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Biomedical subjects

M R Islam

Publications and source records attributed to M R Islam.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2024

Long-term exposure to particulate matter and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in an analysis of multiple Asian cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with a significant number of deaths. Much of the evidence associating air pollution with adverse effects is from North American and Europe, partially due to incomplete data in other regions limiting location specific examinations. The aim of the current paper is to leverage satellite derived air quality data to examine the relationship between ambient particulate matter and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Asia. METHODS: Six cohorts from the Asia Cohort Consortium provided residential information for participants, recruited between 1991 and 2008, across six countries (Bangladesh, India, Iran, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan). Ambient particulate material (PM2·5) levels for the year of enrolment (or 1998 if enrolled earlier) were assigned utilizing satellite and sensor-based maps. Cox proportional models were used to examine the association between ambient air pollution and all-cause and cause-specific mortality (all cancer, lung cancer, cardiovascular and lung disease). Models were additionally adjusted for urbanicity (representing urban and built characteristics) and stratified by smoking status in secondary analyses. Country-specific findings were pooled via random-effects meta-analysis. FINDINGS: More than 300,000 participants across six cohorts were included, representing more than 4-million-person years. A positive relationship was observed between a 5 µg/m (Dockery et al., 1993) increase in PM2·5 and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1·06, 95 % CI: 0.99, 1·13). The additional adjustment for urbanicity resulted in increased associations between PM2.5 and mortality outcomes, including all-cause mortality (1·04, 95 % CI: 0·97, 1·11). Results were generally similar regardless of whether one was a current, never, or ex-smoker. INTERPRETATION: Using satellite and remote sensing technology we showed that associations between PM2.5 and all-cause and cause-specific Hazard Ratios estimated are similar to those reported for U.S. and European cohorts. FUNDING: This project was supported by the Health Effects Institute. Grant number #4963-RFA/18-5. Specific funding support for individual cohorts is described in the Acknowledgements.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Increase in rice grain arsenic for regions of Bangladesh irrigating paddies with elevated arsenic in groundwaters.

Concern has been raised by Bangladeshi and international scientists about elevated levels of arsenic in Bengali food, particularly in rice grain. This is the first inclusive food market-basket survey from Bangladesh, which addresses the speciation and concentration of arsenic in rice, vegetables, pulses, and spices. Three hundred thirty aman and boro rice, 94 vegetables, and 50 pulse and spice samples were analyzed for total arsenic, using inductivity coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The districts with the highest mean arsenic rice grain levels were all from southwestern Bangladesh: Faridpur (boro) 0.51 > Satkhira (boro) 0.38 > Satkhira (aman) 0.36 > Chuadanga (boro) 0.32 > Meherpur (boro) 0.29 microg As g(-1). The vast majority of food ingested arsenic in Bangladesh diets was found to be inorganic; with the predominant species detected in Bangladesh rice being arsenite (AsIII) or arsenate (AsV) with dimethyl arsinic acid (DMAV) being a minor component. Vegetables, pulses, and spices are less important to total arsenic intake than water and rice. Predicted inorganic arsenic intake from rice is modeled with the equivalent intake from drinking water for a typical Bangladesh diet. Daily consumption of rice with a total arsenic level of 0.08 microg As g(-1) would be equivalent to a drinking water arsenic level of 10 microg L(-1).

Arsenates↗
PubMed2005

Microwave enhanced recovery of nickel-copper ore: communition and floatability aspects.

A study describing the effect of microwave radiation, at a frequency of 2450 MHz, on the processes of communication and flotation of a complex sulphide nickel-copper ore is presented. Ore communication has been investigated under standard radiation-free conditions and after ore treatment in a radiated environment as a function of ore size, exposure time to radiation, and microwave power. The findings show that communication is tremendously improved by microwave radiation with values of the relative work index as low as 23% at a microwave power of 1.406 kW and after 10 s of exposure time. Communication is affected by exposure time and microwave power in a nontrivial manner. In terms of ore floatability, the experimental tests have been carried out on a sample of 75 microm in size under different exposure times. The results show that both ore concentrate recoveries and grades of nickel and copper are significantly enhanced after microwave treatment of the ore with relative increases in recovered concentrate, grade of nickel, and grade of copper of 26 wt%, 15 wt%, and 27%, respectively, at a microwave power of 1330 kW and after 30 s of exposure time.

