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Aim. To investigate the effect of post-stroke epilepsy on the early recovery period of stroke. Materials and methods. A total of 265 patients with ischemic stroke experienced epileptic seizures were under integral medical supervision. Three months after the onset of stroke 52.5% of patients had no seizures (of which in 31% post-stroke epilepsy did not develop, in 21.5% seizures were controlled by antiepileptic drugs). In 47.5% of patients, epileptic seizures continued to develop. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, modified Rankin Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and health status questionnaire SF-36 were applied in 180 patients (90 with and 90 without seizures) two months after the stroke onset in a case-control design. Results. A significant predominance of an increased level of anxiety and depression, number of patients with signs of disability, the average SF-36 questionnaire lower scores for general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health indicators were revealed in patients experiencing seizures compared to patients without seizures. Conclusion. Thus, the development of post-stroke epilepsy worsens the course of the early recovery period of stroke, functional outcomes and affects the rehabilitation potential and require timely adequate treatment.

Abstract Food safety remains a critical issue with outbreaks of foodborne illness. The knowledge gap of food safety and improper hygienic practices of food handlers are the key factors for the transmission of foodborne diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the level of food safety knowledge and practices among street food vendors in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, and its implications on consumers’ health. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 respondents in seven areas of Dhaka City. Trained data collectors gather data by interviewing street vendors using a pretested questionnaire. Most of the vendors (98%) were male, with 48% having secondary education and 85% having no food safety training. Although about 89% of the vendors were found to practice hand washing, only a small proportion of them practised using hand gloves while handling raw products (5.6%), cleaning tables (2.2%), preparing foods (1.3%) or handling garbage (0.9%). The education level of the vendors and their work experience were significantly correlated with their hand washing practice, wearing hand gloves and their knowledge about food-borne illnesses. The study demonstrated that formal education played a significant role in vendors’ knowledge and practice of health safety measures for food handlers to prevent foodborne illness. Effective food safety training and monitoring are needed to increase vendors' knowledge and practices, and in reducing foodborne diseases.

In this research, we proposed an asymmetric rectangular slotted biosensor using photonic crystal fiber (PCF), which is subject to surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The proposed sensor utilizes only seven air holes, ensuring better fabrication feasibility and their properties are determined through finite element method (FEM)-based numerical analysis. To simplify the manufacturing process and ensure chemical stability, chemically impermeable gold (Au) strips are employed around the perimeter of the structure as the plasmonic material. With effective structural parameters, the maximum amplitude sensitivity for the proposed sensor is 663.13 RIU−1, the maximum wavelength sensitivity is 204,000 nm/RIU, and the maximum wavelength resolution is 4.90 × 10−7 RIU for the y-polarized mode. It also shows a high linearity of 0.9849. For the detection of sucrose content, it has a maximum wavelength sensitivity of 207070.71 nm/RIU and a maximum amplitude sensitivity of 662.80 RIU−1. The newly introduced sensor can detect the refractive index (RI) of various analytes across a broad spectrum, ranging from 1.28 to 1.41. This extensive detection range allows the sensor to precisely measure sucrose concentrations up to 40%. This broad range enables the analysis of various analytes like sucrose, viruses, cancer cells, proteins, and numerous others.

This study introduces a dual-core photonic crystal fiber incorporating a highly responsive plasmonic refractive index (RI) sensor. The performance of the RI sensor is evaluated based on amplitude sensitivity, wavelength resolution, wavelength sensitivity, and the linearity of the resonance wavelength. Employing the finite element technique (FEM), a numerical analysis of the proposed design is conducted. Results indicate that employing the amplitude interrogation method yields a peak amplitude sensitivity of 605.82 RIU−1 for y-polarization. Furthermore, the wavelength interrogation approach for y-polarized modes demonstrates a maximum wavelength sensitivity of approximately 17,000 nm/RIU and a maximum wavelength resolution of 5.88 × 10−6 RIU. The proposed sensor exhibits a figure of merit of approximately 298 and effectively responds to refractive index variations within the range of 1.28 to 1.40. These promising outcomes, coupled with the broad sensing range, establish the suggested sensor as a promising candidate for the detection of organic chemical solutions.

