Low-density lipoprotein particle profiles compared with standard lipids measurements in the association with asymptomatic intracranial artery stenosis.

The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis was conducted in Kusatsu City, Shiga, Japan, from 2006 to 2008. Participants were measured for LDL-p through nuclear magnetic resonance technology. 740 men participated in follow-up and underwent 1.5 T brain magnetic resonance angiography from 2012 to 2015. Participants were categorized as no-ICAS, and ICAS consisted of mild-ICAS (1 to < 50%) and severe-ICAS (≥ 50%) in any of the arteries examined. After exclusion criteria, 711 men left for analysis, we used multiple logistic regression to examine the association between lipid profiles and ICAS prevalence. Among the study participants, 205 individuals (28.8%) had ICAS, while 144 individuals (20.3%) demonstrated discordance between LDL-c and LDL-p levels. The discordance "low LDL-c-high LDL-p" group had the highest ICAS risk with an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 2.78 (1.55-5.00) in the reference of the concordance "low LDL-c-low LDL-p" group. This was followed by the concordance "high LDL-c-high LDL-p" group of 2.56 (1.69-3.85) and the discordance "high LDL-c-low LDL-p" group of 2.40 (1.29-4.46). These findings suggest that evaluating LDL-p levels alongside LDL-c may aid in identifying adults at a higher risk for ICAS.

Spatial distribution and hydrogeochemical evaluations of groundwater and its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes in kaligonj upazila of satkhira district of Bangladesh.

Groundwater is a significant water resource for drinking and irrigation in Satkhira district, Bangladesh. The depletion of groundwater resources and deterioration in its quality are the results of the confluence of factors such as industrialization, intensive irrigation, and rapid population growth. For this reason, this study focused on the evaluation of tubewell water of six unions of Kaligonj upazila in Satkhira district, which is situated in the coastal southwest part of Bangladesh. Major and trace elemental concentrations were assimilated into positive matrix factorization (PMF) to identify potential sources and their respective contributions. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that groundwater salinization and manmade activities were the primary causes of heavy metals in the coastal groundwater. Its average pH value was found to be 7.5, while Dissolved oxygen, Total dissolved solids, salinity, and conductivity, with values ranging from 1.18 to 7.38 mg/L, 0.5-4.88 g/L, 0.4-5%, and 0.95 to 8.56 mS/cm, respectively. The total hardness average value was 561.7 mg/L, classified into the very hard water categories, which is why 90% of the tubewell water samples were unfit for household purposes. All samples had an excessive level of arsenic present. The iron concentration of fifteen (15) samples crossed the standard limit according to WHO 2011 value. Around 63% of the samples were of the Na+-K+-Cl--SO42- type, and about 72% were sodium-potassium and alkali types. 98% of samples were covered in chloride and bicarbonate. The findings showed that 45.83% of the groundwater samples had negative Chloroalkaline index (CAIs), while 54.16% had positive. The permeability index (PI) was an average of 73%, and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) averaged 260.2 mg/L, and the findings clearly showed that 80% of the samples weren't appropriate for irrigation. According to the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) value, 65% of the samples fell into the unsuitable category. These calculations indicated a high overall salinity hazard in the study area, which may be caused by the intrusion of sea water given that the study area is close to the coastal region. Findings compared to standards revealed that the majority of the samples were deemed unfit for drinking and irrigation purposes. Hence, additional attention must be paid to this area to ensure the availability of drinkable water and to preserve sustainable farming practices.

Truncation of the calmodulin binding domain in rice glutamate decarboxylase 4 (OsGAD4) leads to accumulation of γ-aminobutyric acid and confers abiotic stress tolerance in rice seedlings.

