Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate

Heavy menstrual bleeding-clinically defined as excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with physical, emotional, social, or material quality of life -adversely affects health and functional outcomes among individuals who menstruate. However, the full extent of the relationships between heavy menstrual bleeding and health outcomes remains unknown, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To begin to fill this evidence gap, we investigated associations between heavy menstrual bleeding and depression symptomology among women in South Asia.

We carried out a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from household surveys conducted with 3438 adult women between August 2021 and June 2022 in 5 cities: Meherpur and Saidpur, Bangladesh; and Narsapur, Tiruchirappalli, and Warangal, India. Heavy menstrual bleeding was measured using the clinically validated SAMANTA scale, and depression symptomology was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression scale. Regression analyses examined associations between heavy menstrual bleeding and depression symptomology among our analytic sample of 2564 women who had experienced a menstrual period in the previous 12 months.

The prevalence of heavy menstrual bleeding was 45% across the pooled sample, with city-specific prevalences ranging from 41% to 46%. The median Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression scale score was 6 (range: 4-29, out of a possible 30), with 30% of women scoring above the screening threshold for depression. Pooled analyses revealed a significant association between heavy menstrual bleeding and increased Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression scale scores (β: 0.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.03, 0.12) and a 15% increased risk of a binary depression outcome (95% confidence interval, 1.03, 1.29) among women with heavy menstrual bleeding. City-level analyses showed variability in the strength and significance of these associations, with some cities demonstrating stronger associations than others.

The findings highlight the substantial burden of heavy menstrual bleeding on women's mental health in South Asia. Addressing heavy menstrual bleeding as part of comprehensive women's reproductive healthcare is crucial for improving overall well-being. The study underscores the need for further research to explore the mechanisms linking heavy menstrual bleeding and depression, and to develop effective interventions tailored to the specific needs of women in different contexts. Understanding these relationships can provide healthcare providers and policymakers with evidence to better support women's health and mental well-being.

Antimicrobial active packing has demonstrated great potential in extending food shelf life. However, developing new intelligent and responsive antimicrobial strategies is still desirable. Here, a 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMB)-decorated chitosan film (HDCF) via surface Schiff-base coupling is designed. HDCF shows excellent storage stability and pH-responsive release, enabling a switch in antimicrobial mode from "defense" to "attack" under acid conditions. Before HMB release, HDCF exhibits broad spectrum antifungal adhesion capabilities against Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus niger, and antibacterial adhesion capabilities against Staphylococcus aureus. Under acidic conditions, with HMB release, HDCF displays enhanced release-antifungal performance against A. niger, P. citrinum and Candida albicans and release-antibacterial performance against S. aureus. In addition, HDCF is effective in food preservation for cherry tomatoes and tomato juice and has good UV barrier properties. Therefore, this HDCF provides a new path for diversiform antimicrobial designs in the new generation of food packaging.