Estimation of Caffeine, Niacin and Calorie Content in Tea Commonly Consumed by Dhaka City Residents

Tea is largest consuming drink in the world. Many health claims is attributed towards the tea due to its distinguished phytochemical array. Role of tea is well established as a neutraceutical and many studies elucidate its pharmacological worth. The objective of this study was to calculate the calorie content by determining total lipid, crude fiber, total protein and available carbohydrate contents and estimation of caffeine and niacin content in Bangladeshi teas. The lipid, crude fiber, protein and available carbohydrate contents of the tea samples were found to be in the range of 3.25-5.53, 10.15-15.41, 12.97-17.08 and 4.78-6.21 g/100g fresh weight respectively while calorie contents were found in the range of 83.54- 101.46 Kcal/100g fresh weight of tea. The total caffeine and niacin content in teas ranged from 1.31 - 3.58 and 0.038 – 0.056 g/100g fresh weight respectively. Tea leaf contained the highest amount of caffeine (3.58 g/100g) and niacin (0.056 g/100g). As tea has different health effects it is essential to estimate the update nutrient contents of tea

Acute Multiple Organ Failure in Adult Mice Deleted for the Developmental Regulator Wt1

There is much interest in the mechanisms that regulate adult tissue homeostasis and their relationship to processes governing foetal development. Mice deleted for the Wilms' tumour gene, Wt1, lack kidneys, gonads, and spleen and die at mid-gestation due to defective coronary vasculature. Wt1 is vital for maintaining the mesenchymal–epithelial balance in these tissues and is required for the epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT) that generates coronary vascular progenitors. Although Wt1 is only expressed in rare cell populations in adults including glomerular podocytes, 1% of bone marrow cells, and mesothelium, we hypothesised that this might be important for homeostasis of adult tissues; hence, we deleted the gene ubiquitously in young and adult mice. Within just a few days, the mice suffered glomerulosclerosis, atrophy of the exocrine pancreas and spleen, severe reduction in bone and fat, and failure of erythropoiesis. FACS and culture experiments showed that Wt1 has an intrinsic role in both haematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cell lineages and suggest that defects within these contribute to the phenotypes we observe. We propose that glomerulosclerosis arises in part through down regulation of nephrin, a known Wt1 target gene. Protein profiling in mutant serum showed that there was no systemic inflammatory or nutritional response in the mutant mice. However, there was a dramatic reduction in circulating IGF-1 levels, which is likely to contribute to the bone and fat phenotypes. The reduction of IGF-1 did not result from a decrease in circulating GH, and there is no apparent pathology of the pituitary and adrenal glands. These findings 1) suggest that Wt1 is a major regulator of the homeostasis of some adult tissues, through both local and systemic actions; 2) highlight the differences between foetal and adult tissue regulation; 3) point to the importance of adult mesenchyme in tissue turnover

The COVID-19 pandemic and serious psychological consequences in Bangladesh: a population-based nationwide study

Background: As with countries worldwide, lockdown measures during the COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh were sudden and unexpected, and have the capacity to elicit serious psychological consequences. The present study examined the psychological consequences of COVID-19 in Bangladesh during the lockdown period. Methods: A nationwide online cross-sectional survey study recruited 10,067 individuals covering all 64 districts in Bangladesh via social media (April 1-10, 2020). The survey comprised questions concerning socio-demographics, knowledge of COVID-19, behavior towards COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, insomnia, depression, and suicidal ideation. Logistic regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were performed to identify the risk factors depression and suicidal ideation. Geographical information system (GIS)-based spatial analysis was used to identify district-wise susceptibility to depression and suicidal ideation. Findings: The prevalence rate of depression and suicidal ideation related to COVID-19 was 33% and 5%. Common risk factors for suicidal ideation and depression included being young, being female, being a cigarette smoker, having comorbid diseases, having high scores on the Fear COVID-19 Scale, and having insomnia symptoms. GIS-based maps detected high depression and suicidal ideation in the capital of Bangladesh and the districts near the capital as well as coastal areas where COVID-19 prevalence was high, as compared with districts with no reported cases. Limitations: Self-reported scales and cross-sectional design of our study. Conclusion: COVID-19 is associated with major psychological impact across Bangladesh, underlining the need of strategically located psychological support measures and improved access to mental health services, especially among women and younger people