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Abstract Background Among 13 endemic districts, the Chittagong Hill Tracts bear more than 90% of Bangladesh’s malaria burden. Despite the private sector’s prominence in rural healthcare, its role in malaria management remains underutilized. This study aimed to strategize leveraging the for-profit private sector, such as diagnostic and treatment centers, to bolster national malaria surveillance and control, advancing Bangladesh toward malaria elimination by 2030. Methods This mixed-method study commenced with a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey followed by selected focused group discussions (FGDs) among the participants. Three FGDs were held with the for-profit service providers so that further insights and qualitative viewpoints of them can be utilized in situation analysis. Based on the endemicity and strategic priorities, a comprehensive mapping of private for-profit facilities from the regions comprising 15 sub-districts across 8 chosen districts (7 malaria endemic districts and the rest non-endemic districts) was created. For the non-endemic zone, the sub-districts were selected based on their proximity to an area with high malaria transmission. Results Among the 104 representative participants, majority were male (n = 92, 88.5%), had a diploma in their respective fields (n = 53, 51%) and were involved either in laboratory work (n = 49, 47.1%) or as owners/managers of health centers (n = 41, 39.4%). The selected health facilities were close to the corresponding Upazila Health Complexes (mean distance 2.8 km), but were distantly located from the designated district hospitals (mean distance 48.9 km). The main sources of RDT kits (62.3%) and anti-malarial drugs (63.2%) were local wholesale markets. A large share of the corresponding facilities neither provided malaria treatment services (81.7%) nor worked with the NMEP (93.3%). Conclusions This study highlights challenges and recommendations for engaging private for-profit health facilities in Bangladesh’s malaria elimination efforts. The identified challenges include low-quality RDTs, staff shortages, and inadequate capacity building. Recommendations emphasize effective training, stakeholder interaction, and enhanced oversight for successful malaria control efforts.

Higher education in Bangladesh has its roots in the British colonial period, and since the country's liberation in 1971, the government has placed significant emphasis on developing the education sector. This study aims to identify the structure, acts, laws, and commissions governing higher education in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on the Sylhet division. The study also assesses the performance of private universities within this division. Secondary data were gathered from various articles, websites, and relevant documents, while specific information regarding Leading University was obtained from the office of the Controller of Examinations. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. The findings indicate that the higher education sector in Bangladesh has undergone significant transformation, particularly following the implementation of the Private University Act of 1992. Among the 158 universities nationwide, only 10 are located in the Sylhet division, and among the 114 medical colleges, only 7 are situated in this region. Within Sylhet's four districts, the Sylhet district houses the majority of higher education institutions, while the Moulvibazar district has the fewest. The private universities in the Sylhet division have shown strong performance in terms of infrastructure, physical facilities, and teacher-student ratios, with Leading University identified as the top performer. However, this study primarily focuses on the opportunities available in higher education in the Sylhet division, and does not assess the quality of education. Future research could explore this aspect further.

Bangladesh is abundant in medicinal plants. The bioactive compounds in medicinal plants provide novel therapeutic opportunity of improving human health. But, the benefit-risk balance is usually less considered during formulation of traditional medicine. However, the plants that we included in this study are not studied regarding their hemolytic and anti-venom properties. Thus, we aimed to evaluate and compare the hemolytic activity, antioxidant activity, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzyme neutralization efficacy of aqueous and methanolic extracts of eight known medicinal plants including Asparagus racemosus (root), Withania somnifera (root), Syzygium cumini (leaf), Psidium guajava (leaf), Basella alba (leaf and seed), Morus indica (leaf), M. laevigata (leaf), and M. latifolia (leaf). The results of the hemolytic activity test suggested that the methanolic extracts of S. cumini, P. guajava, B. alba (leaf and seed), M. indica, M. laevigata, and M. latifolia showed significantly higher hemolytic activity compared to their aqueous extracts. The methanolic extracts of A. racemosus, W. somnifera, P. guajava, M. laevigata, and M. latifolia showed remarkable antioxidant activity. Moreover, the results of the PLA2 enzyme neutralization activity test revealed that both aqueous and methanolic extracts of P. guajava, S. cumini, and B. alba (leaf) have significant PLA2 neutralization capacity. Altogether, the aqueous extracts of all plants, except A. racemosus root, have ignorable hemolytic effect. Additionally, P. guajava and S. cumini leaf aqueous extracts have promising PLA2 inhibitory effect and may become the potential source of bioactive compounds for anti-venom drug development. [ J Adv Biotechnol Exp Ther 2024; 7(1.000): 118-135]

Though its intensity varies across cultures, practicing diversity beliefs has become increasingly prevalent in contemporary business organizations. Traditionally, diversity encompasses various aspects such as gender, education, religion, language, age, ethnicity, culture and personality orientation. The current study has demonstrated to identify the mediating effects of gender diversity on diversity beliefs and workplace happiness. The targeted population is made up of full-time Bangladeshi employees working in both public and private organizations. The researchers distributed a questionnaire to 500 employees and obtained 320 valid responses, resulting in a response rate of 64%. The study used the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique to assess the mediating effects and direct effects among the variables. The results demonstrate that gender diversity significantly mediate the associations between diversity beliefs and workplace happiness. This means that employees are more likely to be happy with their jobs if the workplace reflects gender variety in its workforce. The study further demonstrates that workplace happiness significantly affects employees’ job satisfaction, engagement and commitment. The present research foregrounds that firms and concerned authorities must increase their various attempts to establish gender-equal policies that appear to be more effective for diversity practice and workplace happiness in work organizations.

Bangladesh lacks many trained workers. The existing technical training curriculums are not advanced enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target for human capital development. Therefore, it is a time demand to address the need for skilled human resources. Japan prioritizes Bangladesh's skills development sector to assist the nation in achieving SDGs and importing skilled labor forces into Japan's already declined labor market. This research focuses on the prospects and challenges of Japanese investments in skills development projects in Bangladesh. To this end, this research adopts a need-based approach to prepare a uniform framework for skills development in Bangladesh and finds several challenges in the process of skills development programs that influence the development partners. This study employs a mixed-method research approach. This study finds that the trainees consider the skills development programs significant for their future careers and sustainable employability, although they face various challenges, such as a lack of qualified instructors and training programs and lack of training equipment apart from their lower socio-economic backgrounds. This study especially highlights the significance of Japanese investment in skills development programs in Bangladesh to meet human capital development requirements and develop a framework for sustainable accomplishment of those programs to achieve the SDGs. Finally, this research makes some policy recommendations for relevant stakeholders, including development partners engaged in skills development programs in Bangladesh.