Chemical Fractionation↗
PubMed2005

F wave latency--a frequent and early involved nerve conduction parameter in young diabetic subjects.

F-wave latency measurement is a sensitive parameter of diabetic neuropathy than the conduction velocities. This study was carried out to measure F-wave latency and to see which conduction parameters are affected frequently and early. A total number of 62 patients of which 32 newly diagnosed and 30 controls were included in the study. Ulnar motor nerve conduction velocity was found slowed in 6(18.75%) diabetic subjects, but F-wave latency was found prolonged in 16(50%) diabetic subjects. 28(87.5%) diabetic subjects had normal peroneal nerve conduction velocity but peroneal F wave was found prolonged in 17(53.12%) diabetic subjects. This result suggests that F-wave latency is more frequently & early involved conduction parameter in diabetic subjects.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2004

Reversion of molecularly engineered, partially attenuated, very virulent infectious bursal disease virus during infection of commercial chickens.

A molecularly cloned, tissue culture-adapted infectious bursal disease virus (BD-3tc) was generated from a very virulent strain by the reverse genetics approach following site-directed mutagenesis (Q253H and A284T in VP2). The pathogenicity of BD-3tc was tested in commercial chickens. The wild-type strain (BD-3wt) and the molecularly cloned parental strain (BD-3mc) were included for comparison. The subclinical course of the disease, with delayed and milder pathological lesions followed by quick follicular regeneration in the bursa of Fabricius in BD-3tc-inoculated birds, suggested that these amino acid substitutions made BD-3tc partially attenuated. However, severe bursa atrophy was observed at 14 days after inoculation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction coupled with restriction enzyme analysis revealed that both point mutations in BD-3tc had reverted 14 days after inoculation. Further investigations demonstrated that the codon for amino acid at position 284 had already reverted to the wild-type phenotype (T284A) 3 days after inoculation.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Sequence analysis of the full-length cloned DNA of a chicken anaemia virus (CAV) strain from Bangladesh: evidence for genetic grouping of CAV strains based on the deduced VP1 amino acid sequences.

Chicken anaemia virus (CAV) was detected in the bursa of Fabricius of a 4-week-old chicken obtained from an outbreak of acute infectious bursal disease in Bangladesh. Repeated attempts to grow this virus in MDCC-MSB1 cells were not successful. A full-length PCR amplicon of the genome of this strain, designated as BD-3 CAV, was cloned and sequenced. The complete nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence were compared with those of 12 other CAV strains. The genetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of VP1 indicated the possible existence of genetic groups among CAV strains, as BD-3 CAV along with four other strains (CIA-1, L-028, Isolate 704 and TR-20) formed a distinct lineage. These strains have four signatory amino acids in VP1, such as 75I/T, 97L, 139Q and 144Q, out of which the latter two are located in a small hydrophilic peak.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Involvement of the hap gene (mucinase) in the survival of Vibrio cholerae O1 in association with the blue-green alga, Anabaena sp.

Mucinase is a soluble haemagglutinin protease, which may be important for the survival of Vibrio cholerae in association with mucilaginous blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). A comparative survival study was carried out with an Anabaena sp. and a wild-type V. cholerae O1 strain hap+ gene (haemagglutinin-protease), together with its isogenic mutant hap (hap-deleted gene). A simple spread plate technique was followed to count culturable V. cholerae O1 on taurocholate tellurite gelatin agar plate. The fluorescent antibody technique of Kogure et al. (1979) was used for the microscopical viable count of V. cholerae O1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot hybridization were carried out to detect a lower number of viable but nonculturable (VBNC) V. cholerae O1 from the laboratory-based experiments. The wild and mutant V. cholerae O1 strains survived in culturable form for 22 and 10 days. respectively, in association with the Anabaena sp., with the difference being statistically significant (P < 0.01). The fluorescent antibody technique, PCR, and hybridization results also showed that the wild strain survived better in the VBNC state than did the mutant VBNC strain in association with an Anabaena sp. These results indicate that the enzyme mucinase may play an important role in the association and long-term survival of V. cholerae O1 with a mucilaginous blue-green alga, Anabaena sp.

