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Introduction: Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is one of the most complex and progressive disorders, characterized by symmetrical distal degeneration of peripheral nerves, resulting in features of pain and sensory loss. This study aimed to find out the effects of physiotherapy intervention on physical function, balance, and postural control of persons with DN. Materials and Methods: A computerized electronic search was performed using PEDro, Pubmed, CINAHL, and EMBASE with keywords including physiotherapy intervention, physical exercise, rehabilitation techniques, balance training, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The inclusion criteria consisted of studies that were randomized clinical trials, crossover trials, or controlled trials published in the English language from 2015 to 2021, identifying DN as the primary concern, and physiotherapy intervention as one of the treatment options. Results: The primary search of the database turned up an entire set of 58 studies, among which 11 studies were selected as potentially meeting the inclusion criteria. Ultimately, four studies were retained for the final results of the review. The evaluations provided evidence to suggest that physiotherapy has positive effects on subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: After reviewing, it has been revealed that balance and strength training are applicable for improving balance, gait, and physical function in DN patients.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is the clinical spectrum presenting with hepatic venous outflow obstruction from the hepatic veins to the junction of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right atrium. This syndrome is rare in infants and children, which leads to misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses. Clinical presentations may be non-specific. A high index of suspicion and imaging findings may help in early diagnosis of this condition. We report a rare case of BCS in a 6-week-old male infant who presented with jaundice and gradual abdominal distension. He was successfully treated with rivaroxaban.

Increasing concerns regarding wireless systems’ security are leading researchers to exploit the physical properties of a medium while designing any secured wireless network. The secrecy performance of a mixed radio frequency-free space optical (RF-FSO) system with a variable gain relaying scheme is investigated in this paper under the attempt of wiretapping by an eavesdropper. We assume that the eavesdropper can intrude the target data from the RF link only. Both the RF links (main and eavesdropper) undergo the $\alpha -\mu $ fading statistics and the FSO link experiences the exponentiated Weibull fading statistics. Exploiting the amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying scheme while considering two detection techniques (i.e. heterodyne detection and intensity modulation/direct detection) with pointing error impairments, the mathematical formulations of the unified probability density function and cumulative distribution function are performed for the equivalent signal-to-noise ratio of the considered dual-hop RF-FSO link. Closed-form analytical expressions for average secrecy capacity, secrecy outage probability, and the probability of non-zero secrecy capacity are derived in terms of Meijer’s $G$ and Fox’s $H$ functions to quantify the system performance. Capitalizing on these expressions, the secrecy performance is further analyzed for various channel parameters of RF links, aperture sizes of the receiver, pointing errors, and atmospheric turbulence severity. The results reveal that aperture averaging can improve the secrecy performance remarkably by suppressing the effects of turbulence. Monte Carlo simulations are provided to justify the accuracy of the proposed model.

Research Question: Do the Bangladeshi business entities concern about the extreme climate change vulnerability of the country? How do they deal with the climate change issues in their corporate reporting? Motivation: As per the Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2014, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. To cope up this extreme stage not only the government but also all the stakeholders of the country should come forward. This study aims at exploring the attention of business organizations of Bangladesh toward the climate change issues of the country. Idea: When developed nations realized and shared accountability in relation to the adverse effect of climate change, developing nation pay less attention towards the impact of climate change and environmental degradation (Luo et al., 2013; Amran et al., 2014; Jeswani, 2007). Ironically, academic have paid less attention to examine the organizational efforts towards sustainability and environmental safety in the context of developing countries (Kabir & Akinusi, 2012). This research is intended to explore climate change reporting practices in developing countries - Bangladesh. Data: A purposive sampling of 82 companies listed in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has been taken based on the year 2016 or 2015-2016. Tools: An un-weighted Climate Change Disclosure Index (CCDI) has been constructed and used to understand the climate change disclosure level practiced by selected companies. Findings: we have found a very poor disclosure levels practiced by the Bangladeshi listed companies as the mean climate change disclosure index (CCDI) is only 3.02 out of the maximum possible score of 28. Surprisingly, heavily polluting industries have very poor climate change disclosure indices compared to the non-polluting industries. Contributions: The study will create awareness to all the stakeholders of the climate change issues so that a holistic approach can be executed not only to accelerate the literatures on climate change but also to ensure sustainability on corporate climate change reporting.

