Effects of shipwrecks on spatiotemporal dynamics of metal/loids in sediments and seafood safety in the Bay of Bengal.

Metal/loid pollution from shipwrecking activities has drawn significant concern due to their persistent threat to the marine ecosystem and human health. We investigated the spatiotemporal distribution, pollution characteristics, risks, sources, and potential impact of metal/loids in the sediments and seafood in the Bay of Bengal at nearby open beaching shipwrecking yards in Bangladesh. We collected 78 sediments and 208 seafood samples from the exposed and control sites from 2018 to 2020 during the dry and wet seasons. The concentrations of 16 elements, including cadmium, arsenic, lead, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron, tin, antimony, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, vanadium, selenium, and thallium were measured using validated inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) methods. Based on the pollution indices (enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, pollution index, and pollution load index), lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, copper, zinc, and tin from the dry season showed higher contaminations compared to the wet and their concentrations were increased from 2018 to 2020 with seasonal fluctuations. Sediment cadmium and arsenic posed relatively higher and moderate ecological risks. Health risk analysis indicated that lead, cadmium, and inorganic arsenic (estimated) in seafood species pose a possible health threat to the general population. Further, there were possible ecological and health risks for the metal/loids in combination based on the ecological risk index in sediment and the hazard index in seafood, respectively. Source apportionment suggested that anthropogenic activities through uncontrolled shipwrecking operations over the last four decades were the largest polluting dominator, contributing 55-77% of the metal/loid concentrations. Therefore, the data may inform mitigation strategies for emission control at the shipwrecking yards to protect marine ecosystems and their local population.

Effect of long-term intermittent supplementation with multiple micronutrients compared with iron-and-folic acid supplementation on Hb and micronutrient status of non-anaemic adolescent schoolgirls in rural Bangladesh.

The present study examined whether long-term supplementation with once- and twice-weekly multiple micronutrients (MMN-1 and MMN-2) can improve Hb and micronutrient status more than twice-weekly Fe-folic acid (IFA-2) supplementation in non-anaemic adolescent girls in Bangladesh. An equal number of 324 rural schoolgirls aged 11-17 years were given MMN-1 or MMN-2 or IFA-2 supplements for 52 weeks in a randomised, double-blind trial. Blood samples were collected at baseline, and at 26 and 52 weeks of supplementation. The girls receiving IFA-2 supplements were more likely to be anaemic than the girls receiving MMN-2 supplements for 26 weeks (OR 5·1, 95% CI 1·3, 19·5; P = 0·018). All three supplements reduced Fe deficiency effectively. Both the MMN-1 and MMN-2 groups showed significantly greater improvements in vitamins A, B(2) and C status than the girls in the IFA-2 group, as might be expected. Receiving a MMN-1 supplement was found to be less effective than MMN-2 supplement in improving Fe, vitamins A, B(2) and folic acid status. Receiving micronutrient supplements beyond 26 weeks showed little additional benefit in improving micronutrient status. In conclusion, given twice-weekly for 26 weeks, MMN supplements can improve micronutrient status effectively with no significant increase in Hb concentration compared with IFA supplements in non-anaemic Bangladeshi adolescent girls. However, it significantly reduces the risk of anaemia. Before any recommendations can be made, further research, including into cost-effectiveness, is needed to see whether MMN supplementation has any additional longer-term health benefits over that of IFA supplementation in this population.

Long-term intermittent multiple micronutrient supplementation enhances hemoglobin and micronutrient status more than iron + folic acid supplementation in Bangladeshi rural adolescent girls with nutritional anemia.

Previous short-term supplementation studies showed no additional hematologic benefit of multiple micronutrients (MMN) compared with iron + folic acid (IFA) in adolescent girls. This study examines whether long-term once- or twice-weekly supplementation of MMN can improve hemoglobin (Hb) and micronutrient status more than twice-weekly IFA supplementation in anemic adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Anemic girls (n = 324) aged 11-17 y attending rural schools were given once- or twice-weekly MMN or twice-weekly IFA, containing 60 mg iron/dose in both supplements, for 52 wk in a randomized double-blind trial. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 26 and 52 wk. Intent to treat analysis showed no significant difference in the Hb concentration between treatments at either 26 or 52 wk. However, after excluding girls with hemoglobinopathy and adjustment for baseline Hb, a greater increase in Hb was observed with twice-weekly MMN at 26 wk (P = 0.045). Although all 3 treatments effectively reduced iron deficiency, once-weekly MMN produced significantly lower serum ferritin concentrations than the other treatments at both 26 and 52 wk. Both once- and twice-weekly MMN significantly improved riboflavin, vitamin A, and vitamin C status compared with IFA. Overall, once-weekly MMN was less efficacious than twice-weekly MMN in improving iron, riboflavin, RBC folic acid, and vitamin A levels. Micronutrient supplementation beyond 26 wk was likely important in sustaining improved micronutrient status. These findings highlight the potential usefulness of MMN intervention in this population and have implications for programming.

