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Background: Cholelithiasis is one of the most common surgical problems throughout the world. Earlier, the prevailing treatment of symptomatic Cholelithiasis was an open cholecystectomy which is almost replaced by laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Although occasionaly switch to open cholecystectomy may require during the procedure which is known as conversion in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Many factors contribute to the conversion which is not a sign of surgeon's failure rather is a sign of surgeon's good surgical judgment Our objectives are to find out the factors which are associated with conversion and thus reduce conversion rate, preoperative preparation and counseling the patient for conversion in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: This was a hospital based retrospective study, carried out in department of hepatobiliary & pancreatic surgery department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka from January 2008 to December 2009. A total no of SO cases were included in our study which were converted to open cholecystectomy. Cases were collected from the hospital medical records which were retrieved and analyzed. Result: A total no of768 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were attempted during the study period. Out of which SO cases were converted to open cholecystectomy. Thus the conversion rate was 6.5%. Among these the reasons for conversion in both genders were dense adhesion in 22 (2.86%), aberrant anatomy in 10 (1.3%), empyema gall bladder in 4 (0.52%), per operative findings of choledocholithiasis in 3 (0.39%), suspicion of common bile duct injury in 3 (0.39%), others causes of conversion included uncontrolled bleeding 3 (0.39%), thick fibrosed gall bladder 2 (0.26%), accidental bowel injury 2 (0.26%), Type-I choledochal cyst 1 (0.13%) cases. Conclusion: various factors are related to conversion in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. But due to improvement of learning curve, good quality operative equipment, now a day's laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe method of treatment for gall stone diseases with very low conversion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mislabeling of Juvenile hilsa, (Tenualosa spp.) or Jatka fish as Chapila (Gudusia chapra) is a recognized problem in Bangladesh resulting in fraudulence to consumers, illegal harvesting, and ultimately the degradation of hilsa fish production. We applied DNA barcoding using mitochondrial COX 1 gene together with morphometric analysis to resolve the mislabeling or misidentification of Clupeid fishes differentiating mainly hilsa fish from chapila fish. This study confirmed the identification of Jatka fish (Tenualosa sp.) that was mislabeled with chapila (Gudusia chapra). DNA barcoding identified the four species of clupeid fishes (Tenualosa ilisha, Gudusia chapra, Sardinella jussieu and Tenualosa toli) with phylogenetic placement. These cases may reflect a clear picture of admixture of locally sold mislabeled Jatka, which may warrant more comprehensive analyses. Mislabeling records of Juvenile hilsa established in the present study may also have implications for the harvesting, marketing and consumption the national fish of Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy seedling is the best component of the transplant rice, which depends on its growing environment and appropriate nursery management techniques. To assess the effectiveness of various seeding densities and nutrient management in nurseries on seedling growth and yield of Boro rice, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University from November 2019 to May 2020. The experiment comprised two factors, viz., seeding density (3): medium density (80 g m-2) (control), high density (100 g m-2), very high density (120 g m-2); and nursery nutrient management (6): no nutrient applied, 10 g N m-2, 15 g P m-2, 15 g K m-2, 10 g N m-2 + 15 g P m-2 + 15 g K m-2, compost 2 kg m-2. The experiment was replicated three times following randomized complete block design. With 80 g m-2 seed rate, the highest seedling dry weight, effective tillers hill-1, grains panicle-1 and grain yield were achieved. Regarding nutrient management, seedlings fertilized with N+P+K produced the highest shoot length, seedling dry weight, effective tillers hill-1, grains panicle-1 and grain yield. In case of interaction, the highest number of effective tillers hill-1 was obtained from 80 g m-2 seeding density with N+P+K application, which eventually resulted in the highest grain yield. Therefore, medium seeding density of 80 g m-2 and application of 10 g N+15 g P+15 g Km-2 in nursery may be practiced for better seedling growth and higher yield of Boro rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the human health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrycene, and benzo(a)pyrene) from the consumption of smoked fish (Coral, Telapia, Shrimp, and Rupchanda) and smoked meat (Beef Shikh Kabab, Mutton Shikh Kabab, Kashmiri Kabab, and Chicken Grill) highly consumed by Bangladeshi people quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The samples were hydrolyzed in methanolic potassium hydroxide solution and treated with cyclohexane for the extraction of the PAHs from the samples and then subjected to GC-MS technique for the analyses of PAHs. Results showed that the minimum and maximum mean concentrations of the aforesaid PAHs were found to be 19.23 and 294.50 µg/kg in smoked meat, and 4.18 and 4.54 µg/kg in smoked fish samples. Of the carcinogenic PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was the most representative in smoked meat samples ranging from 6.68 to 46.90 µg/kg that exceeded the 5.0 µg/kg maximum level for smoked meat and smoked fish set by the European Commission (EC Regulation No 1881/2006).The present data indicate that all of the smoked meat are unsafe for human consumption. Mathematically calculation representing the carcinogenic risk value of targeted compounds was −4 within the acceptable range of 1.0 × 10−6 to 1.0 × 10−4 (USEPA, 1989). The spike recovery of PAHs was ranging from 70.0 to 90.5% that demonstrated the perfect reliability and accuracy of the methodology employed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wound infection is one of the major health problems that occur frequently. Infections of the wound result from entry of the organisms through breached skin. It plays an important role in the development of chronicity, delaying wound healing. It is evident that wound infection is a challenging situation for the physicians. Multiple bacteria can cause wound infection. Both broad spectrum and narrow spectrum antibiotics are available for the treatment. It is ideal to give proper antibiotic after culture and sensitivity of the wound swab. Improper and irrational use of antibiotics can lead to drug resistance. Objective: To isolate and identify the bacteria causing wound infection and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Materials and method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Microbiology Laboratory, Popular Diagnostic Centre Ltd, Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 2019 to January 2020. A total of 62 wound swabs were collected and analyzed for culture and antibiotic sensitivity. Results: From total wound swab samples, 49 (79%) were culture positive. The most common isolated pathogen was Acinetobacter spp. 20 (40.81%). Other isolates were Staphylococcus aureus 10 (20.41%); Escherichia coli 07 (14.29%); Pseudomonas aeruginosa 07 (14.29%); Klebsiella 04 (08.16%) and Proteus 01 (02.04%). Among the Gram negative isolates, Acinetobacter spp showed 100% sensitivity to colistin, 85% to imipenem, 30% to amikacin and 25% to piperacillin + tazobactum. E. coli showed 100% sensitivity to imipenem and colistin and least sensitivity to third generation cephalosporin. Pseudomonas showed 100% sensitivity to piperacillin+tazobactum, 85.71% to imipenem and aztreonam. Among the Gram positive