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1.
PLoS One ; 19(6): e0305609, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38905289

ABSTRACT

Climate change impacts crop production worldwide, and coastal regions are particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects. Given the projected rise in temperature and shifting precipitation patterns, it is crucial to examine the current challenges faced by farmers in coastal Bangladesh. Using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), we assessed the perceptions and experiences of farmers and stakeholders regarding the existing agricultural practices, the challenges they face in crop cultivation, and the adoption of climate-adaptive practices in 2 sub-districts in the southeastern coastal region of Bangladesh. Moreover, using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Standardized Terrestrial Water Storage Index (STI), we assessed the frequency and intensity of different climatic conditions in these two sub-districts. Results show that 100% of the respondents reported an increase in dry climatic conditions, the occurrence of untimely precipitation, and a decline in irrigation water during the cropping season. All the respondents in the FGDs expressed a loss of crop production because of these climate-induced disturbances. Despite these challenges, farmers have been implementing several climate-adaptive practices. Among the 9 mentioned climate-adaptive practices, 50% of FGD respondents utilize organic fertilizers, 42% cultivate heat- and drought-resilient crop varieties, use improved irrigation and harvest rainwater, and 25% cultivate integrated crops. The results of quantitative analysis of 3- and 6-month SPEI and STI values show that this region experienced frequent and intense dry climatic conditions during the growing-season, which supports the farmers' and stakeholders' concern about the increasing occurrence of droughts during crop growing periods. The results suggest that despite adopting climate-resilient practices under increasing growing-season droughts, farmers require support from the government and NGOs in capacity-building training and input support (e.g., stress-resilient seeds). This study holds practical implications for government, NGOs, and policymakers for ensuring sustainable agricultural productivity in the coastal region of Bangladesh.


Subject(s)
Agriculture , Climate Change , Crops, Agricultural , Farmers , Bangladesh , Humans , Crops, Agricultural/growth & development , Agriculture/methods , Agricultural Irrigation/methods , Male , Crop Production/methods , Droughts , Female , Focus Groups
3.
Heliyon ; 10(9): e29392, 2024 May 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38694041

ABSTRACT

Textile industries are now focusing on sustainable issues in manufacturing operations to save the environment. The study focuses on the use of cotton fibers (recycled) sourced from fabric (knitted) waste (pre-consumer) to manufacture elastic yarn (dual-core) for denim fabric. The study involves the production of yarns (dual-core) using a redesigned ring spinning method with different elastomeric components, including T400® (Polyethylene terephthalate)/Polytrimethylene terephthalate), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyester (PES), Lycra® (elastane), virgin cotton and cotton (recycled) fiber. The study investigates various yarn (Ne 18/1) characteristics such as strength, IPI (imperfection index), elongation %, unevenness %, and hairiness. It is noticed that the elongation and strength of recycled yarn (double core) are lower and IPI (Imperfection index), unevenness %, and hairiness values are higher than 100 % cotton (virgin) yarn (double core). One-way ANOVA (statistical analysis) is employed to assess the significance of differences among yarns manufactured from various core materials and found significant variation for all characteristics. Additionally, the article introduces the MOORA (multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis) technique as a decision-making tool to determine the best yarn among three alternatives (PES yarn, PBT yarn, and T400 yarn) based on their properties, considering attributes and finding T400 filament containing yarn as the best option. The study introduces a sustainable approach using recycled cotton in yarn (double core) production and employs decision-making tools to assess and rank the performance of different yarn alternatives.

