Malaria disease is caused by a variant of mosquitoes that leads to transmission in humans. This study aimed to investigate the effects of beetroot extract (NBE) nanoparticles on parasitemia index and ICAM-1 levels in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Thirty male mice were randomly divided into six groups including H= baseline (normal/healthy), NC= P. berghei inoculation, PC= P. berghei inoculation treated with artemisinin, T1= P. berghei inoculation treated with artemisinin and NBE (50 mg/kg), T2= P. berghei inoculation treated with artemisinin and NBE (100 mg/kg), and T3= P. berghei inoculation treated with artemisinin and NBE (200 mg/kg). Parasitemia index in groups T2 (13.1%) and T3 (12.5 %) were significantly lower compared to groups NC (36 %) and PC (16.2 %). Furthermore, ICAM-1 levels in groups T2 (145.72 ng/ml) and T3 (151.24 ng/ml) were significantly lower compared to groups NC (319.17 ng/ml) and PC (241.93 ng/ml). The findings of the study suggest that nanoparticles of beetroot extract could have potential as an anti-inflammatory and antimalarial adjuvant for malaria infection.

Vibrio alginolyticus is one of the major disease-causing bacteria in shrimp aquaculture. The widespread use of antibiotics in shrimp aquaculture to treat bacterial diseases has raised concerns about antibiotic resistance. As a result, alternative treatments, such as plant extract phytochemicals are being explored to mitigate these risks. This study aims to identify promising biologically active compounds from garlic (Allium sativum) that can inhibit the virulent protein thermolabile hemolysin of V. alginolyticus, which causes shrimp vibriosis. Various computational approaches, including molecular docking, pharmacokinetic analysis, and molecular dynamics simulation, were conducted to predict the compounds that can inhibit the phospholipase and hemolysis activities of the thermolabile hemolysin protein. Out of thirty-five compounds from A. sativum, protopine (CID 4970), gibberellin A7 (CID 92782), and gibberellic acid (CID 6466) demonstrated the strongest binding affinities, with scores of -9.4, -8.0, and -7.4 kcal/mol, respectively. Pharmacokinetic and toxicity analyses showed favorable drug-like properties for gibberellin A7 and gibberellic acid with no violations. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that gibberellin A7 and gibberellic acid exhibited the highest stability over 100 nanoseconds. The investigation shows that gibberellin A7 and gibberellic acid from A. sativum have the potential to inhibit the virulent activity of thermolabile hemolysin. However, the study needs further in-vitro and in-vivo analysis to test our predicted results.

Restaurant customers consume food contaminated by germs, increasing the risk of foodborne disease. In this investigation, food handlers hands and utensils from many restaurants near Sadarghat launch station in Dhaka, Bangladesh, were tested to determine bacterial contamination incidence. Standard procedures were followed in isolation and identification of bacterial isolates. Of the 60 analyzed swabs, 46.7% showed a positive culture for one or more potential bacterial contaminants. The occurrence of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio cholerae in the hands of food handlers was 50%, 33.4%, 33.4%, and 23.4%, respectively, and those in utensils was 33.4%, 16.7%, 16.7%, and 10%, respectively. The majority of tested isolates of P. aeruginosa (100%) showed the highest resistance phenomenon to ampicillin and tetracycline, V. cholerae (100%) to ampicillin, E. coli (80%) to ampicillin and streptomycin, and S. aureus (100%) to ciprofloxacin. All of the examined isolates of P. aeruginosa were found to be most sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam, E. coli to imipenem and nitrofurantoin, S. aureus to gentamicin, amikacin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol, and V. cholerae to piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem and amikacin. Remarkably, 100% of V. cholerae isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), with the highest multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) score of 0.428. Among the examined isolates, 75% of bacterial isolates showed MDR phenotype, while 90% of isolates recorded a MARI value greater than 0.2. Due to the increased risk of food contamination or cross-contamination from food handlers hands and utensils, the findings of this study indicate that restaurant hygiene standards are inadequate and might have detrimental effects on the general public health. Consequently, this highlighted the significance of further training to enhance food workers understanding of proper hand-washing techniques.

