Influence of lifestyle factors with the outcome of menstrual disorders among adolescents and young women in West Bengal, India.

Menstruation is a natural phenomenon for every female, starting from adolescents to menopausal age. Any disturbances in menstrual patterns can eventually affect one's physical as well as psychological health which in turn hamper the quality of life of women. Several factors including genetic predisposition as well as lifestyle modifications adversely affect normal menstrual patterns. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the prevalence of menstrual disorders among adolescents and young women as well as the associated risk factors. A cross-sectional random survey was conducted from January 2020 to January 2022 in various schools and colleges. A structured questionnaire was prepared which include anthropometric details, demographic information, and lifestyle patterns. The data were extracted for further statistical analysis. In the overall study population, the prevalence of PCOS, Dysmenorrhea, Menorrhagia, Polymenorrhea, Hypomenorrhea and the irregular menstrual cycle was found at 14.14%, 15.14%, 6.29%, 3.70%, 5.16% and 44.83% respectively. The mean BMI of the study population was 19.949 ± 4.801 kg/m2 and the mean WHr was 0.872 ± 0.101, indicating a moderate to high risk of metabolic disorder among the study population. Increased BMI, short sleep, and sedentary and vigorous physical activity can contribute to the risk of developing menstrual disorders. Unhealthy food habits are a major risk factor for menstrual disorders. Lifestyle modifications like healthy food habits, sleeping patterns, physical activity, etc. can effectively reduce the risk of menstrual disorders and also cut down the severity of more complex health problems. In-depth biochemical and molecular analysis is required to identify specific biomarkers.

Mutational spectra of SARS-CoV-2 orf1ab polyprotein and signature mutations in the United States of America.

The pandemic COVID-19 outbreak has been caused due to SARS-CoV-2 pathogen, resulting in millions of infections and deaths worldwide, the United States being on top at the present moment. The long, complex orf1ab polyproteins of SARS-CoV-2 play an important role in viral RNA synthesis. To assess the impact of mutations in this important domain, we analyzed 1134 complete protein sequences of the orf1ab polyprotein from the NCBI virus database from affected patients across various states of the United States from December 2019 to 25 April 2020. Multiple sequence alignment using Clustal Omega followed by statistical significance was calculated. Four significant mutations T265I (nsp 2), P4715L (nsp 12), and P5828L and Y5865C (both at nsp 13) were identified in important nonstructural proteins, which function either as replicase or helicase. A comparative analysis shows 265 T→I, 5828 P→L, and 5865Y→C are unique to the United States and not reported from Europe or Asia; while one, 4715 P→L is predominant in both Europe and the United States. Mutational changes in amino acids are predicted to alter the structure and function of the corresponding proteins, thereby, it is imperative to consider the mutational spectra while designing new antiviral therapeutics targeting viral orf1ab.

The impact of human waste hair reprocessing occupation on environmental degradation-A case study from rural West Bengal, India.

Human hair is considered as a potential biowaste worldwide, and improper disposal of hair can create multiple environmental problems. Due to unique characteristic features, human waste hair can be efficiently utilized for versatile applications, from agricultural industries to fashion industries. There is a huge business of human hair in many multinational countries and also in some rural areas of India. The continuous demand of such keratinous waste for human need in turn is producing residual waste at an alarming rate that causes environmental degradation. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the possible impacts of waste hair reprocessing activity on environmental health in rural India, citing examples from Radhapur village. Physico-chemical parameters of pond water and soil from the dumpsite were assessed. Along with this, elemental profile of waste hair, pond water and soil was estimated. To assess the deterioration of water quality, zooplankton diversity was also measured. Water quality index showed that the studied ponds are unsuitable for drinking purpose and aquaculture. The Shannon index further indicated comparatively lower diversity of zooplankton community in the studied ponds. Due to the presence of total organic carbon and available N-P-K, the soil can sustain the growth and survival of plants; however, the risk of toxic metal accumulation may be persisted. Hence, to enhance the utilization of waste hair in a large scale, a policy framework is extremely required that will incorporate environmental and social well-being and provide necessary support towards sustainable development. Future study needs to be carried out to eliminate the toxic elements from the water and soil using some phytoremediation strategies.