In February, when the news of the first few confirmed cases of coronavirus in India came to light, we as a nation warmed up to the ‘Wuhan virus’, now at our doorstep. The mainstream media rushed to report on emerging new cases and debated if our infrastructure could handle this epidemic. Social media was abuzz with guidelines and ‘pro-tips’ on what and what not to do, nevermind the accuracy.

Infants require the highest level of nutrition for healthy growth and development. A four-month-old child, for example, uses 30% of its consumed food for growth. Adequate intake of minerals, like calcium and potassium, are known to be conducive to their wholesome diet. But, data from UNICEF shows that there is a high rate of undernutrition in children around the world.

Researchers find familial dissimilarities in proteins from two species of Mycobacterium.

Study details how floating plastic debris can affect physical processes in the oceans 

Diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening disease affecting over 8.8% of the Indian population. These individuals often need specialised medical care and support to keep the blood glucose levels in check and ward off complications. Hypertension, a condition where the blood pressure is high, is also chronic and is known to affect about one in three adults in India. As both these conditions are chronic and life-threatening, they pose a significant burden on India’s healthcare system. But, what happens when they coexist in an individual?
A recent study, published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, highlights the plight of individuals in India, with both hypertension and diabetes.

Indigenous tribal communities usually reside in harmony with their environment and possess the knowledge, passed down to them by tradition, of the nutrient-rich food available in their surroundings. These traditional foods are rich in proteins and micronutrients. Globally, almost a billion people are dependent on these foods for adequate nutrition. However, despite this treasure of knowledge and proximity to the biodiverse environment, the tribal communities face widespread malnutrition. A diverse diet, consisting of the specific indigenous foods known and accessible to these communities would fulfil the micronutrient need. But because of reasons like easy access to markets, food security programs and other opportunity costs of accessing diverse food sources, tribal communities are transitioning towards monotonous modern diets, which may contribute to hidden hunger in them.
Dr Suparna Ghosh Jerath of the Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi (IIPH-Delhi) realised the importance of studying and documenting this treasure trove of knowledge of indigenous foods and food habits and exploring the possibility of utilising this knowledge to address malnutrition in the tribal communities.

In a recent study, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, have studied the mechanism behind the phase separation of the tau protein fragment that forms characteristic aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Prostate cancer occurs when the cells of the prostate gland—a male reproductive organ—start growing abnormally due to the elevated level of androgens. Androgens are hormones required for development and maintenance of the male reproductive system. Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is the most commonly used treatment against prostate cancer, wherein the androgen production is reduced or the receptors, which are required for androgen to function, are blocked with the help of drugs like enzalutamide and apalutamide.

Researchers from Canada, Bangladesh, and the USA have proposed a simple, cost-efficient blood test of the newborn that can estimate the pregnancy length. Such a test can help diagnosis preterm births in low resource countries and was found to work successfully for new-borns from Bangladesh.