Tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivated in three agro-ecological regions of Bangladesh: Unveiling the variability of methylxanthine, bioactive phenolic compound, and antioxidant activity.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a widely consumed beverage known for its numerous health benefits, largely attributed to its rich content of quality determining secondary metabolites such as methylxanthine compounds and bioactive phenolic compounds. The goal of this study was to find out variations of the levels of methylxanthines, bioactive phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity in methanolic and hot water extracts of 129 tea samples grown in three different ecological regions of Bangladesh named Panchagar, Sylhet, and Chattogram. Methylxanthine and bioactive phenolic compounds were determined by using HPLC-DAD, and the antioxidant profile was analysed by UV-vis spectrophotometric methods for methanol and hot water extracts of tea leaves. The IC50 values showed the trend as Panchagar > Sylhet > Chattogram and Sylhet > Chattogram > Panchagar for water and methanol extract, respectively. The results revealed significant (p < 0.05) variations in the levels of methylxanthines content: Panchagar > Chattogram > Sylhet. Caffeine was significantly higher (103.02 ± 5.55 mg/g of dry extract) in the methanolic extract of tea leaves of Panchagar district and lower (53.33 ± 4.30 mg/g of dry extract) in the hot water extract of Sylhet district. Panchagar and Chattogram possessed significantly (p < 0.05) higher catechin content for methanol (57.01 ± 5.50 mg/g dry extract) and hot water (55.23 ± 4.11 mg/g dry extract) extracts, respectively. The utilization of canonical discriminant functions yielded highly favorable outcomes in the classification of tea from three distinct cultivation origins in Bangladesh, relying on their inherent features. This study demonstrated the potential effects of geographical variations on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of tea, emphasizing the importance of regional differences in tea cultivation for optimizing its health benefits as well as dispersing tea cultivation across the country.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Piper chaba stem extracts with preservative effects on storage of raw beef patties.

Piper chaba, a traditional South-east Asian medicinal herb and well-known curry spice, was studied to evaluate its suitability as a source of natural preservatives for beef products. Plant extracts that are high in phenolics and have high antimicrobial and antioxidant activities are likely to be useful as a natural preservative. Therefore, the phytochemical composition and the bioactivities of both ethanolic and methanolic extracts of P. chaba stem were examined first. The study revealed a significant antioxidant activities and potential antibacterial activity of P. chaba extracts. Next we investigated the preservation characteristics of P. chaba by using beef patties as a model system. Beef patties were produced and treated with 0.2 % ethanolic extract (mentioned as PEE) of P. chaba and 0.1 % commercial preservative (mentioned as PCP). They were then assessed for various storage quality parameters under refrigerated (4° C ± 1° C) conditions, including free fatty acid, antioxidant contents, and oxidative stability at 0, 6th, 16th, and 33rd days. No significant variations were observed across the products with regard to proximate composition study such as protein, ash and fat contents. In comparison to both PEE and PCP, the control product had higher free fatty acid values throughout the storage period. This indicates that the fat content of the PEE and PCP degraded at a slower rate than the control over the 33-day storage period. Our study also showed that both PCP and PEE had increased antioxidant capacity, implying that lipid oxidation is minimized. In contrast to the control, the oxidative stability of the P. chaba treated products was also higher. Altogether this study revealed that P. chaba could be utilized commercially, particularly in the food industry to preserve muscle foods. Practical Applications: Natural preservatives are becoming more popular as a result of the different carcinogenic and toxic side effects of conventional preservatives. P. chaba, an exquisite culinary herb in Bangladesh, has long been used as a traditional medicine, because of its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This study revealed that P. chaba can be utilized as a food preservative, which opens up new possibilities for its development and use in functional foods.

The impacts of cooking and indoor air quality assessment in the southwestern region of Bangladesh.

