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Abstract Integrated photon-pair sources are crucial for scalable photonic quantum systems. Thin-film lithium niobate is a promising platform for on-chip photon-pair generation through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). However, the device implementation faces practical challenges. Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN), despite enabling flexible quasi-phase matching, suffers from poor fabrication reliability and device repeatability, while conventional modal phase matching (MPM) methods yield limited efficiencies due to inadequate mode overlaps. Here, we introduce a layer-poled lithium niobate (LPLN) nanophotonic waveguide for efficient photon-pair generation. It leverages layer-wise polarity inversion through electrical poling to break spatial symmetry and significantly enhance nonlinear interactions for MPM, achieving a notable normalized second-harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency of 4615% W−1cm−2. Through a cascaded SHG and SPDC process, we demonstrate photon-pair generation with a normalized brightness of 3.1 × 106 Hz nm−1 mW−2 in a 3.3 mm long LPLN waveguide, surpassing existing on-chip sources under similar operating configurations. Crucially, our LPLN waveguides offer enhanced fabrication reliability and reduced sensitivity to geometric variations and temperature fluctuations compared to PPLN devices. We expect LPLN to become a promising solution for on-chip nonlinear wavelength conversion and non-classical light generation, with immediate applications in quantum communication, networking, and on-chip photonic quantum information processing.

Abstract Background Nasal packs are central to nasal surgeries. Primarily, these packs function by controlling bleeding, modulating pain and reducing adhesions postsurgery. However, the major setback of the currently used conventional nasal packs is the unbearable pain the patient undergoes upon removal of these packs. To overcome this shortcoming a variety of biodegradable packs have emerged. This study was aimed at evaluating the safety, efficacy and tolerability of VELNEZ nasal packs. VELNEZ, a patented Datt Mediproducts Pvt. Ltd. nasal pack, is one of its kind biodegradable composite that fragments within a few days of application. Methods Eighty patients were included in an open label, interventional, single arm clinical study using clinical endpoints to investigate the safety and efficacy of nasal pack VELNEZ. The patients were questioned using a visual analog scale from discharge day to 28th postoperative day (9 follow‐up visits) at regular intervals. The standardized questionnaires for hemorrhage control, relief from postoperative pain, moderate obstruction, and pain were used. Results A total of 76 patients were enrolled in the study and 74 patients completed the study. VELNEZ nasal pack played a significant role in controlling hemorrhage and reducing postoperative pain. The average hemorrhage control time was 7.49 ± 3.90 min with only 34.24% of population complaining of pain on the sixth day of surgery (follow‐up 4). Forteen days postsurgery only 10.95% of subject population complained of postoperative pain. This biodegradable composite has an average fragmentation time of 4.7 days in the nasal cavity. In addition, this study did not observe any postoperative adverse events or serious adverse events. Conclusion VELNEZ, a fragmentable nasal pack, is comfortable, safe, and effective against postsurgery bleeding and pain.

Aim: There is a need to elucidate intermittent Theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as a novel treatment in persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD). Methods: Twenty patients were randomly allocated to active iTBS (n = 11) and sham iTBS (n = 9) and received 10 iTBS sessions, 2 sessions per day, sequentially to primary motor and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices for 5 days in a week. Each iTBS session comprised of 2 sec. per train of 10 bursts (3 pulses per burst at 50 Hz; total 30 pulses) and were given with a gap of 5 Hz, total of 20 trains, and 600 pulses. Visual Analogue Scale, Brief Pain Inventory and Global Pain Scale (GPS), Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale - Anxiety, World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-brief, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were applied at baseline, after last session, and at 2 weeks after last TBS session. Intention to treat analysis was conducted. Results: Both groups were comparable for baseline psychopathology scores including clinical variables like age (t = 0.865; P = 0.398), duration of illness (t = 1.600; P = 0.127), and motor threshold (t = 0.304; P = 0.765). On repeated measures ANOVA, a significant within-group time effect for VAS, BPI-Severity, BPI-Interference, BDI – II, MADRS, HAM-A, and WHOQOL- BREF was found for active and sham TBS groups, respectively. GPS scores had significant within-group (active) * time interaction (F = 11.651; P = .001; ηp2 = 0.538) and between-group * time interaction (F = 3.407; P = 0.044; ηp2 = 0.159). However, between-group * time effect interaction was lost after covariance (F = 1.726; P = 0.196; ηp2 = 0.110). Conclusion: No major adverse effects were reported. Our pilot trial concludes that safe therapeutic efficacy of iTBS in PSPD is inconclusive. Lower total number of sessions along with small sample size may limit the study findings.