4.
Heliyon ; 10(4): e25723, 2024 Feb 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38370174

ABSTRACT

Pesticides including cypermethrin (10% EC) are commonly used pesticide in tea gardens of Bangladesh possess distinct harmful effects on an aquatic community. The experiment was carried out to assess the ecotoxicological effects of cypermethrin (10%) concentrate on indigenous Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus). A total of 120 A. testudineus (mean length 16 ± 2.67 cm and mean weight 31.6 ± 3.56 g) were exposed to the acute toxicity test when the lethal concentration 50 value (LC50) for 96 h was maintained at 1.00 ppm. Three different sub-lethal concentrations of 0.05 ppm (5%), 0.10 ppm (10%), and 0.20 ppm (20%) were used respectively as three treatments and a control of 0 ppm with three replicates each. Restlessness, erratic movement, increased opercular activities, loss of equilibrium, and irregular response to feeding were observed in all the treatments compared to control one. Concerning histopathological alterations, all the analyzed organs showed highest changes in the T3 (cypermethrin conc. 20%) compared to other treatments while T0 (0 ppm) had normal structure. The major changes in the gill were epithelial cell hyperplasia, necrosis, severe lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting; while necrotic proximal tubules, glomerular shrinkage, disrupted renal corpuscle of the kidney and nuclear pyknosis, degenerated hepatic cells and vacuolation were observed in the liver. Severe melanomacrophage centre (MMC), haemosiderosis and vacuolation were found in spleen. The effect of cypermethrin on the hematological parameters of experimental fish was also studied. Red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit were decreased in the experimental groups and lowest value was in T3 while values of white blood cells were increased in the experimental groups compared to control one. Hence, the present observation revealed that pesticides even at low concentrations can cause harmful effects on A. testudineus.

5.
Biomolecules ; 14(2)2024 Feb 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38397458

ABSTRACT

Polyphenols, long-used components of medicinal plants, have drawn great interest in recent years as potential therapeutic agents because of their safety, efficacy, and wide range of biological effects. Approximately 75% of the world's population still use plant-based medicinal compounds, indicating the ongoing significance of phytochemicals for human health. This study emphasizes the growing body of research investigating the anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity functions of polyphenols. The functions of polyphenols, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides, and phenolic acids, are distinct due to changes in chemical diversity and structural characteristics. This review methodically investigates the mechanisms by which naturally occurring polyphenols mediate obesity and metabolic function in immunomodulation. To this end, hormonal control of hunger has the potential to inhibit pro-obesity enzymes such as pancreatic lipase, the promotion of energy expenditure, and the modulation of adipocytokine production. Specifically, polyphenols affect insulin, a hormone that is essential for regulating blood sugar, and they also play a role, in part, in a complex web of factors that affect the progression of obesity. This review also explores the immunomodulatory properties of polyphenols, providing insight into their ability to improve immune function and the effects of polyphenols on gut health, improving the number of commensal bacteria, cytokine production suppression, and immune cell mediation, including natural killer cells and macrophages. Taken together, continuous studies are required to understand the prudent and precise mechanisms underlying polyphenols' therapeutic potential in obesity and immunomodulation. In the interim, this review emphasizes a holistic approach to health and promotes the consumption of a wide range of foods and drinks high in polyphenols. This review lays the groundwork for future developments, indicating that the components of polyphenols and their derivatives may provide the answer to urgent worldwide health issues. This compilation of the body of knowledge paves the way for future discoveries in the global treatment of pressing health concerns in obesity and metabolic diseases.


Subject(s)
Alkaloids , Polyphenols , Humans , Polyphenols/pharmacology , Polyphenols/therapeutic use , Polyphenols/metabolism , Obesity/metabolism , Flavonoids , Immunity
6.
Heliyon ; 10(1): e23834, 2024 Jan 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38205337

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to analyze the use of vitamin E to enhance fabric's hand feel, moisture management and fabric strength which are affected due to flame retardant finish. Flame retardant treated fabrics typically become stiff, but the addition of Vitamin E along with emulsifier and binding agent through a vertical padding mangle by two times dipping and nipping results a soft fabric without impairing the flammability properties as determined by 45-degree flammability test. The samples were characterized by FTIR spectra, SEM images, and water contact angle. A new characteristics band is appeared at 1455 cm-1 for skeletal vibration of phenyl ring system of alpha tocopherol for Vitamin E measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) that proves the effective attachment of vitamin E with fabric. Hydrophilicity of vitamin E containing sample is discovered after showing 37.629° as a water contact angle at optical tensiometer (Attension theta lite). Additionally, fabric comfort properties, moisture management properties, and mechanical properties were measured by fabric touch tester (FTT), moisture management tester (MMT) machine and tensile strength tester respectively that demonstrate significant affirmative change in almost all indexes of FTT, 43.5 % increase of overall moisture management capacity by MMT and 23 % increase of tear strength by tensile strength tester due to use of vitamin E that effectively compensate lower strength, poor fabric comfort, and low moisture management capability of flame retardant treated fabric.

