Search

To find out the optimum row arrangement of pea and khesari as intercrop with sunflower for higher productivity and return, a field experiment of intercropping pea and khesari with sunflower was conducted in Oilseed Research Centre, BARI, Gazipur during rabi season of 2020-21 and 2021-22. Six treatments were T1= Sole sunflower, T2 = One row of gardenpea in between two normal rows of sunflower (50 cm x 25 cm), T3 = Two rows of gardenpea in between two normal rows of sunflower, T4 = One row of kheshari in between two normal rows of sunflower (50cm x 25cm), T5 = Two rows of kheshari in between two normal rows of sunflower & T6= Broadcast kheshari in between two normal rows of sunflower. Although intercropping reduced sunflower yield but total productivity was increased due to addition of pea and khesari yield. Total productivity in terms of sunflower equivalent yield (SEY) (7.02 t ha-1 and 6.64 t ha-1 during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively) was found to be highest from T3 (two rows of pea in between two normal rows of sunflower treatment while the lowest (1.80 t ha-1 and 1.72 t ha-1) in T1 (sole sunflower) for both the years. Highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) (4.0 and 3.80 in 1st and 2nd year respectively) was recorded in T2 treatment (one row of gardenpea in between two normal rows of sunflower) with highest gross margin (Tk. 263905 ha-1 and Tk. 244012 ha-1). Bangladesh Agron. J. 2022, 25(2): 83-87

Pregnancy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Risk is significantly increased when SLE pregnancy is complicated by anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS). Here, we present a case of a 21 year-old multi-gravid lady with SLE- associated APS who was diagnosed as such when she presented with multisystem flare at her 16 weeks of gestation. At presentation she had fever, multiple joint pain in both upper and lower limbs, loss of hair, history of recurrent oral ulcer, skin rash over hand and feet. Physical examination and laboratory evaluation were consistent with an active SLE flare. A diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was made based on her clinical presentation and laboratory findings. The reported patient had APS secondary to SLE. She had all the risk factors that would confer a remarkably high risk of pregnancy morbidity: positive anti-SSA(RO) antibody and lupus anticoagulant, history of one neonatal death due to congenital heart block and two consecutive first trimester pregnancy loss. Multidisciplinary management approach with appropriate intervention and close monitoring can bring a successful outcome.

This study explores the experiences of refugee Muslim women as they accessed and navigated the healthcare system in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). A case-oriented approach was used, where semi-structured interviews were carried out with nine Muslim women who arrived in NZ as refugees. Interviews were carried out in 2020, in Hamilton, NZ. Analysis involved a ���text in context��� approach which employed an iterative and interpretive process, by engaging with participant accounts and field notes to unpack the various meanings behind the experiences of the participants in relation to the literature as well as the broader socio-cultural contexts in which these experiences occurred. The findings of this research identified various structural barriers to accessing healthcare such as cost and issues with interpreters, as well as instances of othering in the healthcare settings experienced by refugee Muslim women. In order to tackle inequity in the health system, structural and institutional barriers need to be addressed first, to prompt other levels of othering and discrimination to reduce over time.

E. coli is one of the major significant pathogens causing mastitis, the most complex and costly diseases in the dairy industry worldwide. Present study was undertaken to isolate, detect the virulence factors, phylogroup, antimicrobial susceptibility and antimicrobial resistance genes in E. coli from cows with clinical mastitis. A total of 68 milk samples comprising 53 from clinical mastitis and 15 from apparently healthy cattle were collected from four different established dairy farms in Bangladesh. E. coli was isolated from the milk samples and identified by PCR targeting malB gene and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. E. coli isolates were screened by PCR for the detection of major virulence genes (stx, eae and cdt) of diarrheagenic E. coli followed by phylogenetic grouping. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the E. coli isolates was determined by disk diffusion test and E. coli showing resistance was further screened for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes. E. coli was isolated from 35.8% of the mastitis milk samples but none from the apparently healthy cattle milk. All the E. coli isolates were negative for stx, eae and cdt genes and belonged to the phylogenetic groups A and B1 which comprising of commensal E. coli. Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed 84.2% (16/19) of the isolates as multidrug resistant. Highest resistance was observed against amoxicillin (94.5%) followed by ampicillin (89.5%) and tetracycline (89.5%). E. coli were found resistant against all the classes of antimicrobials used at the farm level. Tetracycline resistance gene (tetA) was detected in 100% of the tetracycline resistant E. coli and blaTEM-1 was present in 38.9% of the E. coli isolates. Findings of this study indicate a potential threat of developing antimicrobial resistance in commensal E. coli and their association with clinical mastitis. Occurrence of multidrug resistant E. coli might be responsible for the failure of antibiotic therapies in clinical mastitis as well as pose potential threat of transmitting and development of antibiotic resistance in human.