Background: There is a limited number of studies from India investigating the role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This clinic-based study reports on the effectiveness of tDCS as an add-on treatment in individuals suffering from TRD. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six right-handed individuals suffering from major depressive disorder who failed to respond to adequate trials of at least two antidepressant drugs in the current episode received tDCS as an augmenting treatment. Twice daily sessions of conventional tDCS were given providing anodal stimulation at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and cathodal placement at the right DLPFC. A total of 20 sessions were given over 2 weeks. The outcome was assessed based on changes in scores of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Results: There was a significant reduction in outcome assessment after tDCS intervention as compared to baseline, with more than 50% of the participants showing response in both scales, which increased further to approximately 77% by the end of 1 month of the follow-up period. Conclusion: Twice daily tDCS sessions with anodal stimulation of left DLPFC and cathodal stimulation of right DLPFC is an effective add-on treatment strategy in individuals with TRD.

Thalassemia a common hereditary blood disorder resulting in anemia. It is an important public health problem, with a high prevalence in Southeast Asia and Mediterranean countries, and preventable through screening programs. However, due to its chronic nature, permanent physical changes, troublesome complications, and lifelong treatment, pediatric patients with thalassemia major are more prone to mental disorders and cognitive impairment. Internalizing and externalizing problems are higher in pediatric patients with thalassemia. Children with β-thalassemia major exhibit lower IQ scores than healthy children. Neurophysiology and neuroimaging examinations have shown abnormal results in children with thalassemia. Co-morbidity with mental disorders increases the mortality, morbidity, and total healthcare costs of patients with thalassemia. Therefore, routine evaluation of mental health problems is recommended to accommodate the early detection and prompt treatment of mental disorders. A multidisciplinary approach for thalassemia patients and families should be delivered by providing appropriate medical care, psychosocial support, and good transition care to improve survival and well-being, assist good social integration and daily functioning, and cope with the stress of chronic disease.

The by-products of the grain processing industry are a vital resource for the valorization methods in the food industry. In comparison to the whole grain, the broken kernels and seeds own similar nutrient and bioactive compounds having multifaceted health properties. This study aims to develop a nutritional bar by utilizing the by-products from barnyard millet and foxnut with added sweeteners. Furthermore, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) metabolomics was carried out in positive and negative both ion modes to identify the major bioactive compounds formed in the matrix of the best-optimized valorized bar. The formulation of the bar having 15 % foxnut flour and the barnyard flour each, was elucidated highest rheological and sensory scores. A sum of 29 bioactive metabolites has been observed in the obtained metabolome. Major metabolites were palmitoyl serinol, glycitein, persin, bufagargarizin, apigenin, carvone, etc. covering a wide area in the mass spectrum. The therapeutic value of these compounds is heart health promotion, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, etc. This work highlights the bioactivity of the valorized nutritional bar employing robust and accurate tool of mass spectrometry. The developed snack is a functional food for the consumers.

The food waste of the fruit processing industry is rich in many bio-active components such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, peptides, etc. that own multifaceted health benefits. The valorization of this waste is an intriguing optimization method for various dairy products. Meanwhile, LC-MS-based foodomics has been an emerging approach for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of dairy foods. Untargeted metabolomics has been done of the optimized functional yogurt that contains different levels of unripened papaya peel powder (UPPP) using high-resolution mass spectroscopy for analysis of added bio-active components in the matrix. UPPP comprises a high content of phytochemicals which could give functionality and therapeutic effect to the Greek yogurt. A total of 36 functional metabolites have been identified which have various health-beneficial attributes. Kaempferol, ostruthin, putative carpaine derivatives, etc. are some of the metabolites of high importance with a wide area coverage in the metabolome. This work highlights the bioactivity of the UPPP and its prebiotic properties added to the functional yogurt as an independent ingredient. The incorporated plant-based ingredients like UPPP can effectively enhance the functional attributes of Greek yogurt, which is a potential synbiotic food.

Scandium aluminum nitride (ScAlN) has recently emerged as an attractive material for integrated photonics due to its favorable nonlinear optical properties and compatibility with complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication. Despite the promising and versatile material properties, it is still an outstanding challenge to realize low-loss photonic circuits on thin-film ScAlN-on-insulator wafers. Here, we present a systematic study on the material quality of sputtered thin-film Sc0.1Al0.9N produced in a CMOS-compatible 200 mm line, including its crystallinity, roughness, and second-order optical nonlinearity, and developed an optimized fabrication process to yield 400 nm thick, fully etched waveguides. With surface polishing and annealing, we achieve micro-ring resonators with an intrinsic quality factor as high as 1.47 × 105, corresponding to a propagation loss of 2.4 dB/cm. These results serve as a critical step toward developing future large-scale, low-loss photonic integrated circuits based on ScAlN.

