BackgroundArsenic is a potent pollutant that has caused an environmental catastrophe in certain parts of the world including Bangladesh where millions of people are presently at risk due to drinking water contaminated by arsenic. Chronic arsenic exposure has been scientifically shown as a cause for liver damage, cancers, neurological disorders and several other ailments. The relationship between plasma cholinesterase (PChE) activity and arsenic exposure has not yet been clearly documented. However, decreased PChE activity has been found in patients suffering liver dysfunction, heart attack, cancer metastasis and neurotoxicity. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the PChE activity in individuals exposed to arsenic via drinking water in Bangladesh.MethodsA total of 141 Bangladeshi residents living in arsenic endemic areas with the mean arsenic exposure of 14.10 ± 3.27 years were selected as study subjects and split into tertile groups based on three water arsenic concentrations: low (< 129 μg/L), medium (130-264 μg/L) and high (> 265 μg/L). Study subjects were further sub-divided into two groups (≤50 μg/L and > 50 μg/L) based on the recommended upper limit of water arsenic concentration (50 μg/L) in Bangladesh. Blood samples were collected from the study subjects by venipuncture and arsenic concentrations in drinking water, hair and nail samples were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). PChE activity was assayed by spectrophotometer.ResultsArsenic concentrations in hair and nails were positively correlated with the arsenic levels in drinking water. Significant decreases in PChE activity were observed with increasing concentrations of arsenic in water, hair and nails. The average levels of PChE activity in low, medium and high arsenic exposure groups were also significantly different between each group. Lower levels of PChE activity were also observed in the > 50 μg/L group compared to the ≤50 μg/L group. Moreover, PChE activity was significantly decreased in the skin (+) symptoms group compared to those without (-).ConclusionsWe found a significant inverse relationship between arsenic exposure and PChE activity in a human population in Bangladesh. This research demonstrates a novel exposure-response relationship between arsenic and PChE activity which may explain one of the biological mechanisms through which arsenic exerts its neuro-and hepatotoxicity in humans.

Background:Climate change induced sea level rise, increased soil salinity and poor socio-economic condition have triggered migration around the world. So far, the impact of migration on health and healthcare utilization have not been studied adequately especially in Bangladesh. Our study examines impact of migration on healthcare seeking behavior of people living in low-lying coastal areas of Bangladesh. Methods:We analyzed data from Chakaria, Health and Demographic Surveillance System, 2017-18. Univariate analysis and regression analysis were conducted to assess the determinants of migration. Finally, we assessed differences in health care seeking behavior between migrants in low-lying coastal areas and plain areas. Stata version 14 was used for analysis. Results:In terms of determinants of migration, adults, males, educated, unemployed and poor were significantly more like to migrate compared to children, females, people with little education, those engaged in agriculture or other occupations and wealthier households. For pregnancy related services healthcare utilization was significantly lower in coastal areas compared to the plains. In terms of utilization of maternal and child health services, service use was 2-28 % lower among residents of low-lying coastal regions and 13-70% lower among coastal migrants compared to those living in plains. Conclusion:Our findings suggest that in terms of maternal health services there was geographic inequity in service utilization favoring the residents of plains and being a migrant significantly increases the geographical disadvantage in terms of maternal health services. The existing inequity indicates the necessity of immediate action to address the health and healthcare utilization of residents of coastal area with special attention to the migrants in Bangladesh.

The purpose of the present study was to assess lung related variables for the students of Rajshahi University. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 862 students (578 males and 284 females) who were selected through stratified random sampling technique from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The variables in relation to lung [e.g., vital capacity (VC), tidal volume (TV), inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced expiratory volume in one second as percentage (FEV1%), Maximum Mid-expiratory Flow (MMF), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), Forced Expiratory Flow at 25 Percentage (FEF25%), Forced Expiratory Flow at 50 Percentage (FEF50%), Forced Expiratory Flow at 75 Percentage (FEF75%), Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) as well as Respiration Rate (RR)] were measured accordingly and analyzed using the software IBM SPSS Statistics 20. Results: Descriptive statistics of all the lung related variables were less in magnitude compared to other countries. Significant gender differences have found in VC,

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