Search

The use of eco-friendly natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is rapidly expanding across diverse sectors. The rapid spread of water hyacinth disrupts aquatic ecosystems by modifying the pH of water and salinity in Bangladesh. This work investigated on the impact of incorporating both untreated and chemically treated water hyacinth fibers into polypropylene (PP). Untreated water hyacinth (UWH) powder was treated with an alkaline solution, producing mercerized water hyacinth (MWH). MWH was further oxidized to yield oxidized water hyacinth (OWH). Analysis of attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra of UWH, MWH and OWH confirmed cellulose modification. The UWH and OWH were taken in varying contents (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt%) and added to PP to make UWH-PP and OWH-PP composites using compression molding technique. The 1 % fiber content OWH-PP composites exhibited enhanced tensile strength, elongation, and impact strength compared to UWH-PP composites. Enhanced mechanical properties in OWH-PP composites suggested that benzoyl peroxide treatment improves interfacial adhesion. Morphological analysis of the OWH-PP composite showed better interfacial bonding between water hyacinth and PP than that of the UWH-PP composite. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) depicted the thermal stability of the UWH-PP and OWH-PP composites. The chemical reaction of cellulose monomer was further studied with DFT/B3LYP level of theory using two different basis sets 6-31+G(d, p) and cc-pVTZ. The calculated vibrational spectra of the untreated, mercerized and oxidized cellulose monomer agree well with the ATR-FTIR spectra, confirming chemical modification. DFT calculations of thermodynamic properties revealed the feasibility of the reactions. Electronic property (NBO charge) indicated charge transfer and structural changes during chemical modification., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. If there are other authors, they 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 Authors.)

The escalating incidence of foodborne salmonellosis poses a significant global threat to food safety and public health. As antibiotic resistance in Salmonella continues to rise, there is growing interest in bacteriophages as potential alternatives. In this study, we isolated, characterized, and evaluated the biocontrol efficacy of lytic phage L223 in chicken meat. Phage L223 demonstrated robust stability across a broad range of temperatures (20-70 °C) and pH levels (2-11) and exhibited a restricted host range targeting Salmonella spp., notably Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis. Characterization of L223 revealed a short latent period of 30 min and a substantial burst size of 515 PFU/cell. Genomic analysis classified L223 within the Caudoviricetes class, Guernseyvirinae subfamily and Jerseyvirus genus, with a dsDNA genome size of 44,321 bp and 47.9% GC content, featuring 72 coding sequences devoid of antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, toxins, and tRNA genes. Application of L223 significantly (p < 0.005) reduced Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14,028 counts by 1.24, 2.17, and 1.55 log CFU/piece after 2, 4, and 6 h of incubation, respectively, in experimentally contaminated chicken breast samples. These findings highlight the potential of Salmonella phage L223 as a promising biocontrol agent for mitigating Salmonella contamination in food products, emphasizing its relevance for enhancing food safety protocols., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Affinity-based electrochemical (AEC) biosensors have gained more attention in the field of point-of-care management. However, AEC sensing is hampered by biofouling of the electrode surface and degradation of the antifouling material. Therefore, a breakthrough in antifouling nanomaterials is crucial for the fabrication of reliable AEC biosensors. Herein, for the first time, we propose 1-pyrenebutyric acid-functionalized MXene to develop an antifouling nanocomposite to resist biofouling in the immunosensors. The nanocomposite consisted of a 3D porous network of bovine serum albumin cross-linked with glutaraldehyde with functionalized MXene as conductive nanofillers, where the inherited oxidation resistance property of functionalized MXene improved the electrochemical lifetime of the nanocomposite. On the other hand, the size-extruded porous structure of the nanocomposite inhibited the biofouling activity on the electrode surface for up to 90 days in real samples. As a proof of concept, the antifouling nanocomposite was utilized to fabricate a multiplexed immunosensor for the detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin biomarkers. The fabricated sensor showed good selectivity over time and an excellent limit of detection for CRP and ferritin of 6.2 and 4.2 pg/mL, respectively. This research successfully demonstrated that functionalized MXene-based antifouling nanocomposites have great potential to develop high-performance and low-cost immunosensors.

