Methyl CpG binding protein MBD2 has a regulatory role on the BRCA1 gene expression and its modulation by resveratrol in ER+, PR+ & triple-negative breast cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol has demonstrated its ability to regulate BRCA1 gene expression in breast cancer cells, and previous studies have established the binding of MBD proteins to BRCA1 gene promoter regions. However, the molecular mechanism underlying these interactions remains to be elucidated. The aimed to evaluate the impact of MBD proteins on the regulation of BRCA1, BRCA2, and p16 genes and their consequential effects on breast cancer cells. METHODS: Efficacy of resveratrol was assessed using the MTT assay. Binding interactions were investigated through EMSA, ChIP, & MeIP assay. Expression analyses of MBD genes and proteins were conducted using qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Functional assays, including clonogenic, migratory, and sphere formation assays were used to assess cancer cells' colony-forming, metastatic, and tumor-forming abilities. The cytotoxicity of resveratrol on cancer cells was also tested using an apoptosis assay. RESULTS: The study determined an IC50 of 30µM for resveratrol. MBD proteins were found to bind to the BRCA1 gene promoter. Resveratrol exhibited regulatory effects on MBD gene expression, subsequently impacting BRCA1 gene expression and protein levels. Higher concentrations of resveratrol resulted in reduced colony and sphere formation, decreases migration of cancer cells, and an increases number of apoptotic cells in breast cancer cells. Impact Identification of MBD2-BRCA1 axis indicates their significant role in the induction of apoptosis and reduction of metastasis and proliferation in breast cancer cells. Further therapy can be designed to target these MBD proteins and resveratrol could be used along with other anticancer drugs to target breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion MBD2 protein interact to the BRCA1 gene promoter, and resveratrol modulates MBD2 gene expression, which in turn regulates BRCA1 gene expression, and inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and induces apoptosis in ER+, PR+ & Triple negative breast cancer cells.

How Does Tobacco Use Affect the Cognition of Older Adults? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis Based on a Large-Scale Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco is a well-established risk factor for cancer, but its association with other morbidities needs consideration. The low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) with unprecedented demographic transformation lack evidence on tobacco use and its impact on cognitive health. AIMS AND METHODS: Using a propensity score matching approach, we utilized data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India. Study employed 1:1 nearest neighbor matching with the replacement methodology. We estimated the odds of the poor cognitive score and tobacco use among older adults based on five different models for ever tobacco user, former tobacco user, current tobacco user, current smokers, and current smokeless tobacco users with reference to never tobacco users. RESULTS: The estimated average treatment effect for the treated and the untreated group has shown a higher likelihood of cognitive decline among ever (OR -0.26; 95%CI -0.43 to -0.09), current (OR -0.28; 95%CI -0.45 to -0.10), and former (OR -0.53; 95%CI -0.87 to -0.19) tobacco users compared to never tobacco users. The finding further suggests the odds of lower cognitive scores among older adults who were smokers (OR -0.53; 95%CI -0.87 to -0.19) and smokeless tobacco users (OR -0.22; 95%CI -0.43 to -0.01) as compared to never tobacco users. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions designed to prevent the incidence of cognitive impairment should focus on limiting the use of tobacco. Strategies under the tobacco-free generation initiative should be amplified in order to prevent future generations from productivity loss, premature ageing and to promote healthy aging. IMPLICATIONS: Evidence of a definitive association between tobacco consumption and cognition among older adults is sporadic in LMICs. Though tobacco is a risk factor for various diseases including cancer, the extent of its impact on cognitive health among the older population is limited. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting poor cognitive outcomes among older adults who smoke tobacco and/or consume smokeless tobacco as compared to never-tobacco users. Our findings emphasize the need to accelerate programmes related to tobacco-free generation in LMICs to reach a higher quality of life and healthy aging in pursuit of achieving the sustainable development goal of "good health and well-being."

