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The wellbeing of disadvantaged children in low-income countries (LIC) is often compromised by a range of environmental risk factors, as well as by limited access to supports and services. The aim of this exploratory study was to understand service provision barriers for children's wellbeing in an urban informal settlement in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by complementing stakeholder perspectives with a spatial method and a knowledge exchange framework. The research literature and official records informed interviews with 19 stakeholders, who identified interdisciplinary services. Visual geospatial analysis mapped services in relation to child wellbeing. These maps informed a knowledge exchange participatory workshop with 21 stakeholders, who co-produced recommendations related to child-centeredness and safety, community involvement, and accessible resources. Such a participatory approach combining stakeholder perspectives with geospatial analysis can be a useful tool in low-resource contexts.

This study delves into the relationship between individual vaccination aspirations and their repercussions within the SEIRS epidemic framework, exploring effects on vaccination behavior, infection dynamics, and societal outcomes through the Vaccination Game concept. The co-evolution of epidemic dynamics and individual decision-making is examined, utilizing the social efficiency deficit (SED) to quantify a social dilemma. A novel aspiration-based model is compared with the conventional cost-based model. Higher aspiration levels correspond to increased vaccination rates, reducing overall infections. Contrary to assumptions favoring natural infection in low transmission scenarios, vaccination proves pivotal even in such contexts. Elevated transmission and immunity waning rates necessitate intensified vaccination for effective infection control, thereby reducing social dilemmas. Low vaccine efficiency coupled with high transmission rates escalates SED, but a specific vaccine efficacy threshold notably diminishes SED. Lower aspiration levels contribute to vaccine hesitancy, elevating SED, and infection rates. Surpassing an aspiration threshold redirects preferences towards vaccination, aligning with socially optimal scenarios and alleviating social dilemmas. The comparative analysis underscores the aspiration-driven approach outperforms in reducing SED, establishing its reliability in mitigating societal disease impact over the cost-based approach, but the optimal choice depends on specific epidemic conditions

In this research, we introduce a comprehensive epidemiological model that accounts for multiple strains of an infectious disease and two distinct vaccination options. Vaccination stands out as the most effective means to prevent and manage infectious diseases. However, when there are various vaccines available, each with its costs and effectiveness, the decision-making process for individuals becomes paramount. Furthermore, the factor of waning immunity following vaccination also plays a significant role in influencing these choices. To understand how individuals make decisions in the context of multiple strains and waning immunity, we employ a behavioral model, allowing an epidemiological model to be coupled with the dynamics of a decision-making process. Individuals base their choice of vaccination on factors such as the total number of infected individuals and the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine. Our findings indicate that as waning immunity increases, people tend to prioritize vaccines with higher costs and greater efficacy. Moreover, when more contagious strains are present, the equilibrium in vaccine adoption is reached more rapidly. Finally, we delve into the social dilemma inherent in our model by quantifying the social efficiency deficit (SED) under various parameter combinations.

Purpose: Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common age-related chronic condition. Its pathogenesis involves androgen imbalance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This study aims to assess the protective effect of finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, against testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH in rats and explore its potential mechanism of action. Materials and Methods: TP-induced BPH rats received either saline or finasteride (1 mg/kg) orally once a day for 7 weeks. Prior to sacrificing the animals, blood samples were collected. After sacrifice, prostate and tissue around the prostate were dissected from seminal vesical for further analysis. Body weight, prostate weight, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), 5α-reductase type 2 (5-AR2), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were measured. In addition, HIF-1α, VEGF, MMP-2 expressions in prostate, oxidative stress, inflammation, and ER stress responses were analyzed to understand the mechanism of action of finasteride. Results: Finasteride administration inhibited prostate enlargement, DHT, 5-AR2, and PSA levels in BPH rats. Additionally, finasteride inhibited angiogenesis markers such as HIF-1α, VEGF, and MMP-2. Moreover, components of oxidative stress, inflammation, and ER stress responses were significantly regulated by finasteride treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that finasteride prevents BPH-associated symptoms by regulating angiogenesis, reactive oxygen species, ER stress responses, and inflammation, another mechanism to explain the effect of the 5α-reductase against BPH.