isolates, Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% sensitivity to linezolid, vancomycin, imipenem, cloxacillin, amikacin and least sensitivity to azithromycin. Conclusion: Acinetobacter spp. was the most frequently isolated pathogen from wound swab and the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of various isolates will help the clinician in appropriate selection of antibiotics against wound infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper (Cu) pollution of agricultural land is a major threat to crop production. Exogenous chemical treatment is an easily accessible and rapid approach to remediate metal toxicity, including Cu toxicity in plants.We compared the effects of ascobin (ASC; ascorbic acid:citric acid at 2:1) and glutathione (GSH) in mitigation of Cu toxicity in rice.Plants subjected to Cu stress displayed growth inhibition and biomass reduction, which were connected to reduced levels of chlorophylls, RWC, total phenolic compounds, carotenoids and Mg2+. Increased accumulation of ROS and malondialdehyde indicated oxidative stress in Cu‐stressed plants. However, application of ASC or GSH minimized the inhibitory effects of Cu stress on rice plants by restricting Cu2+ uptake and improving mineral balance, chlorophyll content and RWC. Both ASC and GSH pretreatments reduced levels of ROS and malondialdehyde and improved activities of antioxidant enzymes, suggesting their roles in alleviating oxidative damage. A comparison on the effects of ASC and GSH under Cu stress revealed that ASC was more effective in restricting Cu2+ accumulation (69.5% by ASC and 57.1% by GSH), Ca2+ and Mg2+ homeostasis, protection of photosynthetic pigments and activation of antioxidant defence mechanisms [catalase (110.4%), ascorbate peroxidase (76.5%) and guaiacol peroxidase (39.0%) by ASC, and catalase (58.9%) and ascorbate peroxidase (59.9%) by GSH] in rice than GSH, eventually resulting in better protection of ASC‐pretreated plants against Cu stress.In conclusion, although ASC and GSH differed in induction of stress protective mechanisms, both were effective in improving rice performance in response to Cu phytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles virus remains the most important cause of childhood mortality, causing a transient immunosuppression that accompanies and follows measles making the patients susceptible to secondary infections accounting for most of the measles-related complications and deaths. The majority of measles virus in the body uses Signaling Lymphocyte Activation Molecule (SLAM) as a receptor and only a minority of the virus may also use CD46. Infection and subsequent demise of SLAM cells may explain the severe immunosuppressive characteristic of this viral disease. Measles also reduce the nonspecific naïve B cells in the bone marrow, which fight unfamiliar infections and SLAM signaling intensifies CD95-mediated apoptosis of B cells. Furthermore, in experimentally infected non-human primates (NHPs) measles virus infects and depletes pre-existing memory lymphocytes, causing immune amnesia. Results from different studies explain the long-term immunologic sequelae of measles resulting in overall childhood infectious disease mortality. As measles infection is tightly coupled to measles-associated immune memory loss, advancement in research regarding post measles immunological amnesia is needed to investigate immune pathogenesis and host immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SAARC J. Agric., 18(2): 219-226 (2020) DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/sja.v18i2.51121 *Corresponding author: safiul.islam@sau.edu.bd Received: 13.10.2020 Accepted: 02.12.2020 Research Article ANALYSIS OF SEASONAL PRICE FLUCTUATIONS OF PADDY (Boro) IN BANGLADESH S. Islam *, S. Afrin, T. Afrin and M.M. khatun Department of Agribusiness and Marketing Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Bangladesh, Dhaka ABSTRACT This paper has focused on seasonal variations of price and trend of the price escalation of paddy in Bangladesh using monthly average wholesale price of Boro paddy over a period from 2001 to 2019. The current paper is discussed about the trend of price escalation of paddy and also discussed about the seasonal variation of price of paddy. If the year-to-year prices changes and the impact seasonal variation are reduced, then the government can ensure food for every household at reasonable price and the stability of price of paddy will be ensured. The multiplicative model was exercised in this study; the least square method was applied to find out the long-term changes occurring in the price of paddy and the ratio to moving average method was used to measure seasonal fluctuations in price of paddy. [Extracted from the article]

Amaranth (Amaranthus paniculatus) and water spinach (Ipomoea reptans) grown after legume residues with organic fertilizers are helpful to improve their yield and quality. Therefore, a study was carried out at the net house of the University of Malaya, Malaysia in pot assay from November 2014 to June 2015. Amaranth and water spinach were grown after yard long bean (YLB), bush bean (BB) and winged bean (WB) with VC+YLB, COM+YLB and FP+YLB; VC+BB, COM+BB and FP+BB; VC+WB, COM+WB and FP+WB treatments whereas legume was grown with VC, COM and FP treatments in complete randomized design. The highest biomass yield (889.81 g/m2) and leaf number (15.67) of amaranth was observed in VC+YLB treatment. Maximum protein content (2.16 g/100g) was observed when amaranth was grown with VC+BB. Fe, Ca and Mg content of amaranth was also higher in VC+YLB treatment. Amaranth after YLB grown with VC showed superior performance among the treatments. For water spinach, the highest biomass yield (674.69g/m2) and maximum leaf number (34.67) was observed in VC+WB treatment. Protein content of water spinach was highest (1.92 g/100g) in VC+WB treatment. Fe, Ca and Mg content in water spinach was also higher in VC+WB treatment for water spinach grown after winged bean. The biomass of bean showed a positive linear relationship with the growth and yield of amaranth and water spinach in all the treatments and rotations. The study has shown that the use of vermincompost with legume crop rotations has the potential to significantly increase yield in amaranth and water spinach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dyslipidemia is linked to the risk for coronary ischemic and cardiovascular disease. Considering the absence of national reference level for lipids in Bangladesh the present study was undertaken to look into the pattern of lipid levels among patients seeking laboratory services in a private medical college hospital. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in Ibn Sina Medical College Hospital in Dhaka city. Patients with antilipid and other medication which might affect the outcome were excluded. Consenting and eligible subjects seeking laboratory services were included in the study. Total 970 subjects finally entered in the study. Total cholesterol [TC], triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol [HDL-c] were measured by enzymatic colorimetric method. LDL-cholesterol [LDL-c] was derived using Friedewald equation. Data were expressed mean±SD, number (percent) as appropriate. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 17 tool. A p value <0.05 was taken as level of significance. Results: Male female ratio of the total subjects was 53.9:46.1. Of the total participants 27.1% were between 41-50 age group and 71% were between 31-60 years. Mean (SD) triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-c and LDL-c level for all participants was 182±134, 194±44, 38.4±11.5 and 119±37 respectively. Mean value of HDL-c for all subjects was 38.4mg/dl where as it's cutoff value is 40 mg/dl and 50 mg/dl for male and female respectively suggesting relatively large number of subjects had HDL-c dyslipidemia of the study subjects. Percent subjects with isolated abnormal lipid component were 51%, 41%, 73.2% and 33.3% for triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-c and LDL-c respectively. Of the total subjects 22% had abnormal level of lipid for all four components. Conclusions: The data showed pattern of lipid levels of the subjects seeking laboratory services of a tertiary care hospital which might be taken a trend in the Bangladeshi population. Dyslipidemia appeared to be relatively high among the subjects studied of which HDL-c dyslipidemia was more prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of mortality & morbidity in all over the world. Reperfusion therapy is the cornerstone for treating acute STsegment elevation myocardial infarction. Effective reperfusion in STEMI can be achieved by either fibrinolysis or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). PPCI generally produces better outcomes than fibrinolysis but is not widely available. ST-segment abnormalities play a fundamental role in assessment and decision making for patients with STEMI. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute. Group I underwent primary PCI and group II received fibrinolytic therapy as reperfusion therapy for acute STEMI. Results: The mean ST-segment resolutions were significantly more in group I than group II at 60 minutes (63.54±20.98 vs 33.97±15.88%, p<0.001) and at 90 minutes (73.15±18.76 vs 60.06 ±23.33%, p<0.015). However, the difference is not significant at 180 minutes after procedure (74.48±18.09 vs 65.33±21.20%, p=0.064). In our study we observed that significantly higher number of patients of group II developed acute LVF (33.3% vs 6.1%, p=0.005) and cardiogenic shock (18.2% vs 3.0%, p=0.046) than group I and Rescue PCI was needed in 5 (15.2%% vs 0%, p=0.020) patients of group II than group I. Conclusion: ST-segment resolution occurs earlier and more completely after Primary percutaneous coronary intervention than fibrinolysis (with Streptokinase) with better in hospital outcome in patients with acute STEMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a comprehensive numerical study is presented for the fully developed two-dimensional flow of viscous incompressible fluid through a curved duct with square cross section. Numerical calculations are carried out over a wide range of the Dean number 100 ⩽ Dn ⩽ 6500 for the curvatureδ = 0.5 . A temperature difference is applied across the vertical sidewalls for the Grashof numberGr = 100 , where the outer wall is heated and the inner one cooled. Spectral method is used as a basic tool to solve the system of non-linear differential equations. After a compressive survey over the parametric ranges, two branches of asymmetric steady solutions with two- and four-vortex solutions are obtained by the Newton- Raphson iteration method. Then, in order to investigate the non-linear behavior of the unsteady solutions, time evolution calculations as well as power spectrum of the solutions are obtained, and it is found that the steady-state flow turns into periodic flow through chaotic flows if Dn is increased up to 6115. For large Dean numbers Dn > 6065 , however, the unsteady flow undergoes through various flow instabilities if, Dn is increased gradually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an earlier study, the continuous medication of broiler feed with a combination of tiamulin (TIA; 20 mg/kg), chlortetracycline (CTC; 60 mg/kg), and the ionophore anticoccidial salinomycin (SAL; 60 mg/kg) caused an initial increase in BW and feed efficiency (FE; g of weight gain/kg of feed intake). However, as doses increased to combinations of 30 mg/kg of TIA and 90 mg/kg of CTC or 50 mg/kg of TIA and 150 mg/kg of CTC, there was a dose-related reduction in growth rate and FE. This was thought to be due to the interaction between TIA and SAL. In this study, using a protocol similar to the previous trial, broiler chicks were administered SAL at 60 mg/kg via the feed and the same inclusion rates of TIA + CTC. However, instead of feeding the birds continuously, considering the cost of TIA and possibly to compensate for the depressed growth attributable to the interaction with SAL, they were pulse-dosed for 1 to 10 d and again at 21 to 27 d, and the whole trial lasted 35 d to see if the intermittent pulses might reduce production losses. A total of 200 straight-run 1-d-old broiler chicks (Hub- bard classic) were randomly distributed into 4 groups, with each group consisting of 5 cages containing 10 birds. The 20 cages were allocated to the 4 treatment groups on a random basis. The control diet, containing only SAL at 60 mg/kg, was fed to all birds throughout the 35-d trial, including the period during the gaps between dosing (i.e., d 11 to 20 and d 28 to 35). Feed and water were available for the whole trial period. Several serum enzymes (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase) were determined from blood samples taken on d 35. Blood samples were also collected at 1, 19, and 35 d of age and were examined for antibody titers to Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae. Necropsy and histopathology of the birds (n = ≥4) were conducted during weekly intervals. There was no significant difference in weight gain, feed intake, and FE when the groups treated with TIA + CTC were compared with the control group (P > 0.05). There was no relationship between mortality and inclusion rates of the medication. No clinical signs of an interaction were exhibited during the trial, which was supported by necropsy and serum enzyme results. Maternally derived antibodies against M. gallisepticum were identified at the start of the trial but disappeared within 19 d, and infection with M. gallisepticum or M. syrioviae was found neither serologically nor clinically during the trial. The results demonstrated that intermittent pulse administration of TIA at 50 mg/kg + CTC at 150 mg/kg from d 1 to 10 and d 21 to 27, along with continuous feeding of SAL (60 mg/kg), would be possible without altering performance and while maintaining the health status of the broilers. However, further research is required on the presence of artificial infections with Mycoplasma pathogens to determine the efficacy of the combination of TIA +CTC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pleuromutilin antibiotic tiamulin (TIA) is known to produce a negative interaction in broilers when administered in combination with several ionophore anticoccidials such as salinomycin (SAL). Chlortetracycline (CTC), when administered simultaneously with TIA, has demonstrated a synergistic antimicrobial effect. A 35-d feeding study was conducted in cages to evaluate the interaction effect of a combination of TIA plus CTC at increasing inclusion levels when administered concurrently with SAL. A total of 200 one-day-old broiler chicks were distributed into 4 groups, and each group consisted of 5 cages containing 10 birds in each. Replicate cages were distributed randomly. Feed for all groups contained 60 ppm SAL, but additionally, 0, 20, 30, and 50 ppm TIA and 0, 60, 90, and 150 ppm CTC were included, respectively. Several enzymes (creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase) were determined from blood samples taken at the end of the trial. Blood samples were also collected during d 0, 19, and 35 and were analyzed for antibody titers against Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae. Necropsy of a few birds (20, 8, 20, 12, and 12 on d 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35, respectively) was conducted at weekly intervals. Results indicated that there was a significant depression of weight gain (P < 0.05) in group 4 (TIA 50 + CTC 150) only. The final weights were 1,809 ± 130, 1,859 ± 52, 1,703 ± 47, and 1,617 ± 98 g for groups 1 (TIA 0 + CTC 0), 2 (TIA 20 + CTC 60), 3 (TIA 30 + CTC 90), and 4 (TIA 50 + CTC 150), respectively. However, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency (g of weight gain/kg of feed intake) were not significantly affected in any of the groups. There was no dose-related adverse effect on mortality or clinical signs exhibited during the trial, and this was supported by necropsy. Maternally derived antibodies against M. gallisepticum were present at the