Appraising LaQshya's potential in measuring quality of care for mothers and newborns: a comprehensive review of India's Labor Room Quality Improvement Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Poor intrapartum care in India contributes to high maternal and newborn mortality. India's Labor Room Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya) launched in 2017, aims to improve intrapartum care by minimizing complications, enforcing protocols, and promoting respectful maternity care (RMC). However, limited studies pose a challenge to fully examine its potential to assess quality of maternal and newborn care. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap and reviews LaQshya's ability to assess maternal and newborn care quality. Findings will guide modifications for enhancing LaQshya's effectiveness. METHODS: We reviewed LaQshya's ability to assess the quality of care through a two-step approach: a comprehensive descriptive analysis using document reviews to highlight program attributes, enablers, and challenges affecting LaQshya's quality assessment capability, and a comparison of its measurement parameters with the 352 quality measures outlined in the WHO Standards for Maternal and Newborn Care. Comparing LaQshya with WHO standards offers insights into how its measurement criteria align with global standards for assessing maternity and newborn care quality. RESULTS: LaQshya utilizes several proven catalysts to enhance and measure quality- institutional structures, empirical measures, external validation, certification, and performance incentives for high-quality care. The program also embodies contemporary methods like quality circles, rapid improvement cycles, ongoing facility training, and plan-do-check, and act (PDCA) strategies for sustained quality enhancement. Key drivers of LaQshya's assessment are- leadership, staff mentoring, digital infrastructure and stakeholder engagement from certified facilities. However, governance issues, understaffing, unclear directives, competency gaps, staff reluctance towards new quality improvement approaches inhibit the program, and its capacity to enhance quality of care. LaQshya addresses 76% of WHO's 352 quality measures for maternal and newborn care but lacks comprehensive assessment of crucial elements: harmful labor practices, mistreatment of mothers or newborns, childbirth support, and effective clinical leadership and supervision. CONCLUSION: LaQshya is a powerful model for evaluating quality of care, surpassing other global assessment tools. To achieve its maximum potential, we suggest strengthening district governance structures and offering tailored training programs for RMC and other new quality processes. Furthermore, expanding its quality measurement metrics to effectively assess provider accountability, patient outcomes, rights, staff supervision, and health facility leadership will increase its ability to assess quality improvements.

Nurturing transformative local structures of multisectoral collaboration for primary health care: qualitative insights from select states in India.

BACKGROUND: Multisectoral collaboration is essential for advancing primary health care (PHC). In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), limited institutional capacities, governance issues, and inadequate stakeholder engagement impede multisectoral collaboration. India faces similar challenges, especially at the meso-level (districts and subdistricts). Owing to its dependence on context, and insufficient evidence, understanding "How" to improve multisectoral collaboration remains challenging. This study aims to elicit specific recommendations to strengthen meso-level stewardship in India for multisectoral collaboration. The findings from this study may offer lessons for other LMICs. METHODS: Using purposive, maximum variation sampling, the study team conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 diverse participants, including policymakers, implementers, development agency representatives, and academics experienced in multisectoral initiatives. The interviews delved into participants' experiences, the current situation, enablers, and recommendations for enhancing stakeholder engagement and capacities at the meso-level for multisectoral collaboration. RESULTS: Context and power are critical elements to consider in fostering effective collaboration. Multisectoral collaboration was particularly successful in three distinct governance contexts: the social-democratic context as in Kerala, the social governance context in Chhattisgarh, and the public health governance context in Tamil Nadu. Adequate health system input and timely guidance instil confidence among local implementers to collaborate. While power plays a role through local leadership's influence in setting agendas, convening stakeholders, and ensuring accountability. To nurture transformative local leaders for collaboration, holistic, equity-driven, community-informed approaches are essential. The study participants proposed several concrete steps: at the state level, establish "central management units" for supervising local implementers and ensuring bottom-up feedback; at the district level, rationalise committees and assign deliverables to stakeholders; and at the block level, expand convergence structures and involve local self-governments. Development partners can support data-driven priority setting, but local implementers with contextual familiarity should develop decentralised plans collaboratively, articulating rationales, activities, and resources. Finally, innovative training programs are required at all levels, fostering humility, motivation, equity awareness, leadership, problem- solving, and data use proficiency. CONCLUSION: This study offers multiple solutions to enhance local implementers' engagement in multisectoral efforts, advocating for the development, piloting, and evaluation of innovative approaches such as the block convergence model, locally-led collaboration efforts, and novel training methods for local implementers.