7.
Heliyon ; 9(9): e19663, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37809685

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on an eco-friendly approach to vat dyeing of cotton fabric using natural reducing agents and compare their performance with a conventional reducing agent. Natural reducing agents derived from pineapple barks, watermelon, and carambola extracts were investigated as alternatives. The reduction potential and FTIR of these natural extracted reducing agents were evaluated to assess their dyeing capability. Different colorimetric properties, color strength, colorfastness, bursting strength and pilling resistance of the dyed fabrics were analyzed. The environmental impact of the dyeing process was assessed by measuring parameters such as BOD, COD, TDS, DO and pH values. The results indicated that the natural reducing agents exhibited comparable reduction potential to sodium dithionite. Colorimetric analysis revealed that the optimal concentrations of the reducing agents for dyeing were 500-600 ml/l. The carambola extract showed the best colorimetric properties among the three reducing agents tested. The study demonstrates the potential of natural reducing agents as eco-friendly alternatives for vat dyeing of cotton fabric, contributing to sustainable and green textile dyeing processes.

8.
Heliyon ; 9(9): e20220, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37810016

ABSTRACT

The world has noticed tremendous growth in information technology, particularly the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. Nowadays, a lot of people rely on conversational assistants (CAs) and other intelligent virtual objects to check account balances, communicate more quickly, make payments, and manage their financial assets with banks or other financial institutions. This study scrutinizes how consumers espouse and utilize conversational assistants in banking amenities. To provide empirical evidence and generalize sample results in a larger context, a quantitative research approach has been utilized. A structured questionnaire was prepared, which generates 181 participants. The questionnaire was selected for its suitability in systematically capturing consumers' perceptions and intentions. According to the findings of partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived enjoyment (PE), and perceived trust (PT) have significant impacts on users' intentions to use conversational assistants, however, perceived usefulness (PU) does not have any significant effects. Furthermore, the relationship between PEOU and intention is significantly and negatively moderated by perceived risk (PR). By enabling stakeholders to create strategies that improve customer experience and unleash the full potential of conversational assistants in banking services, these findings help to better understand consumer behavior.

9.
Gerontol Geriatr Med ; 9: 23337214231172663, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37168021

ABSTRACT

The average life expectancy of the Bangladeshi population has risen over the last decade due to economic growth and improved medical care. Although the increased number of older adults and their health is a significant concern, there is scarce of data regarding that. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the association between nutritional status and functional ability among selected Bangladeshi geriatric populations living in their homes. Of 400 participants, the prevalence of malnutrition, and people at risk of malnutrition was 25.4% and 58.8%, respectively. Furthermore, almost 80% of participants are dependent in terms of activities of daily living. High risk of falling (OR = 10.82; 95% CI: 5.85-20.37; p ≤ .001), limited activities of daily living (IADL) (OR = 6.21; 95% CI: 4.02-9.58; p ≤ .001), along with dependency in performing IADL (OR = 4.48; 95% CI: 2.83-7.06; p ≤ .001) are significantly associated with malnutrition. Geriatric malnutrition can accelerate disability conditions, leading to early functional aging.

10.
Heliyon ; 9(4): e14806, 2023 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37035358

ABSTRACT

Health hazards and environmental pollution are major concerns in present world. So, it is high time to think about ecofriendly and sustainable production. In this study, pumpkin juice has been used as an ecofriendly flame retardant finish to enhance the functionality of cotton twill fabric. The pumpkin juice extracted from the fresh pumpkin without any chemicals. The cotton fabric was treated with pumpkin juice in exhaust method. The treated and untreated samples were characterized by TGA, FTIR, SEM, and EDX. The flame-retardant property of the samples were evaluated based on the LOI and vertical flame tester. The result demonstrated that the treated samples exhibited high fire-retardant properties after being finished with pumpkin juice. The LOI value of the treated samples increased to 29 from 19 after treatment. The main reason behind the increased flammability is the dehydration of pumpkin juice-treated fabric which was clarified from the TG analysis. Moreover, the FTIR, SEM, and EDX report ensured the presence of bound and unbound water molecules, different salt, and several atoms in the samples treated with pumpkin juice that enhanced the protection against the spreading of the fire and thus improved fire-retardant properties of the treated samples.