The dataset provided details on how tillage methods and nutrient management impacted the productivity of the four crops (mustard>mungbean>Transplanting (T.) aus >Transplanting (T.) aman) cropping system and the overall soil health. The specific tillage techniques examined were minimum tillage (MT), conventional tillage (CT), and deep tillage (DT). Regarding nutrient management, NM1 utilized 100 % soil test-based (STB) fertilization following fertilizer gradient generation (FRG); NM2 applied 125 % of STB after FRG-2018; NM3 consisted of 100 % STB (with 80 % from chemical fertilizers and 20 % from cow dung); and NM4 relied on native fertility without any fertilization. Over three consecutive seasonal years (2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21), twelve treatments were replicated three times following a factorial totally randomized design. The comparative analysis of crop yield, rice equivalent yield, system productivity and production efficiency indicated superior performance of MT over both CT and DT. Furthermore, in relation to agricultural productivity metrics, the application of the nutrition package NM3 demonstrated performance levels exceeding the average. The adoption of MT and the incorporation of the NM3 nutrition package led to notable advancements in organic matter, field capacity, microbial biomass nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and soil nutrient levels (N, P, K, S, Zn, and B). Consequently, the synthesis of the NM3 with MT is posited as a strategic approach for soil enhancement and the augmentation of crop productivity.

This study explores the present status of inclusive and equal education in higher educational institutions in Bangladesh. This study aims to ascertain the impediments to creating equal and inclusive educational opportunities and explore the actual scenario of equality-based environments in higher educational institutions in Bangladesh. This study uses Justice theory and thematic analyses to discuss and analyze the data. Two semi-structured questionnaires have been made in English for the data collection. 55 interviewees were selected by purposive sampling from one Public University, and 2 experts and policymakers were selected by purposive sampling. For the reliability of the research, data has been collected from all socio-economic backgrounds, ethnic and minority backgrounds, students with special needs, and students of every gender. The findings of this research demonstrate that the Bangladesh government has taken numerous steps towards achieving the fourth SDG target. However, an unequal scenario in higher education institutions makes completing an equal and quality education difficult. In every aspect of education, there are disparities based on gender, economic, and social background that affect enrolment rates for males, females, ethnic groups, minorities, and students with special needs. Economic, social, institutional and educational factors impede inclusive and quality education. Furthermore, recommendations have been made regarding the issue, and measures that Japan has introduced have been discussed for a better outcome in this research.

Mixed cropping is an important cropping system in char areas without an optimum seeding combination of chili, brinjal, radish and coriander. To identify this an experiment was conducted in two consecutive years to find suitable seeding ratio and to ensure maximization of yield and economic returns. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four mixed cropping ratios with one sole chili viz. Chili (sole), 100% chili + 70% brinjal + 20% Radish + 10% coriander, 100% chili + 50% brinjal + 30% radish + 20% coriander, 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander, 100% chili + 80% brinjal + 70% radish + 50% coriander were evaluated. The highest chili equivalent yield 29.9 t ha-1 (29.7 t ha-1 in 2019–20 and 30.1 t ha-1 in 2020–21), gross return (10512 USD ha-1) and gross margin (9233 USD ha-1) was found from 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander seeding ratio. On the other hand, the lowest chili equivalent yield 11.8 t ha-1 (11.7 t ha-1 in 2019–20 and 11.9 t ha-1 in 2020–21), gross return (4167 USD ha-1) and gross margin (2845 USD ha-1) was found from Chili (sole) treatment. The maximum MBCR (241.7) was also recorded from the same 100% chili mixed cropped with 30% brinjal+ 40% radish + 30% coriander seeding combination. Finally, the combination of 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander seeds has found great productivity and profitability in mixed cropping system.

Objectives. To evaluate the interaction between childhood asthma and S. 25(OH) cholecalciferol among Bangladeshi children. Methods. This case control study was conducted in child asthma clinic, Bangladesh Shishu Hospital Institute during March-August 2021. Comparison was made between clinically-diagnosed (following GINA guideline) asthmatic children (2-12 years-old) (cases = 87) and age and sex-matched children having no respiratory illness (controls = 90) using SPSS’ (Statistical Package for Social Science, V.23.0 Windows) software. Results. Serum 25(OH) cholecalciferol was found to be significantly lower among the cases than the controls ( P

Primary education is a basic education for all, which depends on different agencies and factors to ensure its quality. The study assessed the state of instructional facilities in primary education at the Upazila level in Bangladesh. An explanatory sequential design and mixed methods have been used in this study. The researcher has collected quantitative data by surveying primary school head teachers and selected schools from two upazilas: Charghat in Rajshahi and Sundargonj in Gaibandha District. The sample for the study was determined by stratified and simple random sampling. The total schools were 12 and 42 in both study areas. Through different interviews, questionnaire surveys, and document reviews, the researcher has explored the scenario of instructional educational facilities and provided suggestions to ensure quality primary education. The study finds that the Upazila Education Office should be at the vanguard of achieving quality primary education by ensuring the excellence of the school environment through instructional facilities with the help of the government, School Management Committee (SMC), Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and communities. Overall, the government should prioritize investing in the improvement of instructional facilities in primary schools, as it directly impacts the quality of education and the ultimate academic performance of the students.

Abstract The ongoing transfer of economic power from the West to the East created a shift in economic dominance and the global power balance, allowing emerging nations to enhance their positions. Several countries favor a Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative to preserve the status quo. Because it maintains an essential seaport in the Indian Ocean, Bangladesh is recognized as a maritime nation. Bangladesh’s geographic advantage allows it to serve as a node and hub in regional and inter-regional trade and investment. This potential stems from the global movement of economic power toward the Indo-Pacific Region. This study assesses whether Japan’s FOIP can provide peace and stability to Bangladesh while grasping geopolitical sustainability. Furthermore, this paper argues FOIP’s regional economic cooperation is managed effectively, and Japanese investment might benefit Bangladesh’s economy for sustainable development. This qualitative study uses primary and secondary data to evaluate the feasibility of Japanese geopolitical projects in Bangladesh for peace, stability, and prosperity. This study provides a new paradigm in analyzing the strategic geopolitical implications of FOIP in the Bay of Bengal area, highlighting the repercussions of geopolitical transformation into a strategic focal point. This study depicts the equiangular developmental diplomacy’s balancing instrument and standards for joint stability and growth in the Bay of Bengal area.

Primary Education is a basic education for all, monitored by different agencies at the Upazila level to ensure quality. The researcher aims to explore overall monitoring and supervision scenario in primary Education at the Upazila level to ensure quality primary Education. The study used mixed methods with an explanatory sequential design and mostly qualitative approach. It focuses on Upazila Education Office, and other assigned primary Education related organizations and offices; Charghat of Rajshahi and Sundargonj of Gaibandha had been selected as the study area to observe what they, UEO and AUEO of these areas could do and what they are doing in reality. Through different interviews, questionnaire surveys and document reviews, the researcher has explored the scenario of these offices and officers and made some suggestions to ensure quality primary Education in Bangladesh.

