PhD Thesis

Effect of egg Protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D on Immunonutritional Status and Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients undergoing Chemotherapy: A Randomized Control Trial

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Effect of egg Protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D on Immunonutritional Status and Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients undergoing Chemotherapy: A Randomized Control Trial Akhtar, Khursheda Background: Breast cancer ranked second over all cancers. With increasing numbers of breast cancer patients, the number of younger survivors is growing. Medical treatments such as chemotherapy can negatively interfere with nutritional status. A major player in adequate nutrition is protein. Protein is responsible for building and repairing muscle, tissues, and every cell in human body. It can also help strengthen immune system, making one less susceptible to sickness and infection. Along with the risk factor of breast cancer, it is necessary to find out how- nutritional status, immunity, micronutrient deficiency and quality of life, can be improved to address better disease prognosis. In this study, gold standard egg-protein, omega-3 fatty acid, and Vitamin D were supplemented to the BC chemotherapy patients aiming to improve nutritional status and immunity, thus upgrading QoL and immune-nutritional status. Here, scientific evidence shows a path to oncologist and dietician through improving diet rich in standard protein and Quality of life for the efficacy of drugs. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of breast cancer chemotherapy patients through supplement protein, omega 3 and vitamin D. Materials and Methods: This study, started in December 2019, was a randomized controlled trial (Three-month or 12-weeks follow up) involved breast cancer patients (N=104) undergoing chemotherapy. Participants selected randomly (using a random number generator from the 'calculator.net' website) for both the control (n=52), and intervention groups (n=52). Ethical approvals were obtained from the Ethical Review Committee, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka (Ref. No. 86/Bio. Scs.), and the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Dhaka (Ref. No. NICRH/Ethics/2020/240). Data collection was carried out through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected at three time points (Baseline, six-weeks later, after the intervention or 12-weeks later), during three-month (or twelve weeks) interventions. Both verbal and written informed consents were obtained from all participants. The intervention group received supplements of 3 eggs (1 whole+ 2 whites), omega-3 fatty xv acids (1 g), and vitamin D (2000 IU) daily for 3-months. Both groups underwent a series of laboratory tests (Albumin, SGPT, SGOT, Creatinine, CRP, CBC, Neutrophil, Eosinophil, and Basophil etc.), and estimation of IgG and CD4 were used to assess immune function, while BMI (Kg/m2), and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) scale were used to evaluate nutritional status. Information on physical activity and 24-hour dietary intake were also collected. Quality of life (QoL) was measured for both groups using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-30 version 3 and EORTC QLQ-BR23). Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 27) and a significance level of .05. Descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation (SD), and percentages were used. At first, normality tests were performed for the data, and for non-normal data, a log10 transformation was applied to normalize the distribution before performing statistical treatment. Homoscedasticity (constant variance), multicoolinearity (tolerance tests) were applied for multivariate tests. Non-parametric ‘Friedman rank test’ was used to compare the case and control groups especially for the laboratory data, and a general linear model (GLM) was used to assess the differences between the two groups across three timelines. Results: The mean age was 44±8.9 years in the intervention group and 44.7±9.3 years in the control group. Baseline BMI was 25.8±4.0 kg/m² in the intervention group (range 19.4-38.2 kg/m²) and 26.4±4.2 kg/m² in the control group (range 18.5-35.5 kg/m²). Patients with advanced-stage, recurrent, or metastatic breast cancer were excluded. Immunohistochemistry revealed that in the intervention and control groups, respectively, the prevalence of breast cancer subtypes was as follows: Luminal A (9.6% vs. 28.8%), Luminal B (7.7% vs. 15.4%), Triple Negative (57.7% vs. 32.7%), and Her2 (25% vs. 23.1%). Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) scores showed significant improvement in the intervention group compared to the control group across three timelines, with a grand mean of 5.24±0.7 for the intervention group and 4.66±0.66 for the control group (p < 0.05). QOL scores were also significantly higher in the intervention group (4.8±0.66) compared to the control group (4.0±0.80) (p < 0.05). xvi BMI showed significant changes over time within both groups, but no significant differences were found between the groups. For albumin, a significance differences within-group effect was observed (F (1,102) =14.67, p < 0.001), though the interaction effect between groups approached significance (F (1,102) =2.9, p = 0.057). Significant within-group and interaction effects were found for SGA scores (F(2,204)=29.36, p < 0.001; F(2,204)=27.39, p < 0.001), Vitamin D (F(1,102)=54.9, p < 0.001; F(1,102)=82.9, p < 0.001), and CD4 levels (F(1,102)=24.9, p < 0.001; F(1,102)=6.57, p = 0.012). IgG showed no significant differences between the groups. Health and QOL both showed significant interaction effects between the intervention and control groups (F (2,204) =101.05, p < 0.001; F (2,204) =91.91, p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, the intervention with egg protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D supplementation significantly improved nutritional status (BMI Kg/m2, SGA), immune parameters (IgG, CD4), and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Role of Natural Antioxidants on the Oxidation Stability of Fats and Oils

