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Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are persistent organic compounds found in aquatic environments worldwide. A well-validated and well-established analytical method is crucial for detecting OCPs in the environment. In this study, an analytical method for quantifying OCPs in water was developed and evaluated. Here, the range of linearity, reproducibility, uncertainty, specificity, method detection limits (MDL), and special emphasis on detection and quantitation limits were assessed. Recovery studies were performed to measure the accuracy and precision of the method. This method exhibited excellent linearity in the range of 2.5-20 μg/L for all compounds. As none of the targeted compounds was detected in the chromatograms of the blank sample with no baseline noise, the limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were determined using the linear regression method, external calibration curve slope, and laboratory fortified blank-based detection. All compounds showed different LOD and LOQ values, depending on the approach used. In particular, endosulfan sulfate, methoxychlor, endrin ketone, H. epoxide, heptachlor, and 4,4'-DDT exhibited high detection limits. The recovery percentage of the 15 compounds at 5 μg/L spiked concentration was between 50 and 150 %, which is consistent with the accuracy of the APHA method. Except for endosulfan sulfate, the relative standard deviations of all other compounds were below 20 %, indicating good precision. This method has also been applied to real water samples. This validation technique is reliable, sensitive, simple, rapid, easy to comprehend, and reproducible. The application of this method in the real water samples was also conducted. Only α-BHC and γ-Chlordane were detected in the water sample., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Concentration, source, ecological and health risks of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were estimated for water and sediment samples of two urban rivers namely Buriganga River (BR) and Dhaleswari River (DR). The mean concentration of ∑PAHs in BR water and sediment were 9619.2 ngL -1 and 351.6 ngg -1 , respectively. Furthermore, the average PAH concentrations detected in DR water and sediment were 1979.1 ngL -1 and 792.9 ngg -1 , respectively. The composition profile showed that 3-ring PAHs were dominant in the water matrix; however, 5-ring PAHs were prevalent in the sediment samples of both rivers. Sources apportion study of PAHs indicated that mixed combustion and petroleum sources are responsible for PAHs contamination in the rivers. Ecological risk study of water suggested that the aquatic lives of both rivers are threatened by Fla, BbF, BkF, DahA, and IcdP, as presented above the threshold level. Comparison with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) indicated that adverse effects might cause occasionally in the sediment ecosystem in DR at certain sampling sites for Nap, Acy, Fl, Phe, Ant, Pyr, Chr, BaP, and DahA. On the other hand, the presence of Nap, Acy and DahA might occasionally cause adverse biological effects in the BR sediment ecosystem. Estimated hazard quotient (HI > 1) and carcinogenic risk (CR total  > 10 -4 ) values indicated that local inhabitants living in the vicinity of the rivers are prone to high health risks., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Consumption of savory crispy or fried snacks (SCFS), sugary snacks (SS), and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is associated with an increased prevalence of obesity and noncommunicable diseases. We aimed to estimate the consumption of SCFS, SS, and SSB among adolescent males and females in Bangladesh and to report the factors associated with their consumption using data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey., Methods: We interviewed 4,907 adolescent males and 4,865 females for the seven-day recall on intake of SCFS, SS, and SSB from 82 randomly selected clusters from rural, non-slum urban, and slum areas. Sociodemographic and anthropometry data were also collected., Results: Consumption of SCFS, SS, and SSB for ≥7 times per week was reported by 11.6%, 28.9%, and 25.6% of the males and 4.9%, 24.8%, and 20.7% of the females, respectively. The weekly mean frequency of SCFS, SS, and SSB intake increased after adjustment for potential confounders among females with higher maternal education and for SCFS and SSB among males with the highest level of father's education. Increased intake of SS and SSB for both males and females was associated with dwelling in a female-headed household. SCFS intake was higher among both males and females from the richest households. Nutritional status, both overweight and obesity, and underweight, was not associated with a more frequent intake of SCFS and SS among males and females; however, a lower frequency of intake of SSB was observed among overweight and obese males. Screen time (television viewing: none, up to 1 hour, and more than 1 hour) was not associated with consumption of SCFS and SSB among both males and females., Conclusion: Consumption of unhealthy snacks and drinks is high among adolescents in Bangladesh and needs to be addressed through policy and program measures to abate the epidemic of obesity and associated NCD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Shamim et al.)

