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In this work, we prepared expanded graphite (EG) filler using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an oxidizing agent to study its impact on the thermal conductivity (k) of polyetherimide (PEI) composite, compared to EG prepared using sodium chlorate (NaClO3). Sulfuric acid was used as the primary intercalating agent for both synthesis routes. The use of H2O2 prepared EG (EG-H2O2) led to a remarkable ∼4030% enhancement (9.5 Wm−1K−1) in k of the PEI/EG composite, while the use of NaClO3 prepared EG (EG-NaClO3) led to a much smaller enhancement of ∼2190% (5.3 Wm−1K−1), at 10 wt% EG composition compared to kPEI (∼0.23 Wm−1K−1). Such findings exceed the current state-of-art in EG-based polymer composites. Detailed characterization was performed to understand the properties of EG-H2O2 and EG-NaClO3. Raman analysis revealed that H2O2 resulted in relatively defect-free EG (ID/IG ratio ∼0.04), thus preserving the k of graphite (∼2000 Wm−1K−1). Use of NaClO3, however, led to a large defect density (ID/IG ratio ∼0.25), yielding graphite with significantly diminished k. Furthermore, through-plane thermal diffusivity of EG-H2O2 paper was measured to be 9.5 mm2s-1 while that of NaClO3 case was measured to be 6.7 mm2s-1, thus directly confirming the beneficial impact of H2O2 in preserving the high k of graphene. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the higher number of defects in EG-NaClO3 are due to the higher degree of oxidation induced by NaClO3. The results demonstrate the potential of EG-H₂O₂ as an efficient filler for achieving high thermal conductivity polymer composites.

The metabolic versatility of Bacillus subtilis makes it useful for a wide range of applications in biotechnology, from bioremediation to industrially important metabolite production. Understanding the molecular attributes of the biocontrol characteristics of B. subtilis is necessary for its tailored use in the environment and industry. Therefore, the present study aimed to conduct phenotypic characterization and whole genome analysis of the B. subtilis BDSA1 isolated from polluted river water from Dhaka, Bangladesh to explore its biotechnological potential. The chromium reduction capacity at 100 ppm Cr (VI) showed that B. subtilis BDSA1 reduced 40 % of Cr (VI) within 24hrs at 37 °C. Exposure of this bacterium to 200 ppm cadmium resulted in 43 % adsorption following one week of incubation at 37 °C. Molecular detection of chrA and czcC gene confirmed chromium and cadmium resistance characteristics of BDSA1. The size of the genome of the B. subtilis BDSA1 was 4.2 Mb with 43.4 % GC content. Genome annotation detected the presence of numerous genes involved in the degradation of xenobiotics, resistance to abiotic stress, production of lytic enzymes, siderophore formation, and plant growth promotion. The assembled genome also carried chromium, cadmium, copper, and arsenic resistance-related genes, notably cadA, czcD, czrA, arsB etc. Genome mining revealed six biosynthetic gene clusters for bacillaene, bacillibacin, bacilysin, subtilosin, fengycin and surfactin. Importantly, BDSA1 was predicted to be non-pathogenic to humans and had only two acquired antimicrobial resistance genes. The pan-genome analysis showed the openness of the B. subtilis pan-genome. Our findings suggested that B. subtilis BDSA1 might be a promising candidate for diverse biotechnological uses.

The COVID-19 pandemic extensively impacted maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) in Bangladesh. Misconceptions arising from a lack of knowledge related to the virus contributed to reduced uptake of MNCH services, which eventually helped increase maternal and neonatal mortality rates during the pandemic. In this study, we assessed the knowledge and practices related to COVID-19 prevention among the mothers of under-2 children in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in May 2021 as part of a broader research project related to COVID-19 response on MNCH service utilization. We collected data from 2207 mothers in six districts of Bangladesh using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. We constructed weighted and unweighted composite knowledge and practice scores and identified different socio-demographic characteristics associated with the scores using multilevel generalized mixed-effect linear regression models. In general, the mothers revealed poor knowledge and practices related to COVID-19. On a weighted scale of 100, the mean composite knowledge and practice scores were 32.6 (SD = 16.4) and 53.1 (SD = 13.9), respectively. The mothers presented inadequate knowledge about COVID-19 transmission, symptoms, and the recommended preventive measures. At the same time, maintaining a safe physical distance was the least practiced preventative measure (10.3%). Level of education, access to television, and the internet were significantly positively associated with their knowledge and practices related to COVID-19. Knowledge score was also positively associated with the practice score (OR = 1.26; p-value

