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PITS (Perpetration-induced Trauma Stress) or perpetrator trauma is a form of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a subject of debate in trauma discourse, where it is regarded as an unwelcome ghost that carries a heavy load of moral and ethical ambiguity. The issue arises from the question of how one can experience traumatic stress when one wilfully commits immoral or unlawful acts. In this sense, it must be remembered that perpetrators are not always willful murderers, especially in the case of a war when young men are drafted against their will. The Japanese invasion of China is one such example where a large number of Japanese undergrad students were unwilling draftees, conscripted to advance the state’s militaristic ideology. In his fiction, Haruki Murakami tackles this particular issue by introducing characters like the innocent Japanese youths who were forced to join the war and commit mass atrocities. Because they were not seduced by imperial ideology and its violent ethos, they were unwilling perpetrators of horrific crimes that would come to haunt them upon their return home, causing deep psychological traumas. Their condition was aggravated all the more when their society did not acknowledge their trauma and considered it a weakness. What’s more, those who revealed their psychological condition were regarded as traitors to the nation, thus becoming victims in their own right. This paper analyses the perpetrators’ victim/victimiser duality that brings about the PITS condition. For this purpose, the paper shall analyse the fiction of Haruki Murakami, with special reference to two of his novels: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (1994) and Killing Commendatore (2017).

Abstract Background Both dengue and Leptospira infections are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions, with their prevalence increasing in recent decades. Coinfection with these pathogens presents significant diagnostic challenges for clinicians due to overlapping clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. This case report aims to elucidate two clinical scenarios where the coinfection of dengue and leptospirosis complicates the disease course, creating a diagnostic conundrum. Case presentation We present the clinical scenarios of two Bangladeshi males, aged 25 and 35 years, who were admitted to our hospital with acute febrile illness. The first patient exhibited hepatic and renal involvement, while the second presented with symptoms initially suggestive of meningoencephalitis. Both cases were initially managed under the presumption of dengue infection based on positive serology. However, further evaluation revealed coinfection with Leptospira, complicating the disease course. Both patients received appropriate treatment for dengue and antibacterial therapy for leptospirosis, ultimately resulting in their recovery. Conclusion These case scenarios underscore the critical importance for clinicians in regions where dengue and Leptospira are endemic to consider both diseases when evaluating patients presenting with acute febrile illness.

In his discussion on everydayness, Ben Highmore cited an example from the life of Sherlock Holmes, who is repulsed by the idea of everyday life but at the same time, the everyday becomes an intellectual space for him, and he seeks the truth within the everyday. Like Sherlock Holmes, everydayness that is contrasted with macro events of a time has become an intellectual space in literary theory and a voice of subversion in literature. This intellectual space, where the mundane becomes profound, is a fascinating area of study. Written against the macro events of his time in Japan, such as the economic bubble and the students’ protests, Haruki Murakami’s fiction tells stories of subversion through the everydayness of his characters who resist the coercion of capitalism into their ordinary sphere. Their subversion is shown through simple acts such as walking away from watching the news, refusing to go to a job or refusing money offered by capitalistic forces. In this paper, I have attempted to study how bourgeois capitalism coerces into the everyday and how the characters of Haruki Murakami’s The Rat Series resist this coercion. This paper will take into account the observations of various theorists on everydayness with special reference to the works of Lefebvre.

Seed viability is essential to have a homogeneous plant population. The seed industry cannot adopt traditional procedures for seed viability evaluation since they are destructive, time-consuming, and need chemicals. This study aimed to investigate the potential of combining hyperspectral and color image features to differentiate viable and non-viable paddy seeds. The hyperspectral and color image of the 355 paddy seeds was captured and later used to examine their viability. An image processing algorithm was developed to extract features from color images of paddy seeds and investigated significant differences in the retrieved feature data using variance analysis. The spectra were extracted from the selected region of interest (ROI) of the hyperspectral paddy seed image and averaged. In the next step, the partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) model was developed to distinguish viable and non-viable paddy seeds. Initially, the PLS-DA model was developed using spectral data with different preprocessing techniques, and the result obtained an accuracy of 88.9 % in the calibration set and 86.1 % in the prediction set using Savitzky-Golay 2nd derivative preprocessed spectra. With the fusion of spectral and significant color image features, the model's accuracy improved to 93.3 % and 90.9 % in the calibration and prediction sets, respectively. Results also showed that the fusion of selected color image features with Savitzky-Golay 2nd derivative preprocessed spectra could achieve higher F1-score, recall, and precision values. The visualization map for the viable and non-viable paddy seeds was also developed utilizing the most effective predictive model. The results demonstrate the possibility of using the fusion of the hyperspectral and color image features to sort seeds according to viability, which may be applied in developing an online seed sorting method.

# Background Under-5 deaths in urban slum communities are often unnoticed in many cases. However, previous surveys reported a high burden of mortality. Therefore, we presented the distribution of the causes of death of under-5 children in selected urban slum areas in Bangladesh. # Methods Since October 2020, the Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Urban HDSS) has been collecting verbal autopsy information for neonates, children, and adults to report the causes of death. We used the data collected by the trained Field Workers- from all households (30,857) in the ongoing HDSS area, comprising 118,238 people. The causes of deaths were identified by using the WHO-standardized verbal autopsy (VA) questionnaire that was reviewed and coded by a trained physician. Later, the cause-specific fractions of the deaths were evaluated by the child’s age, sex, the mother’s education, occupation, household wealth quintile, slum locations, mode and place of delivery, and antenatal and postnatal care. # Results A total of 155 deaths of children under-5 years were interviewed during October 2020–2021. Most of them were neonates (67.7%), boys (67.7%), belonged to poor households (43.9%), born at home (51%) and had vaginal delivered (77%). Most of the mothers of the deceased children took antenatal care services (80%), and a comparatively lower proportion received postnatal care (39.3% and 47.1% of mothers and children, respectively). In this slum area, birth asphyxia (25.2%) was the major leading cause of under-5 deaths occurred in the neonatal period (37.1%), followed by other infections (14.2%) and pneumonia (16.1%). Other important causes of death were cerebral ischemia (7.7%), prematurity and low birth weights (6.5%), congenital anomalies (5.2%), and other external causes (18.1%), contributed to the under-5 child deaths. The cause of mortality fraction varied by different socioeconomic and delivery-related attributes such as place, mode of delivery, and utilization of ANC and PNC visits. # Conclusions Major causes of under-5 death are birth asphyxia, pneumonia, and infectious diseases. Adequate attention and additional safety measures, education and awareness about child’s health among mothers, and proper delivery care for pregnant slum women and children could prevent under-5 deaths in the slum area.

