Multitarget action of Benzothiazole-piperazine small hybrid molecule against Alzheimer's disease: In silico, In vitro, and In vivo investigation.

A novel small molecule based on benzothiazole-piperazine has been identified as an effective multi-target-directed ligand (MTDL) against Alzheimer's disease (AD). Employing a medicinal chemistry approach, combined with molecular docking, MD simulation, and binding free energy estimation, compound 1 emerged as a potent MTDL against AD. Notably, compound 1 demonstrated efficient binding to both AChE and Aß1-42, involving crucial molecular interactions within their active sites. It displayed a binding free energy (ΔGbind) -18.64± 0.16 and -16.10 ± 0.18 kcal/mol against AChE and Aß1-42, respectively. In-silico findings were substantiated through rigorous in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro analysis confirmed compound 1 (IC50=0.42 µM) as an effective, mixed-type, and selective AChE inhibitor, binding at both the enzyme's catalytic and peripheral anionic sites. Furthermore, compound 1 demonstrated a remarkable ability to reduce the aggregation propensity of Aß, as evidenced by Confocal laser scanning microscopy and TEM studies. Remarkably, in vivo studies exhibited the promising therapeutic potential of compound 1. In a scopolamine-induced memory deficit mouse model of AD, compound 1 showed significantly improved spatial memory and cognition. These findings collectively underscore the potential of compound 1 as a promising therapeutic candidate for the treatment of AD.

Predictors of CPAP failure with RAM cannula interface for primary respiratory support in preterm neonates.

Background: RAM cannula is used as interface for delivering nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) in many neonatal care units though the bench to bedside evidence for its use in clinical settings in lacking. Methods: In this prospective cohort study from tertiary care neonatal care unit, the primary objective was to determine the rate of CPAP failure using RAM interface, within 72 h of starting of therapy and secondary objective was to look for the incidence and severity of nasal trauma with the use of RAM interface for CPAP delivery. All inborn preterm neonates between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation and weight more than 1000 g who required non-invasive respiratory support within 6 h of life were included in the study. Results: The enroled cohort of 250 neonates had mean gestational age of 30.73 ± 1.32 weeks and mean birth weight of 1410 ± 210 g. CPAP failure rate with the use of RAM interface was 31.2% (78/250) in the overall cohort. The failure rate was higher in subgroup of gestation between 28 and 30 week (52.1%) in comparison with the 31-32-week gestation (18.2%; p-value = 0.0001). Nasal trauma was present in 36 (14%) neonates; of whom 33 (91%) had mild and 2 (6%) and 1 (3%) had moderate and severe, respectively. On multivariate analysis, birth weight less than 1250 g, incomplete antenatal steroids, need for PEEP more than 5 cm & FiO2 > 30% at onset of distress and administration of surfactant were found be statistically significantly associated with CPAP failure with RAM interface. Conclusion: The clinical outcomes with the use of RAM interface for CPAP administration are comparable to those with other interfaces with lesser incidence of nasal injury. The results of this study warrant future randomized trials to compare different CPAP interfaces for clinical outcomes and nasal injuries from the developing countries.

An Analysis of the Barriers in Implementation of Labour Care Guide in India and Possible Measures to Combat Them.

Majority of the maternal deaths, still births, and neonatal deaths occurring in low- to middle-income countries are preventable through timely interventions. In this context, World Health Organization (WHO) recently came up with the Labour Care Guide (LCG). It is the revised version of the WHO partograph and focuses on timely clinical interventions and the importance of respectful maternity care. Various sections of LCG facilitate early identification of potential complications and timely referral when required. However, it was realized that there were some concerns while using the LCG at various sites particularly in developing countries like India. The present manuscript analyses the barriers in implementation of LCG and also suggests feasible measures that could be taken to overcome them.

Monitoring of surrogate zoonotic parasites of Anisakidae and Echinobothrium deeghai as bioindicators by application of energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXMA).

