M-SAKHI - Mobile health solutions to help community providers promote maternal and infant nutrition and health: a description of development of the Program Impact Pathway using Theory of Change.

Objective: Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) intervention programmes often lack documentation of successful processes. This manuscript aims to describe the development of Program Impact Pathway (PIP) using Theory of Change (ToC) approach for a mHealth BCC intervention titled 'Mobile Solutions Aiding Knowledge for Health Improvement (M-SAKHI)' aimed at reducing stunting in infants at 18 months of age.

Design: The PIP was developed using ToC to design the intervention and plan its implementation.

Aggregation behavior, interaction forces and physico-chemical parameters of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride in aqueous solution of bovine serum albumin: Impacts of short-chain alcohols and temperature.

To better understand the molecular interactions between cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), we report the alteration of the physicochemical characteristics of CTAC in aqueous BSA solutions in the presence of different alcohols. The analyses were performed using the conductivity method at temperatures ranging from 298.15 to 323.

Dataset describing the influence of preharvest gibberellic acid application on fruiting behavior, yield and fruit biochemical properties of rambutan ( L.).

Rambutan ( L.), an exotic non-climacteric tropical fruit in Bangladesh, has got wide acceptance to consumers as well as growers due to its attractive appearance, taste and nutrition, but the demerits of inadequate fruiting and yield as well as low edible properties at the farmers field requires to be addressed. Hence, an experiment was performed with gibberellic acid (GA) and the obtained dataset demonstrates how GA application augmented the fruit set and retention, fruit yield and post-harvest biochemical properties of rambutan.

Climate change and geopolitical conflicts: The role of ESG readiness.

This study examines the relationship between climate change vulnerability and geopolitical risk using data on 42 countries from 1995 to 2021. Utilising two distinct indices, the climate vulnerability index (CVI) and the country-specific geopolitical risk (CGPR) indices, we find that countries with high vulnerability to climate change are more likely to experience geopolitical conflicts. Further analysis reveals that country-level overall economic, social, and governance (ESG) readiness significantly mitigates this detrimental effect.

Identification of antidiabetic inhibitors from and by targeting α-glucosidase and PPAR-γ: , , and computational evidence.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder arising from insulin deficiency and defectiveness of the insulin receptor functioning on transcription factor where the body loses control to regulate glucose metabolism in β-cells, pancreatic and liver tissues to homeostat glucose level. Mainstream medicines used for DM are incapable of restoring normal glucose homeostasis and have side effects where medicinal plant-derived medicine administrations have been claimed to cure diabetes or at least alleviate the significant symptoms and progression of the disease by the traditional practitioners. This study focused on screening phytocompounds and their pharmacological effects on anti-hyperglycemia on Swiss Albino mice of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extract of both plants and as well as the in-silico investigations.

Effectiveness and implementation of psychological interventions for depression in people with non-communicable diseases in South Asia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

We evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for depression in people with NCDs in South Asia and explore the individual, organizational, and policy-level barriers and facilitators for the implementation and scaling up of these interventions. Eight databases (and local web pages) were searched in May 2022. We conducted random effects models to evaluate the pooled effect of psychological interventions on depression in people with NCDs.

Network analysis of patterns and relevance of enteric pathogen co-infections among infants in a diarrhea-endemic setting.

Despite significant progress in recent decades toward ameliorating the excess burden of diarrheal disease globally, childhood diarrhea remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). Recent large-scale studies of diarrhea etiology in these populations have revealed widespread co-infection with multiple enteric pathogens, in both acute and asymptomatic stool specimens. We applied methods from network science and ecology to better understand the underlying structure of enteric co-infection among infants in two large longitudinal birth cohorts in Bangladesh.

Association of bovine serum albumin and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride: An investigation of the effects of temperature and hydrotropes.

Interactions between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) were studied utilizing conductivity approach. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), micelle ionization (α) along with counter ion binding (β) of CTAC micellization in aqueous solutions of BSA/BSA + hydrotropes (HYTs) have been computed at 298.15-323.

Settling in New Zealand's Small Towns: Experiences of Minority Ethnic Immigrants.

Small town New Zealand has, in recent years, experienced an increasing number and diversity of immigrants, with visible yet under-researched impacts for less populated regions that historically have been dominated by Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent) and Māori populations. Using qualitative interviews with three ethnic sub-groups in the Clutha District and Southland Region-the Filipino, Samoan, and Malay communities-we investigate their experiences of settling in small towns. While there is considerable variation in the experiences and aspirations of these ethnic minorities, for each community we demonstrate how local and regional contextual factors shape life aspirations, support infrastructures and settlement trajectories.

Effectiveness of peer-led programs for overweight and obesity in children: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Child health promotion has used peer-led interventions for decades, but their effectiveness for childhood obesity is unknown. This review assesses the effectiveness of peer-led interventions on child and adolescent obesity using a range of adiposity outcomes. We included studies that used a peer-led approach for delivering behavior change communications with a minimum intervention duration of four weeks.

Reducing household air pollution exposure to improve early child growth and development; a randomized control trial protocol for the "Poriborton-Extension: The CHANge trial".

Background: Globally, household air pollution (HAP) is a leading environmental cause of morbidity and mortality. Our trial aims to assess the impact of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking to reduce household air pollution exposure on child health outcomes, compared to usual cooking practices in Bangladesh. The primary aim is to evaluate if reduced exposure to HAP through the provision of LPG for cooking from early gestation through to age 2 improves child anthropometry, health, and neuro-cognitive developmental outcomes, compared to children exposed to emissions from usual practice.