beginning of the trial but disappeared within 19 d. Otherwise, there was no apparent infection by M. gallisepticum or M. synoviae throughout the trial. The results demonstrate that 50 ppm TIA plus 150 ppm CTC along with 60 ppm SAL caused only a depression of growth, but no adverse signs of interaction were detected. Taking into consideration all the aspects of the cost of production, the 20 ppm TIA plus 60 ppm CTC was the most cost-effective level to administer continuously with 60 ppm SAL via the feed, but it would be important to do an additional study using an artificial infection with M. gallisepticum or M. synoviae to know whether this inclusion rate would be sufficient to protect against an infectious challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unani Medicine had its golden past in the middle age. Allopathic medicine evolved with simultaneous exploration of modern scientific development. Discovery of chemicals and antibiotics to deal infectious disease led foundation of epitome of modern medicine. There is however growing tendency among people to show their to depend on plant source and time old preparations. It is estimated that about 80 percent of population of the Asia and African countries uses herbal medicine for health care. This scenario opened the scope and merit to evaluate the preparation(s) which people are still using and the present study tested the usefulness and safety of 'Sarbat Misali' an Unani hematinic preparation in treating anemia. Materials and Methods: A total 31 women of age 24-40 yrs were enrolled in the study following ethical guidelines. The volunteers offered the choice and were free to refuse for not being included. Anthropometry recorded and blood sample obtained for biochemical test from the consenting subjects and prescribed with the preparation. Weight recorded and blood samples taken at the baseline end of four weeks. During study period they were in touch for their allegiance to taking the test preparation. Hemoglobin was estimated using autoanalyzer. Serum creatinine and SGPT were determined by standard biochemical method using autoanalyzer. Results: Blood hemoglobin level showed significant increase at the end of the supplementation (12.03±0.82) compared to the baseline level (10.78±1.08) (p<0.001). Serum creatinine and SGOT did not show any statistical difference between before and after supplementation. Conclusion: Data concluded that Sharbat Misali an Unani preparation of hematinics improved hemoglobin level and safety was supported by the fact of unaltered hepatic and renal functional status, however, to conclusively comment on adverse and toxic effect(s) chronic study needs to be undertaken with attention of inclusion of exhaustive biochemical markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hs-CRP is a nonspecific marker of the inflammatory response has been associated with development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cardiovascular disease is a major consequence of diabetes. DM confers a 2-4 fold rise in cardiovascular risk compared with general population. One of the many modifiable risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and diabetes is diet. Fiber is an important dietary factor that may modify the risk of both diseases. Material & methods: The current study is an attempt to explore the association of dietary fiber on inflammatory marker, hs-CRP in type2 diabetic subjects. Total 80 diabetic subjects were included in this study of which 40 were taking more dietary fiber and 40 were taking relatively low dietary fiber. Serum hs-CRP was measured by chemiluminescent immunometric assay (DPC Biermann Gmbh., Germany). Nutrient information was calculated using a pretested food recall questionnaire prepared by nutritionists for usual Bangladeshi food articles. Results: Hs-CRP was significantly higher in subjects taking low dietary fiber. There was significant negative correlation between CRP of subjects taking high and low intake of dietary fiber. Conclusion: So, low dietary fiber consumption maybe a possible causal factor of raised CRP. Type 2 diabetic patients who took less dietary fiber in their diets had elevated blood CRP levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The importance of learning environment in teaching institution is increasingly being appreciated in terms of its effect on learning and outcome. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore students' perception of learning environment for identifying measures to improve it of a private medical college, Bangladesh. Method: Two phase cross-sectional study combining quantitative and qualitative components was conducted among the students of a private medical college. In Phase I part the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was used to obtain data for base line quantitative information on a total of 204 medical and final professional examinee students. Purposive sampling method was employed in this phase and the Item that scored >3 was categorised as highest and < 2 was categorised as lowest scored item. In Phase II part the highest and lowest score items were explored further by qualitative method of focus group discussions among teachers and students on two separate occasions. For focus group discussion a combination of 10 (clinical and preclinical) teachers and 10 students (2x5 =10) except the examinee batch were selected by convenience sampling method. The purpose and method of the focus group was clearly stated to the participants and a consent form was signed by one participant on behalf of the respective group. Results: The response rate was 100% in Phase I part of the study with a perceived global DREEM mean score was 120/200 (22.984) which indicated students' positive perception towards the learning environment of ISMC. The global score for year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and examinee students were 133/200 (12.959); 134/200 (15.678); 127/200 (9.895); 112/200 (17.205); 67/200 (22.623) and 14/200 (22.984) respectively. The 1st year and 2nd year had highest global score whereas 5th year students had lowest score. The perceived Domains mean scores for Students Perception of Learning (SPoL) was 29.35/48 (8.189); Students Perception of Teacher (SPoT) 27.24/44 (5.195); Students Academic Self Perception (SASP) 18.69/32 (6.726); Students Perception of Atmosphere (SPoA) 28.09/48 (6.844) and Students Social Self Perception (SSSP) 14.65/28 (2.952) which indicated students' positive perception in all five Domains of DREEM as well. Out of 50 items three scored >3 and 7 items scored <2 which were explored further by focus group discussions among teachers and students to know the underlying causes for such scores. many similar issues were identified by both the groups in focus group discussion. Conclusion: The combination of a quantitative and qualitative method revealed students' positive perception and the strong and weak areas of the learning environment of ISMC. The findings were used in recommending remedial measure for creating an encouraging learning environment of ISMC which is one the main ingredient for effective learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional semiconductors exhibit pronounced many-body effects and intense optical responses due to strong Coulombic interactions. Consequently, subtle differences in photoexcitation conditions can strongly influence how the material dissipates energy during thermalization. Here, using multiple excitation spectroscopies, we show that a distinct thermalization pathway emerges at elevated excitation energies, enhancing the formation of trions and charged biexcitons in single-layer WSe 2 by up to 2× and 5× , respectively. Power- and temperature-dependent measurements lend insights into the origin of the enhancement. These observations underscore the complexity of excited state relaxation in monolayer semiconductors, provide insights for the continued development of carrier thermalization models, and highlight the potential to precisely control excitonic yields and probe nonequilibrium dynamics in 2D semiconductors.

