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Objective To examine inequalities and opportunity gaps in co-coverage of health and nutrition interventions in seven countries. Methods We used data from the most recent (2015-2018) demographic and health surveys of mothers with children younger than 5 years in Afghanistan (n = 19 632), Bangladesh (n = 5051), India (n = 184 641), Maldives (n = 2368), Nepal (n = 3998), Pakistan (n = 8285) and Sri Lanka (n = 7138). We estimated co-coverage for a set of eight health and eight nutrition interventions and assessed within-country inequalities in co-coverage by wealth and geography. We examined opportunity gaps by comparing coverage of nutrition interventions with coverage of their corresponding health delivery platforms. Findings Only 15% of 231 113 mother-child pairs received all eight health interventions (weighted percentage). The percentage of mother-child pairs who received no nutrition interventions was highest in Pakistan (25%). Wealth gaps (richest versus poorest) for co-coverage of health interventions were largest for Pakistan (slope index of inequality: 62 percentage points) and Afghanistan (38 percentage points). Wealth gaps for co-coverage of nutrition interventions were highest in India (32 percentage points) and Bangladesh (20 percentage points). Coverage of nutrition interventions was lower than for associated health interventions, with opportunity gaps ranging from 4 to 54 percentage points. Conclusion Co-coverage of health and nutrition interventions is far from optimal and disproportionately affects poor households in south Asia. Policy and programming efforts should pay attention to closing coverage, equity and opportunity gaps, and improving nutrition delivery through health-care and other delivery platforms. Objectif Examen des inegalites et des ecarts de perspectives dans la couverture commune des interventions en matiere de sante et de nutrition dans sept pays. Methodes Nous avons utilise les donnees des enquetes demographiques et sanitaires les plus recentes (2015-2018) aupres de meres ayant des enfants de moins de 5 ans en Afghanistan (n = 19 632), au Bangladesh (n = 5051), en Inde (n = 184 641), aux Maldives (n = 2368), au Nepal (n = 3998), au Pakistan (n = 8285) et au Sri Lanka (n = 7138). Nous avons estime la couverture commune pour un ensemble de huit interventions dans le domaine de la sante et huit autres liees a la nutrition et nous avons evalue les inegalites au sein des pays en matiere de couverture commune en fonction de la richesse et de la geographie. Nous avons examine les ecarts de perspectives en comparant la couverture des interventions en matiere de nutrition avec celle des plateformes de prestation de soins correspondantes. Resultats Seuls 15 % des 231 113 couples mere-enfant ont beneficie des huit interventions sanitaires (pourcentage pondere). Le taux de couples mere-enfant n'ayant beneficie d'aucune intervention en matiere de nutrition etait le plus eleve au Pakistan (25 %). Les ecarts de richesse (les plus riches par rapport aux plus pauvres) pour la couverture commune des interventions sanitaires etaient les plus importants au Pakistan (indice de pente des inegalites : 62 points de pourcentage) et en Afghanistan (38 points de pourcentage). Les ecarts de richesse pour la couverture commune des interventions en nutrition etaient les plus eleves en Inde (32 points de pourcentage) et au Bangladesh (20 points de pourcentage). La couverture des interventions en matiere de nutrition etait plus faible que celle des interventions sanitaires associees, avec des ecarts de perspectives s'etalant de 4 a 54 points de pourcentage. Conclusion La couverture commune des interventions en matiere de sante et de nutrition est loin d'etre optimale et affecte de maniere disproportionnee les menages pauvres d'Asie du Sud. Les efforts en matiere de politique et de programmation devraient viser a combler les ecarts en matiere de couverture, dequite et de perspective et a ameliorer la fourniture d'interventions de nutrition au travers de soins de sante et d'autres plateformes de prestation. Objetivo Analizar las desigualdades y la falta de oportunidades en la cobertura conjunta de las intervenciones sanitarias y de nutricion en siete paises. Metodos Se utilizaron los datos de las encuestas demograficas y sanitarias mas recientes (entre 2015 y 2018) de madres con hijos menores de 5 anos en Afganistan (n= 19 632), Bangladesh (n= 5051), India (n= 184 641), Maldivas (n= 2368), Nepal (n= 3998), Pakistan (n= 8285) y Sri Lanka (n= 7138). Se calculo la cobertura conjunta de un grupo de ocho intervenciones sanitarias y ocho de nutricion y se evaluaron las desigualdades en la cobertura conjunta dentro del pais segun la riqueza y la geografia. Se analizaron las diferencias de oportunidad al comparar la cobertura de las intervenciones de nutricion con la cobertura de sus correspondientes plataformas de prestacion de servicios sanitarios. Resultados Solo el 15 % de 231 113 parejas madre e hijo recibieron las ocho intervenciones sanitarias (porcentaje ponderado). El porcentaje de