Determinants of quality of life among COVID-19 patients in Southwestern region of Bangladesh

Objectives: The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused an unprecedented health crisis and dramatically changed human lives. This study aims to identify risk factors related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the hospital. Material and Methods: A total of 557 COVID-19 patients of Jhenaidah district of Bangladesh who had tested positive before February 1 of 2021 were selected for this cross-sectional study. The EuroQol 5-dimensional-5 level questionnaire was used to measure the HRQoL. Thai value set was used to assess the full health status. Chi-square test was used to find out the association of HRQoL with sociodemographic and clinical factors. Finally, logistic regression was used to find out the predictors of the dimensions of HRQoL. Results: Using the Thai value set, it is observed that 57.27% of participants had reported that they had experienced moderate or severe health problems. About 40.57% of the respondent reported anxiety or depression, whereas 39.14% of the participants had experienced moderate or severe pain or discomfort. The result of the logistic regression showed that age, gender, occupation, place of care, heart problems, and diabetes significantly affect various dimensions of the HRQoL. Conclusion: The COVID-19 significantly depletes the health condition of the patients in both mental and physical aspects. Therefore, the policy-makers and government should need to come with comprehensive strategies to reduce the psychological and physical health woe of COVID-19 patients.

Targeting of Virulence Factors and Plasmid Profiling of Klebsiella pneumoniae Causing Urinary Tract Infection in Sylhet City of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Studies were conducted to characterize Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from urinary tract infection (UTI) patients in Sylhet city of Bangladesh. At the same time, all isolates were screened for some common virulence genes and four significant isolates were searched for plasmid number and sizes by mini alkaline-lysis method. Among five tested isolates from female UTI patients, gyrase subunit B2 (gyrb2) amplified in all isolates, lipase and nuclease detected in three isolates and serine protease amplifies in two isolates and gave the expected band of 1130 bp, 517 bp, 1055 bp and 211 bp respectively. Two of four isolates showed 9.82 kb plasmid band on agarose gel. Isolates bearing 9.82 kb plasmid were found to be resistant to multiple commercial antibiotics. At the same time all isolates were screened for in-vitro plate assay for proteolytic, lypolytic and hemolytic activity. Isolates with positive plasmid and more than one virulent gene with gyrB2 showed positive result in in-vitro culture plate with clear zone of proteolysis, hemolysis or lipolysis. This study will be helpful for further study in finding correlation or pattern of virulence properties for K. pneumoniae associated UTI in Bangladesh.

Small scale production and characterization of xanthan gum synthesized by local isolates of Xanthomonas campestris.

Xanthan gum is a commercially important microbial exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Xanthomonas campestris. X. campestris is a plant pathogen causing various plant diseases such as black rot of crucifers, bacterial leaf blight and citrus canker disease resulting in crop damage. In this study, we isolated efficient local bacterial isolates which are capable to produce xanthan gum utilizing different sources of carbon (maltose, sucrose and glucose). Bacterial isolates from different plant leaves and fruits were identified as Xanthomonas campestris based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Among the 23 isolates, 70% were capable of producing gum. Taro plant, considered as new bacterial host, also have the capability to produce xanthan gum. Production conditions of xanthan gum and their relative viscosity by these bacterial isolates were optimized using basal medium containing commercial carbon and nitrogen sources and various temperature and rotation. Highest level of xanthan gum (18.286 g/l) with relative viscosity (7.2) was produced (Host, Citrus macroptera) at 28°C, pH 7.0, 150 rpm using sucrose as a carbon source at orbital shaker. Whereas, in lab fermenter, same conditions gave best result (19.587 g/l gum) with 7.8 relative viscosity. Chilled alcohol (96%) was used to recover the xanthan gum. FTIR studies also carried out for further confirmation of compatibility by detecting the chemical groups.

Flavonoids isolated from Tridax procumbens (TPF) inhibit osteoclasts differentiation and bone resorption

BACKGROUND: The Tridax procumbens flavonoids (TPF), are well known for their medicinal properties among local natives. The TPF are traditionally used for dropsy, anaemia, arthritis, gout, asthma, ulcer, piles, and urinary problems. It also used in treating gastric problems, body pain, and rheumatic pains of joints. The TPF have been reported to increase osteogenic functioning in mesenchymal stem cells. However, their effects on osteoclastogenesis remain unclear. The TPF isolated from T. procumbens and investigated the effects of the TPF inhibit on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption activities using primary osteoclastic cells. Osteoclast formation was assessed by counting the number of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive multinucleated cells and by measuring both TRAP activities. RESULTS: The TPF significantly suppressed the RANKL-induced differentiation of osteoclasts and the formation of pits in primary osteoclastic cells. The TPF also decreased the expression of mRNAs related to osteoclast differentiation, including Trap, Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 in primary osteoclastic cells. The treatment of primary osteoclastic cells with the TPF decreased Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 proteins expression in primary osteoclastic cells. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that TPF inhibit osteoclastogenesis and pits formation activities. Our results suggest that the TPF could be a potential anti-bone resorptic agent to treat patients with bone loss-associated diseases such as osteoporosis.

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in Wedelia calendulacea Less. an endangered medicinal plant

In this work, plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis was achieved from leaf and internode derived callus of Wedelia calendulacea, an endangered medicinal plant. Primary callus was induced by culturing leaf disc and internode explant on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 of 2,4-D under light condition. Transfer of embryogenic callus on a reduced concentration of 2,4-D facilitated somatic embryo development while calluses remained unorganized at the same 2,4-D level. A histological analysis confirmed somatic embryo by revealing the presence of a closed vascular system in the developing embryos and lack of a vascularconnection with surrounding callus tissues. Somatic embryos germinated into plantlets upon transfer on MS medium containing 1.0 mg L-1 BAP plus 0.5 mg L-1 GA3. Plantlets were acclimatized successfully and survived under soil condition. This is the first on somatic embryogenesis of W.calendulacea. This result could facilitate genetic transformation of this important medicinal plant.