The emergence of a novel strain during a pandemic, like the current COVID-19, is a major concern to the healthcare system. The most effective strategy to control this type of pandemic is vaccination. Many previous studies suggest that the existing vaccine may not be fully effective against the new strain. Additionally, the new strain's late arrival has a significant impact on the disease dynamics and vaccine coverage. Focusing on these issues, this study presents a two-strain epidemic model in which the new strain appears with a time delay. We considered two vaccination provisions, namely preinfection and postinfection vaccinations, which are governed by human behavioral dynamics. In such a framework, individuals have the option to commit vaccination before being infected with the first strain. Additionally, people who forgo vaccination and become infected with the first train have the chance to be vaccinated (after recovery) in an attempt to avoid infection from the second strain. However, a second strain can infect vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. People may have additional opportunities to be vaccinated and to protect themselves from the second strain due to the time delay. Considering the cost of the vaccine, the severity of the new strain, and the vaccine's effectiveness, our results indicated that delaying the second strain decreases the peak size of the infected individuals. Finally, by estimating the social efficiency deficit, we discovered that the social dilemma for receiving immunization decreases with the delay in the arrival of the second strain.

Migration of intrauterine fetal death (IUD) products from the uterus to different nearby intra abdominal organ of body especially to urinary bladder is a rare clinical situation to report. Here we are presenting a case , where a woman of 54 years of age presented to us with the history of IUD at 27 weeks of gestation 17 years back with history of passage of hard brittle bony fragment like material with urine and an abdominal lump. Laparotomy was done, some parts of IUD product was found to migrate to urinary bladder cavity, some parts to incompletely invade the intestinal loops & some parts towards the abdominal wall to form the lump. Hysterectomy was done, product was removed and the entire involved organ was repaired successfully and patient cure was uneventful.

In this study, an epidemiological model with the provaccination and antivaccination susceptible groups is proposed, and the social dilemma of the model is analyzed. During a pandemic, such as the current COVID-19, many individuals get confused to choose the option of adopting a provaccination or antivaccination strategy based on the number of infected people and the payoff of being infected. In the proposed model, people can obtain immunity either through vaccination or by getting infected with the disease which is known as natural immunity. In addition, increasing the waning immunity influences the choice of adopting the provaccination or antivaccination strategy. We used the behavior model to analyze the choice of the two strategies, where any individual can choose a strategy based on the number of infected individuals from each group. Moreover, individuals who are already infected can choose their strategy based on the payoff of their disease cost or vaccination cost. Our results show that, at Nash equilibrium, individuals in both groups behave the same. Further, from our numerical results, increasing the number of vaccinations can reduce the social dilemma whereas an increase in the waning immunity rate increases the social dilemma.

Cities worldwide are experiencing rapid urbanization and an increasing population, creating a pressing need for smart infrastructure to enhance citizen services. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, faces similar technological and socio-economic challenges, making it crucial to transform it into a sustainable smart city. This research analyzes the opportunities and challenges of smart cities and Dhaka through SWOT and PESTEL analyses. The study employs a fuzzy rule-based inference system in a MATLAB simulation to calculate the smart city index based on parameters such as governance, transportation, waste management, utility management, healthcare, and industrial automation. The findings reveal that good governance has the highest impact on the smart city index, followed by transportation. The paper proposes a sustainable smart city transportation framework and management technique, outlining future research directions. The proposed framework is expected to impact socio-economic, technological, and environmental aspects positively.

Despite the growing knowledge and commitment to climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions continue to rise dramatically throughout the planet. In recent years, the consequences of climate change have become more catastrophic and have attracted widespread attention globally. CO2emissions from the energy industry have lately been highlighted as one of the world’s most pressing concerns for all countries. This paper examines the relationships between CO2emissions, electrical energy consumption, and gross domestic product (GDP) in Bangladesh from 1972 to 2019 in the first section. In this purpose, we applied the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) approach. The findings indicate that CO2emissions, electrical energy consumption, and GDP have a statistically significant long-term cointegrating relationship. Developing an accurate CO2emissions forecasting model is crucial for tackling it safely. This leads to the second step, which involves formulating the multivariate time series CO2emissions forecasting challenges considering its influential factors. Based on multivariate time series prediction, four deep learning algorithms are analyzed in this work, those are convolution neural network (CNN), CNN long short-term memory (CNN–LSTM), long short-term memory (LSTM), and dense neural network (DNN). The root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) are used to analyze and compare the performances of the predictive models. The prediction errors in MAPE of the CNN, CNN–LSTM, LSTM, and DNN are 15.043, 5.065, 5.377, and 3.678, respectively. After evaluating those deep learning models, a multivariate polynomial regression has also been employed to forecast CO2emissions. It seems to have nearly similar accuracy as the LSTM model, having a MAPE of 5.541.