A cropping system that is based on three or four crops is currently a widely favored option for augmenting crop productivity to address the escalating global food demand. However, the improper fertilizer management and undue tillage adversely impacts both the productivity of crops and the fertility of the soil. A research investigation was conducted on tillage and nutrient management within the mustard-mungbean-Transplanting aus (T.aus)-Transplanting aman (T.aman) cropping system to examine the impact of fertilizer packages and tillage techniques on the overall productivity of cropping systems, as well as the condition of the soil in grey terrace soil. The research included tillage techniques viz; minimum tillage (MT), conventional tillage (CT) and deep tillage (DT); while nutrient management; NM1: 100 % STB (Soil test based) following FRG (Fertilizer Recommendation Guide-2018), all from chemical fertilizer, NM2: 125 % of STB following FRG- 2018, all from chemical fertilizer, NM3: 100 % STB (80 % from chemical fertilizers and 20 % from cowdung), and NM4: Native fertility (no fertilization). A total of twelve treatments replicated three times following the factorial completely randomized design for three consecutive seasonal years (2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21). MT outperformed DT and CT in terms of crop yield, rice equivalent yield (REY), system productivity (SP), and production efficiency (PE). Moreover, NM3 exhibited enhanced performance in terms of agricultural productivity measures. Field capacity (FC), soil organic matter (OM), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and soil nutrients (N, P, K, S, Zn and B) observed an enhancement as a result of the implementation of tillage MT and nutrition package NM3. The investigation indicates that implementing minimum tillage (MT) coupled with an integrated plant nutrition system package (NM3) can assist in the improvement of soil and the enhancement of crop productivity.

This study examines university students’ attitudes toward digitalizing higher education in Bangladesh. The objectives of the study are to examine the nature and the subjective causes of the student's attitudes and to examine the influence of gender, prior exposure to digitalization, and socio-economic background on the attitudes. This study uses the ABC Model of Attitudes and the Digital Divide Theory to prepare a questionnaire and analyze the data. A semi-structured interview questionnaire was developed based on the ABC Model of Attitudes to collect data from 32 interviewees. The interviewees from three public universities in Bangladesh were selected using random purposive sampling. Students from every socio-economic, gender, and level of digital experience category were selected to ensure heterogeneity of the sampling. The interview transcripts were analyzed using NVivo in conjugation with pen-and-paper thematic analysis. Data triangulation in the form of data analysis and data analyst triangulation was done to ensure the credibility and reliability of the research. The findings from the data analysis show that most of the students hold positive attitudes toward the digitalization of education. However, the gap in students’ access to digital facilities causes differences in students' attitudes. Students with digital accessibility generally hold positive attitudes. On the contrary, students who don't have access to digital facilities hold negative attitudes towards the digitalization of education, although they perceive the digitalization of education as essential and timely. In addition, the findings also confirm that gender, prior exposure to digitalization, and socio-economic background influence students’ attitudes significantly.

Abstract Background Detection of appropriate receptor proteins and drug agents are equally important in the case of drug discovery and development for any disease. In this study, an attempt was made to explore colorectal cancer (CRC) causing molecular signatures as receptors and drug agents as inhibitors by using integrated statistics and bioinformatics approaches. Methods To identify the important genes that are involved in the initiation and progression of CRC, four microarray datasets (GSE9348, GSE110224, GSE23878, and GSE35279) and an RNA_Seq profiles (GSE50760) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The datasets were analyzed by a statistical r-package of LIMMA to identify common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs). The key genes (KGs) of cDEGs were detected by using the five topological measures in the protein–protein interaction network analysis. Then we performed in-silico validation for CRC-causing KGs by using different web-tools and independent databases. We also disclosed the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory factors of KGs by interaction network analysis of KGs with transcription factors (TFs) and micro-RNAs. Finally, we suggested our proposed KGs-guided computationally more effective candidate drug molecules compared to other published drugs by cross-validation with the state-of-the-art alternatives of top-ranked independent receptor proteins. Results We identified 50 common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs) from five gene expression profile datasets, where 31 cDEGs were downregulated, and the rest 19 were up-regulated. Then we identified 11 cDEGs (CXCL8, CEMIP, MMP7, CA4, ADH1C, GUCA2A, GUCA2B, ZG16, CLCA4, MS4A12 and CLDN1) as the KGs. Different pertinent bioinformatic analyses (box plot, survival probability curves, DNA methylation, correlation with immune infiltration levels, diseases-KGs interaction, GO and KEGG pathways) based on independent databases directly or indirectly showed that these KGs are significantly associated with CRC progression. We also detected four TFs proteins (FOXC1, YY1, GATA2 and NFKB) and eight microRNAs (hsa-mir-16-5p, hsa-mir-195-5p, hsa-mir-203a-3p, hsa-mir-34a-5p, hsa-mir-107, hsa-mir-27a-3p, hsa-mir-429, and hsa-mir-335-5p) as the key transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of KGs. Finally, our proposed 15 molecular signatures including 11 KGs and 4 key TFs-proteins guided 9 small molecules (Cyclosporin A, Manzamine A, Cardidigin, Staurosporine, Benzo[A]Pyrene, Sitosterol, Nocardiopsis Sp, Troglitazone, and Riccardin D) were recommended as the top-ranked candidate therapeutic agents for the treatment against CRC. Conclusion The findings of this study recommended that our proposed target proteins and agents might be considered as the potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic signatures for CRC.

To estimate energy use efficiency for sweet potato production in Bangladesh under subtropical climatic conditions, a study was conducted with 60 individuals (12 producers for each sweet potato variety) by using a structural questionnaire. The results revealed that the majority of the energy input was consumed by the pre-harvest activities (22,313.55 MJ ha−1 or 90.85%), of which fertilizer application (36.84%) and irrigation (35.24%) consumed the most energy input, with only 9.15% (2,248.42 MJ ha−1) consumed by the post-harvest activity for sweet potato production. The energy input involved in the production system was similar to the direct (12,149.76 MJ ha−1 or 49.47%) and indirect (12,412.21 MJ ha−1 or 50.53%) sources, while it was much higher in non-renewable sources (22,884.21 MJ ha−1 or 93.17%) with a minimum (1,677.76 MJ ha−1 or 6.83%) from renewable sources. The average energy use efficiency, energy productivity, specific energy, net energy, energy profitability and water-energy productivity of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) varieties 4.36, 1.22 kg MJ−1, 0.83 MJ kg−1, 82,511.73 MJ ha−1, 3.36 and 1.32 g m−3 MJ−1, respectively. The OFSP varieties showed better performance in respect of all the energy and water use indicators. HIGHLIGHTS Farmers generally grow crops in riverbank areas which need low irrigation; for example, sweet potato.; The estimation of energy and water use indicators are important for sweet potato, since this crop needs minimal water.; The study estimated energy and water use indicators for the production of sweet potato.; The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes showed better performance in respect of energy and water use indicators.;

Abstract The pelagic shrimp Lucensosergia lucens is a commercially important species in Japan, predominantly harvested in Suruga Bay. It has been suggested that a marked decrease in the wild population over recent years is associated with an increased concentration of suspended particles. We tested the hypothesis that suspended inorganic particles (kaolinite) negatively affect the hatching ratio of fertilized eggs, and the survival, growth, and metamorphosis of nauplius and elaphocaris larvae. The relative hatching ratio of eggs decreased from 100 to 57.7% at 139 mg L−1 of kaolinite particles. Similarly, the relative survival ratio of nauplius larvae progressively decreased from 100% in filtered seawater to 73.6% after 72 h of exposure to 139 mg L−1 of kaolinite particles. Consequently, the survival ratio of elaphocaris larvae was greatly reduced at high particle concentrations. Exponential growth in the standard lengths of elaphocaris larvae occurred at particle concentrations 20 mg L−1.