Hospital wastewater has been identified as a hotspot for the emergence and transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that present a serious threat to public health. Therefore, we investigated the current status of antibiotic resistance as well as the phenotypic and genotypic basis of biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from hospital wastewater in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The disc diffusion method and the crystal violet assay were performed to characterize antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, respectively. Biofilm and integron-associated genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Isolates exhibited varying degrees of resistance to different antibiotics, in which >80% of isolates showed sensitivity to meropenem, amikacin, and gentamicin. The results indicated that 93.82% of isolates were MDR and 71 out of 76 MDR isolates showed biofilm formation activities. We observed the high prevalence of biofilm-related genes, in which algD + pelF + pslD + (82.7%) was found to be the prevalent biofilm genotypic pattern. Sixteen isolates (19.75%) possessed class 1 integron ( int1 ) genes. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant association between biofilm formation and multidrug resistance ( χ 2 = 0.35, P = 0.55). Taken together, hospital wastewater in Dhaka city may act as a reservoir for MDR and biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa , and therefore, the adequate treatment of wastewater is recommended to reduce the occurrence of outbreaks., Competing Interests: The authors declare there is no conflict., (© 2024 The Authors This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

There is scarce data on energy expenditure in ill children with different degrees of malnutrition. This study aimed to determine resting energy expenditure (REE) trajectories in hospitalized malnourished children during and after hospitalization. We followed a cohort of children in Bangladesh and Malawi (2-23 months) with: no wasting (NW); moderate wasting (MW), severe wasting (SW), or edematous malnutrition (EM). REE was measured by indirect calorimetry at admission, discharge, 14-and-45-days post-discharge. 125 children (NW, n = 23; MW, n = 29; SW, n = 51; EM, n = 22), median age 9 (IQR 6, 14) months, provided 401 REE measurements. At admission, the REE of children with NW and MW was 67 (95% CI [58, 75]) and 70 (95% CI [63, 76]) kcal/kg/day, respectively, while REE in children with SW was higher, 79 kcal/kg/day (95% CI [74, 84], p = 0.018), than NW. REE in these groups was stable over time. In children with EM, REE increased from admission to discharge (65 kcal/kg/day, 95% CI [56, 73]) to 79 (95% CI [72, 86], p = 0.0014) and was stable hereafter. Predictive equations underestimated REE in 92% of participants at all time points. Recommended feeding targets during the acute phase of illness in severely malnourished children exceeded REE. Acutely ill malnourished children are at risk of being overfed when implementing current international guidelines., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cyanobacteria's abundant production of bioactive compounds concerns unselective filter feeders in the aquatic food chain, but the factors driving this production remain poorly understood. Notably, nutrient availability, particularly concerning phosphorus and nitrogen, is believed to be a pivotal determinant of cyanobacterial mass development. In this data investigation, we aimed to explore the influence of dissolved phosphorus (PO 4 3- ) on the presence of chymotrypsin inhibitors, specifically Cyanopeptolin 954 (CP954) and Nostopeptin 920 (BN920), within Microcystis aeruginosa NIVA Cya 43. A carefully controlled 15-day batch culture experiment was conducted, with three distinct phosphate concentrations (30, 50, and 75 µM). Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed for quantitative analysis, and the findings underscored the intricate interplay between nutrient availability, particularly phosphorus, and the content of chymotrypsin inhibitors (CP954 and BN920) by Cyanobacteria. More precisely, a significant 53% increase in CP954 content was noticed as the phosphate concentration decreased, revealing the intricate connection between nutrient availability, particularly phosphorus, in Cyanobacteria. Future research should further investigate the impacts of environmental factors, including light intensity and other nutrients like nitrogen, on the content of chymotrypsin inhibitors in Cyanobacteria., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (DCS) is a rare condition characterized by painful inflammatory nodules and abscesses on the scalp, often leading to sinus tracts and scarring alopecia. We present a case of DCS in a 26-year-old male who experienced significant clinical improvement following a short course of upadacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. The patient received multiple standard treatments such as topical antimicrobials, oral antibiotics, corticosteroids, and intralesional triamcinolone injections, with limited success. However, following the initiation of upadacitinib, the patient reported reduced pain, pustular draining, and bleeding, with significantly improved quality of life. To our knowledge, there is currently a paucity of literature documenting the use of JAK inhibitors for DCS. This case aims to highlight the potential of JAK inhibitors as a therapy for refractory DCS, a condition with limited treatment options., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Islam et al.)