Embaràs i malaltia cardíaca; Resultats de l’embaràs; Transposició de les grans artèries Embarazo y enfermedad cardíaca; Resultados del embarazo; Transposición de las grandes arterias Pregnancy and cardiac disease; Pregnancy outcomes, Transposition of the great arteries Background In the past 3 decades, the arterial switch procedure has replaced the atrial switch procedure as treatment of choice for transposition of the great arteries. Although survival is superior after the arterial switch procedure, data on pregnancy outcomes are scarce and transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch is not yet included in the modified World Health Organization classification of maternal cardiovascular risk. Methods and Results The ROPAC (Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease) is an international prospective registry of pregnant women with cardiac disease, part of the European Society of Cardiology EURObservational Research Programme. Pregnancy outcomes in all women after an arterial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries are described. The primary end point was a major adverse cardiovascular event, defined as combined end point of maternal death, supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias requiring treatment, heart failure, aortic dissection, endocarditis, ischemic coronary events, and thromboembolic events. Altogether, 41 pregnant women (mean age, 26.7±3.9 years) were included, and there was no maternal mortality. A major adverse cardiovascular event occurred in 2 women (4.9%): heart failure in one (2.4%) and ventricular tachycardia in another (2.4%). One woman experienced fetal loss, whereas no neonatal mortality was observed. Conclusions Women after an arterial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries tolerate pregnancy well, with a favorable maternal and fetal outcome. During counseling, most women should be reassured that the risk of pregnancy is low. Classification as modified World Health Organization risk class II seems appropriate. Funding from “Zabawas Foundation” and “De Hoop Foundation” in addition to the support from EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) is greatly acknowledged. Since the start of EORP, the following companies have supported the program: Abbott Vascular Int (2011–2021), Amgen Cardiovascular (2009–2018), AstraZeneca (2014–2021), Bayer AG (2009–2018), Boehringer Ingelheim (2009–2019), Boston Scientific (2009–2012), The Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer Alliance (2011–2019), Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH (2011–2020), The Alliance Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH and Eli Lilly and Company (2014–2017), Edwards (2016–2019), Gedeon Richter Plc (2014–2016), Menarini Int Op (2009–2012), MSD‐Merck & Co (2011–2014), Novartis Pharma AG (2014–2020), ResMed (2014–2016), Sanofi (2009–2011), SERVIER (2009–2021), and Vifor (2019–2022).

Surface engineering using nanopillars has been used for the fabrication of antimicrobial surfaces, cell culture environments that mimic the extracellular environment, and biosensors for the characterization of biomolecules. In this mini review, we summarize the roles of surface topography on various biochemical processes played by tunable nanopillars.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combined with Computed Tomography (CT) is a very sensitive diagnostic imaging modality that consists of both functional and anatomical imaging into one combined scanning system. Because of the high energy of annihilation radiation (511 keV) for PET tracers, shielding requirements are an important consideration in the design of a PET/CT facility. The shielding evaluation for adequate radiation protection of a PET/CT facility consists of the assessment of annual effective dose both to occupational workers and to members of the public’s. The overall shielding assessment takes into account the radionuclides activity involved, the facility design, the scanning procedures, the expected number of patients per year and so on. The evaluation also depends upon the size of the PET/CT imaging room and patient’s uptake rooms, the thickness and the physical materials of walls, floors and ceilings. In this work we verified the adequacy of shielding installed in the PET/CT facility at the National Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (NINMAS), Dhaka. The assessment results were compared to the provided shielding which was the design requirements. Bangladesh Journal of Physics, 26(2), 51-59, December 2019

This study predominantly focuses on the design, fabrication and performance of a dual-axis sun-tracking solar system. The whole construction of the dual axis rotating solar panel is divided into tw...

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common during pregnancy and especially soin pregnant patients with diabetes mellitus. The emergence of drug resistance and particularlythe extended spectrum Beta-lactamase production by Escherechia Coli and Methicillinresistance in staphylococci, limits the choice of anti-microbials. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 pregnant women with sign andsymptoms of UTI in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BIRDEM generalHospital-2 from January to June 2017. The objectives of the study were to determine thepresence and type of pathogens found in pregnant diabetic women presenting with featuresof urinary tract infection, and to analyze their antibiotic sensitivity pattern. Clean catch midstreamurine samples were collected using standard procedure and culture and sensitivitywas done following standard bacteriological method. Results: Mean age of the study subjects was 29.84±5.29 yrs; 48% were in third trimester ofpregnancy; 52% had Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and 48% had Diabetes Mellitus(DM). Out of fifty pregnant women, thirty eight (76.0%) study subjects had positive growth.Of them, Escherechia coli was found in 57.9% cases, Klebsiellain 21.1%, Staphylococcusaureus in 7.9%, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa each in 2.6% case. Amikacinwas found to be sensitive to 100% cases of E. Coli, Klebsiella& Enterococcus but 100%resistant to Streptococcus. Conclusion: In this study, E. Coli was the most common organisms causing UTI, which isless susceptible to conventional oral antibiotics but more susceptible to amikacin. So carefulldrug selection is required for successful outcome in UTI. Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2018; Vol. 33(1) : 54-58