The leptin (LEP) gene polymorphism is one of the most common polymorphisms and is believed to be associated with high circulating LEP levels that can occur in obese individuals. Thus, this study purposed to determine the relationship of LEP1 and LEP2 gene polymorphisms with overweight/obese and non-obese adolescents in Palembang and their correlation with various metabolic and anthropometric parameters. This research was an analytical and observational study. A total of 50 blood samples from adolescents (aged 10-18 years) were analyzed in this study. Standard laboratory protocols for serum lipid measurements, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction, allele analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and LEP and insulin analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed. The study revealed the allelic frequencies for gene LEP1: non-obese (G = 0.45, A = 0.55) and obese (G = 0.87, A = 0.13), and gene LEP2: non-obese (G = 0.54, A = 0.45) and obese (G = 0.67, A = 0.33). The frequencies of alleles in the LEP1 gene showed a statistically significant association with nutritional status (p = 0.011), while there was no significant association between genotypes in the LEP gene and nutritional status. The level of LEP was 6.39 + 1.12 in non-obese and 11.57 + 1.68 in obese, with p 0.000; and the triglyceride level was 82.56 ± 43.22 in non-obese and 113.72 ± 54.03 in obese, with p 0.029. In conclusion, this study shows that LEP levels and the polymorphism in the LEP1 gene are associated with obese adolescents.

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal that can cause harm even at extremely low concentrations and damage various organs, including those of reproduction. Medical herbs like Nigella sativa include antioxidants that have been shown to enhance spermatogenesis and male fertility. This research aimed to investigate the gonadal health benefits of Nigella sativa seed oil (NSO) as an antidote in male rats exposed to chronic Pb toxicity. Forty rats were divided into four groups: a control group, a group exposed to Pb acetate (75 mg/kg body weight), a group given NSO (1ml/kg feed), and a group exposed to Pb acetate (75 mg/kg body weight) along with NSO (1ml/kg feed). Pb was administered through water, while NSO with fed for 16 weeks. Rats were euthanized, blood was obtained, and serum was prepared to perform hormonal study. Sperm concentration and motility along with testis weight and diameter were measured. The testes were collected for histology. The findings indicated a significant drop in serum concentrations of testosterone and thyroxin (T4) in Pb-exposed rats, whereas NSO demonstrated a remarkable ability to restore these hormone levels. Moreover, Pb exposure led to a notable reduction in sperm motility, sperm concentration, testis weight, and testis diameter, accompanied by seminiferous tubule degeneration. However, the administration of NSO effectively counteracted the adverse effects induced by chronic Pb exposure in rats. Together, these findings revealed the gonadoprotective effects of NSO against lead toxicity, suggesting its preventive as well as therapeutic potential in preserving the testicular function of rats exposed to chronic Pb toxicity.

Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most common nosocomial infections causing pathogens. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii is a growing concern to the healthcare system in Bangladesh, necessitating the elucidation of the genetic characteristics of this species. Five MDR, biofilm-forming A. baumannii strains isolated from clinical samples in Dhaka, Bangladesh, underwent a comprehensive whole-genome shotgun sequencing. In silico analyses determined strain types, antibiotic resistance, and virulence genes. The phylogenomic and pan-genome comparative analysis included the study samples along with an additional 15 Bangladeshi A. baumannii strains collected from the public database. The antibiotic-resistant profile showed that all the strains were resistant to meropenem. Two strains were resistant to polymyxin B up to 64 µg/ml. The average draft genome size of the strains was 3.93 Mbp, with about 39% GC content. Multilocus sequence typing characterized the strains as ST1, ST2, ST164, and ST623. All strains carried different classes of ß-lactamase genes, including the carbapenem hydrolyzing enzyme coding genes blaoxa-23 and blaoxa-51. One of the five strains studied harbored blaNDM-9 and blaNDM-23 genes. The phosphotransferase group of aminoglycosides modifying enzymes was the most common. All the strains had relatively similar virulence profiles. Pan-genome analysis revealed 1944 core and 1302 unique genes. Phylogenomic analysis revealed the distribution of these strains in different clusters with other MDR strains isolated worldwide. The study results suggest the implementation of antibiotic stewardship and genomic surveillance of MDR A. baumannii to control the spread of antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh.

