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Abstract Exposure to pathogens throughout a lifetime influences immunity and organ function. Here, we explore how the systemic host-response to bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) induces tissue-specific alterations to the mammary gland. Utilizing a combination of histological tissue analysis, single cell transcriptomics, and flow cytometry, we identify that mammary tissue from UTI-bearing mice displays collagen deposition, enlarged ductal structures, ductal hyperplasia with atypical epithelial transcriptomes and altered immune composition. Bacterial cells are absent in the mammary tissue and blood of UTI-bearing mice, therefore, alterations to the distal mammary tissue are mediated by the systemic host response to local infection. Furthermore, broad spectrum antibiotic treatment resolves the infection and restores mammary cellular and tissue homeostasis. Systemically, unresolved UTI correlates with increased plasma levels of the metalloproteinase inhibitor, TIMP1, which controls extracellular matrix remodeling and neutrophil function. Treatment of nulliparous and post-lactation UTI-bearing female mice with a TIMP1 neutralizing antibody, restores mammary tissue normal homeostasis, thus providing evidence for a link between the systemic host response during UTI and mammary gland alterations.

Introduction: Radiation dose measurement plays a major role in Radiation Dosimetry. Effective dose delivery to the patient is ensured with the recommendation of some protocol called Quality assurance (QA). It is necessary to confirm that the beam that is used for treatment is a good quality beam and it is given by beam quality factor TPR 20/10 which is one of the QA protocols. Material and Methods: In the present TPR20,10 phantom both depth (20 and 10 cm) doses can be measured at the same procedure without changing any setup. As the reference condition is maintained, the Gelatin-based phantom is kept for irradiation in the Siemens Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machine. Initially Source Axis Distance (SAD) of 100 cm from the surface and 10×10 cm2 of field size. The measurement is taken by ion chamber at 10 and 20 cm depth in gantry angles 90° and 270° And the ratio of these values is taken and compared with the measurements of the water-based TPR phantom. Results: The values for the TPR20,10 ratio for the Gelatin and water phantom are measured using the above method and the values are tabulated and compared. Likewise, the output measurements are done and tabulated for comparison. These measurements are carried out for several days to check the repeatability, and reproducibility of the phantom. Also, the measured set of values was analyzed using mean, median, standard deviation, etc. Conclusion: The fabricated phantom had good outcomes in its response. And the result projects that the phantom can be a better alternative for the other phantom materials and gelatin has more advantages over water, we conclude that gel can be used for better dosimetric procedures.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously termed as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic manifestation of obesity and metabolic syndrome. It is mainly caused by insulin resistance. With the increased risk of visceral obesity in South Asians, the prevalence of MASLD is on the rise. The morbidity associated with MASLD and its complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma is projected to increase in this South Asian population. Methods: In this narrative review we explore the diagnosis and management of MASLD in the South Asian population. We summarize the findings from the recent literature on the diagnostic methods and management options for MASLD in this population. Results: Through our search we found no specific guidelines for the diagnosis and management of MASLD in the South Asian population. The existing general guidelines may not be applied to South Asian populations due to the differences in phenotype, genotype, social and cultural aspects. South Asian countries also have limited resources with the non-availability of newer pharmacotherapeutic agents. Conclusion: The goal of this review is to guide obesity physicians and primary care providers to have a stepwise approach to treat patients at risk for MASLD with a main focus on interdisciplinary management most applicable to South Asian patients. More research is needed to formulate guidelines and algorithm that are specific for the South Asian population.

Upper limb movements are essential in everyday life; hand paralysis caused by post-stroke affects the regular lives of patients. To regain hand mobility and motor function, we must perform repetitive exercises. Nowadays, rehabilitation devices are essential to help post-stroke victims exercise and recover from paralysis more quickly. The proposed research developed a 3D-printed portable rehabilitative device for elbow and shoulder movements. This device assists patients with hand impairments in performing repetitive elbow flexion and internal/external rotation of the shoulder. Twenty post-stroke patients (each group of 10) were randomly assigned to the traditional training group or rehabilitation device training group. This study compared the outcomes of the two groups before and after eight weeks of training. Following the therapy, the patient's performance was evaluated using standard clinical tests such as the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Active Range of Motion (AROM) of the elbow and shoulder. The results of the RDT (Rehabilitation Device Training) group were greater than those of the TT (Traditional Training) group, and the p values (p ​

