Factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices among meat handlers in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND@#Food handlers can play a vital role into reducing foodborne diseases by adopting appropriate food handling and sanitation practices in working plants. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices among meat handlers who work at butcher shops in Bangladesh.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 meat handlers from January to March, 2021. Data were collected through in-person interviews using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three parts; socio-demographic characteristics, assessments of food safety knowledge, and food safety practices. A multiple logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices.@*RESULTS@#Only 20% [95% confidence interval, (CI) 15.7-24.7] and 16.3% (95% CI 12.3-20.7) of the respondents demonstrated good levels of food safety knowledge and practices, respectively. The factors associated with good levels of food safety knowledge were: having a higher secondary education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.57, 95% CI 1.11-18.76], income above 25,000 BDT/month (AOR = 10.52, 95% CI 3.43-32.26), work experience of > 10 years (AOR = 9.31, 95% CI 1.92-45.09), ≥ 8 h per day of work (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI 2.69-13.10), employed on a daily basis (AOR = 4.05, 95% CI 1.16-14.14), and having food safety training (AOR = 8.98 95% CI 2.16-37.32). Good food safety knowledge (AOR = 5.68, 95% CI 2.33-13.87) and working ≥ 8 h per day (AOR = 8.44, 95% CI 3.11-22.91) were significantly associated with a good level of food safety practice.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Poor knowledge and practices regarding food safety were found among Bangladeshi meat handlers. Findings may help public health professionals and practitioners develop targeted strategies to improve food safety knowledge and practices among this population. Such strategies may include education and sensitization on good food safety practices.

Assessment of Low Serum Uric Acid Level in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Evidence for Oxidative Stress

Background: The pathogenic mechanism of AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis (ALS) remains indistinct. However, increasingevidence has indicated that uric acid (UA) may play aprotective role in the pathogenesis of ALS as well as in that ofother neurodegenerative diseases. Low serum uric acid (UA)levels are found in many neurodegenerative diseases. It hasbeen suggested that oxidative stress is one of the pathogenicmechanism for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and thusantioxidants such as UA that could reduce oxidative stressmight be beneficial in the early detection of progression of thedisease. The objective of this study was to prospectivelyinvestigate serum UA levels in ALS patients and to relate themto disease process and disease status.Methods: ALS patients and healthy controls who wereindividually well-matched for age, sex, and body mass index(BMI) underwent blood testing for serum UA levels, andanalyzed whether UA levels were correlated with the diseasestatus of the patients, severity of the disease as defined by theALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) andduration of illness.Results: The study included 37 ALS patients and 37 matchedcontrols. The serum UA level was lower in the ALS patients(4.29 mg/dl ±1.35 mg/dL, mean±SD) than in the controls (6.26mg/dL±1.22 mg/dL; p<0.001). Female ALS patients hadsignificantly lower (3.55 mg/dl± 0.89 mg/dL) than Male ALSpatients (4.53 mg/dl±1.4 mg/dL; p<0.05). Among the ALSpatients, the lower level of UA acid was strongly correlated withthe rate of disease progression (decrease in ALSFRS-R score)p<0.001. Uric acid level is inversely correlated with the durationof the disease (r -0.32). Respondents with smoking historygroup showed more likely to develop ALS than therespondents with no smoking history.Conclusion: ALS patients had lower serum UA levels than didhealthy individuals and it is significantly lower in Female ALSpatients than Male ALS patients. Uric acid levels in ALS werepositively correlated with the ALSFRS-R (severity) andnegatively associated with duration of illness. UA levels couldbe considered a biomarker of disease progression in the earlyphase in ALS patients

Association of biomass fuel smoke with respiratory symptoms among children under 5 years of age in urban areas: results from Bangladesh Urban Health Survey, 2013

