Category: LIFESTYLE

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have been able to accurately predict the exact time of the emergence of the first crack in aged clay and blood — a finding that can aid in the diagnosis of conditions like anaemia.

The study can also help in forensics and improving the quality of paints used for coatings.

Researchers studying material science at the RRI proposed a relation between the time of emergence of the first crack, fracture energy — which is the sum of the plastic dissipation and the stored surface energy — and the elasticity of the drying clay sample which can help predict the first crack.

They used the theory of linear poroelasticity, where they estimated the stress at the surface of the drying sample at the time of crack onset.

Linear poroelasticity is a theory for porous media flow that describes the diffusion of water (or any mobile species) in the pores of a saturated elastic gel.

The team equated the stress with Griffith’s criterion which states that a crack will grow when the energy released during propagation is equal to or greater than the energy required to create a new crack surface.

The research, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, detailed that the relation thus obtained was validated by performing a series of experiments. They further said that the same scaling relation worked for other colloidal materials such as silica gels.

“This correlation can be useful while optimising material design during product development. We can apply this knowledge and suggest tweaking in the material composition at the time of manufacturing of industry-grade paints and coatings so that they can have better crack resistance and improve the product quality,” said Professor Ranjini Bandyopadhyay, head of the RheoDLS lab and faculty at the Soft Condensed Matter group at RRI.

In the study, the team used Laponite — a synthetic clay with disk-shaped particles sized 25-30 nanometres (nm) and one nm in thickness.

They created multiple Laponite samples with increasing elasticities, which were then dried at temperatures ranging from 35 to 50 degrees Celsius in a petri dish.

The samples took between 18-24 hours to dry completely and the rate of evaporation and elasticity were measured for each sample. As water evaporated from the Laponite samples, the particles rearranged and stresses developed on the surface of the material.

Higher sample elasticity indicates a better ability of the sample to deform under the influence of these stresses.

It was also noted that the cracks started developing first at the outer walls of the petri dish and later progressed inwards. Later, networks of cracks developed as the sample aged (passing of time).

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed novel flexible near-infrared plasmonic devices for wearable sensors and medical imaging tools.

The team introduced a new approach to achieve flexible near-infrared plasmonic devices using affordable scandium nitride (ScN) films.

“This could revolutionise the design of future optoelectronic devices, flexible sensors, and medical imaging tools that rely on NIR light, by introducing scalable and cost-effective plasmonic materials,” said the researchers in the paper, recently published in the journal Nano Letters.

Plasmonics is a field that leverages the interaction between light and free electrons in metals to create extremely confined electromagnetic fields. Traditionally, plasmonic materials have been rigid and possess limited design possibilities. Most of them, like gold or silver, tend to be costly and possess limited versatility.

The research holds promise for a wide array of industries, from telecommunications to biomedicine, offering a new material foundation for developing next-generation flexible and wearable plasmonic devices.

The team led by Prof. Bivas Saha demonstrated a method to grow flexible plasmonic structures.

They produced ScN layers with exceptional quality and flexibility by pairing scandium nitride with van der Waals layer substrates, materials with weak interlayer interactions. This introduced a new pathway in plasmonic materials research.

The study also highlights the potential of scandium nitride as a promising plasmonic material for applications that require both flexibility and precision in near-infrared (NIR) optics.

“Scandium nitride’s stability, combined with its compatibility with van der Waals substrates, makes it an exciting candidate for next-generation flexible electronics,” Saha said.

“Our findings are a step towards realising advanced plasmonic devices that are not only high-performing but also adaptable to unconventional applications,” he added.

Saha’s team demonstrated that ScN is a stable material that not only supports NIR plasmonics but also retains its performance when subjected to bending and flexing, making it a frontrunner for flexible device applications.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Developing antidepressant medications that target cells in the gut may open a novel path towards effective treatment of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, finds a study. Targeting gut cells may open new ways to reduce depression and anxiety.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Developing antidepressant medications that target cells in the gut may open a novel path towards effective treatment of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, finds a study.

These gut-targeting medications may also lead to fewer cognitive, gastrointestinal, and behavioral side effects for patients and their children than current treatments.

“Antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft that raise serotonin levels are important first-line treatments and help many patients but can sometimes cause side effects that patients can’t tolerate,” said Mark Ansorge, Associate Professor of clinical neurobiology at Columbia University Vagelos.