Establishing the fractional stochastic Schrödinger equations (FSSEs) in Hilbert space with complex potential and Poisson jumps is the primary goal of this work. Stochastic analysis, Mönch fixed point theorem, fractional calculus, and semigroup theory all support the possibility of a moderate solution for the suggested system. We construct and prove the criteria for the mild solution’s exponential fall. The trajectory (T-) controllability for the fractional Schrödinger equation is established in the latter portion, extending the findings of Durga and Muthukumar (2023); Grecksch and Lisei (2011); Keller (2013); Wang et al. (2012). An example is given to verify the theoretical findings gained. We discuss the use of fractional Schrödinger’s equation in the Oil and Gas Industry.

Digital pathology has played a key role in replacing glass slides with digital images, enhancing various pathology workflows. Whole slide images are digitized pathological images improving the capabilities of digital pathology and contributing to the overall turnaround time for diagnoses. The digitized images have been successfully integrated with artificial intelligence algorithms assisting pathologists in many tasks, but there are still demands to develop a new algorithm for a better diagnosis process. In this paper, we propose a new deep convolutional neural network model integrating a feature pyramid network with a self-attention mechanism in three pathways: encoder, decoder, and self-attention nested for providing accurate tumor region segmentation on whole slide images. The encoder pathway adopts ResNet50 architecture for the bottom-up network. The decoder pathway adopts the feature pyramid network for the top-down network. The self-attention nested pathway forms the attention map represented by the distribution of attention scores focusing on localizing tumor regions and avoiding irrelevant information. The results of our experiment show that the proposed model outperforms the state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural network models in terms of tumor and stromal region segmentation. Moreover, various encoder networks were equipped with the proposed model and compared with each other. The results indicate that the ResNet series using the proposed model outperforms other encoder networks.

Acetic acid bacteria synthesized microbial cellulose were isolated from various citrus fruits, enabled by increased cellulose production to develop a biodegradable polymer as a food wrapper. The objective of the research cynosures on the isolation, enrichment, identification, and optimization of bacteria that produce cellulose, characterization, and cytotoxic study of the obtained cellulose. Two highly effective cellulose producers, Acetobacter lovaniensis (A1) and Acetobacter fabarum (A2), were isolated based on their morphology, biochemical analysis, and 16s rRNA sequencing. Studies were conducted to optimize pH, temperature, inoculum size, nitrogen, and carbon sources. Strain A1 produced 0.715 g/100 ml, whereas A2 produced 0.856 g/100 ml of cellulose under optimum growth conditions. The characteristics of microbial cellulose were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A cytotoxicity study for the obtained cellulose has been conducted with mouse embryo fibroblast cells (3T3-L1) and showed 97% viability of cells with the lowest concentration of 12.5 µg/ml. These isolates could be employed in fermentation technology to produce cellulose polymer-based sustainable biodegradable food wrappers.

IntroductionVision impairment (VI) may further exacerbate older adults’ vulnerability to experiencing food insecurity and may be a unique and important target for policies addressing access to nutritional food. The purpose of this study is to determine the association of VI in older adults with food insecurity.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis of round 11 (2021) of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older. Participants include 2,815 older adults with complete data on at least one objective measure of vision (distance, near or contrast sensitivity) and food insecurity. Food insecurity was assessed using a previously developed indicator of food insecurity in NHATS. VI was defined as binocular visual acuity (VA) worse than 0.3 logMAR (Snellen equivalent 20/40) at distance or its near equivalent, or contrast sensitivity (CS) worse than 1.55 logUnits. Continuous VI measures included distance and near VA (per 0.1 logMAR), and CS (per 0.1 logCS).ResultsParticipants were majority White (82%) and female (55%), and 3% had food insecurity. Older adults with any VI had a greater prevalence of food insecurity than adults without VI (5.0% vs. 2.0%, p

Phonological awareness or phonological sensitivity refers to “the knowledge that spoken words are composed of individual sounds and the ability to manipulate them”. Phonological awareness skills are significant predictors of children’s later success in reading skills and therefore everything possible must be done to give young children the opportunity to develop these skills. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop and check the efficacy of an intervention programme for improving the phonological sensitivity skills in below average scholastic performers. Method: The study has been divided into 4 different phases: Development of Intervention manual (T-PASIP); Administration of T-PAST; Implementation of the intervention programme and re-administration of T-PAST to check the prognosis. Tamil speaking children between the age ranges of 5 to 12 years were included in the study. Result: This study have documented that the intervention programme developed has been more effective on intervening children with poor phonological sensitivity skills. Significant improvement was observed post therapeutically in the children who have been receiving adequate and efficient intervention in phonological awareness subskills.

