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Cotton fiber, which is the most widely used natural fiber in the textile and paper industries, has a crucial environmental impact. Cultivation of conventional cotton consumes a lot of water and requires the usage of a higher amount of pesticides. Organic cotton is a more environmentally friendly alternative to its growing conditions. The characteristics of cotton change with the differences in growing conditions. In this study, the properties of yarns obtained from both conventionally and organically grown cotton were tested and analyzed. The properties of these yarns in the fabric structure were compared in terms of fabric performance. The produced fabrics were dyed in the cold-pad batch method with 5 different colors of reactive dyes, which are the most demanding colors in the ready-made garment industry. The physical properties and the fastness test results of the dyed organic and conventional cotton fabrics were investigated in detail to highlight the plant growing effects on the fabric behavior. Comparative color analysis and evaluation of the fabrics were made to discuss the performance of the fabrics. It is found that organically grown cotton is not only superior in quality but also has no negative eff ECT on fabric properties.

The critically acclaimed novel Khwabnama by Akhtaruzzaman Elias is set in the 1940s and offers a "magical realist" portrayal of the lives and struggles of ordinary individuals of a rural community, with the emergence of the state of Pakistan and peasant struggles of the time serving as the backdrops. Towards the end of the novel, we see Tamiz, a landless peasant, deciding to alter the course of his journey to most likely join the rebellious farmers in their struggle for a fair share of the crops. In this paper, I analyze the character of Tamiz and the meaning and significance of his decisions and actions in the contexts of the novel and Elias' oeuvre in an effort to excavate his ideas about subaltern agency and freedom. Tamiz's action, along with the dreams and the magical elements of the novel, gestures towards barely visible and unspecified visions of freedom, which may be irreducible to languages of national liberation or class struggle, yet express Elias' affirmation of the indomitable spirit of the subaltern to reject and resist the mold of servitude in which they find themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Given the significance of addressing neonatal mortality in pursuing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal on child health, research focus on this area is crucial. Despite the persistent high rates of neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in Bangladesh, there remains a notable lack of robust evidence addressing inequalities in NMR in the country. Therefore, this study aims to fill the knowledge gap by comprehensively investigating inequalities in NMR in Bangladesh. Methods: The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) data from 2000 to 2017 were analyzed. The equity stratifiers used to measure the inequalities were wealth status, mother's education, place of residence, and subnational region. Difference (D) and population attributable fraction (PAF) were absolute measures, whereas population attributable risk (PAR) and ratio (R) were relative measures of inequality. Statistical significance was considered by estimating 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each estimate. Results: A declining trend in NMR was found in Bangladesh, from 50.2 in 2000 to 31.9 deaths per 1000 live births in 2017. This study detected significant wealth‐driven (PAF: −20.6, 95% CI: −24.9, −16.3; PAR: −6.6, 95% CI: −7.9, −5.2), education‐related (PAF: −11.6, 95% CI: −13.4, −9.7; PAR: −3.7, 95% CI: −4.3, −3.1), and regional (PAF: −20.6, 95% CI: −27.0, −14.3; PAR: −6.6, 95% CI: −8.6, −4.6) disparities in NMR in all survey points. We also found a significant urban–rural inequality from 2000 to 2014, except in 2017. Both absolute and relative inequalities in NMR were observed; however, these inequalities decreased over time. Conclusion: Significant variations in NMR across subgroups in Bangladesh highlight the need for comprehensive, and targeted interventions. Empowering women through improved access to economic resources and education may help address disparities in NMR in Bangladesh. Future research and policies should focus on developing strategies to address these disparities and promote equitable health outcomes for all newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stones are one of the primary objects that impede the normal activity of underground pipelines. As human intervention is difficult inside a narrow underground pipe, a robot with a machine vision system is required. In order to remove the stones during regular robotic inspections, precise stone detection, segmentation, and measurement of their distance from the robot are needed. We applied Mask R-CNN to perform an instant segmentation of stones. The distance between the robot and the segmented stones was calculated using spatial information obtained from a lidar camera. Artificial light was used for both image acquisition and