Abstract Background This study examined the neonatal mortality for newborn of women who delivered by caesarean section or vaginally using a prospective cohort. Methods A total of 6,989 live births registered from 2016 to 2018, were followed for neonatal survival from the selected slums of Dhaka (North and South) and Gazipur city corporations, where icddr,b maintained the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). Neonatal mortality was compared by maternal and newborn characteristics and mode of delivery using z-test. Logistic regression model performed for neonatal mortality by mode of delivery controlling selected covariates and reported adjusted odd ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Out of 6,989 live births registered, 27.7% were caesarean and the rest were vaginal delivery; of these births, 265 neonatal deaths occurred during the follow-up. The neonatal mortality rate was 2.7 times higher (46 vs. 17 per 1,000 births) for vaginal than caesarean delivered. Until 3rd day of life, the mortality rate was very high for both vaginal and caesarean delivered newborn; however, the rate was 24.8 for vaginal and 6.3 per 1,000 live births for caesarean delivered on the 1st day of life. After adjusting the covariates, the odds of neonatal mortality were higher for vaginal than caesarean delivered (aOR: 2.63; 95% CI: 1.82, 3.85). Additionally, the odds were higher for adolescent than elderly adult mother (aOR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.48), for multiple than singleton birth (aOR: 5.40; 95% CI: 2.82, 10.33), for very/moderate (aOR: 5.13; 95% CI: 3.68, 7.15), and late preterm birth (aOR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.08) than term birth; while the odds were lower for girl than boy (aOR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.96), and for 5th wealth quintile than 1st quintile (aOR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.91). Conclusion Our study found that caesarean delivered babies had significantly lower neonatal mortality than vaginal delivered. Therefore, a comprehensive delivery and postnatal care for vaginal births needed a special attention for the slum mothers to ensure the reduction of neonatal mortality.

Abstract Ethnicity has a significant role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiome, which has implications in human physiology. This study intends to investigate the gut microbiome of Bengali people as well as several indigenous ethnicities (Chakma, Marma, Khyang, and Tripura) residing in the Chittagong Hill Tracts areas of Bangladesh. Following fecal sample collection from each population, part of the bacterial 16 s rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq platform. Our findings indicated that Bangladeshi gut microbiota have a distinct diversity profile when compared to other countries. We also found out that Bangladeshi indigenous communities had a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio than the Bengali population. The investigation revealed an unclassified bacterium that was differentially abundant in Bengali samples while the genus Alistipes was found to be prevalent in Chakma samples. Further research on these bacteria might help understand diseases associated with these populations. Also, the current small sample-sized pilot study hindered the comprehensive understanding of the gut microbial diversity of the Bangladeshi population and its potential health implications. However, our study will help establish a basic understanding of the gut microbiome of the Bangladeshi population.

Background Anaemia is commonly caused by iron deficiency and screened by haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in blood. There is a scarcity of longitudinal data on the relationship between maternal Hb levels during pregnancy and neurodevelopment in children. Objective To measure the relationship of maternal Hb concentrations during pregnancy on early child development. Methods This prospective cohort study included 1,720 mother-child dyads in rural Bangladesh. Maternal Hb concentrations were measured at 14 and 30 weeks of gestation. The child’s Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) at 18 months of age were measured using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-II). Data on socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometrics, mothers’ IQ and children’s home stimulation were also collected. Bivariate and multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses were used to explore associations of maternal Hb with child development. Results Mean Hb concentrations at 14 and 30 weeks of gestation were 116.6 g/L (±12.7) and 114.7 g/L (±12.7), respectively. Mean MDI and PDI scores among 18-month-old children were 78.9 (±12.4) and 93.8 (±13.7), respectively. Maternal 14-week Hb concentration was correlated with PDI (r = 0.06; p

In recent years, consumers have shown interest in non-destructive methods to assess the fruit's internal quality during ripening. The objective of this study is to construct an E-nose system using low-cost MQ sensors and evaluate fruit quality, specifically soluble sugar content (SSC) and hardness of mango during ripening. The correlation test was performed to compare sensor readings with SSC and hardness, and multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to establish linear equations for mango quality indices based on sensor variation. Over the storage period, the hardness of mango was decreased from the value of 15.4 kgf/cm² to 12.25 kgf/cm². Similarly, the SSC for mangoes increased from 19.7 %Brix to a final value of 24.66 %Brix. The sensor values also showed positive correlation with SSC and negative correlation with hardness of mango, respectively. Using the MLR analysis, the hardness and SSC of mango during the ripening stage, the correlation coefficient (r) of 0.847, standard error of 1.49 kgf/cm2 and 0.815, standard error of 1.696 %Brix for hardness and SSC prediction, respectively. These results indicate that MQ-based E-nose is the rapid and non-destructive method for predicting mango qualities during ripening stage.

Background Chewing betel quid (BQ) – a preparation commonly containing areca nut and slaked lime wrapped in betel leaf – is entrenched in South Asia. Although BQ consumption during pregnancy has been linked to adverse birth outcomes, its effect on postnatal growth remains largely unexplored. Objective We examined the associations of BQ use during pregnancy with children’s height-for-age and body mass index-for-age z-scores (HAZ and BAZ, respectively) and fat and fat-free mass along with sex-based differences in association in rural Bangladesh. Methods With a prospective cohort design, we assessed BQ use among mothers enrolled in the Preterm and Stillbirth Study, Matlab (n = 3140) with a structured questionnaire around early third trimester. Children born to a subset of 614 women (including 134 daily users) were invited to follow-up between October 2021 and January 2022. HAZ and BAZ were calculated from anthropometric assessment, and fat and fat-free mass were estimated using bioelectric impedance. Overall and sex-specific multiple linear regression models were fitted. Results Growth data were available for 501 children (mean age 4.9 years): 43.3% of them were born to non-users, 35.3% to those using prior to or less-than-daily during the survey, and 21.3% to daily users. No statistically significant associations were observed after adjusting for sex, parity, maternal height and education, and household wealth. Conclusions There was no effect of BQ use during pregnancy on postnatal growth in this study. Longitudinal studies following up those born to heavy users beyond childhood are warranted for capturing long-term implications of prenatal BQ exposure.

Background: In experimental studies, several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have shown endocrine disrupting properties, but very few epidemiological studies have examined their impact on pubertal development and results have been heterogenous. Objective: To explore if maternal PAH exposure during pregnancy was associated with the offspring’s timing of pubertal onset. Methods: We studied 582 mother-daughter dyads originating from a population-based cohort in a rural setting in Bangladesh. Maternal urinary samples, collected in early pregnancy (on average, gestational week 8), were analyzed for monohydroxylated metabolites of phenanthrene (1-OH-Phe, Σ2-,3-OH-Phe, and 4-OH-Phe), fluorene (Σ2-,3-OH-Flu), and pyrene (1-OH-Pyr) using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The girls were interviewed on two separate occasions concerning date of menarche, as well as breast and pubic hair development according to Tanner. Associations were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression or ordered logistic regression. Results: In early pregnancy, the mothers’ median urinary concentrations of Σ1-,2-,3-,4-OH-Phe, Σ2-,3-OH-Flu, and 1-OH-Pyr were 3.25 ng/mL, 2.0 ng/mL, and 2.3 ng/mL respectively. At the second follow-up, 78 % of the girls had reached menarche, and the median age of menarche was 12.7 ± 0.81 years. Girls whose mothers belonged to the second and third quintiles of ΣOH-Phe metabolites had a higher rate of menarche, indicating a younger menarcheal age (HR 1.39; 95 % CI 1.04, 1.86, and HR 1.41; 95 % CI 1.05, 1.88, respectively), than girls of mothers in the lowest quintile. This trend was not observed in relation to either breast or pubic hair development. None of the other maternal urinary PAH metabolites or the sum of all thereof in early pregnancy were associated with age at menarche or pubertal stage. Conclusions: Indications of non-monotonic associations of prenatal phenanthrene exposure with the daughters’ age of menarche were found, warranting further investigation.