This research investigated the service quality of government secondary schools (GSS) in Bangladesh. A mixed methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative methods was applied for gathering and analyzing data. Quantitative data was collected from 601 randomly selected clients using a structured interview schedule developed based on the five-dimensional SERVQUAL instrument. Qualitative data was obtained through focus group discussions and interviews of students, teachers, headteachers, guardians, assistant school inspectors, and the deputy director of secondary and higher education working in the selected region. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis, while qualitative data was transcribed and labeled into emerging themes. The study found that the quality of secondary education in the GSSs of the study area failed to meet the demand of the clients in terms of all the quality dimensions of SERVQUAL, where t-values revealed a significant gap between expectation and perception in Tangibles, Responsiveness, Reliability, Assurance and Empathy dimensions. Data from qualitative methods showed that all the stakeholders agreed with the gap in tangibles and empathy dimension claimed by the respondents in the quantitative survey. However, teachers and guardians showed differential opinions regarding the gaps in responsiveness, reliability, and assurance. It was also found that 40% of the respondents were either neutral or dissatisfied with the education service of GSSs. Logistic regression output shows that among the dimensions of SERVQUAL, tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy can significantly influence a respondent’s overall satisfaction with GSS services. One-way ANOVA results show that schools from at least two districts differ significantly in terms of the mean score of overall satisfaction and the perceived mean score of tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, assurance, and empathy dimensions. The schools lack teaching, learning and recreational facilities such as laboratory, library, common room, and sports. The students did not receive individual need-based care for academic performance improvement and did not participate in lesson planning, preferring teaching methods and deciding assessment strategies. The teachers were not sufficiently skilled in delivering intelligible lectures and didn’t give time to students outside of formal classes. A sizeable gap in the SERVQUAL dimensions indicates that a comprehensive all-out effort is necessary to improve the service quality of GSSs. Consequently, improving teaching learning facilities, student participation in the lesson plan and deciding on teaching methods, teachers' training in pedagogy, and school-specific quality improvement measures are imperative.

Background: Understanding health in daily life can vary from person to person. The concept of health arises from the perspective of an individual's experience. People face several kinds of barriers while seeking healthcare services, where rickshaw pullers are one of the most vulnerable groups to meet their basic health needs. This study aimed to investigate Bangladeshi rural rickshaw pullers’ perception regarding health and what obstacles they face while seeking healthcare services. Methods: This study followed a qualitative approach conducted in-depth interviews involving 20 rickshaw pullers in rural Bangladesh from 4th to 15th December 2020. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The verbatim transcription was performed, and the thematic analysis was done through manual coding and NVivo version 12. Results: According to the study’s findings, participants’ perception regarding health were mainly based on physical, nutritional, and social points of view. The financial hardship to convey medical costs, long waiting time in receiving healthcare services, social class inequality, low trustworthiness on diagnostic services, and mastery of broker in the hospital setting were acknowledged as prevailing barriers to seeking healthcare services. Conclusion: Several health perceptions existed among the rural rickshaw pullers. They faced different kinds of barriers while seeking healthcare services, and those obstacles made them hopeless and worried about getting quality healthcare services. Concerned authorities, including government and private organizations, should take effective strategies to ensure that healthcare services are available, reliable, and affordable.

