Antitumor and cytotoxic effect of different partitionates of methanol extract of Trema orientalis : A preliminary in-vitro study

Herbal drugs are widely used in the primary health care system now-a-days and the use is increasing day by day. Thus extensive research to confirm the bioactivity of plant extract is very essential. The aim of this research was to determine the antitumor and cytotoxic actions of solvent-solvent partitioned fraction (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and hydro-methanol) of the methanol extract of root of Trema orientalis. The antitumor activity of different fractions of plant extract was evaluated by potato disc bioassay method where Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used to induce tumor on potato disc. On the other hand, the cytotoxic effect was determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay technique. The ethyl acetate fraction of the plant extract showed 35.51% and 62.89% inhibition of tumor formation in potato disc bioassay method at 50 µg/disc and 100 µg/disc respectively. The hydro-methanol extract showed 37.51% inhibition of tumor formation at 100 µg/disc while at 50 µg/disc no significant inhibition was observed. In contrast, n-hexane fraction did not show any antitumor activity. In cytotoxic study by brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the lethal concentration-50 (LC50) value of the nhexane, ethyl acetate and hydro-methanol fraction was 1377.03 µg/ml, 11.67 µg/ml and 48.62 µg/ml respectively. Ethyl acetate and hydro-methanol fractions of the solvent-solvent partitioned methanol extract of T. orientalis showed high antitumor and cytotoxic effect. These fractions are highly promising for further exploration to identify the bioactive com

Examining the Linkage of Academic Performance and Attention by Uddin's Numeral Finding and Typo Revealing Tests: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study in Undergraduate Students of Bangladesh

Background: Attention is the state of applying the concentration to something and it's strongly linked to academic performance. The drive of this study was to analyze the academic performance and attention of undergraduate students. Methods: The study was implemented on 139 undergraduate students of Bangladesh selected from 9 universities from April to August 2018. In this study to investigate the attention of the students, the Uddin's Numeral Finding (NF) and Typo Revealing (TR) tests were used. Results: In the NF test male students with last semester cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.47 (highest) exerted the maximum 40% attention but female students exerted only 33.3% attention and their last semester CGPA was 3. Students with age > 22 years exerted maximum, 70.55%, and 35.2% attention in NF and TR tests respectively with last semester CGPA of 3.56 (maximum). In the NF and TR tests, highest, 89.73%, and 50.33% attention respectively were reported by 1st-year students with last semester CGPA of only 3.70. High-socioeconomic status students with last semester CGPA of 3.43 (lowest) exerted maximum 75.30% attention in NF test. There were no significant associations between variables. Conclusion: Attention is a very rudimentary function that often is a forerunner to cognitive functions. Individual differences in academic performance have been linked to differences in attention and intelligence

Knowledge Management Performance Award (KMPA) For Universities & Institutes Of Higher Education.

As one of the main sources of competitive advantage, knowledge has become an increasingly important resource in enabling organizattons to survive the complexities of the market and business world. It has also acted as a means to create extra opportunitiesfor the organizations. Effective use of knowledge has contributed to the development of organizational capabilities and brought about sustainable competitive advantages to the firms: Therefore, nowadays and with the emergence of knowledge era. organizations tend more to find ways to effectively manage their knowledge assets and knowledge management (KM) processes. Universities and institutes of higher education are especially important in this regard, because they can be considered as heralds of knawledge creation and bases of knowledge dissemination

Physiology and Pathology of the Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system (CVS) is made up of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. The fundamental function of CVS is to transport substances to and from all parts of the body. The heart is the major pumping organ, pressurizing blood for circulation through the blood vessels; blood is propelled away from the heart in the arteries and returns to the heart through the veins. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for a number of inter-linked diseases, generally defined as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, high blood pressure, peripheral arterial disease, rheumatic and congenital heart diseases, arrhythmia, etc. Globally, CVDs are the leading cause of deaths, and according to the estimation of the World Health Organization (WHO), about 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, accounting for 32% of all global deaths. About 75% of CVD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. This burden of CVDs can be decreased by careful risk reduction (such as lifestyle modification, smoking and alcohol cessation, weight optimization, physical exercise), and proper medical treatments, including herbal components. The prevention of CVDs can reduce the occurrence of major cardiovascular events, thereby reducing premature disability, morbidity, and mortality, while prolonging survival and quality of life