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a non-protein amino acid widely known as major inhibitory neurotransmitter. It is synthesized from glutamate via the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). GAD is ubiquitous in all organisms, but only plant GAD has ability to bind Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM). This kind of binding suppresses the auto-inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin binding domain (CaMBD) when the active site of GAD is unfolded resulting in stimulated GAD activity. OsGAD4 is one of the five GAD genes in rice genome. It was confirmed that OsGAD4 has ability to bind to Ca2+/CaM. Moreover, it exhibits strongest expression against several stress conditions among the five OsGAD genes. In this study, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing was performed to trim the coding region of CaMBD from the OsGAD4 gene, to remove its autoinhibitory function. DNA sequence analysis of the genome edited rice plants revealed the truncation of CaMBD (216 bp). Genome edited line (#14-1) produced 11.26 mg GABA/100 g grain, which is almost nine-fold in comparison to wild type. Short deletion in the coding region for CaMBD yielded in mutant (#14-6) with lower GABA content than wild type counterpart. Abiotic stresses like salinity, flooding and drought significantly enhanced GABA accumulation in #14-1 at various time points compared to wild-type and #14-6 under the same stress conditions. Moreover, upregulated mRNA expression in vegetative tissues seems correlated with the stress-responsiveness of OsGAD4 when exposed to the above-mentioned stresses. Stress tolerance of OsGAD4 genome edited lines was evidenced by the higher survival rate indicating the gene may induce tolerance against abiotic stresses in rice. This is the first report on abiotic stress tolerance in rice modulated by endogenous GABA. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01460-1.

Blood lead, cadmium and hair mercury concentrations and association with soil, dust and occupational factors in e-waste recycling workers in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling activities release toxic metals, which pose substantial hazard to the environment and human health. We evaluated metal concentrations in biological and environmental samples, and examined the associations between biological lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) with soil and dust metals, and other possible determinants, among populations exposed and non-exposed to e-waste in Bangladesh. METHODS: A total of 199 e-waste workers and 104 non-exposed individuals were recruited. We measured blood Pb (BPb) and Cd (BCd) concentrations and total Hg (THg) from hair samples. Data were collected on occupational, and behavioral factors. We fitted an elastic net regression (ENET) to model the relationship between a set of influencing factors and metals as outcome variables while controlling for potential covariates. RESULTS: The median concentrations of BPb (11.89 µg/dL) and BCd (1.04 µg/L) among exposed workers were higher than those of non-exposed workers (BPb: 3.63 µg/dL and BCd: 0.83 µg/L respectively). A 100 ppm increment in soil Pb level was associated with an increase in ln-Pb (transformed) in blood (ß = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.02). Similarly, ln-BCd level increased (ß = 0.02; 95% CI = 0.001, 0.07) with every ppm increase in dust Cd level. The number of years worked in e-waste activities was associated with elevated ln-BPb (ß = 0.01; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.02) and ln-BCd levels (ß = 0.003; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.05). Smoking significantly contributed to elevated levels of ln-BCd (ß = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.43, 0.73). An increment of 100 kg of e-waste handling per week led to an increase in ln-BPb levels (ß = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.01), while respondents knowledge about adverse impact on e-waste reduced the ln-BPb level (ß = -0.14; 95% CI = -0.31, -0.03). Fish consumption frequency had a positive association with THg in hair. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show the need for workplace controls to reduce exposure to Pb and Cd with a broader view of exposure source taken.

Effects of dietary squid oil on breeding performance and embryonic and larval development of butter catfish Ompok pabda.