In this research, we introduce a comprehensive epidemiological model that accounts for multiple strains of an infectious disease and two distinct vaccination options. Vaccination stands out as the most effective means to prevent and manage infectious diseases. However, when there are various vaccines available, each with its costs and effectiveness, the decision-making process for individuals becomes paramount. Furthermore, the factor of waning immunity following vaccination also plays a significant role in influencing these choices. To understand how individuals make decisions in the context of multiple strains and waning immunity, we employ a behavioral model, allowing an epidemiological model to be coupled with the dynamics of a decision-making process. Individuals base their choice of vaccination on factors such as the total number of infected individuals and the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine. Our findings indicate that as waning immunity increases, people tend to prioritize vaccines with higher costs and greater efficacy. Moreover, when more contagious strains are present, the equilibrium in vaccine adoption is reached more rapidly. Finally, we delve into the social dilemma inherent in our model by quantifying the social efficiency deficit (SED) under various parameter combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organoids represent an advanced tool in cell biology and have redefined biomedical research. Organoids are ideal for studies of biological processes, pharmacological studies, and therapeutic research to imitate pathological processes and preserve genetic integrity. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the central organelle responsible for protein folding, post-translational adaptations, and membrane and luminal protein transportation. ER stress is a disorder influenced by a range of physiological and pathological causes, such as nutrient deficiency, impaired glycosylation, calcium depletion, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and energy disruption. Disturbance of the ER environment triggers aggregation of unfolded/misfolded proteins, accelerating ER stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a transduction mechanism that activates cells in response to ER stress to restore ER homeostasis, altering cancer development and progression. However, the mechanisms through which sustained and unresolved UPR signaling triggers a switch from pro-survival to pro-death pathways remain unclear. Immutable and environmental stimuli that modify protein homeostasis are often incorporated into tumor cells, thereby generating ER stress. Herein, we discuss challenges and advances in fundamental and clinical cancer studies on ER stress. Additionally, current trends in organoid technology are summarized to fill the gap in our knowledge of the relationship between cancer and ER stress, with the UPR representing a future tool for investigating drug response screening and potentially revolutionizing the workflow of new cancer drug development.

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of death globally. Countries vary in their rates, and changes have occurred over time. Nowadays, developing countries pose new public health challenges. Objectives: The objective of the present study was to appraise the alterations in the levels of serum Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn that occur in patients with ischemic heart disease and to depict the correlations of the effects of these changes that lead to the pathogenesis of IHD. Methods: Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn in the IHD patients were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Results: This study evaluated 52 patients with IHD, and 61 healthy volunteers served as controls. The primary outcomes of interest were explored regarding the correlations of the serum levels of these trace elements in patients with IHD. The secondary outcomes were explored in terms of inter-element relations to connect them with the pathogenesis of IHD. Our study found significantly reduced levels of Zn and Cu (2.50 ± 0.19 mg/L and 2.52 ± 0.17 mg/L, respectively) and an elevated level of Fe (148.97 ± 17.25 mg/L) in the patient group with IHD. The level of Mn (7.32 ± 1.23 mg/L) was elevated in the sera of the patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) compared to healthy control subjects. Conclusion: Our results indicate strong associations of the pathogenesis of IHD with depleted serum levels of Zn and Cu and elevated Fe and Mn levels, which may provide a prognostic tool for the treatment of this concerning the disease.

Background/Purpose: Nearly all published studies of recurrent Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) report recurrent CDI within 8 weeks after the primary infection. This study explored the molecular characteristics of C. difficile isolates from the first recurrent CDI more than 8 weeks after the primary infection. Methods: Consecutive hospitalized patients with a recurrent CDI more than 8 weeks after a primary infection were enrolled prospectively from January 2008 to February 2011. All C. difficile isolates of the primary and recurrent infections were collected and subjected to polymerase chain reaction ribotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: There were 62 cases of CDI in this study, which included 32 cases (51.6%) of recurrence due to the same ribotype of C. difficile, 26 (41.9%) cases due to a different ribotype, and four (6.5%) cases with 2–4 recurrences due to the same or different strains. One hundred and forty C. difficile isolates were obtained, which included 62 primary CDI isolates and 78 recurrent isolates. Ribotype 020 was the most common C. difficile strain in primary and recurrent infections. Ribotype 001 accounted for 15.4% (10/78) of recurrent infections and 3.2% (2/62) of primary infections (p = 0.0447). The minimum inhibitory concentration at 90% (MIC90) values of linezolid, moxifloxacin, and clindamycin against type 001 strains were much higher, compared to the three other common ribotypes. Conclusion: Recurrent CDI more than 8 weeks after a primary infection can be caused by the same or different C. difficile ribotype at similar percentages. Ribotype 001 C. difficile strains, which have a lower susceptibility to antimicrobials, were isolated more frequently in patients with a recurrent CDI.