Breast cancer treatments have evolved rapidly, and clinically meaningful biomarkers have been used to guide therapy. These biomarkers hold utility within the drug development process to increase the efficiency and effectiveness. To this purpose, the US FDA developed an evidentiary framework. Literature searches conducted of literature published between 2016 and 2022 identified biomarkers in breast cancer. These biomarkers were reviewed for drug development utility through the biomarker qualification evidentiary framework. In the breast cancer setting, several promising biomarkers (ctDNA, Ki-67 and PIK3CA) were identified. There is a need for increased transparency regarding the requirements for qualification of specific biomarkers and increased awareness of the processes involved in biomarker qualification.

Drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) are intended to provide safe water to the municipality, typically by treating surface waters from rivers, lakes, and streams. Regrettably, all of these water sources for DWTPs have been reported to be contaminated by microplastics (MPs). Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate the removal efficiencies of MPs from raw waters in the conventional DWTPs anticipating public health concerns. In this experiment, MPs in the raw and treated waters of the three major DWTPs of Bangladesh, having different water treatment processes, were evaluated. The concentrations of MPs in the inlet points of Saidabad Water Treatment Plant phase-1 and 2 (SWTP-1 and SWTP-2), which share a similar water source of the Shitalakshya River, were 25.7 ± 9.8 and 26.01 ± 9.8 items L -1 . The third plant, Padma Water Treatment Plant (PWTP) utilizes water from the Padma River and had an initial MP concentration of 6.2 ± 1.6 items L -1 . The studied DWTPs, with their existing treatment processes, were found to reduce the MP loads substantially. The final MP concentrations in treated waters of SWTP-1, SWTP-2, and PWTP were 0.3 ± 0.03, 0.4 ± 0.01, and 0.05 ± 0.02 items L -1 with the removal efficiencies of 98.8, 98.5, and 99.2 %, respectively. The considered size range of MP was 20 μm to <5000. Fragments and fibers were the two predominant MP shapes. In terms of polymer, the MPs were polypropylene (PP, 48 %), polyethylene (PE, 35 %), polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 11 %), and polystyrene (PS, 6 %). The field emission scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX) revealed the fractured and rough surfaces of the remaining MPs, which were also found to be contaminated with heavy metals, like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Hence, additional initiatives are required to remove the residual MPs from the treated waters to safeguard the city dwellers from potential hazards., 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., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Microplastics (MPs) occurrence in farmed aquatic organisms has already been the prime priority of researchers due to the food security concerns for human consumption. A number of commercially important aquaculture systems have already been investigated for MPs pollution but the mud crab (Scylla sp.) aquaculture system has not been investigated yet even though it is a highly demanded commercial species globally. This study reported the MPs pollution in the mud crab (Scylla sp.) aquaculture system for the first time. Three different stations of the selected aquafarm were sampled for water and sediment samples and MPs particles in the samples were isolated by the gravimetric analysis (0.9% w/v NaCl solution). MP abundance was visualized under a microscope along with their size, shape, and color. A subset of the isolated MPs was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for the surface and chemical characterization respectively. The average MPs concentration was 47.5 ± 11.875 particles/g in sediment and 127.92 ± 14.99 particles/100 L in the water sample. Fibrous-shaped (72.17%) and transparent-colored (59.37%) MPs were dominant in all the collected samples. However, smaller MPs (>0.05-0.5 mm) were more common in the water samples (47.69%) and the larger (>1-5 mm) MPs were in the sediment samples (47.83%). SEM analysis found cracks and roughness on the surface of the MPs and nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene MPs were identified by FTIR analysis. PLI value showed hazard level I in water and level II in sediment. The existence of deleterious MPs particles in the mud crab aquaculture system was well evident. The other commercial mud crab aquafarms must therefore be