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of squid oil on the endangered butter catfish, Ompok pabda to confer enhanced breeding with embryonic and larval development for promoting its aquaculture. A total of 360 fish were obtained from the Brahmaputra River, Mymensingh, Bangladesh, of which, 60 fish stocked in each tank having an initial weight and length of 16.35 ± 0.57 g and 15.25 ± 0.38 cm, respectively, in the cisterns of 1.22 × 2.44 × 1.25 m (total 6 cisterns) maintained at 90 cm water depth. During the experimental period, a constant physico-chemical conditions of water such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) were 26.5 ± 2 °C, 7.4 ± 0.2, and 6.7 ± 0.5 ppm, respectively, were maintained in each cistern. As the source of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), dietary 1 % squid oil (SQO) was supplemented in the diet of the treated group (SQO diet) to compare while the control group offered with basal diet without SQO supplementation (CON diet). The fecundity, spawning, fertilization, hatching rate, and survival rate of fry in SQO group were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than in the CON group. Moreover, better early embryonic and larval development of fish was observed in the SQO group i.e. size of fertilized egg diameter, growth and early developmental stages of larvae but not significantly different from the control group. Collectively, the results of the present study showed that dietary SQO supplementation improved the breeding and reproductive performances of butter catfish. The findings of this study could assist to develop a nutrient-rich diet for the better broodstock development of butter catfish at the farm level which may ultimately reduce the mortality and poor survival of offspring of this commercially important catfish species.

The Role of the Perceived Neighborhood Social Environment on Adolescent Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity: Findings from Add Health.

Few studies have examined the role of perceived neighborhood characteristics such as neighborhood safety, social cohesion, and contentedness on sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) among adolescents. Furthermore, no studies have investigated how these associations are moderated by gender and race. This study aimed to examine the associations of the perceived neighborhood social environment with (SB) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Data from 6504 adolescents (aged 15.4 ± 0.03 years) who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health was used. SB and PA were considered continuously and dichotomously. PNSE variables include safety, social cohesion, and contentedness, where higher values of PNSE indicate a more favorable neighborhood perception. Weighted linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association of PNSE with continuous total SB (hours/week) and MVPA (bouts/week), and binary excessive SB (14 h/week) and meeting MVPA guidelines (≥ 5 bouts/week), respectively. Associations were stratified by gender and race to test moderation effects. Models were adjusted for demographic, health, parental, and neighborhood covariates. This study found that neighborhood safety and contentedness were negatively associated with SB, whereas neighborhood social cohesion and contentedness were positively associated with PA. Gender-specific and race-specific results remained somewhat consistent with overall findings; however, neighborhood safety was not associated with SB among female and non-White adolescents, respectively. Similarly, neighborhood safety and contentedness were not associated with MVPA for non-White adolescents. Findings suggest that an adolescent's neighborhood environment, gender, and race should be considered when implementing strategies to reduce SB and increase PA.

Pivotal relationship between heavy metal, PM2.5 exposures and tuberculosis in Bangladeshi children: protocol paper of a case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Air pollution is a global issue that poses a significant threat to public health. Children, due to their developing physiology, are particularly susceptible to the inhalation of environmental pollutants. Exposure can trigger immune modulation and organ damage, increasing susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Therefore, we aim to examine the association between heavy metal and particulate matter exposure with tuberculosis in children. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: As a case-control study, we will include children diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (n=60) and matched healthy controls (n=80) recruited from the same communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Exposure data for both cases and controls will be collected by a trained field team conducting home visits. They will administer an exposure questionnaire, measure child anthropometry, collect blood and household dust samples and instal 48-hour air quality monitors. The blood samples will be analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for serum heavy metal concentrations (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and chromium), as a representative marker of exposure, and the presence of inflammatory biomarkers. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-tests, analysis of variance and conditional regression analysis, will be used to quantify heavy metal and particulate matter exposure status in tuberculosis cases compared with healthy controls, while accounting for potential confounders. Dust samples and air quality results will be analysed to understand household sources of heavy metal and particulate matter exposure. To test the study hypothesis, there is a positive association between exposure and tuberculosis diseases, we will also measure the accumulated effect of simultaneous exposures using Bayesian statistical modelling. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh's Institutional Review Board (PR-22030). The study findings will be disseminated at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Association of step counts with cognitive function in apparently healthy middle-aged and older Japanese men.