Anabaena↗
PubMed2001

Integrated management of radioactive strontium contamination in aqueous stream systems.

A combination of biomass treatment, fluidized bed/membrane reactor, and a minimum-suspension fluidized bed reactor is proposed to remove strontium cations from aqueous solutions, such as those generated by nuclear reactors. After conducting a series of screening tests, three adsorbents were selected for their suitability and high adsorptive capacity. The proposed combination uses Chlorella vulgaris in a packed column, followed by the fluidized bed/membrane reactor with bentonite powder in suspension. The membrane is primarily used to retain bentonite powder in the reactor. However, the same can be designed to remove additional amount of contaminant from the aqueous stream. The final separation is carried out in a fluidized bed containing resins that are suspended with minimal airflow. In laboratory scale, a flow rate of 600 ml/h was achieved for 30 min during which period the inlet concentration of 100 mg/l was reduced to 2.5 mg/l at the outlet. Bio-encapsulation with thermophilic bacteria and subsequent separation is proposed at this point in order to reduce the concentration to an even lower level. The proposed separation scheme offers an acceptable solution to removing strontium while minimizing the generation of secondary waste.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2001

The genome segment B encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase protein VP1 of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is phylogenetically distinct from that of all other IBDV strains.

A full-length cDNA clone of the segment B of the very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) strain BD 3/99 was constructed and the full-length nucleotide sequence was established. The nucleotide sequence encoding VP1, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, of BD 3/99 was aligned with that of 17 other IBDV strains including six very virulent, three classical virulent, five classical attenuated, one antigenic variant and two serotype 2 strains. The VP1 genes of all very virulent strains were 97.5% to 99.8% identical. With the exception of an atypical Australian strain, 002-73, all of the classical virulent or attenuated and antigenic variant strains were also 97.5% to 100% identical. Serotype 2 strains showed only 4-6% divergence from serotype 1 classical virulent or attenuated strains; in contrast, however, the very virulent strains were 10.5% to 12.5% divergent from the classical virulent or attenuated strains as well as serotype 2 strains. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of VP1 revealed 17 common, including 8 unique amino acid substitutions in the very virulent strains. In the phylogenetic tree the very virulent strains formed a distinct cluster and all other strains including classical virulent, attenuated and antigenic variant strains and even serotype 2 strains were grouped together. It is suggested that the VP1 of very virulent IBDV is phylogenetically distinct from that of all other IBDV strains and probably originated from a hitherto unidentified source.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Molecular and antigenic characterization of Bangladeshi isolates of infectious bursal disease virus demonstrate their similarities with recent European, Asian and African very virulent strains.

Three isolates of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), obtained from chickens in Bangladesh in 1999 and designated as BD 1/99, BD 2/99 and BD 3/99, were characterized. In an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a panel of VP2-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAb), all three isolates showed a mAb-binding profile similar to that of very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strains. In contrast to the classical virulent strains, they did not react with mAb 3 and mAb 4. Molecular characterization was performed by direct sequencing of a 677-base pair cDNA corresponding to the VP2 variable domain of the polyprotein gene, synthesized by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In comparison to the classical virulent strains, the Bangladeshi isolates were found to have five amino acid substitutions in this region. Four of these changes, Pro222Ala, Val256Ile, Leu294Ile and Asn299Ser, were also observed in other vvIBDV strains. The fifth substitution, Glu300Ala, was similar to that in some African strains of IBDV. The results support the observation that antigenically and genetically similar vvIBDV strains, first observed in Europe in the late 1980s, have spread to most parts of the world in a short period of time.