Background: Pooling data from complex survey designs is increasingly used in the health and medical sciences. However, current methodological practices are not well documented in the literature while performing the pooling strategy. We aimed to review related pooling studies and evaluate the quality of pooling within the framework of specific methodological guidelines, particularly when combining complex surveys such as Demographic & Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)., Methods: We performed a systematic literature search focusing on studies utilizing the pooling method with DHS and MICS survey data. These studies were selected from those published between 2010 and 2021 and were retrieved from electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus) in accordance with pre-defined inclusion criteria. Then, we extracted 355 studies for the final review and evaluated the reporting quality of the pooling strategy while considering some methodological issues., Results: The majority of studies (81.4%) reported using a pooled (one-stage) approach, while 11.8% used a separate (two-stage) approach, and 6.8% used both approaches. Approximately 63.3% of studies did not clearly describe their pooling strategy. Only 3.4% of the studies mentioned the variable harmonization process, while 66.9% addressed dealing with heterogeneity between surveys. All studies that used the separate (two-stage) approach conducted a meta-analytic procedure, while 38.1% of studies using the pooled approach employed a multilevel model. More than half of the studies (55.6%) mentioned the use of clustered standard errors. The Delta method, Bootstrap, and Taylor linearization were each applied in 11.1% of the studies for variance estimation. Survey weights, primary sampling unit (PSU) or cluster, and strata were used together in 30.5% of the studies. Survey weights were employed by 69.8%, PSU or cluster by 43.8%, and the strata variable by 31.7%. Sensitivity analysis was conducted in 16% of the studies., Conclusions: Our study revealed that fundamental methodological issues associated with pooling complex survey databases, such as the selection of pooling procedures, data harmonization, accounting for cycle effects, quality control checks, addressing heterogeneity, selecting model effects, utilizing survey design variables, and dealing with missing values, etc., were inadequately reported in the included studies. We recommend authors, readers, reviewers, and editors examine pooling studies more attentively and utilize the customized checklist developed by our study to assess the quality of future pooling studies., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Amyloidogenic transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is a systemic disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid fibrils made of transthyretin. Transthyretin is primarily produced in tetrameric form by the liver, but also by retinal epithelium and choroid plexus. The deposition of these fibrils in the myocardium and peripheral nerves causes cardiomyopathies and neuropathies, respectively. Using cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), we investigated fibrils extracted from cardiac and nerve tissues of an ATTRv-V30M patient. We found consistent fibril structures from both tissues, similar to cardiac fibrils previously described, but different from vitreous humor fibrils of the same genotype. Our findings, along with previous ATTR fibrils structural studies, suggest a uniform fibrillar architecture across different tissues when transthyretin originates from the liver. This study advances our understanding of how deposition and production sites influence fibril structure in ATTRv-V30M amyloidosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests L.S. consults for Intellia Therapeutics Inc. and Attralus Inc., and Advisory Board member for Alexion Pharmaceuticals., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study assessed the trends in inbreeding, effective population size, and genetic diversity across six Korean native chicken lines using pedigree records from 54,383 chickens. Understanding these genetic parameters is significantly important for maintaining healthy and viable chicken populations. The primary objective was to analyze the pedigree data to assess the levels of inbreeding and genetic diversity and to evaluate the effective population size across the different lines. Pedigree analysis revealed that pedigree completeness peaked in the first generation and declined in subsequent generations for all lines. Line A exhibited a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.0201, whereas the other lines displayed lower mean values ranging from 0.0009 to 0.0098, indicating that inbreeding levels were within an acceptable range and considered safe from extinction. Average relatedness consistently increased with time. Individual increases in inbreeding were the highest in Line A (0.62%), with smaller increases in the other lines ranging from 0.02 to 0.23%. Effective population sizes varied from 81 to 2500, with average coancestry within parental populations ranging from 0.0032 to 0.0290. The f e /f a ratio between 1.00 and 1.69 in the 6 lines suggested a moderate impact during bottleneck events, with subsequent populations recovering well. The genetic diversity loss due to genetic drift and unequal founder contributions ranged from 0.66-3.15%, indicating that considerable genetic variability remains within the populations. The results of this study have practical applications in the management and conservation of genetic resources in poultry breeding programs. By highlighting the importance of monitoring inbreeding and maintaining genetic diversity, the findings can help develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of these chicken lines. This study provides valuable insights into the genetic management of Korean native chicken lines, emphasizing the need for strategic breeding practices to preserve genetic health and diversity., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Excessive internet use is a growing concern globally, and internet addiction negatively impacts academic performance. Limited research has been conducted on this topic among undergraduate medical students in Bangladesh., Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and its impact on academic performance among medical students in Bangladesh, with a focus on the role of yoga in reducing Internet addiction as a proposed intervention., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third-year medical students in four colleges in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select participants, and data were collected using pretested questionnaires and a checklist for office records through face-to-face interviews. SPSS version 25 was used for data processing and analysis., Results: Out of 312 students, 84% were addicted to the internet, and only 16% were normal. In total, 64.4% had good results in the first professional examination, while 35.6% had poor results. In total, 85.9% had good attendance, while 14.1% had poor attendance. The association between internet addiction level and first professional examination results and class attendance was highly significant., Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence and negative impacts of internet addiction among medical students in Bangladesh. The study suggests that promoting awareness about healthy technology use, establishing a better balance between internet usage and academic study, and encouraging the practice of yoga can help alleviate this problem. Further research and interventions are needed to tackle this emerging public health issue. Encouraging students to use the internet for academic purposes and providing education and resources can help promote healthy technology use. Healthcare professionals should also be aware of the risks and encourage seeking help