Purpose: Globally, many extension professionals and policy-makers are advocating fee based services, in addressing the fund shortage and sustainable provision of agricultural advisory services. Hence, the article attempts to expose the farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) as agricultural extension in Bangladesh is experiencing chronic fund crisis. Methodology: This study used contingent valuation method (CVM) for investigating farmers' WTP. Logit and Tobit model was employed to assess the determinants of WTP and amount willing to pay (AWTP) respectively. Besides, different qualitative methods were employed to have a deeper understanding of the research problems. Findings: WTP was conditioned by providing quality extension services at farm and/or home of the farmers. The study also focused on farmers preferred mode of payment, criteria influencing payment decisions and the type of services for which they are willing to pay. Paid model can contribute to quality extension services, if started with a market oriented commodity based approach accompanied by adequate crop insurance support. Practical implications: The study considered international experiences and national crisis in delivering extension services that provoke actions towards changing the extension policy of Bangladesh. The findings also prompt the factors that influence the paid extension service delivery for the crop farmers of Bangladesh. Originality: Although, many studies have been conducted on privatisation of agricultural extension around the globe, we are not aware of any single study on crop farmers' willingness to pay for the extension services in Bangladesh.

From a residential point of view, home energy management (HEM) is an essential requirement in order to diminish peak demand and utility tariffs. The integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) together with battery energy storage systems (BESSs) and central battery storage system (CBSS) may promote energy and cost minimization. However, proper home appliance scheduling along with energy storage options is essential to significantly decrease the energy consumption profile and overall expenditure in real-time operation. This paper proposes a cost-effective HEM scheme in the microgrid framework to promote curtailing of energy usage and relevant utility tariff considering both energy storage and renewable sources integration. Usually, the household appliances have different runtime preferences and duration of operation based on user demand. This work considers a simulator designed in the C++ platform to address the domestic customer’s HEM issue based on usages priorities. The positive aspects of merging RESs, BESSs, and CBSSs with the proposed optimal power sharing algorithm (OPSA) are evaluated by considering three distinct case scenarios. Comprehensive analysis of each scenario considering the real-time scheduling of home appliances is conducted to substantiate the efficacy of the outlined energy and cost mitigation schemes. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm to enable energy and cost savings up to 37.5% and 45% in comparison to the prevailing methodology.

This research adopted an exploratory mixed methods approach to explore women's participation, its associated determinants, causes, and obstacles to participation in dry fish processing in a selected coastal region of Bangladesh. Data were collected using structured interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with women residing in six coastal villages. Extreme poverty, supporting family expenditure, and bearing children's educational expenses drive women's participation in dry fish processing activities. Multiple regression analysis indicates that intra-family empowerment status, self-confidence, personal income, family land ownership, and family size can significantly explain women's participation in dry fish processing. It was also discovered that women worked long hours in dry fish processing and were underpaid compared to men workers. The major obstacles to participation were physical hazards, low salary payment, seasonality of work, and low social status of the job. This study recommends strategies to improve the status of women's participation in dry fish processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steady increase in energy demand for residential consumers requires an efficient energy management scheme. Utility organizations encourage household applicants to engage in residential energy management (REM) system. The utility’s primary goal is to reduce system peak load demand while consumer intends to reduce electricity bills. The benefits of REM can be enhanced with renewable energy sources (RESs), backup battery storage system (BBSS), and optimal power-sharing strategies. This paper aims to reduce energy usages and monetary cost for smart grid communities with an efficient home energy management scheme (HEMS). Normally, the residential consumer deals with numerous smart home appliances that have various operating time priorities depending on consumer preferences. In this paper, a cost-efficient power-sharing technique is developed which works based on priorities of appliances’ operating time. The home appliances are sorted on priority basis and the BBSS are charged and discharged based on the energy availability within the smart grid communities and real time energy pricing. The benefits of optimal power-sharing techniques with the RESs and BBSS are analyzed by taking three different scenarios which are simulated by C++ software package. Extensive case studies are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed energy management scheme. It is demonstrated that the proposed method can save energy and reduce electricity cost up to 35% and 45% compared to the existing methods.

The anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous extract of neem leaf (400 mg/kg body weight) was compared with that of dexamethasone (0.75 mg, intraperitoneally) by administering one hour before the formalin injection and once daily for 7 days in rats. The percentage of inhibition of paw edema in case of neem after 3 hours, 6 hours, on day 3, on day 7 after formalin injection were 28%, 40%, 45%, 58% respectively and that in case of dexamethasone after 3 hours, 6 hours, on day 3, on day 7 after formalin injection were 43%, 58%, 61%, 65% respectively. The reduction was statistically significant in each case (p

Effects of fenugreek (Trigonella foenugraecum Linn) on serum lipid profile in hypercholesteremic type 2 diabetic patients were studied. Administration of fenugreek seed powder of 25 gm orally twice daily for 3 weeks and 6 weeks produces significant (P

Objectives: This study probed the current status of e-health services use and associated factors that promote or hinder the people to get involved with e-health services. Methods: The quantitative data were collected using a structured interview schedule considering 381 randomly selected respondents covering rural and urban areas of Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, and Barishal district during February–April 2019. Only the adult (more than 18 years age) male, female, and transgender people living in the study area were included in the sample of the study. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze data. Results: Factors that significantly increased the likelihood of using e-health services included age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.02–1.08), males (OR = 3.75, 95% CI: 1.70–8.26), knowledge in e-health (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02–1.38), and skill in using cell phone (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.21). On the contrary, factor that negatively influenced the use of e-health services was residence in the rural area (OR = 0.209, 95% CI: 0.08–0.53). Although, this research is one of the few regional researches in e-health service use, the study has limited geographical coverage, failed to explore causality of factors, and did not address factors mediating the relationship of criterion and predictor variables. Conclusion: Regional e-health service providers in developing countries need to focus more on minimizing e-health service divide based on gender and place of residence. In addition, they should also emphasize digital literacy, particularly e-health knowledge and skill in device use. The findings of this study may provide an applied guideline to enhance the use of e-health services among regional communities in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research work, the well-known Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is used to find the approximate solutions of the nonlinear Liénard differential equation (LDE) using different types of boundary conditions. In order to find the accuracy of the approximate solution, one term, two terms and three terms HPM approximations are considered. This idea is actually based on the idea of Taylor's series polynomials. It is found that solution converges to the actual solution with the increase of the terms in the guess solution. Moreover, in each of the new HPM solution, previously obtained solutions are added to it in order to find the exactness of HPM solutions. However, the nature of the solution seems to be complicated. In addition, comparisons are made with the previously published results and a good agreement is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people in Bangladesh suffer from hunger, unpredictable and unstable livelihoods, precarious living conditions and social injustice. Yet they survive and become resilient. However, the resilience achieved by the poor is minimal and incremental in nature and does not result in their wellbeing. Based on three years of qualitative research, this article attempts to understand the nature of and pathways to 'resilience of the poor people'. The article argues that poor people's approach to 'resilience' is twofold. First, they perceive their poverty and associated problems as 'Allah's will', with not much to be done about it. At the same time, they engage in continuous innovative practices to survive. These two worldviews together ('fatalism' and 'self-help') make the poor 'resilient'. This also 'partially' explains the absence of strong activism, collective action and protests within a context of state failure (in terms of ensuring rights and entitlements to its citizens). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of ciprofloxacin (500 mg twice daily for 10 days) or clindamycin (150 mg 4 times daily for 10 days) on the fecal microbiota of healthy humans for a period of 1 year as compared to placebo. Two different methods, culture and microbiome analysis, were used. Fecal samples were collected for analyses at 6 time-points. The interval needed for the normal microbiota to be normalized after ciprofloxacin or clindamycin treatment differed for various bacterial species. It took 1-12 months to normalize the human microbiota after antibiotic administration, with the most pronounced effect on day 11. Exposure to ciprofloxacin or clindamycin had a strong effect on the diversity of the microbiome, and changes in microbial composition were observed until the 12th month, with the most pronounced microbial shift at month 1. No Clostridium difficile colonization or C. difficile infections were reported. Based on the