Enhancing food and nutrition security in Himalayan foothills with neglected and underutilized millets.

Global food production predominantly depends on a limited number of cereal crops; however, numerous other crops have the potential to support the nutrition and economy of many local communities in developing countries. The different crop species characterized as having relatively low perceived economic importance or agricultural significance are known as underutilized crops. Millet is one of the underutilized crops with significant potential to address nutrient and hunger-related challenges in many developing countries like Nepal due to its versatility and climate resilience.

Gall bladder duplication: A rare biliary malformation.

Gallbladder duplication is a rare anatomical variation with an incidence of approximately 1 in 3800 to 4000 live births, resulting from aberrant biliary organogenesis. This case report discusses a 35-year-old female who presented with intermittent lower abdominal pain, with initial imaging revealing a complex left adnexal cyst. Follow-up CT and ultrasound examinations revealed 2 distinct gallbladder-like structures in the gallbladder fossa, each with a cystic duct draining into the common bile duct.

Assessing the impact of the National Clean Air Programme in Uttar Pradesh's non-attainment cities: a prophet model time series analysis.

Background: Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, faces critical pollution levels, necessitating urgent action. The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) targets a 40% reduction in particulate pollution by 2026. This study assesses the impact of NCAP on 15 non-attainment cities in Uttar Pradesh using the Prophet forecasting model.

Validation of the Indian (Hindi) version of the life-space assessment scale among community-dwelling older adults: a multicentric cross-sectional study.

Background: The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) is an instrument that measures mobility in older adults as they reach different areas, defined as life-spaces extending from home to beyond towns or regions. The purpose of the study was to develop the Hindi version of the LSA (LSA- H) and to investigate the validity and reliability of the Hindi version as well as its cultural adaptation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of two hundred forty-five older adults participated in the study from four different study practice areas.

Health literacy among patients with non-communicable diseases at a tertiary level hospital in Nepal- A cross sectional study.

Health literacy (HL) is crucial in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing one-third of premature mortality by 2030 from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and improving Universal Health Coverage. Low health literacy is linked to poor health outcomes, and evidence shows that levels of limited HL are high, even among highly educated individuals. This study aims to assess HL levels and related factors among patients with NCDs at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Nepal.

Benign pneumoperitoneum in a neonate receiving positive pressure ventilation: A case report and clinical insights.

The presence of air in the peritoneal cavity demonstrated radiographically as the crescent of air under the diaphragm is termed pneumoperitoneum. The causative agents may be divided into spontaneous, traumatic, iatrogenic, and miscellaneous. The majority (∼ 90%) of cases are attributed to hollow viscus perforation which requires immediate surgical attention.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody kinetics up to 6 months of follow-up: Result from a nation-wide population-based, age stratified sero-epidemiological prospective cohort study in India.

Repeated serological testing tells about the change in the overall infection in a community. This study aimed to evaluate changes in antibody prevalence and kinetics in a closed cohort over six months in different sub-populations in India. The study included 10,000 participants from rural and urban areas in five states and measured SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in serum in three follow-up rounds.

Testicular adrenal rest tumors (TART) secondary to congenital adrenal hyperplasia: A case report emphasizing early detection and management.

This study highlights the significance of testicular adrenal rest tumors (TARTs) in the context of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The case report of an 11-year-old male with bilateral scrotal enlargement underscores the diagnostic challenges and complexities involved. Through thorough clinical, radiological, and hormonal assessments, we elucidate the pathophysiology, prevalence, and potential impact on fertility.

Perceptions regarding child care and perinatal depression during COVID-19 pandemic - A cross-sectional community-based survey from Uttar Pradesh.

Background: High levels of stress among pregnant women have been reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic because of various infection-related and lockdown measures. Concerns about safe delivery, breastfeeding, and child care may increase the risk of depression in vulnerable women during the perinatal period.

Aim: To study the perceptions regarding child care and prevalence of perinatal depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serological prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among children and young age group (between 2 and 17 years) in India: An interim result from a large multicentric population-based seroepidemiological study.

Background: Estimating seroepidemiolgical prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody is an essential public health strategy. There is insufficient evidence of prevalence among those belonging to young age population in India.