The present work investigates quadratic convection on magnetized viscous fluid flow on a circular elastic surface susceptible to Rosseland nonlinear thermal radiation and the nonlinear Boussinesq approximation. The flow is traversing through a Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer porous material. The energy equation investigates the implications of heat source/sink, Joule heating, and viscous dissipation. Utilizing suitable similarity variables, the hypothesized mathematical modelling is converted into nonlinear systems. Numerical solutions of nonlinear differential equations are computed using the spectral technique, often recognized as the spectral local linearization method (SLLM). The proposed approach SLLM is based on decoupling and linearizing systems of linear equations using a basic linearization process combined with spectral collocation linearization. The computational findings for nondimensional parameters are reported for the velocity and temperature profiles. As a particular case of our investigation, we also perform a comparison with published results.

Cancer remains the most lethal disease in today's scientific and technological age, claiming the lives of thousands of people every day. In many cases, cancer can be cured with our present technology interventions when it is detected at an early stage. State-of-the-art diagnostic devices are one of the viable strategies to combat cancer. Among various methods, optical and photoelectrochemical biosensors are the most popular for detecting cancer. This review article has focused on different optical analysis techniques and photoelectrochemical techniques for the early diagnosis of cancer via the detection of several cancer biomarkers. Optical analysis techniques involve the use of light properties such as resonance, interference, luminescence, scattering, etc. To detect analytes with high sensitivity and specificity making the techniques desirable over the traditional techniques. The photoelectrochemical technique which uses light-activating photoresponsive materials has also gained popularity lately due to its low cost, high sensitivity, and specificity. These techniques can be used to identify specific biomarkers that are associated with cancer, enabling early detection and diagnosis. Furthermore, the role of nanomaterials in designing the biosensor was taken into consideration for this study. Nanomaterials-based biosensors can detect very low concentrations of biomarkers, which is crucial for early cancer diagnosis. Additionally, the performance limitations of optical and photoelectrochemical nanobiosensors have been analyzed. Given the huge number of articles published in recent years, studies published only in the last five years have been reviewed.

Background: Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began, several studies were published on the possible prevention and treatment of the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARSCoV-2), and its complications. However, one aspect that was overlooked is the impact on the mental health of the caregivers of COVID-19 patients. The current study endeavors to investigate sleep quality disturbances in the caregivers of COVID-19 patients in different countries. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional multi-center study was performed between August 1, 2021, and August 30, 2022, across 11 countries. A total of 2411 responses meeting the inclusion criteria (being a family member or caregiver involved in patient care) were collected. The sleep quality was assessed using the self-reported Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) 12. Total scores ranged from 0 to 21. A ≥5 indicated poor sleep quality with 89.6% sensitivity and 86.5% specificity. Results: A total of 2411 responses meeting the inclusion criteria showed that mean PSQI scores (P = 0.3604) were higher in caregivers of hospitalized patients than in patients isolated at home. Approximately 62.4% of caregivers reported sleep quality problems while caring for their patients. Conclusion: The results showed that the majority of caregivers of patients with COVID-19 reported disturbances in sleep quality and impaired sleep was more common among caregivers of hospitalized patients, perhaps because hospitalization is associated with a more severe course of the disease. There is a pressing need to take measures to improve the mental health of these caregivers. There should be treatment programs set up to reverse sleep disturbances in this population sufficiently.

Abstract Regression analysis is a well known quantitative research method that primarily explores the relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent variable. Conducting regression analysis manually on large datasets with multiple independent variables can be tedious. An automated system for regression analysis will be of great help for researchers as well as non‐expert users. Thus, the objective of this research is to design and develop an automated curve fitting system. As outcome, a curve fitting system named “CurFi” was developed that uses linear regression models to fit a curve to a dataset and to find out the best fit model. The system facilitates to upload a dataset, split the dataset into training set and test set, select relevant features and label from the dataset; and the system will return the best fit linear regression model after training is completed. The developed tool would be a great resource for the users having limited technical knowledge who will also be able to find the best fit regression model for a dataset using the developed “CurFi” system.

Feminist scholars and activists have a long history of integrating feminist praxis in the curriculum through community engagement initiatives. Using feminist critiques, they have investigated possibilities as well as limitations of these initiatives in neoliberal universities (Boyd & Sandell, 2012; Costa & Leong, 2012; Dean et al., 2019; Johnson & Luhmann, 2016; Kwon & Nguyen, 2016). Nevertheless, most of the existing studies focus on feminist community engagement within institutionalized Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) departments, programs, and courses. This article demonstrates how feminist community engagement can expand its scope outside the institutional boundaries of WGSS programs. It contributes to the existing feminist literature in several ways. First, it explores how feminist and decolonial praxis can manifest in a non-WGSS setting and the resulting challenges and possibilities that arise. Second, it argues that the transition from traditional service learning to feminist and decolonial community engagement is a complex, contentious, and iterative process rather than an end goal. Lastly, it elaborates on how faculty can not only avoid the tendency of “learning elsewhere” and framing the community as “unprivileged Other” but also build and organize with community through creative subversion of various structures of the neoliberal university.