The unique characteristic of quickly altered but stable response by helminth parasites against metals and elements in a variety of aquatic ecosystems because of pollution conditions merit these as significant markers of fish health as well as of marine and freshwater ecosystems. Biomagnification of toxicants released in aquatic reservoirs by human mediated processes incorporating mining in coastal zones, industrial and agricultural inputs contributed to damaging consequences of human health due particularly to human consumption of edible fish and other biota that are exposed to contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. The metals and elements analysed could be arranged in decreasing order of concentration were found to be, P > Ca > Cd > Mn > Hg > Pb > As > Zn > S > Fe > Al > Cr > Mg > Cl. The association between Echinobothrium deeghai and Rotundocollarette capoori demonstrated surrogate relationship to drain in highly toxic heavy metals like Hg, Cr, As, Cd, from the ambience in the micro-environment of cestodes and nematodes and thus acted as benefactors for the life of the brackish water oceanodromous fish.

Enhanced Xylanolytic enzyme production from Parthenium hysterophorus through assessment of the RSM tool and their application in saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass.

Parthenium hysterophorous, a widespread weed in India, contributes a substantial amount of lignocellulosic biomass. The key objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of producing xylanase enzyme from P. hysterophorus weed biomass using the fungus Aspergillus niger. The impact of various physiological factors was confirmed through a two-step approach: first, a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) investigation, and subsequently, employing the RSM-based CCD method in statistical design. This research revealed that the RSM-based model led to the optimization of enzyme activity, resulting in a value of 2098.08 IU/gds for xylanase. This was achieved with an incubation time of 4.5 days, a medium pH of 6, and a cultivation temperature of 32.5 °C. Additionally, a pretreatment involving 1% NaOH and a 30-min autoclave treatment was found to alter the chemical composition of lignocellulose substrates (cellulose 43.87% and xylan 28.7%), thereby enhancing the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. Moreover, fermentable sugars were produced by autoclave-assisted alkali pretreatment (NaOH-1.0% w/v) at rates of 219.6 ± 2.05 mg/gds-1 by utilizing the crude xylanase from A. niger and 291.3 ± 1.2 mg/gds-1 from commercial xylanase enzyme. Our study revealed that P. hysterophorus served as a viable and affordable substrate for fermentable sugar liberation, and xylanase is a rate-limiting enzyme in enzymatic saccharification.

Enhancement of bacterial cellulose production by ethanol and lactic acid by using Gluconacetobacter kombuchae.

The current study intended to analyze the impact of ethanol and lactic acid on the bacterial cellulose yield as well as physicochemical and mechanical properties, by using Gluconacetobacter kombuchae. The optimization of ethanol and lactic acid concentration has been done by using one-way ANOVA. Both the supplements significantly enhance the yield of bacterial cellulose (BC) as compared to the standard Hestrin-Schramm medium (control). Optimization leads to significant increase in BC yield as compared to the control, i.e., the addition, of optimized concentration of lactic acid (0.6%) increases the yield from (0.78 ± 0.026) g to (4.89 ± 0.020) g dry weight, and optimized concentration of ethanol (1%) increases the yield from (0.73 ± 0.057) g to (3.7 ± 0.01) g dry weight. Various physicochemical and mechanical properties of BC films produced in different media (i.e., HS, HS + Ethanol, and HS + Lactic acid), such as the crystallinity, structure, tensile strength, strain at break, Young's modulus, and water holding capacity, were also examined, by employing various techniques such as SEM, FTIR, XRD, etc. BC produced in medium supplemented with the optimum concentration of both the additives were found to possesses higher porosity. Though, slight decline in crystallinity was observed. But the tensile strength and strain at break, were upgraded 1.5-2.5 times, 2-2.5 times, respectively. This article attempted to present a method for enhancing BC yields and characteristics that may lead to more widespread and cost-effective use of this biopolymer.

Ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block versus ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block with wound infiltration for postoperative analgesia in unilateral inguinal surgeries: A randomised controlled trial.

Background and Aims: Ultrasound (US)-guided quadratus lumborum (QL) block is an abdominal field block that has high efficacy in providing postoperative analgesia for abdominal surgeries. This study was undertaken to compare the US-guided QL block with ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric (IIIH) nerve block and local wound infiltration in unilateral inguinal surgeries, in terms of analgesia and overall patient satisfaction. Methods: This randomised controlled trial was conducted in two groups of thirty each. After the completion of surgery under spinal anaesthesia, patients in Group QL received 20 ml of inj. ropivacaine 0.5% while patients in Group IL received 10 ml of inj. ropivacaine 0.5% at the ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve site and 10 ml of inj. ropivacaine 0.5% that was locally infiltrated at the surgical site. Duration of analgesia, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, total requirement of analgesic dosage in the first 24 hours, and patient satisfaction score were compared in both the groups. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired student's t test and Chi-squared test with IBM SPSS Statistics version 21 software. Results: Duration of analgesia was significantly higher in Group QL (544.83 ± 60.22 min) when compared with Group IL (350.67 ± 67.97 min; P < 0.0001). VAS scores and analgesic requirements were also lower in Group QL. The patient satisfaction score was significantly higher in Group QL (3.93 ± 0.91) when compared to Group IL (3.4 ± 1.0; P < 0.05). Conclusion: US-guided QL block significantly prolongs the duration and quality of postoperative analgesia, thereby reducing analgesic consumption and increasing overall patient satisfaction.