thoroughly investigated in order to include farmed mud crabs as an environmentally vulnerable food security concern., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests. Nor Azman Kasan reports administrative support and equipment, drugs, or supplies were provided by University of Malaysia Terengganu, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries. Nor Azman Kasan reports a relationship with Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education that includes: funding grants., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Seaweed cultivation is an eco-friendly method and attracts growing interest which needs a multi-criteria approach for its sustainability. In our present study, an economically significant red alga, Gracilariopsis longissima was cultured using a floating raft method on the coast of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh for a period of 90 days from January to March 2022. The effects of different factors such as rope materials, culture type, raft shape, seeding intensity, harvesting phase and water depth on the biomass yield production of G. longissima were evaluated during a 90-day culture period. The biomass yield production and daily growth rate (DGR% day -1 ) were estimated to evaluate the possibilities of G. longissima cultures in a floating raft culture method. The range of biomass yield production (3.03-13.37 kg/m 2 ) and DGR (3.08-4.72% day -1 ) is satisfactory in the floating raft culture method. Different water quality variables, the seasonal appearance of epiphytic algae and a cost-benefit analysis of seaweed culture were also performed. A total of eight epiphytic algal species were recorded, which resulted in major challenges for the growth of Gracilariopsis. The per month income for a seaweed farmer was estimated to be US$175.17 for 20 rafts. Our research concluded that farming of G. longissima in the floating raft method could be successfully performed from January to March on the coast of Cox's Bazar., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Microplastics (MPs), together with microfibers, have emerged as a contaminant of concern all around the globe. MPs have been detected in freshwater, seawater, sediment, and aquatic species among others. As suggested by several recent investigations, sea salts, a daily intake item by humans, are also contaminated by MPs. The current article describes MPs' occurrence, distribution, type, and timeline variation in raw sea salts from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. MPs have been detected in every collected salt sample, and quantity varied from 28.53 ± 2.43 to 93.53 ± 4.21 particles per kg, which was about 52.48 ± 1.72 to 67.46 ± 3.81 µg/kg of raw salt. Microfibers were MPs' dominant shape category, and the plastic types were mainly polyester or nylon. Other types of MPs were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polyurethane (PU), and polystyrene (PS) in decreasing amounts. The majority of the MPs in the sea salts were in the size range of ˂ 3-1 mm. The total amount of MPs and plastic-type variation due to sampling location (p ˃ 0.05) and because of the time period (p ˃ 0.05) was found insignificant. Acetaldehyde, a volatile toxic substance produced by the degradation of polyester polymer chains, was detected in MPs in the range of 0.37 to 1.72 µg/g by headspace GC-MS analysis. Hence, the sea salts contaminated with MPs pose a public health hazard. Microplastics extraction from sea salts and their characterization., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This paper presents the data on the growth pattern, amino acid, and fatty acid profile of five (5) selected indigenous marine microalgae ( Chaetoceros sp.; Isochrysis sp.; Skeletonema sp.; Nannochloropsis sp.; and Tetraselmis sp.) of Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. The microalgae species were cultured in f/2 Guillard's medium with maintaining standard physico-chemical parameters. The growth pattern was determined for all the microalgae as a prerequisite for further necessary experimental works. All the species were mass cultured using the same culture medium and harvested (centrifuging method), and dried (60 ℃ for 12 h) at their stationary phase. Finally, the amino acid and fatty acid analyses were performed. In many contexts, the amino acid and fatty acid data showed significant differences ( p  < 0.05) among these experimental species. However, by understanding these experimental species' nutritional profiles, one can easily choose the desired one that is most appropriate for their intended application., Competing