11.
Heliyon ; 8(11): e11246, 2022 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36345521

ABSTRACT

The significance of textile coloration is inevitable as coloration is a critical process and it can be affected by several parameters i. e. time, temperature, pH, and liquor ratio (M:L). This research reveals the behavior of different dye bath pH (2 to 12) on the basis of spectrophotometric characteristics and colorfastness using the most useable brand of reactive dye in Bangladesh i. e. Remazol Yellow RR. Earlier researches were performed on the basis of other coloration controlling factors i. e. temperature, time and liquor ratio (M:L) where pH acts as the dependent variable. However in this study, pH was taken as an independent variable where lower pH (2, 4 and 6), medium pH (8 and 10) and higher pH (12) were taken into consideration for verifying the dyeing performance. Meanwhile, the mentioned pH was achieved by adding acetic acid, soda ash and caustic soda respectively. In this study, the impact of pH is analyzed on the basis of color strength, chromaticity, hue angle, CIELAB color space, spectrophotometric image, reflectance percentage and color fastness tests i. e color fastness to rubbing, color fastness to wash, color fastness to perspiration, color fastness to light. Gradually elevated pH boosts up the color strength and chromaticity, at the same time downgrades of hue angle results orangish tone in the dyed fabric. Even more, the lightness of dyed fabric decreases and redness rises with the increment of dyebath pH which results in orangish red darker tone of dyed fabric. Consequently, fabric dyed at acidic dye bath pH exhibits higher resistance in case of color change and color staining from the dyed fabric and multifiber fabric respectively and vice versa.

12.
Bioengineering (Basel) ; 9(11)2022 Nov 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36421116

ABSTRACT

Walking speed is considered a reliable assessment tool for any movement-related functional activities of an individual (i.e., patients and healthy controls) by caregivers and clinicians. Traditional video surveillance gait monitoring in clinics and aged care homes may employ modern artificial intelligence techniques to utilize walking speed as a screening indicator of various physical outcomes or accidents in individuals. Specifically, ratio-based body measurements of walking individuals are extracted from marker-free and two-dimensional video images to create a walk pattern suitable for walking speed classification using deep learning based artificial intelligence techniques. However, the development of successful and highly predictive deep learning architecture depends on the optimal use of extracted data because redundant data may overburden the deep learning architecture and hinder the classification performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal combination of ratio-based body measurements needed for presenting potential information to define and predict a walk pattern in terms of speed with high classification accuracy using a deep learning-based walking speed classification model. To this end, the performance of different combinations of five ratio-based body measurements was evaluated through a correlation analysis and a deep learning-based walking speed classification test. The results show that a combination of three ratio-based body measurements can potentially define and predict a walk pattern in terms of speed with classification accuracies greater than 92% using a bidirectional long short-term memory deep learning method.

13.
Front Plant Sci ; 13: 992535, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36160973

ABSTRACT

Drought is one of the most destructive abiotic stresses that impact the growth, physiology, yield, and nutritional quality of seeds of crop plants. In modern agriculture, the use of nanoparticles can be beneficial due to their large surface area and higher potentiality to enter into the plant leaf during foliar application. This study aims to evaluate the effects of foliar spray containing varying doses (0, 100, and 200 ppm) of the nano-iron (Fe3O4) on the growth, physiology, yield, and seed nutritional quality of soybean under drought (40% of field capacity, FC) and well-watered (80% of FC) conditions. Leaf water status, chlorophyll content of leaves, the height of the plant, fresh leaf weight, fresh stem weight, fresh petiole weight, total dry weight, seed yield, and protein and oil content in soybean seeds were found to be suppressed by the applied drought stress. Under both drought (40% of FC) and controlled well-watered (80% of FC) conditions, the foliar application of nano-iron substantially improved the growth, physiology, yield, and quality of soybean seeds. The nanoparticles at 200 ppm increased soybean seed yield by 40.12 and 32.60% in drought and well-watered conditions, respectively, compared to the untreated plants. Furthermore, nano-iron increased the oil content of soybean seeds by 10.14 and 7.87% under drought and well-watered conditions, respectively, compared to the untreated control. Our results indicate that the application of nano-iron improved drought tolerance, yield, and seed quality of soybean, so exogenous foliar sprays of 200 ppm Fe3O4 were more effective than the other treatments in enhancing drought tolerance and can be utilized to reduce losses caused by drought stress in soybean-growing areas.

