No abstract

Malnutrition is persisting among children in Bangladesh due to lack of proper weaning foods. A highly nutritive instant weaning food was prepared in our laboratory by using locally available food resources with the aim to ensure the availability of low cost weaning food in Bangladesh. The developed food was evaluated for their nutritional characteristics and microbiological quality. The food contained the major nutrients like moisture, ash, fat, protein, fiber, carbohydrate and energy 2.43%, 2.26%, 11.32%, 15.98%, 1.06%, 75.35% and 456.6 kcal/ 100 g, respectively which were comparable to those of the three good quality imported commercial weaning foods F-1, F-2 and F-3. The vitamin A, iron and calcium contents were significantly different (p<0.05) than the commercial foods. The highest protein efficiency ratio and feed efficiency ratio were shown in the rats feed on the prepared weaning food than the imported commercial weaning foods. The overall bacteriological status of the prepared and the imported commercial weaning foods were observed to be satisfactory. The costs of the developed weaning food is considerably cheaper than the three imported commercial weaning foods of same quality and suitable for low income people of Bangladesh.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the more serious threats to the global health. The emergence of bacteria resistant to antimicrobial substances decreases the potencies of current antibiotics. Consequently, there is an urgent and growing need for the developing of new classes of antibiotics. Three prepared novel iron complexes have a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging from 3.5 to 10 mM and 3.5 to 40 mM against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with antimicrobial resistance phenotype, respectively. Time-kill studies and quantification of the extracellular DNA confirmed the bacteriolytic mode of action of the iron-halide compounds. Additionally, the novel complexes showed significant antibiofilm activity against the tested pathogenic bacterial strains at concentrations lower than the MBC. The cytotoxic effect of the complexes on different mammalian cell lines show sub-cytotoxic values at concentrations lower than the minimum bactericidal concentrations.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the more serious threats to the global health. The emergence of bacteria resistant to antimicrobial substances decreases the potencies of current antibiotics. Consequently, there is an urgent and growing need for the developing of new classes of antibiotics. Three prepared novel iron complexes have a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranging from 3.5 to 10 mM and 3.5 to 40 mM against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with antimicrobial resistance phenotype, respectively. Time-kill studies and quantification of the extracellular DNA confirmed the bacteriolytic mode of action of the iron-halide compounds. Additionally, the novel complexes showed significant antibiofilm activity against the tested pathogenic bacterial strains at concentrations lower than the MBC. The cytotoxic effect of the complexes on different mammalian cell lines show sub-cytotoxic values at concentrations lower than the minimum bactericidal concentrations.

World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global public health emergency due to the recent spread of COVID-19 throughout the world. Millions of people are affected daily and thousands died. Almost all countries are now paying attention to control this pandemic outbreak. Therefore, researchers are trying to identify the pathophysiology of the disease, appropriate prognosis, effective management and prevention of COVID-19. Based on current published evidence, this review article specifies the role of different nutrients in the possible prevention and management of COVID-19 and viral infections. Balanced nutrition including adequate vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, magnesium, selenium, zinc and phytonutrients have shown promising immune-boosting roles in COVID-19 and other respiratory infections due to their potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidants properties. These micronutrients act against COVID-19 infections both individually and synergistically.