Initial studies of tuberculosis (TB) in macaques and humans using 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as a research tool suggest its usefulness in localising disease sites and as a clinical biomarker. Sequential serial scans in patients with extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) could inform on the value of PET-CT for monitoring response to treatment and defining cure. HIV-negative adults with EPTB from eight sites across six countries had three 18F-FDG PET/CT scans: (i) within 2 weeks of enrolment, (ii) at 2 months into TB treatment and (iii) at end of ATT treatment. Scanning was performed according to the EANM guidelines. 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed 60 ± 10 min after intravenous injection of 2.5–5.0 MBq/kg of 18F-FDG. One hundred and forty-seven patients with EPTB underwent 3 sequential scans. A progressive reduction over time of both the number of active sites and the uptake level (SUVmax) at these sites was seen. At the end of WHO recommended treatment, 53/147 (36.0%) patients had negative PET/CT scans, and 94/147 (63.9%) patients remained PET/CT positive, of which 12 patients had developed MDR TB. One died of brain tuberculoma. Current 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging technology cannot be used clinically as a biomarker of treatment response, cure or for decision-making on when to stop EPTB treatment. PET/CT remains a research tool for TB and further development of PET/CT is required using new Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific radiopharmaceuticals targeting high-density surface epitopes, gene targets or metabolic pathways.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Chronic heart failure (CHF) prevails as one of the major cardiovascular diseases in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) like Bangladesh. Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (HBCR) is a cost-effective method of secondary prevention of chronic heart failure which, if provided, might not only improve the health status of the patients but might also reduce the financial and hospitalization burden on the health care system of these countries. The study aims to assess the scope and benefits of HBCR in such low resource settings. Purpose The study evaluates the effect of telephone-monitored HBCR exercise programme in improving the functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in patients of CHF with reduced ejection fraction due to ischemic heart disease (IHD). Method This self-controlled interventional study was conducted from August 2019 to July 2020 at a heart failure clinic, a tertiary healthcare centre in Bangladesh. A total of 115 patients of CHF with ejection fraction Results Significant improvement of NYHA class (p Conclusion From the results, it can be concluded that any amount of routine exercise tends to improve quality of life and symptoms in patients of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. However, to achieve the best effect in functional capacity and overall health status, the addition of a structured exercise programme like HBCR can be beneficial for proper rehabilitation in low resource settings. Further validation of the results is recommended through randomized control trials in larger study groups.

Low bone mineral density represents as a major cause of morbidity in thalassemic patient. The mechanism depends upon several factors. Transfusion dependent iron over load cause decrease secretion of growth hormone, insulin, thyroid hormone, parathyroid hormone, sex hormone and vitamin D from different endocrine organs which ultimately causes impairment of adequate bone mass achievement. Other causes of low bone mass are iron chelating agent and bony expansion due to increase erythropoiesis. To find out the frequency of low bone mineral density in thalassemia patients who are transfusion dependent. This study was designed as a cross sectional observational study, which was analyzed in the Department of Haematology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka and National Institution of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (NINMAS), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) from September 2017 to August 2018. It had been performed over total 72 (Age ≥06 years to ≤40 years) thalassaemic patients who are transfusion dependent. Presence of bone diseases was detected by Bone mineral density (BMD). Seventy-two (72) patients with transfusion dependent thalassaemia, aged 6 to 39 years were enrolled. Mean age of patients was 20.9±7.2 years. Among them, 57(79.2%) patients were detected as a normal bone mineral density and fifteen (20.8%) patients were detected as a low bone mineral density in the left femoral neck. In transfusion dependent thalassaemic patient, Low bone mass was significantly associated with low BMI, total number of blood transfusion and serum ferritin level remarkably. This survey has established a new path for early detection of low bone mass and helped in prevention of bone loss and its sequel by starting early treatment in these groups of patients.

A pot experiment was conducted with five selected rapeseed/mustard genotypes (BJDH-11, BJDH-12, BJDH-20, BARI Sarisha-14, and BARI Sarisha-16) under two sowing dates (November 20 and December 20) for evaluating their responses to sowing date induced high temperature stress during rabi season of 2017-18. Sowing dates induced temperature variability showed remarkable changes in pheonlogy, leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, dry matter production and seed yield. Although December 20 sown crop received lower temperatures (minimum 9.8 to 13.2 and maximum 22.6 to 27oC) than November 20 sown crop (minimum 14.8 to 16.4 and maximum 21 to 27.2oC) at flowering but reverse was found at grain development stage. Grain development stage of November 20sown crop received lower temperatures (minimum 8.2 to 13.2 and maximum 24.1 to 27 oC) while December 20 sown crop received higher temperatures at grain development stage (minimum 8.2 to 18 and maximum 22.6 to 32.5oC).As a result December 20 sown crop matured earlier (6 to 9 days) than November 20 sown crop. Leaf area/plant was higher in December 20 sown crops compared to November 20 sown but total dry matter production was more or less same in both the sowing dates. Leaf chlorophyll content did not show any remarkable variation due to variation in sowing dates. However, antioxidant activity like Catalyse (CAT), Peroxidase (POD) Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and Malondial dehyde (MDA) were found higher in December 20 sown crops than that of November 20sown. Higher activity of APX, POD and CAT with lower activity of MDA indicates comparatively high temperature tolerant genotype. Among the genotypes APX, POD and CAT activity were found higher with lower activity of MDA in BJDH-11 and BJDH-20 and these genotypes also gave higher yield than others. On the basis of growth parameters, antioxidant activity and seed yield of genotype BJDH-11 and BJDH-20 could be select as terminal high temperature tolerance genotypes. Bangladesh Agron. J. 2019, 22(1): 47-56

A copepod parasite, Argulusmonodi Fryer, 1959 was recorded first time from the freshwater fish Labeorohita (Ham.) captured from Haleji Lake Sindh in Pakistan. Argulusmonodi is a rare species and was only reported from Africa and India. This is the first report on the occurrence of this species from Pakistan.

