Mapping malaria vectors and insecticide resistance in a high-endemic district of Haryana, India: implications for vector control strategies.

BACKGROUND: Achieving effective control and elimination of malaria in endemic regions necessitates a comprehensive understanding of local mosquito species responsible for malaria transmission and their susceptibility to insecticides. METHODS: The study was conducted in the highly malaria prone Ujina Primary Health Center of Nuh (Mewat) district of Haryana state of India. Monthly entomological surveys were carried out for adult mosquito collections via indoor resting collections, light trap collections, and pyrethrum spray collections. Larvae were also collected from different breeding sites prevalent in the region. Insecticide resistance bioassay, vector incrimination, blood meal analysis was done with the collected vector mosquitoes. RESULTS: A total of 34,974 adult Anopheles mosquitoes were caught during the survey period, out of which Anopheles subpictus was predominant (54.7%). Among vectors, Anopheles stephensi was predominant (15.5%) followed by Anopheles culicifacies (10.1%). The Human Blood Index (HBI) in the case of An. culicifacies and An. stephensi was 6.66 and 9.09, respectively. Vector incrimination results revealed Plasmodium vivax positivity rate of 1.6% for An. culicifacies. Both the vector species were found resistant to DDT, malathion and deltamethrin. CONCLUSION: The emergence of insecticide resistance in both vector species, compromises the effectiveness of commonly used public health insecticides. Consequently, the implementation of robust insecticide resistance management strategies becomes imperative. To effectively tackle the malaria transmission, a significant shift in vector control strategies is warranted, with careful consideration and adaptation to address specific challenges encountered in malaria elimination efforts.

Impact of urbanization on the abundance and distribution of Anophelines population in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, India.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES: In urban areas, upsurge in population has resulted in more breeding sites for malaria vectors, and hence this scenario potentially undermine malaria elimination and control programs. The change in land use due to urbanization may result in the presence and distribution of malaria vectors. Understanding potential malaria vectors is essential for current and future malaria transmission control strategies. This study investigated the effects of rapid urbanization on malaria vectors An. culicifacies s.l. and An. stephensi L. in Ghaziabad district. METHODS: Ghaziabad district which presents several levels of urbanization was selected for this study. Entomological investigations were conducted seasonally from 2014-2016 in the rural, urban, and peri-urban regions. Vector incrimination study was done using ELISA (confirmation by PCR) on suspected Anopheles vectors viz. An. culicifacies, An. stephensi, An. annularis and An. subpictus. RESULTS: An. culicifacies showed alteration in distribution influenced by rural and agricultural land whereas An. stephensi was found to be influenced by artificial habitats and population growth. INTERPRETATION CONCLUSION: The study also confirms the association between the abundance of malaria vectors and land use change.

"I Would Rather Die Drinking than take the Medicine": Role of Alcohol Use Disorder in Loss-to-follow-up of Tuberculosis Treatment in a Rural Area of Ballabgarh, Haryana.

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) treatment loss-to-follow-up (LTFU). This field-based study was undertaken to understand the role of AUD and TB treatment LTFU and the reasons behind this association in a rural area of Ballabgarh, Haryana. Material and Methods: TB patients who had completed their treatment and who had been LTFU were included in the study, along with the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP) staff, healthcare providers, family, and community members from Ballabgarh block of the north Indian state of Haryana. In-depth interviews (IDIs) and focused group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to gauge the perceptions of stakeholders regarding reasons for LTFU, especially in the context of alcohol use. Inductive analysis of the transcripts was done in keeping with the grounded theory, and themes with their sub-themes were identified. A conceptual framework of TB-AUD was constructed, and potential areas for intervention were determined. Results: Fifty-eight IDIs and four FGDs were conducted in mid-2018. Almost all key informants and many patient participants believed that alcohol use makes TB patients highly susceptible to treatment LTFU. Key themes identified were shared personality traits and attitudes, combined side effects of anti-tubercular drugs and alcohol use, lack of family support, and an adverse financial situation. Conclusion: These findings call for a change in NTEP's approach to AUD-TB. Interventions may include collecting alcohol use information at patient enrolment and closure, integrating brief interventions for alcohol cessation in NTEP, and linking patients to deaddiction centers with the provision of appropriate dietary and financial support.