Background: Increasing physical activity may prevent cognitive decline. Previous studies primarily focused on older adults and used self-reported questionnaires to assess physical activity. We examined the relationship between step count, an objective measure of physical activity, and cognitive function in community-based middle-aged and older Japanese men. Methods: The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis randomly recruited community-dwelling healthy men aged 40-79 years from Shiga, Japan, and measured their step counts over 7 consecutive days using a pedometer at baseline (2006-2008). Among men who returned for follow-up (2009-2014), we assessed their cognitive function using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) score. We restricted our analyses to those with valid 7-day average step counts at baseline and those who remained free of stroke at follow-up (n = 676). Using analysis of covariance, we calculated the adjusted means of the CASI score according to the quartiles of the average step counts. Results: The mean (standard deviation) of age and unadjusted CASI score were 63.8 (9.1) years and 90.8 (5.8), respectively. The CASI score was elevated in higher quartiles of step counts (90.2, 90.4, 90.6, and 91.8 from the lowest to the highest quartile, respectively, [p for trend = 0.004]) in a model adjusted for age and education. Further adjustment for smoking, drinking, and other cardiovascular risk factors resulted in a similar pattern of association (p for trend = 0.005). Conclusion: In apparently healthy middle-aged and older Japanese men, a greater 7-day average step count at baseline was associated with significantly higher cognitive function score.

Source and respiratory deposition of trace elements in PM2.5 at an urban location in Dhaka city.

Air pollution has been creating severe environmental crises in Dhaka. This city ranks at the top among the major cities of the world. A multidimensional study is needed to assess the severity of this crisis. This study aims to determine the sources of trace elements in PM2.5 and their effects on health. We measured concentrations of 15 trace elements in PM2.5 every hour for eight days using a well-equipped mobile air quality monitoring system integrated with an automatic sampling system (AQMS, Horiba, Japan). We analyzed the concentrations of the trace elements to identify their potential sources and diurnal variation and to compute the respiratory deposition dose of the trace elements to estimate the health risks they pose. The daily average concentration of PM2.5 was higher than the allowable limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Among the trace elements, sulfur had the highest concentration and vanadium was the lowest. We found out that concentrations of the elements were the highest during the middle of the day and the lowest during midnight. Four source profiles of PM2.5 were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF). Soil dust with sulfur-rich petroleum contributed about 65 %, industrial and non-exhaust emissions about 5 % each, and heavy engine oil combustion about 25 % to air pollution. Air mass backward trajectory analysis indicated that Dhaka's air contains both local and transboundary pollution. According to the determined respiratory deposition dose of the elements, males had higher deposition than females during heavy exercise. Sulfur and vanadium have the highest and lowest respiratory deposition dose, respectively. The highest amount of deposition occurred in the upper airways. We expect that this study will help professionals develop effective strategies to prevent and mitigate the emission of air pollutants.

Impaired intestinal immunity and microbial diversity in common carp exposed to cadmium.

Waterborne cadmium (Cd) accumulates in the fish intestine and causes irreversible toxicity by disrupting intestinal immunity and microbial diversity. To explore the toxicity of environmentally available high Cd concentration on intestinal immunity and microbial diversity of fish, we selected the widely used bioindicator model species, Common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Literature review and Cd pollution data supported sequential doses of 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mg/L Cd for 30 days. Based on intestinal tissue Cd accumulation, previous studies, and environmentally available Cd data, 0.4 and 1.6 mg/L Cd were selected for further studies. Intestinal Cd bioaccumulation increased significantly to ~100 times in fish exposed to 1.6 mg/L Cd. We observed villous atrophy, increased goblet cells with mucus production, muscularis erosion, and thickened lamina propria due to intense inflammatory cell infiltration in the intestine at this Cd concentration. Cd-induced immunosuppression occurred with increased lysozyme, alkaline phosphate (AKP), and acid phosphate (ACP). High levels of catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) suggested induced oxidative stress and poor metabolism by α-amylase and lipase suppression for Cd toxicity. Proteobacteria (41.2 %), Firmicutes (21.8 %), and Bacteroidetes (17.5 %) were the dominant bacterial phyla in the common carp intestine. Additionally, potential pathogenic Cyanobacteria increased in Cd-treated fish. The decrease of beneficiary bacteria like Aeromonas, and Cetobacterium indicated Cd toxicity. Overall, these findings indicate harmful consequences of high Cd concentration in the intestinal homeostasis and health status of fish.

