Genetic Variations of RAD51 and XRCC2 Genes Increase the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Bangladeshi Population.

Objectives: In case of Bangladeshi population, no report is observed till now showing the genetic variations of RAD51 (rs1801320) and XRCC2 (rs3218536) genes polymorphism having association with colorectal cancer risk. For this reason the aim of this study is to ascertain their interrelation with colorectal cancer occurrence in Bangladeshi population.

Materials And Methods: A case control study was conducted where 200 colorectal cancer patients and 200 healthy volunteers were figured for this research using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Altered serum interleukin-7 and interleukin-10 are associated with drug-free major depressive disorder.

Background: Abnormal expression of inflammatory cytokines in major depressive disorder (MDD) suggests the activation of an inflammatory process. The pattern of alterations in cytokine levels is still ambiguous. The present study aimed to evaluate interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) for their involvement in the pathophysiology of MDD and determine their relationships with depression risk.

Pollutant removal from landfill leachate employing two-stage constructed wetland mesocosms: co-treatment with municipal sewage.

Constructed wetlands are low-cost, natural technologies that are often employed for the treatment of different types of wastewater. In this study, landfill leachate and municipal wastewater were co-treated by the three parallel two-stage Phragmites- or Vetiver-based constructed wetland mesocosms. Two-stage wetland mesocosms included vertical flow (VF) units as the first stage, followed by horizontal flow (HF)/surface flow (SF)/floating treatment (FT) units.

A possible alternative therapy for type 2 diabetes using Myristica fragrans Houtt in combination with glimepiride: in vivo evaluation and in silico support.

The current study aimed to evaluate the in vivo hypoglycemic potential of Myristica fragrans seed extract co-administered with glimepiride in Swiss albino mice. Computational tools were used to further verify the in vivo findings and to help compare this combination to the glimepiride-pioglitazone combination in terms of the binding affinity of the ligands to their respective target protein receptors and the relative stability of the drug-protein complexes. The effect of the combined therapy was observed both in alloxan- and glucose-induced hyperglycemic Swiss albino mice.

Effect of Recycled Iron Powder as Fine Aggregate on the Mechanical, Durability, and High Temperature Behavior of Mortars.

This study evaluates the mechanical, durability, and residual compressive strength (after being exposed to 20, 120, 250, 400 and 600 °C) of mortar that uses recycled iron powder (RIP) as a fine aggregate. Within this context, mechanical strength, shrinkage, durability, and residual strength tests were performed on mortar made with seven different percentages (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30% and 50%) of replacement of natural sand (NS) by RIP. It was found that the mechanical strength of mortar increased when replaced with up to 30% NS by RIP.

Reduced serum BDNF levels are associated with the increased risk for developing MDD: a case-control study with or without antidepressant therapy.

Objective: We do not have any consistent markers for major depressive disorder (MDD) though various biological factors are involved in the pathophysiology. We aimed to evaluate the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in MDD patients with or without antidepressant therapy compared to healthy controls (HCs).

Results: We assessed serum BDNF levels among three groups: drug-naïve MDD patients (n = 41), drug-treated MDD patients (n = 44), and age-and sex-matched HCs (n = 82).

Enhanced Human Activity Recognition Based on Smartphone Sensor Data Using Hybrid Feature Selection Model.

Human activity recognition (HAR) techniques are playing a significant role in monitoring the daily activities of human life such as elderly care, investigation activities, healthcare, sports, and smart homes. Smartphones incorporated with varieties of motion sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes are widely used inertial sensors that can identify different physical conditions of human. In recent research, many works have been done regarding human activity recognition.

Pharmacogenetic Variants in MTHFR Gene are Significant Predictors of Methotrexate Toxicities in Bangladeshi Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Background: The objective of this pharmacogenetic study was to investigate the relationship of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms with methotrexate (MTX)-induced toxicities and plasma homocysteine level in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from Bangladesh. Several polymorphisms result in reduced MTHFR activity that causes impaired remethylation of homocysteine to methionine and abnormal MTX metabolism, especially in tissues with high turnover. Therefore, the risk of elevated plasma homocysteine as well as MTX-induced toxicities become higher with MTHFR polymorphisms.

Evaluation of Serum Glial Cell Line-derived Neurotrophic Factor in Bangladeshi Major Depressive Disorder Patients.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a global health burden in the 21 century because of its high rate of prevalence linked with disability, morbidity, and mortality. The actual etiology behind the development of MDD is not understood yet. Various genetic, physiological, biological and environmental factors have been predicted to be involved.

Randomised trial showed that rapid rehydration of severely malnourished children with dehydrating diarrhoea was as safe and effective as slow rehydration.

Aim: This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of rapid and slow rehydration in children aged 6-60 months with dehydrating diarrhoea and severe malnutrition.

Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted from July 2011 to March 2014 at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh. We included children with weight for age and, or, weight for length Z-scores of less than -3 or with bipedal oedema and acute diarrhoea with severe dehydration.

Terpenoids and phytosteroids isolated from Commelina benghalensis Linn. with antioxidant activity.

Background Commelina benghalensis Linn. (Family: Commelinaceae) is a common weed available in Bangladesh with several uses in traditional medicine. However, the chemical profile of this medicinal plant is scarce in relation to its medicinal uses.

A Cross-Sectional Investigation of the Quality of Selected Medicines for Noncommunicable Diseases in Private Community Drug Outlets in Cambodia during 2011-2013.

Although the issue of substandard and falsified medicines is quite well known, most research has focused on medicines used to treat communicable diseases, and relatively little research has been carried out on the quality of medicines for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This study was designed to assess the quality of seven widely used medicines for NCDs in Cambodia during 2011-2013. Medicines were collected from private community drug outlets in Phnom Penh (urban area), by stratified random sampling and in Battambang, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Takeo (rural areas) by convenience sampling.

