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Abstract The current research ethics review systems are composed of isolated institutional Research Ethics Committees (RECs) that develop their own standard operating procedures (SOPs), templates and so on, with low adoption of digital solutions to manage submission and review processes. This poses several challenges, such as delays, higher costs, and hindering multi-site research. We propose an online national research ethics platform that all RECs can use, with common review processes and documentation requirements following national policy. The system will scale up adoption of digital solutions to all RECs. It will reduce administrative burden and harmonize review procedures. It will also obviate the need for separate and isolated interventions such as national REC registries or clinical trial registries, as these can be generated as transactional outputs of the system. The harmonized procedures and possibility of single submission will facilitate multi-site research. Sharing of resources and expertise among RECs on the platform will enhance resilience. An e-EC system developed in India and a Regional Health research portal developed by the WHO South-East Asia office offer proof of concepts to demonstrate the feasibility of developing and using such systems. The proposed solution is ambitious but feasible. Developing the proposed system will be a vital cost-effective investment in national health infrastructure to strengthen the research ecosystem and accelerate delivery of improved healthcare innovations by reducing unnecessary delays in conducting research. To maximize benefits, concurrent efforts are needed to build researchers’ capacity and enhance the quality and efficiency of human reviews of the research proposals by REC.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of community mobilization initiatives on citizens’ health-seeking behavior through the lens of COVID-19 vaccination in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. This study follows a case study approach to understand community mobilization initiatives that led to increased COVID-19 vaccination uptake. The study delineates the process to increase community mobilization to improve the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination. It highlights the key components of community mobilization that were adopted: the involvement of local leadership (at district, block, and village level), support of vaccination/mobilizer team, the role of in-person communication, involvement of influential community heads and social workers, localized strategies and IEC materials, and support from the state administration. Additionally, the key communication themes that played a crucial role in increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage are identified. The findings of this study will help the policymakers and practitioners in the domains of Health and Medical Humanities, Health Policy and Services, and Social Sciences to clarify the roles of community mobilization activities and initiatives in increasing vaccination coverage. Furthermore, the study provides evidence for the adaptation, integration, and enhancement of these activities based on the four case studies discussed.

In the field of energetic materials, prime attention has been given to the synthesis of environmentally compatible energetic materials having an adequate balance between energy and stability. For this purpose, nitrogen-rich heterocyclic rings have contributed as pivotal frameworks. Nitro-functionalized 1,2,4-triazoles have been profusely used as a constituent for synthesizing high-performing energetic materials (EMs) due to their high nitrogen content, good thermal stability, and modifiable sites via functionalization. Combination with a different energetic scaffold may provide an opportunity for accessible tailoring. In this work, in an effort to investigate the potential of 3-nitrotriazoles, its N-acetonitrile derivative 2 was synthesized, which was further converted to various explosophores. N-methylene-C bridged asymmetrically connected tetrazole (3) and 1,2,4-oxadiazole (9 and 10) based EMs have been synthesized. Further tuning of energetic properties via salt formation strategy was employed for the synthesis of compounds 4–7, 11 and 12. 1,2,4-oxadiazole-based compound 9 was also confirmed via X-ray diffraction analysis, and 10 was analyzed with 15N NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 exhibited high thermal stabilities and were found to be insensitive towards impact and friction. Compounds 5, 6, and 10 exhibited detonation performance comparable to the conventional insensitive explosive TATB.