The infant gut undergoes significant developmental phases that are fully dependent upon the colonization with microorganisms, beginning at birth. This colonization of gut microbiota has a powerful impact on host metabolic and immune homoeostasis. Probiotics strains exhibit a wide range of health benefits by modifying the intestinal microbiota and immunity. Lactobacillus reuteri is one of the most extensively studied probiotic strains. It promotes gut health by stimulation of mucosal gut barrier functions, production of antimicrobial substances (such as reuterin and lactic acid) and influencing acquired and innate immune responses. Reuterin produced by L. reuteri is a potent anti-microbial compoundcapable of inhibiting a wide spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms. Apart from antimicrobial metabolite production, L. reuteri creates biofilms that stimulate tumor necrosis factor production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- activated monocytoid cells. Interestingly, L. reuteri administration has emerged as a potential therapy for childhood functional gastrointestinal disturbances as these disturbances are associated with gut microbiota perturbations in early life. The current review summarizes the beneficial aspects of the probiotic L. reuteri strain in clinical practice with a special focus on its role in improving gut health and immunity in infants and toddlers.

Abstract Background Chronic illness with disability and its out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) remains a big financial challenge in Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to explore how religious minority problem and coastal climate crisis with other common risk factors determined chronic illness with a disability and its financial burden in Bangladesh. Existing policy responses, especially, social safety net programs and their governance were analyzed for suggesting better policy options that avoid distress financing. Methods Binary logistic and multiple linear regression models were respectively used to identify the factors of disability, and high OOPE based on Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016 data. Results We found that disable people had relatively higher OOPE than their non-disabled counterparts and this OOPE further surges when the number of disabilities increases. In addition to the common factors, the novelty of our findings indicated that the religious minority problem as well as the coastal climate crisis have bearing on the disability burden in Bangladesh. The likelihood of having a chronic illness with a disability was 13.2% higher for the religious minorities compared to the majorities (Odds ratio (OR): 1.132, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.033–1.241) and it was 21.6% higher for the people who lived in the exposed coast than those who lived in the non-exposed area (OR: 1.216, 95% CI: 1.107–1.335). With disabilities, people from the exposed coast incurred higher OOPE than those from the non-exposed areas. Although receiving assistance from social safety net programs (SSNPs) seemed to reduce their high OOPE and financial distress such as selling assets and being indebted, the distribution was not equitably and efficiently managed to confirm the process of inclusion leakage-free. On average, those who enrolled from the minority group and the exposed coast paid the relatively higher bribes. Conclusions To reduce burden, the government should strengthen and specify the existing SSNPs more for disable people, especially from the minority group and the exposed coast, and ensure the selection process more inclusive and leakage-free.

Background and objectives Hypertension (HTN), a major global health concern, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, premature death and disability, worldwide. It is important to develop an automated system to diagnose HTN at an early stage. Therefore, this study devised a machine learning (ML) system for predicting patients with the risk of developing HTN in Ethiopia. Materials and methods The HTN data was taken from Ethiopia, which included 612 respondents with 27 factors. We employed Boruta-based feature selection method to identify the important risk factors of HTN. The four well-known models [logistics regression, artificial neural network, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGB)] were developed to predict HTN patients on the training set using the selected risk factors. The performances of the models were evaluated by accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the curve (AUC) on the testing set. Additionally, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method is one of the explainable artificial intelligences (XAI) methods, was used to investigate the associated predictive risk factors of HTN. Results The overall prevalence of HTN patients is 21.2%. This study showed that XGB-based model was the most appropriate model for predicting patients with the risk of HTN and achieved the accuracy of 88.81%, precision of 89.62%, recall of 97.04%, F1-score of 93.18%, and AUC of 0. 894. The XBG with SHAP analysis reveal that age, weight, fat, income, body mass index, diabetes mulitas, salt, history of HTN, drinking, and smoking were the associated risk factors of developing HTN. Conclusions The proposed framework provides an effective tool for accurately predicting individuals in Ethiopia who are at risk for developing HTN at an early stage and may help with early prevention and individualized treatment.

Research shows that the composite material is used as an adsorbent to remove pollutants from wastewater. This work is aimed at producing a novel composite film comprising chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol, and cornstarch incorporating nanocellulose (CPCN). The composite film was prepared by a blending method wherein nanocellulose was extracted using a chemical method from banana bract. The prepared CPCN was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX to understand their molecular interaction and surface morphology, respectively. The effect of parameters including pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, and contact time on the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye was studied. The maximum adsorption was found to be up to 63.13 mg/g MB with a pH of 10, adsorbent dosage of 2 g, an initial concentration of 150 ppm, and contact time of 120 min at room temperature (25°C) indicating a moderate adsorption capacity of the CPCN. Comparing the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models, the former fitted well with MB dye adsorption data, implying that the models can be applied to uptake MB dye by CPCN. In the kinetic adsorption experiment, the adsorbed dye almost reached equilibrium at about 120 min for the CPCN and followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Therefore, the CPCN can be used as a potential adsorbent in wastewater treatment.

Study region: Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia Study focus: In this study we derive loss model parameters suitable for use in the dynamic loss Australian Representative Basin Model (ARBM) through the calibration of a continuous simulation hydrologic model. We compare the derived parameters to those published in the literature, and our results highlight the need to develop a database of calibrated loss parameters for urban catchments. New hydrological insights: The development of design storms for flood modelling commonly uses the initial loss/continuous loss model to estimate the conversion of rainfall to runoff. This loss model, when applied to pervious areas, uses parameters that have been calibrated for gauged rural catchments. These same parameters are often applied to the pervious component of ungauged urban catchments with minimal understanding of the resulting impact on runoff. This research uses a continuous simulation modelling approach to calibrate parameters suitable for use in the ARBM loss model built into the hydrological modelling software XPRAFTS. Through a two-stage calibration approach, the model offered a satisfactory fit (Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency > 0.5) for 9 of the 11 selected storm events, with seven events exceeding a Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.75. Events used in the calibration/validation included peak flows as low as 9 m3/s and as high as 600 m3/s. Developing these loss model parameters offers new insights into the suitability of a dynamic loss model approach in an urban catchment in regional Australia and provides an alternative to the parameters already available in the literature which were found to overestimate the peak flow in frequent events.