BACKGROUND@#Little is known regarding the effect of exposure to biomass fuel smoke inhalation on respiratory symptoms in the Bangladeshi population which is a major health hazard in most of the developing countries. This study aims to explore the association between respiratory symptoms and biomass fuel smoke exposure among children under 5 years of age.@*METHODS@#Data were extracted from the Bangladesh Urban Health Survey conducted in 2013. A total of 10,575 mothers with at least one surviving children were selected. Respiratory symptoms among children under 5 years of age were considered as the primary outcome. Sequential multiple logistic regression models were used to observe the association between respiratory symptoms and biomass fuel smoke exposure adjusting the effect of residential factors and mother and child characteristics.@*RESULTS@#Around 40% of the mothers exclusively used biomass fuel irrespective of the kitchen location and 54% of them were habituated in indoor cooking. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms of under-five children among in-house and outdoor biomass fuel users was 23.0% and 21.9%, respectively. Results of fitted multiple logistic regression models showed that the odds of having respiratory symptoms among children under 5 years of age were increased due to in-house biomass fuel use [OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.36] compared with the non-biomass user. An increased risk of respiratory symptoms was also significantly associated with mother's birth complication [OR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.36-1.67], non-government organization (NGO) membership of mothers [OR = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.16-1.51], age of the child (6-23m) [OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10-1.52], and nutritional status (stunting) [OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.31].@*CONCLUSION@#This study found the use of in-house biomass fuel as a significant risk factor associated with respiratory symptoms of children under 5 years of age. More longitudinal studies should be designed to establish a causal relationship between HAP (household air pollution) and respiratory symptoms among children with more direct measures of HAP and clinical procedure.

In vitro Plantlet Regeneration of Four Local Garlic (Allium sativum) Accessions of Bangladesh.

Aims: The genetic improvement of garlic can be achieved by biotechnological manipulations as breeding in this vegetatively propagated crop is limited. The current research was conducted with a view to develop an efficient in vitro regeneration protocol for four local garlic accessions namely, G121, G122, G123 and G124. Place, Duration and Design of Study: The experiment was conducted in the Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University during the period from June 2013 to June 2014 using three-factorial experimental design. Methodology: The root tips, basal disc and leaf base were cultured in MS medium supplemented with 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) alone, and with both 2, 4-D and 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) together for callus induction and the later for subsequent sub-culturing and proliferation of callus. MS medium supplemented with 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and BAP was used for plantlet regeneration. Results: The percentage of callus induction increased with the increase in the concentration of 2,4- D, starting from 0.5 mg L-1 till 2.0 mg L-1 and declined with further increase in the concentration of 2,4-D. The MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP showed higher percentage of callus induction and callus proliferation compared to that of with 2,4-D alone. The highest percentage of callus induction was observed in the genotype G124 from the explant basal disc (85%) and in the genotype G121 from the explant leaf base (80%) with 2.0 mg L-1 2,4-D and 2.0 mg L-1 BAP. MS medium supplemented with 2 mg L-1 2,4-D + 0.5 mg L-1 BAP showed highest percentage of callus proliferation (90%) in almost all the genotypes. The highest percentage of plantlet regeneration were observed in the genotype G124 for the explants basal disc (63.33%) in MS medium supplemented with 2 mg L-1 NAA + 1 mg L-1 BAP. The survival rate of the plantlets after acclimatization varied from 40% (in G123) to 70% (in G121). Conclusion: The optimized protocol of plant regeneration from local garlic accessions will be useful for any future garlic improvement programs using biotechnological means.

Study on the effect of different polymers on in-vitro dissolution profile of Fenofibrate by solid dispersion technique.

Fenofibrate is a poor water soluble drug having poor rate of dissolution. In this research work we tried to enhance dissolution of fenofibrate by following solid dispersion of fenofibrate formulations with different dissolution enhancing polymers likeHPMC 6cps, Poloxamer 188, Poloxamer 407, PEG 6000. Total twenty four formulations were prepared with this polymers in single or combinations. If the solid dispersion is first, other parameters like dissolution, bioavailability will be first. Dissolution of all the formulations were tested for % drug release profile, mean dissolution time, assay and uniformity of drug content and % recovery was calculated. From all formulations, F3, F5, F6, F9, F10, F12 and F14 shows greater dissolution of fenofibrate 93.64%, 83.66%, 100.53%, 100.61%, 100.95% and 83.06% respectively within 60 minutes of dissolution and also decreases the mean dissolution time. Based on in-vitro dissolution results and drug release model kinetics, we can decide that these formulations are able to increase the dissolution as well as can increase the absorption rate and bioavailability of fenofibrate. Finally we can conclude that, these formulations enhance the dissolution and bioavailability of Fenofibrate and good formulation candidates for Fenofibrate in future.