Cadmium, lead, and zinc immobilization in the soil using a phosphate compound with citric acid present.

Low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) are common in rhizospheric soil and may impede the interaction between phosphate and metals. Thus, studying how phosphate compounds impact metal immobilization in rhizospheric soil using LMWOAs is crucial. An incubation experiment examined the effects of NaH2PO4 (a P compound) (3%), various concentrations of citric acid (CA), and combinations of P and CA, on soil cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) immobilization using the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction method, CaCl2 extraction method, zeta potential, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The P, low CA (2 mmol kg-1 soil) (CA2), and P-CA2 treatments reduced acid-soluble and CaCl2-extractable Cd, Pb, and Zn, indicating metal immobilization, with the P-CA2 treatment being the most effective. High CA (>5-20 mmol kg-1 soil) or a P with high CA reversed prior patterns, suggesting metal mobilization. The zeta potential study indicated that when pH increased, treatments became more negative, notably P-CA2 followed by P, suggesting that electrostatic adsorption was the predominant metal immobilization mechanism, especially in P-CA2. XRD tests, however, showed that the P treatment alone produced Cd phosphate, pyromorphite, and hopeite, indicating that sorption and precipitation were the main metal immobilization processes in the P treatment alone. In conclusion, P-CA2 was found to be the most efficient metal immobilization and redistribution treatment for contaminated soils. Rhizospheric CA may alter Cd, Pb, and Zn mineral stability. Therefore, when treating Cd, Pb, and Zn-contaminated soils with a P compound, CA should be addressed.

Kratosvirus quantuckense: the history and novelty of an algal bloom disrupting virus and a model for giant virus research.

Since the discovery of the first "giant virus," particular attention has been paid toward isolating and culturing these large DNA viruses through Acanthamoeba spp. bait systems. While this method has allowed for the discovery of plenty novel viruses in the Nucleocytoviricota, environmental -omics-based analyses have shown that there is a wealth of diversity among this phylum, particularly in marine datasets. The prevalence of these viruses in metatranscriptomes points toward their ecological importance in nutrient turnover in our oceans and as such, in depth study into non-amoebal Nucleocytoviricota should be considered a focal point in viral ecology. In this review, we report on Kratosvirus quantuckense (née Aureococcus anophagefferens Virus), an algae-infecting virus of the Imitervirales. Current systems for study in the Nucleocytoviricota differ significantly from this virus and its relatives, and a litany of trade-offs within physiology, coding potential, and ecology compared to these other viruses reveal the importance of K. quantuckense. Herein, we review the research that has been performed on this virus as well as its potential as a model system for algal-virus interactions.

Trace metals in transboundary (India-Myanmar-Bangladesh) anadromous fish Tenualosa ilisha and its consequences on human health.

Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha, Hamilton, 1822), the highly coveted table fish within the Indian subcontinent, is Bangladesh's most significant single-species fishery. To assess the risk that toxic metals pose to human health, certain health risk indices-estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), total target hazard quotient (TTHQ), and target cancer risk (TR)-were calculated. The hierarchy of toxic metals (µg/g-ww) in Hilsa shad of the bay showed as Zn (13.64 ± 2.18) > Fe (9.25 ± 1.47) > Mn (2.98 ± 0.75) > Cu (0.57 ± 0.18) > Cr (0.23 ± 0.06) > Pb (0.22 ± 0.04) > As (0.08 ± 0.02) > Ni (0.06 ± 0.02) > Co (0.04 ± 0.01) > Cd (0.01 ± 0.003) in the wet season and Zn (11.45 ± 1.97) > Fe (10.51 ± 1.38) > Mn (3.80 ± 0.75) > Cu (0.73 ± 0.17) > Pb (0.30 ± 0.03) > Cr (0.20 ± 0.05) > As (0.09 ± 0.01) > Ni (0.08 ± 0.02) > Co (0.07 ± 0.02) > Cd (0.02 ± 0.004) in the dry season. The EDI of all the examined trace metals indicated no risk to human health from consuming Hilsa fish. The estimation of THQ and TTHQ suggested that the ingestion of both individual and combined trace metals through Hilsa shad consumption was safe from the perspective of human health. Also, there was no evidence of carcinogenic risk for consumers based on the evaluation of the TR value of metals (As, Pb, Cd, and Ni) due to Hilsa shad consumption.