The main objective of this study is to assess the impacts of cooking and indoor air quality (IAQ) in the southwestern region of Bangladesh. Here we report and compare the IAQ in considering a total of eight kitchens and living rooms of four selected households (HHs) in Jashore city and suburb area, the southwest district of Bangladesh. Air quality parameters, such as particulate matter (PM2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), were assessed continuously for 24 h. In addition, Carbon dioxide (CO2) was evaluated in different phases during the study period. PM2.5, VOC, and CO2 levels were ranged from 18.52 to 207 µg/m3, 7.95-35.66 ppm, and 1061-2459 mg/m3, respectively, in the indoor cooking HHs. Conversely, while the average concentration was found between 20.63 and 23.72 µg/m3 PM2.5, 11.18-12.36 ppm VOC, and 1097-1747 mg/m3 CO2 in the outdoor cooking HHs. A significant increase in CO2 due to kitchen activities (cooking, frying, boiling) was observed that ranged between 5 and 77% compared to the background level. The calculated range of toxicity potential (TP) values was between 0.8 and 8.3 for PM2.5 in the HHs. In most of the observations, PM2.5, VOC, and CO2 exceed the standard values. The study reports that well ventilation systems and clean fuel use significantly reduce the indoor air contaminants level. Our study offers new insights about the IAQ of the southwest region of Bangladesh, particularly for suburbs and urban setups, and provides a background for further study, and decision-making. It will serve as a reference for the formulation and implementation of policies to improve air quality.

Multivariate statistics and hydrogeochemistry of deep groundwater at southwestern part of Bangladesh.

Multivariate statistics and GIS alone with geochemical modeling were applied to investigate the hydro-geochemical characteristics of groundwater and their spatial distribution in the deep aquifer system of Bagherpara Upazila, Bangladesh. This Upazila consists of an area of 308.3 km2 and local people mostly rely on groundwater to meet the drinking water requirements. Water samples from one hundred randomly selected deep tube wells (152-198 m) were collected and analyzed for 14 water quality parameters to characterize the hydro-geochemical properties. The groundwater shows slight alkaline in nature throughout the study area. Most of the water samples were turbid and 68% of them failed to meet the drinking water quality standard prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO). TDS concentration ranges between 280 mg/L and 1040 mg/L, with a mean value of 446.20 (±122.19) mg/L. The general order of cation and anion along the study area were Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+>K+ and HCO3 ->Cl->PO4 3->SO4 2->NO3 - respectively. Carbonate weathering is the dominant process for releasing ions in groundwater. Besides, the ion exchange process is active in the study area, which leads to the reduction of Na+ ions. Gibb's plot suggests a rock dominance inheritance controls the dissolution and precipitation of minerals along with the ion-exchange process, and ultimately dictates the groundwater chemistry. Besides, the Piper diagram showed that Ca2+-Mg2+-SO4 2- is the dominant water type in 65% of the samples followed by Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3 - water type (35%). The abundance of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions and the alkaline nature of groundwater indicate mixed geochemical facies and reverse exchange reactions. The principal component analysis (PCA) reveals that weathering and leaching of host rocks was the main natural source, while municipal solid waste dumping, sewage discharge, and fertilizer application could be other anthropogenic factors that affect the groundwater geochemistry. In fine, the chemical characteristics of groundwater were acquired through rock dissolution, percolation, and reverse exchange process.

Relative evaluation of in-vitro antioxidant potential and phenolic constituents by HPLC-DAD of Brassica vegetables extracted in different solvents.

Cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli are well-known vegetables from the Brassica family having functional effects on human health. This study was carried out to identify different antioxidant properties and to quantify phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD in different extracts (methanol, ethanol and water: acetic acid: acetone) of these vegetables. The results showed that, the methanolic dry extract of cabbage possessed the highest antioxidant activity (549 ± 7.30 µg/g) and IC50 was 90 ± 2.52 µg/mL than others. Whereas the ethanolic dry extract of cauliflower had 348 ± 5.20 µg/g of flavonoid, which was the highest among all. The maximum levels of total tannin (414 ± 5.20 µg/g) and total phenolic content (465 ± 3.25 µg/g) was found in broccoli dry extract. Several polyphenolic compounds were identified in different extracts of the vegetables and they were Cauliflower (8) > Cabbage (10) > Broccoli (9) in total. Therefore, the use of total vegetables rather than extracts in the food industry would be more appropriate to get greater health benefit.

