Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of antimalarial treatment and molecular markers of Plasmodium falciparum resistance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. METHODS: A total of 203 patients infected with P. falciparum were treated with quinine 3 days plus sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) combination therapy, and followed up during a 4-week period. Blood samples collected before treatment were genotyped for parasite mutations related to chloroquine (pfcrt and pfmdr1 genes) or SP resistance (dhfr and dhps). RESULTS: Of 186 patients who completed follow-up, 32 patients (17.2%) failed to clear parasitaemia or became positive again within 28 days after treatment. Recurring parasitaemia was related to age (chi(2) = 4.8, P < 0.05) and parasite rates on admission (t = 3.1, P < 0.01). PCR analysis showed that some of these cases were novel infections. The adjusted recrudescence rate was 12.9% (95% CI 8.1-17.7) overall, and 16.6% (95% CI 3.5-29.7), 15.5% (95% CI 8.3-22.7) and 6.9% (95% CI 0.4-13.4) in three age groups (<5 years, 5-14, > or =15). The majority of infections carried mutations associated with chloroquine resistance: 94% at pfcrt and 70% at pfmdr. Sp-resistant genotypes were also frequent: 99% and 73% of parasites carried two or more mutations at dhfr and dhps, respectively. The frequency of alleles at dhfr, dhps and pfmdr was similar in cases that were successfully treated and those that recrudesced. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical trial showed that quinine 3-days combined to SP is still relatively effective in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. However, if this regimen is continued to be widely used, further development of SP resistance and reduced quinine sensitivity are to be expected. The genotyping results suggest that neither chloroquine nor SP can be considered a reliable treatment for P. falciparum malaria any longer in this area of Bangladesh

Composition of the Essential Oil of Clausena Suffruticosa Leaf and Evaluation of its Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities

Purpose: To investigate the essential oil content of Clausena suffruticosa leaf for its in-vitro antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities.Methods: The essential oil of Clausena suffruticosa leaf was extracted by hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger-type apparatus and was analyzed by GC-MS using electron impact ionization method. Antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic screenings were made by disc diffusion technique,poisoned food technique and brine shrimp lethality bioassay, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the oil was determined by measuring the zone of inhibition, with tetracycline as reference standard. Fluconazole served as standard in the antifungal assessment.Results: A total of twenty two compounds, of which Estragole, Anethole and â-Ocimene were the major ones, were found in the essential oil of C. suffruticosa. The oil showed higher antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri than the reference, tetracycline (p &lt; 0.05). Significant activity (p &lt; 0.001) against other Gram-positive microbes - Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus polymyxa and Bacillus megaterium – was also observed. However, Gram-negative bacteria -Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Shigella sonnei - showed no sensitivity to the oil. In the antifungal assay, the oil exhibited greater activity (p &lt; 0.001) against Aspergillus ochraceus than the reference, fluconazole, Inhibition of other fungal strains tested was also statistically significant (p &lt; 0.001). The lethal concentration (LC50) of the oil against brine shrimp was 41.2 ìg/ml in the cytotoxic assay.Conclusion: It is evident that the essential oil of C. suffruticosa is a potent antimicrobial and cytotoxic agent that should be further evaluated.Keywords: Clausena suffruticosa, Essential oil, Cytotoxicity, Antimicrobial, Brine shrim

Rat floods and water floods: the ecological and sociological dynamics of rodent management in Bangladesh

Chakma, N., Belmain, S.R., Sarker, N.J., Sarker, S.U., Kamal, N.Q., Sarker, S.K

Nutritional Profiling of Wild (Pangasius pangasius) and Farmed (Pangasius hypophthalmus) Pangasius Catfish with Implications to Human Health

publishedVersio

Sonochemical Synthesis of Cobalt Ferrite Nanoparticles

Cobalt ferrite being a hard magnetic material with high coercivity and moderate magnetization has found wide-spread applications. In this paper, we have reported the sonochemical synthesis of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles using metal acetate precursors. The ferrite synthesis occurs in three steps (hydrolysis of acetates, oxidation of hydroxides, and in situ microcalcination of metal oxides) that are facilitated by physical and chemical effects of cavitation bubbles. The physical and magnetic properties of the ferrite nano-particles thus synthesized have been found to be comparable with those reported in the literature using other synthesis techniques

Venture capital on a shoestring: Bioventures’ pioneering life sciences fund in South Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since 2000, R&D financing for global health has increased significantly, with innovative proposals for further increases. However, although venture capital (VC) funding has fostered life sciences businesses across the developed world, its application in the developing world and particularly in Africa is relatively new. Is VC feasible in the African context, to foster the development and application of local health innovation?</p> <p>As the most industrially advanced African nation, South Africa serves as a test case for life sciences venture funding. This paper analyzes Bioventures, the first VC company focused on life sciences investment in sub-Saharan Africa. The case study method was used to analyze the formation, operation, and investment support of Bioventures, and to suggest lessons for future health venture funds in Africa that aim to develop health-oriented innovations.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The modest financial success of Bioventures in challenging circumstances has demonstrated a proof of concept that life sciences VC can work in the region. Beyond providing funds, support given to investees included board participation, contacts, and strategic services. Bioventures had to be proactive in finding and supporting good health R&D.</p> <p>Due to the fund’s small size, overhead and management expenses were tightly constrained. Bioventures was at times unable to make follow-on investments, being forced instead to give up equity to raise additional capital, and to sell health investments earlier than might have been optimal. With the benefit of hindsight, the CFO of Bioventures felt that partnering with a larger fund might benefit similar future funds. Being better linked to market intelligence and other entrepreneurial investors was also seen as an unmet need.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>BioVentures has learned lessons about how the traditional VC model might evolve to tackle health challenges facing Africa, including how to raise funds and educate investors; how to select, value, and support investments; and how to understand the balance between financial and social returns. The experience of the fund suggests that future health funds targeting ailments of the poor might require investors that accept health benefits as part of their overall “return.” Learning from Bioventures may help develop health innovation funding for sub-Saharan African that has combined health, financial, and economic development impacts.</p

Conflict and Livelihood Decisions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

__Abstract__ We analyse rural household livelihood and child school enrolment decisions in the post-conflict setting of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region of Bangladesh. What makes this paper innovative is the use of current subjective perceptions regarding the possibility of violence in the future and past actual experiences of violence in explaining household economic decision-making. Preferences are endogenous in line with behavioural economics. Regression results show that heightened subjective perceptions of future violence and past actual experiences of conflict influence current consumption and child enrolment and could encourage risky mixed crop cultivation. The trauma emanating from past experiences combined with current high perceptions of risk of violence may induce bolder and riskier behaviour in line with prospect theories of risk. Furthermore, a postconflic