Abstract The traditional rice genotypes of Assam are considered to have biological value due to the presence of several bioactive compounds like flavonoids, polyphenols, and anthocyanins, which have antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-aging properties. The pigmented genotypes are considered to have high iron (Fe) content. However, the effect of Fe and Zinc (Zn) accumulation on anthocyanin content is yet to be studied in pigmented rice of Assam. We studied the Fe, Zn, and anthocyanin content in grains of 204 traditional rice of Assam, which are traditionally preferred for their nutraceutical properties. We performed phenotypic and biochemical compositional analyses of 204 genotypes to identify those having high Fe, Zn, and anthocyanin. We also carried out the differential expression of a few selected Fe and Zn transporter genes along with the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. Interestingly, all pigmented rice genotypes contained a higher amount of phenolic compound than the non-pigmented form of rice. We found the highest (32.73 g) seed yield per plant for genotype Jengoni followed by Kajoli chokuwa and Khau Pakhi 1. We also listed 30 genotypes having high levels of Fe and Zn content. The genotype Jengoni accumulated the highest (186.9 μg g−1) Fe, while the highest Zn (119.9 μg g−1) content was measured in genotype Bora (Nagaon), The levels of Ferritin 2 gene expression were found to be significantly higher in Bora (Nagaon) (> 2-fold). For Zn accumulation, the genotype DRR Dhan-45, which was released as a high Zn content variety, showed significant up-regulation of the ZIP4 gene at booting (> 7-fold), post-anthesis (7.8-fold) and grain filling (> 5-fold) stages followed by Bora (Nagaon) (> 3-fold) at post-anthesis. Anthocyanidin synthase gene, Flavanone 3-dioxygenase 1-like (FDO1), and Chalcone-flavanone isomerase-like genes were up-regulated in highly pigmented genotype Bora (Nagaon) followed by Jengoni. Based on our data there was no significant correlation between iron and zinc content on the accumulation of anthocyanin. This challenges the present perception of the higher nutritive value in terms of the micronutrient content of the colored rice of Assam. This is the first report on the detailed characterization of traditional rice genotypes inclusive of phenotypic, biochemical, nutritional, and molecular attributes, which would be useful for designing the breeding program to improve Fe, Zn, or anthocyanin content in rice.

This study aims to examine the influence of green human resource management (HRM) practices on the service behaviors of bank employees operating in the banking sector of Bangladesh. The study endeavors to offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of green HRM practices in enhancing practices and employee service behaviors in the banking sector. The results indicate that green human resource management practices have a beneficial influence on employee service behaviors by green knowledge sharing, green training and development, green performance appraisal, green reward system. This study also emphasizes how green HRM practices affect banks in terms of organizational sustainability, employee motivation, talent acquisition and retention, and the necessity of ongoing evaluation and improvement. Moreover, the current study used convenience sampling techniques to collect data from 258 workers of several commercial banks in Bangladesh using a self-reported questionnaire that had been modified from other studies. 95% confidence interval was used to accept the hypotheses during regression analysis. The results show that each and every hypothesis is supported, whereas hypothesis tests were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. The results show that employees’ knowledge sharing tendency, training facility, performance appraisal and reward system have a significant and positive impact on bank employees’ service behavior. This study may contribute to the growing subject of sustainable HRM and offers useful advice for banks looking to include environmental sustainability into their HRM plans to spur progress and enhance service.

Background: The devastating COVID-19 outbreak has considerably influenced basic human healthcare needs. Due to healthcare organizational limitations, workload, and a shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly military nurses in developing countries, faced critical situations in dealing with COVID-19 patients. However, little is known about the survival strategies military nurses used while caring for coronavirus-infected patients. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the survival strategies that inspired military nurses to manage COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh. Methods: This study employed the phenomenology of practice framework developed by Max van Manen. Fourteen military nurses were purposefully selected to participate in this study. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted individually from January to February 2023 in three divisional (Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet) COVID-19 dedicated military hospitals in Bangladesh. The study was reported using the COREQ checklist. Audio-video sessions of discussions were recorded, analyzed, and transcribed verbatim. Dataset analysis was performed using thematic analysis. Results: Eight themes were developed: (i) Nurses' self-strategies; (ii) colleagues' strategies; (iii) Nurse managers' strategies; (iv) Feelings about nursing ethical values; (v) Employers' strategies; (vi) Government strategies; (vii) Family members' strategies; (viii) Strategies of social people. Conclusions: The study's findings would inspire healthcare professionals to use various survival strategies when facing critical clinical situations. Additionally, this study encourages nurses to develop survival skills to avoid depression, fear, and anxiety and to learn how to deal with work-related stress situations.

