are 20-30% more infectious than the original Omicron virus.

“The current strains that are doing rounds all over are 20-30 per cent more infectious than Omicron sub-variants, but hospitalisation and deaths are still low,” said Dr NK Arora, Chairperson of COVID working group National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

Also Read: Pandemic might have led to health inequalities among ethnic groups, study finds

“These sub-variants are BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.75, BA.2.38, however, any surge in hospitalization or any disease severity has not been observed so far,” said Dr Arora.

According to the bulletin issued on July 11 by INSACOG, Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in India.

“BA.2.75 sub-variant has acquired more mutations in spike protein and other genes of the SARS-CoV-2 and it also mentioned that the variant is being closely monitored,” he said.

The Union Health Ministry of Health and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launched INSACOG on Thursday, reporting 2,726 new COVID-19 cases and six fatalities in the previous 24 hours. The current positive rate is 14.38 percent.

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According to new research, structural or functional abnormalities in the left atrium of the heart, with or without symptoms, may raise a person’s risk of dementia by 35% later in life.

The study was published in the Magazine of the American Heart Association, the American Heart Association’s open access, peer-reviewed journal. Dementia risk increased even among those who did not have atrial fibrillation or stroke, two diseases linked to dementia. The left atrium is one of the four chambers of the heart that receives blood from the lungs and pumps it into the left ventricle, which then pumps the blood to the rest of the body.

An abnormality in the structure or functioning of the left atrium, known as atrial cardiopathy, can often serve as a biomarker, or predictor, of a person’s cardiac risk.

Atrial cardiopathy is associated with an increased risk of stroke and atrial fibrillation, which are both linked to an enhanced risk of dementia. In a study led by Michelle C. Johansen, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, the research team aimed to determine the relationship between atrial cardiopathy and dementia, and if so, whether it is independent of atrial fibrillation and stroke.

The study results highlight the need to get a better understanding of the relationship and mechanisms between a state of atrial dysfunction, that may be subclinical (not presenting symptoms) and the newly uncovered association with dementia, the researchers noted.

Participants in the current analysis were part of a larger study group of more than 15,000 people originally recruited for the ongoing Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, which began in 1987 to research heart health in people living within four diverse communities throughout the U.S. ARIC study participants were ages 45-65 years at the start of the study and from rural areas in the U.S. (Forsyth County, North Carolina, and Washington County, Maryland) and urban areas: Minneapolis and Jackson, Mississippi.

All ARIC participants attended clinical visits every three years, and the resulting research and data — including hospital record abstraction, ECG tracings, and physician and coroner questionnaires, as well as death certificate data — have led to discoveries and guidelines surrounding atherosclerosis, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke and cognitive decline. This analysis uses data and assessments gathered during participants’ fifth ARIC clinical visit, between 2011 and 2013 as a baseline, and follows the participants through their sixth visit, between 2016 and 2017, and their seventh visit, between 2018 and 2019.

The current analysis included 5,078 of the 5,952 participants who returned for their fifth clinical visit; 59% were female, and 41% were male. The group of 5,078 were an average age of 75 years old, and 21% self-identified as Black adults. During their fifth, sixth and seventh clinical visit, the ARIC participants were evaluated for cognitive decline indicating dementia.

Researchers evaluated cognitive decline in all participants with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery from the Uniform Data Set of the Alzheimer’s Disease Centers program of the National Institute on Aging, as well an informant interview in a subset of participants. Informant interviews are a screening test of questions, such as the Eight-Item Informant Interview to Differentiate Between Aging and Dementia, given to a spouse, adult child or close friend of the adult being evaluated for cognitive decline.

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The neuropsychological test battery consists of brief measures of processing speed, episodic memory, language, attention and executive function. A diagnosis of dementia was generated based on testing results by a computer diagnostic algorithm and then decided upon by an expert based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the criteria outlined by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institutes of Health.

Hospital discharge codes — obtained as part of the ARIC study either directly from hospital discharge indices or from an indexing service or from an indexing service — and death certificate data, obtained as part of the ARIC study from the Automated Classification of Medical Entities system, were also included to assess participants’ cognitive status. Additionally, cardiac evaluation, including echocardiography, electrocardiography (EKG/ECG) and blood work, was conducted to assess the size and function of the left atrium of the heart to check for signs of atrial cardiopathy.

The analysis of the collective health data found that throughout the more than 30 years of follow-up, 763 people developed dementia, and 1,709 had atrial cardiopathy. The participants with atrial cardiopathy appeared to be 35% more likely to develop dementia. When the researchers adjusted for participants who experienced atrial fibrillation and stroke, even after accounting for other vascular risks, they still observed a respective 31% and 28% increase in dementia risk in patients with atrial cardiopathy.