pyrosequencing results, it appears that clindamycin has more impact than ciprofloxacin on the intestinal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical stacking of multiple optical banyan networks is a novel scheme for building banyan-based nonblocking optical switches. The resulting network, namely vertically stacked optical banyan (VSOB) network, preserves the properties of small depth and absolutely loss uniformity but loses the nice self-routing capability of banyan networks. To guarantee a high switching speed, routing in VSOB network needs special attentions so that paths can be established as fast as possible. The best known global routing algorithm for an N×N nonblocking VSOB network has the time complexity of O(NlogN), which will introduce an unacceptable long delay in path establishment for a large size optical switch. In this paper, we propose two fast routing algorithms for the VSOB network based on the idea of inputs grouping. The two algorithms, namely plane fixed routing (PFR) algorithm and partially random routing (PRR) algorithm, have the time complexities of O(logN) and O( ) respectively, and FR algorithm can actually turn a VSOB network into a self-routing one. Extensive simulation based on a network simulator indicates that for large VSOB networks our new algorithms can achieve a reasonably low blocking probability while guarantee a very high switching speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Several coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines have already been authorized and distributed in different countries all over the world, including Bangladesh. Understanding public acceptance of such a novel vaccine is vital, but little is known about the topic. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the determinants of intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and willingness to pay (WTP) among people in Bangladesh. Methods An anonymous and online-based survey of Bangladeshi people (mean age = 29.96 ± 9.15 years; age range = 18–60 years) was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire consisting of socio-demographics, COVID-19 experience, and vaccination-related information as well as the health belief model (HBM). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination intent and WTP. Results Of the 894 participants, 38.5% reported a definite intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, whereas 27% had a probable intention, and among this intent group, 42.8% wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Older age, feeling optimistic about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination, believing that vaccination decreases worries and risk of COVID-19 infection, and being less concerned about side effects and safety of COVID-19 vaccination under the HBM construct were found to be significant factors in COVID-19 vaccination intention. Most of the participants (72.9%) were willing to pay for a COVID-19 vaccine, with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) amount of BDT 400/US$ 4.72 (IQR; BDT 200–600/US$ 2.36–7.07) per dose. Factors associated with higher WTP were younger age, being male, having higher education, residing in an urban area, having good self-rated health status, positivity towards COVID-19 vaccination's effectiveness, and being worried about the likelihood of getting infected with COVID-19. Participants who were COVID-19 vaccination intent preferred an imported vaccine over a domestically-made vaccine (22.9% vs. 14.8%), while 28.2% preferred a routine immunization schedule. Conclusion The findings indicate a considerable proportion of Bangladeshi people intended to get vaccinated and had WTP for the COVID-19 vaccine. However, urgent education and awareness programs are warranted to alleviate public skepticism regarding the COVID-19 vaccination.

Research question: What is the perceived use of accounting information and current practices of accounting in micro enterprises? Motivation: Business decisions are more accurate and focused if they are made based on reliable information, for instance, accounting information. However, the use of accounting information in decision-making varies among the business entities, which is even poor in micro enterprises in developing countries. Idea: This study aims to examine perceived use of accounting information in decision-making and current practices of accounting in micro enterprises of Bangladesh. Data: The data include the characteristics of owner and business, perception on accounting systems, the use of accounting information (ACI) in decision-making and the current accounting practices collected from 148 respondents. Tools: The data are analyzed using standard descriptive statistical tools and multivariate regression. Findings: We find that the perception regarding the use of ACI in decision-making is low. Furthermore, the existing practices of accounting in surveyed entities are very low. The key practices, in terms of weighted mean, are cash reconciliation and practices of budgeting. Furthermore, the number of employees in the enterprises has a positive significant relationship with the perception regarding the use of ACI in decision-making. Besides, enterprises practicing accounting have higher performance. In addition, the size, and the nature of business have statistically significant positive effects on turnover. Contribution: This study may help stakeholders in understanding the role of accounting in business decision-making and its impacts on financial performance of the micro enterprises in developing countries.