Safe and clean water is an indispensable component for all kinds of living beings. An attempt was taken to examine the drinking water, particularly the groundwater quality of Savar Upazila under the Dhaka District of Bangladesh by assessing some physicochemical parameters such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature and the levels of different heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Zn). To measure the concentration of the six selected metals from the groundwater samples collected from 38 different locations of Savar Upazila, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) was used. Our results showed that the pH, TDS, EC, and temperature ranged from (6.56-7.72), (73-437 mg/L), (117-654 μS/cm), and (27.7-30.5ºC), respectively which were found within the limit of water standards recommended by national and global regulatory authorities. The mean concentration of different studied metals in the reported water samples of Savar Upazila followed the order of Fe>Zn>Mn>Cr>Cu>Cd. The average concentration was 0.136±0.188 mg/L, 0.121±0.289 mg/L, 0.033±0.060 mg/L, 0.015±0.0096 mg/L, 0.0104±0.005 mg/L, and 0.0022±0.0019 mg/L for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu, and Cd, respectively. In this study, Water quality index (WQI) was also calculated for the studied samples and it was observed that the groundwater of Savar Upazila belonged in the good to excellent categories and can be recommended as suitable for drinking purposes.

Abstract Background There is a large and growing unmet need for rehabilitation – a diverse category of services that aim to improve functioning across the life course – particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Yet despite urgent calls to increase political commitment, many low- and middle-income country governments have dedicated little attention to expanding rehabilitation services. Existing policy scholarship explains how and why health issues reach the policy agenda and offers applicable evidence to advance access to physical, medical, psychosocial, and other types of rehabilitation services. Drawing from this scholarship and empirical data on rehabilitation, this paper proposes a policy framework to understand national-level prioritization of rehabilitation in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We conducted key informant interviews with rehabilitation stakeholders in 47 countries, complemented by a purposeful review of peer-reviewed and gray literature to achieve thematic saturation. We analyzed the data abductively using a thematic synthesis methodology. Rehabilitation-specific findings were triangulated with policy theory and empirical case studies on the prioritization of other health issues to develop the framework. Results The novel policy framework includes three components which shape the prioritization of rehabilitation on low- and middle-income countries’ national government’s health agendas. First, rehabilitation lacks a consistent problem definition, undermining the development of consensus-driven solutions which could advance the issue on policy agendas. Second, governance arrangements are fragmented within and across government ministries, between the government and its citizens, and across national and transnational actors engaged in rehabilitation service provision. Third, national legacies – particularly from civil conflict – and weaknesses in the existing health system influences both rehabilitation needs and implementation feasibility. Conclusions This framework can support stakeholders in identifying the key components impeding prioritization for rehabilitation across different national contexts. This is a crucial step for ultimately better advancing the issue on national policy agendas and improving equity in access to rehabilitation services.

The presence of trace metals in aquatic ecosystems can have detrimental effects on fish survival. The Tanguar haor, a Ramsar conservation wetland, receives sediment and water from multiple transboundary rivers. However, there have been limited studies on the metal concentrations in fish species in this sediment-rich wetland. This study aimed to analyze the concentrations of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in water, sediment, and fish tissues. Higher concentrations of Cd and Pb were found in the water and sediment. All these metals were detected in eight fish species, including benthic and pelagic species. Among them, Systomus sarana, a pelagic fish that also consumes benthic organisms, exhibited a higher metal pollution index than other fish, particularly benthic species. The release of higher metal concentrations from sediment into the water has the potential to impact the accumulation of metals in fish. Synopsis: This study on metal concentrations in fish species will aid policymaking on ecotoxicology research for transboundary river-connected wetlands.