The impact of a package of behaviour change interventions on breastfeeding practices in East Java Province, Indonesia.

Suboptimal infant young child feeding practices are frequently reported globally, including in Indonesia. This analysis examined the impact of a package of behaviour change interventions on breastfeeding practices in Malang and Sidoarjo Districts, East Java Province, Indonesia. The BADUTA study (which in the Indonesian Language is an acronym for BAwah DUa TAhun, or children aged less than 2 years) was an impact evaluation using a cluster-randomized controlled trial with two parallel treatment arms.

Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of LPG cookstoves compared to usual cooking practices to reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity in rural Bangladesh called Poriborton: the CHANge trial.

Background: Household air pollution is a leading health risk for global morbidity and mortality and a major health risk in South Asia. However, there are no prospective investigations of the impact of household air pollution on perinatal morbidity and mortality. Our trial aims to assess the impact of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking to reduce household air pollution exposure on perinatal morbidity and mortality compared to usual cooking practices in Bangladesh.

Wealth- and education-related inequalities in minimum dietary diversity among Indonesian infants and young children: a decomposition analysis.

Background: Over the last two decades, Indonesia has experienced remarkable economic growth. However, the percentage of infants and young children meeting the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) criteria has stagnated. Despite the growing body of evidence of the association between MDD and socioeconomic factors, there is little information about socioeconomic inequalities in MDD in Indonesia.

Allium vegetables: Traditional uses, phytoconstituents, and beneficial effects in inflammation and cancer.

The genus comprises of at least 918 species; the majority grown for dietary and medicinal purposes. This review describes the traditional uses, phytoconstituents, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity, and safety profile of six main species, namely L. (garlic), L.

The Shishu Pushti Trial-Extended Peer Counseling for Improving Feeding Practices and Reducing Undernutrition in Children Aged 0-48 Months in Urban Bangladesh: Protocol for a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The aim of this study is to assess if peer counseling of women improves breastfeeding, complementary feeding practices, and child growth, and thus reduces the prevalence of undernutrition in children up to 4 years of age.

Objective: Lack of exclusive breastfeeding and inappropriate complementary feeding are critical factors in reducing child undernutrition, morbidity, and mortality. There are reported trials of peer counseling to improve breastfeeding; however, they did not examine the efficacy of peer counseling to improve complementary feeding or the long-term impacts on child growth and development.

Pregnant Women's Exposure to Household Air Pollution in Rural Bangladesh: A Feasibility Study for Poriborton: The CHANge Trial.

The use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking is a strategy to reduce household air pollution (HAP) exposure and improve health. We conducted this feasibility study to evaluate personal exposure measurement methods to representatively assess reductions in HAP exposure. We enrolled 30 pregnant women to wear a MicroPEM for 24 h to assess their HAP exposure when cooking with a traditional stove (baseline) and with an LPG stove (intervention).

Forgone healthcare and financial burden due to out-of-pocket payments in Bangladesh: a multilevel analysis.

Background: Ensuring access to health services for all is the main goal of universal health coverage (UHC) plan. Out-of-pocket (OOP) payment still remains the main source of funding for healthcare in Bangladesh. The association between barriers to accessing healthcare and over-reliance on OOP payments has not been explored in Bangladesh using nationally representative household survey data.

Breastfeeding perceptions and exclusive breastfeeding practices: A qualitative comparative study in rural and urban Central Java, Indonesia.

Breastfeeding has been associated with improved growth, development, and health outcomes for infants and children. However, the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Indonesia is suboptimal (37%). There is limited contextualised understanding of mothers' perceptions of breastfeeding and the factors behind exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Trends and determinants of minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6-23 months: a pooled analysis of Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys from 2007 to 2017.

Objective: To examine minimum dietary diversity (MDD) trends and determinants among children aged 6-23 months.

Design: Secondary analysis of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys (IDHS) between 2007 and 2017. The primary outcome was MDD, the consumption of at least five out of eight food groups (MDD-8).

Barriers to uptaking HIV testing among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of qualitative findings.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is a gateway to HIV treatment, care and preventive services for pregnant women attending antenatal clinics. Despite this, uptake of HIV testing is not optimal among pregnant women in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and it could negatively impact the effectiveness of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programs.

Aim: To understand the factors that hinder the uptake of HIV testing among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in LMICs.

"My husband is my family." The culture of pregnancy disclosure and its implications on early pregnancy registration in a child nutrition intervention in rural Maharashtra, India.

Less than seventeen percent pregnant women in rural India had full antenatal check-ups. Early uptake to maternal and child healthcare services is strongly associated with cultural beliefs and practices around pregnancy and childbirth. This study aims to assess the cultural elements that influence women's behaviours of disclosure of their pregnancy in rural setting in Maharashtra state of India.

Health promoting benefits of pongamol: An overview.

Plant-derived chemicals are a source of novel chemotherapeutic agents. Throughout the human civilization, these novel chemicals have led to the discovery of new pharmacological active agents. Research on herbal medicine is of great importance, as most of the active agents used for treating numerous diseases are from natural sources, while other agents are either semisynthetic or synthetic.

Delayed Initiation of Breastfeeding and Role of Mode and Place of Childbirth: Evidence from Health Surveys in 58 Low- and Middle- Income Countries (2012-2017).

Background: Timely initiation of breastfeeding is the first step towards achieving recommended breastfeeding behaviours. Delayed breastfeeding initiation harms neonatal health and survival, including infection associated neonatal mortality. Eighty percent of neonatal deaths occur in the low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where delayed breastfeeding initiation is the highest.