Early evidence of implementation of District Residency Programme: experiences and challenges of residents in Rajasthan, India.

BACKGROUND: District Residency Programme (DRP) was introduced by National Medical Commission as mandatory three-months training program for postgraduate residents. The program was for the first time implemented in April 2023 in Rajasthan. However, it ran into several teething problems, especially for residents. With a lack of any precedence, this study was planned to explore experiences and challenges of residents posted in DRP. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted at 12 DRP sites attached to SMS Medical College, Jaipur between August-October 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from residents who had completed DRP. Questions were scored on a five-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to show association. RESULTS: Only around 17% residents felt that the learning objectives of DRP were fulfilled and nearly 60% residents felt isolated from academic activities and parent department. Over half of the residents were never posted with their concerned specialty services. Around four-fifth residents felt concerned about safety at least sometimes and more than three-fourth residents were dissatisfied with basic amenities. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests showed significant association of gender and specialisation strata with multiple outcome variables. CONCLUSION: The study finds high degree of dissatisfaction among residents towards learning objectives, academic learning, and basic amenities during DRP. There was also a clear lack of specialty-exposure and high concerns of safety, especially for female residents. The study findings should alarm and inform policymakers and administrators to improve DRP implementation so as to better achieve laid objectives.

Incidence of Different Characters of Neuropathic Pain in Cancer Patients Coming to Tertiary Care Centre in North India Over A Period of 1 Year - An Observational Study.

Objectives: Pain is classified as nociceptive, neuropathic, or nociplastic. Neuropathic pain presents as variable phenotypes (characters) based on specific aetiology and pathophysiology. This study aimed to find out among cancer patients the incidence of different phenotypes of neuropathic pain and form specific phenotypic clusters based on the underlying neurophysiology and association of sensory profile with various organ systems - A prospective observational study. Materials and methods: The Institutional Ethical Committee clearance (IEC code: 2020-49-MD-EXP-15) https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/showallp.php?mid1=44886&EncHid=88651.15716&userName=CTRI/2020/09/027964 approval was obtained. After written and informed consent, patients of age group 18-80 years, registering in the pain and palliative outpatient department or radiotherapy department with complaints of pain and not taking any anti-neuropathic pain medications, were enrolled. They were assessed using Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANSS) pain score, and a score of >12 was eligible for assessment of neuropathic pain phenotypes. Results: Out of 210 cancer patients complaining of pain, a neuropathic component with LANSS >12 was found in 73 (34.76%). The most predominant phenotypes, allodynia> tingling> pricking = burning, were found in 72.60%, 56.16%, and 43.84% of patients, respectively. Phenotypes were clustered into Nodes 1 and 2 based on clinically significant separation of phenotypes. Node 1 had neuropathic pain of spontaneous origin found predominantly in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and genitourinary tract (GUT) cancers. Node 2 had stimulus-evoked negative and positive characters which occurred in head and neck, thoracic, and spinal metastatic cancers. Conclusion: Careful patient assessment reveals the incidence of neuropathic pain in 34.76%; allodynia and tingling astable the most prominent phenotypes. Broadly, sensory characters were clustered into spontaneous and stimulus-evoked sensations with GIT and GUT cancers presenting with Node 1 symptoms.

Pharmacogenetic impact of SLC22A1 gene variant rs628031 (G/A) in newly diagnosed Indian type 2 diabetes patients undergoing metformin monotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) imposes an enormous burden all over the world in both developed and developing countries. Inter-individual differences are attributed to polymorphisms in candidate genes resulting in altered absorption, transportation, distribution, and metabolism of oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). Hence, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the pharmacogenetic impact of SLC22A1 gene variant rs628031 (G/A) on metformin monotherapy in newly diagnosed untreated T2D patients. METHODS: Newly diagnosed T2D patients ( n = 500) were enrolled according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. Initially, enrolled subjects were prescribed metformin monotherapy and followed up for at least 12 weeks. Response to metformin was evaluated in 478 patients who revisited for follow-up by measuring HbA1c. RESULT: Out of 478 patients, 373 were responders to metformin monotherapy while 105 were non-responders. The pharmacogenetic impact was evaluated by genotype, haplotype, and pharmacogenetic analyses. 'GG' genotype and 'G' allele of SLC22A1 rs628031 G/A were observed in 48.8% and 67.7% of Met responders, respectively, while 20.9% and 49.1 % were in non-responders. Therefore, there was a 2.18-fold increase in the success rate of Met therapeutics. CONCLUSION: Individuals carrying the 'GG' genotype or 'G' allele for SLC22A1 gene variant rs628031 G/A are better responders for Metformin monotherapy.