Drinking water services in the primary schools: evidence from coastal areas in Bangladesh.

Salinity intrusion both in surface and groundwater caused a crisis for safe drinking water in coastal Bangladesh. The situation is even worse for children especially at school. However, information on water services in coastal schools is limited. Here we assess the quality of drinking water and supply infrastructures in the primary schools of a severely saline affected coastal area of Bangladesh. To fulfill the objective, thirty-eight schools were purposively selected and investigated in Dacope Upazila of Khulna district in Bangladesh. Findings revealed that harvested rainwater (63%) and pond (21%) are the major drinking water sources where countries' leading water supply technology, tube well (16%) were the least used option. Moreover, salinity in all the tube wells exceeded the national standard. DO, pH, NO3, SO4 and PO4 concentration of all options satisfied national standards. However, total coliform counts exceeded the national standard. More than half of the samples had a low to high risk of indicator bacteria which is a major public health concern. Although 29% schools have installed portable water filtration units, those are grossly inaccessible for the students. Hence, students are reportedly consuming unsafe drinking water, and thus are vulnerable to water-borne diseases. The lack of resources and poorly designed infrastructure are the principal challenges to the safe drinking water supply. Therefore, disinfection at the point of use along with proper maintenance of the water infrastructure is urgent needs to safeguard potable water services in the primary schools of coastal Bangladesh.

Determination of dietary exposure and extraction efficiency of nitrosamine from cooked meat.

Meat products are claimed to be a source of carcinogenic nitrosamines (NAs) exposure in food. In this study, dietary exposure of six nitrosamines: N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosodipropylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) were estimated by Gas chromatography method. Four types of processed beef products were collected from different restaurants of Dhaka city, Bangladesh and analyzed by Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after extracting under different methods. Nitrosamines were extracted by three different methods: i) Ultrasonic, ii) Autoclave for 10 min, iii) Autoclave for 20 min, and mean recoveries were 73%, 85% and 62% respectively. The LOD (limit of detection) and the LOQ (limit of quantification) for the six nitrosamines were in the range of 0.05-0.3 µg/kg and 0.85-1.5 µg/kg, respectively. The total nitrosamine content in beef products were Shik kabab (20.87 µg/kg) > Burger patty (20.44 µg/kg) > Steak (15.84 µg/kg) >Chap (14.95 µg/kg). The daily dietary exposure for commonly consumed beef products ranged from 0.029 to 0.056 µg/kg body weight which was less than the limit set by World Health Organization (WHO). Simultaneous determination of six nitrosamines by Gas chromatography can be used for monitoring the content of nitrosamines in meat products to ensure food safety.

Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern identified from the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 immunized patients from Southwest part of Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Bangladesh introduced ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 since February, 2021 and in six months, only a small population (12.8%) received either one or two dose of vaccination like other low-income countries. The COVID-19 infections were continued to roll all over the places although the information on genomic variations of SARS-CoV-2 between both immunized and unimmunized group was unavailable. The objective of this study was to compare the proportion of immune escaping variants between those groups. METHODS: A total of 4718 nasopharygeal samples were collected from March 1 until April 15, 2021, of which, 834 (18%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive. The minimum sample size was calculated as 108 who were randomly selected for telephone interview and provided consent. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and disease severity among both immunized and unimmunized groups was measured. A total of 63 spike protein sequences and 14 whole-genome sequences were performed from both groups and phylogenetic reconstruction and mutation analysis were compared. RESULTS: A total of 40 respondents (37%, N = 108) received single-dose and 2 (2%) received both doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, which significantly reduce dry cough, loss of appetite and difficulties in breathing compared to none. There was no significant difference in hospitalization, duration of hospitalization or reduction of other symptoms like running nose, muscle pain, shortness of breathing or generalized weakness between immunized and unimmunized groups. Spike protein sequence assumed 21 (87.5%) B.1.351, one B.1.526 and two 20B variants in immunized group compared to 27 (69%) B.1.351, 5 (13%) B.1.1.7, 4 (10%) 20B, 2 B.1.526 and one B.1.427 variant in unimmunized group. Whole genome sequence analysis of 14 cases identified seven B.1.351 Beta V2, three B.1.1.7 Alpha V1, one B.1.526 Eta and the rest three 20B variants. CONCLUSION: Our study observed that ChAdOx1 could not prevent the new infection or severe COVID-19 disease outcome with single dose while the infections were mostly caused by B.1.351 variants in Bangladesh.

