Sujan Banik

Background and Aims: Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in low‐ and middle‐income countries, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify associated risk factors of neonatal sepsis among neonates admitted to a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. Methods: A hospital‐based cross‐sectional study was carried out at the Institute of Child and Mother Health (ICMH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from December 2023 to July 2024. A total of 125 neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were included in this study through systematic random sampling. Data on sociodemographic, maternal history, and neonatal clinical characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: Neonatal sepsis was diagnosed in 69.6% ( n = 87) of the neonates, with early‐onset sepsis accounting for 60.9% and late‐onset for 39.1%. Key risk factors significantly associated with neonatal sepsis included neonates with low birth weight (1.5−2.4 kg) (OR: 6.86, 95%CI: 2.22−21.2, p = 0.000), lower maternal education (OR: 13.6, 95%CI: 2.27−81.3, p = 0.002), low family income (OR: 2.71, 95%CI: 1.20−6.10, p = 0.025), and home delivery (OR: 3.16, 95%CI: 1.39−7.18, p = 0.009). Conclusions: This study reveals a high prevalence of newborn sepsis in a tertiary care setting in Bangladesh, which highlights the urgent need for preventive strategies. Strengthening maternal education, promoting institutional deliveries, and improving socioeconomic conditions are crucial for reducing neonatal sepsis. Further large‐scale multicenter studies are needed to assess the prevalence of neonatal sepsis in Bangladesh.

Background and Aims: Glaucoma, a group of eye diseases, is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. However, reports on the prevalence of glaucoma in the South Asian region have not been up‐to‐date. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of glaucoma in South Asia and analyze its trends by age and sex.Methods: Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis guidelines, a comprehensive search was undertaken on several electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, to retrieve relevant studies published until June 2023.Results: A total of 17 population‐based studies, including 77,790 subjects (37,950 male and 39,709 female), were included in the meta‐analysis based on set inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of glaucoma in South Asia was 2.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7–2.6). Among the subtypes, the prevalence of primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) was 1.6% (95% CI: 1.2–2.1), primary angle‐closure glaucoma (PACG) was 0.7% (95% CI: 0.4–1.0), and secondary glaucoma was 0.3% (95% CI: 0.1–0.5). The prevalence trend of glaucoma increased with age and was higher in males. POAG prevalence was found to be higher in all age groups than the prevalence of PACG and highest in people > 80 years old (7.25% vs. 2.12%). The prevalence of POAG was also higher in males (2.26%) than in females (1.61%), whereas PACG prevalence was similar for both males and females.Conclusion: This study highlights a significant burden of glaucoma in South Asia, particularly among older adults and males, with POAG being the most common subtype. These findings may assist public health leaders in understanding the scenario of glaucoma in South Asia and implementing public health strategies to combat glaucoma.

In this study, we developed stabilized astaxanthin (AX) nanoparticles (sNP/AX) to improve the physicochemical properties, oral bioavailability, and hepatoprotection of AX. A flash nanoprecipitation technique was used with a multi-inlet vortex mixer to prepare the sNP/AX. Vitamins E (VE) and C (VC) were used as co-stabilizers with poloxamer 407 as a stabilizer to inhibit the oxidative degradation of AX during sNP/AX formation and storage. VC stabilized AX in the aqueous phase during the preparation, whereas VE markedly improved the storage stability of sNP/AX, as evidenced by the AX contents remaining at 94 and 81% after 12 weeks of storage at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively. The mean sNP/AX diameter was 215 nm, which resulted in higher AX release properties than those of crystalline AX. Rats, orally administered sNP/AX (33.2 mg AX/kg), exhibited higher systemic exposure to AX, whereas oral absorption in the crystalline AX group was negligible. In the rat hepatic injury model, oral pretreatment with sNP/AX (33.2 mg AX/kg) markedly attenuated hepatic damage, as shown by the histopathological analysis and reduced levels of plasma biomarkers for hepatic injury. These findings suggest that strategically including antioxidative additives in the sNP/AX has the potential to improve the physicochemical and nutraceutical properties of AX.

Background and Aims: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) causes burning or uncomfortable feelings in the oral cavity without any obvious injuries. This condition's etiopathogenesis is still unknown, consequently, BMS management is very challenging. Alpha‐lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring potent bioactive compound that has been found to be useful in the management of BMS in many studies. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review to investigate the usefulness of ALA in the management of BMS based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Methods: Different electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, were extensively searched to find relevant studies.Results: This study included nine RCTs that matched the inclusion criteria. In most studies, ALA was given at a dose of 600–800 mg/day, with up to two months of follow‐up. The majority of studies (six out of nine studies) indicated that ALA was more effective in BMS patients than in the placebo‐controlled group.Conclusions: This comprehensive systematic review provides evidence of the positive outcomes of the treatment of BMS with ALA. However, more research might be needed before ALA can be considered the first‐line therapy for BMS.

BACKGROUND: The present study was aimed to develop astaxanthin (AX)‐loaded liposomes by the utilization of soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to improve the nutraceutical properties of AX. AX‐loaded liposomes consisting of PC (PC/AX) and LPC (LPC/AX) were evaluated in terms of particle size distribution, morphology, release characteristics, pharmacokinetic behavior, and nephroprotective effects in a rat model of acute kidney injury.RESULTS: PC/AX and LPC/AX had uniform size distributions with a mean particle size of 254 and 148 nm, respectively. Under pH 6.8 conditions, both liposomes exhibited improved dissolution behavior of AX compared with crystalline AX (cAX). In particular, LPC/AX showed a sevenfold higher release of AX than PC/AX. After the oral administration of LPC/AX (33.2 mg AX kg⁻¹) to rats, there was a significant increase in systemic exposure to AX, as evidenced by a 15‐fold higher AUC_{0−24 h} than PC/AX. However, the oral absorption of AX in the cAX group was negligible. Based on the results of histological analysis and measurement of plasma biomarkers, LPC/AX exhibited improved nephroprotective effects of AX in the rat model of kidney injury.CONCLUSION: From these observations, a strategic application of the LPC‐based liposomal approach might be a promising option to improve the nutraceutical properties of AX. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.