Phylogenetic diversity and functional potential of large and cell-associated viruses in the Bay of Bengal.

IMPORTANCE: The BoB, the world's largest bay, is of significant economic importance to surrounding countries, particularly Bangladesh, which heavily relies on its coastal resources. Concurrently, the BoB holds substantial ecological relevance due to the region's high vulnerability to climate change-induced impacts. Yet, our understanding of the BoB's microbiome in relation to marine food web and biogeochemical cycling remains limited. Particularly, there are little or no data on the viral diversity and host association in the BoB. We examined the viral community in two distinct BoB coastal regions to reveal a multitude of viral species interacting with a wide range of microbial hosts, some of which play key roles in coastal biogeochemical cycling or potential pathogens. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the BoB coast harbors a diverse community of large and giant viruses, underscoring the importance of investigating understudied environments to discover novel viral lineages with complex metabolic capacities.

H2-driven reduction of CO2 to formate using bacterial plasma membranes.

Bacterial membranes shield the intracellular compartment by selectively allowing unwanted substances to enter in, which in turn reduces overall catalytic efficiency. This report presents a model system using the isolated plasma membranes of Citrobacter sp. S-77 that harbor oxygen-stable [NiFe]hydrogenase and [Mo]formate dehydrogenase, which are integrated into a natural catalytic nanodevice through an electron transfer relay. This naturally occurring nanodevice exhibited selectivity and efficiency in catalyzing the H2-driven conversion of CO2 to formate with the rate of 817 mmol·L-1·gprotein-1·h-1 under mild conditions of 30 °C, pH 7.0, and 0.1 MPa. When the isolated plasma membranes of Citrobacter sp. S-77 was immobilized with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and encapsulated in hydrogel beads of gellan-gum cross-linked with calcium ions, the catalyst for formate production remained stable over 10 repeated uses. This paper reports the first case of efficient and selective formate production from H2 and CO2 using bacterial plasma membranes.

Taxonomic update for giant viruses in the order Imitervirales (phylum Nucleocytoviricota).

Large DNA viruses in the phylum Nucleocytoviricota, sometimes referred to as "giant viruses" owing to their large genomes and virions, have been the subject of burgeoning interest over the last decade. Here, we describe recently adopted taxonomic updates for giant viruses within the order Imitervirales. The families Allomimiviridae, Mesomimiviridae, and Schizomimiviridae have been created to accommodate the increasing diversity of mimivirus relatives that have sometimes been referred to in the literature as "extended Mimiviridae". In addition, the subfamilies Aliimimivirinae, Megamimivirinae, and Klosneuvirinae have been established to refer to subgroups of the Mimiviridae. Binomial names have also been adopted for all recognized species in the order. For example, Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus is now classified in the species Mimivirus bradfordmassiliense.

Sediment-bound hazardous trace metals(oid) in south-eastern drainage system of Bangladesh: First assessment on human health.