An 11-year-old boy presented with 15 months history of diarrhea with up to 10-20 times small volume stool daily with mucus. It was associated with a feeling of incomplete defecation and excessive straining. The frequency of diarrhea increased to 20-30 times per day over the last 8 months. Subsequently, he developed fecal incontinence, for which he couldn't attend his school. He also had a history of significant weight loss in the last 7 months. According to his mother's statement, his body weight was reduced to 64 kg from 77 kg during this illness.

A 14-year-old boy, 4th issue of his non-consanguineous parents got admitted in the Department with the complaints of gradual abdominal distension and occasional abdominal pain since two years of his age. There was no history of jaundice, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, fever, contact with a known case of tuberculosis patient or family history of such type of illness. On examination, he was alert, anicteric, no facial dysmorphism, vitally stable, no stigmata of chronic liver disease and anthropometrically well thrived.

Abstract  To determine whether increased Ca intakes can prevent rickets in a susceptible group of children living in a rickets-endemic area of Bangladesh, we conducted a 13-month long, double-blind, clinical trial with 1-to 5-year-old children who did not present with rickets but ranked in the upper decile of plasma alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of a screening cohort of 1,749 children. A total of 158 children were randomized to a milk-powder-based dietary supplement given daily, 6 days/week, and providing either 50, 250, or 500 mg Ca, or 500 mg Ca plus multivitamins, iron, and zinc. Upon initial screening, 194 healthy children presented with no rachitic leg signs and had serum AP in the upper decile (>260 u/dl) of the cohort. When 183 of those subjects were re-screened after a 7-month pre-trial period, 23 (12.6%) had developed rachitic leg signs, suggesting an annual risk of 21.5% in this cohort. Of those still not presenting with leg signs and completing 13 months of dietary intervention, none showed rachitic leg signs, none showed significant radiological evidence of active rickets, and all showed carpal ossification normal for age after that intervention. These results are consistent with even the lowest amount of supplemental Ca (50 mg/day) being useful in supporting normal bone development in this high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the most common, successful modern surgical intervention in orthopedic practice. Physiotherapy interventions are a major part of patient rehabilitation following THA. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for improving functional outcomes following THA. Methods This narrative review was conducted on electronic platforms and databases, including PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, and EMBASE, using a combination of search terms related to “physical therapy”, “physiotherapy”, “physical exercise”, “physiotherapy intervention”, “hip arthroplasty”, “total hip arthroplasty”, and “hip joint replacement”. Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials or clinical trials published in English from 2014 to 2021. Where THA was recognized as the primary concern, and physiotherapy management was one of the treatment options. Results The initial search of the databases revealed a total of 77 studies. Of those studies, 19 were selected as potentially meeting the inclusion criteria. Eventually, 10 studies were analyzed for the narrative review’s final conclusions. The evaluations supported the hypothesis that physiotherapy interventions have favorable outcomes for patients with THA. Conclusions After reviewing, it has been revealed that physiotherapy can improve physical function, balance, range of motion, muscle strength, and gait pattern following THA.