Purpose. This research aimed to determine the factors influencing the food consumption habits and satisfaction level of residential students of Dhaka University, Bangladesh. Results. Six residential halls of Dhaka University were selected among the 23 residential halls in this study. Among the six hostels, 2 are female, and 4 are male. A structured questionnaire was developed using the SERVQUAL framework with nine questions to measure tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and overall food consumption pattern and the satisfaction level of resident students of Dhaka University. SPSS 16 was used to analyze the data. From the studies and analysis, it is clear that the students’ evaluations of the service quality and service delivery process depend on such factors: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy and their immediate outcome seem to have the greatest impact on their overall perceptions of service quality. Improved perceptions of service delivery lead to satisfaction. Regression results confirm that overall food consumption patterns and satisfaction levels depend on at least one of the following variables: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Scientific novelty. The novelty of this research lies in several aspects: 1. Contextual relevance; 2. Use of SERVQUAL Framework; 3. Integration of multiple factors; 4. Regression analysis; 5. Specificity for residential students. Overall, the scientific novelty of this research lies in its focused context, use of the SERVQUAL framework, integration of multiple factors (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy), statistical analysis, and its specific relevance to residential students of Dhaka University. Practical value. The value of this research can be seen in several aspects: improving food services; enhancing student satisfaction; development of services for residential students; benchmarking and comparison; decision-making and resource allocation.

Cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarctions, myocarditis, strokes, coronary artery disease, chronic granulomatous disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, etc. can be regarded as the severe health trouble round the globe. The reasons behind the heart related complications have been well chalked our so far. Interestingly, along with the non-infectious reasons, an array of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses is known to cause different types of heart complications. Unfortunately, the role of microorganisms in inducing heart diseases is not that much known by the mass community in the underdeveloped and even in the developing countries over the world. However, among the microorganisms causing heart diseases, the multifaceted bionetwork by the gut microorganisms especially drew the interests of microbiologists. The impairment of cardiac membrane, the metabolic malfunction of heart, and imbalance in the functionality of the immune cells by the alternation in the composition of gut microorganisms are currently not unknown. Present review outlined the onset of heart diseases caused by the gut microflora in a simple way which would be important in public health regard.

Groundwater provides the largest source of usable water storage in Bangladesh. Groundwater samples have been analyzed for Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, and Co using atomic absorption spectrophotometer to evaluate the heavy metal distribution and contamination level at the southeastern coastal area of Bangladesh. Heavy metals in water samples are in the range of Fe (490–4710 µg/L), Mn (13–1970 µg/L), Zn (70–550 µg/L), Ni (42–255 µg/L), Cr (25–133 µg/L), Cu (34–95 µg/L), Cd (7–26 µg/L), Pb (0–20 µg/L), and Co (43–141 µg/L). The mean concentration of Cr, Cd, Fe, Mn, and Ni exceeded the Bangladesh standards for drinking water. Application of Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicate that groundwater of the study area are influenced by both geogenic and anthropogenic sources of the heavy metals. Heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), degree of contamination (Cd) and heavy metal pollution index (HPI) are employed to evaluate the overall pollution level of groundwater estimating 40, 27 and 60% of samples respectively and exhibit the medium degree of pollution.

Background: The corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) or corona pandemic is an outgoing pandemic caused by coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. It was first identified in Wuhan, China, and the first COVID-19 case in Bangladesh was on March 7, 2020. A retrospective research was conducted on Brahmanbaria Medical College with COVID-19-suspected patients to understand the current situation of COVID-19 in Brahmanbaria. Methods: A total 752 oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from COVID-19 suspected patients and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction test was run to identify the positive cases. Results: We found 28.5% (n = 214) of positive cases among which 22.9% (n = 49) were diabetes mellitus patients and 20.5% (n = 46) were hypertension patients too. Conclusion: A total of 214 (28.5%) COVID-19 positive confirmed cases among 752 COVID-19-suspected peoples were found. The most common age group of COVID-19 patients was between 31 and 40 years, which is a matter of great concern as these patients develop different postcorona syndromes such as weakness, breathlessness, and muscles pains and cannot go back to their normal daily life as before.