Association of glutathione-S-transferase polymorphism with genetic damage in paint workers.

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to toluene causes serious health problems ranging from drowsiness to lethal diseases such as cancer. Paint workers are exposed to toluene through inhalation or the dermal route, which can induce genetcic damage. The increased DNA damage could be linked to genetic polymorphism. Therefore, we evaluated the association of glutathione-S-transferase polymorphism with DNA damage in paint workers. METHODS: First, we included skilled paint workers (n = 30) as exposed and healthy individuals (n = 30) as control belonging to the same socio-economic strata. The genotoxicity biomarkers, Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN), and single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE)/Comet assay were used to assess genotoxicity while Multiplex-PCR and PCR-RFLP were used to assess polymorphism in glutathione-s-transferase (GST) genes. Using linear curve regression analysis, we assessed the association between genetic damage and polymorphism in the glutathione-s-transferase (GST) gene in the exposed and control subjects. RESULTS: A significantly higher frequency of CBMN (4.43 ± 1.50) and tail moment (TM) (11.23 ± 1.0) respectively in paint workers as compared to the control(1.50 ± 0.86 and (0.54 ± 0.37) underlined significantly high genetic damage in paint workers.Regression curve analysis reveals that polymorphism in the GST gene is significantly associated with higher MN and TM in paint workers. CONCLUSION: Overall, our study provides a strong rationale for identifying a clear association between glutathione-S-transferase polymorphism and genetic damage in paint workers.

Bacterial cellulose: Nature's greener tool for industries.

Bacteria are considered mini chemical factories that help us in providing a wide range of products for various purposes. These days, bacterial cellulose (BC) is getting attention by researchers due to its quality, eco-friendly nature, and excellent physical-mechanical qualities. It is being used in the fabrication of nanocomposites. Its nanocomposites can be used in various industries, including medicine, food, leather, textiles, environment, electronics, and cosmetics. This area of research is emerging and still in its infancy stage, as new applications are still coming up. Most of the work on BC has been done during the last two decades and serious inputs are required in this direction in order to make the production process commercially viable and ultimately the application part. Biowastes, such as fruits and vegetables wastes, can be used as a cost-effective medium to minimize the cost for large-scale production of BC-based nanocomposites thus will valorize the biowaste material into a valuable product. Using biowaste as media will also aid in better waste management along with reduction in detrimental environmental effects. This review will help the readers to understand the potential applications of BC and its nanocomposites as well as their vital role in our daily lives.

Comparative study of ethanol production from sodium hydroxide pretreated rice straw residue using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis.

Rice straw is a suitable alternative to a cheaper carbohydrate source for the production of ethanol. For pretreatment efficiency, different sodium hydroxide concentrations (0.5-2.5% w/v) were tested. When compared to other concentrations, rice straw processed with 2% NaOH (w/v) yielded more sugar (8.17 ± 0.01 mg/ml). An alkali treatment induces effective delignification and swelling of biomass. The pretreatment of rice straw with 2% sodium hydroxide (w/v) is able to achieve 55.34% delignification with 53.30% cellulose enrichment. The current study shows the effectiveness of crude cellulolytic preparation from Aspergillus niger resulting in 80.51 ± 0.4% cellulose hydrolysis. Rice straw hydrolysate was fermented using ethanologenic Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) and Zymomonas mobilis (bacteria). Overall, superior efficiency of sugar conversion to ethanol 70.34 ± 0.3% was obtained with the yeast compared to bacterial strain 39.18 ± 0.5%. The current study showed that pretreatment with sodium hydroxide is an effective method for producing ethanol from rice straw and yeast strain S. cerevisiae having greater fermentative potential for bioethanol production than bacterial strain Z. mobilis.