Disease spectrum and its molecular characterisation in the lentil production system of lower-Indo Gangetic plains.

Lentil is a food legume grown in the Indo-Gangetic plains including lower Gangetic Bengal (LGB). Lentil productivity in this zone is severely impeded because of the prevalence of several biotic cues. Plausible reports regarding the status of disease scenario and the associated risk factors are missing. Therefore, judicious crop management strategies are lacking. An intensive survey of 267 farmers' fields was conducted over 3 years in major lentil-growing districts of LGB to evaluate the disease incidence and prevalence. Additional insights were generated, apprehending isolation and characterisation of associated pathogens through spore morphology and molecular markers as well as elucidating the role of biophysical factors in influencing disease development. Climate change has shifted the disease dimension of lentil and precipitated new disease complexes of great risk, which was reflected through geospatial mapping results in the present study. The prevalence of three major diseases, namely collar rot (Sclerotium rolfsii), lentil blight complex (LBC) incited by both Alternaria and Stemphylium, and lentil rust (Uromyces viciae-fabae), was ascertained through cultural and molecular studies and contextualised through pathogenicity appraisal. This study is the first to investigate the complex mixed infection of Alternaria alternata and Stemphylium botryosum, successfully isolating S. botyrosum in India, and confirming the pathogens through sequencing by using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) primers and Stemphylium-specific Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (gpd1) and gpd2 primers. Unlike late planting, early planting promoted collar rot infestation. LBC and rust incidence were magnified in late planting. Soil texture resulted in the spatial distribution of collar rot disease. The surveyed data also highlighted the potential role of resistant cultivars and cropping pattern intervention to ensure associational resistance towards addressing the disease bottleneck in lentil.

Prevalence and Correlates of Malnutrition in Nuh District, Haryana State, India.

India has a substantial burden of undernutrition coupled with overweight and obesity at the other end of the spectrum of malnutrition. Nuh district, in the Haryana State in northern India, is an impoverished district in India. With an aim to investigate the problem of malnutrition in the community, a cross-sectional study was conducted in four villages of the Nuh district. Height/length, weight, and age data of children under 5 years were used to calculate three indices: weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height. The body mass index was calculated for individuals older than 6 years. Associations between malnutrition and other factors were assessed using simple and multiple logistic regression to get adjusted coefficients. The total surveyed population comprised 11,496 individuals. Over 51% were female, and 13.2% of the surveyed population were children under 5 years. Almost half of the population was illiterate and unemployed. The prevalences of underweight, stunting, and wasting in children under 5 years were 37%, 53%, and 21%, respectively. The prevalences of underweight and stunting in the 6- to 19-year-old age group were 29% and 38%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight was 36% in the 20- to 40-year-old and > 60-year-old age groups, and 44% in the 41- to 60-year-old age group. Our findings reveal a considerable burden of undernutrition among children under 5 years and a dual burden of undernutrition and overnutrition in adults, highlighting the need to map these areas and sharpen our responses to mitigate the overwhelming and long-term consequences of malnutrition in the Nuh district.

Cinnamaldehyde attenuates TNF-α induced skeletal muscle loss in C2C12 myotubes via regulation of protein synthesis, proteolysis, oxidative stress and inflammation.

Inflammation is the primary driver of skeletal muscle wasting, with oxidative stress serving as both a major consequence and a contributor to its deleterious effects. In this regard, regulation of both can efficiently prevent atrophy and thus will increase the rate of survival [1]. With this idea, we hypothesize that preincubation of Cinnamaldehyde (CNA), a known compound with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, may be able to prevent skeletal muscle loss. To examine the same, C2C12 post-differentiated myotubes were treated with 25 ng/ml Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the presence or absence of 50 µM CNA. The data showed that TNF-α mediated myotube thinning and a lower fusion index were prevented by CNA supplementation 4 h before TNF-α treatment. Moreover, a lower level of ROS and thus maintained antioxidant defense system further underlines the antioxidative function of CNA in atrophic conditions. CNA preincubation also inhibited an increase in the level of inflammatory cytokines and thus led to a lower level of inflammation even in the presence of TNF-α. With decreased oxidative stress and inflammation by CNA, it was able to maintain the intracellular level of injury markers (CK, LDH) and SDH activity of mitochondria. In addition, CNA modulates all five proteolytic systems [cathepsin-L, UPS (atrogin-1), calpain, LC3, beclin] simultaneously with an upregulation of Akt/mTOR pathway, in turn, preserves the muscle-specific proteins (MHCf) from degradation by TNF-α. Altogether, our study exhibits attenuation of muscle loss and provides insight into the possible mechanism of action of CNA in curbing TNF-α induced muscle loss, specifically its effect on proteolysis and protein synthesis.

