PreVenTB trial: protocol for evaluation of efficacy and safety of two vaccines VPM1002 and Immuvac (Mw) in preventing tuberculosis (TB) in healthy household contacts of newly diagnosed sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB patients: phase III, randomised, double-blind, three-arm placebo-controlled trial.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of the deadliest infectious diseases over the centuries, killing more people worldwide than any other single infectious disease. There is an urgent need for additional strategies which can expedite efforts to combat TB including a preventive vaccine. In this endeavour, we have developed a protocol for a multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in India that aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two TB vaccines; namely, VPM1002 and Immuvac () () (MIP) among healthy household contacts (HHCs) of sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB) patients.

Evaluation of 1-vinyl-3-alkyl imidazolium-based ionic liquid monomers towards antibacterial activity: An in-silico & in-vitro study.

In this study 1-vinyl-3-alkyl imidazolium-based ionic liquid monomers (ILs) with different alkyl chain lengths {R = hexyl (A), octyl (B) and decyl (C)} have been synthesized for antibacterial applications. The prepared ILs have been characterized using UV, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized ILs against Staphylococcus aureus (S.

Corrigendum: Prevalence, pattern, and determinants of disabilities in India: Insights from NFHS-5 (2019-21).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.

Promising and challenging phytochemicals targeting LC3 mediated autophagy signaling in cancer therapy.

Background: Phytochemicals possess a wide range of anti-tumor properties, including the modulation of autophagy and regulation of programmed cell death. Autophagy is a critical process in cellular homeostasis and its dysregulation is associated with several pathological conditions, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. In cancer, autophagy plays a dual role by either promoting tumor growth or suppressing it, depending on the cellular context.

Bacteriophage as a potential biotherapeutics to combat present-day crisis of multi-drug resistant pathogens.

The rise of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens to most, if not all, currently available antibacterial agents has become a global threat. As a consequence of the antibiotic resistance epidemic, phage therapy has emerged as a potential alternative to conventional antibiotics. Despite the high therapeutic advantages of phage therapy, they have not yet been successfully used in the clinic due to various limitations of narrow host specificity compared to antibiotics, poor adhesion on biofilm surface, and susceptibility to both human and bacterial defences.

Targeting Prohibitin 2-Hu-Hsp70A1A complex as a unique approach towards malaria vaccine development.

Malaria parasite invasion to host erythrocytes is mediated by multiple interactions between merozoite ligands and erythrocyte receptors that contribute toward the development of disease pathology. Here, we report a novel antigen prohibitin "PHB2" and identify its cognate partner "Hsp70A1A" in host erythrocyte that plays a crucial role in mediating host-parasite interaction during merozoite invasion. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA)- and glucosamine-6-phosphate riboswitch (glmS) ribozyme-mediated approach, we show that loss of Hsp70A1A in red blood cells (RBCs) or PHB2 in infected red blood cells (iRBCs), respectively, inhibit PHB2-Hsp70A1A interaction leading to invasion inhibition.

To leave no one behind: Assessing utilization of maternal newborn and child health services by all the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) of Odisha, India.

Background: Indigenous tribal people experience lower coverage of maternal, newborn and child healthcare (MNCH) services worldwide, including in India. Meanwhile, Indian tribal people comprise a special sub-population who are even more isolated, marginalized and underserved, designated as particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs). However, there is an extreme paucity of evidence on how this most vulnerable sub-population utilizes health services.

Experimental and insights: interaction of dimethyl sulphoxide with 1-hexyl-2-methyl imidazolium bromide/1-octyl-2-methyl imidazolium bromide at different temperatures.

Ionic liquids have gained attention as 'designer solvents' since they offer a broad spectrum of properties that can be tuned by altering the constituent ions. In this work, 1-alkyl-2-methyl imidazolium-based ionic liquids with two different alkyl chains (alkyl = hexyl and octyl) have been synthesized and characterized. Since the binary mixture of ionic liquids with molecular solvents can give rise to striking physicochemical properties, the interaction of the synthesized room temperature ionic liquids, 1-hexyl-2-methyl imidazolium bromide [HMIM][Br]/1-octyl-2-methyl imidazolium bromide [OMIM][Br] with DMSO has been examined through density and specific conductance at = (303.

Strengthening breast cancer screening program through health education of women and capacity building of primary healthcare providers.

Background: Globally and in India, breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy. India saw 178,361 new cases and 90,000 deaths in 2020. Timely detection is vital, highlighting the importance of Breast Self-Examination (BSE), especially in low-income settings.

Development, validation & pilot testing of a questionnaire to assess healthcare seeking behaviour, healthcare service utilization & out-of-pocket expenditure of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Odisha, India.

Background & Objectives: Assessing healthcare seeking behaviour (HSB), healthcare utilization and related out-of-pocket expenditures of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of India through a prism of the health system may help to achieve equitable health outcomes. Therefore, this comprehensive study was envisaged to examine these issues among PVTGs of Odisha, India. However, there exists no validated questionnaire to measure these variables among PVTGs.

Additive Manufacturing of Wet-Spun Polysulfone Medical Implants.