Development of poly(hydroxybutyrate) film incorporated with nano silica and clove essential oil intended for active packaging of brown bread.

The objective of current study was to develop Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) based active packaging film with long lasting antimicrobial potential in food-packaging applications. For developing such films, PHB was incorporated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a plasticizer, nano-silica (n-Si) as strengthening material and clove essential oil (CEO) as an antimicrobial agent. These solvent-casted films with varying concentration of n-Si (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 %) and 30 % CEO of total polymer matrix weight i.e., PHB/PEG (90/10) were prepared and studied on the basis of morphological, mechanical, thermal, degradation and antimicrobial behaviours. The presence of CEO and n-Si was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate homogeneous dispersal of n-Si in polymer matrix. PHB/PEG/CEO/Si 1.0 film was selected as optimized one after mechanical testing and therefore further carried for antimicrobial testing. This selected film extended the shelf-life of brown bread up to 10 days comparable to bread wrapped in polyethylene. This revealed that PHB/PEG/CEO/Si 1.0 exhibited superior antibacterial activity against the food borne microbes i.e., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus niger. Our findings indicate that this film improved the shelf-life of packaged bread and has promising features for active food packaging.

Association study of PCSK9 SNPs (rs505151 & rs562556) and their haplotypes with CVDs in Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the most prevalent cause of death in India. Pro-protein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) gene has been found to be associated with lipid levels and a biomarker for susceptibility of CVD. AIM: To study the association of PCSK9 SNPs rs505151 & rs562556 and their haplotypes with CVDs in the Indian population. SUBJECTS & METHODS: The present study comprised of 102 angiographically proven CVD patients & 100 healthy subjects. To study polymorphism, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used. Biochemical parameters were analysed by enzymatic methods or automated analysers. Haplotype analysis was done using SHEsis software. RESULTS: The dominant genetic model with an odds ratio (confidence interval) of 4.71 (2.59 - 8.5), (p value = .0001), shows the risk of CVDs. However, rs562556 (I474V) variant was not found to be associated with clinical parameters and risk of CVDs (p value >.05). Out of four haplotypes, H3 (G-A) was found to be associated with the CVDs (OR- 3.137, p value = .0001). CONCLUSION: This study concludes that G allele of rs505151 SNP (PCSK9) and the H3 (G-A) haplotype of rs505151 & rs562556 were found to be risk factors for CVDs in the Indian population.

Bacterial cellulose: Nano-biomaterial for biodegradable face masks - A greener approach towards environment.

The use of face masks aids to stop the transmission of various deadly communicable ailments, and therefore widespread mask wearing habit is advocated by nearly all health organisations including the WHO to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies predicted a shocking requirement of masks globally, approximately billions of masks per week in a single country, and maximum of them are disposable masks, which are made up of nonbiodegradable material such as polypropylene. With expanding review on improper masks disposal, it is imperative to perceive this inherent environmental hazard and avert it from resulting in the subsequent problematic situation due to plastic. The shift towards biodegradable biopolymers alternatives such as bacterial cellulose and newly evolving sustainable scientific knowledge would be significant to dealt with upcoming environmental problem. Bacterial cellulose possesses various desirable properties to replace the conventional mask material. This review gives an overview of data about accumulation of waste masks and its potential harm on environment. It also focuses on diverse characteristics of bacterial cellulose which make it suitable material for making mask and the challenges in the way of bacterial cellulose production and their possible solution. The current review also discussed the report on global bacterial cellulose market growth.

Faunal change over 3 decades to reveal Rotundocollarette capoori n.gen., n.sp., a unique anisakid from Johnius dussumieri from the Central west coast of India at Goa.

A unique anisakid roundworm, Rotundocollarette capoori n. gen., n.sp. infesting Johnius dussumieri from the Central West coast of India at Goa has been described. The worms are typically characterized by a cephalic collarette, a muscular collarette in post-caudal zone, intestinal caecum and a ventricular appendix. 3 pores, a part of cephalic infrastructure-a dorsal oral aperture, a dorso-laterally placed genital pore, and a sub-ventral excretory pore, at the junction of the bases of the 2 ventro-lateral lips, were typically unique as revealed by SEM studies. A pair of large squarish teeth flanked each of these three pores in the cephalic region, with 3-5 denticles in the median group, at the junction of the two arms of V-shaped structure, that joined 26-29 denticles on each arm of this V-shaped formation, running parallel and crossed past dentigerous ridges on each lip. In addition, a set of 49-50 medially organized denticles occupying the dorsal arm of V-shaped formation, in the medial space, were a conspicuous configuration, besides 70 min triangular denticles at the junction of sub-ventral lips. A spined mucron at the tip of tail. The key provided by Moravec and Justine (Parasite 27:58, 2020. 10.1051/parasite/2020053) to segregate Porrocaecum-like nematode genera (Porrocaecum, Pseudoterranova, Pulchrascaris, Euterranova, and Neoterranova) has been revised to include the newly proposed genus, Rotundocollarette capoori n.gen., n.sp. The significance of the emerging nematode as an environmental bioindicator has been specified.