Two-stage constructed wetland systems for polluted surface water treatment.

Two pilot scale wetland systems were studied for the removal of organics, nitrogen, phosphorus and coliform from polluted surface water. Each system consisted of two units: a vertical flow (VF) wetland packed with construction materials gravel, brick or organic sugarcane bagasse, followed by a surface flow (SF) or floating treatment (FT) wetland. All wetland units were planted with Phragmites.

Organics and nutrients removal in vertical flow wetlands: loading fluctuation and alternative media.

Two wetland systems (conventional and structurally modified) were studied for the removal of organics and nutrients from municipal wastewater. Each system consisted of three vertical flow (VF) wetlands, which were filled with agricultural, construction waste materials and planted with and The wetland units were operated under constant and consecutive shock hydraulic load (HL). Input nutrients and organics load across the wetland units ranged between 4.

Impact of solid residence time (SRT) on functionally relevant microbial populations and performance in full-scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) systems.

Investigations of the impact of solid residence time (SRT) on microbial ecology and performance of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process in full-scale systems have been scarce due to the challenges in isolating and examining the SRT from other complex plant-specific factors. This study performed a comprehensive evaluation of the influence of SRT on polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) dynamics and on P removal performance at Clark County Water Reclamation District Facility in Las Vegas, USA. Five parallel treatment trains with separated clarifiers were operated with five different SRTs ranging from 6 to 40 days.

Association of ORAI1 Genetic Polymorphism with Serum Calcium and Phosphorus Levels in Non-dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Case-control Study.

Background As chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent killer, it is now a global concern to find out the possible causes by genetic and biological markers. In the earlier stages of CKD, serum calcium and phosphorus levels fall down later on turned into hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia contributing high mortality in CKD. This study aimed to examine the serum calcium and phosphorus levels in non-dialysis CKD patients and healthy controls to find out their association with ORAI1 genetic polymorphism.

Evaluation of Serum Interleukin-6 and C-reactive Protein Levels in Drug-naïve Major Depressive Disorder Patients.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a disabling health problem with a very high global prevalence and burden. Alteration of inflammatory markers in depression is of growing interest to many psychiatry researchers. This study aimed to examine the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in MDD patients to find out their association with depression.

Antigenic: An improved prediction model of protective antigens.

An antigen is a protein capable of triggering an effective immune system response. Protective antigens are the ones that can invoke specific and enhanced adaptive immune response to subsequent exposure to the specific pathogen or related organisms. Such proteins are therefore of immense importance in vaccine preparation and drug design.

The use of biochar and crushed mortar in treatment wetlands to enhance the removal of nutrients from sewage.

An experimental study was carried out using in pilot-scale constructed wetland systems, operated in parallel to treat raw sewage. Each system consisted of a vertical flow (VF) unit that was filled with biochar as the main media, followed by a horizontal flow (HF) unit filled with crushed cement mortar. Hydraulic loading (HL) ranged 340-680 mm/day was applied on the VF wetland units, where high total nitrogen (TN) mass removal rate (20-23 g N/m d) was obtained, demonstrating that biochar media had a beneficial effect on the degradation of nitrogenous pollutants.

The health consequences of falsified medicines- A study of the published literature.

Objectives: To analyse and present the literature describing the health consequences of falsified medicines, focusing on mortality and morbidity, as well as the scale of the issue, the geographic extent, the medicines affected, and the harm caused at both the individual and population levels.

Methods: We searched for articles in PubMed, using pre-optimized keywords '(counterfeit OR fake OR bogus OR falsified OR spurious) AND (medicine OR drug)'. Searches up to February 2017 yielded 2006 hits, of which 1791 were full-length articles in English.

Spectrum of Disease and Prescription Pattern for Outpatients with Neurological Disorders: An Empirical Pilot Study in Bangladesh.

Background: Neurological disorders represent one of the most prominent causes of morbidity and mortality that adversely affect the lifestyle of patients and a major percentage of these diseases exists in developing countries.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and prescription pattern for outpatients with neurological disorders in Bangladesh.

Methods: The study was conducted on 1,684 patients in 6 hospitals (National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Sir Salimullah Medical College, and Apollo Hospitals Dhaka) of the Dhaka City from March 2014 to June 2015.

Elevated serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol are associated with major depressive disorder: A case-control study.

Objectives: Major depressive disorder is diagnosed on the basis of patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives, and a mental status examination, and yet we do not have any reliable biomarker for this. Mood-regulating pathways are affected by oxidative injury to lipids and cortisol is released into the blood due to stimulation of corticotrophin receptors in the adrenal cortex. Here, we aimed to determine serum levels of malondialdehyde and cortisol in major depressive disorder patients and controls.

DPP-PseAAC: A DNA-binding protein prediction model using Chou's general PseAAC.

A DNA-binding protein (DNA-BP) is a protein that can bind and interact with a DNA. Identification of DNA-BPs using experimental methods is expensive as well as time consuming. As such, fast and accurate computational methods are sought for predicting whether a protein can bind with a DNA or not.

Quality of omeprazole purchased via the Internet and personally imported into Japan: comparison with products sampled in other Asian countries.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of omeprazole personally imported into Japan via the Internet and to compare the quality of these samples with previously collected samples from two other Asian countries.

Methods: The samples were evaluated by observation, authenticity investigation and pharmacopoeial quality analysis. Quality comparison of some selected samples was carried out by dissolution profiling, Raman spectroscopy and principle component analysis (PCA).