Summary: Background: Although sustainable development goals mandate for quality early childhood development (ECD) interventions for children

The research aims to find out the reusability of jute stick charcoal (JSC) to remove Remazol Red (RR) from textile effluents. The JSC was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to analyze the morphology, functional groups, and chemical composition, respectively. The batch adsorption method was applied in this study, and it disclosed that dye uptake depends on various factors, namely, pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and dye concentration. Notably, 93.12% of the dye was removed with the best removal efficiency at a pH of 1, an adsorbent dose of 0.6 g, and an equilibrium time of 120 min, where the adsorption occurred rapidly in the first 20 min. The Langmuir isotherm model successfully defined the adsorption phenomena, yielding an R2 value of 0.995. The kinetic experimental data followed the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.999). The optimum adsorption parameters were implemented for the effluent obtained from a dye bath where a fabric sample (5 g) was dyed with RR, and 62.4% dye was removed. For the scaled application of JSC to a wastewater stream, the raw textile effluent was also treated, which resulted in 52.6% of dye removal. These results show that JSC is a promising adsorbent for treating textile wastewater. HIGHLIGHTS Adsorption of RR dye on JSC and characterization of JSC were studied.; The adsorption process is highly pH-specific (pH = 1).; Nearly 93.12% of the dye removal was observed at optimized conditions.; The experimental findings fit well with pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models.; The optimum conditions have been implemented on both the dyed sample fabric bath (62.4% removal) and actual raw textile effluent (52.6%).;

Abstract Introduction Longitudinal client tracking systems with digital health interventions are recommended for implementation in resource-limited settings but lack evidence of benefits, harms, and implementation. In the eRegMat cluster-randomized controlled trial, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of an eRegistry versus an unshared digital client record. Methods Fifty-nine primary health care facilities in Matlab, Bangladesh were randomized with a 1:1 allocation ratio to receive an eRegistry (intervention, 30 health facilities) with decision support, feedback dashboards and targeted client communication, or an unshared digital client record without digital health interventions (control, 29 health facilities). We assessed timely antenatal care attendance, quality of care, and health outcomes. Outcome data were captured in the eRegistry, or unshared digital client record used by health workers, and through a postpartum household survey. We estimated adjusted relative risks (ARRs) following the intention-to-treat principle and adjusted for cluster randomization. Results From October 2018 to June 2020, 3023 pregnant women were enrolled in the intervention and 2746 in the control groups through community and facility registrations. Intervention and control groups did not differ for the primary outcomes: timely attendance at eligible antenatal care visits (42.5% vs. 40.3%, ARR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89–1.05, p-value 0.4) and hypertension screening and management (95.1% vs. 94.7%, ARR 1.00, 95% CI 0.96–1.03, p-value 0.8). The secondary outcome of perinatal mortality and severe perinatal morbidities was lower in the intervention (14.6%) compared to the control group (15%) (ARR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.96, p-value 0.02), with the change mostly attributed to morbidity outcomes. Conclusion Due to technical and implementation challenges we were unable to estimate the effect of the intervention with sufficient precision. Challenges included delays in rollout of the digital health interventions and outcome data collection, existence of parallel documentation systems on paper and digital and the COVID-19 pandemic. Given these methodological constraints, we are unable to draw definitive interpretations of trial results. Trial registration ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN69491836; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN69491836 . Date of registration 06.12.2018.

Background Cranial neuropathies (CN) are a rare neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) manifestation. Previous studies reported that antibodies to the kinesin family member 20B (KIF20B) (anti-KIF20B) protein were associated with idiopathic ataxia and CN. We assessed anti-KIF20B as a potential biomarker for NPSLE in an international SLE inception cohort.Methods Individuals fulfilling the revised 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) SLE classification criteria were enrolled from 31 centres from 1999 to 2011 and followed annually in the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort. Anti-KIF20B testing was performed on baseline (within 15 months of diagnosis or first annual visit) samples using an addressable laser bead immunoassay. Logistic regression (penalised maximum likelihood and adjusting for confounding variables) examined the association between anti-KIF20B and NPSLE manifestations (1999 ACR case definitions), including CN, occurring over the first 5 years of follow-up.Results Of the 1827 enrolled cohort members, baseline serum and 5 years of follow-up data were available on 795 patients who were included in this study: 29.8% were anti-KIF20B-positive, 88.7% female, and 52.1% White. The frequency of anti-KIF20B positivity differed only for those with CN (n=10) versus without CN (n=785) (70.0% vs 29.3%; OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.4, 18.5). Compared with patients without CN, patients with CN were more likely to fulfil the ACR haematological (90.0% vs 66.1%; difference 23.9%, 95% CI 5.0%, 42.8%) and ANA (100% vs 95.7%; difference 4.3%, 95% CI 2.9%, 5.8%) criteria. In the multivariate analysis adjusting for age at baseline, female, White race and ethnicity, and ACR haematological and ANA criteria, anti-KIF20B positivity remained associated with CN (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.4, 19.1).Conclusion Anti-KIF20B is a potential biomarker for SLE-related CN. Further studies are needed to examine how autoantibodies against KIF20B, which is variably expressed in a variety of neurological cells, contribute to disease pathogenesis.

This study aims to develop an automated image acquisition system for paddy leaves images and an image processing algorithm to estimate the severity level of the disease. The images were acquired using the developed system and processed using MATLAB software. By quantifying the total and infected leaf area based on pixel counting, the algorithm calculated the percentage of the infected leaf area using a ratio-based method. Through the image processing method, the study achieved a range of 15.53% to 41.23% of the total percentage of infected leaf area. In comparison, the leaf area meter method yielded a lower range of 23.49% to 28.98% of the total infected area. This indicates that the image-processing approach can capture a wider extent of infection. However, a deviation was observed between the two methods, ranging from -9.39% to 17.74% in the image processing results. Ensuring proper lighting conditions and installing an automatic camera movement system would significantly enhance the accuracy of disease severity measurements.