Abstract Approximately 30% of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma patients present with disease progression after successful surgical resection. Despite efforts of mapping the genetic landscape, there has been limited success in discovering predictive biomarkers of disease outcomes. Here we performed a systematic multi-omic assessment of 143 tumors and matched tumor-adjacent, histologically-normal lung tissue with long-term patient follow-up. Through histologic, mutational, and transcriptomic profiling of tumor and adjacent-normal tissue, we identified an inflammatory gene signature in tumor-adjacent tissue as the strongest clinical predictor of disease progression. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis demonstrated the progression-associated inflammatory signature was expressed in both immune and non-immune cells, and cell type-specific profiling in monocytes further improved outcome predictions. Additional analyses of tumor-adjacent transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas validated the association of the inflammatory signature with worse outcomes across cancers. Collectively, our study suggests that molecular profiling of tumor-adjacent tissue can identify patients at high risk for disease progression.

Abstract The theoretical approach of random impulsive stochastic integrodifferential equations (RISIDEs) with finite delay, noncompact semigroups, and resolvent operators in Hilbert space is investigated in this article. Initially, a random impulsive stochastic integrodifferential system is proposed and the existence of a mild solution for the system is established using the Mönch fixed-point theorem and contemplating Hausdorff measures of noncompactness. Then, the stability results including a continuous dependence of solutions on initial conditions, exponential stability, and Hyers–Ulam stability for the aforementioned system are investigated. Finally, an example is proposed to validate the obtained results.

Globally organic wastes are generated from fruits, vegetables, and their peels. It is mostly decomposed in landfills or by composting methods. Food processing industries, vegetable markets, and restaurants produce a huge amount of organic waste daily, generally disposed of in the environment or composted. Producing an eco-enzyme from organic kitchen waste was an innovative solution for domestic waste pollution. It is an enzyme solution obtained from an organic waste substance that contains organic acids, enzymes, and mineral salts. It is produced by performing a simple batch fermentation that involves a mixture of brown sugar, fruit or vegetable waste, and water in the ratio of 1:3:10. Two types of the eco-enzyme were produced by a fermentation process using vegetable and fruit peels for about 90 days involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ultimate liquid or enzyme obtained was brown. Eco-enzyme 1 from (Cucurbita maxima) contained hydrolytic enzymes like amylase and lipase. The microbial diversity was observed, and bacteria like Yersinia sp., Bacillus sp., and fungi like Trichoderma sp. and Penicillium sp. No enzymes and microorganisms were observed in Eco-enzyme 2 (Citron). Eco-enzyme 1 with 50% dilution effectively reduced various parameters like BOD, COD, TDS, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonium in the effluent. Also, it promoted plant growth within 10 days compared to the control. Therefore, the present study outlines how the eco-enzyme could be used to treat industrial effluent cost-effectively and environmentally friendly.