Introduction: Emotion recognition plays a crucial role in our social interactions and overall well-being. The present cross-sectional study aimed to develop and validate Emotion Laden Sentences Toolbox for Emotion Recognition (ELSTER), that utilizes emotion-laden sentences as stimuli to assess individuals’ ability to perceive and identify emotions conveyed through written language. Methods: In Phase I, a comprehensive set of emotion-laden sentences in English language were validated by 25 (eight males and 17 females) qualified mental health professionals (MHPs). In Phase II, the sentences that received high interrater agreement in Phase I were selected and then a Hindi version of the same sentences was also developed. The English and Hindi database was then validated among 50 healthy individuals (30 males and 20 females). Results: The percentage hit rate for all the emotions after exclusion of contempt was 84.3% with a mean kappa for emotional expression being 0.67 among MHPs. The percentage hit rate of all emotion-laden sentences across the database was 81.43% among healthy lay individuals. The mean hit rate percentage for English sentences was similar to Hindi sentences with a mean kappa for emotional expression being 0.63 for the combined English and Hindi sentences. Conclusion: The ELSTER database would be useful in the Indian context for researching textual emotion recognition. It has been validated among a group of experts as well as healthy lay individuals and was found to have high inter-rater reliability.

Background: Insomnia is a common feature of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia also encounter the problem of insomnia, which impairs their cognitive functioning, quality of life, mental well-being, and functional recovery. Studies support pharmacological treatment of insomnia with certain drugs; however, these hypnotic medications also have adverse effects. There are no grounded recommendations about insomnia treatment in this clinical setting and research in nonpharmacological areas is sparse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to see the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in schizophrenia patients in an Indian population. Aims: To evaluate the effects of CBT-I in schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: It is a randomized controlled study. Forty schizophrenic patients were recruited and were randomly allocated into two groups. The CBT-I group (n = 20) received four sessions of CBT-I in addition to treatment as usual, whereas the control group (n = 20) received. no additional intervention. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Results: Both the groups showed significant time–group interactions on the ISI and PSQI. Post hoc testing showed that, compared to the control group, the CBT-I group showed significant reductions in ISI at both week 4 and week 8. Conclusion: CBT-I was effective for reducing insomnia symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and the effect lasted for 4 weeks after the intervention.

Abstract Cancer is a disease that can cause abnormal cell growth and can spread throughout the body. It is among the most significant causes of death worldwide, resulting in approx. 10 million deaths annually. Many synthetic anticancer drugs are available, but they often come with side effects and can interact negatively with other medications. Additionally, many chemotherapy drugs used for cancer treatment can develop resistance and harm normal cells, leading to dose-limiting side effects. As a result, finding effective cancer treatments and developing new drugs remains a significant challenge. However, plants are a potent source of natural products with the potential for cancer treatment. These biologically active compounds may be the basis for enhanced or less toxic derivatives. Herbal medicines/phytomedicines, or plant-based drugs, are becoming more popular in treating complicated diseases like cancer due to their effectiveness and are a particularly attractive option due to their affordability, availability, and lack of serious side effects. They have broad applicability and therapeutic efficacy, which has spurred scientific research into their potential as anticancer agents. This review focuses on Paclitaxel (PTX), a plant-based drug derived from Taxus sp., and its ability to treat specific tumors. PTX and its derivatives are effective against various cancer cell lines. Researchers can use this detailed information to develop effective and affordable treatments for cancer.

Nutritional status is an important indicator of college student health. College students are included in the age group vulnerable to nutritional problems such as decreased diet quality and excessive weight. The study aims to determine the relationship between body image, mindful eating, and weight loss diet behavior with nutritional status in female college students. The study used a cross-sectional design and was conducted among female students at Esa Unggul University in 2022. A total of 122 subjects were selected using the Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling method. Nutritional status is measured by assessing Body Mass Index (BMI). The instruments used were the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) to assess body image, the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) to assess mindful eating, and the dietary behavior questionnaire to assess weight loss. Data were analyzed by chi-square test at CI:95%. The results showed that body image was related to thin (p= 0,004) and obese (p= 0,000) nutritional status. Dietary behavior for weight loss is associated with thin nutritional status (p= 0,010) but not with obesity (p= 0,389). In conclusion, nutritional status (BMI) is related to body image and weight loss diet behavior in female college students.