In this study, a carbon-based adsorbent was developed from waste newspaper through pyrolysis at 800 °C to evaluate the removal efficiency of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Benzo[ghi]perylene (BghiP) and Indeno [1,2,3-cd] pyrene (IP)) from wastewater. The surface area of the developed adsorbent was estimated at 509.247m 2 g -1 which allowed the adsorption of the PAHs from wastewater. The maximum adsorption capacity was estimated at 138.436 μg g -1 and 228.705 μg g -1 for BghiP and IP, respectively and the highest removal efficiency was observed at pH 2. Around 91% removal efficiency was observed at pH 7 for both pollutants. Experimental adsorption data were fit for pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models, which demonstrate electrostatic interaction, monolayered deposition, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction between adsorbate and adsorbent which play a significant role in adsorption. The regeneration study described that the developed adsorbent could be able to intake 52.75% BghiP and 48.073% IP until the 8th and 6th cycles, respectively. The removal efficiency of the adsorbent in the real sample was also evaluated. This study will provide a method to convert waste material into adsorbent and will remove PAHs from wastewater as a function of pollutant mitigation and waste management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Copy number variations (CNVs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) among children. In this study, we aim to identify clinically relevant CNVs, genes and their phenotypic characteristics in an ethnically underrepresented homogenous population of Bangladesh. Methods: We have conducted chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for 212 NDD patients with male to female ratio of 2.2:1.0 to identify rare CNVs. To identify candidate genes within the rare CNVs, gene constraint metrics [i.e., "Critical-Exon Genes (CEGs)"] were applied to the population data. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) was followed in a subset of 95 NDD patients to assess the severity of autism and all statistical tests were performed using the R package. Results: Of all the samples assayed, 12.26% (26/212) and 57.08% (121/212) patients carried pathogenic and variant of uncertain significance (VOUS) CNVs, respectively. While 2.83% (6/212) patients' pathogenic CNVs were found to be located in the subtelomeric regions. Further burden test identified females are significant carriers of pathogenic CNVs compared to males (OR = 4.2; p = 0.0007). We have observed an increased number of Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) within cases with 23.85% (26/109) consanguineous parents. Our analyses on imprinting genes show, 36 LOH variants disrupting 69 unique imprinted genes and classified these variants as VOUS. ADOS-2 subset shows severe social communication deficit ( p = 0.014) and overall ASD symptoms severity ( p = 0.026) among the patients carrying duplication CNV compared to the CNV negative group. Candidate gene analysis identified 153 unique CEGs in pathogenic CNVs and 31 in VOUS. Of the unique genes, 18 genes were found to be in smaller (<1 MB) focal CNVs in our NDD cohort and we identified PSMC3 gene as a strong candidate gene for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Moreover, we hypothesized that KMT2B gene duplication might be associated with intellectual disability. Conclusion: Our results show the utility of CMA for precise genetic diagnosis and its integration into the diagnosis, therapy and management of NDD patients., Competing Interests: Authors AI and MU are employees of GenomeArc Inc. Authors HA, SLS, MB, MMI, MAR(1), MAR(2), TBE, NJD, ML, NJ, AI, AM, MOF, and KMFU are employees of NeuroGen Healthcare. The authors declare that this study received funding from NeuroGen Healthcare. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, and the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Akter, Rahman, Sarker, Basiruzzaman, Islam, Rahaman, Rahaman, Eshaque, Dity, Sarker, Amin, Hossain, Lopa, Jahan, Hossain, Islam, Mondol, Faruk, Saha, Kundu, Kanta, Kazal, Fatema, Rahman, Hasan, Hossain Mollah, Hosen, Karuvantevida, Begum, Zehra, Nassir, Nabi, Uddin and Uddin.)

