Protein malnutrition is a major concern in Bangladesh where there is a high dependence on cereal-based diets. Use of protein-calorie sources of plants like soybean and mushroom as a dietary supplement may provide a solution. This study was designed to formulate a high protein and fibre enriched soy-mushroom health drink powder, and to compare its nutritional contents with locally available health drink powders. Methods: Soy-mushroom health drink powder was developed mainly from soy flour, mushroom, germinated wheat flour, malt extract and milk powder. Three locally available health drink powders were randomly selected. Proximate and microbiological analyses and sensory evaluation were undertaken by standard methods. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The moisture, ash, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate and energy contents of the developed soy-mushroom health drink powder ranged from 3.04-3.96%, 3.23-7.4%, 8.98-21.37%, 1.10-10.13%, 0.04%-1.50%, 59.93-81.58% and 363.54-416.40 kcal/100g, respectively. The soy-mushroom product had the highest content of protein, fibre, energy and the lowest content of carbohydrate compared to the other health drink powders. Based on sensory analysis, the soy-mushroom product showed high acceptability. Microbiological assessment showed the shelf life of this product to be one year. Conclusion: The soy-mushroom health drink powder was nutritionally superior to locally available health drink powders and could serve as a nutritional supplement.

To investigate analgesic, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) by three experimental methods.

Objective:To investigate the inflammatory and antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of aerial part of Vernonia patula (Dryand.) Merr (EAV).
Methods:The anti-inflammatory activity of EAV was studied using carrageenan and histamine-induced rat paw edema test at different doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight). DPPH free radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, reducing power and Fe2+ion chelating ability were used for determining antioxidant activities.
Results: The EAV, at the dose of 400 mg/kg, showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity (P<0.01) both in the carrageenan and histamine-induced oedema test models in rats, showing 62.86%and 64.42%reduction in the paw volume comparable to that produced by the standard drug indomethacin (67.26%and 66.01%) at 5 h respectively. In DPPH free radical scavenging test, IC50 value for EAV was found fairly significant 36.59 μg/mL when compared to the IC50 value of the reference standards ascorbic acid 8.97 μg/mL. The IC50 values of the extract and ascorbic acid were 47.72 and 12.39 μg/mL, respectively in nitric oxide scavenging assay. The IC50 value of the EAV (33.59 μg/mL) as percentage of Fe2+ion chelating ability was also found significant compared to that of EDTA (9.16 μg/mL). The maximum absorbance for reducing power assay was found to be 1.928 at 100 μg/mL when compared to 2.449 for standard ascorbic acid. The total phenolic content was 198.81 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent. Acute toxicity test showed that the plant might be safe for pharmacological uses up to a dose level of 3 200 mg/kg of body weight in rats.
Conclusions: Therefore, the obtained results suggest the acute anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the EAV and thus provide the scientific basis for the traditional uses of this plant part as a remedy for inflammations.

Background: Acute meningoencephalitis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality around the globe. The objective of this study was to examine the distribution of acute meningoencephalitis and its aetiological agents among children admitted to a tertiary hospital in southern Bangladesh. Methods: This prospective study was carried out in Khulna Medical College Hospital from 2007 to 2009. All of the admitted children between 1 month and 12 years of age were enrolled over a 2-year period if they met the inclusion criteria of having an acute onset of fever (≤ 14 days) and any of the following 3 signs: neck stiffness, convulsion, or altered mental status. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected within hours and sent to the laboratory for cytological and biochemical analyses. CSF was examined by Gram staining and a latex agglutination test to detect common bacteria. Serum and CSF were also tested for Japanese encephalitis virus antibodies. Results: A total of 140 children were included in the study, which accounted for 2.5% of admissions between 2007 and 2009. The number of acute meningoencephalitis cases was relatively higher (37.9%) during the monsoon season. The CSF report revealed a pyogenic form in 24 (18.5%) and a viral form in 13 (10.0%) cases. Altered mental status was significantly less frequent (P < 0.001) in cases of pyogenic meningoencephalitis (62.5%) than in cases of non-pyogenic meningoencephalitis (93.4%). Bacterial causes were identified in 11 (8.5%) children; the causative agents included Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 8), Neisseria meningitides (n = 2), and Haemophilus influenzae (n = 1). Three (2.3%) patients were positive for Japanese encephalitis virus. Conclusion: S. pneumoniae was the most common bacteria causing acute meningoencephalitis among the study subjects, and Japanese encephalitis virus was present in few patients.

Objective:To determine the total polyphenol content,antioxidant activity and antibacterial properties of the extracts of different Bangladeshi tea varieties such as flowery broken orange pekoe,broken orange pekoe,red dust and green tea.Methods:Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric assay,respectively.The antioxidant capacity was determined by ferric ion reducing antioxidant power and phosphomolybdenum method.Antibacterial activity was evaluated by disc diffusion method in agar plate and subsequently,the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by broth dilution method.Results:Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were significantly higher (P ＜ 0.05) in green tea compared to other three black tea varieties.The green tea also showed a higher free radical scavenging amd antioxidant activities than all the other tea varieties tested (P ＜ 0.05).In addition,the extracts of all four tea varieties showed inhibitory activity against several pathogenic bacteria and also the same trend of higher antimicrobial activity of green tea than other tea varieties was observed.Contusions:Taken together,the results of this study demonstrated that Bangladeshi tea,especially the green tea,may act as a substitute for natural antioxidants and as a promising antibacterial agent for bcncficial influence in human health.