Abstract Background The prevalence of C-sections in India increased from 17.2% in 2016 to 21.5% in 2021. This study examines the variations in C-section prevalence and the factors correlating to these variations in Tamil Nadu (TN) and Chhattisgarh (CG). Methods Delivery by C-section as the outcome variable and several demographic, socio-economic, and clinical variables were considered as explanatory variables to draw inferences from unit-level data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4; 2015-16 and NFHS-5; 2019-21). Descriptive statistics, bivariate percentage distribution, Pearson’s Chi-square test, and multivariate binary logistic regression models were employed. The Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Concentration Index (CIX) were used to analyse absolute and relative inequality in C-section rates across wealth quintiles in public- and private-sector institutions. Results The prevalence of C-sections increased across India, TN and CG despite a decrease in pregnancy complications among the study participants. The odds of caesarean deliveries among overweight women were twice (OR = 2.11; 95% CI 1.95–2.29; NFHS-5) those for underweight women. Women aged 35–49 were also twice (OR = 2.10; 95% CI 1.92–2.29; NFHS-5) as likely as those aged 15–24 to have C-sections. In India, women delivering in private health facilities had nearly four times higher odds (OR = 3.90; 95% CI 3.74–4.06; NFHS-5) of having a C-section; in CG, the odds were nearly ten-fold (OR = 9.57; 95% CI:7.51,12.20; NFHS-5); and in TN, nearly three-fold (OR = 2.65; 95% CI-2.27-3.10; NFHS-5) compared to those delivering in public facilities. In public facilities, absolute inequality by wealth quintile in C-section prevalence across India and in CG increased in the five years until 2021, indicating that the rich increasingly delivered via C-sections. In private facilities, the gap in C-section prevalence between the poor (the bottom two quintiles) and the non-poor narrowed across India. In TN, the pattern was inverted in 2021, with an alarming 73% of the poor delivering via C-sections compared to 64% of those classified as non-poor. Conclusion The type of health facility (public or private) had the most impact on whether delivery was by C-section. In India and CG, the rich are more likely to have C-sections, both in the private and in the public sector. In TN, a state with good health indicators overall, the poor are surprisingly more likely to have C-sections in the private sector. While the reasons for this inversion are not immediately evident, the implications are worrisome and pose public health policy challenges.

Cyber-Physical Power System (CPPS) refers to a system in which the elements of the internet and the physical power system communicate and work together. With the use of modern communication and information technology, grid monitoring and control have improved. However, the components of a cyber system are extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks via cyber connections due to inadequate cyber security measures. Therefore, an adaptive defence strategy is required for the analysis and mitigation of the coordinated attack. The conventional approach of using an offline controller requires tuning for changes in the operating conditions of the system, which is inappropriate for the modern CPPS. To counter the coordinated attack, a framework that integrates STATCOM based Adaptive Model Predictive Controller with RPME and time delay compensator is proposed. This paper addresses attack impact, detection, and mitigation methods in CPPS. In both time domain and frequency domain simulations the case studies are conducted for three distinct situations namely physical attack, cyberattack, and coordinated attack. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and K Nearest Neighbour (KNN) are four data-driven methods used for the detection of anomalies in PMU measurement data. Simulation studies show that CNN performs better in anomaly detection than other classifiers based on assessed performance metrics. For coordinated attack mitigation the proposed STATCOM based Adaptive Model Predictive Controller with RPME quickly recovers the system than the STATCOM based conventional lead-lag controller. The efficacy of the proposed strategy is validated on the WSCC 3 machine 9 bus system.

IntroductionClimate change, nutritional security, land shrinkage, and an increasing human population are the most concerning factors in agriculture, which are further complicated by deteriorating soil health. Among several ways to address these issues, the most prominent and cost-effective means is to adopt an integrated farming system (IFS). Integrating farming systems with livestock enables a way to increase economic yield per unit area per unit of time for farmers in small and marginal categories. This system effectively utilizes the waste materials by recycling them via linking appropriate components, thereby minimizing the pollution caused to the environment. Further integrating livestock components with crops and the production of eggs, meat, and milk leads to nutritional security and stable farmer's income generation. So, there is a dire need to develop an eco-friendly, ecologically safe, and economically profitable IFS model.MethodsAn experiment was conducted to develop a crop–livestock-based integrated farming system model for the benefit of irrigated upland farmers in the semi-arid tropics for increasing productivity, farm income, employment generation, and food and nutritional security through efficient utilization of resources in the farming system.Results and discussionThe IFS model has components, viz., crop (0.85 ha) + horticulture (0.10 ha) + 2 cattles along with 2 calves in dairy (50 m2) + 12 female goats and 1 male goat (50 m2) + 150 numbers of poultry birds (50 m2) + vermicompost (50 m2) + kitchen garden (0.02 ha) + boundary planting + supporting activities (0.01 ha) in a one-hectare area. The model recorded a higher total MEY (162.31 t), gross return (689,773), net return (317,765), and employment generation (475 mandays). Further negative emissions of −15,118 CO2-e (kg) greenhouse gases were recorded under this model. The study conclusively reveals that integration of crop, horticulture, dairy, goat, poultry, vermicompost production, kitchen garden, and boundary planting models increases the net returns, B:C ratio, employment generation, nutritional security, and livelihoods of small and marginal farmers.