Two-dimensional CsPbI3/CsPbBr3 vertical heterostructure: a potential photovoltaic absorber.

First-principles methods have been employed here to calculate structural, electronic and optical properties of CsPbI3 and CsPbBr3, in monolayer and heterostructure (HS) (PbI2-CsBr (HS1), CsI-CsBr (HS2), CsI-PbBr2 (HS3) and PbI2-PbBr2 (HS4)) configurations. Imaginary frequencies are absent in phonon dispersion curves of CsPbI3 and CsPbBr3 monolayers which depicts their dynamical stability. Values of interfacial binding energies signifies stability of our simulated heterostructures. The CsPbI3 monolayer, CsPbBr3 monolayer, HS1, HS2, HS3 and HS4 possess direct bandgap of 2.19 eV, 2.73 eV, 2.41 eV, 2.11 eV, 1.88 eV and 2.07 eV, respectively. In the HS3, interface interactions between its constituent monolayers causes substantial decrease in its resultant bandgap which suggests its solar cell applications. Static dielectric constants of all simulated heterostructures are higher when compared to those of pristine monolayers which demonstrates that these heterostructures possess low charge carrier recombination rate. In optical absorption plots of materials, the plot of HS3 displayed a red shift and depicted absorption of a substantial part of visible spectrum. Later on, via Shockley-Queisser limit we have calculated solar cell parameters of all the reported structures. The calculations showed that HS2, HS3 and HS4 showcased enhanced power conversion efficiency compared to CsPbI3 and CsPbBr3 monolayers when utilized as an absorber layer in solar cells.

Metabolic Syndrome Among Adolescents Aged 10-19 Years in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of metabolic abnormalities that include disturbed glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, and arterial hypertension. Nutritional and lifestyle modifications have increased the risk of cardiometabolic disorders among adolescents. Studies conducted in various parts of India have shown a wide range of prevalence among adolescents aged 10-19 years. The various criteria for defining MetS have led to controversial diagnoses, providing inconsistent findings. Additionally, there is a paucity of national-level estimates on the prevalence of MetS in India. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the prevalence of MetS among adolescents. A comprehensive search was conducted to identify studies that reported the prevalence of MetS among adolescents in India. The search was performed using several databases, including PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, Google, and Google Scholar. Relevant data were extracted and assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) guidelines. To estimate the pooled prevalence and explore heterogeneity, a random effects model and I2 statistic were used. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on criteria for defining MetS, sex, study setting, and study site. Sensitivity analysis was performed, and publication bias was also explored. A sample size of 19044 adolescents from 16 studies was included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of Mets among adolescents using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria was 3.4% (95% CI: 1.1-6.6%, I2=97.1%) and the National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria were 5.0% (95% CI: 3.3-6.9%, I2=95.9). The subgroup analyses did not reveal the reasons for heterogeneity, but sensitivity analysis showed a substantial change in the pooled estimate. Our study findings show that the prevalence of MetS among Indian adolescents is higher compared to other countries posing a challenge to address the necessity of intervention among adolescents. Standardizing the definition of MetS is necessary to avoid inconsistency in the estimates. The study findings highlight the need to strengthen existing adolescent programs through the encouragement of increased physical activity and the adoption of nutritious well-balanced diets to mitigate the burden of MetS among adolescents in India.

Effect of Pd/Pt decoration on MoSSe monolayer for CH4 signature through surface adsorption mechanism.