Interests: None., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Flutamide which is used to treat prostate cancer and other diseases induces liver damage during and after the therapy. The aim of this study was to develop a flutamide/piperineco-loaded self-emulsifying drug delivery system (FPSEDDS) to inhibit flutamide-induced liver injury by utilizing piperine as a metabolic inhibitor. The development of SEDDS was carried out following a quality by design (QbD) approach. The risk assessment study was performed to identify critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical material attributes (CMAs)/critical process parameters (CPPs). I-optimal mixture design was executed with three CMAs as the independent variables and CQAs as the dependable variables. The effectiveness of optimized SEDDS to circumvent flutamide-induced hepatotoxicity was assessed in mice. The numerical optimization suggested an optimal formulation with a desirability value of 0.621, using CQAs targets as optimization goals with 95% prediction intervals (α = 0.05). The optimal formulation exhibited the grade A SEDDS characteristics with the guarantee of high payloads in self-formed oily droplets. The design space was also obtained from the same optimization goals. All CQA responses of verification points were found within the 95% prediction intervals of the polynomial models, indicating a good agreement between actual versus predicted responses within the design space. These obtained responses also passed CQAs acceptance criteria. Finally, hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed the minimal flutamide-induced hepatotoxicity from the optimal SEDDS formulation as compared to the control and flutamide/piperine normal suspension. We demonstrate that the piperine containing optimized SEDDS formulation developed by QbD significantly reduces the flutamide-induced liver injury in mice., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

Nowadays, the socioeconomic status has been changed a lot, so people are now more concerned about their life style and health. They have knowledge about the detrimental effects of synthetic products. That is why they are interested in natural products. Utilization of natural products of plant origin having fewer side effects has gained popularity over the years. There is immense scope for natural products that can intimate health benefits beyond traditional nutrients. Moringa oleifera is one such tree having tremendous nutritional and medicinal benefits. It is rich in macro- and micronutrients and other bioactive compounds which are important for normal functioning of the body and prevention of certain diseases. Leaves, flowers, seeds, and almost all parts of this tree are edible and have immense therapeutic properties including antidiabetic, anticancer, antiulcer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Most of the recent studies suggested that Moringa should be used as a functional ingredient in food. The aim of this review is to focus the use of Moringa oleifera as a potential ingredient in food products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2021 Zahidul Islam et al.)

Data on growth, productivity, pigments and proximate composition of the four different indigenous marine microalgae (isolated from Cox's Bazar Coast) were collected to compare the growth performance, pigments and nutritional composition. Chlorella sp., Nannochloropsis sp., Tetraselmis sp. and Chaetoceros sp. are the four different marine microalgae. Growth curve was determined as the prerequisite to identify the stationary phase for each of the isolated microalgae. Data on growth curves were collected in terms of cell density and optical density to observe the growth rates and division per day. Isolated species were mass cultured in commercial culture medium. When the culture reached at stationary phase, microalgae were extracted to determine productivity, pigments, and proximate composition. The data of productivity (volumetric, areal and lipid productivity), pigments (Chlorophyll a, b, c, carotenoids, and phycobiliproteins), and proximate composition (protein, lipid, and carbohydrate) were significantly (p < 0.05) different among the four different microalgae. Therefore, this data will contribute to the selection of potential microalgae species through proper characterization for vast industrializations., Competing Interests: The authors disclose that they have no known conflict of interests that may have influenced either the data collection or the presentation of the data., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.)