parejas madre e hijo que no recibieron ninguna intervencion de nutricion fue mayor en Pakistan (25 %). Las diferencias de riqueza (los mas ricos frente a los mas pobres) para la cobertura conjunta de las intervenciones sanitarias fueron mayores en Pakistan (indice de desigualdad de la pendiente: 62 puntos porcentuales) y en Afganistan (38 puntos porcentuales). Las diferencias de riqueza para la cobertura conjunta de las intervenciones de nutricion fueron mayores en India (32 puntos porcentuales) y en Bangladesh (20 puntos porcentuales). La cobertura de las intervenciones de nutricion fue menor que la de las intervenciones sanitarias asociadas, con diferencias de oportunidad que iban de 4 a 54 puntos porcentuales. Conclusion La cobertura conjunta de las intervenciones sanitarias y de nutricion esta lejos de ser optima y afecta de manera desproporcionada a los hogares pobres de Asia Meridional. Los esfuerzos en materia de politica y programacion deben prestar atencion a la reduccion de las diferencias de cobertura, equidad y oportunidad, y a la mejora de la prestacion de servicios de nutricion a traves de la atencion sanitaria y demas plataformas de prestacion. [phrase omitted], Introduction Universal health coverage (UHC) is fundamental to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs), reducing inequalities and ensuring that no one is left behind. (1) Timely delivery of a complete [...]

Background: Modeling studies estimated severe impacts of potential service delivery disruptions due to COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child nutrition outcomes. Although anecdotal evidence exists on disruptions, little is known about the actual state of service delivery at scale. We studied disruptions and restorations, challenges and adaptations in health and nutrition service delivery by frontline workers (FLWs) in India during COVID-19 in 2020. Methods: We conducted phone surveys with 5500 FLWs (among them 3118 Anganwadi Workers) in seven states between August–October 2020, asking about service delivery during April 2020 (T1) and in August-October (T2), and analyzed changes between T1 and T2. We also analyzed health systems administrative data from 704 districts on disruptions and restoration of services between pre-pandemic (December 2019, T0), T1 and T2. Results: In April 2020 (T1), village centers, fixed day events, child growth monitoring, and immunization were provided by <50% of FLWs in several states. Food supplementation was least disrupted. In T2, center-based services were restored by over a third in most states. Administrative data highlights geographic variability in both disruptions and restorations. Most districts had restored service delivery for pregnant women and children by T2 but had not yet reached T0 levels. Adaptations included home delivery (60 to 96%), coordinating with other FLWs (7 to 49%), and use of phones for counseling (~2 to 65%). Personal fears, long distances, limited personal protective equipment, and antagonistic behavior of beneficiaries were reported challenges. Conclusions: Services to mothers and children were disrupted during stringent lockdown but restored thereafter, albeit not to pre-pandemic levels. Rapid policy guidance and adaptations by FLWs enabled restoration but little remains known about uptake by client populations. As COVID-19 continues to surge in India, focused attention to ensuring essential services is critical to mitigate these major indirect impacts of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Anemia and poor physical growth during adolescence have far-ranging consequences, but limited longitudinal evidence exists on how changes in these factors relate to changes in learning skills as adolescents mature. Objectives We examined the association between changes in anemia and physical growth during adolescence and learning outcomes. Methods We used longitudinal data from the Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) project, which surveyed adolescents aged 10–19 y in northern India in 2015–2016 and 2018–2019 (n  = 5963). We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models to examine associations between changes in anemia/thinness/stunting status (4 groups: never, improved, new, and persistent) and reading (ability to read a story) and math proficiency (ability to solve division problems) at follow-up. Results Persistent anemia and stunting were higher among girls than among boys (46% compared with 8% and 37% compared with 14%, respectively), but persistent thinness was lower (7% compared with 16%). Improvement in anemia, thinness, and stunting was 1.4–1.7 times higher among boys than among girls. Boys who were anemic in both waves were 74% [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.59] and 65% (AOR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.76) less likely to be able to read a story and solve division problems, respectively, than boys who were nonanemic in both waves. Persistent thinness in boys was negatively associated with both reading (AOR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.66) and math