GNIPST BULLETIN 2013

1118-1177-4796-9849-7562-5062

TO GROW AS A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN THE FIELD OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

mail

6th December , 2013

Volume No.: 30

Issue No.: 04

Vision

Contents
Message from GNIPST Letter to the Editor News Update Health awareness Disease Outbreak News Forth Coming Events Drugs Update GNIPST Photo Gallery
For your comments/contributionOR

Campus News Students Section Editors Note Archive

For Back-Issues,
mailto:gnipstbulletin@gmail.com

1 EDITOR: Soumya Bhattacharya

GURU NANAK INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

06-12-2013

MESSAGE FROM GNIPST

GNIPST BULLETIN is the official publication of Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology. All the members of GNIPST are proud to publish the 30th Volume of GNIPST BULLETIN. Over the last two years this bulletin updating readers with different scientific, cultural or sports activities of this prestigious institute and promoting knowledge of recent development in Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences. Students section is informing readers about some curious facts of drug discovery, science, sports and other relevant fields. We look forward to seeing your submission and welcome comments and ideas you may have.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

NEWS UPDATE

World AIDS Day, 2013(1st December, 2013)

World Aids Day was observed on 1st December,2013. Every year World AIDS Day is celebrated on 1st December to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and to demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to disseminate information about the status of the pandemic and to encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care around the world, particularly in high prevalence countries.Between 2011-2015, World AIDS Day has the theme: "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths".The WHOs focus for the 2013 campaign is improving access to prevention, treatment and care services for adolescents (10-19 years), a group that continues to be vulnerable despite efforts so far. Read more
Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

Study Highlights Massive Benefits of HIV Treatment in South Africa (4th December, 2013)
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the treatment of HIV infection has saved 2.8 million years of life in South Africa since 2004 and is projected to save an additional 15.1 million years of life by 2030, according to a new study published online in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. The analysis suggests these dramatic benefits could be even greater if more aggressive HIV testing and treatment strategies are implemented. Read more

HIV-1 Movement across Genital Tract Cells Enhanced by Usurping Antibody Response
(3rd December, 2013)

Infectious disease researchers have identified a novel mechanism wherein HIV-1 may facilitate its own transmission by usurping the antibody response directed against itself. These results have important implications for HIV vaccine development and for understanding the earliest events in HIV transmission. Read more

HIV along with HPV Leads to Increased Anal Cancer Risk in Men (3rd December, 2013)
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer in women, is also known to cause anal cancer in both women and men. Now, a study led by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing has found that older HIV-positive men who have sex with men are at higher risk of becoming infected with the HPVs that most often cause anal cancer. Read more
Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

Researchers Find Migrating Cancer Cells

Shape-Shifting
(4th December, 2013)

Stops

In research published in the December issue of Molecular and Cellular Biology, investigators reveal how interplay of molecules keeps cancer cells moving forward, and how disturbing the balance of these proteins pushes their shape to change, stopping them in their tracks. Investigators say they have already identified a number of agents some already used in the clinic for different disorders that may force shape-shifting in tumor cells. Read more

Newly Identified Brown Fat Stem Cells Hold Possibilities for Treating Diabetes, Obesity
November, 2013) (21st

Obesity and diabetes have become a global epidemic leading to severe cardiovascular disease. Researchers at the University of Utah believe their recent identification of brown fat stem cells in adult humans may lead to new treatments for heart and endocrine disorders, according to a new study published in the peerreviewed journal Stem Cells. Read more

HEALTH AWARENESS

AIDS some important facts

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) targets the immune system and weakens people's surveillance and defense systems against infections and some types of cancer. As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells, infected individuals
Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

gradually become immunodeficient. Immune function is typically measured by CD4 cell count. Immunodeficiency results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections and diseases that people with healthy immune systems can fight off. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop depending on the individual. AIDS is defined by the development of certain cancers, infections, or other severe clinical manifestations. Signs and symptoms The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection. Though people living with HIV tend to be most infectious in the first few months, many are unaware of their status until later stages. The first few weeks after initial infection, individuals may experience no symptoms or an influenza-like illness including fever, headache, rash or sore throat. As the infection progressively weakens the person's immune system, the individual can develop other signs and symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. Without treatment, they could also develop severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, and cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma, among others. Transmission HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety of body fluids from infected individuals, such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. Individuals cannot become infected through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water. Risk factors Behaviours and conditions that put individuals at greater risk of contracting HIV include: having unprotected anal or vaginal sex; having another sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and bacterial vaginosis;
4