Efficacy of twice-weekly multiple micronutrient supplementation for improving the hemoglobin and micronutrient status of anemic adolescent schoolgirls in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Although iron deficiency is a major cause of anemia, other micronutrient deficiencies may also play a role. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether multiple micronutrient supplementation is more efficacious than is supplementation with iron and folic acid alone for improving the hemoglobin and iron status of anemic adolescent girls in Bangladesh. DESIGN: Anemic (hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) girls (n = 197) aged 14-18 y from rural schools in Dhaka District were entered into a randomized double-blind trial and received twice-weekly supplements of iron and folic acid (IFA group) or multiple micronutrients (15 micronutrients, including iron and folic acid; MMN group) for 12 wk. RESULTS: At recruitment, the characteristics of the girls in the 2 groups were not significantly different, except for family size and body mass index. At the end of the study, although both groups benefited significantly from supplementation, mean changes in hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were not significantly different between groups. Compared with the IFA group, girls in the MMN group had significantly greater increases in mean serum vitamin A, plasma vitamin C, red blood cell folic acid, and riboflavin concentrations (assessed as erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient). After 12 wk of supplementation, only the prevalence of vitamins A and C and riboflavin deficiencies decreased more significantly in the MMN group than in the IFA group. CONCLUSIONS: Twice-weekly MMN supplementation for 12 wk significantly improved the status of the micronutrients assessed but was not more efficacious than was supplementation with iron and folic acid alone in improving the hematologic status of anemic adolescent girls. More frequent doses may be needed to achieve full benefit.

Seeking optimal means to address micronutrient deficiencies in food supplements: A case study from the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Project.

In seeking to improve the micronutrient contents of a food supplement used in a major community-based nutrition project in Bangladesh, operations research was conducted to compare the provision of needed micronutrients through additional food sources (fresh or dried fruits or vegetables), a micronutrient multi-mix, and a combination of the two. Micronutrient gaps (the difference between micronutrient requirements and actual micronutrient intake) were estimated for four groups of project beneficiaries, with target intakes defined as requirements for iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and vitamin B12 recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. Primary focus was placed on iron and vitamin A. Cost and bulk constraint analyses, based on cost of supplement, feasibility of delivery, and serving volume needed to achieve micronutrient targets, were used for comparing the supplement options. In terms of these analyses, the micronutrient multimix proved, by far, to be the most advantageous. Food options, however, are arguably desirable in that they provide dietary benefits additional to that of known micronutrients and may increase demand to boost production of domestic fruits and vegetables for the population as a whole. The study concludes that it is cost-effective to use powdered micronutrient mixes for such specific purposes as enrichment of supplementary food and food fortification, but encourages production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods through programme messages and activities.

Lack of modification of rat hepatocarcinogenesis by fernane-type triterpenoids, isolated from a Euphorbia genus.

Inhibitors of topoisomerases, enzymes that produce an unusual type of DNA damage, are considered as antitumor agents. Recently it has been reported that the fernane-type triterpenoid EC-2 and its hydroxyl derivative, isolated from Euphorbia, are potent topoisomerase II inhibitors. In this study, the modifying effects of EC-2 and EC-4 on the development of putative preneoplastic lesions, glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci, in the liver of rats were investigated using a medium-term bioassay system. Fisher 344 male, 6-week-old rats were given a single intraperitoneal injection (200 mg/kg b.w.) of diethylnitrosamine or saline at the beginning of the experiment and subjected to 2/3 partial hepatectomy at the 3rd week. The test compounds were administered five times/week by i.g. gavage at a dose of 1 mg/kg b.w. from 2 to 8 weeks. Quantitation of the numbers and areas per cm(2) of induced GST-P positive foci did not demonstrated any significant differences among the groups and no variation in cell proliferation as indicated by 5-bromo- 2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling. Our results suggest that EC-2 and EC-4 have no modifying effects on rat hepatocarcinogenesis.