Introduction Monkeypox (Mpox) is an infectious illness that can spread to humans through infected humans, animals, or contaminated objects. In 2022, the monkeypox virus spread to over 60 countries, raising significant public health concerns. Nurses play a vital role in patient care and have critical responsibilities in managing infected patients and being aware of the potential impact on the general population. Objective This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes (KAs) of Bangladeshi nurses regarding monkeypox infectious disease. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2022 and March 2023 to evaluate the KA of nurses. Semi-structured and self-administered questionnaires were used, distributed via Google Form, and a convenient sampling technique was implemented. The dataset was analyzed using the Chi-square test, multivariable logistic regression, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results A total of 1047 datasets were included in the final analysis. Overall, 57.97% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge, and 93.12% of the respondents had a positive attitude towards monkeypox disease. Female nurses exhibited better knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–1.98) and a more positive attitude (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.12–3.00) than male nurses. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between good knowledge of monkeypox disease and a positive attitude (r = 0.76, p

In this paper, we evaluate the uniqueness of a hypothetical iris recognition system that relies upon a nonlinear mapping of iris data into a space of Gaussian codewords with independent components. Given the new data representation, we develop and apply a sphere packing bound for Gaussian codewords and a bound similar to Daugman’s to characterize the maximum iris population as a function of the relative entropy between Gaussian codewords of distinct iris classes. As a potential theoretical approach leading toward the realization of the hypothetical mapping, we work with the auto-regressive model fitted into iris data, after some data manipulation and preprocessing. The distance between a pair of codewords is measured in terms of the relative entropy (log-likelihood ratio statistic is an alternative) between distributions of codewords, which is also interpreted as a measure of iris quality. The new approach to iris uniqueness is illustrated using two toy examples involving two small datasets of iris images. For both datasets, the maximum sustainable population is presented as a function of image quality expressed in terms of relative entropy. Although the auto-regressive model may not be the best model for iris data, it lays the theoretical framework for the development of a high-performance iris recognition system utilizing a nonlinear mapping from the space of iris data to the space of Gaussian codewords with independent components.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an increasingly popular non-invasive diagnostic imaging tool in modern healthcare. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of MRI can be improved by locally enhancing radiofrequency (RF) magnetic field using metamaterials — without the need for stepping up static magnetic field strength. However, designing a thin and compact metamaterial-based structure for the most commonly used 1.5T MRI systems (operating at f0∼64MHz) remains highly challenging due to long vaccum wavelength λ0∼4.7m at resonance. The limited free space available inside MRI receive coil arrays (typically 10-20mm) restricts the practical usability of any bulky resonator (with dimensions in order of meters) inside commercial 1.5T MRI head transceiver-coils. In this paper, we design a thin and compact RF metamaterial-based pad comprising dual-layer wire-array resonators that fits in the available space and provides significant magnetic field enhancement at 1.5T MRI. The metamaterial-based pad provides the SNR enhancement by a factor of ∼19, on the surface of bio-model in contact with the pad, as compared to the case without pad while maintaining specific absorption rate well below the standard safety limit. We present an equivalent circuit approach combined with a transformer-based model to compute the SNR enhancement factor of metamaterial-based pad, which adequately explains the underlying physical mechanism of metamaterial’s magnetic resonance and closely estimates our numerical findings. We believe that, when integrated into the clinical 1.5T MRI systems, our proposed metamaterial-based pad can help improve the SNR of head MRI scans, resulting in either higher image quality or reduced scan time.

The association between the consumption of pigmented rice (Oryza sativa L.) and the improvement of human health is generating a great deal of interest among the researchers. An experiment was conducted during 2020 and 2021 at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam to study the phytochemical profiling, antioxidant capacities and anthocyanin compositions of the 14 pigmented rice genotypes. The results were compared with the well-known traditional pigmented rice variety from Manipur, Poreiton Chakhao. The total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and total anthocyanin content ranged from 37.101 to 493.611 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g, 53.316 to 151.667 mg quercetin equivalent/100 g and 1.006 to 13.904 mg cyanidin-3-chloride equivalent/100 g in the studied rice genotypes. The amount of rice showing 50% DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC 50 value) ranged from 6.610 to 29.376 mg. The HPLC analysis revealed presence of both cyanidin-3-glucoside and peonidin-3-glucoside in the black pigmented rice genotypes, viz. TTB Black Rice 7, Chakhao-1, Chakhao-2 and TTB Black Rice 11. However, in the red rice genotypes analysed (Balam and Nepali Chakuwa), these two anthocyanins were not detected.