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other injecting equipment and drug solutions when injecting drugs; receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions, medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or piercing; and experiencing accidental needle stick injuries, including among health workers. Diagnosis An HIV test reveals infection status by detecting the presence or absence of antibodies to HIV in the blood. Antibodies are produced by an individuals immune system to fight off foreign pathogens. Most people have a "window period" of usually 3 to 6 weeks during which antibodies to HIV are still being produced and are not yet detectable. This early period of infection represents the time of greatest infectivity, but transmission can occur during all stages of the infection. If someone has had a recent possible HIV exposure, retesting should be done after 6 weeks to confirm test results, which enables sufficient time to pass for antibody production in infected individuals. Testing and counselling HIV testing should be voluntary and the right to decline testing should be recognized. Mandatory or coerced testing by a healthcare provider, authority or from a partner or family member is not acceptable as it undermines good public health practice and infringes on human rights. All testing and counselling services must include the five Cs recommended by WHO: informed Consent, Confidentiality, Counselling, Correct test results and linkage to Care, treatment and other services. Prevention Individuals can reduce the risk of HIV infection by limiting exposure to risk factors. Key approaches for HIV prevention, which are often used in combination, include: 1. Male and female condom use
5

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

Correct and consistent use of male and female condoms during vaginal or anal penetration can protect against the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Evidence shows that male latex condoms have an 85% or greater protective effect against the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 2. Testing and counselling for HIV and STIs Testing for HIV and other STIs is strongly advised for all people exposed to any of the risk factors so that they can learn of their own infection status and access necessary prevention and treatment services without delay. WHO also recommends offering testing for partners or couples. 3. Voluntary medical male circumcision Medical male circumcision, when safely provided by well-trained health professionals, reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%. This is a key intervention in generalized epidemic settings with high HIV prevalence and low male circumcision rates. 4. ARV based prevention 4.1 ART as prevention A recent trial has confirmed if an HIV-positive person adheres to an effective antiretroviral therapy regimen, the risk of transmitting the virus to their uninfected sexual partner can be reduced by 96%. For couples in which one partner is HIV-positive and the other HIV-negative, WHO recommends offering ART for the HIVpositive partner regardless of her/his CD4 count. 4.2 Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-negative partner Trials among serodiscordant couples have demonstrated that antiretroviral drugs taken by the HIV-negative partner can be effective in preventing HIV acquisition from the HIV-positive partner. This is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). WHO is recommending that countries implement demonstration projects on PrEP for serodiscordant couples and men and

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

transgender women who have sex with men before any decision is made about possible wider use of PrEP. 4.3 Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PEP) Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is the use of ARV drugs within 72 hours of exposure to HIV in order to prevent infection. PEP is often recommended for health-care workers following needle stick injuries in the workplace. PEP includes counselling, first aid care, HIV testing, and depending on risk level, administering of a 28-day course of antiretroviral drugs with follow-up care. 5. Harm reduction for injecting drug users People who inject drugs can take precautions against becoming infected with HIV by using sterile injecting equipment, including needles and syringes, for each injection. A comprehensive package of interventions for HIV prevention and treatment includes: needle and syringe programmes; opioid substitution therapy for people dependent on opioids and other evidence based drug dependence treatment; HIV testing and counselling; HIV treatment and care; access to condoms; and management of STIs, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis. 6. Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (eMTCT) The transmission of HIV from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding is called vertical or mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). In the absence of any interventions HIV transmission rates are between 15-45%. MTCT can be nearly fully prevented if both the mother and the child are provided with antiretroviral drugs throughout the stages when infection could occur. WHO recommends a range of options for prevention of MTCT (PMTCT), which includes providing ARVs to mothers and infants during pregnancy, labour and the post-natal period, or offering life-long treatment to HIV-positive pregnant women regardless of
Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

their CD4 count. New guidelines for PMTCT will be issued in 2013. In 2012, 62% of the estimated 1.5 million pregnant women living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries received effective antiretroviral drugs to avoid transmission to their children, up from 48% in 2010. Treatment HIV can be suppressed by combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) consisting of three or more antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. ART does not cure HIV infection but controls viral replication within a person's body and allows an individual's immune system to strengthen and regain the capacity to fight off infections. With ART, people living with HIV can live healthy and productive lives. More than 9.7 million people living with HIV in low- and middleincome countries were receiving ART at the end of 2012. Of this, about 640 000 were children. This is over 30-fold increase in the number of people receiving ART in developing countries between 2003 and 2012, and close to a 20% increase in just one year (from 8 million in 2011 to 9.7 million in 2012). WHO response Since the beginning of the epidemic, WHO has been leading the global health sector response to HIV. As a cosponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), WHO leads on the priority areas of HIV treatment and care, and HIV/tuberculosis co-infection, and jointly coordinates with UNICEF the work on the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In 2011, WHO Member States adopted a new Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS for 2011-2015. The strategy outlines four strategic directions to guide actions by WHO and countries for five years: Optimize HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care outcomes. Leverage broader health outcomes through HIV responses. Build strong and sustainable health systems.
Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