Abstract Background Constantly eaten foods (such as fruits, vegetables, cereal, etc.) that contain excessive concentrations of heavy metals pose a major risk to human health and deplete the food supply. The amounts of heavy metals in different date varietiies were measured after they were collected from three wholesale markets in the major cities of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Medina. In order to look at the health risks associated with heavy metal consumption after intake of dates, the Average Daily Intake (ADI), Hazard Quotient (HQ), and Hazard Index (HI) were also calculated. Results Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), and Zinc (Zn) levels were evaluated. Several analyses of date fruit exhibited levels of Pb and Cd in different date varieties that beyond the Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL). In the majority of the samples, ADI was below the upper authorized tolerated daily consumption. The likelihood of a health risk from the regular eating of the investigated date fruits is revealed by the hazardous indexes of samples taken from New Market and Badamtali that surpassed unit value as a result of excessive air pollution brought on by greater industrial and vehicle traffic. According to the study, the majority of the analyzed heavy metals were identified in date samples and those from later samples at levels that were less harmful than the maximum acceptable threshold (MAL). Conclusions Some samples included higher levels of Pb and Cd. As a result, eating dates that contain more metal has a higher chance of harming your health. Additionally, it has been recommended that regular testing for heavy metals in date fruits may be useful in preventing health risks associated with eating fruits that are contaminated with heavy metals.

Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) is a serious condition caused by Clostridium difficile, frequently arising after antimicrobial therapy. In recent years, Clostridium difficile infection rates have been rising and more younger patients have been affected than adult. This case report is about a 3-year-oldboy with clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic findings typical of pseudomembranous colitis, without a history of previous antibiotic therapy.

Introduction Bangladesh is committed to achieving the SDG target of ending the tuberculosis epidemic and achieving UHC by 2030. To inform policy and program decision-making, this nationwide sero-survey of HIV among tuberculosis patients was conducted. Methods The cross-sectional survey utilized a two-stage probability proportional to size (PPS) systematic random sampling technique for selected TB reporting centers (TRCs) from June 2020 to December 2021. The estimated 12,065 diagnosed tuberculosis patients, according to the NTP diagnostic algorithm, irrespective of age and sex, were included. The required information was collected through face-to-face interviews and record reviews using a pre-tested electronic TAB-based semi-structured questionnaire. With all aseptic precautions for all respondents who gave consent, 5 ml. venous blood was collected for the standard confirmatory test by 4th generation ELISA method for detection of antibody of HIV1/2/P24 antigen. Results Out of 12,065 TB patients surveyed, most of them were from the Dhaka division (25%), urban (76%), 55 years and above (28%), male (56%), married (82%), illiterate (36%) and living in a nuclear family (70%). A total of 12 (0.1%) HIV-positive cases were found among TB patients across the country, and the majority (33%) of them belonged to the age group of 35 to 44 years, male (58%), lower educational group (67%), urban resident (67%), and from nuclear family (77%). The HIV-positive patients found more among pulmonary TB patients (83%) who were detected bacteriologically positive (58%) but smear and gene expert negative (75%). Among them, none was found to have progressed to drug-resistant TB. Conclusion HIV affects the immune system, and TB is one of the leading causes of death in HIV-infected people. Although the rate is low, there is a need for continued efforts to prevent and treat TB in Bangladesh, particularly among older age groups, urban residents, and those with co-morbidities such as diabetes.

Abstract Background Globally, hepatitis B infection (HBI) poses a substantial public health concern and healthcare workers, including nursing students, are at a higher risk of contracting this disease. Thus, the study aimed to assess how knowledge, attitudes, and sociodemographic factors are associated with HBI prevention among a sample of Bangladeshi nursing students. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed among 737 nursing students from the nursing institutes of Khulna and Barishal divisions in Bangladesh from January to April 2023. The data were collected by providing questionnaires (structured questionnaire) in the classroom, following a stratified random sampling process. A model of multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the factors linked to HBI prevention practices. Result The mean (SD) scores were 11.42 (± 2.88) for knowledge, 4.33 (± 1.91) for attitude and 4.27 (± 2.056) for practice respectively. Participants’ low knowledge (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.562, 95% CI: 1.29–5.07) and poor attitude (aOR = 5.730, 95% CI: 3.19–10.28) regarding HBI were significantly associated with higher likelihood of poor practice towards HBI prevention. Moreover, being 2nd year of nursing students (aOR = 2.147, 95% CI: 1.19–3.86), being aged 19–20 years (aOR = 3.038, 95% CI: 1.30–7.09), being married (aOR = 0.320, 95%CI: 0.13–0.82) and having a family history of HBI (aOR = 0.134, 95%CI: 0.05–0.36) were significantly associated with poor practices of HBI prevention among study participants. Conclusion The knowledge, attitude and practice scores of the nursing students on HBI prevention were suboptimal. We advocate for implementing regular HBI prevention education and policies, free or subsidized services, skill development, proper HBI prevention enforcement and strict professional ethics within nursing colleges. Such efforts should predominantly focus on second-year, aged 19–20 and unmarried nursing students.