Research on additive manufacturing (AM) of high-performance polymers provides novel materials and technologies for advanced applications in different sectors, such as aerospace and biomedical engineering. The present article is contextualized in this research trend by describing a novel AM protocol for processing a polysulfone (PSU)/-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution into medical implant prototypes. In particular, an AM technique involving the patterned deposition of the PSU/NMP mixture in a coagulation bath was employed to fabricate PSU implants with different predefined shape, fiber diameter, and macropore size.

Factors associated with poor self-rated health among chronic kidney disease patients and their health care utilization: Insights from LASI wave-1, 2017-18.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD), associated with other chronic conditions affects the physical, behavioral, and psychological aspects of an individual, leading to poor self-rated health. Hence, we aimed to assess the factors associated with poor self-rated health (SRH) in CKD patients. Additionally, we assessed their health care utilization.

First Report of Rubber Collection Bowls & Plastic and Bamboo Water Containers as the Major Breeding Source of with the Indigenous Transmission of Dengue and Chikungunya in Rural Forested Malaria-Endemic Villages of Dhalai District, Tripura, India: The Importance of Molecular Identification.

Background: With the reports of indigenous cases of dengue and chikungunya in the forest-covered rural tribal malaria-endemic villages of Dhalai District, Tripura, India, an exploratory study was undertaken to identify the vector breeding sites.

Methods: From June 2021 to August 2022, mosquito larvae were collected from both natural and artificial sources in the villages, house premises, and their nearby forested areas outside of the houses. Other than morphological characterisation, species were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction targeting both nuclear (ITS2) and mitochondrial genes (COI) followed by bidirectional Sanger sequencing.

Operational Feasibility of Hospital-Based Cancer Registries in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

Cancer registration is crucial for any country's cancer surveillance and management program. However, there is a lack of systematic evidence on the operational feasibility of hospital-based cancer registries (HBCRs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We systematically reviewed and described the challenges and prospects of HBCRs in LMICs.

Genomic evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: COVID-19 pandemic waves in India.

SARS-CoV-2 has mutated rapidly since its first case report in Wuhan, China, leading to the emergence of an indefinite number of variants. India has witnessed three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country saw its first wave of SARS-CoV-2 illness from late January 2020 to February 2021.

Perception, practices, and understanding related to teenage pregnancy among the adolescent girls in India: a scoping review.

Background: Teenage pregnancy is a concerning public health problem in India. Misperception and misunderstanding about pregnancy and its preventive methods lead to pregnancy when adolescents are involved in unsafe sexual intercourse. This scoping review aims to discuss the evidence on the perception, practices, and understanding related to teenage pregnancy among adolescent girls in the Indian context.

To what extent classic socio-economic determinants explain trends of anaemia in tribal and non-tribal women of reproductive age in India? Findings from four National Family Heath Surveys (1998-2021).

Background: Despite unprecedented socio-economic growth experienced by Indians in the past few decades, and a long history of anti-anaemia public health measures, prevalence of anaemia in Indian non-pregnant women of reproductive age group (NPWRA) has not declined. This warrants a firm understanding of what explains the anaemia situation over time, preferably by sub-populations. Therefore, we aimed to examine the trends of anaemia in tribal NPWRA (least privileged) and compare with the trends in the NPWRA of general caste (most privileged) between 1998 to 2021.

Exploring access to HIV-related services and programmatic gaps for Men having Sex with Men (MSM) in rural India- a qualitative study.

Background: Despite the Link Worker Scheme to address the HIV risk and vulnerabilities in rural areas, reaching out to unreached men having sex with men (MSM) remains a challenge in rural India. This study explored issues around health care access and programmatic gaps among MSM in rural settings of India.

Methods: We conducted eight Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), 20 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and 20 In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) in four rural sites in Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh between November 2018 and September 2019.

Health care utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure of type 2 diabetic patients: A study in primary care in Bhubaneswar, India.

Background: Globally, noncommunicable diseases (NCD) demand a higher healthcare expenditure. Among NCDs, diabetes mellitus is often associated with multiple, co-existing chronic conditions. In low- and middle-income countries where most of the healthcare expenditure is borne out of pocket, diabetes management may pose a significant financial stress.

Multimorbidity and health-related quality of life among patients attending chronic outpatient medical care in Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: The application of partial proportional odds model.

Background: Multimorbidity, the presence of two or more chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in a given person affects all aspects of people's lives. Poor quality of life (QoL) is one of the major consequences of living with multimorbidity. Although healthcare should support multimorbid individuals to achieve a better quality of life, little is known about the effect of multimorbidity on the QoL of patients living with chronic conditions.

Unmet need for treatment-seeking from public health facilities in India: An analysis of sociodemographic, regional and disease-wise variations.

Treatment-seeking behaviour is closely associated with the health status of individuals and countries. About 800 million people have no access to health services in the developing world. Though the situation has been improving, the inequalities across geographical regions, socioeconomic status, and disease types continued to persist.

Prevalence, pattern and determinants of disabilities in India: Insights from NFHS-5 (2019-21).

There is a need to provide an overview of the disability burden in India as there are limited studies. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence and assess the pattern and determinants of disability in India. We analyzed National Family Health Survey-5 data using the "" command in STATA software.