Natural Dye from Curcuma Longa L. and Its Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activities

In the present study, Curcuma longa L. was selected to extract natural dye. The selected plant material was analyzed for its phytochemical constituents, physiochemical properties, antibacterial properties and its cytotoxicity.  For phytochemical test and dye extractions, three solvent systems, ethanol only, 50% ethanol and water were used. Phytochemical test performed on ethanol extract showed that they contained all tested secondary metabolites. The EDXRF results of dye powder expresses it does not contain toxic heavy metal and contains lower mineral contents. The physicochemical property of dye powder expresses it was suitable for dye processes. Cytotoxicity determination was   carried   out   by using the brine shrimp lethality bioassay method. The LC50 values of the extracts were determined by linear regression analysis method. It was observed that the ethanol soluble dye powder LC50 value was 323.752 ppm, which was more potent compared to water soluble potion with LC50 value of 207.182 ppm. The lower concentration of dye powder is suitable for food dye as well as textile dye

Case Report Death from Liver Failure despite Lamivudine Prophylaxis during R-CHOP Chemotherapy due to Rapid Emergence M204 Mutations

Background. Rapid and early emergence of clinically significant LAM resistance is thought to be unlikely during the first year of treatment, and as a result LAM is thought to be a reasonable choice as a first line agent for prophylaxis during chemotherapy. Aim. To report fatal HBV reactivation despite appropriate LAM prophylaxis in two previously treatment-naive individuals undergoing R-CHOP chemotherapy. Case Presentation. Case 1 is a 65-year-old man with chronic HBV infection: HBeAg-negative, HBV DNA 6.65E5 IU/mL, ALT 43 IU/L, and Fibroscan 4.4 kPa, consistent with F0, who was diagnosed with lymphoma that was treated with R-CHOP and LAM prophylaxis. HBV DNA fell to 2.18E1 IU/mL within 2 months of starting LAM. Four months after chemotherapy, despite ongoing LAM of 7-month duration with confirmed adherence, severe asymptomatic hepatitis was noted during routine monitoring with ALT 1019 IU/L, HBeAg negative, HBV DNA 1.43E7 IU/mL, and genotyping confirmed L80I and M204I mutations. He died 14 days after flare diagnosis despite a switch to tenofovir (HBV DNA had fallen to 1.94E5 IU/mL 2 weeks after starting tenofovir). Case 2 is a 50-year-old man who was found to have HBeAg-negative hepatitis B, ALT 37 IU/L, and no clinical features of cirrhosis (platelets 283, APRI 0.19) after lymphoma diagnosis. Lymphoma was treated with R-CHOP and LAM prophylaxis. Pretreatment HBV DNA was not done but was 8.90E4 IU/mL 3 weeks after starting LAM and 3.96E3 IU/mL 3 months after starting LAM. Two months after chemotherapy, despite ongoing LAM of 7-month duration with confirmed adherence, severe symptomatic hepatitis presenting with jaundice, abdominal pain, and confusion was noted. ALT 902 IU/L, HBeAg negative, HBV DNA 1.02E8 IU/mL, and genotyping confirmed L80I, M80V, and M204V/S mutations. He died 3 days after flare diagnosis despite the addition of tenofovir. Conclusion. Lamivudine should not be used for prophylaxis of patients with chronic hepatitis B with detectable HBV DNA undergoing chemotherapy with rituximab containing cytotoxic chemotherapy even if they have never had exposure to lamivudine in the past. In this setting, lamivudine failure due to resistance can develop quickly leading to liver failure that cannot be salvaged with tenofovir. Whether LAM is safe for prophylaxis with rituximab-based cytotoxic chemotherapy for patients with undetectable HBV DNA is unknown, but agents with a high barrier to resistance may be preferable

Alternative protein source for fish meal production focusing on the protein contents of cockroach

ABSTRACT Fish meal is primarily used as a protein supplement in the production of fish feed. Cockroaches are considered a suitable ingredient from a nutritional and palatability perspective to replace fish meal and other high protein ingredients in aqua feed. In the present study, cockroach powder was produced intended to replace the fish meal in fish feed production. The experiment was conducted from August 2019 to March 2020. The wild cockroaches were collected from food stores, kitchens and restaurants. The collected cockroaches were dried and ground into powder form. The nutritional value of cockroach powder was determined and used as the insect meal to produce fish feed. Fish feed including cockroach dried-powder was formulated and treated to the catfish Pangasius hypophthalmus to examine the growth performance of fish. A total of 58.81% of the protein was used from cockroach powder for fish feed. The highest growth performance and feed utilization was calculated in terms of Weight Gain, Daily Growth Rate, Specific Growth Rate, Feed Conversion Ratio, and Percent Weight Gain. The water temperature was measured with a thermometer daily at experimental and control sites. The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH of the water were measured using on oxygen meter and pH meter respectively. Three sets of experiment were carried out to compare cockroach meal feed and other commercial pellets. This study will focus on replacing fish meal in fish feed production and reducing the cost of fish meal