testing, as natural light is not available inside the underground pipe. ResNet101 was chosen as the foundation of the Mask R-CNN, and transfer learning was utilized to shorten the training time. The experimental results of our model showed that the average detection precision rate reached 92.0; the recall rate was 90.0%; and the F1 score rate reached 91.0%. The distance values were calculated efficiently with an error margin of 11.36 mm. Moreover, the Mask R-CNN-based stone detection model can detect asymmetrically shaped stones in complex background and lighting conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biogas production of chicken manure (CM) co‐digestion with different types of household waste (soft organic [SO] and food waste [FW]), as well as to evaluate the bacterial load of feeding stock and digested slurry samples before and after anaerobic digestion (AD). The experiment was carried out using lab‐based prototype digesters for co‐digestion of CM with different household wastes (5%). Three experimental groups (T1, T2, and T3) were designed using mixing ratios of SO:CM:H2O:inoculum (5:22.5:22.5:50), FW:CM:H2O:inoculum (5:22.5:22.5:50), and (SO + FW):CM:H2O:inoculum (2.5 + 2.5:22.5:22.5:50). The digesters were set at 28–34°C for 30 days for hydraulic retention time (HRT). Total viable count (TVC), Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp. counts were determined using the spread plate technique. Results: The study revealed that the highest average cumulative biogas yield was achieved from T1 > T3 > T2, but the concentration of CH4 was found in T3 > T2 > T1. The biogas production between the three groups was statistically nonsignificant (p > 0.05) but the daily concentration of CH4 was found statistically significant (p < 0.05). The average concentration of CH4 and CO2 in biogas was found to be 30% and 68% for T1, 60% and 37% for T2, and 69% and 27% for T3. However, the H2S content was within the acceptable range. The bacterial load was decreased by 2–3 logs before and after AD, and this reduction was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The research found that the co‐digestion of CM with combined household wastes increased the methane concentration in biogas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, an increasing number of Bangladeshi men have been working overseas. Whilst working abroad, some migrants engage in unprotected sexual activities, making them vulnerable to different kinds of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Upon return home, the wives of these migrant workers are also highly susceptible to contracting HIV/AIDS. This study explores how and what the wives of the migrant workers perceive as practices of health safety regarding HIV/AIDS. In this connection, the Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as a theoretical lens for this study. Data were collected (from January to March 2017) in two phases by using a mixed-method approach. In the first phase, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted among the purposively selected 122 wives of migrant workers from Chauddagram Upazila (sub-district) of Cumilla (previously known as Comilla) district, Bangladesh. The survey data were processed, computed, and analysed through SPSS software (version 19). For the second phase, nine wives of migrant workers were purposively selected for an in-depth interview to grasp more detailed qualitative understanding of this experience. The in-depth interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. The findings demonstrate many misperceptions about the transmission of HIV/AIDS, including through casual social contact. Stigmatising views were also common, for example, 24% of the participants opined that HIV transmits via hugging, sharing clothes, and sweat of the person living with HIV. In addition, the overwhelming majority of the participants (69%) believed that the HIV/AIDS affected person should be treated by being placed in quarantine. Moreover, 91% of the participants did not intend to suggest their husbands for HIV screening upon their return due to fear of being divorced, shyness, social stigma, and lack of feeling risk (to be infected by HIV) although 25% of them felt that there could be a risk of being infected by HIV due to sexual contact with their returned husbands. Education level, the role of the media, husbands' long duration of staying abroad, and access to information were found to be significantly associated with the components of HIV awareness (such as hearing and sharing about HIV/AIDS, knowledge on how it spreads, and feeling of risk) among the wives of the migrant workers in bivariate analyses. These findings highlight unequal gender relations, women's lack of empowerment, men's hegemonic masculine power, and overall misconceptions about HIV/AIDS transmission are the key components in creating migrant workers' wives' vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Migrant workers, Women, Prevention, Media, Bangladesh, Introduction The global spread of HIV/AIDS introduced the most dangerous epidemic threat to human existence and civilization. In 2018, people living with HIV/AIDS have increased to 37.9 million, the number [...]