Objective: To compare the SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate between children and adults in selected sites from India.

Local Delivery of Senolytic Drug Inhibits Intervertebral Disc Degeneration and Restores Intervertebral Disc Structure.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD) is a leading cause of chronic low back pain. There is a strong clinical demand for more effective treatments for IVDD as conventional treatments provide only symptomatic relief rather than arresting IVDD progression. This study shows that senolytic therapy with local drug delivery can inhibit IVDD and restore IVD integrity.

Bazedoxifene, a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator, Promotes Functional Recovery in a Spinal Cord Injury Rat Model.

In research on various central nervous system injuries, bazedoxifene acetate (BZA) has shown two main effects: neuroprotection by suppressing the inflammatory response and remyelination by enhancing oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation and oligodendrocyte proliferation. We examined the effects of BZA in a rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model. Anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects were investigated in RAW 264.

Comparison of Positivity Rates of Rapid Antigen Testing and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for COVID-19 During the First and Second Waves of the Pandemic in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background The advent of the second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in India caused a new range of challenges in diagnosing the virus. Various point-of-care tests have been introduced for rapid diagnosis. Although rapid antigen tests are the most commonly used, the false-negative rates are high.

Impact of Nonpharmacological Public Health Interventions on Epidemiological Parameters of COVID-19 Pandemic in India.

Background Public health interventions are epidemiologically sound and cost-effective methods to control disease burden. Non-pharmacological public health interventions are the only mode to control diseases in the absence of medication. Objective To find the impact of public health interventions on the epidemiological indicators of disease progression.

Stem Cell Therapy for Modulating Neuroinflammation in Neuropathic Pain.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a complex, debilitating, chronic pain state, heterogeneous in nature and caused by a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system. Its pathogenesis involves a wide range of molecular pathways. NP treatment is extremely challenging, due to its complex underlying disease mechanisms.

Unmasking N95 for COVID-19 health-care workers in India.

A general term N95 Mask has been widely used by all including the health care personnel. It has been use incorrectly by all and it should be replaced with the term filtering facepiece respirator. There are two types of respirators being used in the world.

Magnesium hydroxide-incorporated PLGA composite attenuates inflammation and promotes BMP2-induced bone formation in spinal fusion.

Spinal fusion has become a common surgical technique to join two or more vertebrae to stabilize a damaged spine; however, the rate of pseudarthrosis (failure of fusion) is still high. To minimize pseudarthrosis, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) has been approved for use in humans. In this study, we developed a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) composite incorporated with magnesium hydroxide (MH) nanoparticles for the delivery of BMP2.

An Injectable Hyaluronan-Methylcellulose (HAMC) Hydrogel Combined with Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (WJ-MSCs) Promotes Degenerative Disc Repair.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is one of the predominant causes of chronic low back pain (LBP), which is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite substantial progress in cell therapy for the treatment of IVD degeneration, significant challenges remain for clinical application. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of hyaluronan-methylcellulose (HAMC) hydrogels loaded with Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (WJ-MSCs) in vitro and in a rat coccygeal IVD degeneration model.

Resolvin D3 Promotes Inflammatory Resolution, Neuroprotection, and Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury.

Resolvins, a new family from the endogenous specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), promote the resolution of the inflammatory response. Resolvin D3 (RvD3), a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) product, has been known to suppress the inflammatory response. However, the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of RvD3 are not known in a model of spinal cord injury (SCI).

COVID-19 pandemic in India: A Comparison of pandemic pattern in Selected States.

The COVID-19 pandemic currently expanded its roots to the 206 countries in the world. The morbidity and mortality are not only threat to humans but also its impact on economy is indirectly affecting us. The current review was done to find trend in various states of India.

Combined Treatment with Fasudil and Menthol Improves Functional Recovery in Rat Spinal Cord Injury Model.

Neuroprotective measures by preventing secondary spinal cord injury (SCI) are one of the main strategies for repairing an injured spinal cord. Fasudil and menthol may be potent neuroprotective agents, which act by inhibiting a rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) and suppressing the inflammatory response, respectively. We hypothesized that combined treatment of fasudil and menthol could improve functional recovery by decreasing inflammation, apoptosis, and glial scar formation.