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Light is the most essential factor controlling plant growth, morphogenesis, metabolism and chlorophyll content of plant cells, tissues and organ culture. The present investigations were carried out to find out effects of different light intensities (210, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000 lx) on the regeneration of three plants, namely Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni., Solanum tuberosum L. and Bacopa monnieri L. Results showed that light intensity has a direct effect on plant growth in vitro. There was less time for shoot initiation and the highest mean number of shoots/explants (9.75 ± 3.862) of S. rebaudiana was observed from the nodal explants when the culture was maintained at 1000 lx light conditions. At maximum light intensity (3000 lx) best result was recorded for S. tuberosum. A distinct intensity of light, 1500 lx showed the best outcome both for the number and length of shoots of B. monnieri (p = 0.00). The present study also demonstrated the relationship between root growth and light condition. Bangladesh J. Bot. 52(1): 53-60, 2023 (March)

Introduction: Burn is a complex disease process, a trauma to physique as well as psyche. Visible disfigurement caused by burns translates into an altered pattern of socialization which in turn can have serious psychological ramifications. Patients with burns require immediate specialized care in order to minimize morbidity and mortality. So, the important part of the management of burns is wound management. Objectives: To assess the efficacy of topical heparin and silver sulfadiazine cream in burn wound management. Methods: Prospective comparative interventional study was carried out at the Department of Burn & Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Paedicatric Surgery, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute. A total 42 patients were included in this study after fulfilment of all selection criteria during the study period. Patients were randomly selected into two groups. In group A (n=21) patients were treated with topical heparin and in group B (n=21) patients were treated with silver sulfadiazine cream. Results: The mean pain relief time was 1.76±0.54 days in group A and 5.52±0.98 days in group B. The difference was statistically significant (p

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the nasopharyngeal microbiome has not been well characterised. We sequenced genetic material extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs of SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals who were asymptomatic (n = 14), had mild (n = 64) or severe symptoms (n = 11), as well as from SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals who had never-been infected (n = 5) or had recovered from infection (n = 7). Using robust filters, we identified 1345 taxa with approximately 0.1% or greater read abundance. Overall, the severe cohort microbiome was least diverse. Bacterial pathogens were found in all cohorts, but fungal species identifications were rare. Few taxa were common between cohorts suggesting a limited human nasopharynx core microbiome. Genes encoding resistance mechanisms to 10 antimicrobial classes (> 25% sequence coverages, 315 genes, 63 non-redundant) were identified, with β-lactam resistance genes near ubiquitous. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (asymptomatic and mild) had a greater incidence of antibiotic resistance genes and a greater microbial burden than the SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals. This should be considered when deciding how to treat COVID-19 related bacterial infections.