IntroductionPeople with disabilities are underrepresented in higher education, facing systematic obstacles such as inaccessible communication and physical environments and difficulties obtaining accommodations. This study aims to shed light on barriers to accessibility and disability inclusion in research institutions through confidential qualitative interviews with researchers with disabilities.MethodsWe recruited participants via virtual flyers. Eligibility criteria included working in the United States (U.S.) as researchers that had applied for grant funding (last five years), and self-identifying as having a disability. We offered participants (total n = 35) the option of either semi-structured one-on-one live or written interviews based on their preference. Two study team members analyzed written and live responses using thematic analysis to identify themes.ResultsThemes included identity/visibility, career trajectories, accessibility, accommodations, bias, representation, and inclusion. Some participants reported not disclosing their disabilities at work or during hiring processes due to fear of negative perceptions from peers or potential employers. Experiences around stigma and bias were noted both in professional relationships and when interacting with disability service offices, underscoring difficulties and delays in processes to secure accommodations. Respondents highlighted the lack of disability inclusion and low representation of people with disabilities in academia and elevated the importance of self-advocacy and of role models and mentors in shaping career pathways for future researchers with disabilities.ConclusionResearchers with disabilities encounter systematic barriers at academic institutions, and lack of acknowledgement and research on these experiences has held back institutional and policy changes. To reduce disparities for researchers with disabilities, academic leadership must allocate resources to address ableism, create more inclusive environments, and raise standards beyond compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This study proposes a mecanum-built perturbation-based balance training device aimed at improving motor adaptive skills for fall prevention in individuals with neurological disorders or the elderly. Incorporating multidirectional fall simulations in line with modified constraint-induced movement therapy, the device’s efficacy was evaluated by measuring the distance traveled and peak acceleration under different static loads (20, 30, and 40 kg) and input accelerations (1, 2, and 3 m/s2). A pilot study with 10 subjects was conducted to assess device performance, utilizing repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni’s post hoc analysis. Results indicated a load-dependent reduction in distance traveled, with an average mean difference of 0.74–1.23 cm between the 20 and 40 kg loads for trials of 9 and 18 cm, respectively. Despite varying loads, the device consistently achieved near-anticipated peak accelerations, suggesting its capability to induce effective perturbations. The study also observed a significant lateral movement preference, suggesting adjustments to pulse width modulation and time period may optimize lateral movement performance.

The entry of ride-sharing companies has completely changed the dynamics of public transportation worldwide. Nevertheless, transportation network companies providing these shared services are poorly rated by customers and employees. This study primarily focuses on improving the quality provided by these companies by identifying the issues faced by both customers and employees and giving quality-based recommendations for the entire industry by analyzing and understanding the reviews that are available on online platforms. This research mainly considers two ride-sharing companies that account for around 99% of the market share in the US. The methodology for this research comprises of the following five steps: extraction of online reviews by customers and employees employing a web scraping tool, text data cleaning, analyzing responses using n-grams analysis, identifying relevant issues, and recommending quality-based insights based on the reviews extracted using root cause analysis (RCA) technique. Thus, the study can serve as a set of improvements and suggestions that ride-sharing companies can utilize to strengthen their businesses.

Abstract The purpose of this work is to investigate a novel class of noninstantaneous impulsive stochastic integrodifferential equations (SIDEs) driven by Brownian motion and Rosenblatt process. We construct a new set of adequate assumptions for the existence and uniqueness of mild solutions using stochastic analysis, analytic semigroup theory, integral equation theory, and a fixed point methodology. Additionally, we study the asymptotic behavior of mild solutions and provide stochastic system controllability results. Finally, we include an example to illustrate the application of our main findings.