Abstract Background Mental health remains a highly stigmatized area of healthcare, and people often conceal their concerns rather than seek assistance or treatment. The Women Support Initiative Forum (WSIF) is a social media platform established in 2018 to provide expert and peer-led psychosocial support services to women of all ages in Bangladesh. The anonymous nature of the forum means that mental health concerns can be aired without fear of identification. Method A content analysis was conducted on the anonymous posts retrieved from the WSIF platform between 8th March 2020 and 7th July 2022. Around 1457 posts were initially selected for analysis which was reduced to 1006 after removing duplicates and non-relevant posts, such as queries about the addresses of the doctors and other non-mental health-related issues. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted using an inductive approach. Result The 1006 posts generated four themes and nine sub-themes. All the women mentioned mental health symptoms (n = 1006; 100%). Most also mentioned reasons for seeking mental healthcare (n = 818; 81.31%), healthcare-seeking behavior (n = 667; 66.30%), and barriers to seeking mental healthcare (n = 552; 54.87%). The majority of women described symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety-like symptoms, which were aggregated under common mental health conditions. Mental health symptoms were ascribed to various external influences, including marital relationship, intrafamilial abuse, and insecurities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A large proportion of posts were related to women seeking information about mental healthcare services and service providers (psychologists or psychiatrists). The analysis found that most women did not obtain mental healthcare services despite their externalized mental health symptoms. The posts identified clear barriers to women accessing mental health services, including low mental health literacy, the stigma associated with mental healthcare-seeking behavior, and the poor availability of mental health care services. Conclusion The study revealed that raising mass awareness and designing culturally acceptable evidence-based interventions with multisectoral collaborations are crucial to ensuring better mental healthcare coverage for women in Bangladesh.

Hemoglobin, the protein that gives blood its bright red color, has always been an essential part of diagnosing if any anomaly regarding blood can be found in the human body. The lack of hemoglobin in the blood can cause many diseases like hemophilia, skin irritation, nervousness, etc. And the brightness of the red color of the blood can be reduced. This research aims to develop an advanced non-invasive method to determine hemoglobin utilizing infrared light. The emitted infrared light is reflected from the surface of printed different shades of red color (Different red pixel values) papers. The infrared detector detects the reflected light. These colored paper surfaces were used as phantoms to represent the color of blood capillaries in the inner lower eyelid. Different light intensities were reflected and produced various voltage fluctuations in the infrared detector, which was observed through an oscilloscope. The measured voltage shows a linear nature. With the increase in pixel values, the amplitude voltage also increases, which helps us easily find out the level of hemoglobin using the range of voltage. The obtained result successfully helps us find out the range of hemoglobin counts. The World Health Organization's (WHO's) hemoglobin color scale can be used to evaluate hemoglobin measurement. This approach can assess the proportion of hemoglobin in the inner lower eyelid. The preliminary results hold high potential in measuring hemoglobin non-invasively and require further in-depth study for the clinical trial.

The Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is one of the human coronaviruses that causes severe respiratory infection. Bats are considered to be the natural reservoir, where dromedary camels (DC) are the intermediate hosts of the virus. The current study was undertaken to provide an update on global distribution of the virus in camels, and to investigate the pooled prevalence and camel-associated risk factors of infection. After registration of the review protocol in the Open Science Framework, data searches were conducted on 18 April 2023 through Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Considering only natural MERS-CoV infection in camels, 94 articles were selected for data curation through blind screening by two authors. Meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence and to evaluate camel-associated risk factors. Finally, the results were presented in forest plots. The reviewed articles tested 34 countries, of which camels of 24 countries were seropositive and in 15 countries they were positive by molecular method. Viral RNA was detected in DC. Non-DC, such as bactrian camels, alpaca, llama, and hybrid camels were only seropositive. The global estimated pooled seroprevalence and viral RNA prevalence in DC were 77.53% and 23.63%, respectively, with the highest prevalence in West Asia (86.04% and 32.37% respectively). In addition, 41.08% of non-DC were seropositive. The estimated pooled prevalence of MERS-CoV RNA significantly varied by sample types with the highest in oral (45.01%) and lowest in rectal (8.42%) samples; the estimated pooled prevalence in nasal (23.10%) and milk (21.21%) samples were comparable. The estimated pooled seroprevalence in 5 years age groups were 56.32%, 75.31%, and 86.31%, respectively, while viral RNA prevalence was 33.40%, 15.87%, and 13.74%, respectively. Seroprevalence and viral RNA prevalence were generally higher in females (75.28% and 19.70%, respectively) than in males (69.53% and 18.99%, respectively). Local camels had lower estimated pooled seroprevalence (63.34%) and viral RNA prevalence (17.78%) than those of imported camels (89.17% and 29.41%, respectively). The estimated pooled seroprevalence was higher in camels of free-herds (71.70%) than confined herds (47.77%). Furthermore, estimated pooled seroprevalence was higher in samples from livestock markets, followed by abattoirs, quarantine, and farms but viral RNA prevalence was the highest in samples from abattoirs, followed by livestock markets, quarantine, and farms. Risk factors, such as sample type, young age, female sex, imported camels, and camel management must be considered to control and prevent the spread and emergence of MERS-CoV.

Abstract Background Little is known about parental coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). This survey estimated the prevalence and predictive factors of vaccine hesitancy among parents of children with NDD. Methods A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 10 to 31, 2021. A structured vaccine hesitancy questionnaire was used to collect data from parents aged ≥ 18 years with children with NDD. In addition, individual face-to-face interviews were conducted at randomly selected places throughout Bangladesh. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Results A total of 396 parents participated in the study. Of these, 169 (42.7%) parents were hesitant to vaccinate their children. Higher odds of vaccine hesitancy were found among parents who lived in the northern zone (AOR = 17.15, 95% CI = 5.86–50.09; p

Hydrogen is a possible alternative to fossil fuels in achieving a sustainable energy future. Unlike other, older energy sources, the suitability of materials for storing, distributing, and sealing systems in a hydrogen environment has not been comprehensively studied. Aging, the extended exposure of a material to an environmental condition, with hydrogen causes degradation and damage to materials that differ from other technologies. Improved understanding of the physical and chemical mechanisms of degradation due to a gaseous hydrogen atmosphere allows us to better select and develop materials that are best suited to carrier and sealing applications. Damage to materials from aging is inevitable with exposure to high-pressure hydrogen. This review discusses the specific mechanisms of different categories of aging of storage and sealing materials in a hydrogen environment. Additionally, this article discusses different laboratory test methods to simulate each type of aging. It covers the limitations of current research in determining material integrity through existing techniques for aging experiments and explores the latest developments in the field. Important improvements are also suggested in terms of material development and testing procedures.

Objective: The prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) and insomnia among the student cohort was high. The COVID-19 pandemic adversely influenced both critical emerging public health concerns. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of IA and insomnia and assess the relationship among the problems at the crucial time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A pilot survey was conducted among undergraduate students of an educational institute by inviting participants to use an electronically randomly selected e-mail address provided by the affiliated institute. Descriptive analysis was conducted to identify the student subgroups with a higher prevalence of insomnia; however, a multiple regression analysis was employed to identify the predictors of insomnia. Results: Insomnia and IA prevalence was 49.4% and 81.7%, respectively. Age group, gender, relationship status, family income, family type, living location, tobacco use, and exercise habits and physical illness history were associated with insomnia. However, regression analysis suggested that maintaining a relationship, being physically ill in the last year, and IA could predict insomnia independently. Conclusion: Institutional initiatives are recommended to reduce the high burden of insomnia and IA. A large sample size cross-sectional and longitudinal study is warranted to generalize these findings and determine the in-depth relationship between IA and insomnia.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the surgical practice throughout the world, including elective surgical care. This study investigated the characteristics of patients undergoing elective surgery, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection, the surgical procedures performed, and 30-day mortality in general and pediatric surgical settings in selected tertiary-level hospitals in Bangladesh from November 2020 to August 2021.MethodsThis serial cross-sectional study included 264 patients scheduled for elective surgeries during the study period. All patients underwent COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing within 24 hours before surgery. Data on age, sex, common comorbidities, surgical procedures, and 30-day mortality were collected and analyzed. Furthermore, comparisons were made between COVID-19 positive and negative patients.ResultsThe prevalence of COVID-19 infection among patients was 10.6%. Older age, a history of major surgery within the last three months, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with COVID-19 infection. All COVID-19-negative patients underwent surgery, while only 46.4% of COVID-19-positive patients underwent surgery. The most common surgical procedures were related to the digestive system, breast, and urinary system. Only one patient (0.4%) died within 30 days after surgery among the COVID-19-negative patients, whereas two patients (7.1%) died among the COVID-19-positive patients: one before surgery and one after surgery.ConclusionsThis study provides valuable insights into the characteristics, burden of COVID-19 infection, and 30-day mortality of patients undergoing elective surgery in tertiary care centers in Bangladesh during the pandemic.