Despite the beneficial aspect of a natural drainage system, increasing human-induced activities, which include urbanization and growth in industrialization, degrade the ecosystem in terms of trace metal contamination. In response, given the great importance of the south-eastern drainage system in Bangladesh, a detailed evaluation of the human health risk as well as the potential ecological risk of trace metals (Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn, and As) in Karnaphuli riverbed sediment was conducted. Mean levels of the elements in mg/kg were As (5.62 ± 1.47); Se (0.84 ± 0.61); Hg (0.37 ± 0.23); Be (1.17 ± 0.49); Pb (15.62 ± 8.42); Cd (0.24 ± 0.33); Co (11.59 ± 4.49); Cr (112.75 ± 40.09); Cu (192.67 ± 49.71); V (27.49 ± 10.95); Zn (366.83 ± 62.82); Ni (75.83 ± 25.87). Pollution indicators, specifically contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), degree of contamination (Cd), enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and potential ecological risk index (RI), were computed to assess sediment quality. For the first observation of health risk, chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) indices were calculated. According to the results, CDI values through the ingestion route of both the adult and child groups were organized in the following descending mode respectively: Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > V > Pb > Co > As > Se > Be > Cd > Hg. The non-carcinogenic risks were generally low for all routes of exposure, except HQingestion was slightly higher for both adults and children. The calculated hazard index (HI) was, nevertheless, within the permitted range (HI < 1). Similarly, none of the metals exhibited any carcinogenic risks, as all CR values were within the 10-4-10-6 range. The need for authoritative efforts and water policy for the sake of the surrounding ecosystem and human health in the vicinity of the examined watershed is strongly felt as an outcome of this study. The purpose of this study is to protect public health by identifying trace metal sources and reducing industrial and domestic discharge into this natural drainage system.

Curcumin as a Potential Antioxidant in Stress Regulation of Terrestrial, Avian, and Aquatic Animals: A Review.

Stress has brought about a variety of harmful impacts on different animals, leading to difficulties in the management of animal husbandry and aquaculture. Curcumin has been recognized as a potential component to ameliorate the adverse influence of animal stress induced by toxicity, inflammation, diseases, thermal effect, and so on. In detail, this compound is known to offer various outstanding functions, including antibacterial properties, antioxidant effects, immune response recovery, and behavioral restoration of animals under stress conditions. However, curcumin still has some limitations, owing to its low bioavailability. This review summarizes the latest updates on the regulatory effects of curcumin in terms of stress management in terrestrial, avian, and aquatic animals.

Phylogenetic diversity and functional potential of the microbial communities along the Bay of Bengal coast.

The Bay of Bengal, the world's largest bay, is bordered by populous countries and rich in resources like fisheries, oil, gas, and minerals, while also hosting diverse marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds; regrettably, its microbial diversity and ecological significance have received limited research attention. Here, we present amplicon (16S and 18S) profiling and shotgun metagenomics data regarding microbial communities from BoB's eastern coast, viz., Saint Martin and Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. From the 16S barcoding data, Proteobacteria appeared to be the dominant phylum in both locations, with Alteromonas, Methylophaga, Anaerospora, Marivita, and Vibrio dominating in Cox's Bazar and Pseudoalteromonas, Nautella, Marinomonas, Vibrio, and Alteromonas dominating the Saint Martin site. From the 18S barcoding data, Ochrophyta, Chlorophyta, and Protalveolata appeared among the most abundant eukaryotic divisions in both locations, with significantly higher abundance of Choanoflagellida, Florideophycidae, and Dinoflagellata in Cox's Bazar. The shotgun sequencing data reveals that in both locations, Alteromonas is the most prevalent bacterial genus, closely paralleling the dominance observed in the metabarcoding data, with Methylophaga in Cox's Bazar and Vibrio in Saint Martin. Functional annotations revealed that the microbial communities in these samples harbor genes for biofilm formation, quorum sensing, xenobiotics degradation, antimicrobial resistance, and a variety of other processes. Together, these results provide the first molecular insight into the functional and phylogenetic diversity of microbes along the BoB coast of Bangladesh. This baseline understanding of microbial community structure and functional potential will be critical for assessing impacts of climate change, pollution, and other anthropogenic disturbances on this ecologically and economically vital bay.