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) has become a serious public health exposure because it leads to chronic pain and minimizes physical function and quality of life (QOL). This review aimed to find out the effectiveness of closed kinetic chain exercise (CKCE) on pain, range of motion (ROM), physical function, and QOL in subjects with knee OA. Methods The design of this study was a narrative review. A computerized electronic search was performed using PEDro, PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE Register of controlled trials with keywords including osteoarthritis, knee OA, closed chain exercise, closed kinetic chain exercise, functional exercise, physiotherapy exercise, and therapeutic intervention. The inclusion criteria consisted of studies that were randomized controlled trials, published in English from 2016 to 2023. Here, allotted osteoarthritis was the primary concern, and we identified closed kinetic chain exercise as one of the treatment options. Results The initial search of the database revealed a total of 91 studies. Of those studies, 11 were selected as potentially meeting the inclusion criteria. Ultimately, six studies were retained for the final review. The evaluations suggested that CKCE has better impacts on pain, capacity, and ROM in knee OA. After reviewing, it has been revealed that at least an 8-week program with 3 sessions per week in 30 min longer might have greater effects on the CKCE program. Conclusion The results of this narrative review have shown that CKCEs are efficient for relieving pain, promoting function, increasing knee ROM, and enhancing QOL in subjects with knee OA.

Abstract The risk of developing an eating disorder among university students is higher than the general population in Bangladesh. Since psychiatric disorders (such as depression and anxiety) and addictive behaviors (e.g., internet addiction) predominantly exist among university students in the country, these may increase their vulnerability to developing an eating disorder. The association of internet addiction, depression, and anxiety with the risk of eating disorders among Bangladeshi university students is relatively unknown; therefore, this study investigates the association. This study was a cross-sectional design. Students (N = 700) from two public universities in Bangladesh completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) tool, and Orman's Internet Addiction Survey (OIAS) to measure exposure variables. Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) assessed the outcome variable. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that internet addiction [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for moderate addiction = 2.15 and severe addiction = 3.95], depressive (aOR 3.04), and anxiety (aOR 2.06) symptoms were associated with an increased risk of eating disorder among study participants. Future longitudinal studies on university students are recommended to gain a better understanding about the causal factors of eating disorder to support intervention initiatives and strategies by public health practitioners and policy experts.

Abstract Although secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is predominant in Bangladesh, the adverse effect of SHS exposure on health-related behaviors, such as sleep quality, have remained an under-investigated area of the country’s public health landscape. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between SHS exposure and poor sleep quality among non-smoking university students in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was carried out between May and September 2022. SHS exposure (main predictor variable) and other covariates (e.g., age, sex, etc.) were measured using a self-reported questionnaire and sleep quality (outcome variable) was measured via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Multiple logistic regression models investigated the association between SHS exposure and poor sleep quality. The study included 390 students (mean age: 22 years, 53.8% male). Approximately 41.8% of the participants reported SHS exposure, and 50.5% had poor sleep quality. Students exposed to SHS were more likely to have poor sleep quality compared to their counterparts (AOR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.01, 2.58). Subgroup analysis revealed poor sleep quality was 2-times higher among male students exposed to SHS than those male students without SHS exposure (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI 1.05, 3.93). No association was found in female students. Findings from this study warrant increased awareness and public health initiatives on the implications of SHS on health behaviors, such as sleep quality, in non-smoking Bangladeshi university students.