Context: Sexual abuse of young female hawkers is a subject of public health importance with resultant long-lasting physical and mental consequences. Aims: This study assessed the prevalence, pattern and predictors of sexual abuse among female hawkers in Kano State, Nigeria. Settings and Design: Using a descriptive cross-sectional design and two-stage sampling technique, female hawkers in Kano metropolis were studied. Subjects and Methods: An adapted and pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information from 236 female hawkers. Data were analysed with SPSS Statistics, version 24.0 software. Prevalence and pattern of sexual abuse was determined and adjusted odds ratios of predictors derived from binary logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence of sexual abuse was 68.6%. Forms of sexual abuse reported included verbal abuse (38.1%), inappropriate touch (64.0%) and rape (25.8%). Predictors of sexual abuse included respondents' age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 10.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] [2.92–38.84]), ethnicity (aOR = 4.26, 95% CI [1.30–14.00]), highest educational attainment (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.15–0.99]), residence with parent (s) (aOR = 0.07, 95%CI [0.01–0.54]) and parents being alive (aOR = 6.79, 95%CI [1.41–32.62]). Conclusions: Sexual abuse is prevalent among female hawkers and the forms experienced ranged from verbal abuse to inappropriate touch and rape. Interventions that delay age at the commencement of hawking, ensure the education of the girl child and support parental care could foster more matured and smart female hawkers who can avoid sexual abuse.

Present study assessed the pathogenic prevalence in municipal water from 10 supply point and deep tube-well water from 10 deep tube-well point delivered across the Kashipur zone of Narayanganj city, Bangladesh along with their drug resistant pattern through conventional, biochemical and disk diffusion methods. The physico-chemical properties of the deep tube-well water were in satisfactory level, only the samples from location 1, 3, 5 and 9 were exceed the marginal limit for dissolved oxygen however most of the samples of supplied water cross the marginal limit of all parameter (dissolved oxygen ,temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolve solid and turbidity). Pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. were found in both supplied water and sewerage authority water (102–106 cfu/ml) and deep tube-well water (102–104 cfu/ml). Additionally, fecal coliforms, Klebsiella spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Vibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp. was monitored only among the supplied water. Both of the samples were found to be contaminated with heterotrophic bacteria up to 108 cfu/ml. Most of the bacteria were found to be resistant against more than one drug. Hence, the municipal water of the study area was microbiologically unsafe. The propagation of drug resistant strains was assumed to escalate the public health threat. A survey on public opinions were also conducted to know their daily life style and their concern on water treatment and diseases outbreaks caused by contaminated water.

Introduction: Preservatives or chemical additives are frequently used in various food items with the principal objective of preventing the food spoilage caused by adulteration, chemical changes, and due to microbial contamination. The current study attempted to detect the in vitro antibacterial activities of the crude forms of common food additives/preservatives. Methods: A total of seven locally available samples (four preservatives and three different spices) were collected from the super shops within Bashundhara Area, Dhaka. The antibacterial traits of the collected samples were examined by the Kirby–Bauer (agar well diffusion) method. The test bacterial strains used in this study were Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Results: Except the crude granular spices (turmeric powder, chili powder, and the tasting salt), the other three food additive samples (tomato sauce, honey, and vinegar) were found to be nearly effective in eliminating the bacterial growth, while soy sauce did not exhibit notable antibacterial activity. Conclusion: The investigation showed that the liquid food additives were effectively capable of abolishing bacterial growth whereas the crude samples didn't impart the anti-bacterial activity.

Background Global surgery has recently gained prominence as an academic discipline within global health. Authorship inequity has been a consistent feature of global health publications, with over-representation of authors from high-income countries (HICs), and disenfranchisement of researchers from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this study, we investigated authorship demographics within recently published global surgery literature.Methods We performed a systematic analysis of author characteristics, including gender, seniority and institutional affiliation, for global surgery studies published between 2016 and 2020 and indexed in the PubMed database. We compared the distribution of author gender and seniority across studies related to different topics; between authors affiliated with HICs and LMICs; and across studies with different authorship networks.Results 1240 articles were included for analysis. Most authors were male (60%), affiliated only with HICs (51%) and of high seniority (55% were fully qualified specialist or generalist clinicians, Principal Investigators, or in senior leadership or management roles). The proportion of male authors increased with increasing seniority for last and middle authors. Studies related to Obstetrics and Gynaecology had similar numbers of male and female authors, whereas there were more male authors in studies related to surgery (69% male) and Anaesthesia and Critical care (65% male). Compared with HIC authors, LMIC authors had a lower proportion of female authors at every seniority grade. This gender gap among LMIC middle authors was reduced in studies where all authors were affiliated only with LMICs.Conclusion Authorship disparities are evident within global surgery academia. Remedial actions to address the lack of authorship opportunities for LMIC authors and female authors are required.

