Occurrence, characteristics and distribution of microplastics in commercial marine fishes of the Bay of Bengal.

The study aimed to assess and characterize microplastics (MPs) in muscles, guts, and gills of six commercially important marine fish from the Bay of Bengal. FTIR was utilized to identify MP's polymer compositions. A total 7085 MPs identified, where tuna exhibited the highest count and Bombay duck had the lowest. MPs abundance (MPs/g) was ranged from 1.56 ± 0.39 to 7.16 ± 1.36 in muscles, 1.91 ± 0.32 to 4.46 ± 0.75 in guts, and 2.36 ± 0.24 to 6.53 ± 1.58 in gills. The predominant MPs were 1-5 mm size (33.33-62.78 %), white/transparent color (18.45-54.63 %), filament shapes (75.00-94.71), and fiber types (73.21-94.71 %). FTIR revealed MPs 58.89 % polyethylene, 21.67 % polypropylene, 17.22 % polyester, and 2.22 % non-plastic compositions. Cluster analysis grouped two species with 50 % similarity, while PCA indicated significant variations among principal components (14-69.4 %) highlighting the dominance of fiber, particles, and 0.5-1.0 mm MPs in the fish tissues. The prevalence of MPs in seafood underscores measures to safeguard both the marine ecosystem and human health.

Case Report: Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Orbit in a Patient With Carney's Syndrome Treated With Multidisciplinary Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare malignancy of invasive epithelium with keratinocyte differentiation, and it is the most common form of eyelid malignant neoplasm, comprising 5%-10% of malignancies. While SCC rarely affects the orbit, it may be involved through local invasion from a cutaneous primary site or extension by perineural invasion. Only 12 cases of primary orbital SCC have been reported until now. Here, we present a case of primary carcinoma of the right orbit with coexisting Carney's syndrome, a rare genetic disorder associated with multiple endocrine neoplasias (MEN) syndromes. CASE: A 62-year-old South Asian male presented with a painful swelling in the lateral aspect of the right eyebrow and protrusion of the eyeball in August 2020. He had a history of excision of Right atrial Myxoma in March 2020. Orbital computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET-CT) scans revealed an enhancing soft tissue lesion in the right orbit with the involvement of frontal and ethmoid sinuses. Biopsy confirmed HPV-related poorly differentiated SCC, positive for HPV-related markers. The patient received concurrent chemo irradiation with Cisplatin. Follow-up PET-CT done 3 months later showed a new lesion appeared in the right orbital region and right lobe of thyroid. Later had surgical excision and total thyroidectomy, and histopathological examination (HPE) from orbit was reported as invasive SCC and from the thyroid was reported as synchronous papillary thyroid cancer. The patient's proptosis resolved, and subsequent PET-CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans did not show any residual or recurrent disease. CONCLUSION: Primary SCC of the orbit is an extremely rare disease, and this case report presents the 13th reported case and the first one associated with Carney's syndrome. As there is no standard treatment regimen for primary SCC of the orbit, this case highlights the use of multimodality treatment, including surgical excision and chemo irradiation. The findings emphasize the importance of early detection and management of this uncommon and life-threatening condition, providing hope for patients and aiding in the prevention of recurrence.

Clinical Manifestation and Multidisciplinary Treatment Approaches for Primary Tracheal Carcinoma in Bangladesh: A Clinical and Therapeutic Review of 13 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Primary tracheal carcinoma is an exceptionally rare and life-threatening disease that presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Delayed diagnosis due to misinterpretation of airway obstruction symptoms often leads to poorer prognoses for patients. This study aimed to explore the clinical manifestations and multidisciplinary treatment approaches for primary tracheal carcinoma in Bangladesh, with a focus on recent advancements in diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital Limited, involving patients aged over 30 who were diagnosed with tracheal carcinoma and underwent multidisiplinary treatment from July 2018 to June 2019. Data were collected through patient interviews and medical record reviews. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed to examine demographic characteristics, histological variations, tumor locations, clinical signs and symptoms, treatment approaches, and outcomes. RESULTS: The study illuminated varied clinical presentations and the successful application of multidisciplinary approaches among the 13 patients. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma were the predominant histological subtypes. Symptomatology, including dyspnea, cough, and hemoptysis, highlighted the challenge of early detection. Despite the rarity and intricacies associated with primary tracheal carcinoma, the multidisciplinary strategy yielded generally positive outcomes, as evidenced by a 1-year survival rate of 92.31% and a 5-year survival rate of 76.92%. Kaplan-Meier survival curves underscored the superior efficacy of surgical interventions over non-surgical approaches. CONCLUSION: Despite some limitations, this study contributes crucial insights into the nuanced management of primary tracheal carcinoma in the Bangladeshi context. The demonstrated success of the multidisciplinary strategy, especially surgical interventions, accentuates the importance of definitive resection. The lone case of local recurrence emphasizes the necessity for vigilant follow-up.