Background: Children undernutrition is one of the common problems in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to observe the prevalence of malnutrition and its contributory factors among children under two years. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over 384 children in some selected rural areas in Bangladesh. The participants’ data were collected such as anthropometric, demographic, socioeconomic, and child feeding behavior using pre-tested structured questionnaires. Results: In age groups of 6-11, 12-17, and 18-23 months, 23.7, 42.1, and 45.1% of children were underweight; 31.6, 36.8, and 58.8% were stunted; and 21.1, 7.9, and 15.7% were wasted, respectively. A significant association was found between malnutrition of children with presence of disease, education of mother, and their monthly family income. Mothers with higher knowledge on fed colostrum (94%) initiated breastfeeding after the first hour of birth significantly (73%). Majority of the mothers (61.4%) started their weaning practice by cow milk and powder milk (17.3 %). The highest number of children suffered from malnutrition due to mother’s illiteracy and less monthly family income. Conclusions: Awareness, multi stakeholder’s effort, and care practice should be conducted to reduce the malnutrition of under two years children in the study area.

Expensive and non-biodegradable synthetic fibres are commonly utilized as reinforcement in composites for better mechanical properties. The eco-friendly and low-cost properties of natural fibres are promising alternative reinforcement for composites. In this study epoxy-based glass and jute fibres reinforced hybrid composites are fabricated varying fibre stacking sequences, 1jute-1glass alternatively (j-g-j-) and 4glass-9jute-4glass (4g-9j-4g). Hybridization of jute and glass fibre results better tensile, flexural and water absorption properties than only jute fibre reinforced composites but inferior to only glass fibre reinforced composites. The 4g-9j-4g stacking sequence resulted in better mechanical and water absorption properties than j-g-j-- stacking sequence. The effect of chemical treatment and glass microfiber infusion are also investigated. Chemically treated jute fibre and 2 wt.% microfiber infused hybrid composite shows about 42% improvements in flexural strength as compared to untreated and without microfiber infused composites. However, fibre chemical treatment and microfiber do not have a positive impact on tensile strength.

A breakthrough in superabsorbent hydrogel (SAH) preparation was studied in the current issue by blending potato starch and acrylic acid for wastewater treatment. Gamma irradiation source (60Co irradiation) was used to irradiate SAH from 1 to 10 kGy dose at room temperature (~27°C). The swelling ratio, water absorption, equilibrium water content, and gel fraction properties of the hydrogel were investigated. The as-prepared hydrogel treated with KOH (THG) showed excellent absorption capacity but less mechanical stability compared to untreated hydrogel (UHG). The gel fraction of treated SAH was slightly lower in methanol, but the utmost in water at 5 kGy infers the proper grafting of SAH at this point. The prepared SAH was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) to investigate the surface morphology and molecular interaction, respectively. Moreover, this study’s focal point is to propose an alternative method to remove chromium and methylene blue by SAH from industrial wastewater. The Cr adsorption capacity of UHG was higher than that of THG because the proton’s replacement is easier than that of K by Cr. On the other hand, THG was found to be more efficient in removing methylene blue from industrial wastewater due to the presence of an easily ionized group (–COOK) in SAH. Therefore, the hydrogel can be proposed as a potential superabsorbent to remove heavy metals and organic dyes from industrial wastewater.

Ferroelectric negative capacitance materials have now been proposed for lowering electronics energy dissipation beyond basic limitations. In this paper, we presented the analysis on the performance of negative capacitance (NC) FinFET in comparison with conventional gate dielectrics by using a separation of variables approach, which is an optimal quasi-3D mathematical model. The result has been signified steeper surface potential (ψ), lower threshold voltage (Vth), 1.2 mA of on-state current (Ion), and enhanced immunity of negative capacitance FinFET against short channel effects (SCE’s) like 35.3 mV/V of drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), 60 mV/dec of subthreshold swing (SS) along with smallest off state current (Ioff) among another conventional gate dielectric. Hence, NC FinFET can be a potential candidate for low power and high-performance device.

Pyrazole, an important pharmacophore and a privileged scaffold of immense significance, is a five-membered heterocyclic moiety with an extensive therapeutic profile, viz., anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-anxiety, anticancer, analgesic, antipyretic, etc. Due to the expansion of pyrazolecent red pharmacological molecules at a quicker pace, there is an urgent need to put emphasis on recent literature with hitherto available information to recognize the status of this scaffold for pharmaceutical research. The reported potential pyrazole-containing compounds are highlighted in the manuscript for the treatment of cancer and inflammation, and the results are mentioned in % inhibition of inflammation, % growth inhibition, IC50, etc. Pyrazole is an important heterocyclic moiety with a strong pharmacological profile, which may act as an important pharmacophore for the drug discovery process. In the struggle to cultivate suitable anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents, chemists have now focused on pyrazole biomolecules. This review conceals the recent expansion of pyrazole biomolecules as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents with an aim to provide better correlation among different research going around the world.

Abstract Introduction Epidemiological research on the prevalence of asthma and helminthic infections in various countries has led to the hypothesis that helminthic infections protect against asthma by suppressing the host's immune response. This study was conducted to elucidate whether decreased Ascaris infection following a national deworming program was associated with increased recurrent wheezing among rural Bangladeshi children and to test their anti‐inflammatory immunity. Methods This nested case‐control study was conducted from December 2015 to October 2016 in the rural service area of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Of the 1800 5–year old children randomly selected for the study, informed consent was obtained from the guardians of 1658 children. Data were collected using a semistructured questionnaire adopted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and blood samples for the analysis of regulatory T (Treg) cell immune responses and the balance between Th1 and Th2 immunity in Ascaris infections. Results A total of 145 children were found to have wheezing, yielding a prevalence rate of 8.7%, which was significantly lower than the rate found in 2001 (16.2%, P

Weeds are considered as one of the major factors responsible for current low wheat yield in Bangladesh. Although chemical weed control is well established in many wheat growing countries, in Bangladesh, the herbicides are typically not used by farmers to manage weeds in wheat. Hence, to evaluate the efficacy of pre- and post-emergence herbicides in mechanized drilled sown wheat, a two-year field study was conducted in southwest Bangladesh. The study evaluated the performance of four pre-emergence herbicides (oxadiargyl 80g, pendimethalin 850 g, pyrazosulfuron 15 g, and mefenacet + bensulfuran methyl 550 g a.i. ha-1) applied at 2 days after sowing (DAS) and four post-emergence herbicides (2,4-D 1400 g, ethoxysulfuron18 g, penoxsulam22.5 g, and fenoxaprop 56 g a.i. ha-1) applied at 20 DAS, on weed control efficacy. A season long weed-free and a season long weedy plots were also maintained to compare the results. The weed control option using a single pre- or post-emergence herbicide was not adequate to control weed effectively when weed infestation was relatively higher. The best yield provided by pre-emergence (pendimethalin and oxadiargyl) and post-emergence (2,4-D and ethoxysulfuron) herbicide treatments were respectively 13-15% and 12-17% lower than the yield (4.1-4.2 t ha-1) of weed-free treatment. Post-emergence herbicides fenoxaprop was the best in controlling weeds; however, due to phytotoxic effects on wheat plants, the plots applied with fenoxaprop produced very low yield (2.6-2.8 t ha-1). Similarly, even after good weed control by the post-emergence application of penoxsulam, phytotoxicity on wheat resulting in low yield. The study suggested that the best weed control option for wheat is to use a pre-emergence (pendimethalin or oxadiargyl) followed by (fb) a post-emergence (2,4-D or ethoxysulfuron) herbicides depending upon weed species which would benefit the farmers by providing high weed control efficacy at lower cost compared to manual weeding. [Fundam Appl Agric 2019; 4(2.000): 839-848]

Preliminary survey work was done in Rangamati and Khagracharihill district in the Chakma community. The study was carried out on medicinal plants used by the Chakma community. Chakma people are mostly residing in the deep forest and depend on their own traditional health care system. Information was collected by interviewing traditional herbal healers (locally called Baddhya) and various elderly men and women. All the plants were listed along with their scientific name, family, chakma name, habit, used parts and mode of preparation. A total of 125 plant species under 46 families have been identified which are used to treat different diseases by the traditional herbal healers. Fabaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae are the most frequently used family to the number of species used by the Chakma Community. Mostly leaves are used for the preparation of folk medicine.