Nipah virus, a paramyxovirus related to Hendra virus. Nipah virus first emerged in Malaysia, outbreak continue to occur in Bangladesh and India. In Malaysia-Singapore outbreak transmission occurred primarily through contact with pig. While in Bangladesh and India it is related with ingestion of contaminated date palm sap and human-to-human transmission. Bats are main reservoir for Nipah virus which can cause disease in human and animal. Nipah virus replication well in porcine stable kidney cell and human lung fibroblast cell. Nipah virus is probably spread through cell-to-cell spread mechanism. The Nipah virus has the potential to be considered an agent of bioterrorism. Keywords: Nipah virus; pig; human; transmission

Ramularia leaf spot (RLS), caused byRamularia collo-cygni, is an emerging threat to barley (Hordeum vulgare) production. RLS has been reported in Australia; however only minimal information is available regarding its detection and distribution. Due to initial asymptomatic growthin planta, slow growthin vitroand symptomatic similarities to net blotch and physiological leaf spots, detection of this pathogen can be challenging. Quantitative PCR-based methods forR. collo-cygni-specific identification and detection have been described, however these assays (based upon the internal transcribed spacer [ITS] region) have been demonstrated to lack specificity. False-positive detections may have serious implications, thus we aimed to design a robustR. collo-cygni-specific PCR method. Using the phylogenetically informative RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α) genes, along with thetef1-αgene ofH. vulgare, a triplex assay was developed for both quantitative and digital PCR. The triplex assay was used to assess DNA of barley leaves from New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, along with DNA of seeds from Western Australia. Detection ofR. collo-cygniDNA was confirmed for leaf samples from New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, indicating a distribution ranging across the southern barley growing regions of Australia. NoR. collo-cygniDNA was detected in seed from Western Australia. TheR. collo-cygni-specific assay will be a valuable tool to assist with monitoring the distribution ofR. collo-cygniin Australia and other regions.

Few studies have evaluated the long-term effects of disasters on older adults. We examined if older individuals experienced increased mental health (MH) effects immediately and long-term after Hurricane Sandy and if these effects varied by socioeconomic status (SES), disease subtypes, number of comorbidities, and length of stay.We identified older patients (≥64 years) with hospital admissions and Emergency Department (ED) visits (2001-2015) with primary diagnosis of MH diseases using the New York State discharged data. We quantified both short-term (immediately post-Sandy) and long-term effects (3-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year) following Hurricane Sandy, and used the pre-Sandy period in the affected counties as the control period. Poisson regression was used to compare daily counts of MH cases overall and by multiple strata pre-/post Sandy.Older individuals had significantly increased risk of MH ED visits immediately (32%), and 3-months, 1, 2, and 3-years after Sandy (2%, 9%, 15%, and 10%, respectively). MH hospital admissions did not increase immediately, but significantly increased by 8% a year later. Males and those with low SES had delayed, but increased risks of MH 1-3 years after Sandy (RRs range: 1.14-1.71). The top MH subtypes after Sandy were psychosis, mood disorders, substance abuse, suicide, and anxiety (RRs range: 1.12-2.62). After Sandy, patients with ≥8 comorbidities increased from 15% to25%, along with their length of hospital stay.We found long-term adverse effects of MH after Sandy, especially among vulnerable populations, which may help plan future disaster preparedness and recovery efforts.

Phthalates are reproductive toxicants in experimental animal studies and exposure has been associated with infertility in human populations, although the results have been inconsistent. To help to address the data gap, we conducted a hypothesis-generating investigation of associations between urinary phthalate metabolites and reproductive outcomes among women (n = 56) and their male partners (n = 43) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Urine was collected from participants on the day of oocyte retrieval. Samples were analyzed for a series of phthalates, MEP, MBP, MPP, MHxP, MEHP, MEHHP, MECPP, MiNP, MiDP, MCHP, and MBzP, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We employed Poisson regression with robust variance estimation to estimate associations between urinary phthalate levels and biochemical pregnancy and live birth, adjusted for partner's concentration and confounding factors. Doublings in women's MBP (relative risk (RR) = 0.32, 95 % CI: 0.13, 0.78), and men's MEHP (RR = 0.28, 95 % CI: 0.09, 0.83), were associated with a lower likelihood for pregnancy. Doublings in women's (RR = 0.08, 95 % CI: 0.01, 0.67) and men's (RR = 0.13, 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.92) MHxP were associated with a lower likelihood of live birth. Our results suggest that phthalate exposure may impact IVF outcomes, and underscore the importance of including male partners when investigating the impact of phthalate exposure on IVF. These results also suggest that clinical recommendations should include male partners for limiting phthalate exposure. Still, a larger and more comprehensive investigation is necessary to more definitively assess the risks.

Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy is a major public health problem worldwide. Pre-eclampsia and its complications are frequent causes for maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries. In preeclampsia some angiogenic factors like PlGF (Placental growth factor), VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) etc. are assumed to be low in maternal serum. This prospective cohort study was carried out including 134 pregnant women with early gestation (15-20wks) attending the Feto-Maternal Medicine OPD of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2015 to April 2015. Maternal serum was taken for measurement of PlGF by ELISA technique and values were converted to Multiples of Median (MoM) for their specific gestational age. The subjects were regularly followed up till delivery by measuring blood pressure and testing urine for protein by heat coagulation method. Hypertension was diagnosed if blood pressure found to be more than or equal 140/90mm of Hg and preeclampsia was labeled when proteinuria associated with it. Patients' information was kept in a prepared data sheet. The mean age of the patients was 25.7±5.57 years, mean BMI was 22.42±3.23. The incidence of Hypertensive disorder was 6.72% among them Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) was 2.98% and Preeclampsia (PE) was 3.9%. The mean age of hypertensive patients was 30.6±5.16 years and BMI was 26.92±1.54. The mean value of PlGF in normotensive women was 1.17±0.67 MoM, PIH patients were 0.66±0.41 MoM and PE patients were 0.65±0.30MoM. The comparison of mean values between Normotensive with PIH (p value 0.023) and Normotensive with PE (p value 0.014) both were found significant. From the current study and also from previous studies we can summarize that the level of PlGF become reduced significantly in pregnant women who will later on develop Hypertensive disorders.