Phytosociology and biodiversity of roadside herbs in a salinity-affected coastal area of Bangladesh.

Soil salinity in the coastal areas of Bangladesh has been rising. The responses of forest communities to the rise of salinity are somehow documented. However, the adjustments of non-forest plant communities against salinity are still limited in the literature. This study explains the phytosociology and the herbaceous plant biodiversity along with the soil salinity gradients in Shyamnagar, Bangladesh. Twenty-five roadside quadrants were systematically selected and studied for herbaceous plant diversity and soil properties. Soil Electrical conductivity (EC) and moisture show a generally rising trend from the north to the south. Moreover, the quadrants closer to the river or aquaculture with low elevation represent the salinity hot spots. About 1116 herbaceous plants belonging to 11 species were recorded. Croton bonplandianum baill is the dominant species and showed higher adaption capacity against soil EC values. Four out of 25 quadrants with higher EC, moisture and lower elevation recorded no plants. The herbaceous plant biodiversity reveals a strong spatial pattern and tendency to shrink with the rise of soil salinity while progressing towards the southeast direction. The area shows aggregated population, contagious distribution of plant species, and accommodates four dominant clusters. Roadside herbs not only hold medicinal value but also offer important cooking fuel choices to the fuel-scarce coastal communities. The outcome of this study provides important insights into herbaceous plant diversity and its relationships with soil salinity. Overall, the study outcomes improve our understanding of the impact of environmental stressors on the distribution of herbaceous plants in the coastal area.

Exploring the impact of soil and water salinity on dietary behavior and health risk of coastal communities in Bangladesh.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of soil and water salinity on dietary behavior and health risk in the coastal people of Bangladesh. This study was conducted among 240 respondents in rural coastal sub-districts in Khulna and Patuakhali of Bangladesh using a simple random sampling technique. To evaluate the association between health risk and salinity exposure categories, a multinomial logit regression analysis was conducted and statistical significance was declared at p ≤ 0.05. A significantly higher amount of salinity (NaCl) level was found in radish, potato, bean, bitter gourd, rice, shallow tube-well, and pond water from Patuakhali than Khulna. Males and those aged 36-50 years (RRR:1.89, SE:0.58) and 51-65 years (RRR:4.51, SE:1.81) were associated with hypertension compared with the females (RRR:0.57, SE:0.18) and age group 20-35 years. Consumption of shallow tube-well water (RRR:3.12, SE:1.46), salt content rice (RRR:1.36, SE:0.50), salt content vegetables (RRR:1.09, SE:0.09), salt content fish (RRR:2.77, SE:0.47), and intake of table salt (RRR:1.05, SE:0.03) were significantly associated with risk factors of hypertension (p < 0.01). A sustainable policy for salt reduction through dietary interventions along with the promotion of low saline foods and drinking water must be a priority with special emphasis on coastal areas.

Estimation and exposure concentration of trihalomethanes (THMs) and its human carcinogenic risk in supplied pipeline water of Dhaka City, Bangladesh.

Formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) through excessive chlorination in the supplied water and its carcinogenic nature is a public health concern in many parts of the world, including a couple of neighboring countries in Asia. However, the issue was not yet addressed either in the public health policy or in academia in Bangladesh. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to determine the THM concentration in supplied water, its multiple pathways to the human body, and an estimation of resultant carcinogenic risk to urban dwellers in six different regions of Dhaka city. Thirty-one supplied water samples were collected from 31 different water points located in Purana Paltan, Naya Paltan, Kallyanpur, Shyamoli, Malibagh-Rampura, and Panthapath regions in premonsoon time. Total chlorine and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) and trihalomethane (THM) concentration were determined using UV-VIS spectrophotometer; total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon, and total carbon concentration were measured using TOC analyzer, and chloroform concentration was determined by applying gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS-MS) in the supplied water samples. Research findings indicate that THM concentration exceeded the USEPA acceptable limit (80 ppb) in all regions except Panthapath. Study results showed that carcinogenic risk via ingestion was higher than the USEPA acceptable limit of 10-6. Carcinogenic risk via dermal absorption and inhalation exposure was lower according to USPEA acceptable limit. To conclude, this study represents the current knowledge about THM concentration in supplied pipeline water and adverse health risk, which signifies that regulatory measures should be taken to reduce the THM concentration.

Early Surgical Outcome of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in the Management of Obstructive Hydrocephalus: A Randomized Control Trial.

BACKGROUND: Management of obstructive hydrocephalus is an important issue for the reduction of mortality and morbidity. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to assess the early surgical outcome of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in the management of obstructive hydrocephalus. METHODOLOGY: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from April 2009 to September 2010 for 1½ years. All patients presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus with the obstruction at or distal to the third ventricle and age 6 months and above were included in the study population. All the patients were divided into two groups named as Group A (experimental group) who were treated with ETV and Group B (control group) who were treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). The early surgical outcome was defined as outcomes within 1 month following surgical interventions. Pre- and post-operative outcomes of this study were measured. RESULTS: A total number of sixty patients were recruited from which thirty patients were in Group A and the rest thirty patients were in Group B. The mean postoperative head circumference was 43.4 ± 7.1 cm and 47.8 ± 5.6 cm in VPS and ETV surgery, respectively (P ≤ 0.01). Postoperative vomiting was improved 24 (92.3%) in Group A and 23 (88.5%) in Group B (P < 0.05). Postoperative infection occurred in 1 (3.3%) case in Group A and 8 (26.7%) cases in Group B (P < 0.05). The success of the operation in Group A and Group B included 25 (83.3%) cases and 12 (40%) cases, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Early surgical outcome following ETV is better than VPS surgery in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus.

The occurrences of heavy metals in farmland soils and their propagation into paddy plants.

In this research, heavy metal accumulation pattern was investigated using the data measured from the soil, paddy plants, and irrigation water samples in Jessore district in Bangladesh with the aid of principal component analysis. A total of 28 samples representing farmland soil and irrigation water along with paddy plant were collected from 28 locations in the Jessore district in November 2016. In agricultural soil, arsenic (As) and nickel (Ni) were found 2.78 and 1.11 times more concentrated than their background values. In addition, 89% of the sample sites exhibited enhanced As concentrations relative to the background value. Principal component analysis (PCA) of soil data showed strong homogeneity in many species (e.g., Ni, Cu, Fe, and As) to reflect intense agricultural activities. In contrast, Pb showed no such homogeneity in soil accumulation pattern. In plant samples, Cu, Fe, and As were strongly correlated and homologous. This homology of pollution was in agreement with the pollution homology in the agricultural soil in which the plants were grown. In irrigation water, Cu and Ni were homologous. Observation of spatial distribution and other variables indicated that the accumulation of any particular metal in paddy plants was correlated with its content in soil and irrigation water, which was influenced by the soil organic matter, soil/water pH, and other metals present in that environment.

A systematic review of effectiveness and safety of different regimens of levonorgestrel oral tablets for emergency contraception.