proficiency (AOR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.46). Persistent stunting contributed to lower reading and math proficiency in boys and girls (AORs: 0.29–0.46). Boys whose anemia or thinness status improved and girls whose stunting status improved had similar learning skills at follow-up as those who were never anemic/thin/stunted. Conclusions Persistent anemia, thinness, and short stature during adolescence were associated with poor learning. Programs targeted at adolescents should contribute to nurturing environments that foster healthy growth and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may substantially affect health systems, but little primary evidence is available on disruption of health and nutrition services.Objectives: This study aimed to 1) determine the extent of disruption in provision and utilization of health and nutrition services induced by the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh, India; and 2) identify how adaptations were made to restore service provision in response to the pandemic.Methods: We conducted longitudinal surveys with frontline workers (FLWs, n = 313) and mothers of children <2 y old (n = 659) in December 2019 (in-person) and July 2020 (by phone). We also interviewed block-level managers and obtained administrative data. We examined changes in service provision and utilization using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests.Results: Compared with prepandemic, service provision reduced substantially during lockdown (83-98 percentage points, pp), except for home visits and take-home rations (∼30%). Most FLWs (68%-90%) restored service provision in July 2020, except for immunization and hot cooked meals (<10%). Administrative data showed similar patterns of disruption and restoration. FLW fears, increased workload, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and manpower shortages challenged service provision. Key adaptations made to provide services were delivering services to beneficiary homes (∼40%-90%), social distancing (80%), and using PPE (40%-50%) and telephones for communication (∼20%). On the demand side, service utilization reduced substantially (40-80 pp) during the lockdown, but about half of mothers received home visits and food supplementation. Utilization for most services did not improve after the lockdown, bearing the challenges of limited travel (30%), nonavailability of services (26%), and fear of catching the virus when leaving the house (22%) or meeting service providers (14%).Conclusions: COVID-19 disrupted the provision and use of health and nutrition services in Uttar Pradesh, India, despite adaptations to restore services. Strengthening logistical support, capacity enhancement, performance management, and demand creation are needed to improve service provision and utilization during and post-COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The impact of climate change on agriculture and food security has been examined quite thoroughly by researchers globally as well as in India. While existing studies provide evidence on how climate variability affects the food security and nutrition, research examining the extent of effect vulnerability of agriculture to climate change can have on nutrition in India are scarce. This study examined a) the association between the degree of vulnerability in agriculture to climate change and child nutrition at the micro-level b) spatial effect of climate vulnerability on child nutrition, and c) the geographical hotspots of both vulnerability in agriculture to climate change and child malnutrition. Methods: The study used an index on vulnerability of agriculture to climate change and linked it to child malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting, underweight and anaemia) from the National Family Health Survey 4 (2015–16). Mixed-effect and spatial autoregressive models were fitted to assess the direction and strength of the relationship between vulnerability and child malnutrition at macro and micro level. Spatial analyses examined the within-district and across-district spill-over effects of climate change vulnerability on child malnutrition. Results: Both mixed-effect and spatial autoregressive models found that the degree of vulnerability was positively associated with malnutrition among children. Children residing in districts with a very high degree of vulnerability were more like to have malnutrition than those residing in districts with very low vulnerability. The analyses found that the odds of a child suffering from stunting increased by 32%, wasting by 42%, underweight by 45%, and anaemia by 63% if the child belonged to a district categorised as very highly vulnerable when compared to those categorised as very low. The spatial analysis also suggested a high level of clustering in the spatial distribution of vulnerability and malnutrition. Hotspots of child malnutrition and degree of vulnerability were mostly found to be clustered around western-central part of India. Conclusion: Study highlights the consequences that vulnerability of agriculture to