Africa↗
PubMed2001

Establishment of a simple method for measurement of chronic blood flow in uterine artery of pregnant cows.

Blood flow to the gravid uterine horn of seven multiparous Holstein cows (mean +/- SD, BW = 625.5 +/- 82.4 kg; age = 4.7 +/- 1.7 yr; parity = 2.9 +/- 1.1 yr) was measured from d 225 of gestation to parturition using transit-time ultrasonic blood flow probes placed around the middle uterine artery. Surgery was conducted on d 215 of gestation. The cows were sedated with xylazine and local anesthesia (procaine or bupivacain hydrochloride) during surgery. The surgical operations were conducted at the flank of standing cows. A transit time ultrasonic flow probe ("S" series, diameter 12 or 14 mm, Transonic Systems Inc., Ithaca, NY) was fitted surgically around the uterine artery of each cow. Surgery was completed within 2 h of anesthesia, and the animals recovered rapidly following surgery. Uterine blood flow (UBF, L/min) was recorded at 10-s intervals for 1395 min; these values were averaged to determine UBF. Cows exhibited normal gestation lengths (279.1 +/- 7.4 d), gave birth to normal healthy calves (birth weight = 40.6 +/- 6.6 kg), and had no retained placentas. The UBF increased significantly (P < 0.01) from d 225 (6.67 +/- 2.47) to d 249 (8.23 +/- 2.89) of gestation, but the latter UBF was similar to that of d 266 (8.38 +/- 2.70). The increased UBF after d 225 indicates increased demand of nutrients of fetus with the progress of gestation. The range of mean UBF varied widely among individual cows from 4.1 L/min to 12.2 L/min. Our method is useful for chronic measurement of UBF in cows for nutritional or physiological studies and does not require sophisticated facilities or special surgical technique.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Human egasyn binds beta-glucuronidase but neither the esterase active site of egasyn nor the C terminus of beta-glucuronidase is involved in their interaction.

Lysosomal beta-glucuronidase shows a dual localization in mouse liver, where a significant fraction is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by interaction with an ER-resident carboxyl esterase called egasyn. This interaction of mouse egasyn (mEg) with murine beta-glucuronidase (mGUSB) involves binding of the C-terminal 8 residues of the mGUSB to the carboxylesterase active site of the mEg. We isolated the recombinant human homologue of the mouse egasyn cDNA and found that it too binds human beta-glucuronidase (hGUSB). However, the binding appears not to involve the active site of the human egasyn (hEg) and does not involve the C-terminal 18 amino acids of hGUSB. The full-length cDNA encoding hEg was isolated from a human liver cDNA library using full-length mEg cDNA as a probe. The 1941-bp cDNA differs by only a few bases from two previously reported cDNAs for human liver carboxylesterase, allowing the anti-human carboxylesterase antiserum to be used for immunoprecipitation of human egasyn. The cDNA expressed bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate (BPNP)-inhibitable esterase activity in COS cells. When expressed in COS cells, it is localized to the ER. The intracellular hEg coimmunoprecipitated with full-length hGUSB and with a truncated hGUSB missing the C-terminal 18-amino-acid residue when extracts of COS cells expressing both proteins were treated with anti-hGUSB antibody. It did not coimmunoprecipitate with mGUSB from extracts of coexpressing COS cells. Unlike mEg, hEg was not released from the hEg-GUSB complex with BPNP. Thus, hEg resembles mEg in that it binds hGUSB. However, it differs from mEg in that (i) it does not appear to use the esterase active site for binding since treatment with BPNP did not release hEg from hGUSB and (ii) it does not use the C terminus of GUSB for binding, since a C-terminal truncated hGUSB (the C-terminal 18 amino acids are removed) bound as well as nontruncated hGUSB. Evidence is presented that an internal segment of 51 amino acids between 228 and 279 residues contributes to binding of hGUSB by hEg.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Active site residues of human beta-glucuronidase. Evidence for Glu(540) as the nucleophile and Glu(451) as the acid-base residue.