The Dynamic Interaction of Surfactants with Colloidal Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets Calls for Thermodynamic Stabilization by Solvents.

Top-down liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) and bottom-up hot-injection synthesis are scalable methods to produce colloids of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) solids. Generally thought off as two entirely different fields, we show that similar stabilization mechanisms apply to colloids of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) produced by both methods. By screening the colloidal stability of MoS2 produced in a hot-injection synthesis in a wide range of solvents, we observe that colloidal stability can be understood based on solution thermodynamics, wherein matching the solubility parameter of solvent and nanomaterial maximizes colloidal stability. Identical to MoS2 produced through LPE, optimal solvents to disperse MoS2 produced from the bottom-up have similar solubility parameters of ≈22 MPa1/2 and include aromatic solvents with polar functionalities, such as o-dichlorobenzene, and polar aprotic solvents, such as N,N-dimethylformamide. We further complemented our findings by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrscopy, highlighting that organic surfactants, such as oleylamine and oleic acid, have a minimal affinity toward the nanocrystal surface and engage in a highly dynamic adsorption/desorption equilibrium. We thus conclude that hot injection yields MoS2 colloids with comparable surfaces as those produced by LPE. These similarities might offer the prospect of using established procedures developed for LPE nanomaterials to postprocess colloidally synthesized dispersions of 2D colloids as processable inks.

Schiff Bases: A Versatile Fluorescence Probe in Sensing Cations.

Metal cations such as Zn2+, Al3+, Hg2+, Cd2+, Sn2+, Fe2+, Fe3+ and Cu2+ play important roles in biology, medicine, and the environment. However, when these are not maintained in proper concentration, they can be lethal to life. Therefore, selective sensing of metal cations is of great importance in understanding various metabolic processes, disease diagnosis, checking the purity of environmental samples, and detecting toxic analytes. Schiff base probes have been largely used in designing fluorescent sensors for sensing metal ions because of their easy processing, availability, fast response time, and low detection limit. Herein, an in-depth report on metal ions recognition by some Schiff base fluorescent sensors, their sensing mechanism, their practical applicability in cell imaging, building logic gates, and analysis of real-life samples has been presented. The metal ions having biological, industrial, and environmental significance are targeted. The compiled information is expected to prove beneficial in designing and synthesis of the related Schiff base fluorescent sensors.

Glyco-conjugated metal-organic framework biosensor for fluorescent detection of bacteria.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are hybrid materials constructed by the linkage between an inorganic secondary building unit and an organic linker. A number of MOFs are luminescent in nature and can be structurally tuned for desirable geometry, surface functionality, and porosity. Luminescent MOFs have been endorsed for various biosensing applications. Lectins and carbohydrates have been used for the development of simple and convenient biosensing and bioimaging tools. Lectins are mostly present on the surface of microorganisms where they aid in pathogenesis. Due to this, they can be potential targets for a microbial biosensor. The present study, for the first time, explores the usage of a carbohydrate-conjugated FeMOF (Glyco-MOF) bioprobe for the selective determination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. NH2-MIL-53(Fe) MOF was synthesized via a room temperature protocol and separately conjugated with galactose and mannose sugars via glutaraldehyde chemistry. The synthesized bioprobe is validated for structural integrity, luminescent nature, stability, and analyte assay. Electron microscopy studies validated the unhindered MOF's morphology and structural integrity, after bioconjugation. The synthesized bioprobes were able to detect P. aeruginosa and E. coli up to respective detection limits of 202 and 8 CFU/mL, respectively. The bioprobes are selective even in co-presence of possible interferants as well as being environmentally stable.