Climate vulnerable country like Bangladesh is struggling to produce high value crops and to ensure food security. High value crops can ensure food se- curity by reducing poverty and helping farmers to use updated technologies. Greenhouse technology could be potential solution for providing high-value crops year-round. Recently, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corpora- tion (BADC) installed a greenhouse with modern technologies and facilities to cultivate off-season vegetables and high-value crops at Godhkhali in Jashore for the farmers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the design construction, technical and financial performances of the BADC in- stalled greenhouse for ensuring high-value crops year-round. The relevant data for this study were collected through field visit, experiment, secondary sources, and direct interviews of BADC personnel and greenhouse farmers. The results showed that the solar intensity varied from 40 W m−2 to 150 W m−2 inside the greenhouse from 9.00 AM to 4.00 PM with shed net condition. The maximum temperature was 36 ̊C and minimum was found 26 °C inside greenhouse and the average temperature ranged between 29 °C to 34 °C.The Relative Humidity (RH) was found 75% (maximum) and 46% (minimum). The air velocity was found of 1.3 m s−1 (maximum) and 0 m s−1 (minimum) inside the greenhouse. Comparing crops' optimum and greenhouse condi- tion, the study has found that the greenhouse has achieved the optimum parameters (solar intensity, temperature, RH) for capsicum and tomato culti- vation in November. The payback period for summer tomato and capsicum was found 1.94 years for the rotation cultivation. The benefit-cost ratio was found of 1.83 which indicates the greenhouse is profitable for farmers. The smart greenhouse can be developed by adding a fan, pad cooling system, and sensor-based system which will help to cultivate lettuce leaf, peas, beans, eggplant, cucumber, strawberry and other high-value crops. [Fundam Appl Agric 2023; 8(3.000): 602-614]

This study incorporates a high-fidelity transient analysis solver based on multigroup CMFD in the MOC code STREAM. Transport modeling with heterogeneous geometries of the reactor core increases computational cost in terms of memory and time, whereas the multigroup CMFD reduces the computational cost. The reactor condition does not change at every time step, which is a vital point for the utilization of CMFD. CMFD correction factors are updated from the transport solution whenever the reactor core condition changes, and the simulation continues until the end. The transport solution is adjusted once CMFD achieves the solution. The flux-weighted method is used for rod decusping to update the partially inserted control rod cell material, which maintains the solution's stability. A smaller time-step size is needed to obtain an accurate solution, which increases the computational cost. The adaptive step-size control algorithm is robust for controlling the time step size. This algorithm is based on local errors and has the potential capability to accept or reject the solution. Several numerical problems are selected to analyze the performance and numerical accuracy of parallel computing, rod decusping, and adaptive time step control. Lastly, a typical pressurized LWR was chosen to study the rod-ejection accident.

Breast cancer presents a substantial health obstacle since it is the most widespread invasive cancer and the second most common cause of death in women. Prompt identification is essential for effective intervention, rendering breast cancer screening a critical component of healthcare. Although mammography is frequently employed for screening purposes, the manual diagnosis performed by pathologists can be laborious and susceptible to mistakes. Regrettably, the majority of research prioritizes mass classification over mass localization, resulting in an uneven distribution of attention. In response to this problem, we suggest a groundbreaking approach that seeks to identify and pinpoint cancers in breast mammography pictures. This will allow medical experts to identify tumors more quickly and with greater precision. This paper presents a complex deep convolutional neural network design that incorporates advanced deep learning techniques such as U-Net and YOLO. The objective is to enable automatic detection and localization of breast lesions in mammography pictures. To assess the effectiveness of our model, we carried out a thorough review that included a range of performance criteria. We specifically evaluated the accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, ROC curve, and R-squared error using the publicly available MIAS dataset. Our model performed exceptionally well, with an accuracy rate of 93.0% and an AUC (area under the curve) of 98.6% for the detection job. Moreover, for the localization task, our model achieved a remarkably high R-squared value of 97%. These findings highlight that deep learning can boost the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosing breast cancer. The automation of breast lesion detection and classification offered by our proposed method bears substantial benefits. By alleviating the workload burden on pathologists, it facilitates expedited and accurate breast cancer screening processes. As a result, the proposed approach holds promise for improving healthcare outcomes and bolstering the overall effectiveness of breast cancer detection and diagnosis.

The transmission of respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, is often facilitated through household contact. To better understand the transmission rate of COVID-19 among households and factors that affect viral clearance and seroconversion, a case-ascertained community-based prospective study was conducted between December 2020 and June 2021 on the urban population of the national capital region of India. The study collected nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on the 1st, 7th, 14th, and 28th day, and blood samples for antibody detection on the 1st, 14th, and 28th day from household contacts (HCs) of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases. The study monitored the demographic data, symptoms, and outcomes of 417 participants, including 99 index cases and 318 contacts, for a period of 28 days. The results of the study showed that SARS-CoV-2 was easily spread within households, with a secondary infection rate of 44.3 %. In fact, almost 70 % of the contacts got infected within 1–2 days of identification of the index case, while 34 % remained asymptomatic. Sero-conversion was found in 35.6 % of the participants while 22.9 % did not produce antibodies after 28 days of infection. The study also revealed that females, spouses, older members, and primary care providers were at higher risk of getting infected in a home setting. However, approximately one-third of individuals in the younger age group managed to avoid infection. The study demonstrated that most infected individuals became RT-PCR negative within two weeks, although viral clearance was delayed in older patients and those with lower cycle threshold values in RT-PCR.

BackgroundAlthough under-five mortality has declined appreciably in Bangladesh over the last few decades, neonatal mortality still remains high. The objective of the study is to assess the level and determinants of preterm birth and the contribution of preterm birth to neonatal mortality.MethodsData for this study came from selected slums in and around Dhaka city, where; since 2015, icddr,b has been maintaining the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). The HDSS data were collected by female Field Workers by visiting each household every three months; however, during the visit, data on the Last Menstrual Period (LMP) were also collected by asking each eligible woman to ascertain the date of conception. Gestational age was estimated in complete weeks by subtracting LMP from the date of the pregnancy outcome. In this study, 6,989 livebirths were recorded by HDSS during 2016-2018, and these births were followed for neonatal survival; both bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.ResultsOut of total births, 21.7% were born preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation), and sub-categories were: 2.19% for very preterm (28 to 31 weeks), 3.81% for moderate preterm (32 to 33 weeks), and 15.71% for late preterm (34 to 36 weeks). The study revealed that preterm babies contributed to 39.6% of neonatal deaths; however, the probability of death was very high on the 1st day of birth (0.124 for very preterm, 0.048 for moderate preterm, 0.024 for late preterm, and 0.013 for term birth), and continued until the 3rd day. In the regression analysis, compared to the term neonates, the odds of neonatal mortality were 8.66 (CI: 5.63, 13.32, pConclusionsAlthough urban slums are in proximity to many health facilities, a substantial proportion of preterm births contribute to neonatal deaths. So, pregnant women should be targeted, to ensure timely care during pregnancy, delivery, and post-partum periods to improve the survival of new-borns in general and preterm birth in particular.

Rural Access Index (RAI) is one of the most widely used policy metrics for evaluating rural accessibility. But the indicator focuses only on the mobility aspect of accessibility, omitting consideration of facility proximation. This article proposes a modified version of the RAI that incorporates two critical facilities: healthcare and education. Additionally, it examines whether the new RAI would result in a better representation of accessibility for Bangladesh. For this study, 40 upazilas (sub-regions) having above 80% rural population and reflecting diverse geographical regions were chosen as study areas. All data were collected from secondary sources. Buffer analysis and multiple regression models were developed for the two RAIs separately. Findings reveal the mean RAI to be 47.24, which was 76.83 for the World Bank (WB) method. About 29.6% people per upazila are located near quality roads but do not have basic facilities nearby. Based on regression models and further analysis, the proposed RAI is more credible for evaluating accessibility, whereas all parts of the existing RAI do not guarantee service availability. Irrespective of opportunities available, the average WB RAI remains around 75.53, which may not entirely reflect accessibility accurately. The study suggests rethinking RAI implementations and underlining the importance of measuring access holistically for effective resource allocation.