Assessing Trace Elements Bioaccumulation in Coastal River Fish and Shellfish: Implications for Human Health and Risk Evaluation.

The presence of heavy metal contaminants in fish and shellfish in aquatic environments poses a risk to human health due to trophic transfer. This study determined the levels of various trace elements (Fe, As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cd) in the muscles, gills, and liver of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) and prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) samples obtained from the Tetulia River, Bangladesh. The results showed that the level of trace elements in different body parts differed significantly (P < 0.05) between species, displayed below recommended threshold levels. The cumulative low to higher hierarchic concentration of the trace elements was as follows: Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > As > Cd. Hilsa had significantly (P < 0.05) higher bioaccumulated trace elements compared to prawn. With the exception of Ni and Cd, the estimated daily intakes (EDI) for both adults and children were below the recommended daily allowance (RDA), which exhibits that other trace elements do not cause harm to human health. Furthermore, the hazard index (HI) and total hazard quotient (THQ) were also found to be within acceptable limits, taking into account the higher vulnerability of children to toxicity compared to adults. Notably, the HI suggested that children were approximately four times more susceptible to both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects compared to adults. Ultimately, the levels of carcinogenic risk were deemed acceptable, despite the estimated values suggesting susceptibility to adverse effects in both adults and children. This study concluded that fish and shellfish may not pose a health risk to consumers, highlighting the importance of further monitoring of trace elements in the catchment area.

Association of HLA gene polymorphisms with Helicobacter pylori related gastric cancer-a systematic review.

The appropriate host cell immune responses for the progression of several diseases, including gastric or stomach cancer (GC), are significantly influenced by HLA polymorphisms. Our objective was to systematically review the evidence linking HLA polymorphisms with the risk of Helicobacter. pylori related GC. We conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify studies published between 2000 and April 2023 on the association of HLA polymorphisms with H. pylori related GC using databases such as Medline through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science (core collection), The Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Two authors independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies. From 7872 retrieved studies, 19 met inclusion criteria, encompassing 1656 cases and 16,787 controls across four World Health Organization regions, with Japan contributing the most studies. We explored HLA-A/B/C, HLA-DRB1/DQA1/DQB1, HLA-G, and MICA alleles. Of 29 significant HLA polymorphisms identified, 18 showed a positive association with GC, whereas 11 were negatively associated. HLA-DQB1*06 allele was most frequently associated to susceptibility, as reported in four studies, followed by HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQA1*01, each reported in two studies. Conversely, HLA-G*01, HLA-DQA1*01, HLA-DQA1*05, and HLA-DQB1*03 were identified as protective in two studies each. Additionally, five genotypes and six haplotypes were reported as positive, whereas three genotypes and two haplotypes were negative factors for the disease incidence or mortality. Despite heterogeneity in the study population and types of HLA polymorphisms examined, our analysis indicates certain polymorphisms are associated with H. pylori related GC progression and mortality in specific populations.