Introduction NHS England uses the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) as part of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to evaluate ‘health gains’ following total knee replacement. Policy makers use this to guide healthcare funding and resource allocation. Our study aims to undertake a qualitative and quantitative analysis of OKS among patients who experienced a negative outcome after a total knee replacement at our centre. Materials and methods Between April 2017-March 2018, 19 of 189 (10%) patients had a worsened OKS at our centre. We retrospectively and prospectively reviewed 14 of these patients. Structured telephone interviews with a repeat OKS were carried out in September 2019 (18–29 months post-operation). Results Eight patients were female and the total age range was 57–95, mean average 75.6 (SD 9.9 years). Of 48 (higher scores meaning better outcomes), the average preoperative OKS was 24.2 and the average postoperative OKS at 6 months was 19.4 (decrease of 20%). The average postoperative OKS at 18–29 months was 35.6 (an increase of 83.5% from 6 months). Discussion The OKS was developed and validated over 20 years ago in Oxford. In our study, four patients asked for clarification of questions 4, 6 and 10 owing to ambiguous language. All 14 patients who had negative OKS outcomes had positive outcomes when retested after 18 months, depicting ‘health gains’ not conveyed in PROMs analysis. Conclusion The OKS needs to be revalidated on current patient groups for accurate and reliable data. Further prospective studies should be undertaken on larger cohorts to understand the recovery course and whether PROMs should be carried out later.

Background: Women with early breast cancer routinely face a choice between breast conservation therapy and mastectomy, and assume agency through shared decision making. However, for women with lower socioeconomic power or education, barriers such as access to understandable information, involvement of family in decision making, and a decreased sense of autonomy inhibits this agency. To better empower this population, a simple to understand, online, self-administered, conjoint analysis based decision aid called “Navya Patient Preference Tool” (PPT) is developed to be used outside the physician encounter. PPT is unique in its incorporation of several psychological scales that assess potential confounders of participation in shared decision making. Methodology: This is a pre-planned analysis of the reliability and validity of the psychological scales used in all three arms of an IRB approved randomized controlled trial to assess PPT. Women with operable node negative breast cancer eligible for BCT or MRM at one of Asia's largest academic tertiary cancer centers were eligible. PPT trial consists of an initial conjoint analysis questionnaire analyzing implicit preferences for breast conservation given to the intervention arms. The following psychological scales were given to all patients regardless of randomization: Autonomy Preference Index (API), Traditional-Egalitarian Gender Roles (TEGR), Caregiving Role, Brief Resiliency Scale (BRS), Appearances Scale, and Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS). Cronbach's alpha as a measure of internal reliability for all scales, and correlations of scores with known demographic trends as a measure of external validity are calculated. Results: Of the 102 patients enrolled, 30 completed PPT in English, 39 in Hindi, and 33 in Marathi, (vernaculars). 69/102 were in middle and lower socioeconomic groups (Kuppuswamy Index). 53/102 had completed less than high school education. Internal reliability of all scales were high, with Cronbach's alpha above 0.7: API 0.74, TEGR 0.78, Caregiving 0.7, BRS 0.7, Appearance 0.84. DCS was highly reliable at 0.91, and is the primary outcome measure for the RCT. Correlations in the dataset met those expected in real world data, suggesting external validity. For e.g., education was inversely correlated with traditional gender roles on TEGR (R -0.4, p Conclusions: Women with limited education and low socioeconomic status complete the online, self administered PPT outside of a physician encounter, with high internal reliability and external validity. Decision Aids such as Navya PPT, which account for psychosocial confounders of agency, have the potential to benefit women otherwise marginalized from shared decision making. Citation Format: Joshi S, Ramarajan L, Ramarajan N, Srivastava G, Begum F, Deshpande O, Tondare A, Nair N, Parmar V, Gupta S, Badwe RA. Accuracy of psychosocial assessments in an online surgical decision aid developed for early breast cancer patients with resource and educational constraints [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-14-07.