14.
15.
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med ; 35(13): 2564-2580, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32643471

ABSTRACT

Numerous benefits have been associated with omega-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy and the postpartum period, whether it is consumed in the diet with seafood or via supplements such as fish oil. This review primarily aimed to assess the current situation of the impact of omega-3 long-chain Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) supplementation on the outcomes of pregnancy. The electronic search of Medline, PubMed, Public Library of Science (PLOS) and Google Scholar databases was carried out for papers from 01 February 1995 to 01 March 2017 using keywords such as "pregnancy," "supplement," "long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids," "omega 3 fatty acids," and "clinical trials." Out of twenty-six studies, both observational and interventional, fourteen studies found the influence of omega 3 fatty acids during pregnancy or the early postpartum period on the duration of gestation and infant size at birth, preeclampsia, depression, and infant visual function and neurodevelopment have been reported. Omega 3 fatty acid intakes (both in terms of absolute amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the ratio of these 2 fatty acids) varied widely in these studies, however, and no clear consensus exists regarding the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on any of these outcomes. Because of the potential importance of these fatty acids for pregnant or lactating women, fetus, and newborn infants and the limited data from clinical trials assessing the effect of these fatty acids on pregnancy and infant outcomes, additional research is required to better define optimal intakes of specific omega 3 fatty acids during these critical periods.


Subject(s)
Fatty Acids, Omega-3 , Pregnant Women , Dietary Supplements , Docosahexaenoic Acids , Eicosapentaenoic Acid , Fatty Acids , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Lactation , Pregnancy
16.
Prev Med Rep ; 23: 101478, 2021 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34458076

ABSTRACT

Malnutrition is the root of numerous complications ranging from physical disability to mental health problems like depression. Depending on the intensity, depression can lead to emotional fluctuations, even suicidal attempts. Geriatric health in a country like Bangladesh is often ignored, although they are a growing segment of society. This community-based cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of depression and malnutrition in the elderly to evaluate the relationship between depression and malnutrition. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was used to determine nutritional status, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess depression. About 84% of the participants showed a different array of depression symptoms. The rate of malnutrition and depression is higher among the male participants. Being malnourished (OR: 4.05, 95% CI: 2.79-5.87) and people are at risk of malnutrition (OR:1.67, 95% CI:1.24-2.24) had a significantly higher risk of suffering from depression. Maintaining a good physical state, a healthy lifestyle, and a supportive family environment are among the factors that can reduce depression in the elderly population. Therefore, to fight depression, specific programs and targeted interventions focusing on physical and mental stability for the elderly at the community level can enhance awareness at the individual and family levels.

17.
Polymers (Basel) ; 13(13)2021 06 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34202421

ABSTRACT

Every year, the world is producing around 100 million tons of waste glass (WG), the majority of them are going to landfills that create massive environmental problems. One approach to solve this problem is to transform waste glass into construction materials. Glass is recyclable; however, the melting temperature of the glass is highly dependent on its colour that requires sorting before recycling. To overcome this challenge, many researchers and end-users are using broken glass in concrete either as a binder or aggregates. While significant investigations have done in this area, however, the outcomes of these studies are scattered, and difficult to reach a firm conclusion about the effectiveness of WG in concrete. In this study, the roles of WG and its impact on microstructural and durability properties for both cement and geopolymer concrete are critically reviewed. This review reveals that the amorphous silica in WG effectively participate to the hydration and geopolymerization process and improve concrete microstructural properties. This behaviour of WG help to produce durable concrete against shrinkage, chemical attack, freeze-thaw action, electrical and thermal insulation properties. The optimum replacement volume of binders or natural aggregates and particle size of WG need to be selected carefully to minimise the possible alkali-silica reaction. This review discusses a wide range of parameters for durability properties and challenges associated with WG concrete, which provides necessary guidelines for best practice with future research directions.

