Cross-sectional evaluation of the multidimensional indicators of psychosocial functioning and its sociodemographic correlates among Indian adults: WHO SAGE Study (2007-2010).

This study examined the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial functioning (PF) among Indian adults. Data (N = 11,230) for this study came from the World Health Organization's SAGE (Longitudinal Study of Global Aging and Adult Health) Wave 1 2007-2010. First, multivariable regression analyses (logistic or linear regression depending on the outcome variable) were run to evaluate whether PF indicators varied by gender after controlling other sociodemographic characteristics. Next, the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and PF indicators was examined using ordinary least square regression (OLS) models and logistic regression models, separately for men and women. Specifically, the PF indicators, including social indicators of interpersonal relationship difficulty, social connectedness, and personal indicators of sleep, affect, perceived quality of life, and cognition were each regressed on sociodemographic factors. All analyses in the study were cross-sectional in nature and conducted using STATA version 15.1. Overall, the study found significant sociodemographic differences in PF among Indian adults that also varied by gender. As such, social and/or economic disadvantage was associated with poorer PF. However, the results demonstrated that socioeconomic patterns in PF were much more nuanced among women than among men. This study adds to previous research on PF in India and provides new insights into how sociodemographic characteristics shape it. A major research implication of this finding is that inconsistent with assumptions of previous research, an increase in SES is not always linked to proportionate increases in PF among women. The study also makes a compelling case for separately examining multiple non-clinical outcomes of psychosocial health.

Perceived Neighborhood Racial Composition and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Americans Across Adulthood: Evaluating the Role of Psychosocial Risks and Resources.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationships between perceived neighborhood racial composition (PNRC), psychosocial risks and resources, and depressive symptoms among young (ages 22-35), middle-aged (ages 36-49), and older (ages 50+) Black Americans. Methods: Full sample and age-stratified linear regression models estimated the PNRC-depressive symptoms association and the extent to which it persisted after accounting for psychosocial risks (i.e., neighborhood disorder, other social stressors) and resources (i.e., mastery, social support, racial identity) among 627 Black Americans in the Nashville Stress and Health Study. Results: Living in racially integrated and predominately White neighborhoods was associated with elevated depressive symptoms. While psychosocial risks and resources explained a substantial portion of these associations, patterns varied across age groups. Discussion: PNRC impacts depressive symptoms among Black Americans by shaping psychosocial risks and resources. Findings underscore interconnections between contextual and psychosocial factors, as well as the distinct mental health significance of these processes across stages of adulthood.

DNA Repair Repertoire of the Enigmatic Hydra.

Since its discovery by Abraham Trembley in 1744, hydra has been a popular research organism. Features like spectacular regeneration capacity, peculiar tissue dynamics, continuous pattern formation, unique evolutionary position, and an apparent lack of organismal senescence make hydra an intriguing animal to study. While a large body of work has taken place, particularly in the domain of evolutionary developmental biology of hydra, in recent years, the focus has shifted to molecular mechanisms underlying various phenomena. DNA repair is a fundamental cellular process that helps to maintain integrity of the genome through multiple repair pathways found across taxa, from archaea to higher animals. DNA repair capacity and senescence are known to be closely associated, with mutations in several repair pathways leading to premature ageing phenotypes. Analysis of DNA repair in an animal like hydra could offer clues into several aspects including hydra's purported lack of organismal ageing, evolution of DNA repair systems in metazoa, and alternative functions of repair proteins. We review here the different DNA repair mechanisms known so far in hydra. Hydra genes from various DNA repair pathways show very high similarity with their vertebrate orthologues, indicating conservation at the level of sequence, structure, and function. Notably, most hydra repair genes are more similar to deuterostome counterparts than to common model invertebrates, hinting at ancient evolutionary origins of repair pathways and further highlighting the relevance of organisms like hydra as model systems. It appears that hydra has the full repertoire of DNA repair pathways, which are employed in stress as well as normal physiological conditions and may have a link with its observed lack of senescence. The close correspondence of hydra repair genes with higher vertebrates further demonstrates the need for deeper studies of various repair components, their interconnections, and functions in this early metazoan.

Knowledge about reproductive tract infections and sex work among female textile workers in Surat, India.

In this qualitative study, we investigated knowledge about reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and commercial sex work among female textile workers of Surat, India. We analyzed data from three focus groups conducted with 18 women using content analysis. Participants had some knowledge about the symptoms of RTIs; however, they had limited knowledge about RTI prevention, transmission, and treatment. None used condoms consistently for RTI prevention. The women attributed economic hardship as one of the main reasons for engaging in commercial sex work. Our study is one of the first to evaluate sexual and reproductive health among female textile workers in India.

"HIV is not an easily acceptable disease": the role of HIV-related stigma in obtaining cervical cancer screening in India.

Women living with HIV (WLWH) are at high risk for cervical cancer (CC); however, many WLWH in India do not obtain regular CC screening. Little is known about facilitators and barriers of CC screening in this population. This qualitative study examined the relation of HIV-related stigma to obtaining CC screening among women in Surat, India. Semi-structured individual in-depth interviews were conducted between April 2015 and July 2015 with 25 WLWH at the New Civil Hospital Anti-Retroviral Centre and 15 stakeholders providing health care to WLWH. HIV-related stigma emerged as a considerable barrier to gynecologic care and CC screening among WLWH. Two major subthemes were identified: (1) perceptions of HIV-related normative stigma and enacted discrimination; and (2) HIV status disclosure in the context of health care and CC screening. Stakeholders described a general awareness of HIV-related stigma as a barrier to care for WLWH, while WLWH focused on experiences of enacted discrimination. Both patients and stakeholders described that concerns about disclosure and fear of stigma hinder WLWH in India from obtaining health care and CC screening. Findings suggest that interventions to increase cancer screening among WLWH in India should address the role of HIV-related stigma to be maximally effective.