Roles of long noncoding RNA in triple-negative breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating various hallmarks in cancers. Triple-negative (Estrogen receptor, ER; Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, HER2; Progesterone receptor, PR) breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancers with a poor prognosis and no available molecular targeted therapy. METHODS: We reviewed the current literature on the roles of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis, therapy resistance, and prognosis of patients with TBNC. RESULTS: LncRNAs are associated with TNBC pathogenesis, therapy resistance, and prognosis. For example, lncRNAs such as small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12), highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC) HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR), lincRNA-regulator of reprogramming (LincRNA-ROR), etc., are aberrantly expressed in TNBC and are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. LncRNAs act as a decoy, scaffold, or sponge to regulate the expression of genes, miRNAs, and transcription factors associated with pathogenesis and progression of TNBC. Moreover, lncRNAs such as ferritin heavy chain 1 pseudogene 3 (FTH1P3), BMP/OP-responsive gene (BORG) contributes to the therapy resistance property of TNBC through activating ABCB1 (ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1) drug efflux pumps by increasing DNA repair capacity or by inducing signaling pathway involved in therapeutic resistance. CONCLUSION: In this review, we outline the functions of various lncRNAs along with their molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis, therapeutic resistance of TBNC. Also, the prognostic implications of lncRNAs in patients with TNBC is illustrated. Moreover, potential strategies targeting lncRNAs against highly aggressive TNBC is discussed in this review.

Molecular Epidemiology of HCV RNA Genotype-3 in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a causative agent that causes chronic liver diseases worldwide. It is a little, enclosed, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus. The recognition of the pathogenic HCV genotype is critical for the remedy of its sufferers. The aim of this study was to identify the HCV RNA genotype to decide the correct treatment of hepatitis C positive sufferers in Bangladesh. Blood samples were collected from 390 individuals and isolated RNA (60 µg) from blood plasma. Extracted RNA was used for quantitative HCV RNA, and complementary DNA (cDNA) was prepared by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conducted by reverse transcriptase enzyme. This cDNA amplified in multiplex by RT-PCR, which was performed with specific set of primers. The HCV RNA genotype was detected 297 of 390 patients. Of the 390 test samples, 200 (51.28%) samples were from males and 190 (48.71%) were from females, with age ranging from 5 to 78 years. In all, 166 of 200 male samples and 131/190 female samples were found positive for HCV. Of these 390 participants included in the study, 213 (54.61%) were identified as genotype 3 positive, 78 (20%) as genotype 1 positive, 6 (1.53%) as genotype 6 positive, and the remaining 93 (23.85%) samples were unclassified due to low/undetected viral load. In this study, we detected the highest percentage (30.89%) of genotype 3 HCV in patients aged 51 to 60 years. The results suggested that genotype 3 HCV is frequently present in Bangladesh and it is usually responses better to interferon therapy. However, genotype 1 and 6 HCV have also been found circulating in this country, which demands longer treatments and effective control measures.

Primary Rectal Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Treated with Urgent Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Rectal malignancy is usually symptomatic due to its location, and most of the time presents with pain and bleeding due to its growth and ulceration. It is difficult to identify the primary as carcinoma or lymphoma based on symptoms only, as both have a similar presentation. As it presents the rarest form of histology, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the rectum is still difficult to diagnose initially, and its treatment is debatable. We describe the case of a 49-year-old male from Bangladesh with the same presentation. His treatment was delayed for more than a month as immunohistochemistry and staging delayed the final diagnosis. The disease was diagnosed as stage IE with the help of a positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scan, and due to the local progression the patient had a massive rectal bleeding that needed an urgent intervention. Radiotherapy was applied to stop the bleeding. Hypofraction followed by a conventional fraction of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with a total of 40 Gy was applied. Post-EBRT digital rectal examination showed no residual except scaring, and a PET scan was also negative for residual disease. Due to uncertainties and lack of any precious guideline, 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with the R-CHOP schedule were also completed. Without surgery, the combination of EBRT and chemotherapy helped to preserve the organ, and the patient has been disease free for more than 2.5 years since his treatment.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine, Maoto, Suppresses Hepatitis B Virus Production.

Worldwide, millions of people suffer from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, putting them at a high risk of death from liver cirrhosis and cancer. Although effective anti-HBV drugs have been developed, current drugs have some limitations, as most of them have a risk of significant side effects. Therefore, the discovery of safe and effective anti-HBV drugs is still needed. Natural compounds are considered sources of novel, safe and effective therapeutics. In this study, we screened a library of Kampos, traditional herbal medicines, for suppression of HBV production. Among them, we found that maoto reduced extracellular HBV DNA but not extracellular HBsAg during HBV infection, suggesting that it suppressed HBV production by interfering with HBV nucleocapsid incorporation into viral particles. Furthermore, we revealed that maoto reduced the expression of a host gene, Tropomyosin ß chain (TPM2), whose downregulation also suppressed HBV production, similarly to maoto. Since the safety of maoto has been already confirmed, maoto can be considered a candidate anti-HBV agent if the effect is confirmed in vivo. In addition, our findings also suggest TPM2 as a novel molecular target for the development of anti-HBV agents.

