Status of Nuclear Security Education and Research in Bangladesh and Looking Forward

Bangladesh uses category I of nuclear materials and category 1-5 of radioactive materials in the field of research, medical and industries. The Government is going to implement its first nuclear power plant under an IGA between the Bangladesh and Russian Governments. With the emerging global nuclear and radiological terrorism by potential adversaries, enhancing nuclear security is the paramount importance for the country. The paper has found no established communication channels among stakeholders in order to work in a coordinated and collaborative manner for strengthening the nuclear security. This has resulted lacking importance of education, research, training and knowledge management initiatives among stakeholders. Developing nuclear security policy at national and organizational levels, regulatory documents, technical guidance and action plan are also lacking. The paper suggests for creating a powerful nuclear security governance to collectively tackle the nuclear insecurity dynamics. This paper also suggests for establishing an institution under a public university with a global partnership for enhancing and sustainable maintaining the nuclear security regime through developing competent human resources

Anticonvulsant, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of Berberis calliobotrys Aitch ex Koehne (Berberidaceae)

Purpose: To evaluate the anticonvulsant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of Berberis calliobotrys.Methods: The powdered plant material (10 kg) was extracted thrice with methanol (3 × 12 L) by dipping for seven days. The methanol extract was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure, and then successively fractionated with solvents of different polarity, including n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The anticonvulsant effect of the extract and fractions (at oral doses 500 and 1000 mg/kg) was studied against picrotoxin-, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and strychnine-induced seizures in Swiss albino mice of either sex divided into 12 groups (n = 6). Diazepam was used as standard drug. Antimicrobial activity of the extract against Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus as well as against Candida albicans, Penicillium notatum was conducted by disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Cytotoxicity of the extract/fractions was analyzed by  haemolytic method while the phenolic compounds present in the ethyl acetate fraction of the plant were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results: The extract and its ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions showed maximum response against drug-induced convulsions and provided 100 % protection to animals at both doses. They also showed zones of inhibition of 27.00 ± 2.51, and 22.00 ± 2.51 mm against all bacterial and fungal strains, respectively, especially Staphylococcus aureus. The methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction also showed high MIC against all bacterial and fungal strains. Cytotoxicity data from hemolytic assay indicate that the extract/fractions are safe. The highest amount of phenolic found was chlorogenic acid (84.44 ± 0.06 ppm).Conclusion: The plant is thus a potential source of new lead compounds for the development of new clinically effective anticonvulsant and antimicrobial compounds.Keywords: Berberis calliobotrys, Anticonvulsant, Antimicrobial, Haemolytic, Phenolics, Chlorogenic aci

La inhibición de la proteína tirosina fosfatasa 1B protege frente a la apoptosis temprana inducida por paracetamol en hepatocitos

Acetaminophen (paracetamol, APAP) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug safe at therapeutic doses but its overdose causes liver injury. Our goal was to explore whether protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a negative modulator of survival signaling pathways, plays a role in APAP-induced cell death in hepatocytes. Hepatotoxicity was evaluated in immortalized hepatocytes generated from wild-type (PTP1B+/+) and PTP1B-deficient (PTP1B-/-) mice. Apoptosis occurred as an early event only in APAP-treated PTP1B+/+ hepatocytes. PTP1B deficiency conferred protection against cell cycle arrest and loss of cellular viability. These data suggest that PTP1B as a target against APAP-induced liver failureEl paracetamol es un analgésico/antipirético hepatotóxico a dosis altas. Investigamos el papel de la proteína tirosina fosfatasa 1B (PTP1B), un modulador negativo de señalización de supervivencia celular, en la muerte celular temprana (apoptosis) inducida por paracetamol en hepatocitos. En hepatocitos controles se inducía apoptosis en respuesta al paracetamol. Este efecto se encontraba disminuido en hepatocitos deficientes en PTP1B. La falta de PTP1B protegía a los hepatocitos de la parada del ciclo celular y la pérdida de la viabilidad celular tras el tratamiento con paracetamol. Proponemos a la PTP1B como diana terapéutica frente al fallo hepático inducido por sobredosis de paracetamo

Emphysematous pyelonephritis

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is an acute necrotizing infection of the renal parenchyma, prompt diagnosis and early treatment is crucial because of the high rate of mortality. We report a case of a 55-year-old female patient with ten-year history of diabetes mellitus presented with pain in right flank, fever and malaise. She was diagnosed as a case of emphyse­matous pyelonephritis, and was successfully treated in our department. The case is presented along with a literature review

Hepatoprotective effect of aqeous methanolic extract of Rumex dentatus in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in mice

Rumex dentatus is well known plant of Polygonaceae family which is widely used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal tract. R. dentatus at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg significance decreased (p<0.001) the elevated level of ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin induced by paracetamol and results are comparable (p<0.001) with silymarin. The results were supported by histopathological investigations, phytochemical screening and detection of hepatoprotective active constituents e.g quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin by HPLC. So, it is concluded that R. dentatus has hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol liver damage in mice

Thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nano-composites

The influence of nanoclay on thermal and mechanical properties of hemp fabric-reinforced cement composite is presented in this paper. Results indicate that these properties are improved as a result of nanoclay addition. An optimum replacement of ordinary Portland cement with 1 wt% nanoclay is observed through improved thermal stability, reduced porosity and water absorption as well as increased density, flexural strength, fracture toughness and impact strength of hemp fabric-reinforced nanocomposite. The microstructural analyses indicate that the nanoclay behaves not only as a filler to improve the microstructure but also as an activator to promote the pozzolanic reaction and thus improve the adhesion between hemp fabric and nanomatrix

Influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients: systematic review and meta-analysis from a public health policy perspective.

Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to severe or complicated influenza infection. Vaccination is widely recommended for this group. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients in terms of preventing influenza-like illness and laboratory confirmed influenza, serological response and adverse events

Protection against paracetamol-induced adverse effects in the liver by the inhibition of the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica. Fecha de lectura: 23 de Julio de 201