Neurochemistry of Neurochemicals: Messengers of Brain Functions

Neurochemistry refers to the chemical processes that occur in the brain and nervous system. This section of study determines how neurochemicals influence the network of neural operation. The brain transfers numerous chemical information via neurons to communicate. The main role of neurochemistry activities takes place in the brain, which allows it to perform numerous actions. Foundation of brain is a little bit different from man to man and several things can play a role in the levels of various neurotransmitters in the brain. It is supposed that differences in brain chemistry may accountable for a variety of behavioral disorders. A particular cell called neurons is the basis of brain. Neurotransmitters have the capability that it can trigger when ordered to do so, along with receptors for specific neurotransmitters. By sending messages with neurotransmitters to signal various cell activities, brain perform its functions. Neurotransmitter spreads chemical messages from neuron to neuron to broadcast certain work and thus it works. A neuron may accept many chemical messages, both positive and negative from the other neurons contiguous it. They are accountable to get the neuron to reply in different ways, or they may work combine to produce a certain effect. Since all of this occurs just within a split second, the neurotransmitter must be cleared away rapidly so that the same receptors can be activated again and again. Psychoactive drugs work by briefly influencing a man's neurochemistry, which thusly causes changes in a man's mind-set, cognition, perception and behavior. Neuropeptides are endogenous protein molecules that are utilized for neuronal signaling. These molecules exert more prolonged and diverse effects on behavior than neurotransmitters. Therefore the objective of this appraisal is to show study of the brain's chemical makeup especially neurotransmitters, psychopharmaceuticals, neuropeptides and their activities to nervous tissue

Association between Circulating Retinol Binding Protein 4, Body Mass Index, and Biomarkers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction among Slum-Dwelling Lean Adults in Bangladesh

The relationship of retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) with biomarkers of intestinal health and gut integrity in adults is unknown. We sought to determine the correlation between plasma RBP4 level and BMI and investigate the relationship of circulating RBP4 concentration with biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction among lean adults (body mass index [BMI] < 25.0 kg/m2) in Bangladesh. Overall, 270 adults (135 undernourished with a BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 and 135 healthy controls with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2) aged 18 to 45 years were evaluated. Multivariable linear regression was performed to test the association between RBP4 and fecal biomarkers of impaired gut health. RBP4 concentration was positively correlated (rho = 0.27, P < 0.001) with BMI and was significantly higher in healthy controls than undernourished adults (P < 0.001), in male than female (P < 0.001), and also in employed (P < 0.001), smokers (P = 0.048) and participants with low Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ)—20 scores (an instrument to screen mental health disorders) (P = 0.049). Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between RBP4 and fecal biomarkers of gut enteropathy including myeloperoxidase (rho = –0.23, P < 0.001), neopterin (rho = –0.30, P < 0.001), and alpha-1 anti-trypsin (rho = –0.21, P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that increased RBP4 concentration was associated with a significant reduction in fecal neopterin (coefficient = –0.95; 95% confidence interval: –1.44 to –0.45]; P < 0.001) after adjustment for age, sex, nutritional status at enrollment, education, dietary diversity score, SRQ-20 score, improved sanitation, household animal exposure, and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein. The study findings revealed an inverse relationship of plasma RBP4 concentration with fecal biomarkers of altered gut health among slum-dwelling lean adults in Bangladesh.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Chronic Aflatoxin Exposure and Cognitive and Language Development in Young Children of Bangladesh : A Longitudinal Study

Aflatoxin can cross the blood–brain barrier, damage brain tissues, and have the potential to harm the development of the human brain. Although dietary aflatoxin exposure is common in children, there is a paucity of data on aflatoxin exposure and child developmental outcomes. The child’s cognitive, motor, and language functions were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III or BSID-III at the same time points. Association between exposure to aflatoxin and subtests of BSID-III were examined using mixed-effect linear regression. Aflatoxin assays were performed on 194, 167, and 163 children at 15, 24, and 36 months of age, and chronic aflatoxin exposure was detected in 20.6%, 16.8%, and 60.7% of children, respectively. Multi-variable analyses showed that aflatoxin exposure was independently related to the children’s cognitive score (β: −0.69; 95% CI: −1.36, −0.02), receptive language score (β: −0.90; 95% CI: −1.62, −0.17), and expressive language score (β: −1.01; 95% CI: −1.96, −0.05). We did not observe any association between exposure to aflatoxin and the motor function of children. Chronic exposure to aflatoxin exposure was linked to reduced cognitive, expressive, and receptive language scores of the study children. Further research is needed in a different setting to confirm this novel finding.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Developing shelf-stable Microbiota Directed Complementary Food (MDCF) prototypes for malnourished children: Study protocol for a randomized, single-blinded, clinical study