Genetic variation in DPP-IV gene linked to predisposition of T2DM: A case control study.

Purpose: DPP-IV is a ubiquitously expressed cell surface protein that can be presented in soluble forms. It has recently gained medical importance as its inhibitors are widely being used as treatment of T2DM. The present research aims to resolve whether genetic variants of DPP-IV have association with susceptibility to T2DM. Method: Two variants of DPP-IV were detected in 100 controls and 100 T2DM by PCR-RFLP technique. Demographic characteristics were recorded. Clinical characteristics were analyzed by enzymatic method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS-21. Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics differ significantly between two groups. The genetic variation in SNP rs3788979 and SNP rs7608798, both in case and control, were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (p value > 0.05). Both SNPs rs3788979 and rs7608798 were significantly related to T2DM (p- < 0.05). Minor G allele of rs3788979 was linked with the susceptibility of T2DM (p-value-0.000; OR- 4.235). T allele of SNP rs7608798 conferred the risk of diabetes with OR-2.235. Conclusion: This is the first attempt to investigate the association of DPP-IV gene with T2DM in Indian population. The finding of study concludes that genetic variation in DPP-IV gene may considerably increase the risk of developing T2DM.

Genetic polymorphism impact superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity in charcoal workers.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete combustion of wood releases toxic chemicals. Exposure to these chemicals during charcoal production can modulate redox status of cellular system which may further lead to genomic instability and of antioxidant enzymes. Genetic polymorphism may alter the functioning properties of these enzymes and modulate the response to oxidative stress. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the link between genetic polymorphism and enzyme activity for antioxidant enzymes: MnSOD and GPx-1 in charcoal workers and control population. This study included 77 charcoal workers and 79 demographically matched healthy control subjects. This association was studied using multiple linear regression, adjusted for confounding factors viz. age, consumption habits and exposure duration. RESULTS: SOD activity was lower for TT genotype (3.47 ± 0.66; 5.92 ± 1.08) versus CC genotype (3.47 ± 0.66; 6.67 ± 1.60) in control and charcoal workers respectively. Significant lower GPx-1 activity was found in leu/leu genotype (7.25 ± 0.38; 3.59 ± 0.57) when compared to pro/pro genotype (7.78 ± 0.59; 4.28 ± 0.71) and pro/leu genotype (8.48 ± 0.34; 4.30 ± 0.76) in control population and charcoal workers respectively. A significant difference in the levels of 1-Hydroxypyrene (biomarker of exposure) and SOD and GPx-1 activity (biomarkers of oxidative stress) was evident in exposed group in comparison to the control one. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings suggested that PAH influenced the mode of action of SOD and GPx-1 which were impacted by polymorphism in SOD and GPx-1 gene. Hence, polymorphism of MnSOD and GPx-1 genes were found to play a modulatory role in human susceptibility to oxidative damage induced by wood smoke in charcoal workers.

RAM cannula versus short binasal prongs for nasal continuous positive airway pressure delivery in preterm infants: a randomized, noninferiority trial from low-middle-income country.