Background: Cancer patients worldwide feel intense anxiety, often racing to start treatments at non expert centers. Further, imbalanced oncologist to patient ratios (˜1600: 1.8 M in India, ˜23,000: 15M in USA), impedes access to expertise. We study the impact of rapid evidence based expert treatment plans in relieving patient anxiety. Navya, a health services technology, generates personalized treatment plans that maps within NCCN Resource Stratified Guidelines [SABCS 2017]. This is vetted on mobile by oncologists at tertiary centers like TMC NCG to provide expert opinion reports to patients. Since 2015, ˜19,457 patients from 57 countries have reached out for an online opinion. On the ground, 78% of patients received evidence based treatments recommended by Navya [ASCO 2017]. Methods: To assess impact of timeliness, a prospective series of patients (from Sep '17 to April '18) were asked: “Were you relieved to receive expert opinion report in [x] days?” “Does it matter to you to receive expert opinion report in 1 day?” To assess time savings, preliminary reports with treatment options from NCCN and TMC NCG guidelines were shared with patients who matched all guidelines criteria. Subsequently, expert opinion reports were shared as usual. Results: 543/701 patients responded to phone follow-up. 97% [± 3.2] were relieved to receive expert opinion reports in 1-2 days (103/106) vs 83% [± 3.8 ] for 3+ days (365/437). Of those not relieved by 3+ day turnaround, 83% stated that it would matter to receive expert opinion reports in 1 day (60/72). The first 300 preliminary reports shared in median time of 3.37 hours, resulted in 90% time savings vs expert opinion reports. On 10% of the preliminary reports, experts added information such as de-/escalating therapy (18/31), and additional diagnostic tests (6/31). Conclusions: Navya relieves patient anxieties by responding at the time of need with evidence based treatment plans. Scaling such health services technologies to patients worldwide is feasible. Citation Format: Ramarajan N, Srivastava R, Begum F, Gupta S, Pramesh C, Badwe R. Responding at patient's time of need: Scaling rapid access to evidence-based treatment plans [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-16-01.

Initial studies of tuberculosis (TB) in macaques and humans usingHIV-negative adults with EPTB from eight sites across six countries had threeOne hundred and forty-seven patients with EPTB underwent 3 sequential scans. A progressive reduction over time of both the number of active sites and the uptake level (SUVmax) at these sites was seen. At the end of WHO recommended treatment, 53/147 (36.0%) patients had negative PET/CT scans, and 94/147 (63.9%) patients remained PET/CT positive, of which 12 patients had developed MDR TB. One died of brain tuberculoma.Current

Evaluation of genotypes under multiple environments is the prerequisite for the development of stable and superior genotypes for sustainable barley production and a changing climate. GGE (G, genotype and GE, genotype (G) by environment (E), interaction) biplot and the AMMI (The Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction) model are the effective methods to find out the genotype(s) which are stable and suitable to cultivate in specific or multiple environments. The experiment was conducted to analyze the performance of seven barley genotypes for selecting stable and superior genotypes across three different environmental conditions of Bangladesh (i.e., at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur; at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), BARI, Jamalpur and at the RARS, BARI Ishurdi). All genotypes in three locations were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. After two years observation, it was found that all genotypes across the location were found highly significant (p≤0.01), due to the variation of environments, genotypic variability and their interaction. The first two principle component axes (PC1 and PC2) of site regression model were significant (P≤0.01) and cumulatively contributed to 89.65% of the total GE interaction. In the polygon view of biplot, there were five rays which divided the biplot into five sectors, and all three locations fell into two of these five sections. Location Jamalpur fell into sector 1, whereas Ishurdi and Gazipur fell into sector 2. Among the locations, Ishurdi was found the best for all genotypes, where Gazipur and Jamalpur were found unfavourable. Among the genotypes, ‘E7’ performed the best for the average grain yield (GY) followed by ‘E3’, ‘E2’ and ‘E4’, whereas ‘E1’ had lowest average GY for all locations. The highest yield in environment Jamalpur was obtained by the genotype ‘E2’, on the other hand genotype ‘E7’ produced the highest GY in locations of Ishurdi and Gazipur. Considering yield stability, genotypes ‘E3’, ‘E4’ and ‘E1’ were found to be more stable, whereas genotype ‘E2’ was the most unstable over all locations. Genotypes ‘E7’ and ‘E3’ were found to be close to the ideal genotype position, in the case of the maximum GY and yield stability across the locations as compared to other genotypes and recommended for commercial cultivation for Bangladesh including South-Asia.

3-Aryloxyproionic acids undergo intramolecular cyclization in the presence of AA.Mont.K-10 in toluene under reflux for 30–45 min in good to excellent yields. Phenyl ring bearing various substituents at the ortho, meta, para positions undergo this cyclization reaction. This method involves simple work up and amenable for large scale preparations. The heterogeneous acid treated catalyst can be regenerated and used for up to three cycles with minimum loss of activity.

The objective of this present study was to compare the efficacy of three oxytocic regimens to prevent primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) at caesarean section. A randomized controlled trial including 90 patients who underwent caesarean section were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria assigned randomly into three groups (30 patients in each group) was conducted. Group 1 and group 2 were exposure groups and group 3 was control group. All patients were given 10 units intravenous (IV) bolus oxytocin immediately after delivery of baby. Group 1 was given additional 20 units oxytocin in each 1000 ml fluid for 24 hours. Group 2 received additional 1000 microgram misoprostol per rectal. Group 3 did not receive any additional oxytocic drug. Background characteristics of all the three groups were similar. It was observed that 501-1000 ml blood loss was found among 25 (83.3%) cases in group 1, 27 (90.0%) in group 2 and 27 (90.0%) in group 3. The mean (SD) amount of blood loss was found 733 (190) ml in group 1792 (187) ml in group 2 and 818 (14) ml in group 3. Occurrence of PPH and blood transfusion needed among 1 (3.3%) in group 1, 2 (6.7%) in group 2 and 3 (10.0%) in group 3. Side effects occurred in 7 (23.3%) patients of group 1, 18 (60.0%) in group 2, and 6 (20.0%) in group 3. Shivering was found among 4 (13.3%) in group 1, 10 (33.3%) in group 2 and 3 (10%) in group 3. Vomiting was found among 2 (6.7%) in group 1, 4 (13.3%) in group 2, and 2 (6.7%) in group 3. Pyrexia was 1 (3.3%) in group 1, 4 (13.3%) in group 2 and 1 (3.3%) in group 3. Side effects were more in the group where misoprostol was used. Except side effects there was no statistical difference of occurrence of different events among the three groups. Only bolus IV oxytocin appears to be as effective as oxytocin infusion in addition to bolus IV oxytocin or per rectal misoprostol in addition to bolus IV oxytocin to prevent primary PPH at caesarean section. But occurrence of transient side effects such as shivering, pyrexia and vomiting were noted more frequently with the use of misoprostol.Mediscope Vol. 4, No. 2: Jul 2017, Page 5-11