Introduction A history of preterm birth reportedly increases the risk of subsequent preterm birth. This association has primarily been studied in high-income countries and not in low-income settings in transition with rapidly descending preterm birth figures. We evaluated the population-based trends of preterm births and recurrent preterm births and the risk of preterm birth recurrence in the second pregnancy based on prospectively studied pregnancy cohorts over three decades in Matlab, Bangladesh.Methods A population-based cohort included 72 160 live births from 1990 to 2019. We calculated preterm birth and recurrent preterm birth trends. We assessed the odds of preterm birth recurrence based on a subsample of 14 567 women with live-born singletons in their first and second pregnancies. We used logistic regression and presented the associations by OR with a 95% CI.Results The proportion of preterm births decreased from 25% in 1990 to 13% in 2019. The recurrent preterm births had a similar, falling pattern from 7.4% to 3.1% across the same period, contributing 27% of the total number of preterm births in the population. The odds of second pregnancy preterm birth were doubled (OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.96 to 2.43) in women with preterm birth compared with the women with term birth in their first pregnancies, remaining similar over the study period. The lower the gestational age at the first birth, the higher the odds of preterm birth in the subsequent pregnancy (test for trend p

Summary: Archaeological remains can preserve some proteins into deep time, offering remarkable opportunities for probing past events in human history. Recovering functional proteins from skeletal tissues could uncover a molecular memory related to the life-history of the associated remains. We demonstrate affinity purification of whole antibody molecules from medieval human teeth, dating to the 13th–15th centuries, from skeletons with different putative pathologies. Purified antibodies are intact retaining disulphide-linkages, are amenable to primary sequences analysis, and demonstrate apparent immunoreactivity against contemporary EBV antigen on western blot. Our observations highlight the potential of ancient antibodies to provide insights into the long-term association between host immune factors and ancient microbes, and more broadly retain a molecular memory related to the natural history of human health and immunity.

Abstract Background Several methodological tests are available to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibody. Tests are mostly used in the aid of diagnosis or for serological assessment. No tests are fully confirmatory and have variable level of diagnostic ability. We aimed at assessing agreement with three serological tests: quantitative anti receptor binding domain ELISA (Q-RBD), qualitative ELISA (WANTAI SARS-CoV-2 Ab) and qualitative chemiluminescence assay (CLIA). Methods This study was a part of a large population based sero-epidemiological cohort study. Participants aged 1 year or older were included from 25 randomly selected clusters each in Delhi urban (urban resettlement colony of South Delhi district) and Delhi rural (villages in Faridabad district, Haryana). Three type of tests were applied to all the baseline blood samples. Result of the three tests were evaluated by estimating the total agreement and kappa value. Results Total 3491 blood samples collected from March to September, 2021, out of which 1700 (48.7%) from urban and 1791 (51.3%) from rural. Overall 44.1% of participants were male. The proportion of sero-positivity were 78.1%, 75.2% and 31.8% by Wantai, QRBD and CLIA tests respectively. The total agreement between Wantai and QRBD was 94.5%, 53.1% between Wantai and CLIA, and 56.8% between QRBD and CLIA. The kappa value between these three tests were 0.84 (95% CI 0.80–0.87), 0.22 (95% CI 0.19–0.24) and 0.26 (95% CI 0.23–0.28). Conclusions There was strong concordance between Wantai and QRBD test. Agreement between CLIA with other two tests was low. Wantai and QRBD tests measuring the antibody to same S protein can be used with high agreement based on the relevant scenario.

Background and aim: This study evaluated the anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of Canarium resiniferum (MECR) leaves, and determined the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in this extract. Experimental procedure: The anxiolytic effect of MECR (100, 200, 400 mg/kg, p. o.) was tested in mice using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test, the hole-board test (HBT), and the light-dark box (LDB) test. Its antidepressant effect was evaluated in the tail suspension (TST) and the forced swim (FST) tests. The total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) content was measured using standard colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Results and conclusion: MECR, at all doses, showed dose-dependent anxiolytic activity. At 400 mg/kg, it significantly increased the time spent and number of entries in the open arms (EPM test), the number of head-dips (HBT), and the time spent into the light compartment (LDB) test compared to the control. In the TST and FST, MECR dose-dependently reduced the duration of immobility compared to untreated animals. This was significant for all doses except for 100 mg/kg in the FST model. MECR showed high TPC and TFC (90.94 ± 0.75 mg GAE/g and 51.54 ± 0.78 mg QE/g of dried extract, respectively) and displayed potent activity in the DPPH radical scavenging (IC50 = 177.82 μg/mL) and FRAP assays. These findings indicate that C. resiniferum has the potential to alleviate anxiety and depression disorders, which merits further exploration.

In this study, we incorporate an anisotropic scattering scheme involving spherical harmonics into the method of characteristics (MOC). The neutron transport solution in a light water reactor can be significantly improved because of the impact of an anisotropic scattering source with the MOC flat source approximation. Several problems are selected to verify the proposed scheme and investigate its effects and accuracy. The MOC anisotropic scattering source is based on the expansion of spherical harmonics with Legendre polynomial functions. The angular flux, scattering source, and cross section are expanded in terms of the surface spherical harmonics. Later, the polynomial is expanded to achieve the odd and even parity of the source components. Ultimately, the MOC angular and scalar fluxes are calculated from a combination of two sources. This paper presents various numerical examples that represent the hot and cold conditions of a reactor core with boron concentration, burnable absorbers, and control rod materials, with and without a reflector or baffle. Moreover, a small critical core problem is considered which involves significant neutron leakage at room temperature. We demonstrate that an anisotropic scattering source significantly improves solution accuracy for the small core high-leakage problem, as well as for practical large core analyses.

BACKGROUND: Blood proteins are frequently measured in serum or plasma, because they provide a wealth of information. Differences in the ex vivo processing of serum and plasma raise concerns that proteomic health and disease signatures derived from serum or plasma differ in content and quality. However, little is known about their respective power to predict feto-maternal health outcomes. Predictive power is a sentinel characteristic to determine the clinical use of biosignatures. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the power of serum and plasma proteomic signatures to predict a physiological pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Paired serum and plasma samples from 73 women were obtained from biorepositories of a multinational prospective cohort study on pregnancy outcomes. Gestational age at the time of sampling was the predicted outcome, because the proteomic signatures have been validated for such a prediction. Multivariate and cross-validated models were independently derived for serum and plasma proteins. RESULTS: A total of 1116 proteins were measured in 88 paired samples from 73 women with a highly multiplexed platform using proximity extension technology (Olink Proteomics Inc, Watertown, MA). The plasma proteomic signature showed a higher predictive power (R=0.64; confidence interval, 0.42–0.79; P=3.5×10-6) than the serum signature (R=0.45; confidence interval, 0.18–0.66; P=2.2×10-3). The serum signature was validated in plasma with a similar predictive power (R=0.58; confidence interval, 0.34–0.75; P=4.8×10-5), whereas the plasma signature was validated in serum with reduced predictive power (R=0.53; confidence interval, 0.27–0.72; P=2.6×10-4). Signature proteins largely overlapped in the serum and plasma, but the strength of association with gestational age was weaker for serum proteins. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that serum proteomics are less informative than plasma proteomics. They are compatible with the view that the partial ex-vivo degradation and modification of serum proteins during sample processing are an underlying reason. The rationale for collecting and analyzing serum and plasma samples should be carefully considered when deriving proteomic biosignatures to ascertain that specimens of the highest scientific and clinical yield are processed. Findings suggest that plasma is the preferred matrix.