This theoretical paper aims to explore the concept of the humanistic approach in the field of teacher education. Humanistic education is concerned with the study of learners’ emotions, knowledge, and experiences involved in their learning process. According to this approach, students should be viewed as “humans,” not as “machines” as they are the most crucial part of the education system. The curriculum and syllabus should focus on the students’ interests, needs, and overall learning circumstances. In humanistic teaching, students are perceived as active beings, not “robots” who are supposed to follow the teacher’s orders without any justification or challenge. Teachers’ roles in humanistic education are to cater support to the students considering several learner factors and guiding them to reach the highest point of autonomous learning. Therefore, the humanistic approach needs to be adapted in the academic field for ensuring practical learning and mutual respect between teachers and students. The paper is organized into three sections. First, it explores the origin and evolution of the humanistic movement in education. Secondly, a detailed account of the basic principles and teacher roles in humanistic education is provided. Finally, the paper discusses its implications in ELT and existing complications regarding this approach.

With the increase of density and complexity of high performance integrated circuits and systems, including many-core chips and system-on-chip (SoC), it is becoming difficult to meet the power delivery and regulation requirements with off-chip regulators. The off-chip regulators become a less attractive choice because of the higher overheads and complexity imposed by the additional wires, pins, and pads. The increased I2R loss makes it challenging to maintain the integrity of different voltage domains under a lower supply voltage environment in the smaller technology nodes. Fully integrated on-chip voltage regulators have proven to be an effective solution to mitigate power delivery and integrity issues. Recently, there has been a surge of interest among the academic and industrial research communities to explore and design different types of on-chip voltage regulators. This survey presents a brief overview of the on-chip power delivery system and the classification and working principles of on-chip voltage regulators. The main focus of this review paper is to provide a comprehensive study of two of the most promising on-chip voltage regulators - (i) the low-drop-out (LDO) regulator and (ii) the switched-capacitor (SC) regulator. This article elaborates on the design specifications, optimization techniques, advantages, and limitations of LDO and SC type on-chip voltage regulators.

Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of two antioxidants, namely coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and silymarin, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress and hepatic damage in ovariectomized rats. Female Long Evans rats were divided into six groups (n = 6): control, CCl4, CCl4 + CoQ10 (200 mg/kg), CCl4 + silymarin (140 mg/kg), Control + CoQ10, and Control + silymarin. Plasma and tissues from liver and kidney were analyzed for oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities using biochemical assays. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrosis were assessed by histological staining of tissue sections. Both CoQ10 and silymarin significantly lowered serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels that were detected to be higher in CCl4 rats compared to controls. Significant reduction in CCl4-induced elevated levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and advanced protein oxidation product (APOP) was observed with both antioxidants. However, in control rats, CoQ10 and silymarin did not produce a significant effect. Histological analysis revealed that CCl4 markedly increased the level of inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues, but this was significantly reduced in CCl4 + CoQ10 and CCl4 + silymarin groups. Taken together, our results suggest that CoQ10 and silymarin can protect the liver against oxidative damage through improved antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation. Thus, supplementation of the aforementioned antioxidants may be useful as a therapeutic intervention to protect liver health in chronic liver diseases.