Water in oil ( W / O ) microemulsions are simple preparative route for nanoparticles where water droplets dispersed in oil stabilized by surfactant or surfactant and cosurfactant monolayer act as nanoreactors to carry out chemical reactions. In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared in W / O microemulsions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and triton X-100 (TX-100) by using AgNO 3 and NaBH 4 as a precursor salt and reducing agent, respectively. To prepare microemulsions, CTAB or TX-100, 1-pentanol, cyclohexane and water were mixed with different molar ratio. AgNPs were prepared with different [AgNO 3 ] in microemulsions of CTAB with fixed water to surfactant ratio ( W o ). Average particle sizes were determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. AgNPs prepared from microemulsions of CTAB were unstable while from TX-100, NPs were stable. Aggregation kinetics was investigated by measuring the absorbance at definite time intervals at the absorption maximum, ? max of AgNPs in different media under pseudo-first-order conditions. The aggregation behavior was studied at different [AgNO 3 ]:[NaBH 4 ] and W o and the parameters were optimized to ensure formation of stable AgNPs without aggregation in microemulsions. This would help tuning the size, stability, and aggregation kinetics of AgNPs by controlling the nature of the surfactant and composition of the microemulsions.

Cleft lip and cleft palate, also known as orofacial cleft, is a group of conditions that includes Cleft lip (CL), Cleft palate (CP) and both together (CLP). Cleft lip with/or palate are the major human orofacial congenital malformations seen in live birth as well as in still birth. This descriptive cross sectional study was done to determine how the different types of Cleft lip (CL), Cleft lip with palate (CLP) and Cleft palate (CP) are distributed among Bangladeshi Children. This study was performed at a health screening camp for patients with cleft lip with/or palate at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka. A total 30 patients irrespective of their age and gender, presenting with cleft lip with/or palate deformities were included in the study. A questionnaire was constructed to be filled out by the present researcher through a face-to-face interview with the respondent preferably the mother. The data were organized and analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 20). Looking frequencies of different types of cleft lip with/or palate some trends can be noted regarding the laterality, completeness, extent, side involved and involvement of the alveolus. Out of the 14 CL cases, only 1 (7.14%) showed bilateral cleft. This cleft was complete but simple. All the others were unilateral cleft. A vast majority 9(about 65%) of the cleft lips belonged to the unilateral incomplete left sided simple type. One (7.14%) showed unilateral incomplete right sided simple type of CL. Only 2(14.28%) cases involved the alveolus. Out of the 11 CLP cases, unilateral cleft lip was present in 8 (more than 70% cases). Among them 6 cases showed complete cleft lip and 2 cases showed incomplete cleft lip. Out of all CLP cases 1 but all showed complete cleft palate. The most common type of CLP was "unilateral complete left sided compound cleft lip with unilateral complete left sided cleft palate" present in 5 of the children (i.e. more than 45% of the CLP cases and more than 16% of all cleft cases). Out of the 5 CP cases, only 1(20%) had involvement of the uvula plus posterior part of the soft palate. The rest 4(80%) had involvement of soft palate. Cleft lip with/or palate commonly occurred in Bangladeshi children. Genetic and environmental factors cause this birth defect. Therefore, integrated research among those factors is essential to prevent this birth defect.

A large proportion of the huge global burden of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases are treated empirically without accurate definition of disease sites and extent of multi-organ disease involvement. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using 2-deoxy-2-(fluorine-18) fluoro-d-glucose (We conducted a study of HIV-negative adult patients with a new clinical diagnosis of EPTB across eight centres located in six countries: India, Pakistan, Thailand, South Africa, Serbia and Bangladesh, to assess the extent of disease and common sites involved at first presentation.358 patients with EPTB (189 females; 169 males) were recruited over 45 months, with an age range of 18-83 years (females median 30 years; males median 38 years). 350 (98%) out of 358 patients (183 female, 167 male) had positive scans. 118 (33.7%) out of 350 had a single extrapulmonary site and 232 (66.3%) out of 350 had more than one site (organ) affected. Lymph nodes, skeleton, pleura and brain were common sites. 100 (28%) out of 358 EPTB patients had

We report three cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) those were suffered from cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) during maintenance phase therapy. Ophthalmologic examination for loss of vision prompted diagnosis of cytomegalovirus retinitis. Administration of anticytomegalovirus drugs led to complete regression of active retinitis. CMVR should be in mind for children with ALL on maintenance of medical aid, even in those without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation state.