The World Health Organization set a target of a 15% relative reduction in the prevalence of insufficient physical activity (IPA) by 2025 among adolescents and adults globally. In Bangladesh, there are no national estimates of the prevalence of IPA among adolescents. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors associated with IPA among adolescent girls and boys. Data for 4865 adolescent girls and 4907 adolescent boys, collected as a part of a National Nutrition Surveillance in 2018-19, were analysed for this study. A modified version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to collect physical activity data. The World Health Organization recommended cut-off points were used to estimate the prevalence of IPA. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with IPA. Prevalences of IPA among adolescent girls and boys were 50.3% and 29.0%, respectively, and the prevalence was significantly higher among early adolescents (10-14 years) than late adolescents (15-19 years) among both boys and girls. The IPA prevalence was highest among adolescents living in non-slum urban areas (girls: 77.7%; boys: 64.1%). For both boys and girls, younger age, non-slum urban residence, higher paternal education and increased television viewing time were significantly associated with IPA. Additionally, residing in slums was significantly associated with IPA only among the boys. Higher maternal education was associated with IPA only among the girls. This study identified several modifiable risk factors associated with IPA among adolescent boys and girls in Bangladesh. These factors should be addressed through comprehensive public health interventions to promote physical activity among adolescent girls and boys.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in sediment samples collected from the Turag River, Dhaka city, Bangladesh. This river provides critical ecological services to agriculture, industry, and transportation. However, it is one of the most polluted rivers surrounding the capital city. This study analyzed six PCB congeners (PCB 10, PCB 28, PCB 52, PCB 138, PCB 153, and PCB 180) by GC-ECD at 9 sampling sites in two different seasons. The total concentrations of PCBs in studied samples varied from 344 to 0.217 ng/g dw and 10.6 to 1.68 ng/g dw in Monsoon-season and Dry-season, respectively. The paramount contributor-congener to the total PCBs was PCB 180, and it was found at all the study sites. The ecological risk assessment indicated a high potential risk in the Monsoon-season ([Formula: see text]= 277) and low potential risk in the Dry-season ([Formula: see text]= 25.7). Sediment quality guideline quotients (SQGQs) showed that PCBs in the Monsoon-season would cause "no" or "moderate" biological effects on organisms at every site except site-5 (S5) (high biological effects), while no adverse ecotoxicological effect was observed in the Dry-season. Considering both probable effect level (PEL) and threshold effect level (TEL), the new sediment quality guideline quotient (NSQGQ) showed that in the Dry-season PCB contamination would cause "moderate" biological effects. At the same time, in the Monsoon-season, the findings remained consistent with the findings of SQGQ. This study looked at the PCB contamination scenario in the Turag River sediments for the first time and allowed for a comparison with other rivers worldwide., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Malnutrition among adolescents is often associated with inadequate dietary diversity (DD). We aimed to explore the prevalence of inadequate DD and its socio-economic determinants among adolescent girls and boys in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2018-19 round of national nutrition surveillance in Bangladesh. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of inadequate DD among adolescent girls and boys separately. This population-based survey covered eighty-two rural, non-slum urban and slum clusters from all divisions of Bangladesh. A total of 4865 adolescent girls and 4907 adolescent boys were interviewed. The overall prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among girls (55⋅4 %) than the boys (50⋅6 %). Moreover, compared to boys, the prevalence of inadequate DD was higher among the girls for almost all socio-economic categories. Poor educational attainment, poor maternal education, female-headed household, household food insecurity and poor household wealth were associated with increased chances of having inadequate DD in both sexes. In conclusion, more than half of the Bangladeshi adolescent girls and boys consumed an inadequately diversified diet. The socio-economic determinants of inadequate DD should be addressed through context-specific multisectoral interventions., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Collectively, rare genetic diseases affect a significant number of individuals worldwide. In this study, we have conducted whole-exome sequencing (WES) and identified underlying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in five children with rare genetic diseases. We present evidence for disease-causing autosomal recessive variants in a range of disease-associated genes such as DHH-associated 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD) or 46,XY sex reversal 7, GNPTAB-associated mucolipidosis II alpha/beta (ML II), BBS1-associated Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), SURF1-associated Leigh Syndrome (LS) and AP4B1-associated spastic paraplegia-47 (SPG47) in unrelated affected members from Bangladesh. Our analysis pipeline detected three homozygous mutations, including a novel c. 863 G > C (p.Pro288Arg) variant in DHH, and two compound heterozygous variants, including two novel variants: c.2972dupT (p.Met991Ilefs*) in GNPTAB and c.229 G > C (p.Gly77Arg) in SURF1. All mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing. Collectively, this study adds to the genetic heterogeneity of rare genetic diseases and is the first report elucidating the genetic profile of (consanguineous and nonconsanguineous) rare genetic diseases in the Bangladesh population.