Considering the current breakthrough in gas sensor technology, we have examined impact of CH4 in the vicinity of pristine MoSSe and Pd/Pt decorated MoSSe monolayers using first principles approach. The negative formation energies confirm structural stability of considered monolayers. The pristine MoSSe monolayer is semiconductor having 1.52 eV direct band gap. This value decreases in the presence of Pd/Pt adatom. Further, adsorption strength of CH4 to monolayers is validated by sensing parameters such as adsorption energy, recovery time, charge transfer and work function. Though we found maximum adsorption energies of - 0.674 and - 0.636 eV for adsorption on Se site of Pd/Pt decorated MoSSe monolayers, the overall sensing response also reveals high sensitivity for Se surface. However, both sites S and Se are favorable for CH4 adsorption. When CH4 is activated on Pd/Pt decorated monolayers, band gaps vary with marginal alterations and transform to direct type. Moreover, optical dielectric response alters strongly in the visible region after activation of CH4 on to Pd/Pt decorated MoSSe monolayers. This result identifies sensitivity response in the presence of methane which may detect CH4 gas easily in visible region. Generally, these interesting results of methane sensing study provoke Pd/Pt decorated MoSSe monolayers to be good sensing nano-device.

Mild Cognitive Impairment among Elderly Persons Residing in an Urban Resettlement Colony in Delhi.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal cognition and clinical dementia. MCI is associated with an increased risk of dementia and mortality. Progression of MCI to dementia can be prevented by cognitive and lifestyle interventions. There is limited evidence on the burden and risk factors associated with MCI in India. To estimate the prevalence of MCI among elderly persons, and to study the factors associated with MCI. Materials and Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 365 persons aged 60 years or older, residing in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi. Participants with dementia (score <23 on the Hindi version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) were excluded. Objective cognitive impairment and functional disability were assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Impairment-Basic (MoCA-B) tool and Barthel's Activities of Daily Living, respectively. The prevalence of MCI was estimated by Petersen's criteria, i.e., subjective memory impairment, objective cognitive impairment (MoCA score 19-25), functional independence, and absence of dementia. Univariate analysis was performed, followed by stepwise multivariate logistic regression. The association of socio-demographic and other health conditions with MCI was assessed. Results: The prevalence of MCI was 9.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.7-12.7], 13.3% (95% CI 8.8-19.7) among men, and 6.5% (95% CI 3.9-10.6) among women. The risk of MCI was higher among current smokers. Conclusions: MCI was common among the elderly. Early detection of MCI may be included in health programs for elderly persons.

Maternal Healthcare Services in a Rural Area of Haryana during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Community-Based Study.

Background: It is well documented that the utilization of maternal healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth plays a significant role in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Disruptions in maternal healthcare services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported. However, there is a paucity of literature from rural areas, as most of the previous studies are either record-based or conducted in tertiary care centers. This study aimed to determine the proportion of women who received the recommended maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic and to study various factors associated with the utilization of services. Material and Methods: In this community-based study, we assessed the utilization of maternal healthcare services among 520 women residing in the Ballabgarh Block of District Faridabad, Haryana, whose antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal period coincided with the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Domiciliary visits were made, and women were interviewed retrospectively regarding maternal healthcare services utilized by them. The antenatal care (ANC) cards were reviewed, and details were corroborated. Results: Full ANC was received by 15.3% of women, and 45% of women had less than four antenatal visits. 30.9% of participants had cesarean delivery. The proportion of cesarean delivery in private facilities was significantly higher than in government facilities [Odds Ratio (OR) (95% Confidence intervals (CI)) =10.04 (5.87-17.19); P < 0.001]. In multivariate logistic regression, gravidity was negatively associated with full ANC [OR (95% CI) =0.43 (0.25-0.74); P = 0.002]. Conclusion: Fewer women received the recommended maternal healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Detailed assessment of health systems and factors affecting routine healthcare services, during the pandemic, can help improve the readiness and response in the future.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Acute Kidney Injury Associated With Enfortumab Vedotin for Urothelial Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Enfortumab vedotin is a novel breakthrough therapy that received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval in 2019 for the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma in patients who have failed other lines of treatment. The characteristics of its adverse effects are not well understood. Diabetic ketoacidosis has been reported in 2 postmarketing reports presented as abstracts at the 2020 American Thoracic Society Conference and the 2021 American Society of Nephrology Conference. Both cases progressed rapidly and expired in <3 days. We present a similar case of a man in his late 50s with no history of diabetes who was diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma 2 years prior. Despite several lines of treatment, including platinum-based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, he developed metastasis and was started on enfortumab vedotin. After his second dose of enfortumab vedotin, he was admitted to the intensive care unit for diabetic ketoacidosis with an initial A1C level of 7.7%. He was intubated for airway protection, started on pressors, and developed oliguric acute kidney injury requiring continuous venovenous hemodialysis. Despite aggressive treatment, the patient died on hospital day 2. The lethality of this aggressive diabetic ketoacidosis despite therapy suggests some other effect of enfortumab vedotin on glucose metabolism in addition to insulin resistance and the need for prior diabetes screening.