A novel computational approach is developed to investigate the mixed convection, boundary layer flow over a nonlinear elastic (stretching or shrinking) surface. The viscous fluid is electrically conducting, incompressible, and propagating through a porous medium. The consequences of viscous dissipation, Joule heating, and heat sink/source of the volumetric rate of heat generation are also included in the energy balance equation. In order to formulate the mathematical modeling, a similarity analysis is performed. The numerical solution of nonlinear differential equations is accomplished through the use of a robust computational approach, which is identified as the Spectral Local Linearization Method (SLLM). The computational findings reported in this study show that, in addition to being simple to establish and numerically implement, the proposed method is very reliable in that it converges rapidly to achieve a specified goal and is more effective in resolving very complex models of nonlinear boundary value problems. In order to ensure the convergence of the proposed SLLM method, the Gauss–Seidel approach is used. The SLLM’s reliability and numerical stability can be optimized even more using Gauss–Seidel approach. The computational results for different emerging parameters are computed to show the behavior of velocity profile, skin friction coefficient, temperature profile, and Nusselt number. To evaluate the accuracy and the convergence of the obtained results, a comparison between the proposed approach and the bvp4c (built-in command in Matlab) method is presented. The Matlab software, which is used to generate machine time for executing the SLLM code, is also displayed in a table.

Abstract Objective Halotolerant bacteria have multiple uses viz. fermentation with lesser sterility control and industrial production of bioplastics. Moreover, it may increase the crop productivity of coastal saline lands in Bangladesh by transferring the salt tolerant genes into the plants. The study focused on the isolation and identification of the halotolerant bacteria from three soil samples, collected from coastal Patenga area. The samples were inoculated in nutrient media containing a wide range of salt concentrations. Results All the samples showed 2, 4 and 6% (w/v) salt tolerance. The isolates from Patenga soil (4, 6%) and beach soil (2%) showed catalase activity and all the isolates showed negative results for oxidase activity, indole production, lactose and motility. All the samples provided positive results for dextrose fermentation. Other tests provided mixed results. Based on the morphological characteristics, biochemical tests and ABIS software analysis the isolates fall within the Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridium and Corynebacterium, with a predominance of Vibrios. Overall the isolates can be considered as mild halotolerant, with the best growth observed at lower salinities and no halophilism detected. Among many possibilities, the genes responsible for the salt tolerant trait in these species can be identified, extracted and inserted into the crop plants to form a transgenic plant to result in higher yield for the rest of the year.

Objective: To determine the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) in diabetic females. Material and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Hayat Shaheed Teaching Hospital Peshawar from December 2001 to May 2002. Study included 100 female patients having type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), who were not taking antibiotics for any problem. Those patients who were having >5 pus cells per high power field (phf) on urine microscopy were selected and their mid stream urine sample (MSU) was sent for culture and sensitivity. Those culture reports were considered positive who had colony forming units of 105/ml of urine. We adopted the conventional figures of random blood sugar 5/hpf was present in 33/100 (33%) cases. Out of these 33 cases, positive urine culture report was seen only in 23 (69.7%) cases. Overall frequency of UTI was 23% and the commonest organism isolated was E. coli in 16 urine cultures. In type 2 DM patients, Leukocyturia >5/hpf was present in 27/80 (33.75%) cases and positive urine culture was found in 19/27(70.4%) cases. In type 1 DM patients, Leukocyturia >5/hpf was present in 6/20 (30%) and positive urine culture was found in 4/6 (66.7%) cases. Conclusion: UTI is common in both Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Well-designed studies are required to study association of UTI with glycemic control of DM. Key words: Urinary Tract Infection, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Female. This article may be cited as: Tahir N, Uddin QT. Frequency of urinary tract infection in diabetic females. KUST Med J 2009;1(2): 55-58.