BackgroundCOVID-19 was declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30th January 2020. Compared to the general population, healthcare workers and their families have been identified to be at a higher risk of getting infected with COVID-19. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the risk factors responsible for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health workers in different hospital settings and to describe the range of clinical presentations of SARS-CoV-2 infection among them.MethodologyA nested case–control study was conducted among healthcare workers who were involved in the care of COVID-19 cases for assessing the risk factors associated with it. To get a holistic perspective, the study was conducted in 19 different hospitals from across 7 states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan) of India covering the major government and private hospitals that were actively involved in COVID-19 patient care. The study participants who were not vaccinated were enrolled using the incidence density sampling technique from December 2020 to December 2021.ResultsA total of 973 health workers consisting of 345 cases and 628 controls were recruited for the study. The mean age of the participants was observed to be 31.17 ± 8.5 years, with 56.3% of them being females. On multivariate analysis, the factors that were found to be significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 were age of more than 31 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.407 [95% CI 1.53–1.880]; p = 0.021), male gender (aOR 1.342 [95% CI 1.019–1.768]; p = 0.036), practical mode of IPC training on personal protective equipment (aOR 1. 1.935 [95% CI 1.148–3.260]; p = 0.013), direct exposure to COVID-19 patient (aOR 1.413 [95% CI 1.006–1.985]; p = 0.046), presence of diabetes mellitus (aOR 2.895 [95% CI 1.079–7.770]; p = 0.035) and those received prophylactic treatment for COVID-19 in the last 14 days (aOR 1.866 [95% CI 0.201–2.901]; p = 0.006).ConclusionThe study was able to highlight the need for having a separate hospital infection control department that implements IPC programs regularly. The study also emphasizes the need for developing policies that address the occupational hazards faced by health workers.

Pattern matching algorithms have gained a lot of importance in computer science, primarily because they are used in various domains such as computational biology, video retrieval, intrusion detection systems, and fraud detection. Finding one or more patterns in a given text is known as pattern matching. Two important things that are used to judge how well exact pattern matching algorithms work are the total number of attempts and the character comparisons that are made during the matching process. The primary focus of our proposed method is reducing the size of both components wherever possible. Despite sprinting, hash-based pattern matching algorithms may have hash collisions. The Efficient Hashing Method (EHM) algorithm is improved in this research. Despite the EHM algorithm’s effectiveness, it takes a lot of time in the preprocessing phase, and some hash collisions are generated. A novel hashing method has been proposed, which has reduced the preprocessing time and hash collision of the EHM algorithm. We devised the Hashing Approach for Pattern Matching (HAPM) algorithm by taking the best parts of the EHM and Quick Search (QS) algorithms and adding a way to avoid hash collisions. The preprocessing step of this algorithm combines the bad character table from the QS algorithm, the hashing strategy from the EHM algorithm, and the collision-reducing mechanism. To analyze the performance of our HAPM algorithm, we have used three types of datasets: E. coli, DNA sequences, and protein sequences. We looked at six algorithms discussed in the literature and compared our proposed method. The Hash-q with Unique FNG (HqUF) algorithm was only compared with E. coli and DNA datasets because it creates unique bits for DNA sequences. Our proposed HAPM algorithm also overcomes the problems of the HqUF algorithm. The new method beats older ones regarding average runtime, number of attempts, and character comparisons for long and short text patterns, though it did worse on some short patterns.

BackgroundTransmissibility within closed settings, such as households, can provide a strategic way to characterize the virus transmission patterns because the denominator can be well defined. We aimed to characterize the household transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) and its associated risk factors.MethodsThis prospective case-ascertained study was conducted among the household contacts of laboratory-confirmed SARS CoV-2 cases residing in Ballabgarh, Haryana. We enrolled 148 index cases and their 645 household contacts between December 16, 2020 and June 24, 2021. We defined household contact as any person who had resided in the same household as a confirmed COVID-19 case. Baseline data collection and sample collection for real time- reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and IgM/IgG against SARS CoV-2 were done on day 1 visit, and followed for a period of 28 days. RT-PCR was repeated on day 14 or whenever the contact is symptomatic and blood sample for serology was repeated on day 28. We estimated household secondary infection rate (SIR) and other epidemiological indicators-median incubation period and serial interval. We employed binomial logistic regression to quantify risk factors associated with infection.ResultsThe household SIR was 30.5% (95% CI: 27.1-34.1%). The secondary clinical attack rate was 9.3% (95% CI: 7.2-11.8). The risk factors that showed higher susceptibility to infection were household contacts who were the primary care giver of the case, whose index cases were symptomatic, those with underlying medical conditions, those living in overcrowded households, who were sharing toilet with the index cases and also who were not wearing a mask when coming in contact with the case. The median (IQR) incubation period was 4 days (4, 5), mean (SD) serial interval 6.4 (±2.2) days, and median (IQR) serial interval 5 days (5, 7).ConclusionHouseholds favour secondary transmission of SARS CoV- 2, hence, index cases are recommended to self-isolate and wear masks; and household contacts to follow strict COVID infection control measures within households when a family member is infected.

Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, mediated by glomerular antibody deposition to an increasing number of newly recognised antigens. Previous case reports have suggested an association between patients with anti-contactin-1 (CNTN1)-mediated neuropathies and MGN. In an observational study we investigated the pathobiology and extent of this potential cause of MGN by examining the association of antibodies against CNTN1 with the clinical features of a cohort of 468 patients with suspected immune-mediated neuropathies, 295 with idiopathic MGN, and 256 controls. Neuronal and glomerular binding of patient IgG, serum CNTN1 antibody and protein levels, as well as immune-complex deposition were determined. We identified 15 patients with immune-mediated neuropathy and concurrent nephrotic syndrome (biopsy proven MGN in 12/12), and 4 patients with isolated MGN from an idiopathic MGN cohort, all seropositive for IgG4 CNTN1 antibodies. CNTN1-containing immune complexes were found in the renal glomeruli of patients with CNTN1 antibodies, but not in control kidneys. CNTN1 peptides were identified in glomeruli by mass spectroscopy. CNTN1 seropositive patients were largely resistant to first-line neuropathy treatments but achieved a good outcome with escalation therapies. Neurological and renal function improved in parallel with suppressed antibody titres. The reason for isolated MGN without clinical neuropathy is unclear. We show that CNTN1, found in peripheral nerves and kidney glomeruli, is a common target for autoantibody-mediated pathology and may account for between 1 and 2% of idiopathic MGN cases. Greater awareness of this cross-system syndrome should facilitate earlier diagnosis and more timely use of effective treatment.

