Chronic musculoskeletal pain among elderly individuals in a rural area of West Bengal: A mixed-method study

Introduction: The high prevalence among elderly individuals and potential adverse impact on their overall life quality make chronic musculoskeletal pain a significant public health concern. Chronic musculoskeletal pain is an important cause of self-medication, which must be addressed to avoid various side effects and improve elderly health. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain and its associated factors among individuals (age ≥60 years) in rural West Bengal and explore their perspectives and perceived barriers regarding pain and its management. Methods: This mixed-method study was conducted in rural West Bengal from December 2021 to June 2022. The quantitative strand was conducted by interviewing 255 elderly participants (age ≥60 years) using a structured questionnaire. The qualitative strand was conducted via in-depth interviews of 10 patients with chronic pain. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 16, and chronic pain-related factors were analyzed using logistic regression models. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results: Among the participants, 56.8% reported chronic musculoskeletal pain. The most frequently affected site was the knee joint. Comorbidity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=7.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.2–17.5), age (aOR=5.16, 95% CI=2.2–13.5), depression (aOR=2.96, 95% CI=1.2–6.7) and over-the-counter drug usage (aOR=2.51, 95% CI=1.1–6.4) were significantly associated with chronic pain. Analgesic dependency, lack of motivation to adopt lifestyle modifications, lack of knowledge on analgesic side effects were considered pain management barriers. Conclusion: Managing comorbidities, providing mental support, generating awareness of analgesic side effects, strengthening healthcare facilities should be prioritized for holistic chronic musculoskeletal pain management

Determinants of Modern Contraceptive Usage among Married Women: A Mixed-Methods Study in a Rural Community of India

Objective: A woman’s multifaceted feelings, knowledge, and perceptions of their intimate relations greatly influence their contraceptive behavior. In addition, women empowerment has been increasingly recognized as a key factor in family planning and reproductive health outcomes. This study aimed to assess modern contraceptive usage and its determinants among currently married women of reproductive-age (WRA) in rural Bengal. Materials and Methods: This mixed-method study was conducted in a rural area of Hooghly District, West Bengal from April to September 2021. The quantitative strand of the study was conducted by interviewing 210 currently married WRA. The qualitative strand was conducted via focussed group discussions among husbands/mothersin-law and in-depth interviews with healthcare workers. SPSS software was utilized for quantitative data analysis and factors associated with contraceptive usage were analyzed using logistic regression models. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Result: Currently 114 (54.8%) study participants were using modern contraceptive methods. Education (aOR=7.65, 95% CI=1.85-31.67), empowerment through freedom from family domination (aOR=5.56, 95% CI=1.30-23.66), attitude on contraception (aOR=4.67, 95% CI=1.26-17.19), and family planning counselling (aOR=4.41, 95% CI=1.12-17.33) were found to be significantly associated with modern contraceptive usage. Lack of couple counselling, family support, and knowledge gap was identified as the major barriers to contraceptive usage. Conclusion: Since a woman’s decision-making ability significantly affects their sexual and reproductive health outcomes, effective measures should be undertaken to empower them by creating awareness regarding their rights and freedom to make strategic life choices. Couple counselling should be prioritized to enhance male involvement and eliminate perceived barriers

Reconstructed pCO2 data from tree ring cellulose δ¹³C during 1902-2005 at 10 sites in the Tropics and Northern Subtropics

This is the reconstructed pCO2 data from Tree ring cellulose d13C data with estimation errors for 10 sites (location given below) by a geochemical model as given in the publication by Trina Bose, Supriyo Chakraborty, Hemant Borgaonkar, Saikat Sengupta. This data was generated in Stable Isotope Laboratory, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune - 411008, Indi

Studies on Substrate Specificity and Activity Regulating Factors of Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Purified trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was effective over a wide range of substrates, although differing with regard to their relative activity. Polyanions heparin and chondroitin sulfate were seen to stimulate TPS activity, particularly when a pyrimidine glucose nucleotide like UDPG was used, rather than a purine glucose nucleotide like GDPG. A high Vmax and a low Km value of UDPG show its greater affinity with TPS than GDPG or TDPG. Among the glucosyl acceptors TPS showed maximum activity with G-6-P which was followed by M-6-P and F-6-P. Effect of heparin was also extended to the purification of TPS activity, as it helped to retain both stability and activity of the final purified enzyme. Metal co-factors, specifically MnCl2 and ZnCl2 acted as stimulators, while enzyme inhibitors had very little effect on TPS activity. Metal chelators like CDTA, EGTA stimulated enzyme activity by chelation of metal inhibitors. Temperature and pH optima of the purified enzyme were determined to be 40 °C and pH 8.5 respectively. Enzyme activity was stable at 0–40 °C and at alkaline pH

The DAF-7 TGF-β signaling pathway regulates chemosensory receptor gene expression in C. elegans

Regulation of chemoreceptor gene expression in response to environmental or developmental cues provides a mechanism by which animals can alter their sensory responses. Here we demonstrate a role for the daf-7 TGF-β pathway in the regulation of expression of a subset of chemoreceptor genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. We describe a novel role of this pathway in maintaining receptor gene expression in the adult and show that the DAF-4 type II TGF-β receptor functions cell-autonomously to modulate chemoreceptor expression. We also find that the alteration of receptor gene expression in the ASI chemosensory neurons by environmental signals, such as levels of a constitutively produced pheromone, may be mediated via a DAF-7-independent pathway. Receptor gene expression in the ASI and ASH sensory neurons appears to be regulated via distinct mechanisms. Our results suggest that the expression of individual chemoreceptor genes in C. elegans is subject to multiple modes of regulation, thereby ensuring that animals exhibit the responses most appropriate for their developmental stage and environmental conditions

Purification and Characterization of a Trehalase–Invertase Enzyme with Dual Activity from Candida Utilis

Trehalose and sucrose, two important anti-stress non-reducing natural disaccharides, are catabolized by two enzymes, namely trehalase and invertase respectively. In this study, a 175 kDa enzyme protein active against both substrates was purified from wild type Candida utilis and characterized in detail. Substrate specificity assay and activity staining revealed the enzyme to be specific for both sucrose and trehalose. The ratio between trehalase and invertase activity was found to be constant at 1:3.5 throughout the entire study. Almost 40-fold purification and 30% yield for both activities were achieved at the final step of purification. The presence of common enzyme inhibitors, thermal and pH stress had analogous effects on its trehalase and invertase activity. Km values for two activities were similar while Vmax and Kcat also differed by a factor of 3.5. Competition plot for both substrates revealed the two activities to be occurring at the single active site. N-terminal sequencing and MALDI-TOF data analysis revealed higher similarity of the purified protein to previously known neutral trehalases. While earlier workers mentioned independent purification of neutral trehalase or invertase from different sources, the present study reports the purification of a single protein showing dual activity