BACKGROUND: Childhood undernutrition is a major public health concern that needs special attention to achieve 2025 global nutrition targets. Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), manifest as wasting (low weight-for-height), affects 33 million children under 5, yet there are currently no global guidelines for its treatment. We recently performed a randomized-controlled clinical study of a microbiota-directed complementary food formulation (MDCF-2) in 12-18-month-old Bangladeshi children with MAM. The results revealed that MDCF-2, freshly prepared each day, produced a significantly greater improvement in ponderal growth than a standard ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), an effect that is associated with repair of the disrupted gut microbial community development that occurs in children with MAM. To test the generalizability of these results in acutely malnourished children at other sites, there is a pressing need for a packaged, shelf-stable, organoleptically-acceptable formulation that is bioequivalent to MDCF-2. This report describes the protocol for a clinical study to evaluate candidate formulations designed to meet these criteria. METHODS: A randomized single-blind study will be conducted in 8-12-month-old Bangladeshi children with MAM to compare the efficacy of alternative shelf-stable MDCF prototypes versus the current MDCF-2 formulation that is produced fresh each day. V4-16S rDNA amplicon and shotgun sequencing datasets will be generated from faecal DNA samples collected from each child enrolled in each group prior to, during, and after treatment to determine the abundances of MDCF-2-responsive bacterial taxa. Efficacy will be assessed by quantifying the change in representation of MDCF-2-responsive gut bacterial taxa after 4-weeks of treatment with freshly prepared MDCF-2 compared to their changes in abundance after treatment with the prototype MDCFs. Equivalence will be defined as the absence of a statistically significant difference, after 4-weeks of treatment, in the representation of faecal bacterial taxa associated with the response to MDCF-2 in participants receiving a test MDCF. DISCUSSION: This trial aims to establish acceptability and equivalence with respect to microbiota repair, of scalable, shelf-stable formulations of MDCF-2 in 8-12-month-old Bangladeshi children with moderate acute malnutrition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05094024). The trial has been registered before starting enrolment on 23 October 2021

Gut biomolecules (I-FABP, TFF3 and lipocalin-2) are associated with linear growth and biomarkers of environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) in Bangladeshi children

In the current world, a major challenge to diagnose environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is the lack of validated non-invasive biomarkers. Intestine derived molecules, including intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), trefoil factor-3 (TFF3), lactoferrin, lipocalin-2 (LCN2), and mucin-2, have been reported as indicators of intestinal inflammation and gut health. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the levels of these bio-molecules as biomarkers of EED among under-2 children in Bangladesh. A total of 140 children were recruited in a case–control design. All the biomarkers were measured by ELISA. Spearman’s rank correlation was performed to see the correlation between the biomarkers and the EED score. Moreover, multivariable linear regression was performed to investigate the association of biomarkers with length-for-age z-score (LAZ). TFF3 correlates positively with myeloperoxidase (r = 0.26, p < 0.05) and EED score (r = 0.17, p < 0.05). Likewise, LCN2 correlates positively with myeloperoxidase (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), neopterin (r = 0.33, p < 0.05) and EED score (r = 0.31, p < 0.05). Moreover, multivariable linear regression revealed a negative association of I-FABP with LAZ of the study participants. Our results imply that TFF3 and LCN2 might be promising biomarkers to diagnose intestinal inflammation and EED, while I-FABP is negatively associated with linear growth of Bangladeshi children.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Performance of steel-bolt-connected industrialized building system frame subjected to hydrodynamic force

People need durable shelters for living safely due to devastation caused by flooding in some areas, and it is not easy to mitigate the frequency and intensity of the flooding. Therefore, in this research, an industrialized building system (IBS) has been proposed as one of the best solutions. However, most of the existing IBSs were not designed and tested for resisting a sudden horizontal impact. Furthermore, the joints of some IBSs would likely be vulnerable to failure when subjected to a horizontal impact. There is a need to develop a bolt-connected IBS that is able to withstand a horizontal impact load. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the performance of steel-bolt-connected IBS frames subjected to the sudden impact of hydrodynamic force. Autodesk computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation was used for optimizing the laboratory experiment. A 1:5-scale IBS frame was designed and tested for the dam-break test using 1 m, 2 m, and 3 m reservoir water levels. The results showed that the bolt connections were very effective and robust in the IBS frame. They also restricted damages from spreading to other structural components due to energy dissipation. The main findings of this study are crucial to improving the current IBS method of construction