Umesh Prasad

Scientific European SCIEU

2-Deoxy-D-Glucose(2-DG), a glucose analog that inhibits glycolysis, has recently received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in India for the treatment of moderate to severe COVID-19 patients. The molecule has been extensively researched and used in clinical trials for its ant-cancer properties. In addition to its use as an anti-cancer agent, 2-DG h...

Molnupiravir, the world’s first oral drug (approved by MHRA, UK) against COVID-19 along with upcoming drugs such as Paxlovid and sustained vaccination drive has raised hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic may end soon bringing life back to normalcy. Molnupiravir (Lagevrio) is a broad-spectrum drug effective against a host of coronaviruses including VOC...

One of unusual and most intriguing feature of heavily mutated Omicron variant is that it acquired all the mutations in a single burst in a very short span of time. The degree of change is so much so that some people think it could well be a new strain of human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-3 ?). How such a high level of mutation may have occurred in such a...

Scientists have developed the first patient-derived stem cell model of albinism. The model will help studying eye conditions related to oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

The researchers have studied the turbulence in Sun’s corona using radio signals sent to Earth by the ultra-low-cost Mars orbiter when the Earth and Mars were in conjunction on the opposite sides of the Sun (the conjunction usually happens once in approximately two years). The radio signals from the orbiter had passed through the corona region of Su...

Evidences so far suggest that Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has high transmission rate but fortunately is low on virulence and is not usually leading to severe symptoms of COVID-19 disease or deaths. But existing vaccines seem to be less effective as number of breakthrough infections have been reported. In the event of large number of Omicron cases...

The mineral Davemaoite (CaSiO3-perovskite, the third most abundant mineral in lower mantle layer of Earth’s interior) has been discovered on the surface of the Earth for the first time. It was found trapped inside a diamond. Perovskite is found naturally ONLY in lower mantle layer of the interior of the Earth under extremely high temperature and pr...

Climate change as a result of global warming attributed to excessive greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere is a serious threat to the societies across the world. In response, the stakeholders are working towards reduction of carbon emissions in the atmosphere which is thought to be the key to the prevention of climate change. The recent lockdown m...

Ancient people thought we are made up of four ‘elements’ – water, earth, fire and air; which we know are not elements and there are now some 118 elements. All elements are made up of atoms which were once thought to be indivisible but by early twentieth century following JJ Thompson’s and Rutherford’s discoveries, atoms were known to be constituted...

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will specialise exclusively in infrared astronomy to study early universe. It will search for optical/infrared signals from the early stars and galaxies formed in the Universe soon after the Big Bang for a better understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies and the formation of stars and planetary syste...

Development of multi-drug resistance (MDR) bacteria in the past five decades have led to increasing research in search of a drug candidate to address this AMR issue. A fully synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic, Iboxamycin, provides hope to treat both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria via a bacteriostatic mechanism

Fluvoxamine is an inexpensive anti-depressant commonly used in mental healthcare. Evidence from the recently concluded clinical trial suggest that it can be repurposed to treat patients with COVID-19. It is found to reduce risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms, reduces need of emergency care and hospitalisation and reduce risk COVID-19 death.

The oldest evidence of artificial mummification in the world comes from pre-historic Chinchorro culture of South America (in present Northern Chile) which is older than Egyptian by about two millennia. Chinchorro’s artificial mummification began about 5050 BC (against Egypt’s 3600 BC).

Discovery of the first exoplanet candidate in X-ray binary M51-ULS-1 in the spiral galaxy Messier 51 (M51), also called the Whirlpool Galaxy using transit technique by observing dips in brightness at X-ray wavelengths (instead of optical wavelengths) is pathbreaking and a game changer because it overcomes the limitation of observation of dips in br...

With the advent of COVID-19, there seems to be a negative selection pressure working against those who may be genetically or otherwise (due to their lifestyle, co-morbidities etc.) predisposed to develop severe symptoms, ultimately leading to death. Majority of people are either unaffected or develop mild to moderate symptoms and survive. It is les...

Findings from recently concluded phase 2 clinical trials in Canada and the UK suggest nitric oxide (NO) could be very helpful in preventing and treating COVID-19.

Launched on 30th July 2020, Perseverance rover has successfully landed on the Mars surface at Jezero Crater on 18th February 2021, after travelling almost seven months from Earth. Designed specially to collect sample of rocks, Perseverance is the biggest and the best rover ever sent to Mars. The sample catching system of the rover is one of most co...

Solar wind, the stream of electrically charged particles emanating from the outer atmospheric layer corona of Sun, poses threat to life form and electrical technology based modern human society. Earth’s magnetic field provide protection against the incoming solar wind by deflecting them away. Drastic solar events like mass ejection of electrically...

In countries like UK, USA and Italy which are badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the life expectancy has reduced by at least 1.2-1.3 years.

Advanced age and comorbidities are known to be high risk factors for COVID-19. Does genetic make-up predispose some people making them more susceptible to severe symptoms? Conversely, does genetic make-up enable some people to have innate immunity making them immune against COVID-19 implying such people may not require vaccines. Identifying people...

The plant derived agent, Thapsigargin (TG) has been used in traditional medicine for long time. TG has shown promises as a potential anti-cancer drug because of its biological property to inhibit the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump which is necessary for cell to be viable. Its prodrug has completed phase 1 of clinical tr...

Povidone Iodine (PVP-I) can be used in the form of mouthwash and nasal spray (especially in Dental and ENT settings) to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, to reduce cross-infection and to manage patients at the early stage of disease.

Situated about 600 miles west of coast of Ecuador in Pacific Ocean, Galápagos volcanic islands are known for its rich ecosystems and endemic animal species. This inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution of species. It is known that rising up of the nutrient-rich deep waters to the surface supports the growth of phytoplankton which helps Galápagos‘s ri...

A plasmid DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 has been found to induce immunity in animal trials. Few other DNA based vaccine candidates are at early stages of clinical trials. Interestingly, plasmid DNA vaccines can be developed in a short period of time. Compared to attenuated and inactivated vaccines, it has several advantages. But, unlike mRNA vacci...

Gravitational wave was directly detected for the first time in 2015 after a century of its prediction by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity in 1916. But, the continuous, low frequency Gravitational-wave Background (GWB) that is thought to be present throughout the universe has not been detected directly so far. The researchers at North America...

The findings of the BioRock experiment indicate that bacterial supported mining can be carried out in the space. Following the success of BioRock study, the BioAsteroid experiment is currently underway now. In this study, bacteria and fungi are being grown on asteroidal material in an incubator under microgravity condition of the space station in o...

Human Proteome Project (HPP) was launched in 2010 after successful completion of Human Genome Project (HGP) to identify, characterise and map human proteome (the entire set of proteins expressed by the human genome). On its tenth anniversary, HPP has released the first high-stringency blueprint that covers 90.4% of the human proteome. As the code o...

Viral proteins are administered as antigen in the form of a vaccine and the immune system of the body forms antibodies against the given antigen thus providing protection against any future infection. Interestingly, this is first time in human history that the corresponding mRNA itself is being given in the form of a vaccine that uses the cell mach...

What causes severe COVID-19 symptoms? Evidences suggest inborn errors of type I Interferon immunity and autoantibodies against type I Interferon are causal for critical COVID-19. These errors can be identified using whole genome sequencing, thereby leading to proper quarantine and treatment.

Several new strains of the virus have emerged since the pandemic began. New variants were reported as early as February 2020. The current variant that has brought the UK to standstill this Christmas is said to be 70% more infectious. In view of emerging strains, will several vaccines being developed worldwide still be effective enough against the n...