OBJECTIVES: The aims of the research are to examine the problems of abnormal menopausal women: the relationship between depression and menopausal-specific quality of life (MENQOL)-symptoms among postmenopausal women; the association of MENQOL-symptoms between pre- and postmenopausal female society in Bangladeshi real community. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted on 435 women of Tangail, aged (≥ 17) years, using a structured questionnaire where is inaacluded the information of MENQOL and one of the main outcomes “depression” is measured by beck depression inventory. RESULTS: Menopausal status and MENQOL symptoms (except pain) are significantly (P < 0.05) associated. By using post-hoc analysis, the proportion of menopausal women, classified as having a depressive mood of early menopause is significantly higher than natural-menopause. Among postmenopausal women, there is a significant correlation between “concentration problem” and “depression”. Here mean depression score (29.40 ± 6.42) of menopausal women who have any difficulty in concentrating is higher than mean depression score (20.89 ± 6.64) of menopausal women who have no difficulty in concentrating. Another six factors (osteoporosis, heart-beating, fatigue, pressure, tingling, headaches) of MENQOL-symptoms were significantly correlated with depression and P-values are 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.033, 0.006, and 0.002, respectively. Finally the presence of “difficulty in concentrating” and “fatigue” are strongly associated factors with depression score (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The early postmenopausal women have to face more psychological problems (e.g., depression) compare to others. Among postmenopausal women, there is no significant relation between depression and vasomotor symptom (e.g., hot-flashes) perspective to menopausal female society of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh* ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Depression* ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Quality of Life*

Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is an essential vitamin with pleiotropic functions, ranging from antioxidant to anti-microbial functions. Evidence suggests that vitamin C acts against inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy chaos, and immune dysfunction. The ability to activate and enhance the immune system makes this versatile vitamin a prospective therapeutic agent amid the current situation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Being highly effective against the influenza virus, causing the common cold, vitamin C may also function against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its associated complications. Severe infections need higher doses of the vitamin to compensate for the augmented inflammatory response and metabolic demand that commonly occur during COVID-19. Compelling evidence also suggests that a high dose of vitamin C (1.5 g/kg body weight) in inflammatory conditions can result in effective clinical outcomes and thus can be employed to combat COVID-19. However, further studies are crucial to delineate the mechanism underlying the action of vitamin C against COVID-19. The current review aims to reposition vitamin C as an alternative approach for alleviating COVID-19-associated complications.

Vitamin C, also known as L-ascorbic acid, is an essential vitamin with pleiotropic functions, ranging from antioxidant to anti-microbial functions. Evidence suggests that vitamin C acts against inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy chaos, and immune dysfunction. The ability to activate and enhance the immune system makes this versatile vitamin a prospective therapeutic agent amid the current situation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Being highly effective against the influenza virus, causing the common cold, vitamin C may also function against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its associated complications. Severe infections need higher doses of the vitamin to compensate for the augmented inflammatory response and metabolic demand that commonly occur during COVID-19. Compelling evidence also suggests that a high dose of vitamin C (1.5 g/kg body weight) in inflammatory conditions can result in effective clinical outcomes and thus can be employed to combat COVID-19. However, further studies are crucial to delineate the mechanism underlying the action of vitamin C against COVID-19. The current review aims to reposition vitamin C as an alternative approach for alleviating COVID-19-associated complications.