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy is a complex phenomenon which raise to take an emergency decision. Low contraceptive prevalence and high user failure rates are the leading causes of this unexpected situation. High user failure rates suggest the vital role of emergency contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Levonorgestrel - a commonly used progestin for emergency contraception. However, little is known about its pharmacokinetics and optimal dose for use. Hence, there is a need to conduct a systematic review of the available evidences. METHODS: Randomized, double-blind trials were sought, evaluating healthy women with regular menstrual cycles, who requested emergency contraception within 72 h of unprotected coitus, to one of three regimens: 1.5 mg single dose levonorgestrel, two doses of 0.75 mg levonorgestrel given 12 h apart or two doses of 0.75 mg levonorgestrel given 24 h apart. The primary outcome was unintended pregnancy; other outcomes were side-effects and timing of next menstruation. RESULTS: Every trial under consideration successfully established the contraceptive effectiveness of levonorgestrel for preventing unintended pregnancy. Moreover, a single dose of levonorgestrel 1.5 mg for emergency contraception supports its safety and efficacy profile. If two doses of levonorgestrel 0.75 mg are intended for administration, the second dose can positively be taken 12-24 h after the first dose without compromising its contraceptive efficacy. The main side effect was frequent menstrual irregularities. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The review shows that, emergency contraceptive regimen of single-dose levonorgestrel is not inferior in efficacy to the two-dose regimen. All the regimens studied were very efficacious for emergency contraception and prevented a high proportion of pregnancies if taken within 72 h of unprotected coitus. Single levonorgestrel dose (1.5 mg) can substitute two 0.75 mg doses 12 or 24 h apart. With either regimen, the earlier the treatment is given, the more effective it seems to be.

Inheritance studies of SSR and ISSR molecular markers and phylogenetic relationship of rice genotypes resistant to tungro virus.

Multivariate analyses were performed using 13 morphological traits and 13 molecular markers (10 SSRs and three ISSRs) to assess the phylogenetic relationship among tungro resistant genotypes. For morphological traits, the genotypes were grouped into six clusters, according to D(2) statistic and Canonical vector analysis. Plant height, days to flowering, days to maturity, panicle length, number of spikelet per panicle, number of unfilled grain per panicle and yield were important contributors to genetic divergence in 14 rice genotypes. Based on Nei's genetic distance for molecular studies, seven clusters were formed among the tungro resistant and susceptible genotypes. Mantel's test revealed a significant correlation (r = 0.834*) between the morphological and molecular data. To develop high yielding tungro resistant varieties based on both morphological and molecular analyses, crosses could be made with susceptible (BR10 and BR11) genotypes with low yielding but highly resistant genotypes, Sonahidemota, Kumragoir, Nakuchimota, Khaiyamota, Khairymota and Kachamota. The chi-square analysis for seven alleles (RM11, RM17, RM20, RM23, RM80, RM108 and RM531) of SSR and five loci (RY1, MR1, MR2, MR4 and GF5) of three ISSR markers in F2 population of cross, BR11×Sonahidemota, showed a good fit to the expected segregation ratio (1:2:1) for a single gene model.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophil dysfunctions in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats.

Since conflicting results have been reported on non-specific immune response in type 1 diabetes, this study evaluates polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) functions in the infection free Long Evan diabetic rats (type 1) by using tests that include: polarization assay, phagocytosis of baker\'s yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction. Polarization assay showed that neutrophils from diabetic rats were significantly activated at the basal level compared to those from the controls (p < 0.001). After PMN activation with N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), control neutrophils were found to be more polarized than those of the diabetic neutrophils and the highest proportions of polarization were found to be 67 % and 57 % at 10(-7) M FMLP, respectively. In the resting state, neutrophils from the diabetic rats reduced significantly more NBT dye than that of the controls (p < 0.001). The percentages of phagocytosis of opsonized yeast cells by the neutrophils from control and diabetic rats were 87 % and 61 %, respectively and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Evaluation of the phagocytic efficiency of PMNs revealed that control neutrophils could phagocytose 381 +/- 17 whereas those from the diabetic rats phagocytosed 282 +/- 16 yeast cells, and the efficiency of phagocytosis varied significantly (p < 0.001). Further, both the percentages of phagocytosis and the efficiency of phagocytosis by the diabetic neutrophils were inversely related with the levels of their corresponding plasma glucose (p = 0.02; r = -0.498 and p < 0.05; r = -0.43, respectively), which indicated that increased plasma glucose reduced the phagocytic ability of neutrophils. Such relationship was not observed with the control neutrophils. These data clearly indicate that PMN functions are altered in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats, and hyperglycemia may be the cause for the impairment of their functions leading to many infectious episodes.