Diffuse midline gliomas are among the deadliest human cancers and have had little progress in treatment in the last 50 years. Cell cultures of these tumors have been developed recently, but the degree to which such cultures retain the characteristics of the source tumors is unknown. DNA methylation profiling offers a powerful tool to look at genome-wide epigenetic changes that are biologically meaningful and can help assess the similarity of cultured tumor cells to their in vivo progenitors. Paraffinized diagnostic tissue from three diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas with H3 K27M mutations was compared with subsequent passages of neurosphere cell cultures from those tumors. Each cell line was passaged 3–4 times and analyzed with DNA methylation arrays and standard algorithms that provided a comparison of diagnostic classification and cluster analysis. All samples tested maintained high classifier scores and clustered within the reference group of H3 K27M-mutant diffuse midline gliomas. There was a gain of 1q in all cell lines, with two cell lines initially manifesting the gain of 1q only during culture. In vitro cell cultures of H3 K27M-mutant gliomas maintain high degrees of similarity in DNA methylation profiles to their source tumor, confirming their fidelity even with some chromosomal changes.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges to both clinical practice and the delivery of medical education. Educators and learners implemented novel techniques, including distance learning and web-based rounds, while trying to stay updated with the surge of information regarding COVID-19 epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. Hence, we designed and implemented a technologically enhanced course called “COVID-19 Rounds” to educate students about the rapidly evolving pandemic. ObjectiveThe objectives of this study are to describe a technologically enhanced course called “COVID-19 Rounds” and evaluate the following: (1) student satisfaction and program usefulness in achieving preset objectives, (2) perceived improvement in literacy regarding the pandemic, and (3) the impact of student engagement by designing infographics and initiating COVID-19–related research projects. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study measuring the impact of the implementation of the web-based “COVID-19 Rounds” course. This program included web-based clinical experiences with physicians on actual rounds in COVID-19 wards in the hospital, weekly updates on evolving data and new research, and engagement in student-led projects. The study population included 47 fourth-year medical students at the Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, who attended the course. We designed and administered a 47-item survey to assess student satisfaction, program usefulness, impact on knowledge, and student engagement. Data were collected at the end of program delivery via Microsoft Forms. ResultsIn total, 38 (81%) out of 47 fourth-year medical students participated in this study. The final course evaluation revealed an overall high satisfaction rate, with a mean rating of 3.9 (SD 0.94) on the 5-point Likert scale. Most students were satisfied with the course format (27/38, 71%), organization (31/38, 82%), and the learning experience (28/38, 74%) that the course offered. The course was particularly appreciated for offering evidence-based talks about aspects of the pandemic (34/38, 90%), providing weekly updates regarding emerging evidence (32/38, 84%), and enhancing understanding of the challenges of the pandemic (34/38, 90%). Satisfaction with distance learning was moderate (23/37, 62%), and a minority of students would have preferred an in-person version of the course (10/37, 27%). Student engagement in the course was high. All students participated in small group presentations of infographics of pandemic-related topics. Perceived advantages included conciseness and visual appeal, and disadvantages included the lack of detail and the time-consuming nature of infographic design, especially for students with no prior design experience. After the course ended, 27 (57%) students began research projects. This resulted in 6 abstracts presented at local meetings and 8 scientific papers published or submitted for publication. ConclusionsThis inquiry-based adaptive approach to educating medical students about updates on COVID-19 via web-based learning was successful in achieving objectives and encouraging engagement in research. However, shortcomings of the course related to the lack of in-person teaching and clinical activities were also highlighted.

Rapid and effective methods for the detection of analytes such as water contaminants, food adulterants and biomolecules are essential for the protection of public health and environmental protection. Most of the currently established analytical techniques need sophisticated equipment, centralized testing facilities, costly operations, and trained personnel. Such limitations make them inaccessible to the general populace, particularly in regions with limited resources. The emergence of microfluidic devices offers a promising alternative to overcome several such constraints. This work describes a protocol for fabricating a low-cost, open-source paper-based microfluidic device using easily available tools and materials for colorimetric detection of analytes. The ease and simplicity of fabrication allow users to design customized devices. The device is coupled with an imaging box assembled from 3D printed parts to maintain uniform lighting conditions during analytical testing. The platform allows digital imaging using smartphones or cameras to instantaneously capture images of reaction zones on the device for quantitative analysis. The system is demonstrated for detecting hexavalent chromium, a toxic water contaminant. The image analysis is performed using open-source ImageJ for quantification of results. The approach demonstrated in this work can be readily adopted for a wide range of sensing applications.