Chronic renal failure is a condition characterized by the inability of the kidney to effectively eliminate toxins, solutes, and excess water, necessitating the use of hemodialysis. The current study aimed to evaluate adipocytokines and oxidative stress biomarkers in sera of hemodialysis patients. This study involved 60 hemodialysis patients, of whom 64% were female and 36% were male. Additionally, 40 healthy control volunteers participated in the study. Adipocytokines and oxidative stress markers were measured using the ELISA technique, whereas the spectrophotometric method measured lipid profile and renal function. The t-test, correlation, receiver operating characteristic, and logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. Patients undergoing hemodialysis exhibited significant differences compared to healthy controls in serum concentrations of several parameters. Significantly higher levels of adiponectin (23.46 ng/mL), resistin (5.50 ng/mL), visfatin (47.0 ng/mL), and chemerin (169.0 ng/mL) were measured in patients undergoing hemodialysis as compared to healthy controls. Similarly, significantly higher levels of oxidative stress markers such as superoxide dismutase (3.78 U/mL), glutathione peroxidase (129.79 pg/mL), and malondialdehyde (4.66 mmol/L) were measured in patients undergoing hemodialysis as compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, adipocytokine parameters and oxidative stress markers have been found to be abnormal in hemodialysis patients and have an effect on atherosclerosis and heart failure progression.

Eradicating tuberculosis (TB) globally is increasingly challenging with the growing number of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) strains. The development of more potent TB vaccines is critical to complement overall TB control strategies and overcome the growing challenge of drug resistance. In this study, the recombinant plasmid pGEM-T Easy- Rv2873 + Rv3875 has been generated by inserting the Rv3875 gene, which encodes the ESAT6 protein, into the pGEM-T Easy- Rv2873 vector at the BamHI/HindIII cloning site. Following transformation into E. coli JM109, the plasmid was extracted, PCR amplified, and DNA sequencing. The existence of the appropriate recombinant Rv2873 + Rv3875 fusion genes was confirmed through the observation of a band of 948 base pairs in the colony PCR product containing fusion antigens. A band measuring 3966 base pairs was observed in the recombinant plasmid pGEM-T Easy- Rv2873+Rv3875, supporting the presence of the desired fusion genes target. The fusion genes Rv2873+Rv3875 were cloned into the expression vector pTrcHisA. This resulted in the pTrcHisA Rv2873+Rv3875 recombinant fusion plasmid, which was subsequently introduced into the E. coli BL21 strain through transformation. The fusion protein, comprising the 6XHis tag, exhibited a molecular mass of around 28 kilo Dalton and was synthesized as an insoluble protein inside E. coli BL21. In conclusion, the purified recombinant fusion protein MPT83 and ESAT6 hold promise for TB diagnosis and show potential as vaccine candidates in the future.

Aluminium (Al) contamination in the dairy industry is an emerging concern due to potential health risks. With the increasing consumption of pasteurized and UHT milk in Bangladesh, monitoring Al levels has become crucial. This study aimed to measure Al concentrations in these processed products using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and assess the associated health risks. Milk samples from 10 brands, including three different production lots, were collected from supermarkets. The instrumental precision for Al was 0.0212 mg/kg as a limit of detection (LOD) and 0.0643 mg/kg as a limit of quantification (LOQ), with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.2%. The multi-element standard containing Al exhibited linearity in the concentration ranged from 0-0.5 mg/kg with a correlation coefficient value of 0.9994. Among the 30 samples analyzed, 13, including both pasteurized and UHT milks, were contaminated with Al. The mean Al concentrations in the contaminated samples were 0.46±0.5, 0.71±0.6, and 0.47±0.4 mg/kg in lots 1, 2, and 3, respectively, indicating variation across production lots. The estimated daily Al intake ranged from 2.00E-03 to 3.00E-03 mg/kg body weight, contributing 1.4 to 2.1% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake. The target hazard quotient (THQ) for the contaminated samples ranged from 0.045 to 0.070 (THQ < 1), suggesting that the Al levels pose no significant health risk. Thus, the Al content in pasteurized and UHT milk may be considered safe for consumption, albeit with the limitation of a small sample size in this study.

Progranulin (PGRN) has been implicated in the emergence of several inflammatory conditions. However, the function of PGRN in allergy-related conditions has not been clearly elucidated. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of PGRN as a biomarker in allergic disorders. A total of 124 participants (84 with allergic disorders and 40 healthy individuals) were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups, 38 were classified as having allergies related to the respiratory system and 46 with allergies related to the skin, based on their clinical diagnosis. This categorization was confirmed by serological diagnosis by estimating the levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE). Additionally, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured for the detection of inflammation. Serum PGRN level was estimated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, while interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration was determined by the fluorescent immunoassay technique. Serum PGRN levels were significantly increased (p>0.05) in all patient groups as compared with controls. Adult patients recorded a significant elevation in PGRN level (p<0.05) compared to the children, while no significant difference (p>0.05) was recorded in terms of disease type (respiratory tract and skin allergies) or gender. Additionally, the results of Spearman’s correlation test revealed that there was no significant correlation between PGRN and each of IgE, CRP, and IL-6. Thus, the current study concluded that PGRN had efficacy as a predictive biomarker for various allergic disorders.

