Fabrication of nano filler doped PVA/starch biodegradable composites with enhanced thermal conduction, water barrier and antimicrobial performance for food industry.

In this work there was investigated the synergistic effect of the nanomaterials-the Montmorillonite (MMT) and the vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) on the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/starch composite. The composite films were prepared by the solvent casting method. The characterization of the composites showed that the addition of the MMT and the V2O5 to PVA/starch composite decreased the water solubility and water absorption capacity of the film. Both of the reinforcement materials enriched values of thermal conductivity and thermal stability of the composite. The TG/DTA and universal testing machine (UTM) analysis exhibited that MMT and V2O5 augmented the thermal robustness and tensile strength of composites and decreased the strain to break. It was also observed that greater MMT concentration accelerates mechanical strength deterioration of the film owing to agglomeration. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis reflected great change in the surface morphology of the films in the presence and absence of MMT and V2O5. This was due to the interaction amid constituents of the composite. The chemical interaction between the PVA, Starch, MMT and the V2O5 was also established via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, which revealed fluctuations in the absorbance position and intensity of the PVA/Starch. Antimicrobial activities against seven different cultures of bacteria (both-gram positive and -negative) and one fungus (Candida albicans), exposed that antimicrobial performance of the PVA amplified upon addition of the starch, MMT and V2O5, making these composites prospective candidates for the biodegradable packaging materials.

Ligand cross-feeding resolves bacterial vitamin B12 auxotrophies.

Cobalamin (vitamin B12, herein referred to as B12) is an essential cofactor for most marine prokaryotes and eukaryotes1,2. Synthesized by a limited number of prokaryotes, its scarcity affects microbial interactions and community dynamics2-4. Here we show that two bacterial B12 auxotrophs can salvage different B12 building blocks and cooperate to synthesize B12. A Colwellia sp. synthesizes and releases the activated lower ligand α-ribazole, which is used by another B12 auxotroph, a Roseovarius sp., to produce the corrin ring and synthesize B12. Release of B12 by Roseovarius sp. happens only in co-culture with Colwellia sp. and only coincidently with the induction of a prophage encoded in Roseovarius sp. Subsequent growth of Colwellia sp. in these conditions may be due to the provision of B12 by lysed cells of Roseovarius sp. Further evidence is required to support a causative role for prophage induction in the release of B12. These complex microbial interactions of ligand cross-feeding and joint B12 biosynthesis seem to be widespread in marine pelagic ecosystems. In the western and northern tropical Atlantic Ocean, bacteria predicted to be capable of salvaging cobinamide and synthesizing only the activated lower ligand outnumber B12 producers. These findings add new players to our understanding of B12 supply to auxotrophic microorganisms in the ocean and possibly in other ecosystems.

First-Principles Investigations of Novel Guanidine-Based Dyes.

In the pursuit of finding efficient D-π-A organic dyes as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), first-principles calculations of guanidine-based dyes [A1-A18] were executed using density functional theory (DFT). The various electronic and optical properties of guanidine-based organic dyes with different D-π-A structural modifications were investigated. The structural modification of guanidine-based dyes largely affects the properties of molecules, such as excitation energies, the oscillator strength dipole moment, the transition dipole moment, and light-harvesting efficiencies. The energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is responsible for the reduction and injection of electrons. Modification of the guanidine subunit by different structural modifications gave a range of HOMO-LUMO energy gaps. Chemical and optical characteristics of the dyes indicated prominent charge transfer and light-harvesting efficiencies. The wide electronic absorption spectra of these guanidine-based dyes computed by TD-DFT-B3LYP with 6-31G, 6-311G, and cc-PVDZ basis sets have been observed in the visible region of spectra due to the presence of chromophore groups of dye molecules. Better anchorage of dyes to the surface of TiO2 semiconductors helps in charge-transfer phenomena, and the results suggested that -COOH, -CN, and -NO2 proved to be proficient anchoring groups, making dyes very encouraging candidates for DSSCs. Molecular electrostatic potential explained the electrostatic potential of organic dyes, and IR spectrum and conformational analyses ensured the suitability of organic dyes for the fabrication of DSSCs.

Effects of healthcare spending on public health status: An empirical investigation from Bangladesh.

The escalation of healthcare spending in many nations, particularly in emerging countries such as Bangladesh, may be largely attributed to the growing demand for healthcare services. Evidently, there has been a significant expansion in the public funding allocated to the health sector in Bangladesh, intending to enhance health outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of healthcare expenditure on health outcomes, specifically focusing on the reduction in different mortality rates and the transmission of various infectious diseases. A total of 30 years of data (1990-2019) on the health sector of Bangladesh were collected from different national and international sources. The Vector Autoregression with Exogenous Variables (VARX) model was employed to determine the effects of healthcare expenditure on health outcomes. Results revealed that the per capita health expenditure and the number of doctors showed a significant positive impact on life expectancy and maternal and child health. Also, the government's annual budget on the health sector and number of doctors had a significant positive impact on lowering deaths by Diphtheria, Cholera, Tuberculosis, and Malaria diseases. In order to develop a sustainable healthcare system within the nation, it is imperative for the government to prioritize the allocation of sufficient and effective healthcare funding to cater to the needs of the populace.

Impact of market-based home fortification with micronutrient powder on childhood anemia in Bangladesh: a modified stepped wedge design.

Background: Anemia poses a significant public health problem, affecting 1.6 billion people and contributing to the loss of 68.4 million disability-adjusted life years. We assessed the impact of a market-based home fortification program with micronutrient powder (MNP) called Pushtikona-5 implemented by Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) on the prevalence of anemia among children aged 6-59 months in Bangladesh. Methods: We used a modified stepped wedged design and conducted three baseline, two midline, and three endline surveys to evaluate the Pushtikona-5 program implemented through three BRAC program platforms. We interviewed children's caregivers, and collected finger-prick blood samples from children to measure hemoglobin concentration. We also collected data on coverage of Pushtikona-5 and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. We performed bivariate and multivariable analysis and calculated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) to assess the effect of program outcomes. Results: A total of 16,936 households were surveyed. The prevalence of anemia was 46.6% at baseline, dropping to 32.1% at midline and 31.2% at endline. These represented adjusted relative reductions of 34% at midline (RR 0.66, 95%CI 0.62 to 0.71, value of p <0.001) and 32% at endline (RR 0.68, 95%CI 0.64 to 0.71, value of p <0.001) relative to baseline. Regarding MNP coverage, at baseline, 43.5% of caregivers surveyed had heard about MNP; 24.3% of children had ever consumed food with MNP, and only 1.8% had consumed three or more sachets in the 7 days preceding the survey. These increased to 63.0, 36.9, and 4.6%, respectively, at midline and 90.6, 68.9, and 11.5%, respectively, at endline. Conclusion: These results show evidence of a reduction in the prevalence of anemia and an improvement in coverage. This study provides important evidence of the feasibility and potential for impact of linking market-based MNP distribution with IYCF promotion through community level health workers.