BackgroundThe recent human monkeypox (mpox) outbreak in 2022 has become a serious concern due to its rapid expansion to various non-endemic countries. There is limited information about the knowledge regarding mpox among the Bangladeshi population. Therefore, this study's objectives were to: (i) determine the level of knowledge regarding mpox among undergraduate and post-graduate students in Bangladesh, and (ii) assess the determinants of knowledge regarding mpox among the study sample.MethodsAn online-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 879 tertiary-level students from selected tertiary institutions (n = 13) in Bangladesh. The structured questionnaire consisted of two parts: (i) socio-demographic information and (ii) an assessment of knowledge regarding mpox. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and multivariable quantile regression model were employed.ResultsThe median age of the study participants was 23 years (IQR: 25-22). Low knowledge of mpox was found among study participants (20.7%, 23.2% and 56.1% had good, moderate and poor knowledge, respectively). The overall median knowledge score for mpox was 11 (IQR: 16-6). The median knowledge score of mpox significantly differed by participants' gender, study major, and academic education about mpox. In the quantile regression analysis, the association between gender and mpox knowledge was observed at the 25th (β = 1.343), 50th (β = 2.00) and 75th (β = 1.59) quantiles with females having more knowledge compared to males. The effects of study group were significant at 25th (β = 1.746), 50th (β = 1.5), 75th (β = 1.361) and 90th (β = 1.248) quantiles. Thus, those in medical or public health programs were likely to have more knowledge about mpox relative to those who were in non-medical related study groups. Students who received information about mpox during their education were more knowledgeable compared to those who had not, with statistical significance occurring at 10th (β = 3.711), 25th (β = 6.656), 50th (β = 5.75), 75th (β = 3.404) and 90th (β = 2.592) quantiles.ConclusionThese findings imply that educational interventions about mpox should consider the gender dynamics and program of study among the students in Bangladesh.

Abstract Background and Aims There is a dearth of information about binge eating disorder (BED) among Bangladeshi university students, who may be more susceptible to BED due to the rise in unhealthy lifestyles and food habits. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of BED symptoms among Bangladeshi university students. Methods Students (N = 525) from three public universities in Bangladesh participated in this cross‐sectional study between November 2022 and March 2023. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted using a structured paper‐based questionnaire that included two validated survey tools; the binge eating disorder screener and the patient health questionnaire‐9. To identify the factors associated with BED symptoms, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted, with sociodemographic and behavioral information (e.g., age, sex, smoking status, etc.) considered as covariates. Results The prevalence of BED symptoms among participants (mean age 21.28 years, 50.3% male and 49.7% female) was 20.6%. Male students had a 2.28 times higher likelihood of having BED symptoms compared to female counterparts (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.33−3.89). Older students (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.80−7.05), students who were overweight or obese (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.87−5.89), and students reporting higher depressive symptoms (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.66−4.35) were at greater risk for developing BED compared to their respective counterparts. Conclusions This study provides new insights into the prevalence of BED symptoms and its contributing factors among Bangladeshi students. Approximately 1‐in‐5 university students reported having BED symptoms. University students who are older, overweight, or obese, and who report depressive symptoms may be at greatest risk. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the causal factors underlying BED. Findings from this study can assist policymakers and public health professionals in developing effective and targeted strategies to mitigate the risks associated with BED among Bangladeshi university students.