climate change can have on child nutrition. Strategies should be developed to mitigate the effect of climate change on areas where there is a clustering of vulnerability and child malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Between 2014 and 2017, a program aimed at reducing HIV risk and promoting safe sex through consistent use of condoms sought to work through addressing social and economic vulnerabilities and strengthening community-led organizations (COs) of female sex workers (FSWs). This study examines if the program was effective by studying relationship between strengthening of COs, vulnerability reduction, and sustaining of consistent condom use behavior among FSWs. Methods: We used a longitudinal study design to assess the change in outcomes. A three-stage sampling design was used to select FSWs for the study. Panel data of 2085 FSWs selected from 38 COs across five states of India was used to examine the change in various outcomes from 2015 (Survey Round 1) to 2017 (Survey Round 2). The CO level program pillar measuring institutional development assessed performance of COs in six domains critical for any organization's functionality and sustainability: governance, project management, financial management, program monitoring, advocacy and networking, and resource mobilization. Overall, 32 indicators from all these domains were used to compute the CO strength score. A score was computed by taking mean of average dimension scores. The overall score was divided into two groups based on the median cutoff; COs which scored below the median were considered to have low CO strength, while COs which scored above or equal to median were considered to have high CO strength. Multivariable regression modeling techniques were used to examine the effect of program pillars on outcome measures. Results: Analyses showed a significant improvement in the strength of the COs over time; percentage of COs having high strength improved from 50% in 2015 to 87% in Round 2. The improvement in CO's strength increased financial security (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 2.18, p<0.01), social welfare security (AOR: 1.71, p<0.01), and socio-legal security (AOR: 2.20, p<0.01) among FSWs. Further, improvement in financial security led to significant increase in consistent condom use with client among FSWs (AOR: 1.69, p<0.01) who were members of COs having high strength. Sustained consistent condom use was positively associated with young age (<30 years), ability to negotiate with clients for condom use, membership in self-help groups, high self-efficacy, self-confidence, and client solicitation in streets and brothels. Conclusions: Improving financial security and strengthening FSW led CO can improve sustained and consistent condom use. In addition, the program should focus on enhancing ability of FSWs to negotiate with clients for condom use, promote membership in self-help groups and target FSWs who are 30 years or older, and soliciting from homes to sustain consistent condom use across all FSWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the frequency and risk factors for mental disorders following pancreatitis. Methods: Patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) were identified (n = 18,074) from a nationwide database in New Zealand (1998-2015). They were followed from their first hospital admissions for AP or CP to incident mental disorders. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results: CP (vs AP) was associated with a significantly higher risk of mental disorders (adjusted HR = 2.00 [95% CI = 1.53-2.62]). Pre-existing diabetes (adjusted HR = 8.99 [95% CI = 6.23-12.96] for AP and adjusted HR = 3.42 [95% CI = 2.37-4.96] for CP) and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus (adjusted HR = 7.10 [95% CI = 4.14-12.19] for AP and adjusted HR = 2.97 [95% CI = 1.83-4.82] for CP) were risk factors for mental disorders in individuals following pancreatitis. Severe (adjusted HR = 2.07 [95% CI = 1.39-3.06] vs mild) and recurrent (adjusted HR = 1.62 [95% CI = 1.07-2.45] vs single episode) attacks were associated with significantly higher risks of mental disorders following AP. Conclusions: Patients following CP, recurrent AP, severe AP, and those with diabetes are at high risk for developing mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt, the timing of high-pressure and retrograde metamorphism is controversial. Recently, an area in the Asemi River region (central Shikoku, Japan) was delineated that had been subjected to ecologite facies metamorphism prior to retrograde metamorphism in the epidote-amphibolite facies which provides a new opportunity to constrain the age of high-pressure metamorphism. Detrital zircon from this area yields ages as young as 84 ± 4 Ma. Hence, the protoliths were deposited not earlier than ca. 88 Ma and thus, eclogite facies and retrograde metamorphism occurred after 88 Ma, probably at 86–82 Ma as indicated by the age of metamorphic zircon and K-Ar and Ar-Ar ages for white mica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age spectra of detrital