Primary Jejunal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor: Diagnosis Delay of 3 Years but Successful Management in Early Stage (II) by Surgery and Adjuvant Therapy.

In the digestive system, mesenchymal origin of tumors is quite rare; in general, they are recognized as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The incidence of GISTs is very low (2 in 100,000), while jejunal GISTs are extremely rare, accounting for 0.1-3% of all gastrointestinal (GI) tumors. Small intestinal GISTs are the second most common (25%) site in the GI tract, usually occurring in the duodenum. We present the case of a 62-year-old Bangladeshi female with a history of GI bleeding 3 years earlier; the cause of the bleeding had not been found despite extensive investigations. In the meantime, the patient had developed occasional abdominal pain and lumpy feelings in the right side of the abdomen without any GI bleeding. Exploratory laparotomy was carried out in view of a small intestinal mesenteric mass in a computed tomography scan. On midline incision there was a 6 × 6 cm mass in the antimesenteric border of the jejunum approximately 30 cm from the duodenojejunal flexure, which was resected followed by anastomosis. The presentation of GISTs ranges from asymptomatic to mild abdominal pain and mass (5-50%) and mechanical obstruction (5%) as well as hemorrhage - perforation having rarely been reported (0.8%) - making the diagnosis difficult. Exophytic growth of these tumors has been noted in 18-30% of cases. In view of intermediate risk of malignancy, the patient was started with adjuvant imatinib 400 mg once daily due to probability of disease recurrence (24%).

Profiling of LINE-1-Related Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prime public health concern that accounts for most of the primary liver malignancies in humans. The most common etiological factor of HCC is hepatitis B virus (HBV). Despite recent advances in treatment strategies, there has been little success in improving the survival of HCC patients. To develop a novel therapeutic approach, evaluation of a working hypothesis based on different viewpoints might be important. Long interspersed element 1 (L1) retrotransposons have been suggested to play a role in HCC. However, the molecular machineries that can modulate L1 biology in HBV-related HCC have not been well-evaluated. Here, we summarize the profiles of expression and/or activation status of L1-related genes in HBV-related HCC, and HBV- and HCC-related genes that may impact L1-mediated tumorigenesis. L1 restriction factors appear to be suppressed by HBV infection. Since some of the L1 restriction factors also limit HBV, these factors may be exhausted in HBV-infected cells, which causes de-suppression of L1. Several HBV- and HCC-related genes that interact with L1 can affect oncogenic processes. Thus, L1 may be a novel prime therapeutic target for HBV-related HCC. Studies in this area will provide insights into HCC and other types of cancers.

Joint Relay Selection and Power Allocation through a Genetic Algorithm for Secure Cooperative Cognitive Radio Networks.

In cooperative cognitive radio networks (CCRNs), there has been growing demand of transmitting secondary user (SU) source information secretly to the corresponding SU destination with the aid of cooperative SU relays. Efficient power allocation (PA) among SU relays and multi-relay selection (MRS) are a critical problem for operating such networks whereas the interference to the primary user receiver is being kept below a tolerable level and the transmission power requirements of the secondary users are being satisfied. Subsequently, in the paper, we develop the problem to solve the optimal solution for PA and MRS in a collaborative amplify-and-forward-based CCRNs, in terms of maximizing the secrecy rate (SR) of the networks. It is found that the problem is a mixed integer programming problem and difficult to be solved. To cope with this difficulty, we propose a meta-heuristic genetic algorithm-based MRS and PA scheme to maximize the SR of the networks while satisfying transmission power and the interference requirements of the networks. Our simulation results reveal that the proposed scheme achieves near-optimal SR performance, compared to the exhaustive search scheme, and provides a significant SR improvement when compared with some conventional relay selection schemes with equal power allocation.

Sister Mary Jospeh's nodule as initial presentation of carcinoma caecum-case report and literature review.