"My husband says this: If you are alive, you can be someone ": Facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV in India.

PURPOSE: Women living with human immunodeficiency virus (WLWH) have a higher risk of cervical cancer than women without HIV. In addition, women in India experience a high burden of death from cervical cancer. This qualitative study evaluated individual and interpersonal factors influencing cervical cancer screening among WLWH in Surat, India. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 WLWH and 15 stakeholders in Surat, India. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis to identify individual and intrapersonal barriers and facilitators. RESULTS: WLWH lacked knowledge and reported being afraid of cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening but were interested in learning more about it. Interpersonal factors influencing cervical cancer screening included receipt or lack of instrumental and emotional family support, interactions with healthcare providers, and receipt or lack of information about cervical cancer and the Pap test from healthcare providers. CONCLUSION: Widespread public education is necessary to increase awareness of cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening and to encourage family members to support women who wish to obtain screening. Patient- and provider-focused interventions may facilitate the process of providing cervical cancer care to WLWH who are obtaining care in busy public healthcare systems in India.

UV induced foot duplication in regenerating hydra is mediated by metalloproteinases and modulation of the Wnt pathway.

We have shown earlier that irradiation with UV induces duplication of foot in regenerating middle pieces of hydra. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the underlying mechanism(s) leading to this curious phenomenon. UV irradiation induced duplicated foot in about 30% of regenerating middle pieces. Metalloproteinases are important in foot formation, while Wnt pathway genes are important in head formation in hydra. The effect of UV irradiation on expression of these genes was studied by in situ hybridization and q-PCR. In whole polyps and middle pieces, UV irradiation led to up-regulation of HMP2 and HMMP, the two metalloproteinases involved in foot formation in hydra. HMP2 expression was significantly increased starting from 30 min post exposure to UV at 254 nm (500 J/m(2)), while HMMP showed significant up-regulation 6 h post UV exposure onwards. In middle pieces, increased expression of both metalloproteinases was observed only at 48 h. In whole polyps as well as in middle pieces, expression of Wnt3 and ß-catenin was detected within 30 min of UV exposure and was accompanied by up-regulation of GSK3ß, DKK3 and DKK1/2/4, inhibitors of the Wnt pathway. These conditions likely lead to inactivation of Wnt signaling. We therefore conclude that duplication of foot due to UV irradiation in regenerating middle pieces of hydra is a combined effect of up-regulation of metalloproteinases and inactivation of the Wnt pathway. Our results suggest that UV irradiation can be employed as a tool to understand patterning mechanisms during foot formation in hydra.

Structural and sequence similarities of hydra xeroderma pigmentosum A protein to human homolog suggest early evolution and conservation.

Xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) is a protein that binds to damaged DNA, verifies presence of a lesion, and recruits other proteins of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway to the site. Though its homologs from yeast, Drosophila, humans, and so forth are well studied, XPA has not so far been reported from protozoa and lower animal phyla. Hydra is a fresh-water cnidarian with a remarkable capacity for regeneration and apparent lack of organismal ageing. Cnidarians are among the first metazoa with a defined body axis, tissue grade organisation, and nervous system. We report here for the first time presence of XPA gene in hydra. Putative protein sequence of hydra XPA contains nuclear localization signal and bears the zinc-finger motif. It contains two conserved Pfam domains and various characterized features of XPA proteins like regions for binding to excision repair cross-complementing protein-1 (ERCC1) and replication protein A 70 kDa subunit (RPA70) proteins. Hydra XPA shows a high degree of similarity with vertebrate homologs and clusters with deuterostomes in phylogenetic analysis. Homology modelling corroborates the very close similarity between hydra and human XPA. The protein thus most likely functions in hydra in the same manner as in other animals, indicating that it arose early in evolution and has been conserved across animal phyla.

Conservation of the nucleotide excision repair pathway: characterization of hydra Xeroderma Pigmentosum group F homolog.

Hydra, one of the earliest metazoans with tissue grade organization and nervous system, is an animal with a remarkable regeneration capacity and shows no signs of organismal aging. We have for the first time identified genes of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway from hydra. Here we report cloning and characterization of hydra homolog of xeroderma pigmentosum group F (XPF) gene that encodes a structure-specific 5' endonuclease which is a crucial component of NER. In silico analysis shows that hydra XPF amino acid sequence is very similar to its counterparts from other animals, especially vertebrates, and shows all features essential for its function. By in situ hybridization, we show that hydra XPF is expressed prominently in the multipotent stem cell niche in the central region of the body column. Ectoderm of the diploblastic hydra was shown to express higher levels of XPF as compared to the endoderm by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis also demonstrated that interstitial cells, a multipotent and rapidly cycling stem cell lineage of hydra, express higher levels of XPF mRNA than other cell types. Our data show that XPF and by extension, the NER pathway is highly conserved during evolution. The prominent expression of an NER gene in interstitial cells may have implications for the lack of senescence in hydra.