To determine if RAM cannula is non-inferior to short binasal prongs (SBP) in providing nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In this randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial from a low-middle-income country, we enrolled 254 preterm infants (28-34 weeks gestational age) with RDS who needed CPAP as primary respiratory support. The eligible infants were randomized to either RAM cannula or SBP interface groups. The primary outcome was CPAP failure (defined as the need for intubation or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation) within 72 h of randomization. The noninferiority margin was defined as a 10% or less absolute difference in CPAP failure rates. The secondary outcomes included nasal trauma and adverse events. We analyzed by per-protocol (primary) and intention to treat. CPAP failure has been seen in 25 infants (19.7%) in the RAM cannula group versus 22 (17.3%) in the SBP group (RD -2.36%; 95% CI -11.9 to 7.2 [beyond inferiority margin]; p = 0.6). Moderate and severe nasal trauma was less in RAM cannula (2.4 vs. 8.7%; RR 0.27; 95% CI 0.08-0.95; p 0.028). Duration of CPAP was also significantly shorter in the RAM cannula group (MD -12.4 h; 95% CI -20.34 to -4.46, p 0.017). There were no differences in other adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: RAM cannula was not non-inferior to SBP in providing CPAP to preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2020/03/024097). WHAT IS KNOWN: • RAM cannula is used for providing supplemental oxygen therapy. There is conflicting evidence on its efficacy in delivering CPAP support in preterm infants. WHAT IS NEW: • RAM cannula was not non-inferior to SBP in providing CPAP to preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. • RAM cannula causes less nasal trauma than short binasal prongs.

Energy dispersive X-Ray microanalysis in conjunction with scanning electron micrography to establish nematodes as bioindicators in marine fish environment.

Energy Dispersive X-Ray Microanalysis has been used as the non-invasive technique on Indian helminthes to explore the role of nematode parasites as bioindicators in the marine ecosystem of Central West coast of India for the first time. The accumulation of sulphur and iron were analysed from a raphidascaridoid roundworm, Rostellascaris spinicaudatum (Malhotra and Anas) parasitizing marine catfish, Arius maculatus from the Central West coast of India at Goa. Quantitatively, the cuticle on oral armature comprised as much as ten times more sulphur than iron content in the roundworm under study. However, only carbon and oxygen were detected over caudal papillae, where no metals or other elements were recorded. The utility of a raphidascaridoid nematode to act as a bioindicator, that had the potential of a bioaccumulator effector, is highlighted.

Locked Down: Experiences of Domestic Violence in Central India.

INTRODUCTION: The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) data show that 31.1% of women faced domestic violence in 2015-2016, with no reduction since 2005-2006. Emerging data show that since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), reports of intimate partner violence have increased worldwide because of mandatory lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. The nature of the current pandemic, which has forced women to spend time with their abusers and restricted their mobility, has made them more vulnerable to abuse. We aimed to determine the proportion of domestic violence among Indian women during the lockdown period. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted in June-August 2020 on married, Indian women of reproductive age who attended the obstetrics-gynecology outpatient department during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Abuse Assessment Screening questionnaire validated during NFHS-4 (2015-2016) was used as a data collection tool. Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of women presenting to the hospital who were exposed to domestic violence during the lockdown period. Analysis was done using SPSS Statistics V22.0. RESULTS: A total of 412 women were recruited for the study. The mean age was 23 years (range 19-52 years). The prevalence of domestic violence in any form was found to be 32.5%, with the majority being verbal abuse in the form of insults, threats of physical violence, or public humiliation. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated a high proportion of women with a history of domestic violence during the pandemic. Thus, health care policy makers and experts involved in women's care-particularly during crisis conditions such as the COVID-19 pandemic-should be aware of the extent of this problem and take measures to properly address it.

Effect of Nanoscale Confinement on Ultrafast Dynamics of Singlet Fission in TIPS-Pentacene.

Singlet fission (SF) is a phenomenon for the generation of a pair of triplet excitons from anexcited molecule in singlet electronic state interacting with another adjacent molecule in its ground electronic state. By increasing the effective number of charge carriers and reducing thermal dissipation of excess energy, SF is promised to enhance light-harvesting efficiency for photovoltaic applications. While SF has been extensively studied in thin films and crystals, the same has not been explored much within a confined medium. Here, we report the ultrafast SF dynamics of triisopropylsilylethynyl pentacene (TIPS-Pn) in micellar nanocavity of varying sizes (prepared from TX-100, CTAB, and SDS surfactants). The nanoparticles with a smaller size contain weakly coupled chromophores which are shown to be more efficient for SF followed by triplet generation as compared to the nanoparticles of larger size which contain strongly coupled chromophores which are less efficient due to the presence of singlet exciton traps. Through these studies, we delineate how a subtle interplay between short-range and long-range interaction among chromophores confined within nanoparticles, fine-tuned by the curvature of the micellar interface but irrespective of the nature of the micelle (cationic or anionic or neutral), play a crucial role in SF through and generation of triplets.