ObjectivesThe lack of a dengue disease animal model and the complex immune interaction in dengue infection hinders the study of host response and immunopathogenesis. The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology allowed the researchers to study the transcriptomic profiles of human in-depth. We, therefore, implicated phylodynamic and transcriptomic approaches through NGS technology to know the origin of dengue virus (DENV) and their host response in infected patients with dengue fever.MethodsTo determine the whole genome sequences of the dengue virus and their transcriptomic profiles, RNA was extracted from the serum samples of 3 healthy, and 21 dengue patients. These samples were custom performed at phylogenetic, phylodynamic, differential express gene (DEG), and gene ontology (GO) using respective bioinformatics tools.ResultsThe whole genome sequence analysis revealed that the total number of nucleotide ranges on these serum RNA samples were in between 10647 and 10707. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that these strains were belonged to DENV-3 genotype I. Phylodynamic analysis showed that the 2021 epidemic isolates were clade shifted and maintained as a new clade in compared to 2019 epidemic. Transcriptome analysis mapped a total of 19267 expressed genes. Of them, there were higher expression of genes in dengue-positive samples (n = 17375) with a count of 6953 unique genes in comparison to healthy controls (n = 12314) with a count of 1892 unique genes. A total of 2686 DEGs were identified in a host factor-independent manner in dengue patients with a q-value < 0.05. DESeq2 plot counts function of the top 24 genes with the smallest q-values of differential gene expression of RNA-seq data showed that 11 genes were upregulated, whereas 13 genes were downregulated. GO analysis showed a significant upregulation (p = ConclusionThis is a first report to document the complete genomic features of dengue, and differentially expressed genes in patients with dengue virus in Bangladesh. These genes may have diagnostic and therapeutic values for dengue infection. Continual genomic surveillance is required to further investigate the shift in dominant genotypes in relation to viral pathogenesis.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence eco-friendly apparel purchase behaviors concerning Bangladeshi young consumers in light of the theory of planned behavior. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by a survey among 198 respondents in Bangladesh in terms of consumer attitude, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), environmental concern (EC), environmental knowledge (EK) and purchase intention (PI). Structural equation modeling approach was used to find out the influencing factors. Findings The study reveals that purchase intention is significantly influenced by attitudes, SN, EC and EK of consumers. Consumers perceived behaviors variable is always not an accurate predictor to control actual purchase behavior. SN and EK were found to be highly influential to eco-friendly apparel purchase patterns among young consumers in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications This study provides key marketing insights for retailers and practitioners on how strategically they can decide for fashion consumers, specifically the young group in Bangladesh. Eco-friendly apparel purchase behaviors will gradually influence the retail business contexts for retailers. The study reveals the need for eco-labeling and marketing strategies of eco-friendly apparel products among young consumers to communicate benefits and green values among wider consumers. Findings were restricted to specific young consumers group in Bangladesh and did not examine purchase behaviors of other consumer segment. Originality/value The study reveals that Bangladeshi young consumers are becoming concerned about purchasing apparel products. It provides valuable insights for entrepreneurs, practitioners and marketers to trace and perceive purchase behavior of the Bangladeshi young consumers while adopting a strategic marketing approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has created an urgent global situation. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in COVID-19 patients to understand disease pathogenesis and the genetic factor(s) responsible for inter-individual variability and disease comorbidities. The pandemic continues to spread worldwide, despite intense efforts to develop multiple vaccines and therapeutic options against COVID-19. However, the precise role of SARS-CoV-2 in the pathophysiology of the nasopharyngeal tract (NT) is still unfathomable. This study utilized machine learning approaches to analyze 22 RNA-seq data from COVID-19 patients (n = 8), recovered individuals (n = 7), and healthy individuals (n = 7) to find disease-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We compared dysregulated DEGs to detect critical pathways and gene ontology (GO) connected to COVID-19 comorbidities. We found 1960 and 153 DEG signatures in COVID-19 patients and recovered individuals compared to healthy controls. In COVID-19 patients, the DEG–miRNA, and DEG–transcription factors (TFs) interactions network analysis revealed that E2F1, MAX, EGR1, YY1, and SRF were the highly expressed TFs, whereas hsa-miR-19b, hsa-miR-495, hsa-miR-340, hsa-miR-101, and hsa-miR-19a were the overexpressed miRNAs. Three chemical agents (Valproic Acid, Alfatoxin B1, and Cyclosporine) were abundant in COVID-19 patients and recovered individuals. Mental retardation, mental deficit, intellectual disability, muscle hypotonia, micrognathism, and cleft palate were the significant diseases associated with COVID-19 by sharing DEGs. Finally, the detected DEGs mediated by TFs and miRNA expression indicated that SARS-CoV-2 infection might contribute to various comorbidities. Our results provide the common DEGs between COVID-19 patients and recovered humans, which suggests some crucial insights into the complex interplay between COVID-19 progression and the recovery stage, and offer some suggestions on therapeutic target identification in COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2.