Competing Interests: Coauthor Md Maruf Ahmed Molla is an editorial member at Health Science Reports, but will have no role in editorial decision making regarding this manuscript. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

In the present study, we report the complete genome of five Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from Bangladesh harboring mutations at Spike protein (E484K, Q677H, D614G, A67V, Q52R, Y144del, H69del, V70del, F888L) assigned to the B.1.525 lineage (Variant of interest). Mutations are also found in viral structural proteins other than spike region (E_L21F, M_I82F, N_A12G and N_T208I) and other mutations (NSP3_T1189I, NSP6_S106del, NSP6_F108del, NSP6_G107del, NSP12_P323F) from all of five B.1.525 SARS-CoV-2 variants of Bangladesh. We have also found four unique mutations from two of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.525 variant of Bangladesh. Among the four unique mutations two mutations (NS7a_L96H, NS7a_Y97D) obtained from strain BCSIR-NILMRC-718, one (NSP3_A1430V) from BCSIR-NILMRC-738 and two mutation including one spike protein mutation (NSP2_L444I, Spike_I68 M) present in BCSIR-AFIP-10 strain. The identification of new mutations will contribute to characterizing SARS-CoV-2, to continue tracking its spread and better understanding its biological and clinical features to take medical countermeasures and vaccines., (Copyright © 2023 International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID -19, is constantly evolving, requiring continuous genomic surveillance. In this study, we used whole-genome sequencing to investigate the genetic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh, with particular emphasis on identifying dominant variants and associated mutations. We used high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) to obtain DNA sequences from COVID-19 patient samples and compared these sequences to the Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 reference genome using the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID). Our phylogenetic and mutational analyzes revealed that the majority (88%) of the samples belonged to the pangolin lineage B.1.1.25, whereas the remaining 11% were assigned to the parental lineage B.1.1. Two main mutations, D614G and P681R, were identified in the spike protein sequences of the samples. The D614G mutation, which is the most common, decreases S1 domain flexibility, whereas the P681R mutation may increase the severity of viral infections by increasing the binding affinity between the spike protein and the ACE2 receptor. We employed molecular modeling techniques, including protein modeling, molecular docking, and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) geometry optimization, to build and validate three-dimensional models of the S_D614G-ACE2 and S_P681R-ACE2 complexes from the predominant strains. The description of the binding mode and intermolecular contacts of the referenced systems suggests that the P681R mutation may be associated with increased viral pathogenicity in Bangladeshi patients due to enhanced electrostatic interactions between the mutant spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor, underscoring the importance of continuous genomic surveillance in the fight against COVID -19. Finally, the binding profile of the S_D614G-ACE2 and S_P681R-ACE2 complexes offer valuable insights to deeply understand the binding site characteristics that could help to develop antiviral therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2 receptor., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

The clinical presentation of COVID-19 and the specific antibody responses associated with SARS-CoV-2 variants have not been investigated during the emergence of Omicron variants in Bangladesh. The Delta and Omicron variants were identified by post-PCR melting curve analysis of the spike (S) protein receptor binding domain amplicons. Anti-S-protein immunoglobulin-G anti-nucleocapsid (N)-protein immunoglobulin-G and immunoglobulin-A levels were measured by ELISA. The Delta variant was found in 40 out of 40 (100%) SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients between 13 September and 23 October 2021 and Omicron variants in 90 out of 90 (100%) RT-PCR positive COVID-19 patients between 9 January and 10 February 2022. The Delta variant associated with hospitalization (74%, 80%, and 40%) and oxygen support (60%, 57%, and 40%) in the no vaccine, dose-1, and dose-2 vaccinated cases, respectively, whereas the Omicron COVID-19 required neither hospitalization nor oxygen support (0%, p < 0.0001). Fever, cough, and breathlessness were found at a significantly higher frequency among the Delta than Omicron variants (p < 0.001). The viral RNA levels of the Delta variant were higher than that of the Omicron variants (Ct median 19.9 versus 23.85; p < 0.02). Anti-spike protein immunoglobulin-G and anti-N-protein immunoglobulin-G within 1 week post onset of Delta variant COVID-19 symptoms indicate prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Delta variant and Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 breakthrough infections in the Dhaka region, at 240 days post onset of COVID-19 symptoms, negatively correlated with the time interval between the second vaccine dose and serum sampling. The findings of lower anti-spike protein immunoglobulin-G reactivity after booster vaccination than after the second vaccine dose suggest that the booster vaccine is not necessarily beneficial in young Bangladeshi adults having a history of repeated SARS-CoV-2 infections.