Abstract Background Panch phoron is a mixture of five spices containing an equal proportion of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn (fenugreek), Nigella sativa (black cumin), Cuminum cyminum (cumin) and Brassica nigra (black mustard). The mixture is commonly used in Bangladeshi cuisine and possesses many pharmacological effects. In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous panch phoron extract (PPE) in vivo, its possible mechanism of action and phytochemical analysis by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We also investigated the effect of PPE on postoperative pain in mice. Methods HPLC was carried out using LC-20A Modular HPLC system to identify the bioactive compounds present in PPE. Five groups of Swiss albino male mice (n = 6 per group) were orally treated with 10 ml/kg of distilled water or 10 mg/kg of sodium diclofenac or three doses of PPE (100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg). In vivo assessment was carried out by the writhing test, tail-flick test, formalin test, and carrageenan induced paw edema test. The opioid antagonist, naloxone was used in the acetic acid test to evaluate the involvement of opioid receptors. To assess the effect of PPE in postoperative pain, mice that underwent sciatic nerve surgery were measured for the paw withdrawal latency in a hot water bath. Results In HPLC analysis, different types of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, including catechin hydrate, para-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, and syringic acid were detected. Treatment with PPE exhibited dose-dependent antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in pain models (p

Multiple valued logic (MVL) can represent an exponentially higher number of data/information compared to the binary logic for the same number of logic bits. Compared to the conventional and other emerging device technologies, Graphene Nano Ribbon Field Effect Transistor (GNRFET) appears to be very promising for designing MVL logic gates and arithmetic circuits due to some exceptional electrical properties of the GNRFET, e.g., the ability to control the threshold voltage by changing the width of the GNR. Variation of the threshold voltage is one of the prescribed techniques to achieve multiple voltage levels to implement the MVL circuit. This paper introduces a design approach for ternary logic gates and circuits using MOS-type GNRFET. The designs of basic ternary logic gates like inverters, NAND, NOR, and ternary arithmetic circuits like the ternary decoder, 3:1 multiplexer, and ternary half-adder are demonstrated using GNRFET. A comparative analysis of the GNRFET based ternary logic gates and circuits and those based on the conventional CMOS and CNTFET technologies is performed using delay, total power, and power-delay-product (PDP) as the metrics. The simulation and analysis are performed using the H-SPICE tool with a GNRFET model available on the Nanohub website.

The exigency of humans is boosting the necessity of Smart Textiles in this modern era. A decade ago, envisioning sophisticated outerwear with several uses were considered a challenge. This study aims to a jacket with 15 features; divided into 7 groups, including defense, sports, health, medical, women, and children safety mechanisms, 4 out of these 15 functions can be controlled by an Android app, “Smart Jacket BUFT”. To avoid nonrenewable energy sources, solar power and energy harvesting technology to produce electricity from body heat and foot-powered energy were used, Smart jacket has embedded circuits and sensors alone with AD8232, MAX30100, NEO6m GPS, and ESP32 microcontrollers & voice and app-control. It is hopping that; his initial stage of growth and improvement will pave the way for subsequent activities.

Skin wrinkles are an inevitable phenomenon that is brought about by aging due to the degradation of scleroprotein fibers and significant collagen reduction, which is the fundamental basis of anti-wrinkle technology in use today. Conventional treatments such as lasering and Botulinum toxin have some drawbacks including allergic skin reactions, cumbersome treatment procedures, and inefficient penetration of the anti-wrinkle products into the skin due to the high resistance of stratum corneum. Bearing this in mind, the cosmetic industry has exploited the patient-compliant technology of microneedles (MNs) to treat skin wrinkles, developing several products based on solid and dissolvable MNs incorporated with antiwrinkle formulations. However, drug administration via these MNs is limited by the high molecular weight of the drugs. Hollow MNs (HMNs) can deliver a wider array of active agents, but that is a relatively unexplored area in the context of antiwrinkle technology. To address this gap, we discuss the possibility of bioinspired 3D printed HMNs in treating skin wrinkles in this paper. We compare the previous and current anti-wrinkling treatment options, as well as the techniques and challenges involved with its manufacture and commercialization.