Ansorge noted that the study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, suggests that limiting these drugs “to interact only with intestinal cells could avoid these issues”.

Further, the team noted that the novel approach may also help pregnant women, without exposing the child.

Antidepressants that raise serotonin (called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs) — the first-line pharmacological treatments for anxiety and depression for over 30 years — are known to cross the placenta and increase problems related to mood, cognitive, and gastrointestinal later in childhood.

On the other hand, leaving depression untreated during pregnancy “also comes with risks to the children,” Ansorge said. “An SSRI that selectively raises serotonin in the intestine could be a better alternative.”

Notably, Serotonin is also produced outside the brain, largely in cells that line the intestines. “In fact, 90 per cent of our bodies’ serotonin is in the gut,” said the team.

This knowledge raises the possibility that increasing serotonin signaling in the gut may impact gut-brain communication and ultimately mood, they noted while testing its possibility in mice.

They found that increasing intestinal serotonin reduces anxiety, and depressive behaviors in mice

“These results suggest that SSRIs produce therapeutic effects by working directly in the gut,” Ansorge said.

The animals also displayed none of the cognitive or gastrointestinal side effects commonly seen in patients taking SSRIs or in mice with increased serotonin signaling throughout their entire bodies.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as colon cancer, incidence rates among adults aged 25-49 are rising across the globe, but India shows the lowest rate among 50 countries, according to a new study.

The research, published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, showed early-onset CRC are rising in 27 of 50 countries/territories worldwide. Of these 20 have seen a faster rise in early-onset. In 14 other countries, including the US, rates are increasing in young adults while stabilising in those 50 years and older.

India, on the other hand, has shown the lowest incidence rate both in terms of early onset and among older adults.

“The increase in early-onset colorectal cancer is a global phenomenon,” said lead author Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist, of cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. Sung stated that the trend was previously seen only among high-income Western countries, but now it’s widespread.

The study aimed to examine contemporary CRC incidence trends in young versus older adults using data through 2017 from 50 countries/territories.

Chile, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Ecuador, Thailand, Sweden, Israel, and Croatia reported a faster rise in early-onset CRC among men than women. However, young women experienced faster increases in England, Norway, Australia, Türkiye, Costa Rica, and Scotland.

In 13 countries with increasing trends in both age groups, the annual percentage increase in young compared to older adults was larger in Chile, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Finland, smaller in Thailand, Martinique, Denmark, Costa Rica, and similar in Türkiye, Ecuador, and Belarus.

For the last five years, the incidence rate of early-onset CRC was highest in Australia, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, the US, and the Republic of Korea (14 to 17 per 100,000) and lowest in Uganda and India (4 per 100,000).

Sung urged the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight.

The expert also called for raising awareness of the trend and the distinct symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer such as rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss among young people to boost diagnosis.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Centrally sponsored Mission Vatsalya scheme has supported 2,450 child care institutions (CCIs) during FY 2023-24 for providing institutional care services to children, said Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Under the Mission, 1,21,861 children were supported for non-institutional care, while 62,594 children were given institutional care.

The CCIs provide age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, and counseling.

The scheme was launched in 2021 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) to support children in need of care and protection (CNCP) and children in conflict with law (CCL).

“The objective of Mission Vatsalya is to ensure that the best interests of children are always taken care of while designing the projects/ programmes,” Thakur said, adding that it also aims to establish “essential services, emergency outreach services for children and include strengthening of institutional and non-institutional care services”.

The MoS said that there are 762 district child protection units, 781 child welfare committees, and 774 juvenile justice boards in the country.

Thakur said that 3,580 children were adopted in-country and 449 children were adopted inter-country during FY 2023-24.

Further, Thakur also informed that more than 81.64 lakh women were assisted through the women’s helpline till October 31.

“Women helpline aims to provide 24x7x365 emergency and non-emergency response through telephonic short-code 181 to women, both in public and private spaces,” the MoS said.

The Women Helpline (WHL) scheme has been implemented since April 1, 2015.

Meanwhile, over 10 lakh women are assisted by 802 One Stop Centres (OSC), Mission Shakti.

The OSC, operational across the country, provides integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces.

It also provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance, and psycho-social counseling to needy women.

“Out of the approved 878 One Stop Centres (OSCs), 802 OSCs are operational across the country, and over 10.12 lakh women have been assisted till October 31,” Thakur said.