zircons in meta-sediments from Palawan Island, Mindoro Island, Tablas, and the Buruanga Peninsula of Panay Island in the Central Philippines provide evidence for the provenance of these zircons in the northern part of the Cathaysia Block, SE China. These islands form the western part of the Philippine archipelago and are part of the Palawan Continental Terrane (PCT), which is considered to be a rifted fragment of the continental margin of SE China which moved south from its original location as a consequence of the opening of the South China Sea (SCS). This rifted fragment contains records of the history of the continental margin of SE China. In this study, we present Hf isotopic compositions of previously dated zircon grains by U-Pb dating technique, in meta-sediments from PCT. The results indicate that for several age groups, in particular those of 80 - 93, 245 - 270, and 400 - 465 Ma, εHf(T) of the zircons from the PCT is higher than in corresponding zircons from mainland SE China implying greater contributions from the mantle to the magmas from which these zircons crystallized. This suggests that most of the zircons found in the PCT were not transported over long distances from the interior of the SE Chinese cratons but are derived from regional sources, which are represented by the Camarong Gneiss and the rhyolite in Mindoro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the north-eastern part of the Palawan Continental Terrane, which forms the south-western part of the Philippine archipelago, several metamorphic complexes are exposed that are considered to be rifted parts of the Asian margin in South-East China. The protolith age(s) and correlations of these complexes are contentious. The largest metamorphic complex of the Palawan Continental Terrane comprises the Mindoro Metamorphics. The north-eastern part of this metamorphic complex has recently been found to be composed of protoliths of Late Carboniferous to Late Permian protolith age. However, meta-sediments exposed at the westernmost tip and close to the southern boundary of the exposure of the Mindoro Metamorphics contain detrital zircons and with U-Pb ages, determined by LA-ICP-MS, in the range 22-56 Ma. In addition, zircons as young as 112 Ma were found in a sample of the Romblon Metamorphics in Tablas. As the youngest detrital zircons provide an upper age limit for the time of deposition in meta-sediments, these results suggest that the Mindoro and Romblon Metamorphics comprise protoliths of variable age: Late Carboniferous to Late Permian in NE Mindoro; Eocene or later in NW Mindoro; Miocene at the southern margin of the Mindoro metamorphics; and Cretaceous or later on Tablas. The presence of non-metamorphic sediments of Late Eocene to Early Oligocene age in Mindoro (Lasala Formation), which are older than the youngest metasediments, suggests that metamorphism of the young meta-sediments of Mindoro is the result of the collision of the Palawan Continental terrane with the Philippine Mobile Belt in Late Miocene. Similarities of the age spectra of zircons from the Eocene to Miocene metamorphics with the Eocene to Early Miocene Lasala Formation suggest that the protoliths of the young metamorphics may be equivalents of the Lasala Formation or were recycled from the Lasala Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine inequalities and opportunity gaps in co-coverage of health and nutrition interventions in seven countries. Methods We used data from the most recent (2015-2018) demographic and health surveys of mothers with children younger than 5 years in Afghanistan (n = 19 632), Bangladesh (n = 5051), India (n = 184 641), Maldives (n = 2368), Nepal (n = 3998), Pakistan (n = 8285) and Sri Lanka (n = 7138). We estimated co-coverage for a set of eight health and eight nutrition interventions and assessed within-country inequalities in co-coverage by wealth and geography. We examined opportunity gaps by comparing coverage of nutrition interventions with coverage of their corresponding health delivery platforms. Findings Only 15% of 231 113 mother--child pairs received all eight health interventions (weighted percentage). The percentage of mother--child pairs who received no nutrition interventions was highest in Pakistan (25%). Wealth gaps (richest versus poorest) for cocoverage of health interventions were largest for Pakistan (slope index of inequality: 62 percentage points) and Afghanistan (38 percentage points). Wealth gaps for co-coverage of nutrition interventions were highest in India (32 percentage points) and Bangladesh (20 percentage points). Coverage of nutrition interventions was lower than for associated health interventions, with opportunity gaps ranging from 4 to 54 percentage points. Conclusion Co-coverage of health and nutrition interventions is far from optimal and disproportionately affects poor households in south Asia. Policy and programming efforts should pay attention to closing coverage, equity and opportunity gaps, and improving nutrition delivery through health-care and other delivery platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used