Accelerating Malnutrition Reduction in Orissa

Orissa has performed better than the Indian average in terms of the rate of malnutrition reduction. This positive trend is supported by NFHS data, independent survey data and the State's own monitoring data. Despite this good news, absolute rates remain high with 40 per cent of children under five malnourished, rising to 54 per cent amongst the tribal population. Encouraging progress but recognition of a long way to go has triggered the Department of Women and Child Development to develop a new operational plan to accelerate the pace of malnutrition reduction. The Nutrition Plan is based on five principles, the key being targeting the most vulnerable in high burden districts. Review of national and international experience, analysis of the Department's data, plus primary data collection to fill information gaps, have created an evidence?based Plan which provides a challenging but realistic map for reaching an average annual malnutrition reduction of 3.5 percent

Модифікація целюлози наночастинками ZnO: від жому цукрової тростини до антимікробного композиту

Волокна целюлози були вилучені з жому цукрової тростини і потім модифіковані наночастинками (НЧ) ZnO за допомогою золь-гель процесу з використанням оксим-модифікованого прекурсора Zn [ZnCl2.2{HONC(CH3)2}] у різних вагових співвідношеннях, щоб зробити їх антимікробними. Модифіковані ZnO волокна целюлози додатково характеризувались інфрачервоною спектроскопією з перетворенням Фур'є (FTIR), рентгенівською дифракцією (XRD) та скануючою електронною мікроскопією (SEM). Отримані результати підтвердили наявність добре диспергованих НЧ гексагонального вюрцита ZnO на поверхні целюлози. Більш низькі значення ширини забороненої зони (2,87-2,48 еВ) спостерігалися в модифікованій ZnO целюлозі в порівнянні з чистими НЧ ZnO (~ 3,3 еВ). Антибактеріальну активність досліджували щодо Staphylococcus aureus і Escherichia coli при різних співвідношеннях (1:1, 1:2 і 1:3) і концентраціях (1,5·200 мг·мл – 1) модифікованої ZnO целюлози. Протигрибкову активність модифікованої ZnO целюлози (1:1) оцінювали щодо Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium і Geotrichum candidum. Співвідношення 1:1 модифікованої ZnO целюлози при випробуваній концентрації помітно інгібувало ріст міцелію гриба. Протигрибкова ефективність модифікованої ZnO целюлози залежала від концентрації досліджуваного зразка, тому максимальне інгібування росту міцелію відбувалося при найвищій концентрації (5 мг).Cellulose fibers were extracted from sugarcane bagasse and then modified with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) by a sol-gel process using an oxime modified Zn precursor [ZnCl2.2{HONC(CH3)2}] in different gram ratios to make them antimicrobial. ZnO modified cellulose fibers were further characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Obtained results confirmed well-dispersed hexagonal wurtzite ZnO NPs onto the surface of cellulose. Lower band gaps (2.87-2.48 eV) were observed in ZnO modified cellulose as compared to pure ZnO NPs (~ 3.3 eV). Antibacterial activities were examined against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in different ratios (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) and concentrations (1.5 to 200 mg·ml – 1) of ZnO modified cellulose. The antifungal activity of ZnO modified cellulose (1:1) was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Geotrichum candidum. ZnO modified cellulose ratio of 1:1 at the tested concentration remarkably inhibited the mycelial growth of the fungus. The antifungal efficacy of ZnO modified cellulose depended on the concentration of the sample concerned, therefore maximal inhibition of mycelia growth occurred at the highest concentration (5 mg)

Heating and lighting: understanding overlooked energy-consumption activities in the Indian residential sector

Understanding the climate impact of residential emissions starts with determining the fuel consumption of various household activities. While cooking emissions have been widely studied, non-cooking energy-consumption activities in the residential sector such as heating and lighting, have been overlooked owing to the unavailability of data at national levels. The present study uses data from the Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions, Source Apportionment and Climate Impacts (COALESCE) project, which consists of residential surveys over 6000 households across 49 districts of India, to understand the energy consumed by non-cooking residential activities. Regression models are developed to estimate information in non-surveyed districts using demographic, housing, and meteorological data as predictors. Energy demand is further quantified and distributed nationally at a 4 × 4 km resolution. Results show that the annual energy consumption from non-cooking activities is 1106 [201] PJ, which is equal to one-fourth of the cooking energy demand. Freely available biomass is widely used to heat water on traditional stoves, even in the warmer regions of western and southern India across all seasons. Space heating (51%) and water heating (42%) dominate non-cooking energy consumption. In comparison, nighttime heating for security personnel (5%), partly-residential personal heating by guards, dominant in urban centers and kerosene lighting (2%) utilize minimal energy. Biomass fuels account for over 90% of the non-cooking consumption, while charcoal and kerosene make up the rest. Half of the energy consumption occurs during winter months (DJF), while 10% of the consumption occurs during monsoon, when kerosene lighting is the highest. Firewood is the most heavily used fuel source in western India, charcoal in the northern hilly regions, agricultural residues and dung cake in the Indo-Gangetic plains, and kerosene in eastern India. The study shows that ∼20% of residential energy consumption is on account of biomass-based heating and kerosene lighting activities

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)