Estimating the weight of consumed tobacco product waste in various Indian states: a novel method to assess the potential burden of tobacco product waste.

INTRODUCTION: The direct morbidity and mortality caused by tobacco are well documented, but such products also contribute to a range of environmental pollutants resulting from tobacco product waste. No previous studies have yet quantified tobacco product waste in a low-income and middle-income country (LMIC). This study estimates the potential annual waste generated due to consumption of smoked and smokeless tobacco products in India and its states. METHODOLOGY: We systematically collected samples of smoked and smokeless tobacco products from 33 districts of 17 Indian states/union territories. Stratified weights of plastic, paper, foil and filter packaging components, and gross empty package weights were recorded. Prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco use at national and state-level estimates was derived from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2016-2017) to quantify waste potentially generated by tobacco products. RESULTS: We included 222 brands of tobacco products (70 cigarette, 94 bidi and 58 smokeless tobacco brands) in the final analysis. A total of 170 331 (±29 332) tonnes of waste was estimated to be generated annually, out of which 43.2% was plastic, 3.6% was foil and 0.8% was filter. Two-thirds of the overall waste was contributed by smokeless products alone. Maximum waste was generated in Uttar Pradesh (20.9%; 35 723.7±6151.6 tonnes), Maharashtra (8.9%; 15 116.84±2603.12 tonnes) and West Bengal (8.6%; 14 636.32±2520.37 tonnes). CONCLUSION: This study provides first of its kind national-level evidence on the types (plastic, paper, foil and filter) and quantity of waste potentially generated by use of tobacco products in India. Similar studies from other LMICs can serve to raise consciousness about many negative environmental impacts of tobacco products and need for policies to address them.

Smokeless tobacco use and public health nutrition: a global systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco consumption among low- and middle-income countries where food insecurity remains a challenge poses several concerns. This review examines the available global evidence linking smokeless tobacco (SLT) use with public health nutrition and its implications. DESIGN: Systematic review of articles extracted from PubMed and Scopus from January 2000 to December 2020. SETTING: Included studies that demonstrated the relationship between SLT and nutrition-related factors, that is, BMI, malnutrition, anaemia, poor birth outcomes and metabolic disorders. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines have been followed to conduct the systematic evidence review. PARTICIPANTS: A total of thirty-four studies were finally used in the systematic review, which included cross-sectional (thirty-one) and cohort (three). RESULTS: SLT use has a huge impact on body weight, alteration in taste, poor oral health, and consumption of fruits and vegetables leading to malnutrition. Maternal use of SLT not only leads to anaemia but also hampers birth outcomes. Increased risk of metabolic syndrome and gallstone disease among SLT users are also well documented in the studies. CONCLUSION: The review highlights the linkages between SLT usage and poor nutritional outcomes. Tobacco control efforts should be convergent with public health nutrition to achieve overall health benefits. Attention is also required to explore suitable mechanisms for SLT cessation combined with enhancing food and nutrition security at the community level in sync with investments in public health nutrition intervention.

Tobacco exposure among antenatal women in India: Challenges in tobacco screening & cessation counselling.

Links between tobacco use and poor pregnancy outcomes are well established. Despite various tobacco control measures taken by the government, nearly 5-8 per cent of pregnant women consume tobacco in India. Antenatal check-ups are an opportunity to assess and assist women in quitting tobacco during pregnancy. This review highlights the challenges faced in identifying pregnant tobacco users and providing cessation counselling to them in a formal healthcare setup in the Indian context. For this narrative review, open access databases like PubMed and Google Scholar were searched, using the following search terms: challenges, quitting tobacco use, smokeless tobacco, pregnancy and India. Original articles published between 2010 and July 2022 were included in the English language with available free full text. Out of the thirty articles found to be eligible, seven were included in the review. Official websites of the National Health Mission and National Tobacco Control Programme were also searched to retrieve available data on health education and training material for healthcare workers: medical officers, Auxiliary Nurse and Midwives (ANMs), Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and list of tobacco cessation centres. This review identified the factors such as myths surrounding tobacco use, lack of targeted screening, inadequate training of healthcare workers and inaccessibility of cessation services, which are posing as challenges in controlling tobacco use in this vulnerable section of the population. Specific strategies to address these issues at the micro, meso and macro levels can prove to be vital in controlling tobacco use in pregnant women. This review also identified the vital role of gynaecologists and healthcare workers such as ANMs and ASHA in identifying and providing brief tobacco cessation counselling to pregnant users.