pore water dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), SO 4 2− , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ gradients at the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) to estimate biogeochemical fluxes for cored sediments collected offshore SW Taiwan. Net DIC flux changes (Δ DIC-Prod ) were applied to determine the proportion of sulfate consumption by organic matter oxidation (heterotrophic sulfate reduction) and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), and to determine reliable CH 4 fluxes at the SMTZ. Our results show that SO 4 2− profiles are mainly controlled by AOM rather than heterotrophic sulfate reduction. Refinement of CH 4 flux estimates enhance our understanding of methane abundance from deep carbon reservoirs to the SMTZ. Concentrations of chloride (Cl − ), bromide (Br − ) and iodide (I − ) dissolved in pore water were used to identify potential sources that control fluid compositions and the behavior of dissolved ions. Constant Cl − concentrations throughout ∼30 m sediment suggest no influence of gas hydrates for the compositions within the core. Bromide (Br − ) and Iodine (I − ) concentrations increase with sediment depth. The I − /Br − ratio appears to reflect organic matter degradation. SO 4 2− concentrations decrease with sediment depth at a constant rate, and sediment depth profiles of Br − and I − concentrations suggests diffusion as the main transport mechanism. Therefore diffusive flux calculations are reasonable. Coring sites with high CH 4 fluxes are more common in the accretionary wedge, amongst thrust faults and fractures, than in the passive continental margin offshore southwestern Taiwan. AOM reactions are a major sink for CH 4 passing upward through the SMTZ and prevent high methane fluxes in the water column and to the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooling rates for 144–134 Ma gneisses in the Chinmen area that behave similarly to ~100 Ma dioritic rocks in the Zhangzhou Igneous Complex cross the Chang-Nanao fault are explained by thermal reset in the post-orogenic stage. • Zircon double dating is conducted on plutonic rocks in two sides of a thrust fault. • Fast cooling curves constructed for Zhangzhou rocks match with shallow intrusives. • Same cooling rates obtained for deep-seated Chinmen gneisses require thermal reset. • Rapid uplift and exhumation of the PDMB were due to the collision at 130–120 Ma. • PDMB has been subjected to the post-orogenic thermal reset at 110–85 Ma. Zircon double dating technique for U-Pb and fission track (FT) ages is used to reassess the cooling conditions for the Pingtan-Dongshan Metamorphic Belt (PDMB). Three Cretaceous gneissic bodies from the Chinmen area and two dioritic plutons from the Zhangzhou Igneous Complex (ZIC) in two sides of the Changle-Nanao fault are studied. U-Pb dating results define the magma emplacement of gneisses at 144–134 Ma and dioritic rocks at 102–99 Ma, and FT dating results give ages of 96–86 Ma and ~87 Ma for corresponding samples. Combining 40Ar/39Ar mineral ages reported previously, the fast cooling curve (86 °C/Myr; 100–96 Ma) of ZIC plutons matches near-surface intrusives. However, those for deep-seated Chinmen gneisses are problematic as their resultant conditions are similar to ZIC samples. A recent concept favors the Early to Late Cretaceous tecto-magmatic evolution in the coastal SE China involving episodes of orogenic magmatism (147–130 Ma) and shallow magmatism under post-orogenic extension (110–85 Ma). As the Pingtan island in northern PDMB is considered as a remnant piece of colliding fragment, the cooling rate known for gneissic bodies in this island (35 °C/Myr; 130–120 Ma) can better represent the record of this collision. On the basis of these features, we advocate a magmatic quiescence at 130–120 Ma representing collision between PDMB and a concealed microcontinent which resulted in rapid uplift of this metamorphic belt. Cooling curves obtained for Chinmen gneisses are suggested to have further subjected to thermal reset by high temperature magmatism taking place during the post-orogenic stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Air pollution is increasingly becoming a serious global public health concern. Prior studies examining the effect of air pollution on health have ignored the role of households' hygienic practices and socioeconomic condition, which are key determinants of the health status of a country like India. This study examines the effects of air pollution, measured in levels of particulate matters of size below 10 µg/m 3 (PM 10 ), on child-health outcomes after adjusting for hygiene practices., Methods: Health data from the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) and PM 10 levels provided by the Central Pollution Control Board were matched for 184 Indian towns/cities. Child health outcomes included neonatal mortality, post-neonatal mortality, premature births, children with symptoms of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and low birth weight. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to estimate the risk associated with exposure to PM 10 ., Result: Analyses based on 23 954 births found that every 10-unit increase in PM 10 level, increased the risk of neonatal mortality by 6% (adjusted RR (95% CI): 1.02 (1.02 to 1.09)), and the odds of symptoms of ARI among children by 7% (adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.07 (1.03 to 1.12)), and premature births by 8% (adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.08 (1.03 to 1.12)). There was no statistically significant difference in the effect of PM 10 on child health regardless of household's hygienic practices. Effects of PM 10 on child health outcomes remained similar for cities whether or not they were part of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP)., Conclusion: Exposure to PM 10 , regardless of hygienic practices, increases the risk of adverse child health outcomes. Study findings suggest that the focus of mitigating the effects of air pollution should be beyond the towns/cities identified under NCAP. Given the increasing industrialisation and urbanisation, a systemic, coherent approach is required to address the issue of air pollution in India., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a ubiquitous neuropeptide, plays a diverse and intricate role in chronic low-grade inflammation, including conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and diabetes of the exocrine pancreas. Diabetes of exocrine pancreas is characterised by chronic hyperglycemia and is associated with persistent low-grade inflammation and altered secretion of certain pancreatic and gut hormones. While CGRP may regulate glucose homeostasis and the secretion of pancreatic and gut hormones, its role in chronic hyperglycemia after acute pancreatitis (CHAP) is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CGRP and CHAP., Methods: Fasting blood samples were collected to measure insulin, HbA1c, CGRP, amylin, C-peptide, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), somatostatin, gastric inhibitory peptide, glicentin, glucagon-like peptide-1 and 2, and oxyntomodulin. Modified Poisson regression analysis and linear regression analyses were conducted. Five statistical models were used to adjust for demographic, metabolic, and pancreatitis-related risk factors., Results: A total of 83 patients were recruited. CGRP was significantly associated with CHAP in all five models (P-trend <0.005). Further, it was significantly associated with oxyntomodulin (P<0.005) and glucagon (P<0.030). Oxyntomodulin and glucagon independently contributed 9.7% and 7%, respectively, to circulating CGRP variance. Other pancreatic and gut hormones were not significantly associated with CGRP., Conclusions: CGRP is involved in regulation of blood glucose in individuals after acute pancreatitis. This may have translational implications in prevention and treatment of diabetes of the exocrine pancreas., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a pluripotent peptide that has been implicated in both gastrointestinal inflammatory states and classical chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) after pancreatitis, an exemplar inflammatory disease involving the gastrointestinal tract, is associated with persistent low-grade inflammation and altered secretion of pancreatic and gut hormones as well as cytokines. While GRP is involved in secretion of many of them, it is not known whether GRP has a role in AGM. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between GRP and AGM following pancreatitis., Methods: Fasting blood samples were collected to measure GRP, blood glucose, insulin, amylin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), somatostatin, cholecystokinin, gastric-inhibitory peptide (GIP), gastrin, ghrelin, glicentin, glucagon-like peptide-1 and 2, oxyntomodulin, peptide YY (PYY), secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and interleukin-6. Modified Poisson regression analysis and linear regression analyses were conducted. Four statistical models were used to adjust for demographic, metabolic, and pancreatitis-related risk factors., Results: A total of 83 individuals after an episode of pancreatitis were recruited. GRP was significantly associated with AGM, consistently in all four models (P -trend < 0.05), and fasting blood glucose contributed 17% to the variance of GRP. Further, GRP was significantly associated with glucagon (P < 0.003), MCP-1 (P < 0.025), and TNF-α (P < 0.025) - consistently in all four models. GRP was also significantly associated with PP and PYY in three models (P < 0.030 for both), and with GIP and glicentin in one model (P = 0.001 and 0.024, respectively). Associations between GRP and other pancreatic and gut hormones were not significant., Conclusion: GRP is significantly increased in patients with AGM after pancreatitis and is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as certain pancreatic and gut hormones. Detailed mechanistic studies are now warranted to investigate the exact role of GRP in derangements of glucose homeostasis following pancreatitis., Competing Interests: None.