The methods used in low- and middle-income countries' (LMICs) household surveys have not changed in four decades; however, LMIC societies have changed substantially and now face unprecedented rates of urbanization and urbanization of poverty. This mismatch may result in unintentional exclusion of vulnerable and mobile urban populations. We compare three survey method innovations with standard survey methods in Kathmandu, Dhaka, and Hanoi and summarize feasibility of our innovative methods in terms of time, cost, skill requirements, and experiences. We used descriptive statistics and regression techniques to compare respondent characteristics in samples drawn with innovative versus standard survey designs and household definitions, adjusting for sample probability weights and clustering. Feasibility of innovative methods was evaluated using a thematic framework analysis of focus group discussions with survey field staff, and via survey planner budgets. We found that a common household definition excluded single adults (46.9%) and migrant-headed households (6.7%), as well as non-married (8.5%), unemployed (10.5%), disabled (9.3%), and studying adults (14.3%). Further, standard two-stage sampling resulted in fewer single adult and non-family households than an innovative area-microcensus design; however, two-stage sampling resulted in more tent and shack dwellers. Our survey innovations provided good value for money, and field staff experiences were neutral or positive. Staff recommended streamlining field tools and pairing technical and survey content experts during fieldwork. This evidence of exclusion of vulnerable and mobile urban populations in LMIC household surveys is deeply concerning and underscores the need to modernize survey methods and practices.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factors and the factors associated with the coexistence of multiple risk factors (≥ 2 risk factors) among adolescent boys and girls in Bangladesh., Methods: Data on selected NCD risk factors collected from face to face interviews of 4,907 boys and 4,865 girls in the national Nutrition Surveillance round 2018-2019, was used. Descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed., Results: The prevalence of insufficient fruit and vegetable intake, inadequate physical activity, tobacco use, and being overweight/obese was 90.72%, 29.03%, 4.57%, and 6.04%, respectively among boys; and 94.32%, 50.33%, 0.43%, and 8.03%, respectively among girls. Multiple risk factors were present among 34.87% of boys and 51.74% of girls. Younger age ( p < 0.001), non-slum urban ( p < 0.001) and slum residence ( p < 0.001), higher paternal education ( p = 0.001), and depression ( p < 0.001) were associated with the coexistence of multiple risk factors in both boys and girls. Additionally, higher maternal education ( p < 0.001) and richest wealth quintile ( p = 0.023) were associated with the coexistence of multiple risk factors in girls., Conclusion: The government should integrate specific services into the existing health and non-health programs which are aimed at reducing the burden of NCD risk factors., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©2020 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.)

Background: Genetic testing is becoming an essential tool for breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment pathway, and particularly important for early detection and cancer prevention. The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic yield of targeted sequencing of the high priority BC genes., Methods: We have utilized a cost-effective targeted sequencing approach of high priority actionable BC genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, ERBB2 and TP53) in a homogeneous patient cohort from Bangladesh (n = 52) by using tumor and blood samples., Results: Blood derived targeted sequencing revealed 25.58% (11/43) clinically relevant mutations (both pathogenic and variants of uncertain significance (VUS)), with 13.95% (6/43) of samples carrying a pathogenic mutations. We have identified and validated five novel pathogenic germline mutations in this cohort, comprising of two frameshift deletions in BRCA2, and missense mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 and ERBB2 gene respectively. Furthermore, we have identified three pathogenic mutations and a VUS within three tumor samples, including a sample carrying pathogenic mutations impacting both TP53 (c.322dupG; a novel frameshift insertion) and BRCA1 genes (c.116G > A). 22% of tissue samples had a clinically relevant TP53 mutation. Although the cohort is small, we have found pathogenic mutations to be enriched in BRCA2 (9.30%, 4/43) compare to BRCA1 (4.65%, 2/43). The frequency of germline VUS mutations found to be similar in both BRCA1 (4.65%; 2/43) and BRCA2 (4.65%; 2/43) compared to ERBB2 (2.32%; 1/43)., Conclusions: This is the first genetic study of BC predisposition genes in this population, implies that genetic screening through targeted sequencing can detect clinically significant and actionable BC-relevant mutations.