In terms of sustainability & wearing comfort, denim manufacturers are entering a new era of product variety. Tencel's regenerative nature and unique mechanical qualities usher in a new era for the denim industry. In this work, denim fabrics were manufactured using Tencel Cotton blended yarn using very fi ne yarn (20 Tex or 30 Ne), and fabric performance was examined following factors like tensile strength and other relevant metrics. For better evaluation, All the structures were 2/1 RHT (right-hand twill) that contained 115 EPI & 70 PPI and also indigo blue dyed. According to the result of the investigation, 100% Tencel Fabric (both the warp and the weft yarn were 100% Tencel) demonstrated the highest quality of fabric performance in terms of tensile strength, tearing strength, stiff ness, air permeability, and water vapor permeability than any other cotton or cotton Tencel blended fabric. However, a downward trend of abrasion resistance was observed in Tencel or cotton Tencel blended fabric concerning the percentage change of Tencel. Additionally, the performance of the fabric was significantly improved by the percentage addition of Tencel fiber in the warp and weft directions. In addition, a denim fabric made entirely of cotton performed the least well when compared to fabrics made entirely of Tencel or a blend of Tencel and cotton.

Introduction Exclusive breastfeeding is balanced nutrition for growth and development of the infant, prevents stunting as well as protects from infectious and chronic diseases and has also potential to reduce infant mortality. Thus, the study aimed to assess maternal knowledge, attitudes and other factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practices. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 mothers of children aged ≤12 months in Mother and Child Hospital in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, from June to December 2019 using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected by face-to-face interview from hospital’s outdoors, following simple random sampling process from hospital register list. Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression models were used to explore the association. Results The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 63.4% for mothers with children aged ≤12 months. Good knowledge (p

Soymilk (SM) is nutritionally nearly equal to milk from cows and is free of cholesterol, gluten, and lactose. This study’s objective was to formulate a cholesterol-free soymilk dessert (SOD) and compare it’s to commercial desserts (CODs). Results indicated that the CODs contain substantial amounts of cholesterol while SOD does not. Soymilk dessert has more protein, and vitamin E than CODs, but less fat and calcium. In addition, the result also highlighted that SOD has higher number of amino acids compared to CODs. The total antioxidant, flavonoids and phenolics content of SOD were significantly higher than CODs. Furthermore, the in vitro antioxidant activity of SOD and CODs by DPPH and ABTS methods revealed that the IC50 of SODs significantly (p < 0.001) lower than CODs, and lower IC50 indicated the higher free radical scavenging power of SODs than CODs. These findings indicated that this non-dairy SOD may provide beneficial protein, as well as minerals, and antioxidants to support the body’s various physiological functions.

Introduction Menstrual hygiene practices refers to maintaining specific hygiene during menstrual periods. Excused or unexcused school absenteeism can be attributed to adopted menstrual hygiene practices. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of school absenteeism during menstrual cycle and to explore the association of menstrual hygiene practices with school absenteeism among schoolgoing adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to November 2019 based on a sample of 442 school-going adolescent girls (aged 10–19 years) from randomly selected nine Girls’ Schools in the Dhaka division, Bangladesh. Data were collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire and a multiple regression model was applied to assess factors associated with school absenteeism. Results The prevalence of school absenteeism was (35.1%) among school-going adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Factors associated with school absenteeism included older adolescent girls (AOR=2.97; 95% CI: 1.66–5.24, p

We study a directed dynamical reaction–diffusion model with no-flux boundary conditions where two populations interact in a spatial heterogeneous closed environment state. Both populations growths are proportional to the same growth law, but the dispersal policies with the migration coefficients differ. The population is diffusing according to their resource functions, and the carrying capacity is bounded in a heterogeneous habitat. This paper’s main results are: if the dispersion functions are non-proportional, then the coexistence is not possible unless the whole environment is homogeneous; and in case of proportionality, the species shows similar behavior. The coexistence is possible if the resource phase and the distribution function of a second organism are identical and non-constant. A few numerical examples verify that the extinction of one species by the other and the coexistence are visible in a non-homogeneous environment.