Characterization of physiochemical parameters & their effect on microbial content of smokeless tobacco products marketed in north India.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) product consumption has profound public health implications for its users. The p H and moisture of SLTs determine the bioavailability of nicotine, the microbial structure dynamics and the amount of microbial conversion of tobacco alkaloids to carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines. This study aimed to characterize and compare the p H, moisture and alkaloid content of various SLT products. METHODS: Thirty-seven SLT samples including khaini , snus, moist snuff, gul , pan masala , zarda , Mainpuri kapoori and qiwam were collected from the retail market around the National Capital Region in north India and their p H, moisture, nicotine and alkaloid content were measured. The p H and total nicotine were used to calculate the amount of free nicotine, the readily absorbed form, for each product by applying the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. RESULTS: The investigation showed that the SLTs varied drastically in their p H (5.36 to 10.27), moisture content (4.7 to 51.7%) and alkaloid content (0.82 to 35.87 mg/g). The p H and free nicotine levels of a product were found to be positively correlated, and the highest free nicotine content was reported in snus samples. Further, the moisture content was seen to impact the bacterial and fungal diversity in these samples. INTERPRETATION CONCLUSIONS: Studies to detect the presence of pathogenic microbiological genera as well as potentially toxic constituents are warranted. The use of SLTs as an alternative to cigarette smoking should be discouraged, and cessation programmes must call attention to their detrimental effects and emphasize on benefits of quitting SLT consumption.

Systematic review of determinants and interventions of areca nut cessation: curbing a public health menace.

BACKGROUND: Areca nut (AN) is a proven human carcinogen and a global public health menace. There is yet no review providing comprehensive information on the determinants and interventions available for cessation of AN. This systematic review was aimed at summarizing the available literature on drivers and interventions for cessation of AN chewing habit and to highlight the research lacunae. METHODS: A systematic literature search (from 1990 till March 2021) was conducted for studies on AN cessation. Relevant data were extracted independently by two authors. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were included, which highlighted the influence of socio-cultural factors, addictive nature of AN and withdrawal symptoms as barriers to quitting. However, the knowledge of ill-effects of AN use on health, absence of concurrent alcohol use or smoking and family pressure were associated with likelihood of AN cessation. The interventions utilized for AN cessation have been behavioural in majority of the studies except for one where antidepressants were used for this purpose. CONCLUSIONS: The current review emphasizes the imperative need of appropriate cessation strategies for AN chewing habit including enhancing awareness of the harmful effects and research into additional behavioural and pharmacologic cessation therapies to control this significant public health problem.

Exploring food insecurity and multimorbidity in Indian socially disadvantaged people: cross-sectional findings from LASI, 2017-18.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to examine the association of multimorbidity status with food insecurity among disadvantaged groups such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Class (OBCs) in India. METHOD: The data for this study was derived from the first wave of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI),2017-18, focusing on 46,953 individuals aged 45 years and over who belong to SCs, STs, and OBCs groups. Food insecurity was measured based on the set of five questions developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Program (FANTA). Bivariate analysis was performed to examine the prevalence of food insecurity by multimorbidity status along with socio-demographic and health-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and interaction models were used. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of multimorbidity was about 16% of the study sample. The prevalence of food insecurity was higher among people with multimorbidity compared to those without multimorbidity. Unadjusted and adjusted models suggested that people with multimorbidity were more likely to be food insecure than people without multimorbidity. While middle-aged adults with multimorbidity and men with multimorbidity had a higher risk of food insecurity. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest an association between multimorbidity and food insecurity among socially disadvantaged people in India. Middle-aged adults experiencing food insecurity tend to reduce the quality of their diet and consume a few low-cost, nutritionally deficient meals to maintain caloric intake, putting them again at risk for several negative health outcomes. Therefore, strengthening disease management could reduce food insecurity in those facing multimorbidity.