The researchers suggested that a state of atrial cardiopathy leading to dementia is not a result of atrial fibrillation or stroke alone.

While the researchers note the results do not imply causality, they emphasize the importance of lowering vascular and heart disease risks. Among the study’s limitations was the possibility that asymptomatic atrial fibrillation or silent strokes may have been missed in some study participants.

Additionally, dementia develops slowly, therefore, some participants with milder symptoms may have been missed, and some patients in the study may have died before dementia was observed and documented. The study may also not be generalizable among populations with different demographics than the four communities in Forsyth County, North Carolina; Washington County, Maryland; Minneapolis; and Jackson, Mississippi that comprise ARIC.

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According to a recent study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, American military veterans are the least likely to seek treatment for the most common health ailments in their communities, such as sleep and alcohol use issues.

The data also demonstrate a correlation between veterans of color’s desire to seek aid and the occurrence of prejudice. The survey comprised 334 veterans from 46 states, with 66% being men and more than 70% identifying as people of colour.

Insomnia, hazardous alcohol use, drug use, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression were among the 15 medical disorders screened for by participants. They also ranked the importance of each health condition’s therapy and their readiness to seek treatment.

“The majority of participants indicated they would be willing to seek treatment for both physical and mental health problems. However, they reported significantly greater willingness to seek treatment for physical than mental health conditions,” said principal investigator Mary Beth Miller, PhD, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the MU School of Medicine.

Also Read: Sleep problems in older workers are linked to mental stressors: research

The study found that people were most eager to seek therapy for chronic pain, chronic medical illnesses, and physical brain damage. Alcohol or drug usage and sleep difficulties elicited the least willingness.

“We speculate that because sleep and alcohol problems are common, they may be normalized or minimized to the extent that they are no longer viewed as problems – or at least problems that warrant treatment,” Miller said.

The study also examined the role discrimination plays in seeking treatment for physical or mental health problems. More frequent experiences of discrimination were associated with less willingness to seek treatment for physical or mental health problems.

“Among veterans of color, discriminatory experiences were associated with less willingness to seek treatment, but only among those who denied use of other strategies for coping with stress,” Miller said. “Empowering patients to utilize whatever healthy coping methods they have available may mitigate the negative impact of discriminatory experiences on treatment-seeking.”

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Nutrition and lifestyle choices are important for both general health and reproductive health. However, while the effect of diet on health and the risk of chronic disease has been extensively documented, there has been little study on fertility in general. A pregnant lady is given a detailed menu of foods to consume. But, first and foremost, what foods must a lady consume in order to become pregnant?

Do Macronutrients Affect Diet Composition?

The advantages of losing weight in infertile couples are widely established. Dietary recommendations for couples with reproductive troubles should encourage moderate fat consumption, nuts, olive oil, sh, and avocadoes. Carbohydrate-rich meals should account for around a quarter of the plate. Bread, cereals (low glycemic index) and other starchy foods such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, legumes, sweet corn, pasta, noodles, and rice should be avoided.

Another quarter of the plate should be devoted to protein-rich items. Lean red meat, chicken and fowl, sh, eggs, tofu, and legumes are all included. Green leaves and salad vegetables, carrots, green beans, peas, broccoli and cauliflower, baby squash, leeks, fennel, and asparagus are also good choices. To enhance ber intake, sprinkle blank and white chia seeds. A tiny bit of feta, parmesan, and cheese are sprinkled over top to enhance flavour. Consider fruits (whole rather than juice), milk, and milk products such as yoghurt.

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The Case of Micronutrients

In comparison to the past, the current sedentary lifestyle demands less energy expenditure. As a result, micronutrient supplements are required both before and during pregnancy. Some micronutrients, including as iodine, folic acid, and iron, are more significant than others because they are essential for the development of eggs and sperms. Folic acid, which is usually deficient in contemporary diets, enhances total and mature oocyte numbers, embryo quality, and pregnancy rates.

Similarly, iron is necessary for male fertility since a lack of it results in low sperm quality. The science of nutrition for optimum fertility, on the other hand, is still in its infancy, and the current state of knowledge is sufficient to recommend a balanced diet with prudent micronutrient supplementation to maximise the odds of conception and excellent pregnancy outcomes.