Aeromonas hydrophila is a major generalist bacterial pathogen causing severe infections and mortalities in aquatic animals. Its genome, which was the first to be sequenced from the Aeromonas genus, may serve as a model for studying pathogenic mechanisms. To explore the pathogen-host fitness mechanism of bacterium, a comprehensive comparative transcriptome ecotype analysis of A. hydrophila isolated from the gut of Labeo rohita during infection was performed. Special characteristics in gene expression, gene ontology terms and expression of pathogenesis-associated genes, including genes encoding secreted proteins, candidate effectors, hydrolases, and proteins involved in secondary metabolite production were revealed. Among the database, 6,533 were gene ontology (GO) annotated, while 1,480 were not allocated in any GO terms. Investigation on GO illustrated that the articulated genes were improved with molecular function, cellular components, and biological processes. Further bioinformatics analysis identified the outer membrane protein genes (ompA, ompts, ompw, omp38, and omp48), cytotoxin, amylase, and lipase genes. Overall, this work allowed to designate, for the first time, a global view on the pathogenicity of Aeromonas hydrophila during infection. Furthermore, the study provides information on the fitness of A. hydrophila, a severe pathogen with a wide host range.

Context: In 2018, Government of India initiated Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) program having five quarterly structured home visits for children age 3 to 15 months to promote early childhood development. Assess knowledge and practices of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHAs), other health functionaries, and mothers related to HBYC. Cross-sectional evaluation design with ASHAs, AWWs, ANMs, ASHA, and mothers of 3 to 15 month's children as participants. Material and Methods: Knowledge and practices of 801 ASHAs, 200 other health functionaries, and 787 mothers were assessed on exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, hand washing, iron folic acid (IFA) and oral rehydration solution (ORS) supplementation, danger referral signs in eight aspirational districts of Madhya Pradesh. Results: 88% ASHAs had correct knowledge on ORS, 85% on complementary feeding, 85% on adequacy of IFA, and 47% on danger signs which required child referral. Similarly, 85% of mothers had knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding, 40% mothers knew about complementary feeding, and only 18% knew correct ORS preparation. Statistically significant association was observed between ASHAs home visits and availability of ORS with mothers and their knowledge on correct Initiation of IFA (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings of study confirmed majority of health functionaries were aware about roles, responsibilities, and key tasks under HBYC. However, there observed a gap in knowledge transfer by health functionaries and thus inadequate translation of knowledge into practices among mothers on HBYC. This necessitates the need of appropriate actions from health system strengthening to capacity building to accelerate uptake of HBYC program.