Genetic variations present in the Y chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA provide the molecular basis to support the archeological and anthropological evidence that formulates the theories for describing the trajectory of human migration, which started almost 200,000 years ago out of Africa. These genetic variations have long been used as ancestry informative markers (AIMs) in forensics and evolutionary studies, primarily because of their uniparental inheritance and lack of recombination, despite the fact that gender specific gene flow and socio-cultural practices may cause discrepancies. Moreover, the genetic markers on the Y- chromosome constitute only a minor fraction of the entire human genome. Here, we analyzed over 75 million genetic variants (single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and short insertion-deletion (InDels)) within consecutive 2500000 base pair windows in the autosomal as well as non-autosomal chromosomes of 22 populations in four major geographic regions that are cataloged in the 1000 Genomes Project to understand the clustering patterns of the autosomal and non-autosomal variants. While autosomal and X-chromosomal variants cluster the populations of similar geographic regions together, Y-chromosomal variants constantly place the East Asian Japanese, and the European Finnish populations in a single clade in hierarchical clusters. In conclusion, this comprehensive genome-wide analysis essentially introduces new insights into mapping the path of human migration based on the Y-chromosomal and other chromosomal variants.

Currently, liver diseases have become a serious global health issue, and this situation occurs due to the exposure of the liver to different agents, such as chemicals, alcohol, viruses, and autoimmune diseases. Mangiferin is a natural bioactive xanthone C-glycoside compound and a potent antioxidant that is widely found in medicinal plants such as the leaves of Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae). It possesses a wide range of biological properties, such as antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic activities. The purpose of this literature review was to delineate the hepatoprotective effects of mangiferin, a natural bioactive compound without side effects, and explain how it protects the liver via the suppression of pathological conditions involved in liver diseases. Relevant published research articles from peer-reviewed journals were searched in PubMed and Google Scholar to gain insights into the consequences of mangiferin in liver diseases. Several studies have suggested that pretreatment with mangiferin decreases hepatic inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, fibrosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and hepatic dysfunction and concomitantly ameliorates the morphological structures of the liver. Therefore, mangiferin could be considered a multitarget therapeutic and promising drug candidate for the treatment of hepatic diseases, although a detailed mechanistic explanation needs to be provided. This literature review highlights the pathological conditions (inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, ER stress) associated with liver diseases as well as the hepatoprotective and therapeutic effects of mangiferin in the liver.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection is still a global health problem. The severity of DENV infection is related to the high viral load and cytokine storm caused by excessive inflammation. There is no specific antiviral used for DENV. Meanwhile, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs for DENV is limited to patients with severe clinical symptoms. Interestingly, favipiravir (FVP) and quinine sulfate (QS) have been reported as repurposing drugs that can inhibit DENV replication. However, their anti-inflammatory activity in DENV infection has not been studied yet. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate both antiviral and inflammatory activities of FVP and QS in Vero and PBMC cells. The FVP and QS antiviral activities were analyzed through half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and half-maximal cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) values against DENV serotype-1 on Vero cells. The anti-inflammatory activities of FVP and QS were measured by the relative expression of TNF-a, IL-6, IL-10 cytokines, and the transcription factor NF-?B from DENV-1 infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro. The results showed that the IC50, CC50, and selectivity index (SI) for FVP were 2.72 µg/mL, 156.78 µg/mL, and 58, respectively. Meanwhile, the IC50, CC50, and SI of QS were 14.97 µg/mL, 85.2 µg/mL, and 5.69. Also, FVP and QS reduced the expression of IL-6 and IL-10 but induced the expression of TNF-a, and the transcription factor NF-?B in PBMC with the presence of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). Further, FVP has better DENV-1 antiviral activities compared to QS. However, in comparison with QS, FVP showed lower anti-inflammatory activities. Further studies are needed to explore the antiviral and anti-inflammatory mechanism of FVP and QS in the DENV-infected models.