In intensive crop production systems, sustainable agricultural development strives to find the balance between productivity and environmental impact. To reduce the N fertilizer-associated environmental risks of intensive cropping, sound agronomic and environmentally acceptable management practices are urgently needed. To attain high yields, improve soil health, and ensure economic return and N usage efficiency in conservation-based intensive agriculture, N management must be optimized, which has not yet been studied systematically in the mustard-boro rice-aman rice cropping pattern. During 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19 cropping seasons in Bangladesh, cropping system experiments were conducted to investigate the interactive effects of tillage practices and nitrogen fertilizer rates on soil characteristics, crop productivity, and profitability under conservation agriculture (CA) systems. The trial featured two tillage systems: (i) conventional tillage (CT) and (ii) strip-tillage (ST). It also used three doses of N fertilizer: N1: 75% of the recommended N fertilizer dose (RND); N2: 100% of the RND; and N3: 125% of the RND. Each crop’s experiment was set up in a split-plot design with three replications, with the main plot assigned tillage practices and the sub-plot assigned nitrogen fertilizer rates. For rice, neither the tillage systems nor the interactions between the tillage systems and N levels affected any of the growth parameters, yield, and yield components, but the N levels did. Across the tillage systems, the rice grain and straw yield were similar for the N levels of 100% RND and 125% RND, which were significantly higher than the N level of 75% RND. In mustard, the highest seed yield was recorded from the tillage system ST, with an N level of 125% RND, which was at par with the tillage system ST with 100% RND and CT with 125% RND. The highest system rice equivalent yield (SREY, 14.9 to 15.8 t ha−1) was recorded from the tillage system ST, with an N level of 125% RND, which was at par with the same tillage system with an N level of 100% RND. The soil penetration and bulk density (BD) were higher for the CT than the ST, but soil organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and boron (B) content were higher for the tillage system ST than the CT. Across N levels, the tillage system CT had a 2–4% higher production cost than the ST. Total production cost increased as N levels increased across all tillage systems. The tillage system ST with an N level of 125% RND had the highest system gross return and net profit, which was at par with the same tillage system with 100% RND. This study suggested that farmers should apply slightly higher N for the mustard-boro-aman rice systems for the first couple of years when commencing CA; however, after a few years of consistent CA practice, the N rate may be reduced.

Fatty liver is one of the most common metabolic syndrome affecting the global population. Presently, limited treatment modalities with symptomatic approach are available for alleviating fatty liver. Traditional and herbal treatment modalities have shown evidence to improve the disease pathology. In the present research work, evaluation of a selected medicinal plant Lysimachia candida Lindl. was carried out to investigate its beneficial effects on fatty liver disease in rats. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were fed with high-fat high-fructose diet to induce fatty liver phenotypes. After induction for 15 weeks, methanolic extract of Lysimachia candida Lindl. (250 mg/kg b. w. p. o.) was administrated to the rats daily for the next 17 weeks. Blood samples were collected at different time points to analyze fasting blood glucose levels and relevant biochemical parameters important for the assessment of metabolic disease phenotypes. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based metabolomics was done to study the dynamics of metabolic changes in the serum during disease progression and how the medicinally important plant extract treatment reversed the metabolic diseases. Multivariate data analysis approaches have been employed to understand the metabolome changes and disease pathology. This study has identified the interplay of some metabolic pathways that alter the disease progression and their reversal after administration of the plant extract. Different group of metabolites mainly bile acids, fatty acids, carnitines, and their derivatives were found to be altered in the diseased rats. However, all the metabolites identified between control and disease groups are mainly related to lipid metabolism. The results depict that the treatment with the above-mentioned plant extract improves the regulation of aberrant lipid metabolism, and reverses the metabolic syndrome phenotype. Therefore, the present study reveals the potential mechanism of the herbal extract to prevent metabolic syndrome in rats.

Some (E)-3-(3-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-phenylprop-2-en-1-one conjugates 5a–r were designed; synthesized; characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, and ESI-MS; and evaluated for tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity and in vitro cytotoxicity against breast (MCF-7), cervical (SiHa), and prostate (PC-3) cancer cell lines, as well as a normal cell line (HEK-293T). The compounds were also tested to determine their binding modes at the colchicine-binding site of tubulin protein (PDB ID-3E22), for in silico ADME prediction, for bioactivity study, and for PASS prediction studies. Among all the synthesized conjugates, compound 5o exhibited excellent cytotoxicity with an IC50 value of 2.13 ± 0.80 µM (MCF-7), 4.34 ± 0.98 µM (SiHa), and 4.46 ± 0.53 µM (PC-3) against cancer cell lines. The compound did not exhibit significant toxicity to the HEK cells. Results of the in silico prediction revealed that the majority of the conjugates possessed drug-like properties.

Abstract Ensuring sustainable development of coastal areas need improvement of road embankment infrastructure. Being a byproduct of industry, fly ash may be considered as environment friendly and low cost material for this purpose. However, scarcity of fresh water in coastal areas may compel to use saline water. To investigate the effects of sodium chloride content of mixing water on fly ash and lime mixed compacted sand, a series of the unconfined compression tests have been conducted on 50 mm diameter and 100 mm high specimens. Lime content was varied over a range of 1–5% of dry sand weight and fly ash contents were 9, 15 and 30% of dry sand weight. Besides, 0, 4 and 8% of sodium chloride were mixed with tap water, which were used for preparing specimens at 10% moisture content by compaction method. The specimens were cured for 7, 15, 30 and 60 days by spraying method. Experiment results show that, the unconfined compression strength of fly ash and lime mixed compacted sand increases with the increase in sodium chloride content. However, the long term effect of using saline water in fly ash and lime mixed compacted sand should be investigated, which is out of scope of this study.