First contact investigations and compliance to treatment in patients with uveitis.

AIM: To ascertain the pattern of investigations at first contact in uveitic patients and evaluate compliance to treatment. METHODS: An observational study comprised of 201 uveitic patients presenting for the first time to our centre from January 2019 to June 2020. Detailed information regarding systemic investigations undertaken by specialists at the time of first contact and the cost of these investigations were reviewed on the first visit to our centre. Compliance with the treatment was determined and reasons behind non-compliance were evaluated on the first follow-up in patients who had no improvement in clinical signs and symptoms. RESULTS: The mean age of the study group was 35.35±14.1y and gender composition was 59.7% males and 40.3% females. Anterior uveitis was observed in 45.3% of patients, intermediate uveitis in 31.8% of patients, posterior uveitis in 14.9% of patients and panuveitis in 8.0% of patients. Association with a systemic disease was evident in 17.9% of patients. When compared with standard guidelines and uveitis patterns, systemic investigations were identified to be relevant only in 38.3% of patients. Non-compliance to treatment was documented in 22.4% of patients. Common reasons for non-compliance were inadequate counselling by the treating physician about treatment in 26.7% of patients and a busy schedule at work/school in 22.2% of patients. CONCLUSION: Significant number of investigations performed at first contact is found to be contrary to standard guidelines and are not contributory to the care. About a quarter of patients in this study are found to be non-compliant with the treatment. Compliance is more challenging to achieve in school-going children and working adults. The availability of comprehensive, periodically updated, evidence-based guidelines on the role of investigations and the use of trained counsellors may help to channelize proper evaluation and improve compliance to treatment, respectively, in patients with uveitis.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Hypertension Among Adolescents in a Rural Community of North India.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hypertension exerts a substantial burden on the healthcare system in India. Recent literature suggests hypertension to be a rising health problem not only in adults but also in adolescents. The early diagnosis of hypertension in adolescents and timely interventions are key in reducing the burden of hypertension-related morbidity and mortality in later life. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with hypertension among adolescents residing in a rural community in north India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a community-based cross-sectional study done in Ballabgarh, Haryana. A computer-generated random sample of 600 adolescents was drawn through a sampling frame of adolescents (10-19 years) listed in the Health Management Information System. House visits were made and a semi-structured interview schedule was used. Blood pressure was measured using a digital blood pressure (BP) apparatus (OMRON digital BP monitor, three readings) with age-appropriate cuffs, and hypertension was defined using the American Academy of Pediatrics 2017/Indian Academy of Pediatrics 2022 criteria. Age-adjusted BMI was calculated using AnthroPlus software (Geneva, Switzerland: WHO). The prevalence of hypertension was reported with a 95% confidence interval. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was done to determine the association of hypertension with the associated factors. RESULTS: In this study, 550 adolescents participated, of which 284 (51.6%) were males. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 18.9% (95% CI: 15.8-22.4%), stage 1 hypertension 17.3% (95% CI: 14.3-20.7%), and stage 2 hypertension 1.6% (95% CI: 0.8-3.1%). The participants aged 15-19 years (adjusted OR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.51-3.80) compared to adolescents aged 10-14 years, and those who were overweight/obese (adjusted OR: 3.93, 95% CI: 2.14-7.20) compared to those with normal weight had significantly greater odds; whereas the female sex had lesser odds (adjusted OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32-0.81) of having hypertension compared to male adolescents. CONCLUSION: Approximately one-fifth of the participants in this study had hypertension, highlighting the need for interventions including lifestyle modification and active case finding targeting adolescents.