ObjectiveTo study clinical outcome and risk factors associated with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) in community-onset bloodstream infections (CO-BSI).MethodsThis was a population-based cohort study including patients with pheno- and genotype-matched ESBL-producing E. coli and non-ESBL- E. coli in urine and blood samples collected in 2009-2018 in southeast Sweden. Seventy-seven episodes of ESBL-UPEC satisfying the inclusion criteria were matched 1:1 with 77 non-ESBL-UPEC for age, gender, and year of culture.ResultsThe most common ST-type and ESBL gene was ST131 (55%), and blaCTX-M-15 (47%), respectively. Risk factors for ESBL-UPEC were: previous genitourinary invasive procedure (RR 4.66; p = 0.005) or history of ESBL-producing E. coli (RR 12.14; p = 0.024). There was significant difference between ESBL-UPEC and non-ESBL-UPEC regarding time to microbiologically appropriate antibiotic therapy (27:15 h vs. 02:14 h; p = 0.999) or sepsis within 36 hours (51% vs. 62%; p = 0.623) was observed.ConclusionThe predominant risk factors for ESBL-UPEC were history of ESBL-Ec infection and history of genitourinary invasive procedure. The overall mortality was low and the delay in appropriate antibiotic therapy did not increase the risk for 30-day mortality or risk for sepsis within 36 hours among patients infected with ESBL UPEC. However, these results must be regarded with some degree of caution due to the small sample size.

Age-associated persistent ER stress is the result of declining chaperone systems of the ER that reduces cellular functions, induces apoptosis, and leads to age-related diseases. This study investigated the previously unknown regulatory mechanism of TMBIM6 during age-associated hepatic abnormalities. Wild-type (WT) and the TMBIM6 knockout (TMBIM6−/−) mice liver, human liver samples from different age groups were used to demonstrate the effect of physiological aging on liver. For TMBIM6 rescue experiments, TMBIM6−/− old mice and stable human hepatic cell lines expressing TMBIM 6 were used to study the functional role of TMBIM6 on aging-associated steatosis and its associated mechanisms. In aging humans and mice, we observed declined expression of TMBIM6 and aberrant UPR expression, which were associated with high hepatic lipid accumulation. During aging, TMBIM6-deficient mice had increased senescence than their WT counterparts. We identified redox-mediated posttranslational modifications of IRE1α such as S-nitrosylation and sulfonation were higher in TMBIM6-deficient aging mice and humans, which impaired the ER stress response signaling. Sulfonation of IRE1α enhanced regulated IRE1α-dependent decay (RIDD) activity inducing TMBIM6 decay, whereas S-nitrosylation of IRE1α inhibited XBP1 splicing enhancing the cell death. Moreover, the degradation of miR-338-3p by strong IRE1α cleavage activity enhanced the expression of PTP1B, resulting in diminishing phosphorylation of PERK. The re-expression of TMBIM6 reduced IRE1α modifications, preserved ER homeostasis, reduced senescence and senescence-associated lipid accumulation in human hepatic cells and TMBIM6-depleted mice. S-nitrosylation or sulfonation of IRE1α and its controller, the TMBIM6, might be the potential therapeutic targets for maintaining ER homeostasis in aging and aging-associated liver diseases.

There have been numerous studies about the health implication of COVID-19 on patients, but little attention has been paid to the impacts of the pandemic on physicians. Our paper attends to this gap by exploring the mental health of physicians in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly important since the mental health of physicians impacts not only on themselves, but also their professional performance and hence the care of patients. This study examined physicians' mental health outcomes by evaluating the prevalence and associated potential risk factors of anxiety and depression. Using a web-based cross-sectional survey, we collected data from 114 physicians. Seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale and Nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to measure the anxiety and depression, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the potential risk factors related to anxiety and depression. The prevalence of anxiety and depression were 32.5 and 34.2%, respectively. Findings revealed that marital status, work per day and current job location were the main risk factors for anxiety while sex, age, and marital status were the main risk factors for depression. Our results highlight the need to implement policies and strategies for positively impacting the mental health of physicians during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.