Multipod Bi(Cu2-xS)n Nanocrystals formed by Dynamic Cation-Ligand Complexation and Their Use as Anodes for Potassium-Ion Batteries.

We report the formation of an intermediate lamellar Cu-thiolate complex, and tuning its relative stability using alkylphosphonic acids are crucial to enabling controlled heteronucleation to form Bi(Cu2-xS)n heterostructures with a tunable number of Cu2-xS stems on a Bi core. The denticity of the phosphonic acid group, concentration, and chain length of alkylphosphonic acids are critical factors determining the stability of the Cu-thiolate complex. Increasing the stability of the Cu-thiolate results in single Cu2-xS stem formation, and decreased stability of the Cu-thiolate complex increases the degree of heteronucleation to form multiple Cu2-xS stems on the Bi core. Spatially separated multiple Cu2-xS stems transform into a support network to hold a fragmented Bi core when used as an anode in a K-ion battery, leading to a more stable cycling performance showing a specific capacity of ∼170 mAh·g-1 after 200 cycles compared to ∼111 mAh·g-1 for Bi-Cu2-xS single-stem heterostructures.

Broadband Optical Phase Modulation by Colloidal CdSe Quantum Wells.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are primed to realize a variety of photonic devices that rely on the transient properties of photogenerated charges, yet little is known on the change of the refractive index. The associated optical phase changes can be beneficial or undesired depending on the application, but require proper quantification. Measuring optical phase modulation of dilute 2D materials is, however, not trivial with common methods. Here, we demonstrate that 2D colloidal CdSe quantum wells, a useful model system, can modulate the phase of light across a broad spectrum using a femtosecond interferometry method. Next, we develop a toolbox to calculate the time-dependent refractive index of colloidal 2D materials from widely available transient absorption experiments using a modified effective medium algorithm. Our results show that the excitonic features of 2D materials result in broadband, ultrafast, and sizable phase modulation, even extending to the near infrared because of intraband transitions.

Phosphine free synthesis of copper telluride nanocrystals in 1D and 2D shapes using Dipehylditelluride (DPDTe) as an air-stable source.

In this paper, we have developed a 'phosphine-free' method for synthesising copper telluride nanocrystals using diphenyl ditelluride as an air-stable tellurium source. The diphenyl ditelluride is shown to have optimal reactivity for the colloidal synthesis of Cu2Te, allowing optimal control over the phase and morphology. Using this unexplored Te precursor for copper telluride synthesis, 1D nanorods of hexagonal phase (Cu2Te) were synthesised at a moderate temperature of 180 °C. The precise control over key parameters for this system results in Cu2-xTe nanocrystals forming with varied shapes (1D nanorods and 2D nanoplates), sizes, and crystal phases (hexagonal Cu2Te and orthorhombic Cu1.43Te).

Does secondhand smoke exposure increase the risk of acute respiratory infections among children aged 0-59 months in households that use clean cooking fuel? A cross-sectional study based on 601 509 households in India.

This study examines whether exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases the risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI) among children aged 0-59 months. Study utilized nationally representative data from National Family Health Survey (2015-2016), which adopted two-stage stratified random sampling. Four mutually exclusive groups based on the type of cooking fuel usage and SHS exposure were created. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistics regression analysis were applied. At the national level, 10.5% prevalence of ARI was reported during 2015-2016. About 47.9% (95%CI 47.7-48.2) of households was exposed to SHS and used solid biomass fuel for cooking. Nearly, 20.7% of households with clean fuel usage was exposed to SHS. Regression analysis suggests that the likelihood of ARI among children who were living in households with solid biomass fuel usage and exposed to SHS was 11% (95%CI 1.06-1.17) greater than children living in households with clean fuel usage with no SHS exposure. Moreover, our results further revealed that the odds of ARI among children living in households with clean fuel but exposed to SHS were 19% (95%CI 1.13-1.25) higher than the children living in the household with no SHS exposure and clean fuel use. Children living in households exposed to SHS are at higher risk of ARI.