Last but not least, WATER is not exactly a food, but it is a critical component of egg health. Chemicals included in plastic bottles may endanger the health of the eggs produced. Instead, put a jug or glass of water by your sleep or work table as a reminder to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

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According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India recorded 16,299 new COVID cases in the previous 24 hours, with a case positivity rate of 4.58 percent.

Yesterday, the country recorded 16,047 new infections, with a case positive rate of 4.94 percent. With this, the country’s active caseload has dropped to 1,25,076 from 1,28,261 yesterday.

According to the Ministry, 19,431 COVID patients have recovered in the previous 24 hours. So far, the total number of recoveries in the country is 4,35,55,041.

Also Read: Is There Link Between Fertility And Diet? Here’s everything you need to know

The current recovery rate is 98.53 percent.

During this time, 3,56,153 COVID samples were analysed. So far, 87.92 crore tests have been performed across the country.

The weekly positive rate is 4.85%.

Covid vaccines

In the previous 24 hours, 25,75,389 doses of COVID vaccine were administered as part of the countrywide immunisation effort. The total number of vaccine doses delivered to far has reached 207.29 crore, with 93.69 being second doses and 11.49 being precaution doses.

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Amid rising COVID-19 infections in Nepal, multiple cases of H1N1 virus infection, also known as swine flu virus infection, have been recorded from various locations, prompting health officials to urge for tight monitoring across the nation.

At least 57 instances of H1N1, often known as swine flu, have been reported in the previous two months, particularly at a time when health officials across the nation are dealing with the fourth wave of Covid, according to the Kathmandu Post. Misdiagnosis and carelessness might be common at this period, leading to delayed treatment and possibly death, according to health experts.

Several public health specialists have warned that the H1N1 virus, in conjunction with the COVID-19 virus, might produce a “twindemic” in the Himalayan country.

According to the World Health Organization’s Global Influenza Surveillance, at least 57 instances of H1N1 infection have been recorded since June 6, as have 55 cases of AH3 virus infection, generally known as Hong Kong flu.

“Many individuals, including important officials and leaders, perished in our nation in the past from H1N1 virus infection,” said Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, Chief of Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

“What concerns me is that influenza cases have not been recorded as frequently since the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic, and this time instances are spiking with Covid-19 infections,” he noted.

Also Read: India records 16,299 new COVID cases, positivity at 4.58%

The symptoms of the H1N1 virus and the Omicron form of coronavirus coincide, which might result in misdiagnosis and misunderstanding.

Patients in both diseases, however, experience fever, cough, shortness of breath, exhaustion, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, among other symptoms.

“Both viruses induce respiratory sickness and, if not treated on time, both cause severity and fatalities,” stated another health expert, who also happens to be an infectious disease and critical care specialist.

Two people died on Tuesday, while 1,090 people tested positive for Covid in 2,958 polymerase chain reaction tests and 530 in 3,342 antigen testing, but the cause of infection in almost 5,000 people remains unexplained.

Notably, hospitals in Nepal have previously recorded cases of persons being infected with both Covid-19 and influenza at the same time.

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Urinary tract infections are frequent, but treating them is getting more challenging as the bacteria that cause them develop resistant to several drugs. In lab trials as well as in mice with pneumonia and urinary tract infections, researchers discovered a novel chemical that suppresses drug-resistant bacteria. The researchers believe that this chemical, fabimycin, might one day be used to treat severe infections in humans.

The study’s findings were published in the journal ACS Central Science. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gram-negative bacteria infect millions of people globally, producing illnesses such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections.

Also Read: Nepal is battling ‘Twindemic,’ with swine flu wreaking havoc and growing Covid cases

These bacteria are particularly difficult to treat because they have powerful defence mechanisms, including robust cell walls that keep most medicines out and pumps that effectively remove medications that do get inside. The microorganisms can also mutate in order to avoid several medications. Furthermore, medicines that do work are not highly targeted, removing a wide range of germs, including beneficial bacteria. So Paul Hergenrother and colleagues set out to create a medication that might penetrate gram-negative bacteria’s defences and cure infections while leaving other beneficial germs alone.

The researchers began with an antibiotic that was active against gram-positive bacteria and then made structural changes that they thought would allow it to function against gram-negative species. One of the modified compounds, fabimycin, was found to be effective against over 300 drug-resistant clinical isolates while being largely inert against some gram-positive infections and several normally innocuous bacteria found in or on the human body.

Furthermore, in mice with pneumonia or urinary tract infections, the novel molecule decreased the quantity of drug-resistant bacteria to pre-infection levels or lower, performing as well as or better than existing medicines at comparable dosages. According to the researchers, the findings suggest that fabimycin might one day be used to treat difficult infections.

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