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common chronic condition among sedentary workers that causes long-term productivity loss. This study aimed to identify the relationships of individual and occupational factors with LBP among Bangladeshi online professionals. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 468 full-time online professionals who usually worked in a sitting position. One-month LBP complaints were assessed using a musculoskeletal subscale of subjective health complaints. The chi-square test was used to measure associations between categorical predictors and LBP, and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the variables significantly associated with LBP. Results: LBP within the last month was reported by 65.6% of participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that age >30 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 0.70) and being married (aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.97) had significant negative associations with LBP. Significant positive associations were found for spending >50 hours weekly on average working in a sitting position (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.49), being overweight and obese (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.99), sleeping on a soft mattress (aOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.80), and ex-smoking status (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.41 to 7.87). Conclusions A high prevalence of LBP was found among full-time online professionals. Long working hours in a sitting position showed a significant association with developing LBP. Smoking history, body mass index, and sleeping arrangements should also be considered while considering solutions for LBP prevalence among online professionals.

Breast cancer is a major health problem that affects more than 24% of women in Bangladesh. Further- more, among low-income countries including Bangladesh, individuals have a high risk for developing breast cancer. This study aimed to identify candidate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women to be used as a preventive approach. We screened the blood samples from 24 breast cancer patients and 20 healthy controls to detect polymorphisms in the D-loop and the ND3- and ND4-coding regions of mtDNA by direct sequencing. Among 14 distinct mutations, 10 polymorphisms were found in the D-loop, 3 were found in the ND3-coding region, and 1 was found in the ND4-coding region. The frequency of two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop, one at position 16290 (T-ins) and the other at position 16293 (A-del), was higher in breast cancer patients than in control subjects (position 16290: odds ratio = 6.011, 95% confidence interval = 1.2482 to 28.8411, P = 0.002; position 16293: odds ratio = 5.6028, 95% confidence interval = 1.4357 to 21.8925, P = 0.010). We also observed one novel mutation in the ND3-coding region at position 10316 (A > G) in 69% of breast cancer patients but not in control subjects. The study suggests that two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop may be candidate biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women.
Adult ; Aged ; Bangladesh ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

Objective: Polycystic ovary (PCO), a diagnostic component of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), requires either an ovarian volume (OV) criterion or a follicle number per ovary (FNPO) criterion. This study investigated the association of OV and FNPO criteria with various manifestations of PCOS. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a university hospital among 100 patients newly diagnosed with PCOS (according to the revised Rotterdam criteria). Fasting blood samples were collected to measure glucose, total testosterone (TT), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), lipid, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c levels. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Transabdominal or transvaginal ultrasound of the ovaries was done, depending on patients’ marital status. All investigations were conducted in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. OV >10 mL and/or FNPO ≥12 indicated PCO. A homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (IR) value ≥2.6 indicated IR, and metabolic syndrome (MS) was defined according to the international harmonization criteria. Results: Seventy-six participants fulfilled the OV criterion, 70 fulfilled the FNPO criterion, and 89 overall had PCO. Both maximum OV and mean OV had a significant correlation with TT levels (r=0.239, p=0.017 and r=0.280, p=0.005, respectively) and the LH/FSH ratio (r=0.212, p=0.034 and r=0.200, p=0.047, respectively). Mean OV also had a significant correlation with fasting insulin levels (r=0.210, p=0.036). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that IR (odds ratio [OR], 9.429; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.701 to 52.271; p=0.010) and MS (OR, 7.952; 95% CI, 1.821 to 34.731; p=0.006) had significant predictive associations with OV alone, even after adjustment for age and body mass index. Conclusion OV may be more closely related to the androgenic and metabolic characteristics of PCOS than FNPO.

Aims: Comparison between ZEN™ double-quenched probe and SYBR GreenER™ real-time PCR assay to develop asensitive and specific assay for the direct detection and quantification of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus in milk.Methodology and results: Novel primers and probe were designed to target the enterotoxigenic nhe gene. Theperformance of ZEN™ double-quenched probe and SYBR GreenER™ chemistry were compared by using knownconcentrations of purified DNA. ZEN™ double-quenched probe showed a dynamic range of 3 log units and sensitivity of600 fg/reaction or 100 copies/reaction. SYBR GreenER™ chemistry had a wider quantitative dynamic range of 6 logunits with sensitivity down to 6 fg/reaction or 1 copy number/reaction. Thus, SYBR GreenER™ chemistry was 100×more sensitive with wider quantification range compared to ZEN™ probe chemistry. Similar result was also found forSYBR GreenER™ assay and ZEN™ probe chemistry in DNA extracted directly from artificially inoculated milk, with thelowest limit of detection by SYBR GreenER™ assay in the range of 6 fg/reaction or 25 copies/mL and it quantifiedBacillus cereus in milk with high relative accuracy.Conclusion: SYBR GreenER™ assay provides a fast, sensitive and specific detection and quantification ofenterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus and allowed a direct assessment and quantification of Bacillus cereus from milk foodsample.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The study shows an efficient, specific and highly sensitive method ofdirectly assessing the enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus from milk product, using cheaper dsDNA binding SYBRGreenER™ dye.

OBJECTIVETo investigate analgesic, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) by three experimental methods.

METHODSAnalgesic activity of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (EEPF) acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition in mice. The method of castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice was utilized to evaluate antidiarrhoeal activity. The cytotoxic activity of EEPF was explored with a brine shrimp lethality bioassay.

RESULTSThe extract showed 68.75% and 30.00% inhibition of writhe at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The extract increased the mean latent period prior to diarrhoeal onset to about 1.55 h and 1.17 h, and decreased the mean number of stools to 4.4 and 5.6 at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight. The extract also demonstrated cytotoxic activity in the brine shrimp lethality assay, and the median lethal concentration for brine shrimp nauplii was 80 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the plant extract has analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities, supporting its uses in traditional medicine. The results also demonstrate that the plant extract possesses cytotoxic activities.

Analgesics ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antidiarrheals ; pharmacology ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Passiflora ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; toxicity