Umbilical metastases [Sister Mary Joseph's nodules (SMJN)] are relatively rare and are associated usually with advanced intra-abdominal tumors from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) or from the gynecological malignancies and they carry poor prognosis. Here we report a case of carcinoma caecum whose initial presentation was with umbilical metastases and a review of literature in relation to the umbilical metastases from colonic tumors.

Higher circulatory level of endothelin-1 in hypertensive subjects screened through a cross-sectional study of rural Bangladeshi women.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potential marker of the endothelial dysfunction, which has been shown to be elevated in hypertensive subjects. No previous study has investigated the circulatory level of ET-1 and hypertension in a South Asian country. The present study assessed the circulating levels of ET-1 in subjects with or without hypertension and further examined the association of ET-1 with clinical and metabolic parameters. A total of 2543 rural Bangladeshi women with a mean age of 44.5 years were studied using a cross-sectional survey. Multiple regressions were used to examine the association between the circulatory ET-1 levels and hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension was 29.3%. The ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the hypertensive (mean 3.08 pg ml(-1), s.e. (0.19)) than in the non-hypertensive subjects (mean 2.01 pg ml(-1), s.e. (0.03)) (P = 0.001). After adjusting for age, the ET-1 level had significant positive associations with the diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.002), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.001), mean arterial pressure (P = 0.002) and fasting blood glucose (P = 0.002). In a tertile analysis, we found that hypertension in the subjects was significantly increased as the levels of ET-1 increased (P for the trend = 0.001). In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, after adjusting for age and all other potential variables, we found that the mean arterial pressure and the fasting plasma levels have significant associations with the ET-1 level. The present study demonstrates that there is a higher concentration of ET-1 among the hypertensive subjects in an apparently healthy population of Bangladeshi rural women. The relationship between ET-1 and hypertension requires further investigation to define the clinical utility and predictive value of serum ET-1 levels for hypertension for a South Asian population.

Significant reversal of cardiac upregulated endothelin-1 system in a rat model of sepsis by landiolol hydrochloride.

AIMS: Landiolol hydrochloride, an ultra-short-acting highly cardio-selective ß-1 blocker, has become useful for various medical problems. Recent studies have demonstrated that co-treatment with landiolol protects against acute lung injury and cardiac dysfunction in rats of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammation, and was also associated with a significant reduction in serum levels of the inflammation mediator HMGB-1 and histological lung damage. Endothelin (ET)-1, a potent vasoconstrictor, has been implicated in pathogenesis of sepsis and sepsis-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Here, we investigated whether landiolol hydrochloride can play important roles in ameliorating LPS-induced alterations in cardiac ET system of septic rats. MAIN METHODS: Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were administered LPS only for 3 h and the rest were treated with LPS as well as with landiolol non-stop for 3 h. KEY FINDINGS: At 3 h after LPS (only) administration, circulatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level, blood lactate concentration and percentage of fractional shortening of heart were significantly increased. In addition, LPS induced a significant expression of various components of cardiac ET-1 system compared to control. Finally, treatment of LPS-administered rats with landiolol for 3 h normalized LPS-induced blood lactate levels and cardiac functional compensatory events, without altering levels of plasma TNF-α and ET-1. Most strikingly, landiolol treatment significantly normalized various components of cardiac ET-1 signaling system in septic rat. SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, these data led us to conclude that landiolol may be cardio-protective in septic rats by normalizing the expression of cardiac vasoactive peptide such as ET, without altering the circulatory levels of inflammatory cytokines.

Tracheal adenocarcinoma treated with adjuvant radiation: a case report and literature review.

Primary adenocarcinoma of the trachea is extremely rare and a standard treatment does not exist due to nonavailability of evidence-based randomized control studies. This paper reports the case of a 60-year-old male, who presented with cough and occasional respiratory distress. Bronchoscopic examination and a computed tomography scan revealed a soft tissue mass in the trachea arising from the posterior tracheal wall. Cytological examination and immunochemistry confirmed primary adenocarcinoma of the trachea. Excision of the tumor followed by three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy was performed, and a dose of 56 Gy was delivered to the primary site. Two and a half years after treatment, the patient has no clinical or radiological evidence of the disease, and no late complication has occurred.