The results show an increasing trend in inequality. Despite a high growth performance aided by remittances, Kerala has not been able to address its longstanding problem of educated unemployment, especially for its women. In this context, the state's inability to take advantage of the enhanced per capita income to maintain its tax-income ratio, let alone enhance it, assumes great significance as an area of concern.The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying policies of confinement or lockdown have been amply demonstrated and are possibly reinforcing economic, social and gender inequalities. Because of the nature of the measures that governments took in response to the health crisis, migrants-including the millions of labour migrants in Indian cities-have been placed in a particularly vulnerable situation. This essay provides a comparative and historical perspective of the conditions of migrant workers, arguing that the disadvantages migrants face are entrenched in economic and social structures, unearthed in this pandemic, and that alongside immediate social protection measures, policies need to address the deep-rooted barriers that keep migrants vulnerable.Merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) of malaria parasites has been extensively studied as a malaria vaccine candidate and the antibody response to this protein is an important indicator of protective immunity to malaria. Mangaluru city and its surrounding areas in southwestern India are endemic to malaria with Plasmodium vivax being the most widespread and prevalent species although P. falciparum also frequently infects. However, no information is available on the level of protective immunity in this population. In this regard, a prospective hospital-based study was performed in malarial patients to assess antibody responses against the 19-kDa C-terminal portion of P. vivax and P. falciparum MSP-1 (MSP-119). Serum samples from 51 healthy endemic controls and 267 infected individuals were collected and anti-MSP-119 antibody levels were analyzed by ELISA. The possible association between the antibody responses and morbidity parameters such as malarial anemia and thrombocytopenia was investigated. Among the 267 infected cases, 144 had P. vivax and 123 had P. falciparum infections. Significant levels of anti-MSP-119 antibody were observed both in P. vivax (123/144; 85.4%) and P. falciparum (108/123; 87.9%) infected individuals. In both type of infections, the major antibody isotypes were IgG1 and IgG3. The IgG levels were found to be increased in patients with severe anemia and thrombocytopenia. The antibody levels were also higher in infected individuals who had several previous infections, although antibodies produced during previous infections were short lived. The predominance of cytophilic anti-MSP-119 IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies suggests the possibility of a dual role of Pv MSP-119 and Pf MSP-119 during malarial immunity and pathogenesis.To study the clinical course of patients with sickle cell anemia and coinherited hematological disorders. Retrospective analysis of clinical data of patients enrolled at our hospital over last 7 years was performed. Eighty four patients of symptomatic sickling disorders were registered during this period, comprising of HbSS (n = 49), HbS-β thalassemia (n = 28), HbS-HbD disease (n = 5), HbS-β thalassemia with G6PD deficiency (n = 1) and HbS-hemophilia A (n = 1). Among HbS-β thalassemia, 18% suffered from occasional pain crises and 27% required occasional blood transfusion. 40% patients with HbS-HbD disease required occasional blood transfusions, one patient was transfusion dependent, while none suffered from crisis episodes. Patient with HbS-β thalassemia with G6PD deficiency had increased transfusion requirement during first 3 years of life, which decreased after that. Patient with HbS and severe hemophilia A had only one episode of severe bleeding, suffered from 1 crisis episode. In conclusion, HbA reduces severity of HbS in HbS-β + thalassemia. HbS-HbD disease can manifest as a transfusion dependent illness. HbSS reduces severity of G6PD deficiency after first few years of life. HbSS and hemophilia coinheritance ameliorates symptoms of hemophilia.Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), an important proto-oncogene, regulates cell differentiation, proliferation, cell migration and survival in most of the cancer types. EGFR expression has been reported in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), however, many other reports nullified EGFR expression in AML. These contradictory data prompted us to reevaluate the expression of EGFR in AML and carry out a comparative survival analysis between EGFR expressing and non-expressing AML patients (Children and Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia patients excluded). Bone marrow and/or peripheral blood samples were collected from 60 adult patients with AML with written informed consent. PCR, Real-Time Taqman gene expression assays were used for the detection of genetic alterations. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software (IBM SPSS 20). In our study, EGFR expression was detected in 21 out of 60, in 35% (95% C.I. 23.45-48.48) AML patients. Overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with EGFR (p =  less then  0.01), with an average survival of 18.57 months (95% C.I. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/gsk2578215a.html 12.42-24.73 months) compared with 31.27 months (95% C.I. 28.19-34.33 months) in patients without EGFR. EGFR expression was significantly higher in female patients compared to male (p = 0.037).This study confirms the presence of EGFR in AML and indicates that EGFR expression confers poor prognosis in AML. However, the underlying cause of this adverse prognostic effect has not been identified. Further clinical studies are warranted to determine the exact mechanism through which EGFR activity might contribute to AML progression and identify the potential therapeutic target for the reversal of resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics.Alexandria University blood bank adopted double screening tests a fully automated chemiluminescence immunoassay followed by nucleic acid testing. The aim of the study was to assess the efficiency of dual check of HCV in preventing transfusion related infection among patients admitted to PICU. A prospective cohort study was carried on patients admitted to PICU during 6 months. The included patients performed HCV RNA detection on admission by conventional reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. Only negative cases were recruited, then patients receiving blood or its product were checked after 4 weeks from discharge by RT-PCR for HCV RNA. A total of 33 patients received 108 transfusions 9 patients of them deceased during PICU stay and the remaining 24 patients were all found to be negative for HCV. The dual screening of HCV should be implemented in all blood banks of Egypt especially for critically ill pediatric patients.Estimation of residual leukocytes in blood components after leukodepletion is crucial for assessment of quality. Flow cytometry (FC) and Nageotte hemocytometer are the most widely accepted methods for counting residual white blood cells (rWBCs) in leucocyte-depleted (LD) blood components. The objective of this study was to compare use of Nageotte counting chamber and FC for quality control of leukodepleted red cell units. A prospective, observational study was conducted in the department of Transfusion Medicine. A total of 80 whole blood donations from healthy donors were subjected to testing by FC and Nageotte hemocytometer for estimation of rWBC in duplicate. Additionally, ten personnel attempted a survey for ease of use of FC. Number of rWBC detected by flow cytometer were between 1 WBC/μL and 28 WBCs/μL whereas that detected by Nageotte's chamber were between 0 WBC/μL (lowest) and 5 WBCs/μL. Coefficient of variation was found to be 87.36% by Nageotte hemocytometer method and 43.26% by FC. Linear regression analysis did not show any correlation (R-squared = 0.01, p = 0.13) between the two methods which signifies that the two methods cannot be used interchangeably. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed a weak relation between results obtained by the two methods. Inter-observer variation was found to be significant with use of Nageotte hemocytometry. Survey for ease of use of FC indicated acceptability of FC with favorable scores. Flow cytometric technique provides a reproducible and objective tool for counting rWBC in leukodepleted blood components compared with the Nageotte hemocytometer.Even though blood transfusion is a life saving measure, it is nonetheless associated with a number of risks and hazards. The adverse reactions that can be potentially expected range anywhere in severity from mild to life threatening. The hemovigilance program deals with the systematic surveillance of these reactions as and when they occur in a hospital setting with an explicit aim of improving the quality and safety standards of the entire transfusion process. The current study was undertaken in the blood bank of a tertiary care centre in Bangalore to ascertain frequency of the blood transfusion related adverse reactions and to make a systematic profile assessment. Data was collected over a period of 4 years and 3 months. All adverse reactions caused by transfusion of blood and its products during the study period were included in the study. A total of 6910 units of blood and its components were issued to patients during the study period. Transfusion reactions accounted for 0.5% of transfusions. Febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions were the most common reactions (51.4%) followed by allergic reactions (40%), fluid overload (5.7%) and anaphylactic reactions (2.9%). Majority of these reactions were seen with PRBC transfusions (74.3%) followed by platelet transfusions (25.7%). The use of leukoreduced PRBCs will help in reducing the frequency of these reactions. The hemovigilance program of our institution helps in assessing the diversity of adverse reactions associated with transfusion of blood and its various components. It is also an efficient scheme for minimizing their occurrence by ensuring safety standards.Hemoglobin High-performance liquid chromatography (Hb HPLC) is a standard first-line technique for diagnosis of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies. We compared two HPLC systems for detection and quantification of normal and abnormal Hb fractions. EDTA samples from 100 normal healthy subjects and 107 subjects affected with hemoglobinopathies or carriers were analysed using HPLC systems Tosoh HLC-723G11 and Bio-Rad Variant-II. Retention time (RT) and area of peaks for HbA2, HbF and other structural variants were compared. In discrepant cases samples were run on Sebia Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for confirmation of results (39 out of 107 cases with HbE, HbD Iran, Hb Lepore and HbQ). Measurement of HbA2 and HbF in normal samples and HbF in those with variant Hbs showed good correlation by both analyzers (R2 = 0.83, 0.9 and 0.99 respectively). HbE co-elutes with HbA2 in Bio-Rad. Correlation done using the apparent HbA2 concentration from Bio-Rad with (HbE + HbA2) from Tosoh G11 showed good correlation (R2cond method like CZE may be required.