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., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer AZS declared a past collaboration with the author MNH to the handling editor at the time of review., (Copyright © 2022 Hoque, Sarkar, Khan, Hossain, Hasan, Rahman, Habib, Akter, Banu, Goswami, Jahan, Nafisa, Molla, Soliman, Araf, Khan, Zheng and Islam.)

The microbiota of the nasopharyngeal tract (NT) 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. This study characterizes the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human nasopharyngeal microbiomes and their relevant metabolic functions. Twenty-two (n = 22) nasopharyngeal swab samples (including COVID-19 patients = 8, recovered humans = 7, and healthy people = 7) were collected, and underwent to RNAseq-based metagenomic investigation. Our RNAseq data mapped to 2281 bacterial species (including 1477, 919 and 676 in healthy, COVID-19 and recovered metagenomes, respectively) indicating a distinct microbiome dysbiosis. The COVID-19 and recovered samples included 67% and 77% opportunistic bacterial species, respectively compared to healthy controls. Notably, 79% commensal bacterial species found in healthy controls were not detected in COVID-19 and recovered people. Similar dysbiosis was also found in viral and archaeal fraction of the nasopharyngeal microbiomes. We also detected several altered metabolic pathways and functional genes in the progression and pathophysiology of COVID-19. The nasopharyngeal microbiome dysbiosis and their genomic features determined by our RNAseq 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., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

We report the near-complete genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant (B.1.617.2) strain. This variant is associated with increased transmission and immune evasion.

Novel SARS-CoV-2 variants are emerging at an alarming rate. The delta variant and other variants of concern (VoC) carry spike (S)-protein mutations, which have the potential to evade protective immunity, to trigger break-through infections after COVID-19 vaccination, and to propagate future waves of COVID-19 pandemic. To identify SARS CoV-2 variants in Bangladesh, patients who are RT-PCR-positive for COVID-19 infections in Dhaka were screened by a RT-PCR melting curve analysis for spike protein mutations. To assess the anti-SARS CoV-2 antibody responses, the levels of the anti-S -proteins IgA and IgG and the anti-N-protein IgG were measured by ELISA. Of a total of 36 RT-PCR positive samples (75%), 27 were identified as delta variants, with one carrying an additional Q677H mutation and two with single nucleotide substitutions at position 23029 (compared to Wuhan-Hu-1 reference NC 045512) in the genome sequence. Three (8.3%) were identified as beta variants, two (5.5%) were identified as alpha variants, three (8.3%) were identified as having a B.1.1.318 lineage, and one sample was identified as an eta variant (B.1.525) carrying an additional V687L mutation. The trend of higher viral load (lower Cp values) among delta variants than in the alpha and beta variants was of borderline statistical significance ( p = 0.045). Prospective studies with larger Bangladeshi cohorts are warranted to confirm the emergence of S-protein mutations and their association with antibody response in natural infection and potential breakthrough in vaccinated subjects.

Background and Aims: It is postulated that molecular methods along with mathematical modeling can provide critical inference regarding epidemiological parameters, transmission dynamics, spatiotemporal characteristics, and intervention efficacy. Hence, studying molecular epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection, especially in resource-limited settings and with a large diaspora of the migrant population such as that of Bangladesh, is of paramount importance. The purpose of this systematic review was to concisely present and discuss the findings from previous studies conducted in Bangladesh regarding HIV-1 subtype prevalence., Methods: Articles were retrieved from six publicly available databases regarding HIV-1 molecular epidemiology using keywords HIV, HIV-1, subtype(s), Bangladesh, and any combination of aforementioned keywords using Boolean operators. A total of 14 articles were downloaded and screened for suitability. Finally, five studies, containing pooled sequences from 317 individuals, were included in this systematic review., Results: Results revealed a preponderance of subtype C among HIV-1 infected population (51.10%), followed by circulating recombinant form (CRF)&#95;07BC (15.46%), CRF&#95;01AE (5.68%), A1 (4.73%), CRF&#95;02AG (3.47%), G (3.15%), CRF&#95;62BC (2.84%), B (2.21%), and other subtypes and recombinant forms in small percentages. Subtype C was largely predominant in intravenous drug users as well as female sex workers, whereas the migrant population exhibited a diverse subtype including rare recombinant forms, largely due to their travel in the Middle East and other South East Asian countries., Conclusion: With the number of HIV-1 infections increasing among the general population and a steady increase in the migrant population, molecular epidemiological data are required to curb the progression of the HIV-1 epidemic in Bangladesh., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

