Source of metal contamination in sediment, their ecological risk, and phytoremediation ability of the studied mangrove plants in ship breaking area, Bangladesh.

Samples for sediment and two species of native mangrove plants were collected from seven sampling sites for assessing the level of metal contamination. Results of the studied metals displayed the order of pollution as Fe > Ti > Zr > Rb > Zn > Sr > Pb > Y > Cu > Cr > As accordingly. Geoaccumulation index and contamination factor revealed that the sediment samples were unpolluted to moderately polluted by Zn, Fe, Ti, Rb, Y, and Zr. Ecological risk factor depicted a pollution-free condition in the study areas. PCA, CA, and correlation coefficient indicated that the source of the metals in the environment was anthropogenic. Bioconcentration factor values were found to be below 1 in both plant species. Conversely, transfer factor values for most heavy metals were found to be >1 in both plant species, which reflects the phytoremediation ability of plants.

Serum total protein, albumin and A/G ratio in different grades of protein energy malnutrition.

The serum total protein, albumin and serum A/G ratio was studied on 20 healthy children and 30 children suffering from protein energy malnutrition of different grade such as grade-I grade-II and grade-III. Serum total protein and albumin levels in grade-I grade-II and grade-III PEM were significantly lowers than control. Serum total protein between different grades of PEM was changed but not significantly. Serum A/G ratio of grade-1 & grade-II PEM were high than that of control, but not significantly. Serum A/G ratio of grade I and grade II PEM were higher than that of control, but not significantly. But in grade-III PEM this values were significantly higher than that of control. When comparison were done within the different grades of PEM, it was found that their A/G ratio were changed but not significantly.

A comparative study of body iron status and lipid profile in acute myocardial infarction patients.

This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between body iron status and lipid profile in hospital admitted clinically diagnosed AMI patients considering the concept that there is a potential association between body iron status and coronary heart disease (CHD). Total 80 subjects were selected, of which 40 were healthy adults and 40 were AMI patients. Fasting blood samples were collected from healthy adults. Blood samples of AMI patients were collected within 24 hours of the attack of myocardial infarction. Body iron status was measured in term of 3 variables serum total iron concentration, TIBC and transferrin saturation. Lipid profile variables measure were total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. No correlation was found between serum iron and the variables of lipid profile. TIBC was found to maintain negative correlation with total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol but positive correlation with HDL-cholesterol. Transferrin saturation was found to maintain strongly positive correlation with total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol but strongly negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol. This correlation of TIBC and transferrin saturation with lipid profile supports the hypothesis that there is a potential association between body iron status and coronary heart disease.

Reactivity of some sugars and sugar phosphates towards gold(III) in sodium acetate-acetic acid buffer medium.

The kinetics of the oxidation of some aldoses and aldose phosphates have been studied spectrophotometrically in sodium acetate-acetic acid buffer medium at different temperatures. The reactions are first order with respect to [Au(III)] and [substrate]. Both H+ and Cl- ions retard the reaction. The reactions appear to involve different gold(III) species, viz. AuCl4-, AuCl3(OH2) and AuCl3(OH)- . The results are interpreted in terms of the probable intermediate formation of free radicals and Au(II). Aldoses react with gold(III) in the order: triose > tetrose > pentose > hexose. The sugar phosphates react with gold(III) at a faster rate than the parent sugars except glucose-1-phosphate, which reacts at slower rates than glucose. A tentative reaction mechanism leading to the formation of products has been suggested.