Abstract not available BSMMU J 2021; 14(3): 92-98

Studies in ecological stoichiometry highlight that grazer dynamics are affected by insufficient food nutrient content (low phosphorus (P)/carbon (C) ratio) as well as excess food nutrient content (high P:C). Contaminant stressors affect all levels of the biological hierarchy, from cells to organs to organisms to populations to entire ecosystems. Eco-toxicological modeling under the framework of ecological stoichiometry predicts the risk of bio-accumulation of a toxicant under stoichiometric constraints. In this paper, we developed and analyzed a Lotka-Volterra type predator-prey model which explicitly tracks the environmental toxicant as well as the toxicant in the populations under stoichiometric constraints. Analytic, numerical, slow-fast steady state and bifurcation theory are employed to predict the risk of toxicant bio-accumulation under varying food conditions. In some cases, our model predicts different population dynamics, including wide amplitude limit cycles where producer densities exhibit very low values and may be in danger of stochastic extinction.

Objectives: The increasing prevalence of malnutrition among school-going adolescents is a major public health threat in Bangladesh. School studying adolescents are a crucial group suffering from malnutrition. Proper nutrition information can enrich their knowledge, promote their health and also minimize the burden of malnutrition. The study aimed to identify the sources of information and corresponding knowledge level on nutrition among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh. Study design: A school-based cross-sectional survey was carried out from January to August 2019. Methods: A pre-structured questionnaire having 13 validated questions regarding facts panel of packaged food and daily dietary habits was used to assess the knowledge. Scores on nutritional knowledge were calculated by summing up the answer values (Yes ​= ​1, No ​= ​0) and, scores below the overall mean were considered low. Logistic regression was employed to identify whether any source was related to respondents’ nutritional knowledge. Results: Family members were the most popular (52.4%) source of nutrition information. Majority students (43.2%) trusted professionals as an accurate source. Approximately half (49.1%) of the participants scored low (

Accurately assessing the risks of contaminants requires more than an understanding of the effects of contaminants on individual organism, but requires further understanding of complex ecological interactions, elemental cycling, and the interactive effects of natural stressors, such as resource limitations, and contaminant stressors. There is increasing evidence that organisms experience interactive effects of contaminant stressors and food conditions, such as resource stoichiometry, availability and excess of nutrient. Here, we develop and analyze the first producer-grazer population model that incorporates the effects of excess nutrients, as well as nutrient limitations on grazer exposed to toxicants. We use analytical, numerical and bifurcation analysis to reduce and explore model parameterized for an aquatic system of algae and zooplankton exposed to methylmercury under varying phosphorus conditions. Under certain environmental conditions, our models predict higher toxicity than previous models that neglect the consequences excess nutrient conditions can have on grazer populations.

Objectives. This study aimed to determine patterns of respiratory, blood-borne and uropathogenic microbial pathogens among SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in a COVID-19-(coronavirus disease 2019) dedicated tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Design. This was a cross-sectional study. Setting. In a COVID-19-dedicated tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, conducted from March to June 2021. Participants. Hospitalized individuals with COVID-19 infection regardless of age or sex. Primary and secondary outcome measures. The percentage of co-infected COVID-19 patients and the characterization of the micro-organisms responsible for co-infection served as the primary outcome measures. Finding any associations between co-infection and age, co-infection and sex and co-infection and comorbidity was the secondary outcome variable. Interventions. Not applicable. Results. Out of 79 patients, 61 % were male, and the mean age was 49.53 years. Co-infection was seen in 7.7 % of patients, out of which 5.1 % of isolates were from urine samples, followed by 2.6 % from blood. Bacteria isolated from urine were Enterococcus (2.6 %), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) (1.3 %) and Enterobacter spp. (1.3 %). Pseudomonas spp. was the only organism isolated from blood sample. Mixed growth was found in nasopharyngeal and throat swabs, with the predominant species being Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus spp. At the time of data collection, 55.7 % of patients had been given antimicrobials, and 30.4 % of patients had been given a single antimicrobial. HBsAg was positive in 1.3 % of patients and none were anti-hepatitis C or dengue NS1Ag positive. Conclusion. Microbial infection has been seen to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections and is of great value in prescribing antimicrobials and reducing fatal outcomes of hospitalized patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors.)