The nasopharyngeal tract (NT) of human is a habitat of a diverse microbial community that work together with other gut microbes to maintain the host immunity. In our previous study, we reported that SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces human nasopharyngeal commensal microbiome (bacteria, archaea and commensal respiratory viruses) but increases the abundance of pathobionts. This study aimed to assess the possible changes in the resident fungal diversity by the inclusion of opportunistic fungi due to the infection of SARS-CoV-2 in the NT of humans. Twenty-two (n = 22) nasopharyngeal swab samples (including COVID-19 = 8, Recovered = 7, and Healthy = 7) were collected for RNAseq-based metagenomics analyses. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly increased (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon test) the population and diversity of NT fungi with a high inclusion of opportunistic pathogens. We detected 863 fungal species including 533, 445, and 188 species in COVID-19, Recovered, and Healthy individuals, respectively that indicate a distinct microbiome dysbiosis due to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Remarkably, 37% of the fungal species were exclusively associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, where S. cerevisiae (88.62%) and Phaffia rhodozyma (10.30%) were two top abundant species in the NT of COVID-19 patients. Importantly, 16% commensal fungal species found in the Healthy control were not detected in either COVID-19 patients or when they were recovered from the COVID-19. Pairwise Spearman’s correlation test showed that several altered metabolic pathways had significant positive correlations (r > 0.5, p < 0.01) with dominant fungal species detected in three metagenomes. Taken together, our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes significant dysbiosis of fungal microbiome and alters some metabolic pathways and expression of genes in the NT of human. Findings of our study might be helpful for developing microbiome-based diagnostics, and also devising appropriate therapeutic regimens including antifungal drugs for prevention and control of concurrent fungal coinfections in COVID-19 patients.Author summaryThe SARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible and pathogenic betacoronavirus that primarily enters into the human body through NT to cause fearsome COVID-19 disease. Recent high throughput sequencing and downstream bioinformatic analyses revealed that microbiome dysbiosis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection are not limited to bacteria, and fungi are also implicated in COVID-19 development in susceptible individuals. This study demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 infection results in remarkable depletion of NT commensal fungal microbiomes with inclusion of various opportunistic fungal pathogens. We discussed the role of these altered fungal microbiomes in the pathophysiology of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results suggest that dysbiosis in fungal microbiomes and associated altered metabolic functional pathways (or genes) possibly play a determining role in the progression of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Thus, the identifiable changes in the diversity and composition of the NT fungal population and their related genomic features demonstrated in this study might lay a foundation for better understanding of the underlying mechanism of co-pathogenesis, and the ongoing development of therapeutic agents including antifungal drugs for the resolution of COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aspires to investigate the influence of institutional pressure (IP) on cleaner production (CLP) practices and sustainable firm performances in the clothing industry of Bangladesh. Moreover, the research work explores the mediating role of cleaner production between institutional pressure and firms’ environmental performance. It also analyzes environmental performance as a mediator between cleaner production and firms’ economic performance. Data were collected from 246 textile and garments manufacturing units and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the partial least square (PLS) method. The study findings unveiled a direct and positive relationship between institutional pressure and cleaner production, environmental performance and cleaner production, and firms’ environmental and economic performance. The study’s results also reveals that cleaner production partially mediate the relationship between institutional pressure and environmental performance while environmental performance is also partially mediate between cleaner production and firm’s economic performance. The research outcomes recommend that the clothing manufacturing sector welcome institutional pressures and employ cleaner production practices, leading to sustainable performance. Finally, the study highlights the managerial and theoretical implications.

Background The SARS-CoV-2 primarily enters into the human body through nasopharyngeal tract (NT) and is the etiological agent of COVID-19. The microbiota of the NT may play a role in host immunity against respiratory infectious diseases. However, scant information is available on interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with the nasopharyngeal microbiome. To shed light on the effects and consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection on microbiome diversity and composition, we conducted a high throughput RNA-Seq metagenomic investigation of 22 NT swab samples (including COVID-19 = 8, Recovered = 7, and Healthy = 7). Results This study for the first time demonstrates the association of microbiome diversity and their concomitant genomic features in the NT of COVID-19 and Recovered patients compared to Healthy humans, and discusses the role of the altered microbiomes in the pathophysiology of the SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our RNA-Seq metagenomic analyses detected 2281 bacterial species (including 1477, 919 and 676 in samples of Healthy human, COVID-19 and Recovered patients, respectively) indicating a distinct microbiome dysbiosis (COVID-19>Recovered>Healthy). The samples from COVID-19 patients and Recovered individuals had inclusion of 67% (including Streptococcus salivarius, S. mitis, Neisseria subflava, Veillonella dispar, Acinetobacter junii, Prevotella melaninogenica etc.) and 77% (including Pseudomonas stutzeri, Staphylococcus capitis, S. epidermidis, P. mendocina, Moraxella osloensis, A. indicus, Escherichia coli etc.) opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, respectively compared to Healthy individuals. Notably, 79% commensal bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas sp. LPH1, Brevundimonas sp. Bb-A, P. oleovorans, Pseudomonas sp. phDV1, Brevundimonas sp. DS20, Idiomarinaceae bacterium HL-53, Alishewanella sp. 205, Sphingobacterium psychroaquaticum etc.) were found in healthy individuals but not detected in COVID-19 patients and Recovered individuals. Similar dysbiosis was also found in viral and archaeal fraction of the microbiomes. Although, 55 viral and 48 archaeal genera were detected, only 16% viral and 27% archaeal genera were shared across three metagenomes. We also detected altered metabolic pathways and functional genes including resistance to antibiotics and toxic compounds in the pathophysiology of COVID-19.Conclusions The nasopharyngeal microbiome dysbiosis and their genomic features in COVID-19, Recovered and Healthy individuals determined by our RNA-Seq analyses shed light on early interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with the nasopharyngeal resident microbiota that might be helpful for developing microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics for this novel pandemic disease.