if needed., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Ompok pabda is gaining popularity in the aquaculture industry due to its increasing demand; however research on microbial diversity and antibiotic susceptibility remains limited. The present study was designed to identify the bacterial pathogens commonly found in the pabda farming system with their biofilm forming potential and antibiotic susceptibility. Different bacterial strains were isolated from water, sediments and gut, gill of pabda fish and the isolates were identified based on their morphological traits, biochemical and molecular analysis. Antibiotic susceptibilities, antibiotic resistance gene determination and biofilm formation capabilities were evaluated by disc diffusion method, PCR amplification and Microtiter plate (MTP) assay, respectively. The respective isolates of gill and gut of pabda aquaculture and their environments were: Exiguobacterium spp. (25 %), Enterococcus spp. (20 %), Bacillus spp. (10 %), Acinetobacter spp. (10 %), Enterobacter spp. (10 %), Aeromonas spp. (10 %), Lactococcus spp. (5 %), Klebsiella spp. (5 %) and Kurthia spp. (5 %). Antibiotic resistance frequencies were found to be relatively high, especially for trimethoprim (95 %), sulfafurazole (75 %), ampicillin (60 %), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (55 %), and cephradine (50 %). 30 % isolates were categorized as DR bacteria followed by 30 % isolates were MDR bacteria and 40 % were classified as XDR bacteria. Moreover, 4 antibiotic resistant genes were detected with sul1 (30 %), dfrA1 (10 %), tetC (40 %), and qnrA (5 %) of isolates. Based on the microtiter plate method, 20 %, 25 %, and 30 % of isolates were found to produce strong, moderate, and weak biofilms, respectively. The findings suggest that biofilm forming bacterial strains found in O. pabda fish farm may be a potential source of numerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study sheds new light on antibiotic resistance genes, which are typically inherited by bacteria and play an important role in developing effective treatments or control strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest and personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Colistin is considered the last line therapy for treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections in humans. Therefore, the spread of colistin resistance poses a serious threat to human, and environmental health. Though Bangladesh is known as a hotspot of AMR, limited studies have been carried out regarding the status of colistin resistance. Information on the emerging bacterial resistance is inevitable for protecting public health. Nowadays, wastewater analysis has been prioritized for metagenomics-enabled AMR surveillance. Our study on the metagenomic analysis of untreated hospital effluents first detected the colistin resistance-conferring mcr-5.1 gene in the hospital environment of Bangladesh. Phylogenetic tree and in silico AMR analysis confirmed the detection of this mcr-5 variant, which is located in a plasmid contig. The plasmid was untypeable and belonged to the bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family. The mcr-5.1 operon was embedded in a Tn3 transposon, suggesting the mobility of the gene. Tnshfr1 transposon, chromate resistance protein ChrB, DNA invertase hin, and two MFS-type proteins were present in the genetic environment of mcr-5.1. Our findings provide evidence of the occurrence of mcr-5.1 in a hospital environment in Bangladesh, which calls for immediate attention and effective measures to contain the dissemination of colistin resistance in the environment., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Foxtail millet (FM) and green banana (GB) are rich in health-promoting nutrients and bioactive substances, like antioxidants, dietary fibers, and various essential macro and micronutrients. Utilizing GB and FM flour as prebiotics is attributed to their ability to support gut health and offer multiple health benefits. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating 10% GB flour (GBF) and different proportions (10-40%) of FM flour (FMF) on the prebiotic potential, antioxidant, nutrient, color, cooking quality, water activity and sensory attributes of noodles. The prebiotic potential, antioxidant, and nutrient of the produced noodles were significantly improved by increasing the levels of FMF. Sensorial evaluation revealed that noodles containing 30% FMF and 10% GBF attained comparable scores to the control sample. Furthermore, the formulated noodles exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of protein, essential minerals (such as iron, magnesium, and manganese), dietary fiber (9.37 to 12.71 g/100 g), total phenolic compounds (17.81 to 36.35 mg GA eq./100 g), and total antioxidants (172.57 to 274.94 mg AA eq./100 g) compared to the control. The enriched noodles also demonstrated substantially (p < 0.05) increased antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by enhanced DPPH and FRAP activities, when compared to the control noodles. Overall, the incorporation of 30% FMF and 10% GBF led to a noteworthy improvement in the nutritional and antioxidant qualities of the noodles, as well as the prebiotic potential of the noodles with regard to L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, and L. acidophilus. The implementation of this enrichment strategy has the potential to confer a multitude of health advantages., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Farzana et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Biosurfactants are naturally occurring compounds synthesized by micro-organisms that increasingly attract attention due to both their living area and application in various industries. In this study, we explore and characterize a novel bacterium, Enterobacter quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001, isolated for its ability to produce rhamnolipid biosurfactants, with the aim of facilitating oil remediation processes. The isolation of this bacterium was carried out using Luria-Bertani (LB) broth media from environmental samples collected from oil-contaminated sites in Dhaka City. Screening tests, including the oil spreading method and drop collapse assay, were conducted to identify potential biosurfactant-producing strains, leading to the selection of E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 based on its favourable performance. Subsequent molecular identification revealed a high similarity of the strain's 16S rRNA gene to E. quasihormaechei , which was corroborated through phylogenetic analysis. Further analysis of the biosurfactant produced by this strain indicated its rhamnolipid nature, as confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The rhamnolipids exhibited promising surface-active properties, including a significant reduction in surface tension and emulsification activity, as evidenced by surface tension measurements and emulsification index assays. Optimization studies revealed that the optimal conditions for rhamnolipid production by E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 were a temperature of 37 °C, pH 10.0 and salinity of 4 %. The rhamnolipids produced by this strain demonstrated effective oil remediation capabilities, as observed through controlled experiments using petrol oil. The rhamnolipids effectively reduced the surface tension of the oil-water interface, facilitating the dispersion and emulsification of the oil phase in water. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of E. quasihormaechei strain BDIFST24001 as a promising candidate for biosurfactant-mediated oil spill cleanup and environmental remediation efforts., Competing Interests: The authors stated that they have no identifiable financial conflicts of interest or personal relationships that could potentially bias the results reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors.)

The increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere, primarily due to the use of fossil fuels, pose a significant threat to the environment and necessitate urgent action to mitigate climate change. Carbon capture and utilization technologies that can convert CO 2 into economically valuable compounds have gained attention as potential solutions. Among these technologies, biocatalytic CO 2 hydrogenation using bacterial whole cells shows promise for the efficient conversion of CO 2 into formate, a valuable chemical compound. Although it was discovered nearly a century ago, comprehensive reviews focusing on the utilization of whole-cell bacteria as the biocatalyst in this area remain relatively limited. Therefore, this review provides an analysis of the progress, strategies, and key findings in this field. It covers the use of living cells, resting cells, or genetically modified bacteria as biocatalysts to convert CO 2 into formate, either naturally or with the integration of electrochemical and protochemical techniques as sources of protons and electrons. By consolidating the current knowledge in this field, this review article aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the recent progress, challenges, and potential applications of bacterial whole cell catalyzed CO 2 hydrogenation into formate., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

ATTR amyloidosis results from the conversion of transthyretin into amyloid fibrils that deposit in tissues causing organ failure and death. This conversion is facilitated by mutations in ATTRv amyloidosis, or aging in ATTRwt amyloidosis. ATTRv amyloidosis exhibits extreme phenotypic variability, whereas ATTRwt amyloidosis presentation is consistent and predictable. Previously, we found unique structural variabilities in cardiac amyloid fibrils from polyneuropathic ATTRv-I84S patients. In contrast, cardiac fibrils from five genotypically different patients with cardiomyopathy or mixed phenotypes are structurally homogeneous. To understand fibril structure's impact on phenotype, it is necessary to study the fibrils from multiple patients sharing genotype and phenotype. Here we show the cryo-electron microscopy structures of fibrils extracted from four cardiomyopathic ATTRwt amyloidosis patients. Our study confirms that they share identical conformations with minimal structural variability, consistent with their homogenous clinical presentation. Our study contributes to the understanding of ATTR amyloidosis biopathology and calls for further studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The emergence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn) is a global concern due to the increasing rate of mortality and hospital cost burden in the affected population. This study reports the whole-genome sequences of nine multidrug-resistant Kpn from a hospital in Chattogram city of Bangladesh., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background Objectives: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are two sympatric mosquito species that compete with each other for resources when their breeding habitats overlap. This study examines what happens when sympatric Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes' mate with each other and other species by looking at insemination rates, fecundity, and hatchability rate., Methods: We performed controlled mating experiments in laboratory setting, assessing both conspecific and interspecific crosses. We measured insemination rates, egg numbers, and hatching success to examine the reproductive interference dynamics between these two distinct mosquito species., Results: In the context of conspecific mating, it was observed that both female Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus exhibited high insemination rates, with percentages of 98% and 94% respectively. However, interspecific mating exhibited interesting asymmetries: Ae. albopictus males achieved a notable insemination success rate of 28% when mating with Ae. aegypti females, while Ae. aegypti males achieved only an 8% insemination success with Ae. albopictus females. Additionally, females that mated with interspecific males had reduced production of viable eggs compared to conspecific mating. Most notably, interspecific mating resulted in the production of infertile eggs, while conspecific mating led to successful hatching., Interpretation Conclusion: The study reveals that Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus can asymmetrically interfere with each other's reproduction, causing a 'satyr' effect. This understanding of interspecific competition and reproductive interference in these mosquito species could impact their coexistence in shared breeding habitats., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Vector Borne Diseases.)

Objective: Low back pain (LBP) is a major global public health issue, prevalent among various occupational groups worldwide. However, existing studies have predominantly focused on sedentary workers in developed nations, leaving a gap in understanding LBP prevalence and associated factors among occupational cohorts in low- and middle-income countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and occupational factors contributing to LBP among ride-sharing motorbike drivers (RSMD) in Bangladesh., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Dhaka city from May 20 to August 08, 2023. Data were collected from Bangladeshi adult RSMD using a paper-based questionnaire developed by Eriksen et al. Chi-square or Fisher's Exact tests compared categorical variables with and without LBP, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with LBP as the dependent variable and various predictors to compute adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval., Results: The one-month prevalence of LBP was 58.8%. Regression analysis revealed elevated adjusted odds of experiencing LBP among participants with hypertension, those using multiple ride-sharing operators, commuter and older bike users, and non-users of riding kits. Additionally, increased adjusted odds of LBP were observed among participants of higher age, higher body mass index, and those covering longer distances per week., Conclusion: This study underscores a significantly higher prevalence of LBP among RSMD in Bangladesh, with occupational factors strongly predicting LBP. Implementing strategies such as regular physical exercise, weight reduction, using sports and newer motorbikes, and reducing working hours per week may help mitigate the prevalence of LBP within this cohort., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) frequently report symptoms such as chronic pain and muscular fatigue that can heavily impact their quality of life. The treatment for many of the physical symptoms of EDS is focused on supportive care, which may include physical therapy and exercise programs. However, many patients will experience difficulty in deriving benefits from these activities due to significant pain and fatigue from physical activity. We report a case of a 39-year-old female with a history of EDS whose physical capabilities were severely impacted by their chronic pain and fatigue symptoms. After little progress was made with their current treatment plan of analgesics, manual therapy, exercise, and physical therapy, the patient was supplemented with creatine monohydrate due to its studied benefits in muscular strength and endurance for athletes. Following supplementation, the patient reported significant benefits in their muscular fatigue symptoms, allowing them to engage in daily activities and exercises more effectively. This case demonstrates a potential addition to the treatment of EDS that can improve a patient's quality of life., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Behringer et al.)