18.
Vet Sci ; 8(6)2021 Jun 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34203812

ABSTRACT

Poultry production has boomed in Bangladesh in recent years. The poultry sector has contributed significantly to meet the increased demand for animal source proteins in the country. However, increased use of antimicrobials appeared to be a significant threat to food safety in the poultry sector. The poultry drug and feed sellers are at the frontline position involving selecting and delivering the antimicrobials to the poultry farmers. Studies assessing the poultry drug and feed sellers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) are limited. The current study aimed to assess the community poultry drug and feed sellers' KAPs of antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in some selected areas of Bangladesh. We determined the respondents' (drug and the feed sellers) KAPs of AMU and AMR using a tested and paper-based questionnaire. The study demonstrated that most respondents have insufficient knowledge, less positive attitudes, and inappropriate practices regarding AMU and AMR. The factor score analysis further showed that the type of respondents and their years of experience, level of education, and training on the drug were the significant factors impacting the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of AMU and AMR. The adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed that the drug sellers who completed their education up to 12th grade and had training on the drug had adequate knowledge of AMU and AMR. The data also showed that the drug sellers belong to the age group 31-35 and 36-40 years and who completed 12th grade had good attitudes on the same. Likewise, the analysis further determined that drug sellers belonging to the age category 18-25 and 26-30 years, and interestingly, the respondents who completed education up to 12th grade, had better practices. Spearman's rank-order correlation revealed a positive association between each pair of the KAPs scores for the respondents. The correlation was fair between knowledge-attitudes, knowledge-practices, and attitudes-practices. Based on the current study results, we recommend educational interventions and appropriate training for the poultry drug and feed sellers to raise awareness and to upgrade their current knowledge on the appropriate use of antimicrobials. This will ultimately lead to reducing the chances of developing AMR in the poultry sectors of the country.

19.
Anim Microbiome ; 2(1): 3, 2020 Feb 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33499986

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: One of the greatest impediments to global small ruminant production is infection with the gastrointestinal parasite, Haemonchus contortus. In recent years there has been considerable interest in the gut microbiota and its impact on health. Relatively little is known about interactions between the gut microbiota and gastrointestinal tract pathogens in sheep. Thus, this study was undertaken to investigate the link between the faecal microbiota of sheep, as a sample representing the gastrointestinal microbiota, and infection with H. contortus. RESULTS: Sheep (n = 28) were experimentally inoculated with 14,000 H. contortus infective larvae. Faecal samples were collected 4 weeks prior to and 4 weeks after infection. Microbial analyses were conducted using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A comparison of pre-infection microbiota to post-infection microbiota was conducted. A high parasite burden associated with a relatively large change in community composition, including significant (p ≤ 0.001) differences in the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes following infection. In comparison, low parasite burden associated with a smaller change in community composition, with the relative abundances of the most abundant phyla remaining stable. Interestingly, differences were observed in pre-infection faecal microbiota in sheep that went on to develop a high burden of H. contortus infection (n = 5) to sheep that developed a low burden of infection (n = 5). Differences observed at the community level and also at the taxa level, where significant (p ≤ 0.001) in relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (higher in high parasite burden sheep) and Firmicutes (lower in high parasite burden sheep). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals associations between faecal microbiota and high or low H. contortus infection in sheep. Further investigation is warranted to investigate causality and the impact of microbiome manipulation.

20.
IEEE Trans Nanobioscience ; 18(3): 490-497, 2019 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31144642

ABSTRACT

In this study, we have investigated the structural and optical properties of nanoconjugates (NJs) consisting of phase pure zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) with glucose biomolecules. All NJs were fabricated using a standard biochemical synthesis process. Structural, optical, vibrational, and biochemical interface properties of nano-bio composites are probed by different complementary characterization techniques. The XRD patterns of the NPs and NJs illustrate a highly phase pure ZnO structure. A visible green emission in the photoluminescence spectrum, mainly associated with the oxygen vacancies on the surface of ZnO nanostructure, is significantly reduced by the incorporation of glucose biomolecules. The strong binding interaction of glucose biomolecule on the surface of ZnO NPs results in the reduction in green-yellow-orange emission intensities. The interaction of glucose molecules modifies oxygen vacancies by capturing free electrons from the ZnO surface region. Significant changes in the peak intensity and relative peak position of some of the glucose and ZnO NPs in Raman spectra refer to the direct binding between these two nano- and bio-components. In the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the binding energy of O 1s core level in NJs increases from 531 eV (O 1s core level position for ZnO) and the increment is more with higher initial glucose concentration in the solution during synthesis. This study serves as a promising platform for the development of new kinds of NJs and investigation of their interfacial properties which can take the frontier forward for integration and multifunctionality.


Subject(s)
Glucose/chemistry , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Nanoconjugates/chemistry , Nanotechnology/methods , Zinc Oxide/chemistry , Glucose/metabolism , Luminescent Measurements , Spectrum Analysis , Zinc Oxide/metabolism
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