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Role of Natural Antioxidants on the Oxidation Stability of Fats and Oils MOHAMMAD ABDULLAH, ABU TAREQ Background: The enhancement of oxidation stability in fats and oils through natural antioxidants has garnered significant research interest. Given the susceptibility of fats and oils to oxidation, the incorporation of antioxidants is essential to preserving their quality, nutritional integrity, and safety. This study aims to identify reliable antioxidant sources through a comprehensive analysis of their antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and polyphenolic composition. Additionally, it assesses the impact of natural extracts on the oxidative stability of fats and oils using induction time monitoring technology and evaluates their effects on unsaturated fatty acids to demonstrate their efficacy in inhibiting oxidation. Methods: A total of 33 plants, sourced from local and ethnic origins, were collected, and their ethanolic extracts were prepared to evaluate their potential as rich sources of natural antioxidants and to analyze their polyphenolic composition. This study utilized a UV spectrophotometer to evaluate total flavonoid, tannin, and phenolic content, as well as antioxidant activity and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity (IC50 value) in 33 ethanol extracts from local and ethnic plant sources. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) was employed to identify bioactive polyphenolic compounds. Fourteen extracts were selected for further investigation based on their IC50 value, economic significance, and availability. The oxidative stability index (OSI) of soybean oil and hydrogenated fat (dalda) was measured using the Rancimat 743 instrument under varying temperatures (120ºC, 140ºC, and 180ºC) and airflow conditions (15L/h and 20L/h). Additionally, plant ethanolic extracts from betel leaves, tea leaves, spirulina, shime alu leaves, baruna leaves, radish leaves, and shati were viii tested for their OSI performance (induction time >7.0 hours at 120ºC and 20L/h airflow). To assess oxidation stability in baked products, biscuits were prepared using dalda enriched with these extracts, followed by peroxide value, acid value, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) analysis, along with sensory evaluation. The effect of three extracts on fatty acid stability in soybean oil was further examined using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) after heating at 180ºC for six hours over seven days. Results: The IC50 values of all tested spices ranged from 60 to 105 µg/mL, while spirulina, betel, tea, and amila leaves exhibited values between 80 and 150 µg/mL. Other extracts, including zinger, turmeric flower, radish, sabarang, uzon, shime alu, boruna, dinge, moringa leaves, and shati, showed IC50 values of 150–200 µg/mL. The ethanolic extracts demonstrated significant flavonoid, tannin, and phenolic content, along with bioactive polyphenolic compounds such as hydroxybenzoic acid, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids, highlighting their potential as nutraceuticals. Oxidation stability index values for spirulina (8.29 hours), betel leaves (11.39 hours), tea leaves (10.7 hours), and other extracts were comparable to or exceeded that of 0.02% BHT (7.2 hours). Spirulina extract exhibited the highest stability in unsaturated fatty acids, followed by betel and tea leaves. Biscuits prepared with extract-enriched dalda exhibited superior oxidation stability, with betel leaves demonstrating the most favorable effects, followed by spirulina and tea leaves. Sensory evaluation indicated that biscuits with betel and tea leaf extracts were preferred. Conclusion: Among the selected plant extracts, ethanolic extracts of betel leaves, spirulina, and tea leaves exhibited strong natural antioxidant properties, enhancing ix oxidative stability in processed foods by reducing rancidity and extending shelf life. Their rich bioactive polyphenolic composition further suggests potential nutraceutical applications, offering both health benefits and preservative advantages. These findings support the incorporation of natural antioxidants in food processing and underscore the need for further research to explore their broader applications and potential benefits. This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Studies on the inhibition of yeasts by benzoate and sorbate

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Studies on the inhibition of yeasts by benzoate and sorbate Haque, Mohammad Mahsinul This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Development of beverages from fresh sugarcane juice

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Development of beverages from fresh sugarcane juice Uddin, Md. Burhan This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.