Prevalence, Trends, and Socioeconomic Determinants of Coexisting Forms of Malnutrition Amongst Children under Five Years of Age in Pakistan

In Pakistan, malnutrition is a chronic issue. Concerns regarding coexisting forms of malnutrition (CFM) in an individual child are emerging, as children suffering from CFM have a 4 to 12-fold higher risk of death compared with healthy children. This study assessed the prevalence, trends, and socioeconomic determinants of various types of CFM using Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) datasets. Data from children aged 0–5 years old, with complete height and weight information, and valid anthropometry, from all regions of Pakistan (except residents of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and non-de jure residents), were included. The prevalence of CFM was 30.6% in 2012–2013 and 21.5% in 2017–2018 PDHS. Both PDHSs reported a significantly higher prevalence of CFM in Sindh and Baluchistan compared with other regions of Pakistan. Improved socioeconomic status significantly reduced the odds of various types of CFM, except the coexistence of underweight with wasting. The high prevalence of CFM in Pakistan can be averted by multisectoral collaboration and by integrating nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions.

Two coexisting pseudo-mirror heteromolecular telomeric G-quadruplexes in opposite loop progressions differentially recognized by a low equivalent of Thioflavin T

The final 3′-terminal residue of the telomeric DNA G-overhang is inherently less precise. Here, we describe how alteration of the last 3′-terminal base affects the mutual recognition between two different G-rich oligomers of human telomeric DNA in the formation of heteromolecular G-quadruplexes (hetero-GQs). Associations between three- and single-repeat fragments of human telomeric DNA, target d(GGGTTAGGGTTAGGG) and probe d(TAGGGT), in Na+ solution yield two coexisting forms of (3 + 1) hybrid hetero-GQs: the kinetically favourable LLP-form (left loop progression) and the thermodynamically controlled RLP-form (right loop progression). However, only the adoption of a single LLP-form has been previously reported between the same probe d(TAGGGT) and a target variant d(GGGTTAGGGTTAGGGT) having one extra 3′-end thymine. Moreover, the flanking base alterations of short G-rich probe variants also significantly affect the loop progressions of hetero-GQs. Although seemingly two pseudo-mirror counter partners, the RLP-form exhibits a preference over the LLP-form to be recognized by a low equivalent of fluorescence dye thioflavin T (ThT). To a greater extent, ThT preferentially binds to RLP hetero-GQ than with the corresponding telomeric DNA duplex context or several other representative unimolecular GQs.

A Review of the Prevalence, Trends, and Determinants of Coexisting Forms of Malnutrition

Objective: Coexisting Forms of Malnutrition (CFM) refers to the presence of more than one type of nutritional disorder in an individual. Worldwide, CFM affects more than half of all malnourished children, and compared to standalone forms of malnutrition, CFM is associated with a higher risk of illness and death. This review examined published literature for assessing the prevalence, trends, and determinants of CFM. Methods: A review of community-based observational studies was conducted. Seven databases, (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were used in May-2021 to retrieve literature. Google, Google Scholar and TROVE were used to search for grey literature. Key stakeholders were also contacted for unpublished documents. Studies which measured either the prevalence, trends, and/or determinants of CFM presenting in individuals were included. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools for prevalence and longitudinal studies. Results: The search retrieved 14,180 articles, of which 22 were included in this review. The prevalence of CFM varied by geographical area and specific types. Coexistence of stunting with overweight/obesity ranged from 0.8% in United States to over 10% in Ukraine and Syria, while the prevalence of coexisting wasting with stunting ranged from 0.1% in most of the South American countries to 9.2% in Niger. A decrease in the prevalence of CFM was observed in all countries, except Indonesia. Studies in China and Indonesia showed a positive association between rurality of residence and coexisting stunting with overweight/obesity. Evidence for other risk and protective factors for CFM is too minimal or conflicting to be conclusive. Conclusion: Evidence regarding the prevalence, determinants, and trends for CFM is scarce. Apart from coexistence of stunting with overweight/obesity, the determinants of other types of CFM are unclear. CFM in any form results in an increased risk of health adversities which can be different from comparable standalone forms, thus, there is an urgent need to explore the determinants and distribution of different types of CFM.

Conclusion

Legal pluralism in relation to state law falls on two sides of a permeable and shifting divide: (1) multiple forms of collectively recognized law coexist within social arenas (external pluralism), and (2) manifestations of law are internally pluralistic (internal pluralism). Systems of state law face coexisting external forms of collectively recognized law and are internally pluralistic. The divide is permeable and shifting because one of the factors contributing to internal pluralism is interaction with, influences from, and efforts to absorb or control other coexisting forms of law like customary and religious law and international law. An array of legal norms and institutions exist in society: outside, inside, and intertwined with state legal systems....

Staple Crops Biofortification Linking Agriculture, Food and Nutrition towards Eliminating Hidden Hunger

Agriculture is the mainstay of most of people globally. Despite the fact that agriculture has been a traditionally food and nutrition source, people go to bed without food and suffer from malnutrition even within the same households. Similarly, hunger and hidden hunger remains a worldwide widespread challenge. In response, researchers have tried to enhance micronutrients through staple food crops biofortification. The promotion of biofortified crops and unintended narrowed food choices might have been the underlying factor for the coexisting forms of malnutrition: undernutrition, obesity and increased incidence of non-communicable diseases; a malnutrition double burden problem. Therefore, this paper provides views to rethinking critically in order to take steps towards integrating nutrition education in modern agriculture crop biofortification programs more effectively.

Procaine Detection Using Hybrids of Cobalt-Metalloporphyrin with Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

Two organic-inorganic nanomaterials derived from Co(II)-tetra(3-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (Co-3OHPP) and noble metal nanoparticles, namely: Co-porphyrin-nanoAu (Co-3OHPP/nAu) and Co-porphyrin-nanoAg (Co-3OHPP/nAg) were obtained and tested for their capacity to detect procaine. Both hybrids present changes in UV-vis spectroscopy after interaction with procaine, in the same range of procaine concentration. The silver colloid is more easily obtainable and more economically affordable and its hybrid has a wider range of procaine detection from 5.39 x 10-5 mol l-1 to 28.04 x 10-5 mol l-1 concentration, thus being useful for the monitoring of the anesthesic remanence in patients’ plasma. Besides, the plasmonic band of the hybrid is more clearly defined. AFM studies were performed to compare the morphology of the two hybrid materials, Co-3OHPP/nAu and Co-3OHPP/nAg after being exposed to procaine. Both materials display triangular geometries that in case of Co-3OHPP/nAg are not very well defined taking also the form of kvatarons and these two coexisting forms generate pyramidal architectures.