With a fragile healthcare system, Bangladesh, much like other countries in South East Asia, struggled during the early days of COVID-19 pandemic. In following months several encouraging initiatives were undertaken including nationwide lockdown, maintaining social distancing and setting up COVID-19 dedicated laboratories and hospitals. Despite fear of an escalation in COVID-19 transmission during the winter months like their European counterparts, fortunately infection rates subsided and Bangladesh came out largely unharmed. But the next phase of COVID-19 pandemic management that includes viral transmission suppression and conduction of nationwide immunization program require several urgent steps from government of Bangladesh (GoB) and relevant stakeholders. This qualitative research piece discussed about issues including an urgent need to enhance critical care facilities around the country, especially in peripheral districts; ramping up COVID-19 testing at existing laboratories in view of diagnosing each case, and ensuring vaccines for the vulnerable populations in the country. Furthermore, the researchers shed light on other issues including a need to reinforce a struggling healthcare workforce, encouraging people to take vaccine, proper maintenance of social distancing regulations, routine epidemiological surveillance, management of environment and biomedical waste and undertaking a holistic approach to combat the pandemic and its environmental and financial consequences., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: As evidence is mounting regarding irrational and often unnecessary use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic a cross-sectional Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) (in accordance with WHO guideline) was conducted across COVID-19 dedicated wards in Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH)., Methodology: Antibiotic usage data were collected from 193 patients at different COVID-19 dedicated wards at DMCH on 11 June 2020. Comparisons in antibiotic usage were made between different groups using Pearson chi-square and Fisher's exact test., Result: Findings reveal all surveyed patients (100%) were receiving at least one antibiotic with 133 patients (68.91%) receiving multiple antibiotics. Overall, patients presenting with the severe disease received more antibiotics. Third-generation cephalosporins (i.e. ceftriaxone) (53.8%), meropenem (40.9%), moxifloxacin (29.5%), and doxycycline (25.4%) were the four most prescribed antibiotics among surveyed patients. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was independently associated with multiple antibiotic prescribing. Abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum d-dimer were linked with higher odds of multiple antibiotic prescribing among study patients., Conclusion: Prevalence of multiple antibiotic prescriptions was high among severely ill patients and those with abnormal CRP and d-dimer levels. Data regarding the quality of antibiotic prescribing were lacking., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Background: The assessment of antibody responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is potentially confounded by exposures to flaviviruses. The aims of the present research were to determine whether anti-dengue antibodies affect the viral load and the detection of anti-coronavirus nucleocapsid (N)-protein antibodies in coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Bangladesh., Methods: Viral RNA was evaluated in swab specimens from 115 COVID-19 patients by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR). The anti-N-protein antibodies, anti-dengue virus E-protein antibodies and the dengue non-structural protein-1 were determined in serum from 115 COVID-19 patients, 30 acute dengue fever pre-COVID-19 pandemic and nine normal controls by ELISA., Results: The concentrations of viral RNA in the nasopharyngeal; Ct median (95% CI); 22 (21.9-23.3) was significantly higher than viral RNA concentrations in oropharyngeal swabs; and 29 (27-30.5) p < 0.0001. Viral RNA concentrations were not correlated with-dengue IgG levels. The anti-nucleocapsid antibodies were IgA 27% positive and IgG 35% positive at days 1 to 8 post-onset of COVID-19 symptoms versus IgA 0% and IgG 0% in dengue patients, p < 0.0001. The levels of anti- nucleocapsid IgA or IgG versus the levels of anti-dengue IgM or IgG revealed no significant correlations., Conclusions: Viral RNA and anti-nucleocapsid antibodies were detected in COVID-19 patients from dengue-endemic regions of Bangladesh, independently of the dengue IgG levels.

We report the sequencing of three severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from Bangladesh. We have identified a unique mutation (NSP2&#95;V480I) in one of the sequenced genomes (isolate hCoV-19/Bangladesh/BCSIR-NILMRC-006/2020) compared to the sequences available in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database. The data from this analysis will contribute to advancing our understanding of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh as well as worldwide at the molecular level and will identify potential new targets for interventions., (Copyright © 2020 Akter et al.)