Abstract To assess the behavior of sand–silt mixtures, strain-controlled monotonic triaxial tests were conducted on sand–silt mixtures of specimen size 71 mm in diameter and 142 mm in height at various relative densities but same isotropic effective confining pressure of 100 kPa. Concept of limiting fines content (LFC) was verified by these undrained monotonic triaxial tests. LFC was found to be the very important parameter to understand the behavior of sand–silt mixtures. The behavior of sand–silt mixture changes approximately at LFC. At constant relative density, increase in silt content decreases the undrained peak shear strength till LFC. After LFC the strength becomes near about same till pure silt sample. The reason of behavior could not be explained. At constant global void ratio, the peak shear strength decreases with increase in silt content till LFC and for further increment of silt content the peak shear strength increases. Sand–silt mixtures containing certain amount of silt which is near to the LFC showed flow type as well as brittle behavior. Failure of structure on this type of soil will be catastrophic during earthquake. In the case of permeability decreased with increasing silt content up to LFC. After the LFC, dry density is decreasing with increasing silt content but permeability remains constant till pure silt.

Abstract The opportunistic fish pathogen, Enterococcus faecalis has been reported to cause mass mortality in several fish species in different countries. The objectives of this study were to (i) identify E. faecalis from the diseased fishes through molecular techniques; (ii) assess the antibiotic susceptibility profile of E. faecalis isolates; and (iii) control disease in tilapia fish by treatment with medicinal plant extracts. A total of 48 isolates were phenotypically identified as Enterococcus species from tilapia, stinging catfish and walking catfish cultivated in several fish farms in Gazipur. Ten randomly selected isolates were identified as E. faecalis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Artificial infection revealed that most of the isolates caused moderate to high mortality in fishes with characteristic disease symptoms. These isolates exhibited resistance to multiple antibiotics in vitro. Bioassay revealed that organic extracts of Tamarindus indica and Emblica officinalis leaves, Allium sativum bulb, and Syzygium aromaticum bud inhibited the growth of E. faecalis. Methanol extracts of A. sativum and methanol and acetone extracts of S. aromaticum significantly reduced the mortality of fish artificially infected with E. faecalis as both preventive and therapeutic agents. This is the first report on molecular identification, and herbal control of fish pathogenic E. faecalis in Bangladesh.

Objective: In recent decades, the overexpression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is found to be progressively linked with many diseases such as different types of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammation. Thereby, it has become an attractive target for pharmacological and genetic modulation in various diseases, and also for overcoming the resistance to chemotherapy in several cancers. Here, in this study, the role of molecular therapeutics of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) has been investigated for its ability to bind with the precursor miRNA as a target of miR-21 (hsa-mir-21), which may alter the catalyzation process of dicer, a RNase III enzyme, involved in miRNA transcription. Methods: In this context, the present study describes the potential binding and the structure alteration properties of DIM to precursor miR-21 (pre-miR-21) through Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics simulation techniques. Results: As a corollary, DIM formed both non-bonded and covalent interactions with the bases of pre-miR, while covalent interaction with guanine in the 6th position was found to be consensus in molecular dynamics simulation. Furthermore, the stability of both DIM and pre-miR-21 was found to be inversely correlated to each other in binding condition. Conclusion: This result indicates that DIM can be used in target-based therapy and also as a lead for further development of potent small molecule miRNA antagonist.

Vertebral osteosarcoma is the primary non-hematological malignancy having poor surgical outcome even after all modalities of treatment. We describe one case of vertebral osteosarcoma who initially presented with paraparesis, and subsequently, paraplegia with autonomic involvement. On neurological examination, muscle power was grade “0” of lower limb, sensory level at L1, autonomic absent. Magnetic resonance imaging and plain X-ray reveals collapse of L1 vertebra with intensity changes. She underwent total excision of tumor with posterior decompression by laminectomy of L1 with stabilization by rod and pedicle screw. Post-operative radiotherapy was ensured. The histopathological examination revealed telangiectatic osteosarcoma. Accurate early diagnosis and careful total surgical excision with decompression and fixation of vertebra play an important role. Radiotherapy subsequently helps to the prevention of recurrence and destruction of residual cancer cells.

Objective: To investigate the comparative effects of Diospyros blancoi (Ebenaceae) leaves (DBL), root bark (DBRB) and stem bark (DBSB) on free radicals and cancer. Methods: The polyphenol contents, antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties were determined using standard spectrophotometric methods. Cytotoxicity and anticancer activities were performed on brine shrimp nauplii and Ehrlich ascite carcinoma cells, respectively. Results: Among the extracts, DBSB showed the highest total antioxidant capacity and reducing capacity on ferrous ion. Based on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, DBSB showed (95.760 ± 0.343)% and (67.460 ± 2.641)% scavenging with IC50 of (3.10 ± 0.17) and (50.00 ± 3.11) μg/mL, respectively. The IC50 values of standard butylated hydroxytoluene and catechin (CA) for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals were (8.50 ± 0.25) and (75.00 ± 0.14) μg/mL, respectively suggesting that DBSB had a significant (P DBRB > CA > DBL. Also, the phenolic [(139.91 ± 3.924) mg gallic acid equivalent/g] and flavonoid contents [(412.00 ± 16.70) mg catechin equivalent/g)] of DBSB were higher than that of other extracts. In addition, the DBSB showed the moderate cytotoxic and anticancer properties. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Diospyros blancoi stem bark had the significant highest antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties as well as moderate anticancer activity. Hence, we assume that the anticancer activity of this plant can be, at least in part, attributed to its content in phenolic compounds as well as its significant free radical scavenging properties.

Pyrazole are potent medicinal scaffolds and exhibit a full spectrum of biological activities. This review throws light on the detailed synthetic approaches which have been applied for the synthesis of pyrazole. This has been followed by an in depth analysis of the pyrazole with respect to their medical significance. This follow-up may help the medicinal chemists to generate new leads possessing pyrazole nucleus with high efficacy.

Tissue culture independent transformation technique in crops is relatively new and of popular interest due to its faster approach and efficiency. The prospect of this technique in the production of transgenic Jute plants with new genetic properties is promising. In the present study, two varieties of each of Corchorus olitorius (var. O-72 and var. OM-1) and C. capsularis (var. CVL-1 and var. BJC-83) were used to observe their transformation ability. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 was used for transformation, which harbors a binary vector pBI121 containing selectable marker gene nptII, gus (β-glucuronidase) reporter gene and a stress tolerance gene GLY-1. The young shoot tip of the seedlings (20-22 cm) was infected with the bacterial culture. The young leaves were collected after 20-21 days of bacterial culture transformation and thereafter histochemical GUS assay was performed. In the putatively transformed regions of the plants, gus reporter gene was expressed showing blue color in the tissues. Non-transformed plants did not show any color. Among the varieties, the percentage of matured plants showing GUS activity was higher in C. olitorious var. O-72 (80.66%) and OM-1 (73.33%) compared to C. capsularis var. BJC-83 (32.50%) and CVL-1 (40.00%). The result of the study provides an indication that efficiency of transformation by using tissue culture independent direct genetic transformation for the two species of Jute may differ significantly.