BackgroundAccurate estimates of gestational age (GA) at birth are important for preterm birth surveillance but can be challenging to obtain in low income countries. Our objective was to develop machine learning models to accurately estimate GA shortly after birth using clinical and metabolomic data.MethodsWe derived three GA estimation models using ELASTIC NET multivariable linear regression using metabolomic markers from heel-prick blood samples and clinical data from a retrospective cohort of newborns from Ontario, Canada. We conducted internal model validation in an independent cohort of Ontario newborns, and external validation in heel prick and cord blood sample data collected from newborns from prospective birth cohorts in Lusaka, Zambia and Matlab, Bangladesh. Model performance was measured by comparing model-derived estimates of GA to reference estimates from early pregnancy ultrasound.ResultsSamples were collected from 311 newborns from Zambia and 1176 from Bangladesh. The best-performing model accurately estimated GA within about 6 days of ultrasound estimates in both cohorts when applied to heel prick data (MAE 0.79 weeks (95% CI 0.69, 0.90) for Zambia; 0.81 weeks (0.75, 0.86) for Bangladesh), and within about 7 days when applied to cord blood data (1.02 weeks (0.90, 1.15) for Zambia; 0.95 weeks (0.90, 0.99) for Bangladesh).ConclusionsAlgorithms developed in Canada provided accurate estimates of GA when applied to external cohorts from Zambia and Bangladesh. Model performance was superior in heel prick data as compared to cord blood data.

BackgroundDiet being a modifiable factor, its relationship with cardiometabolic risk is of public health interest. The vast majority of studies on associations of dietary patterns with cardiometabolic risk indicators among adolescents are from high-income countries and urban settings. We sought to describe dietary patterns and examine their associations with selected cardiometabolic risk indicators–waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure, fasting lipid profile and insulin resistance–along with its gender stratification among adolescents in a low-income, rural setting.MethodsThis cross-sectional study utilized data from the 15-year follow-up of the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab (MINIMat) cohort in southeast Bangladesh. The children who were born as singletons to the mothers randomized in the MINIMat trial and had valid birth anthropometrics were eligible for the follow-up. We employed a single, qualitative 24-hour recall to assess diet. Dietary patterns were derived from simple K-means cluster analysis, and calculation of dietary diversity score (DDS) using a validated instrument. Anthropometric parameters and systolic blood pressure were recorded. Fasting plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoproteins, insulin and glucose levels were measured. We calculated insulin resistance using the Homeostasis Model Assessment equation (HOMA-IR). Three right-skewed outcome variables were natural log (Ln) transformed: WC, triglyceride and HOMA-IR. Omnibus and gender-specific multiple linear regression models were fitted.ResultsAmong 2,253 adolescents (52.1% girls, 7.1% overweight/obese), we identified four diet clusters: Traditional, Fish-dominant, Meat-dominant, and High-variety. No significant associations were found between the clusters and indicators. On gender-stratification, triglyceride levels were lower among boys in the Fish-dominant (Ln-triglyceride βadjusted: −0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.15, −0.02) and Meat-dominant (Ln-triglyceride βadjusted: −0.08; 95% CI: −0.15, −0.004) clusters than among boys in the Traditional cluster. Compared to boys in the bottom quartile of DDS, boys in the top quartile had 2.1 mm of Hg (95% CI: 0.5, 3.6) higher systolic blood pressure and 1.9% (95% CI: 0.01–3.8%) higher WC.ConclusionWhile statistically significant, the gender-specific differences in triglyceride, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference across dietary patterns were small. Associations between dietary patterns and cardiometabolic risk indicators may require a time lag beyond mid-adolescence to manifest in a rural setting. Prospective studies are warranted to delineate the magnitude and direction of those associations.

IntroductionHealthcare workers (HCW) are most vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 infection. Understanding the extent of human-to-human transmission of the COVID-19 infection among HCWs is critical in managing this infection and for policy making. We did this study to estimate new infection by seroconversion among HCWs in recent contact with COVID-19 and predict the risk factors for infection.MethodsA cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care COVID-19 hospital in New Delhi during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. All HCWs working in the hospital during the study period who came in recent contact with the patients were our study population. The data was collected by a detailed face-to-face interview, serological assessment for anti- COVID-19 antibodies at baseline and end line, and daily symptoms. Potential risk factors for seroprevalence and seroconversion were analyzed by logistic regression keeping the significance at pResultsA total of 192 HCWs were recruited in this study, out of which 119 (62.0%) were seropositive. Almost all were wearing Personal protective equipment (PPE) and following Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during their recent contact with a COVID-19 patient. Seroconversion was observed among 36.7% of HCWs, while 64.0% had a serial rise in the titer of antibodies during the follow-up period. Seropositivity was negatively associated with being a doctor (odds ratio [OR] 0.35, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.18-0.71), having COVID-19 symptoms (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.82), having comorbidities (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03-0.67), and received IPC training (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07-0.86), while positively associated with partial (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.26-8.69), as well as complete vaccination for COVID-19 (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.12-5.27). Seroconversion was positively associated with doctor as a profession (OR 13.04, 95% CI 3.39-50.25) and with partially (OR 4.35, 95% CI 1.07-17.65), as well as fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (OR 6.08, 95% CI 1.73-21.4). No significant association was observed between adherence to any IPC measures and PPE adopted by the HCW during the recent contact with COVID-19 patients and seroconversion.ConclusionAlmost all the HCW practiced IPC measures in these settings. High seropositivity and seroconversion are most likely due to concurrent vaccination against COVID-19 rather than recent exposure to COVID-19 patients. Further studies using anti-N antibodies serology may help us find the reason for the seropositivity and seroconversion among HCWs.

Abstract Rumex vesicarius hasbeen extensively used for the management of diabetes in the traditional system of medicine. The current study was designed to investigate antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of R.vesicarius and also to explore metabolomic profiling using UPLC-QTOF-MS. The effect of extracts was observed by checking the biochemical and histopathological parameters in diabetic rats. The results had shown a significant dose- dependent inhibition potential of aqueous extract of R. vesicarius seed against α-amylase and α-glucosidase along with significant inhibition in DPPH free-radical scavenging activity. Oral administration of R. vesicarius to diabetic rats significantly ( p< 0.05) ameliorated blood glucose level. It also improved the function of the liver and kidney as well as ameliorated dyslipidemia in diabetic rats. Histopathological examination of the treatment groups reversed the damage of the pancreas, liver, and kidney tissues confirming the antidiabetic efficacy of R. vesicarius. UPLC- QTOF-MS analysis of the extract revealed a total of 42 bioactive compounds, which might contribute to the antidiabetic activity. Based on our findings, we can conclude that R. vesicarius might be a promising candidate for the management of diabetes.