Saat ini penanganan dan pencegahan stunting menjadi salah satu tujuan utama program kesehatan di wilayah kerja puskesmas margajaya. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan strategi penanganan pada faktor determinannya baik di tingkat individu dan rumah tangga. Salah satunya melalui pemberian edukasi gizi yang berkelanjutan dengan materi yang dibuat sesederhana mungkin agar mudah dipahami. Tim pengabdian menyusun program KASEP (Komunikasi antarpersonal dan aplikasi messenger Peduli Stunting) yang bertujuan meningkatkan kapasitas peserta dalam pencegahan stunting. Program ini memberikan pengetahuan mengenai penerapan gizi seimbang dengan pendekatan komunikasi antar-personal, serta update informasi pada aplikasi messenger berbasis chatbot (WA autoreply). Berdasarkan hasil pre-test dan post-test peserta menunjukkan bahwa terdapat peningkatan pengetahuan yang signifikan. Selain itu, sebagian besar peserta merasa melalui WAR ini mereka mendapatkan informasi yang mereka butuhkan, selain itu format WAR yang mirip seperti diskusi dengan teman memudahkan peserta untuk beradaptasi dan materi yang sistematis memudahkan mereka untuk memahami materi yang disajikan.

Permasalahan sanitasi yang ada di negara berkembang disebabkan adanya beberapa faktor yaitu minimnya perhatian yang diberikan oleh pemerintah pada sektor sanitasi, minimnya ketersediaan air bersih, minimnya perilaku bersih, serta sanitasi yang tidak memadai di tempat-tempat umum seperti sekolah. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan meningkatkan water, sanitatin and hygiene in school (WinS) dengan harapan dapat meningkatkan kesejahteraan dan kesehatan anak di lingkungan sekolah. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini memprioritas kan permasalah pada WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) yaitu rendahnya pengetahuan murid mengenai sanitasi dan higiene, kurangnya sabun cuci tangan dan terbatasnya akses air bersih. Metode pengabdian masyarakat ini terdiri dari beberapa tahap yaitu tahap perencanaa, tahap persiapan, tahap pelaksanaan dan tahap evaluasi. Hasil kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini menunjukkan bahwa terjadi peningkatan rata-rata pengetahuan siswa-siswa mengenai WASH sebesar 0,26. Saran yang dapat diberikan yaitu dengan selalu memberikan reminder kepada siswa-siswa akan perilaku hidup bersih sehat, peningkatan edukasi melalui media poster, leaflet dan video.

Background: Food waste is a severe problem, and Indonesia is the world’s second-largest producer of food waste. A limited waste management system will decrease environmental quality, such as air, water, and soil pollution. So far, the waste management system is limited to reducing waste generation. The life cycle assessment is a method to analyze environmental aspects or environmental impacts at all stages in a resource’s life cycle, from the initial process of raw materials to disposal. This study aims to analyze the environmental impact and provide waste management policies to obtain sustainable household waste management and environmental sustainability. Methods: The study design used in this research is cross-sectional by conducting direct observations and interviews at the Waste Bank. Interviews were conducted to identify more in-depth findings about waste management problems and the characteristics of respondents and waste characteristics. Observations were made to calculate waste generation that refers to Indonesian national standard methods of sample collection and measurement of urban waste generation and composition (SNI 19-3694-1994.) The sampling technique was carried out by the total sampling method, resulting in 100 households. Results: The research results with organic waste processing with the black soldier fly method. This method impacts global warming, acidification, eutrophication, and ozone depletion. Of the four elements that produce the most negligible impact is the impact of global warming of 0.281 kg CO2 eq compared to the other effects. Conclusion: BSF processing can reduce environmental impacts, especially global warming. Meanwhile, education affects people’s behavior in generating food waste; therefore, there are policy recommendations for Waste Bank stakeholders in processing food waste.

The foundation of the upcoming generation of cutting-edge gadgets and digitally augmented technologies is expected to be smart soft materials. Because of their responsiveness and adaptability, liquid crystals (LCs) are promising smart soft materials. In the 20th century, LCs were crucial to changing the information display sector. However, several beyond-display uses for LCs have been proven at the turn of the twentieth century, neatly using their controlled stimuli-responsive and adaptable properties. New LC materials have been developed and engineered for such applications. The review comes close with a summary and viewpoints on the potential and problems facing LCs as smart soft materials. This review is expected to inspire a wide range of concepts for the application of nature's delicate phase of matter in the generation and beyond of smart and augmented devices.