Human beta-glucuronidase (hGUSB) is a member of family 2 glycosylhydrolases that cleaves beta-D-glucuronic acid residues from the nonreducing termini of glycosaminoglycans. Amino acid sequence and structural homology of hGUSB and Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase active sites led us to propose that residues Glu(451), Glu(540), and Tyr(504) in hGUSB are involved in catalysis, Glu(451) being the acid-base residue and Glu(540) the nucleophile. To test this hypothesis, we introduced mutations in these residues and determined their effects on enzymes expressed in COS cells and GUSB-deficient fibroblasts. The extremely low activity in cells expressing Glu(451), Glu(540), and Tyr(504) hGUSBs supported their roles in catalysis. For kinetic analysis, wild type and mutant enzymes were produced in baculovirus and purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography. The k(cat)/K(m) values (mM(-1).s(-1)) of the E540A, E451A, and Y504A enzymes were 34,000-, 9100-, and 830-fold lower than that of wild type hGUSB, respectively. High concentrations of azide stimulated the activity of the E451A mutant enzyme, supporting the role of Glu(451) as the acid-base catalyst. We conclude that, like their homologues in E. coli beta-galactosidase, Glu(540) is the nucleophilic residue, Glu(451) the acid-base catalyst, and Tyr(504) is also important for catalysis, although its role is unclear. All three residues are located in the active site cavity previously determined by structural analysis of hGUSB.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Chemical modifications of momordin-a and luffin-a, ribosome-inactivating proteins from the seeds of Momordica charantia and Luffa cylindrica: involvement of His140, Tyr165, and Lys231 in the protein-synthesis inhibitory activity.

Effects of chemical modifications on the protein-synthesis inhibitory (PSI) activities of momordin-a and luffin-a were investigated. Treatment with a 50-fold excess of diethylpyrocarbonate at pH 6.5 modified one histidine residue in momordin-a and luffin-a and reduced their PSI activities to 10% and 8.3%, respectively. Modifications with a 20-fold excess of KI3 at pH 7.0 at 0 degree C greatly reduced their PSI activities to 10% by iodination of nearly one tyrosine residue. The PSI activity of momordin-a was rapidly reduced to 6.4% by the modification of one lysine residue with trinitrobenzensulfonic acid as in the case of luffin-a reported previously. By analyses of the tryptic peptides from the modified momordin-a and luffin-a, the modified residues were identified as His140, Tyr165, and Lys231. Furthermore, the amounts of three modified momordin-a binding to rat liver ribosomes were reduced to about half or less than half of that of native momordin-a. From these results, it was suggested that His140, Tyr165, and Lys231 are highly exposed on the surface of momordin-a and luffin-a molecules and are involved in their PSI activities, probably by binding to ribosomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Pharmacological importance of stereochemical resolution of enantiomeric drugs.

Drug enantiomers have identical properties in an achiral environment, but should be considered as different chemical compounds. This is because they often differ considerably in potency, pharmacological activity and pharmacokinetic profile, since the modules with which they interact in biological systems are also optically active. Within biological systems, the metabolism of one isomer may be via a different pathway or occur at a different rate from that of the other isomer. Preferential binding of one isomer to plasma proteins may cause differences in circulating free drug and hence alter concentrations at active sites. Interactions of both isomers may differ at the active sites through which pharmacological action is mediated. Actions and levels of activity of the stereoisomers in vivo may also differ. All the pharmacological activity may reside in a single enantiomer, whereas several possibilities exist for the other enantiomer-- it may be inactive, have a qualitatively different effect, an antagonistic effect or produce greater toxicity. Two isomers may have nearly identical qualitative pharmacological activity, qualitatively similar pharmacological activity but quantitatively different potency, or qualitatively different pharmacological activity. To avoid adverse effects and optimise the therapeutic value of enantiomeric drugs, it is necessary that methods for the resolution of racemates be evolved and devolved to determine isomeric purity, establish the effectiveness of isomers of the drug, and detect the presence of an enantiomer with lower therapeutic activity and undesirable adverse effects. Even if a drug is given as a pure enantiomer, methods to discriminate between enantiomers are required because racemisation can occur both in vitro and in vivo. Methods developed for resolution of drug enantiomers should facilitate routine testing of single isomers and their metabolites, studies of pharmacological, toxicological and clinical effectiveness, routine analysis of racemates, pure enantiomers or intermediates in manufacturing processes, and investigation of the potential for inversion of an enantiopure drug substance during the early stages of drug development and therapeutic drug monitoring.