Susceptibility status of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) against insecticides of public health use in Delhi and NCR region, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti is a primary vector responsible for the transmission of various arboviral diseases in India. Without an effective drug or vaccine against these diseases, chemical insecticide-based vector control supplemented with source reduction remains the best option for their effective management. The development of insecticide resistance due to the continuous use of insecticides might affect the control operations. METHODS: Adults and larvae of Aedes aegypti were collected from different localities in Delhi. Larvae were exposed to discriminating (0.02mg/l) and application (1mg/l) doses of temephos. WHO tube assay was conducted for F1 adults using impregnated insecticide papers of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), malathion, deltamethrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin, and lambda-cyhalothrin. RESULTS: Larvae of Ae. aegypti were found resistant (76.0%) to the discriminating dose of temephos, whereas suscep-tible (100.0%) to the application dose of the temephos. Adult Aedes (Fl) mosquitoes were resistant to DDT (23.7%), malathion (90.5%), deltamethrin (76.0%), permethrin (96.2 %) cyfluthrin (85.5%), and lambda-cyhalothrin (94.0%). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Indoor residual spray is not used in Delhi for vector control. Resistance in Aedes might be due to pesticide usage for agricultural activities in peripheral regions of Delhi. There is a need to investigate more on the insecticide resistance mechanisms for indirect resistance development. Understanding the insecticide susceptibility status of urban vectors is critical for planning effective control strategies.

UPR-Induced miR-616 Inhibits Human Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Migration by Targeting c-MYC.

C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), also known as growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 153 (GADD153), belongs to the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family. CHOP expression is induced by unfolded protein response (UPR), and sustained CHOP activation acts as a pivotal trigger for ER stress-induced apoptosis. MicroRNA-616 is located within an intron of the CHOP gene. However, the regulation of miR-616 expression during UPR and its function in breast cancer is not clearly understood. Here we show that the expression of miR-616 and CHOP (host gene of miR-616) is downregulated in human breast cancer. Both miR-5p/-3p arms of miR-616 are expressed with levels of the 5p arm higher than the 3p arm. During conditions of ER stress, the expression of miR-616-5p and miR-616-3p arms was concordantly increased primarily through the PERK pathway. Our results show that ectopic expression of miR-616 significantly suppressed cell proliferation and colony formation, whereas knockout of miR-616 increased it. We found that miR-616 represses c-MYC expression via binding sites located in its protein coding region. Furthermore, we show that miR-616 exerted growth inhibitory effects on cells by suppressing c-MYC expression. Our results establish a new role for the CHOP locus by providing evidence that miR-616 can inhibit cell proliferation by targeting c-MYC. In summary, our results suggest a dual function for the CHOP locus, where CHOP protein and miR-616 can cooperate to inhibit cancer progression.

Aedes aegypti container preference for oviposition and its possible implications for dengue vector surveillance in Delhi, India.

OBJECTIVES: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease globally transmitted by Aedes aegypti. The most effective method to prevent the transmission of the disease is proficient vector control. Understanding the breeding behaviour of the responsible vectors is very pertinent in this regard; therefore, the present study was conducted to understand Ae. aegypti behaviour regarding the selection of containers for oviposition in the megacity of Delhi. METHODS: A household survey in different localities within Delhi was carried out during 2018-2019. All available containers were inspected for the presence of immature Ae. aegypti. In entomological surveillance, the ovipositional preference of Aedes was computed using the breeding preference ratio, container index in the field, and laboratory settings, and associations of dengue cases with monthly variation in environmental factors and container type were also calculated. RESULTS: The household larval survey in 40 localities showed that 40% of 27,776 water-holding containers in 3,400 houses were plastic, followed by overhead tanks (26.2%), and coolers (12.1%). The most preferred breeding habitat was clay pots (9.3%), followed by metallic containers (8.5%) and solid waste (7.1%). A laboratory-based study showed that Aedes preferred clay containers (81.8%) over 4 other types of containers (plastic, paper, metal, and glass). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides a rationale for using clay containers as a possible surveillance tool (ovitraps) or as a vector control tool. This information might aid researchers in developing novel traps and targeting preferred containers for larval control activities during transmission and non-transmission seasons.