–IANS

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Shajapur, Dec 11 (IANS) Jan Aushadhi Kendras, in its bid to revolutionise the country’s healthcare landscape by offering affordable and cheaper medicines to the poor and marginalised sections, is yielding good results and also winning wide applause from the common men.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur district, Vikram Bhavsar is ecstatic and optimistic about his future after getting a job at one of the city’s Jan Aushadhi centres, being operated under Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya JanAushadhi Pariyojana (PM-BJP).

The Jan Aushadhi Kendra was opened sometime ago, and he is happy and relieved about finding permanent employment under the scheme.

Speaking to IANS, he said that the Jan Aushadhi Kendra, operating from the city’s hospital is selling generic medicines to hordes of patients on a daily basis, as thousands of them visit the centre in search of cheaper and affordable medicines.

“This centre is not only providing affordable medicines to the patients, but is also providing employment opportunities for the youth,” he said.

He further said that he was highly grateful to the government as he has found a job in the Jan Aushadhi Kendra and this is helping him to support his family.

“The center is providing cheap medicines to the common citizens, which is benefiting them a lot,” he said.

Jan Aushadhi Kendra manager said that this centre is providing cheap medicines to hundreds of patients every day. He said that this centre is committed to providing affordable medicines to the common citizens.

A beneficiary named Shafeeq said: “Earlier, the medicines which we bought for Rs 500-600 are available at half the price i.e. at Rs 300 at the Jan Aushadhi centres. We are saving good amount of money by buying generic medicines. We are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for starting such policy for poor people.”

The scale of PM-BJP scheme’s astounding success can be understood from the fact that in last 10 years, the sale of medicines worth Rs 6,100 crore have been done through these Kendras, leading to an estimated saving of Rs 30,000 crore.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Indian regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved Cipla to exclusively distribute and market inhaled insulin in the country, the drugmaker said on Wednesday.

The insulin called Afrezza is created and manufactured by MannKind Corporation, and is used to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus.

“Afrezza is a rapid-acting insulin delivered through an inhaler as compared to current insulins which are given as injections. Taken at the beginning of a meal, Afrezza dissolves rapidly upon oral inhalation into the lungs and delivers insulin quickly to the bloodstream,” the company said.

Cipla aims to make the drug accessible to all and empower millions to take control of their health with greater ease.

The company noted that Afrezza will start working in as early as 12 minutes and help in reducing the rapid increase seen in sugar levels with meals.

The effect of Afrezza lasts for about 2-3 hours and it closely resembles the body’s own response to insulin. This is the first and only non-injectable insulin to be developed for patients of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the company said.

“By reducing the need for multiple daily insulin injections, we are offering a convenient solution for people living with diabetes mellitus, particularly those who are uncomfortable with needles, helping them manage their condition more effectively,” said Umang Vohra, Managing Director and Global CEO, Cipla.

Afrezza has been evaluated in over 70 clinical studies involving more than 3,000 patients overall. A phase 3 clinical trial conducted on 216 patients in India showed a significant reduction in HbA1c levels when patients added Afrezza to oral anti-diabetes medications.

The availability of insulin to be inhaled through the lungs will provide a new and innovative option for patients with diabetes mellitus, the company said.

Afrezza has been approved in the US for more than 10 years and has been prescribed for tens of thousands of patients. MannKind will supply Afrezza to Cipla, who will be then responsible for sales and marketing activities in India.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) About 47,307 people with autism, cerebral palsy, and other cognitive impairments have enrolled in the Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, said on Wednesday.

The scheme is a part of the National Trust, which was established under the National Trust Act, 1999, to promote the welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and multiple disabilities.

It aims at providing affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage to individuals with these disabilities.

“In 2024-25, 47,307 people with autism, and cerebral palsy enrolled in the Niramaya health insurance scheme, to date,” Verma said.

He noted that the Niramaya scheme has been operational for the last three years.

In the year 2023-24, the government allocated and utilised Rs 13.87 crore for the scheme, while in 2022-23 it spent and used Rs 18.14 crores, the MoS said. In 2021-22, Rs 11.38 crore was allocated and used toward the scheme, he added.

Further, Verma noted that the Persons with Disabilities (PwD).can also avail the benefits under the flagship health scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

AB PM-JAY provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The scheme can be availed by approximately 55 crore beneficiaries corresponding to 12.37 crore families constituting the economically vulnerable bottom 40 per cent of India’s population.