Olive barb (Systomus sarana) was collected from three different locations viz. Kuliarchar, Bhairab and Bikrampur in Bangladesh to elucidate genetic diversity by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Six arbitrary oligonucleotide RAPD primers were used to amplify the DNA from each population. A total of 52 bands were produced in 3 olive barb populations where 28 bands were polymorphic indicating 53.84% polymorphisms in those three populations with an average of 9 bands per primer. The molecular size of the amplified DNA fragments ranged between 300 and 2300 bp. 12 unique RAPD bands were observed in the three populations. The bands are specific and stable and thus could be used to characterize each germplasm. The values of pair-wise genetic distances ranged between 0.5232 and 0.8109 with some degrees of genetic variation among the populations. The highest genetic distance (0.8109) was observed between olive barb collected from Kuliarchar and Bikrampur, while the lowest (0.5232) was found between olive barb collected from Kuliarchar and Bhairab. The UPGMA dendrogram segregated three samples of olive barb into two major clusters C1 and C2. The Kuliarchar-Bhairab population pair of olive barb was genetically closer than that of Kuliarchar-Bikrampur. Therefore, RAPD analysis can be used to identify the genetic diversity in olive barb. This information may be used for improved breeding programme and conservation of native olive barb.

This study attempts to examine the impact of green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) and market orientation (MO) on the implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and subsequent sustainable firm performance. Further, the study identifies the mediating factor between green entrepreneurial orientation and sustainable firm performance and also explores whether market orientation plays a mediating role in the relationship between GEO and GSCM practices. The data collected from 246 Bangladeshi textile manufacturing firms were analyzed using the structural equation modeling with partial least square techniques, typifying that exploratory and quantitative research. The results revealed that GEO has a significant positive influence on MO and GSCM practices, which ultimately positively effects on all the three dimensions (economic, environmental, and social) of sustainable firm performance. Further, the study found that GSCM practices partially mediate the relationship between GEO and firm performance while MO also partially mediate the relationship between GEO and GSCM practices. These findings indicate that organizations should emphasize on GSCM practices in their operations to reap sustainability performance. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Five commercial varieties of Trichosanthes anguina (Snake Gourd), namely Turag, Dhaka Green, Super Long Green, Anika and Apurbo, were investigated cytogenetically and at the molecular level for authentic characterization. The variety Super Long Green was found to possess 2n=23 chromosomes and considered as a primary trisomic. 2n=22 chromosomes were found in the other 4 varieties. The total length of the 2n chromosome complement was largest in Anika and smallest in Apurbo. Only one extra large chromosome was found in Turag and Anika suggesting it had either been transferred from different genome or was a case of repeated duplication. No decrease in chromosomal length was found in Turag, a moderate decrease was found in Dhaka Green and Anika, and a sharp decrease in Super Long Green and Apurbo. A pair of satellites was found in Turag. Only a stain specific satellite was found in Dhaka Green. No CMA band was found in Turag and Super Long Green. The other 3 varieties showed distinct CMA banding pattern in respect of number, size, location and percentage of GC-rich area. The 5 varieties showed distinct RAPD bands with 6 different primer combinations. In addition, the Apurbo and Turag varieties showed unique DNA fragments with the primer combinations OPA-3 and OPA-4 respectively. A combination of cluster and karyotytpe analysis clearly indicated that Turag and Apurbo were distinctly related from the other 3 varieties. Therefore, with the help of cytogenetical and RAPD analysis, it was possible to characterize each variety.