Oyster mushroom is the second runner-up among commercially produced mushrooms due to its delicious taste, higher nutritional and medicinal properties. The objectives of this study were to determine the nutritional variation through the analysis of obtained nutritional values and to assess the genetic diversity through RAPD marker of five different strains of oyster mushrooms namely Pleurotus cystidiosus (strain: pcys2); Pleurotus djamor (pop1); Pleurotus ostreatus (ws); Pleurotus ostreatus (po3) and Pleurotus geesteranus (pg4). The strains showed variations in moisture, protein, fiber, lipid, ash and carbohydrate content ranged from 86.10-87.33%; 17.8-24.13 gm/100gm; 18.16-25.46 gm/100gm; 3.16-5.16 gm/100gm; 9.16-11.46 gm/100gm; and 35.4-45.33 gm/100gm respectively. In case of genetic diversity, the segregation of five strains of oyster mushrooms were grouped through un-weighted pair group method of arithmetic means average (UPGMA), where strains were grouped into two main clusters and the generated linkage distance was 48. The strains pop1 and po3 were aligned in cluster two (C2) due to their genetic similarity but showed dissimilarities with other strains. Though the strains pcys2, ws, and pg4 were aligned in the same cluster (C1), the strain ws was aligned in a different sub-cluster due to its few dissimilarities with the other two strains. The variation of nutritional values and genetic diversities among the mushroom strains indicates nutritional and genetic variabilities. The findings of current study indicate that, though these mushrooms were genetically dissimilar, all strains were nutritious with high protein and fiber contents with low fat. However, mushroom breeder can consider strain P. ostreatus (po3) for high protein content, strain P. ostreatus (ws) for high fibre content and strain P. djamor (pop1) for low fat content. [ J Adv Biotechnol Exp Ther 2021; 4(3.000): 405-414]

Objective To evaluate hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-related retinal toxicity in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) inception cohort.Methods Data were collected at annual study visits between 1999 and 2019. We followed patients with incident SLE from first visit on HCQ (time zero) up to time of retinal toxicity (outcome), death, loss-to-follow-up or end of study. Potential retinal toxicity was identified from SLICC Damage Index scores; cases were confirmed with chart review. Using cumulative HCQ duration as the time axis, we constructed univariate Cox regression models to assess if covariates (ie, HCQ daily dose/kg, sex, race/ethnicity, age at SLE onset, education, body mass index, renal damage, chloroquine use) were associated with HCQ-related retinal toxicity.Results We studied 1460 patients (89% female, 52% white). Retinal toxicity was confirmed in 11 patients (incidence 1.0 per 1000 person-years, 0.8% overall). Average cumulative time on HCQ in those with retinal toxicity was 7.4 (SD 3.2) years; the first case was detected 4 years after HCQ initiation. Risk of retinal toxicity was numerically higher in older patients at SLE diagnosis (univariate HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.09).Conclusions This is the first assessment of HCQ and retinal disease in incident SLE. We did not see any cases of retinopathy within the first 4 years of HCQ. Cumulative HCQ may be associated with increased risk. Ophthalmology monitoring (and formal assessment of cases of potential toxicity, by a retinal specialist) remains important, especially in patients on HCQ for 10+ years, those needing higher doses and those of older age at SLE diagnosis.

This experiment was conducted to understand the protective effect of different priming agents [50 µM salicylic acid (SA), 4 mM ascorbic acid (AsA), and 2.5 mM NaCl] under simulated drought [15% (m/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000)] in wheat. Drought caused higher proline accumulation, lower relative water content, chlorosis, and growth inhibition. Enhanced levels of the malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide were evident with higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that disrupted the plant antioxidant defense system. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were also significantly declined under PEG-induced drought stress. Drought also increased methylglyoxal (MG) formation, which aggravated oxidative damage to the next folds. However, priming wheat seeds with SA, AsA and NaCl decreased ROS production by decreasing AsA, increasing glutathione content, and upregulating the antioxidant defense system. Additionally, increased activities of glyoxalase system enzymes (glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II) controlled the overproduction of MG in drought-stressed wheat seedlings. Indeed, seed priming helps to alleviate drought-induced oxidative damage by modulating the antioxidant defense system. However, AsA provided a better defense to plants against drought stress. Therefore, it can be concluded that priming wheat seeds with SA, AsA, and NaCl confers drought stress tolerance by upregulating antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems, thus ensuring better seedling establishment.

Most academic scholarships, particularly from the global North continue to theorize African men, especially poor black men as problematic, abusive, and violent. Such scholarship often fails to foreground how men’s gendered subjectivities are likely to be shaped by intersecting inequalities. The danger of such neglect is that African men continue to be pathologised as being unable to cope with western liberal conception of gender equality. Drawing on interviews with young men in northwestern Ghana, our findings highlight those young men may construct masculinities and femininities in ways that reproduce harmful gender norms, relations, and power inequalities. Despite the problematic constructions of gender, the narratives of participants appear to offer some potential in imagining alternative masculine discourses which reject and resist hegemonic masculine ideals. Based on this, we argue that a sincere appreciation of how young men may progress towards imagining progressive masculine subjectivities ought to develop clearer understandings of the ambiguities, ambivalences, and conflicting appeals of multiple voices of masculinities.

Background Unique identifiers are not universal in low- and middle-income countries. Biometric solutions have the potential to augment existing name-based searches used for identification in these settings. This paper describes a comparison of the searching accuracy of a palm-based biometric solution with a name-based database. Objective To compare the identification of individuals between a palm-based biometric solution to a name-based District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) Android application, in a low-resource setting. Methods The study was conducted in Chandpur district, Bangladesh. Trained data collectors enrolled 150 women of reproductive age into two android applications – i) a name-based DHIS2 application, and ii) a palm-based biometric solution – both run on tablets. One week after enrollment, a different research team member attempted to re-identify each enrolled woman using both systems. A single image or text-based name was used for searching at the time of re-identification. We interviewed data collectors at the end of the study. Results Significantly more women were successfully identified on the first attempt with a palm-based biometric application (84%) compared with the name-based DHIS2 application (61%). The proportion of identifications that required three or more attempts was similar between name-based (7%, CI 3.7–12.3) and palm-based biometric system (5%, CI: 1.9–9.4). However, the total number of attempts needed was significantly lower with the palm-based solution (mean 1.2 vs. 1.5, p

Harnessing the rhizospheric microbiome, including phosphorus mineralizing bacteria (PMB), is a promising technique for maintaining sustainability and productivity in intensive agricultural systems. However, it is unclear as to which beneficial taxonomic group populations in the rhizosphere are potentially associated with the changes in soil microbiomes shifted by fertilization regimes. Herein, we analyzed the diversity and community structure of total bacteria and PMB in the rhizosphere of maize (Zea mays L.) grown in soils under 25 years of four fertilization regimes (compost, biocompost, chemical, or non-fertilized) via selective culture and Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes. Plant development explained more variations (29 and 13%, respectively) in the composition of total bacteria and PMB in the rhizosphere of maize than the different fertilization regimes. Among those genera enriched in the rhizosphere of maize, the relative abundances of Oceanobacillus, Bacillus, Achromobacter, Ensifer, Paracoccus, Ramlibacter, and Luteimonas were positively correlated with those in the bulk soil. The relative abundance of Paracoccus was significantly higher in soils fertilized by compost or biocompost than the other soils. Similar results were also observed for PMB affiliated with Ensifer, Bacillus, and Streptomyces. Although plant development was the major factor in shaping the rhizospheric microbiome of maize, fertilization regimes might have modified beneficial rhizospheric microbial taxa such as Bacillus and Ensifer.