No abstract

To evaluate the antisecretory activity of berberine sulfate (BS), we studied 165 adult patients with acute diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Vibrio cholerae in randomized controlled trials. In patients with ETEC diarrhea who received 400 mg of BS in a single oral dose, the mean stool volumes were significantly less than those of the controls during three consecutive 8-hr periods after treatment (P less than .05). At 24 hr after treatment, significantly more patients who were treated with BS and had ETEC diarrhea stopped having diarrhea as compared with the controls (42% vs 20%, P less than .05). In patients with cholera who received 400 mg of BS, the mean 8-hr stool volume during the second 8-hr period after treatment declined to 2.22 liters, which was significantly less than the 2.79 liters found in the controls (P less than .05). However, patients with cholera who received 1200 mg of BS plus tetracycline did not have significant reduction in stool output compared with patients who received tetracycline alone. No side effects of BS were noted. These results indicated that BS is an effective and safe antisecretory drug for ETEC diarrhea, whereas the activity against cholera is slight and not additive with tetracycline.

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Pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) inhibitors, 6-aminonicotinamide (6-AN) and epiandrosterone (Epi), were employed to examine whether changes in NADP(H) redox regulates contractile force in endothelium-removed bovine coronary arteries (BCAs). 6-AN (0.01-5 mM) or Epi (1-500 microM) elicited dose-dependent relaxation in BCAs contracted with 30 mM KCl, 0.1 microM U-44619, and endothelin-1 but not with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, a protein kinase C activator that causes Ca2+-independent contraction. Relaxation to PPP inhibition was associated with oxidation of NADPH and glutathione (GSH). Relaxation to 6-AN was not mediated by H2O2, because it was not altered by hypoxia or the peroxide scavenger ebselen (100 microM). The thiol reductant DTT (3 mM) attenuated the relaxation to 6-AN and Epi by 30-40%. Inhibition of glycolysis or mitochondrial electron transport did not elicit relaxation in BCAs contracted with 30 mM KCl, suggesting these pathways may not be involved in relaxation elicited by PPP inhibition. High doses of K+ channel blockers [e.g., TEA (10 mM) and 4-aminopyridine (10 mM)] only partially inhibited the relaxation to 6-AN. On the basis of changes in the fura-2 fluorescence ratio, 6-AN and Epi appeared to markedly reduce intracellular Ca2+. Thus PPP inhibition oxidizes NADPH and GSH and appears to activate a novel coordination of redox-controlled relaxing mechanisms in BCAs mediated primarily through decreasing intracellular Ca2+.

Salinity intrusion in soil caused by climate-induced hazards, especially cyclones and sea level rise (SLR), is adversely affecting rice production in coastal Bangladesh. The southwest coastal district of Satkhira is one of the most vulnerable areas because of its high exposure to salinity intrusion and widespread poverty. Based on a survey of 360 farming households in four villages and on focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and community consultations, this paper explores how salinity intrusion affects rice production. This research demonstrates that salinity levels in the soil have increased sharply over the last 20 years. The introduction of saline-tolerant rice cultivars has been the most important adaptation measure being practised. These adaptation measures, however, have not been enough to deal with the sudden increase in salinity after cyclone Aila hit the area in 2009, with devastating consequences. In that year, farmers in the study areas lost their entire potential yield of aman rice production.

Forty three vegetable amaranth (<em>Amaranthus tricolor</em> L.) genotypes selected from different eco-geographic regions of Bangladesh were evaluated during 3 years (2012-2014) for genetic variability, heritability and genetic association among mineral elements and quality and agronomic traits in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications. The analysis showed that vegetable amaranth is a rich source of K, Ca, Mg, proteins and dietary fibre with average values among the 43 genotypes (1.014%, 2.476%, 2.984, 1.258% and 7.81%, respectively). Six genotypes (VA13, VA14, VA16, VA18, VA26, VA27) showed a biological yield &gt;2000 g/m²and high mineral, protein and dietary fibre contents; eleven genotypes had high amount of minerals, protein and dietary fibre with above average biological yield; nine genotypes had below average biological yield but were rich in minerals, protein and dietary fibre. Biological yield exhibited a strong positive correlation with leaf area, shoot weight, shoot/root weight and stem base diameter. Insignificant genotypic correlation was observed among mineral, quality and agronomic traits, except K <em>vs.</em> Mg, protein <em>vs.</em> dietary fibre and stem base diameter <em>vs</em>. Ca. Some of these genotypes can be used for improvement of vegetable amaranth regarding mineral, protein and dietary fibre content without compromising yield loss.

To evaluate the effects of green banana and pectin (nondigestible, dietary sources of colonic shortchain fatty acids [SCFA]) on intestinal permeability, 57 boys (5-12 months) with persistent diarrhea (> or = 14 days) were given a week's treatment with a rice-based diet containing either cooked green banana (n = 19), pectin (n = 17), or rice diet alone (n = 21). Intestinal permeability was assessed before and after treatment by giving a lactulose-mannitol (LM) drink and measuring urinary recovery after 5 hr. Treatment with banana significantly (P < 0.05) reduced lactulose recovery, increased mannitol recovery, and decreased the LM ratio, indicating improvement of permeability. Pectin produced similar results. Permeability changes were associated with a 50% reduction in stool weights which correlated strongly (green banana, r2 = 0.84, pectin, r2 = 0.86) with the LM ratio. Green banana-derived and SCFA-mediated stimulation of colonic as well as small bowel absorption is responsible for their antidiarrheal effects. The antidiarrheal effects of green banana and pectin are mediated by improvement of small intestinal permeability in addition to their known colonotrophic effects.

Twenty five vegetable amaranth genotypes were evaluated to investigate the antioxidant vitamins and minerals composition and its genetic variability in a RCBD with three replications at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University in Bangladesh during kharif1 season 2012 and 2013, respectively. Significant Mean Sum of Square revealed a wide range of genotypic variability among traits. Vegetable amaranth was rich in iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium and potassium. Ten strains gave the best (more than 5 kg) foliage yield with rich in antioxidant minerals and vitamins. Selection of these genotypes would be economically useful for antioxidant vitamins, minerals and yield aspects. On the other hand, eight genotypes had high amounts of antioxidant vitamins and minerals with below average foliage yield and could be utilized as donor parents for introgression of genes in vitamins and minerals deficient lines. Considering genetic parameter six traits i e., Fe, Zn, Mn, ascorbic acid, number of leaves plant and foliage yield would be selected for the improvement of vegetable amaranth genotypes under study. However, correlation study revealed that selection based on Fe, Mn, ascorbic acid and number of leaves per plant could lead to increase the foliage yield of vegetable amaranth strains. Insignificant genotypic correlations between foliage yield with most of the antioxidant vitamins and minerals traits indicating that selection for high vitamins and minerals content might be possible without compromising yield loss. Based on mean, genetic parameters and correlation coefficient values, five vegetable amaranth genotypes i. e., AA19, AA10, AA3, AA24 and AA7 might be selected as high vitamin and minerals containing high yielding vegetable amaranth varieties.