Despite recent advances, the role of ROS in mediating hypertrophic and apoptotic responses in cardiac myocytes elicited by norepinephrine (NE) is rather poorly understood. We demonstrate through our experiments that H9c2 cardiac myoblasts treated with 2 µM NE (hypertrophic dose) generate DCFH-DA positive ROS only for 2 h; while those treated with 100 µM NE (apoptotic dose) sustains generation for 48 h, followed by apoptosis. Though the levels of DCFH fluorescence were comparable at early time points in the two treatment sets, its quenching by DPI, catalase and MnTmPyP suggested the existence of a different repertoire of ROS. Both doses of NE also induced moderate levels of H2O2 but with different kinetics. Sustained but intermittent generation of highly reactive species detectable by HPF was seen in both treatment sets but no peroxynitrite was generated in either conditions. Sustained generation of hydroxyl radicals with no appreciable differences were noticed in both treatment sets. Nevertheless, despite similar profile of ROS generation between the two conditions, extensive DNA damage as evident from the increase in 8-OH-dG content, formation of γ-H2AX and PARP cleavage was seen only in cells treated with the higher dose of NE. We therefore conclude that hypertrophic and apoptotic doses of NE generate distinct but comparable repertoire of ROS/RNS leading to two very distinct downstream responses. Keywords: Cardiac myocyte, Hypertrophy, Apoptosis, Redox signaling, Reactive oxygen species, 8−OH-dG

An effective in vitro culture system for mature nodal segments of European plum (Prunus domestica) was established. Several important aspects of regeneration from nodal explants were studied for adaptation of European plum in Bangladesh. Leaf explants were used for callus induction and ½ MS media supplemented with 1.0 mg/l indole butyric acid (IBA) + 0.5 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) induced low efficiency callus. The nodal segments of 1.5 cm were cut from young plants, sterilized and established in vitro. The successful cultures were achieved on MS media supplemented with 2-6 mg/l kinetin (KIN); 2, 3, 5 mg/l benzyleaminopurine (BAP) and 4 mg/l KIN combination with 2 mg/l BAP. The highest number of shoot length (1.20 ±0.15 cm), highest number of shoot (3.00±0.35 cm), and highest number of leaf (14.25±1.45) were observed at KIN 4.0 mg/l. The successful multiple shoots were achieved on MS media with 2-6 mg/l KIN, 4 mg/l KIN combination with 2 mg/l BAP. This indicates that, in general, European plum species is very responsive to in vitro regeneration from nodal segment. The shoots from micro cutting were rooted in MS media supplemented with 1.0 mg/l IBA and with 0.5 mg/l BAP; ½ MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IBA + 0.5mg/l NAA and 1.0 mg/l IBA + 0.5 mg/l BAP. Regenerated plantlets successfully acclimatized to grow vigorously with no apparent phenotypic aberrations. In addition, in sense of commercial value without growth hormone achieved great result. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of extracts of European plum was evaluated against the human pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Protease mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus by agar disc diffusion method. Most of the human pathogens were resistant against commercial disk. But plum fruit extract showed good inhibition zone result (14.25 mm by crude extract against P. aeruginosa and 12.4 mm by dry extract against S. aureus). The positive results of screening of this plum for antibacterial activity forms primary platform for further phytochemical and pharmacological studies.

BACKGROUND: The Tridax procumbens flavonoids (TPF), are well known for their medicinal properties among local natives. The TPF are traditionally used for dropsy, anaemia, arthritis, gout, asthma, ulcer, piles, and urinary problems. It also used in treating gastric problems, body pain, and rheumatic pains of joints. The TPF have been reported to increase osteogenic functioning in mesenchymal stem cells. However, their effects on osteoclastogenesis remain unclear. The TPF isolated from T. procumbens and investigated the effects of the TPF inhibit on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption activities using primary osteoclastic cells. Osteoclast formation was assessed by counting the number of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive multinucleated cells and by measuring both TRAP activities. RESULTS: The TPF significantly suppressed the RANKL-induced differentiation of osteoclasts and the formation of pits in primary osteoclastic cells. The TPF also decreased the expression of mRNAs related to osteoclast differentiation, including Trap, Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 in primary osteoclastic cells. The treatment of primary osteoclastic cells with the TPF decreased Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 proteins expression in primary osteoclastic cells. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that TPF inhibit osteoclastogenesis and pits formation activities. Our results suggest that the TPF could be a potential anti-bone resorptic agent to treat patients with bone loss-associated diseases such as osteoporosis.

In this work, plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis was achieved from leaf and internode derived callus of Wedelia calendulacea, an endangered medicinal plant. Primary callus was induced by culturing leaf disc and internode explant on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 of 2,4-D under light condition. Transfer of embryogenic callus on a reduced concentration of 2,4-D facilitated somatic embryo development while calluses remained unorganized at the same 2,4-D level. A histological analysis confirmed somatic embryo by revealing the presence of a closed vascular system in the developing embryos and lack of a vascularconnection with surrounding callus tissues. Somatic embryos germinated into plantlets upon transfer on MS medium containing 1.0 mg L-1 BAP plus 0.5 mg L-1 GA3. Plantlets were acclimatized successfully and survived under soil condition. This is the first on somatic embryogenesis of W.calendulacea. This result could facilitate genetic transformation of this important medicinal plant.

A cross sectional study was conducted in inpatient department of seven primary level hospitals care centers (PLHCs) and six tertiary level hospitals (TLHs) of the country. Total 2058 hospitalized patients were interviewed over a six month period from October 2012. Most of the patients (85.9% in TLH and 100% in PLH) were prescribed with antibiotics at the time of admission. Only 6.4% patients of TLHs treated with antibiotic had culture proven infection and rest of the patient of TLH and all the patients of PLH were treated with antibiotic empirically. Top prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone (39.64% in TLH, 59.64% in PLH). Parenteral route of antibiotic administration was preferred for both at TLHs and PLHCs (63.3% and 76.9%). The results of the present study indicated that antibiotics were widely and inappropriately used without following standard guidelines or based on any rationality. This is an alarming situation, and needs to be addressed by the relevant authority to save the people from growing antibiotic resistance. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2015; 9(2): 42-44

Background: Thyroid dysfunction is not uncommon in pregnancy. It should be evaluated for better outcome of pregnancy. Objective: To observe the thyroid hormone profile in apparently euthyroid pregnant women of any trimester. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated 350 pregnant women irrespective of gestational age [(age 24±4, m±SDyr; 1st trimester = 101, 2nd trimester=111, 3rd trimester=138) for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and for free thyroxine (FT4)] to assess their thyroid function during pregnancy following the criteria of American Thyroid Association (ATA). Results: Most of the mothers were housewifes (93.1 %, 326/350) of whom 46.6% were primigravida. About 63% mother had associated goiter, 58% (204/350) were euthyroid and 41 % (142/350) were subclinical hypothyroid (SCH). Frequency of goiter (63% vs. 62%, euthyroid vs. dysfunction) was not significantly different between dysfunction and normal groups. FT4 significantly correlated with gestational age (r= - 0.131, p=0.014) and TSH level (r= - 0.612, p< 0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that many of the apparently euthyroid pregnant mother have dysfunction as defined by ATA reference ranges for TSH and FT4. Simple screening for thyroid function may have greater implication for better pregnancy outcome.