Myanmar Rice Gain classification using Image Processing Technique

This paper studies different characteristics of Myanmar rice grains and their varieties. The classification of various varieties of rice grains is made by using image processing techniques and algorithm

Anti-hyperglycemic Activity in Vitro, Actuate Toxicity in Vivo and Antioxidant Activity of the Crude Extract of the Root of Plumeria alba L.

Medicinal plants are the single most productive sources for the development of drugs and play an important role in treating and preventing a variety of diseases through the world.  Plumeria alba Linn. commonly known as Tayoke-sakar-aphyu in Myanmar is one of the medicinal plants belonging to Apocynaceae family. The pharmacological studies were carried out to investigate antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, anti-hyperglycemic activity in vitro and acute toxicity in vivo. The main aim of the present research is to evaluate the biological activities of the root of Plumeria alba L, Firstly, phytochemical screening of the collected sample was performed. Elemental composition of the crude sample was examined by EDXRF (Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence) spectroscopy. Moreover three different solvents such as ethanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts of the sample were examined for their antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus pumilus, Candida albicans and E. coli by Agar- well diffusion method. The antioxidant activity of ethanol extract of the root of Plumeria alba L. was studied by DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrayl) assay. The acute toxicity of ethanol extract of the root of Plumeria alba L. on Artemia salinna were investigated. The glucose lowering activities of the water and ethanol extracts of the sample were determined by iodometric titration

Effect of dietary garlic and thyme seed supplementation on the production performance, carcass yield and gut microbial population of broiler chickens

A total of 200 Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly allocated to 4 treatments consisting of 5 replications with 10 chicks each in order to evaluate the effect of dietary garlic and thyme seed supplementation on the production performance, carcass yield and gut microbial population. Treatments were control diet (T1), control diet with 1% thyme seed powder (T2), control diet with 1% garlic powder (T3) and control diet with 0.5% thyme seed and 0.5% garlic powder (T4). Feed intake, body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass yield was not significantly (p>0.05) improved by dietary treatments compared to control. Escherichia coli (E. coli) count in the gut of broilers did not show significant difference among dietary treatments. However, Lactobacilli count in the gut of broilers significantly (p<0.05) increased in T2 compared to that of T1. Lactobacilli count in the gut of broilers received T1, T3 and T4 did not differ significantly (p>0.05) with each other. It was concluded that thyme seed was reliable as feed additive in the broiler diet and could provide positive advantages to the colonization and proliferation of Lactobacilli

Investigation of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection in Bogalay Township, Myanmar in 1999

An investigation was in Nyi-naung-wa village, Bogalay township for Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus infection and the possibility of a JE outbreak. JE virus antibody was determined among the pigs and the people living near the pig farms in that village and at an adjacent village as a control. The known JE virus vector Culex mosquito species were also identified in both villages. Haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) methods were used for the detectioon of JE and dengue antibodies. Homotypic or monotypic JE antibodies were detected in 33% of the pigs tested. No homotypic nor monotypic JE antibodis was detected among the villagers. Although there was no JE virus infection among the people, because of the presence of JE virus infection among the pigs and the presence of Culex mosquito vector in that area, the possibility of a JE outbreak in humans in that area, if the number of pig breeding per household increase and the mosquito density become higher is discussed

Conclusions and Perpectives

The workshop on .Sustainability in rural and urban environments" focused - as already explained earlier - on four topics: (1) agricultural and urban environments, (2) future demands and use of water and energy, (3) disaster prevention, (4) implications for land use and land cover changes. It aimed at three major objectives: (1) deepening of the cooperation and academic networks of both countries, (2) identifying future fields of research, teaching and capacity building on both sides and (3) bringing togethe r academics from different disciplinary backgrounds, institutional viewpoints and stages of scientific career to ensure future oriented capacity building within the participating universities. In order to fulfill these requirements, the workshop programme was composed of four keynotes and four impulse lectures from scholars of both countries as well as two workshops for intensive scientific exchange and discussion . The underlying idea was to exchange ideas and viewpoints on relevant research topics , research priorities and to identify common fields of action as well as to consider potential future joint research projects. The following summary of the basic discussions and considerations of the two workshop groups is based on comprehensive notes which were taken by the many authors of this chapter