Abstract Background NOSTRIN, abundantly expressed in colon, was reported to be anti-angiogenic, anti-invasive and anti-inflammatory. NOSTRIN expression was inversely related to survival of pancreatic ductal adeno-carcinoma patients. Yet its function and regulatory mechanism in CRC remains elusive. Methods NOSTRIN’s influence on EMT of CRC cells were analysed using realtime PCR array containing the functional EMT-transcriptome followed by western blotting. Regulation of oncogenic potential of CRC cells by NOSTRIN was elucidated using soft agar colony formation, trans-well invasion, wound healing and colonosphere formation assays. Biochemical assays were used to reveal mechanism of NOSTRIN function. Human CRC tissue array was used to test NOSTRIN mark in control and CRC disease stages. Results We showed here that CRC cell lines with less NOSTRIN expression has more invasive and migratory potential. NOSTRIN affected EMT-associated transcriptome of CRC cells by down regulating 33 genes that were functionally annotated to transcription factors, genes important for cell growth, proliferation, migration, cell adhesion and cytoskeleton regulators in CRC cells. NOSTRIN over-expression significantly reduced soft agar colony formation, wound healing and cell invasion. In line with this, RNA interference of Nostrin enhanced metastatic potential of CRC cells. Furthermore, stable overexpression of NOSTRIN in CRC cell line not only curtailed its ability to form colonosphere but also decreased expression of stemness markers CD133, CD44 and EpCAM. NOSTRIN’s role in inhibiting self-renewal was further confirmed using BrdU incorporation assay. Interestingly, NOSTRIN formed immune-complex with Cdk1 in CRC cells and aided in increase of inhibitory Y15 and T14 phosphorylation of Cdk1 that halts cytokinesis. These ex vivo findings were substantiated using human colon cancer tissue array containing cDNAs from patients’ samples with various stages of disease progression. Significant decrease in NOSTRIN expression was found with initiation and progression of advanced colon cancer disease stages. Conclusion We illustrate function of a novel molecule, NOSTRIN in curtailing EMT and maintenance of CRC cell stemness. Our data validates importance of NOSTRIN mark during onset and disease progression of CRC indicating its diagnostic potential.

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) is a global concern that poses major threats to healthcare professionals. Understanding the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of WPV is key to developing effective preventive measures to ensure the safety of healthcare workers. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the weighted prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of WPV among healthcare professionals in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 9, 2022, to April 3, 2023. A total of 3977 healthcare professionals from various healthcare settings participated through a convenience sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data in three phases. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact tests, and multinomial logistic regression. Results: The study revealed that 77.29% of healthcare professionals (n = 3074) reported experiencing WPV. Verbal abuse/threat (28.74%), emotional violence (20.9%), physical violence (17.53%), and sexual harassment (17.85%) were the most prevalent types of violence reported. WPV incidents primarily occurred at patients' bedside (27.31%) and in nursing/doctor stations (24.84%). The night shift had the highest prevalence of violence (35.66%). Patient relatives/friends (43.55%) and visitors (31.38%) were the primary perpetrators. The major factors associated with WPV included lack of organizational policy (11.32%), long waiting (11.16%), medical error (9.71%), and poor patient management systems (9.53%). Consequences of physical WPV included head injuries (23.69%), ocular injuries (27.21%), fractures (14.99%), and unconsciousness (17.05%). Conclusions: This study highlights the alarming prevalence of workplace violence among healthcare professionals in Bangladesh and identified major risk factors to the occurrence of violence. Urgent attention from policymakers and healthcare organizations is required to develop and implement preventive measures targeting these risk factors. Strengthening security systems, establishing workplace violence policies, and providing training programs are essential to ensure a safer environment for healthcare workers. It is imperative to increase awareness of workplace violence laws and their enforcement to effectively address this pressing issue and safeguard the well-being of healthcare professionals in Bangladesh.

A pot experiment was conducted during 2019 under rain protected condition at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat to know the effect of two different levels of soil iron (Fe) content on Fe content of rice tissues including grain (brown rice). Soils of initial DTPA extractable Fe content of 159.40±0.51 mg/kg was applied with 50 ppm Ferrous sulfate solution to increase the soil Fe content to 182.35±0.57 mg/kg. Two popular rice varieties, Ranjit and Mahsuri, and one traditional variety Kajoli Chakua were cultivated as winter rice under submerged condition in pots. There was no Fe toxicity symptom in the leaves for the plants grown at two different soil Fe content. At harvesting stage, the concentration of Fe in different tissues of rice were detected in the order: leaves>husk>grain. The Fe content of brown rice was significantly higher (>100% than that of control) in plants grown in soils of higher Fe content. Significant variation in the Fe content of brown rice was observed according to its position on the rachis, being the highest at the top and the lowest at the bottom. Considering initial soil Fe status, application of Fe fertilizer of suitable concentration to the soil was found to be successful in biofortification of Fe in brown rice, leading to increase of Fe content depending on varieties.