Drug Design↗
PubMed1996

Osteotropic factor-stimulated synthesis of thrombospondin in rat dental pulp cells.

The amount of thrombospondin (TSP) mRNA in confluent clonal rat dental pulp cells was increased by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), 1 alpha-25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), and phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (PDD), with maximal levels 6, 36 and 2 h, respectively, after stimulation. These increases were accompanied by enhanced syntheses of TSP proteins which were found in the different forms in cell layer/matrix fraction (198 and 165 kDa TSP) and the culture medium (180 kDa TSP). These three factors also raised the mRNA level of osteopontin, which is thought to play an important role in mineralization in dentin and bone. The order of effectiveness of these factors was PDD > TGF-beta > 1,25(OH)2D3 for all the stimulations described above. These results suggest that the osteotropic factors enhance TSP synthesis at the pretranslational level and that TSP produced by dental pulp cells participates in formation of reparative dentin.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Enhanced translation of rat beta-glucuronidase cDNA is conferred by 155-bp segment of internal coding sequence.

When cDNAs for human and rodent beta-glucuronidases were expressed in COS-7 cells using several different promoters, rodent beta-glucuronidases were produced three times more than human beta-glucuronidase, although their transcriptional levels were similar. Similar observations were also recorded in LMTK- cells using SV40 early or chicken beta-actin promoters. In hopes of enhancing yields of recombinant human beta-glucuronidase for enzyme replacement therapy, we sought to determine the region within the linear sequences responsible for the higher levels of expression of the rodent cDNAs. To do so, we made various rat-human chimeric cDNAs utilizing conserved restriction enzyme sites. The levels of products expressed from these chimeric cDNAs in COS cells were assessed by activity assay and by metabolic labeling of the proteins followed by immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE. From the results of these expression studies, we identified a 155-bp ClaI (643)-AflII (797) fragment in the rat open reading frame responsible for the increased rate of translation of the rat beta-glucuronidase (RBG) cDNA. Replacement of the homologous ClaI (683)-AflII (838) fragment in human beta-glucuronidase (HBG) with this 155-bp fragment from RBG increased the translation level of the resulting chimeric HRaH. Conversely, substitution of the 155-bp human fragment for that of rat in RBG cDNA reduced the total synthesis of the resulting chimeric HHaR. Placement of the 155-bp segment between the initiation ATG and the promoter has only negative effects on the expression of either cDNA. A more stable secondary structure of the human cDNA in this region might explain a reduced rate of translation. However, secondary structure analysis of mRNAs from the 155-bp fragment of rat and human cDNAs predicted that, while both can form stem-loops, the rat fragment (delta Gzero = -42.1 kcal/ mol) is actually more stable than the human fragment (delta Gzero = -32.1 kcal/mol). In fact, the free energy of stability of the first 50 bp within this ClaI-AflII fragment from rat (-10.3 kcal/mol) indicates that the secondary structure is considerably more stable than the corresponding 50 bp from human (-2.1 kcal/mol). This segment of the rat sequence also contains a tar-like sequence in a stem-loop. Although tar-like sequences can enhance rates of translation, altering this sequence by mutagenesis had no effect on the rate of synthesis of rat beta-glucuronidase. Thus, although the region conferring enhanced rate of synthesis from rat cDNA has been identified, the mechanism by which it does so is not yet clear.

Actins↗