Address inequalities and advance human rights. WHO's core activities on HIV also include: synthesizing the evidence on the effectiveness, feasibility and safety of HIV interventions and approaches, and guiding the HIV research agenda; articulating policy options for national HIV programmes; improving the availability and quality of HIV-related medicines and diagnostics tools; setting norms and standards for scaling up HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and support services; providing technical support to countries to build national capacity to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate effective HIV responses; monitoring and reporting on progress in the health-sector response towards achieving universal access to HIV services, including coverage and impact of HIV services; and leading global efforts and facilitating cohesion and collaboration among partners to achieve the HIV-related Millennium Development Goals and the targets set out in the Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS, 2011-2015. (Based on WHO database)

DISEASE OUTBREAK NEWS

Yellow fever in Sudan

(3rd December,2013)

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Sudan has notified WHO of a yellow fever (YF) outbreak affecting twelve localities in West and South Kordofan states. The affected localities are Lagawa, Kailak, Muglad and Abyei localities in West Kordofan and Elreef Alshargi, Abu Gibaiha, Ghadir, Habila, Kadugli, Altadamon, Talodi and Aliri in South Kordofan. Read more

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

The 2nd Pharm. Tech IAPST International Conference on "New insights into
diseases and recent therapeutic approaches" from 17th to 19th January 2014 in Kolkata, India. Read more

DRUGS UPDATES

FDA approves Nexavar to treat type of thyroid cancer (22 November, 2013)
nd

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved uses of Nexavar (sorafenib) to treat late-stage (metastatic) differentiated thyroid cancer. Read more

CAMPUS NEWS B.Pharm 3rd year won the GNIPST Football Champions trophy,
2013. B.Pharm 3rd year won the final match 1-0 against B.Pharm 2nd year. Deep Chakraborty was the only scorer of the final.

Students of GNIPST organized pre puja celebration

programme, Saaranya on 7th October, 2013 in college Auditorium.

10

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

GNIPST organized a garment distribution programme on

28th September, 2013 at Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Adyapith, Kolkata. On this remarkable event about hundred people have received garments. More than hundred students and most of the faculties participated on that day with lot of enthusiasm.

GNIPST celebrated World Heart Day (29th September) and

Pharmacists Day(25th September) on 25th and 26th September, 2013 in GNIPST Auditorium. A seminar on Violence against woman and female foeticide was held on GNIPST Auditorium on 25th September organized by JABALA Action Research Organization. On 26th September an intracollege Oral and Poster presentation competition related to World Pharmacists day and Heart day was held in GNIPST. Ms. Purbali Chakraborty of B.Pharm 4th year won the first prize in Oral Presentation. The winner of Poster presentation was the group of Ms. Utsa Sinha, Mr. Koushik Saha and Mr. Niladri Banerjee (B.Pharm 4th year). A good number of students have participated in both the competition with their valuable views.

STUDENTS SECTION
WHO CAN ANS WER FIRS T???? Who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 2008? Which antiretroviral drug was approved by USFDA in 1st March 1996?

11

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013
Answer of Previous Issues Questions:

A) C.N.R. Rao B)Dan David Prize

Identify the personality

Answer of Previous Issues Image:

Linus Pauling

Solve the Puzzle

How many meaningful English words can be formed with the letter from the group of letters ATN using each letter only once in each word?
Answer of Previous Issues Puzzle:
75

Send

your or

thoughts/ any other

Quiz/Puzzles/games/write-ups this Section atgnipstbulletin@gmail.com

contributions for Students Section& answers of

12

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

EDITORS NOTE I am proud to publish the 4th issue of 30th Volume of GNIPST BULLETIN. GNIPST BULLETIN now connected globally through facebook account GNIPST bulletin I want to convey my thanks to all the GNIPST members and the readers for their valuable comments, encouragement and supports. I am thankful to Dr. Abhijit Sengupta, Director of GNIPST for his valuable advice and encouragement. Special thanks to Dr. Prerona Saha and Mr. Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar for their kind co-operation and technical supports. I am thankful to Mr. Subha Bhattacharjee for his contribution to solve the puzzle section .An important part of the improvement of the bulletin is the contribution of the readers. You are invited to send in your write ups, notes, critiques or any kind of contribution for the forthcoming special and regular issue.