The present study was designed for the cultural, biochemical characterization and molecular detection of E. coli from apparently healthy and diarrheic goats in and around BAU campus including their antibiogram study. A total of 50 fecal samples were collected among which 13 originated from diarrheic goat and 37 from apparently healthy goats. Out of 50 samples, 35 were found positive for E. coli i.e., overall 70% occurrence. Occurrences of E. coli from diarrheic and apparently healthy goats were 92% and 62% respectively. Occurrences were 60%, 80% and 70% in case of BAU Goat Farm, Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Boyra respectively. On age basis 93%, 54%, 66% and 54% samples originated from 6 months, 7-12 months, 13-18 months and 19 months aged goats were found positive respectively. Occurrences of E. coli on the basis of sex were 78% for male and 62% for female. In case of breed, the occurrences were 69% in Black Bengal and 100% in for Jamunapari. Molecular detection was done by PCR and 13 out of 20 isolates tested gave the bands at the 585 bp specific for E. coli 16S rRNA gene. All the isolates (100%) were found sensitive to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin; 100% and 35% were intermediately resistant to tetracycline and gentamicin respectively and 25% isolates were resistant to streptomycin. Ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin were found to be the best choice of antibiotics for the treatment of colibacillosis in goats in the study area.

Peripheral nerve injuries cause devastating problems for the quality of patients' lives, and regeneration following damage to the peripheral nervous system is limited depending on the degree of the damage. Use of nanobiomaterials can provide therapeutic approaches for the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. Electroactive biomaterials, in particular, can provide a promising cure for the regeneration of nerve defects. Here, a supramolecular electroactive nanosystem with tetra(aniline) (TA)-containing peptide nanofibers was developed and utilized for nerve regeneration. Self-assembled TA-conjugated peptide nanofibers demonstrated electroactive behavior. The electroactive self-assembled peptide nanofibers formed a well-defined three-dimensional nanofiber network mimicking the extracellular matrix of the neuronal cells. Neurite outgrowth was improved on the electroactive TA nanofiber gels. The neural differentiation of PC-12 cells was more advanced on electroactive peptide nanofiber gels, and these biomaterials are promising for further use in therapeutic neural regeneration applications. The authors thank Mr. M. Guler for TEM imaging. I.A. acknowledges support from the TUBITAK-BIDEB 2210-C fellowship.

The present study is an attempt to examine the socioeconomic characteristics and compared profitability analysis of both IPM and Non-IPM vegetable growers, and to identify the problems faced by vegetables growers in use of IPM practices in some selected areas of Kishoreganj district. A total of 45 farmers were purposively selected where three different IPM practices were taken into consideration. To get a more complete picture of vegetable production using both IPM and non-IPM technology, the socio-economic profile of farmers was examined and compared. The study found that IPM farmers were in better-off condition than that of non-IPM farmers in all types of socioeconomic characteristics. The major findings of the study revealed that production of all the selected vegetables were profitable for both IPM and non-IPM farmers. But, IPM based cultivation was more profitable than that of non-IPM based cultivation. Average total costs were Tk. 86352.8 and Tk. 100061.5 for IPM and non-IPM farmers, respectively. Average gross returns were Tk. 257293.3 and Tk.235788.8 for IPM and non-IPM farmers, respectively. The average net return for IPM farmers was Tk.170940.5 and for non-IPM farmers it was estimated at Tk. 135727.3. The average benefit cost ratio for IPM farmers was 2.9 and for non-IPM farmers it was estimated at 2.3. Most of the farmers were in the categories of low to medium problem confrontation in using IPM practices. The first ranked constraint is lack of training facility. Thus, massive extension facility including training is needed in the study areas to increase the extent of use of IPM technology.Progressive Agriculture 27 (3): 311-319, 2016

The aim of this study to identify the effective fungicides for controlling major leaf and fruit diseases of Jujube caused by different fungal pathogens. An in vitro experiment was undertaken to screen ten fungicides and two Tannins against six important fungal pathogens of Jujube fruits which were Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Curvularia lunata, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Fusarium semitectum and Pestalotiopsis palmarum . Fungicides were Conza 5 EC (Hexaconazole), Folicur 250 EC (Tebuconazole) and Potent 250 EC (Propiconazole), Bavistin DF (Carbendazim), Kasumin 2% liquid (Kasugamycin), Rovral 50 WP (Iprodine), Matco 72 WP (Mancozeb 64% + Metalaxyl 8%), Geneb 80 WP (Mancozeb), Emivit 50 WP (Copper oxychloride) and Evavit 80 WG (Sulphur 80 WG). And two tannins were Chestnut Tannin and Quabracho Tannin. Plain water was used as control. Poison food technique was followed to conduct the experiment. Both Tannins did not show satisfactory inhibition of mycelial growth of any of the six fungal pathogens. The effectiveness of fungicides varied greatly with fungal species. The most effective fungicides were Folicur 250 EC followed by Potent 250 EC, Rovral 50 WP, Conza 5 WP and Bavistin DF. Folicur 250 EC caused 89.52% inhibition of mycelium growth of A. alternata and 100% growth inhibition in other five fungi. In addition, Potent 250 EC inhibited growth of L. theobromae, C. lunata, F. semitectum and P. palmarum by 100% and that of C. gloeosporioides by 91.79%. Complete growth inhibition of F. semitectum and P. palmarum was achieved with Bavistin DF. Furthermore, Conza 5 EC caused 100% growth inhibition in C. lunata and more than 90% in L. theobromae and F. semitectum. Progressive Agriculture 27 (2): 154-161, 2016