Objective: To analyze the phytochemical constituents responsible for the plausible antioxidant effect of methanolic extract of the seed, pulp and peel of Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. Methods: Fresh seed, pulp, and peel of Baccaurea ramiflora fruits were extracted with methanol (MEBRse, MEBRpu, MEBRpe) and evaluated by phytochemical analysis for their content of innumerable metabolites (primary and secondary) viz. carbohydrates, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, proteins, and fixed oils. The antioxidant efficacy was assessed through different assay methods viz. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reducing power capacity (RPC). Estimation of total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) was also done to confirm the presence of these phytochemicals. Results: It was revealed from the phytochemical analysis of MEBRse that alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates, phenols, and flavonoids were present, while that of MEBRpu showed the existence of carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, flavonoids, and fixed oils. Presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids were found in the MEBRpe. A significant antioxidant activity was revealed by the MEBRpu [EC

Aims: Providing safe drinking water is an ongoing global concern. Coagulation is an essential process in water treatment. However, most of the coagulants are chemical in nature and have negative impacts on human health and the environment. This study investigated the production of myco-coagulant in solid-state fermentation using a fungal strain. Methodology and results: A scale-up was performed using the tray method to investigate the influence of substrate thickness (from 2-30 mm) on myco-coagulant production. The results revealed that the turbidity removal efficiency of myco-coagulant in kaolin suspension was found to be increasing with the increase in thickness of the coco peat substrate. However, the myco-coagulant extracted from the media with a thickness of 30 mm was able to remove the highest turbidity by 96%. Three different subculturing methods for mycelium inoculation were evaluated. The surface inoculation approach produced better results than other inoculation processes. The effect of initial turbidity values (50-300 NTU) on turbidity removal was studied too. The myco-coagulant was found to be the most suitable for high-turbidity water (300 NTU) with turbidity removal of 52%. Subculturing of fungus from solid-state to solid-state was also studied, which showed that the strategy was just as effective as an inoculum-based subculture. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Excellent bio-coagulation activity has been shown for the myco-coagulant that was isolated from the fungus strain. Subculturing using existing substrates will be more economical than subculturing using fresh inoculum. This strategy saves time, labour and cost of the coagulant production.

Objective: To evaluate the toxic effect of hydrose used in the molasses preparation in Bangladesh. Methods: Molasses were collected from open markets in different parts of Bangladesh. The presence of hydrose in selected molasses was detected using commercial kit. To evaluate the toxic effect of hydrose, Swiss albino male mice were divided into four groups. Group I was used as control, while Groups II, III and IV received hydrose mixing food (5, 10 and 25 g/ kg food), respectively, and these supplementations were continued to the end of the study (16 weeks). Blood was collected from thoracic arteries of the mice under ether anesthesia and then organs were taken. To determine the effect of hydrose on host, blood indices related to liver, heart and kidney dysfunctions were measured. Result: Creatinine and urea levels were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in a dose dependent manner in hydrose treated mice, whereas calcium level was significantly decreased in hydrose exposed mice compared to control mice. Histological study of kidney showed the glomeruler inflammation, increased diameter of renal glomeruli and enlargement of proximal tubular lumen of kidneys of mice exposed to hydrose compared to that of control animals. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that use of hydrose in molasses and other food preparations in Bangladesh may cause kidney impairment.

Introduction: Tobacco production is increasing in certain regions of Indonesia due to its high economic value. Tobacco and its products can have harmful effects on the health of consumers, producers and processing workers. Analysis of blood samples has shown that tobacco farmers are at risk of developing occupational diseases related to pesticide exposure and nicotine absorption through the epidermis of wet tobacco leaves. The aim of this study was to compare blood cholinesterase levels in tobacco plantation workers in relation to their working hours and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in ten subdistricts in Jember district, Indonesia, and included 50 participants selected using proportional sampling. Spearman’s test was used to analyse the relationship between variables. Results: The significance value of the relationship based on Spearman’s test between working hours and blood cholinesterase levels of tobacco farmers in Jember was 0.058 > α (0.05). Meanwhile, the significance value of the relationship between working hours and complete blood count, specifically mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), was 0.00 < α (0.05), and between PPE use and blood cholinesterase levels was 0.035 < α (0.05). Conclusion: Working hours were not associated with blood cholinesterase levels, but were associated with blood MCHC levels. Meanwhile, the use of PPE was found to be associated with cholinesterase levels in tobacco farmers.