ARCHIVE

Teachers day was celebrated on 5th September, 2013 by the students of GNIPST in GNIPST Auditorium. Azalea (exotic flower ) , the fresher welcome programme for
newcomers of GNIPST in the session 2013-14 was held on 8th August in GNIPST Auditorium. One day seminar cum teachers development programme for school teachers on the theme of Recent Trends of Life Sciences
13

Click here to go at the top

06-12-2013

in Higher Education organized by GNIPST held on 29th June, 2013 at GNIPST auditorium. The programme was inaugurated by Prof . Asit Guha, Director of JIS Group, Mr. U.S. Mukherjee, Dy Director of JIS Group and Dr. Abhijit Sengupta, Director cum Principal of GNIPST with lamp lighting. The programme started with an opening song performed by the B.Pharm students of this institute. The seminar consists of a series of lectures, video presentations and poster session. On the pre lunch session 4 lectures were given by Dr. Lopamudra Dutta, Mr. Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar, Ms. Swati Nandy and Ms. Tamalika Chakraborty respectively. On their presentation the speakers enlighten the recent development of Pharmacy, Genetics and Microbiology and their correlation with Life Sciences. On the post lunch session, Ms. Saini Setua and Ms. Sanchari Bhattacharjee explained the recent development and career opportunities in Biotechnology and Hospital Management. The programme was concluded with valedictory session and certificate distribution. About 50 Higher secondary school teachers from different schools of Kolkata and North& South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal participated in this programme. A good interactive session between participants and speakers was observed in the seminar. The seminar was a great success with the effort of faculties, staffs and students of our Institute. It was a unique discussion platform for school teachers and professional of the emerging and newer branches of Life Science. The following B.Pharm. final year students have qualified, GPAT2013. We congratulate them all.

A s,, as Da aD ua hu oh Mo r,, M ur au Ka ett K ee re pr np an ma Am

Click here to go at the top

14

06-12-2013

S r,, ar da sttiid as Da hD sh os ho Gh aG ptta diip dd Ud hii,, U ch gc ag Ba vB av ra ur ou So S y,, rtty or bo ab ra kr ak ha Ch pttiiC ap ra Pr h,, P ah ha Sh hS rtth ar da dd Siid S s,, as Da ajjiitt D ya my um ou So y,, S ry ur hu dh ud ou ho ch yc oy Ro pR diip ad ra hr bh ub Su M e.. ee rjje ar ha ch ac atttta ha Bh rB ar ha kh uk mu om no un ou Mo T UT BU WB oW d tto ed atte fiilliia ff af da nd an Ea TE CT IC AI yA by db ed ve ov ro pr pp ap wa ow no sn T iis ST PS IP NI GN G f ) m) rm ar ha Ph M..P (M e( se rs ur ou co ec atte ua du ad ra gr stt g os po sp rs ar ea ye oy wo e ttw he g tth ng cttiin uc du nd on co rc or fo iin 8.. 18 s1 att iis ea se fs of ro er be mb um nu dn ed ve ov ro pr pp ap ea he Th S.. T CS IC TI UT EU CE AC MA RM AR HA PH nP

The general body meeting of APTI, Bengal Branch has been conducted at GNIPST on 15th June, 2012. The program started with a nice presentation by Dr. Pulok Kr. Mukherjee, School of Natural Products, JU on the skill to write a good manuscript for publication in impact journals. It was followed by nearly two hour long discussion among more than thirty participants on different aspects of pharmacy education. Five nonmember participants applied for membership on that very day. GNIPST is now approved by AICTE and affiliated to WBUT for conducting the two years post graduate course (M.Pharm) in PHARMACOLOGY. The approved number of seat is 18. The number of seats in B.Pharm. has been increased from 60 to 120. AICTE has sanctioned a release of grant under Research Promotion Scheme (RPS) during the financial year 2012-13to GNIPST as per the details below:
Click here to go at the top

15

06-12-2013

a. Beneficiary Institution: Guru Nanak Institution of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology. b. Principal Investigator: Dr. LopamudraDutta. c. Grant-in-aid sanctioned:Rs. 16,25000/- only d. Approved duration: 3 years e. Title of the project: Screening and identification of potential medicinal plant of Purulia & Bankura districts of West Bengal with respect to diseases such as diabetes, rheumatism, Jaundice, hypertension and developing biotechnological tools for enhancing bioactive molecules in these plants.

16

Click here to go at the top