Saint Martin Island (SMI), the only coral island in Bangladesh, is located in the Bay of Bengal and has been identified as a marine protected area (MPA). Littering cigarette butts (CBs) waste in an ecologically sensitive environment can have numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance and density of CBs in SMI and to assess the pollution status using the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). This study is conducted based on the visual survey method in the three types of land use zones of SMI. During the peak season, the investigation was carried out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December 2023. A total of 4481 CBs item were counted, and the density ranged from 0.37 to 1.76 m -2 with an average value of 0.99 m -2 across 12 sampling campaigns. The highest density was observed at service zones, and the fishing zones had the lowest density. The calculated CBPI values revealed that 75 % of the sampling stations were in the "severe pollution" while 25 % were classified as "high pollution" status, underscoring the prevalence of hazardous CBs across most areas of SMI. To tackle these issues requires regulatory measures, public awareness initiatives, and community involvement. Effective waste management and eco-friendly product promotion can help reduce CBs pollution risks in marine protected islands., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. I have read and understood the journal's policy on conflicts of interest and declare that the manuscript has complied with the policy., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study focused to assess the efficacy of Gynura procumbens (GP) leaf extract against cisplatin (CP)-induced hepatorenal complications in Wister albino rats. Additionally, it aims to detect polyphenolic compounds using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). The rats were treated intraperitoneally with CP (7.5 mg/kg) to mediate hepatorenal damage. They were then treated with GP extract (75 and 150 mg/kg, P.O.) for 7 consecutive days. Although GP extract significantly ameliorated CP-mediated hepatorenal biomarkers like alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in a dose-dependent manner, GP extract at 150 mg/kg dose normalized hepatorenal biomarkers ALP (45.11 U/L), ALT (34 U/L), AST (29 U/L), creatinine (10.3 mg/dl) and BUN (11.19 mg/dl) while comparing to control and disease group. Similarly, though it significantly reduced CP-induced oxidative stress inducers, including nitric oxide (NO) and advanced oxidative protein products (AOPP), higher dose (150 mg/kg) exhibited better activity in reducing NO (281.54 mmol/gm tissue in liver and 52.73 mmol/gm tissue in the kidney) and AOPP (770.95 mmol/mg protein in liver and 651.90 mmol/mg protein in the kidney). Besides, it showed better enhancement in the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels at a higher dose (150 mg/kg). Histopathological studies showed that CP caused collagen accumulation in the liver and kidney tissues. GP extract drained the collagen mass and acted against hepatorenal damage. Ellagic acid, gallic acid, quercetin hydrate, kaempferol, and rutin hydrate were revealed in GP extract. In-silico modelling showed good docking scores of the polyphenolic compounds with molecular targets including CYP4502E1, NF-κB, caspase-3, and TNF-α. GP could be an effective therapeutic option for management of anticancer drugs' complications like CP-induced organ damage, although clinical studies are required to establish herbal formulation., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Amyloid-forming proteins such α-synuclein and tau, which are implicated in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, can form different fibril structures or strains with distinct toxic properties, seeding activities and pathology. Understanding the determinants contributing to the formation of different amyloid features could open new avenues for developing disease-specific diagnostics and therapies. Here we report that O-GlcNAc modification of α-synuclein monomers results in the formation of amyloid fibril with distinct core structure, as revealed by cryogenic electron microscopy, and diminished seeding activity in seeding-based neuronal and rodent models of Parkinson's disease. Although the mechanisms underpinning the seeding neutralization activity of the O-GlcNAc-modified fibrils remain unclear, our in vitro mechanistic studies indicate that heat shock proteins interactions with O-GlcNAc fibril inhibit their seeding activity, suggesting that the O-GlcNAc modification may alter the interactome of the α-synuclein fibrils in ways that lead to reduce seeding activity in vivo. Our results show that posttranslational modifications, such as O-GlcNAc modification, of α-synuclein are key determinants of α-synuclein amyloid strains and pathogenicity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Natural scaffolds have been the cornerstone of tissue engineering for decades, providing ideal environments for cell growth within extracellular matrices. Previous studies have favored animal-derived materials, including collagen, gelatin, and laminin, owing to their superior effects in promoting cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation compared to non-animal scaffolds, and used immortalized cell lines. However, for cultured meat production, non-animal-derived scaffolds with edible cells are preferred. Our study represents the first research to describe plant-derived, film-type scaffolds to overcome limitations associated with previously reported thick, gel-type scaffolds completely devoid of animal-derived materials. This approach has been employed to address the difficulties of fostering bovine muscle cell survival, migration, and differentiation in three-dimensional co-cultures. Primary bovine myoblasts from Bos Taurus Coreanae were harvested and seeded on alginate (Algi) or corn-derived alginate (AlgiC) scaffolds. Scaffold functionalities, including biocompatibility and the promotion of cell proliferation and differentiation, were evaluated using cell viability assays, immunofluorescence staining, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our results reveal a statistically significant 71.7% decrease in production time using film-type scaffolds relative to that for gel-type scaffolds, which can be maintained for up to 7 days. Film-type scaffolds enhanced initial cell attachment owing to their flatness and thinness relative to gel-type scaffolds. Algi and AlgiC film-type scaffolds both demonstrated low cytotoxicity over seven days of cell culture. Our findings indicated that PAX7 expression increased 16.5-fold in alginate scaffolds and 22.8-fold in AlgiC from day 1 to day 3. Moreover, at the differentiation stage on day 7, MHC expression was elevated 41.8-fold (Algi) and 32.7-fold (AlgiC), providing initial confirmation of the differentiation potential of bovine muscle cells. These findings suggest that both Algi and AlgiC film scaffolds are advantageous for cultured meat production.

Palliative care is a valued aspect of clinical care which is an urgent humanitarian need for people worldwide with cancer and other chronic fatal diseases. Patients experience many different symptoms including severe pain in advanced cancer. Palliative care focuses on relief from symptoms, pain and stress by using different analgesics and adjuvant. The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life. So, this prospective observational study was carried out to assess pattern of drugs used and their response to pain in cancer patients attending out-patient department of palliative care service in two teaching hospitals of Bangladesh. One hundred forty (140) cancer patients were purposively selected who attended in out-patient department of palliative care unit in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) from July 2018 to June 2019. Outcome variables were commonly presenting complaints, pain intensity, commonly prescribed drugs and analgesic prescription according to WHO three-step analgesic ladder, etc. The mean age ±SD of the respondents was 51.30±15.38 years, male-female ratio 1:1. Common sites of cancer were alimentary origin (20.0%), genitourinary system (17.86%), hepatobiliary system (11.43%), respiratory system (10.71%). The prescribed drugs were analgesics (96.4%), PPIs (74.3%), laxatives (62.1%), anti-emetics (38.6%), multivitamins (32.9%), H2 antagonists (17.1%), sedatives (17.1%), and corticosteroids (8.6%). Level 1 analgesics (Paracetamol or other NSAIDs) were prescribed to 42.65%, level 2 analgesics (Tramadol) were prescribed to 50.00% patients and level 3 analgesics (Morphine) were prescribed to 51.42% patients. The relation between and receiving three levels of analgesic prescriptions was statistically significant. The association between level of analgesic prescription was significant with site of cancer (p<0.001) and intensity of pain (p<0.001). This study showed that morphine was prescribed to more than half of the patients. Other level of analgesics were also used either single or in combination. Younger and male patients were treated more with level III analgesics. Prescribing analgesics were dependent on sites of cancer and intensity of pain.