“With respect to the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) under AB PM-JAY, it may kindly be noted that the scheme’s beneficiary base includes poor and vulnerable families identified in the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC-2011). The SECC-2011 incorporates deprivation criteria for rural areas, one of which is ‘Disabled member and no able-bodied adult member’,” Verma said.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) India has seen significant progress in reducing malaria incidence and mortality rates, according to the latest World Malaria report, from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.

The report showed that the number of estimated malaria cases in India decreased to 2 million cases in 2023 from 6.4 million in 2017 (69 per cent decrease).

Similarly, the estimated malaria deaths decreased to 3,500 from 11,100 (68 per cent decrease) during the same period.

As a result, “India exited the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) group officially in 2024”, the WHO said.

The HBHI approach is a targeted malaria response that is used in several countries to accelerate the pace of malaria elimination in countries with high malaria burden. India joined the HBHI initiative in July 2019.

The HBHI initiative was launched in four states in India: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Further, the report showed that in 2023, India accounted for half of all estimated malaria cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region, followed by Indonesia, which accounted for just under one-third.

The Region had eight malaria endemic countries in 2023 — accounting for 4 million cases and contributing 1.5 per cent of the burden of malaria cases globally.

Just over 48 per cent of all estimated cases in the region were due to P. vivax.

However, from 2000 to 2023, malaria cases reduced by 82.4 per cent, from 22.8 million in 2000, and incidence reduced by 87.0 per cent, from 17.7 to 2.3 per 1000 population at risk, the report said

“The decrease can mainly be accounted for by a decrease in India of 17.7 million estimated cases and a decrease in incidence by 93 per cent, from 20 to 1.5 per 1000 population at risk,” the WHO reported.

At the same time, India and Indonesia accounted for about 88 per cent of all estimated malaria deaths in this region in 2023.

Notably, Bhutan and Timor-Leste, from the Region, reported zero malaria deaths since 2013 and 2015, respectively, while Sri Lanka was certified malaria-free in 2016.

“The progress follows the highest ever political commitment by Member countries, matched by tangible actions and unstinted efforts over the years down to the sub-national level,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia.

“However, accelerated efforts against malaria must continue, to eliminate the disease in countries where malaria persists, and to sustain the progress in countries where the disease is on the decline or has been eliminated,” she added.

Globally, the WHO data reveals that an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths have been averted since 2000, but the disease remains a serious global health threat, particularly in the WHO African Region.

In 2023, there were an estimated 263 million cases and 597,000 malaria deaths worldwide — representing about 11 million more cases in 2023 compared to 2022, and nearly the same number of deaths.

“An expanded package of lifesaving tools now offers better protection against the disease, but stepped-up investments and action in high-burden countries are needed to curb the threat,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Low-calorie and low-fat snacks are seeing significant growth as millets are being increasingly used in India, according to a report on Wednesday.

The report by NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, showed that low-calorie, low-fat, and gut-health-focused products dominate, with one in five snacks linked to health.

Millets and mindful snacking are on the rise, alongside health-oriented consumer tech.

It also showed a cultural influence from South Korea. Personal care and food innovations inspired by Korea have gained traction, emphasising unique flavours and textures.

The report noted a growth in demand for sustainably sourced FMCG, and energy-efficient consumer tech tailored to local needs, urbanisation has been fueling the demand for innovative, high-quality products that simplify life.

NIQ Consumer Survey reveals that 34 per cent of urban consumers prioritise new product availability and 40 per cent — especially Gen-Z and women — actively seek innovation claiming to shop for new products before the others did.

“The appetite for novelty is undeniable. For brands, this presents a strategic opportunity to capture consumer interest and drive sustained growth through meaningful and timely innovations,” said Vidya Sen, Executive Director, Customer Success – BASES, NielsenIQ​ said.

NielsenIQ also celebrated the winners of the 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Awards, at a recent event, honouring brands that have disrupted the market and captivated consumers with exceptional new product launches.

These award-winning products launched between 2022 and 2023 and have successfully navigated an ever-evolving consumer landscape.

Since 2012, more than 900 FMCG brands globally have been recognised with this prestigious honour, including about 140 innovations in India across categories like food and beverages (48 per cent) and personal and home care (52 per cent). This year, NIQ also recognised tech and durables brands in India for their groundbreaking achievements in product development and market success.

–IANS

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