An effective leader follows a style that helps maintain good relations with his staff. A school leader should use a style best suited to his teachers’ behavior. This research investigates the association between four leadership styles (instructional, democratic, transformational, and laissez-faire) and teachers’ behavior in Malaysia. This study applied a quantitative research method using a survey technique by administering questionnaires. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Multiple regression and ANOVA were used to study the strength of the relationship between variables. The research found average care of the principals towards teachers’ emotional behavior. Democratic leadership style showed significant relationships that explain 28.5% of the variation in the emotional behavior of the teachers. Leaders with a democratic leadership style were more aware of and responded positively to teachers’ psychometric behavior. School principals with transformational leadership styles responded positively to teachers’ pro-social behavior, although the relationship was weak. These results indicate that a democratic leadership style addresses the issues of teachers’ emotional behavior, while instructional leadership, which is the most perceived leadership style, does not. The result of this study can guide Malaysian school principals in choosing the appropriate leadership style best suited to teachers’ behavior.

Understanding cell differentiation-the process of generation of distinct cell-types-plays a pivotal role in developmental and evolutionary biology. Transcriptomic information and epigenetic marks are useful to elucidate hierarchical developmental relationships among cell-types. Standard phylogenetic approaches such as maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and neighbor joining have previously been applied to ChIP-Seq histone modification data to infer cell-type trees, showing how diverse types of cells are related. In this study, we demonstrate the applicability and suitability of quartet-based phylogenetic tree estimation techniques for constructing cell-type trees. We propose two quartet-based pipelines for constructing cell phylogeny. Our methods were assessed for their validity in inferring hierarchical differentiation processes of various cell-types in H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K36me3, and H3K27ac histone mark data. We also propose a robust metric for evaluating cell-type trees.

The main protease of SARS-CoV-2 is a promising drug target due to its functional role as a catalytic dyad in mediating proteolysis during the viral life cycle. In this study, experimentally proven 14 HIV protease peptides were screened against the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. Fourteen middle and high school "student researchers" were trained on relevant computational tools, provided with necessary biological and chemical background and scientific article writing. They performed the primary screening via molecular docking and the best performing complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular docking revealed that HIP82 and HIP1079 can bind with the catalytic residues, however after molecular dynamics simulation only HIP1079 retained its interaction with the catalytic sites. The student researchers were also trained to write scientific article and were involved with drafting of the manuscript. This project provided the student researchers an insight into multi-disciplinary research in biology and chemistry, inspired them about practical approaches of computational chemistry in solving a real-world problem like a global pandemic. This project also serves as an example to introduce scientific inquiry, research methodology, critical thinking, scientific writing, and communication for high school students.

Simple Summary: This study measures the activity of an enzyme called Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) in dogs. This enzyme is produced by the liver and may decrease its activity during systemic inflammation. The goal was to observe how PON-1 levels change in dogs with suspected liver diseases. One hundred sixty dogs were enrolled and divided into three groups based on their health status: healthy controls (20 dogs), suspected liver injury (114 dogs), and suspected liver failure (26 dogs). The PON-1 levels in their blood were measured using a specific method. There was no difference in PON-1 levels between the control and suspected liver injury groups. However, the dogs with high serum levels (up to nine times the upper reference limit) of a liver enzyme called alanine aminotransferase, which increases after liver damage, also had higher PON-1 levels. The dogs with jaundice had lower PON-1 levels, while those with fatty blood had higher levels. The dogs in the suspected liver failure group had significantly lower PON-1 levels compared to those in the other groups. The results show that we should be careful when interpreting PON-1 levels in dogs with possible liver issues. Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), a liver-synthesized enzyme, acts as a negative acute-phase reactant during systemic inflammation in dogs. Given the hepatic synthesis of this enzyme, the presence of liver diseases may influence PON-1, thus affecting its reliability as a biomarker for inflammatory/oxidative systemic diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate PON-1 activity variations among dogs suspected of liver injury or failure, evaluating the influence of hepatic diseases on PON-1 activity. A total of one-hundred-sixty dogs were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into three groups based on clinical presentation and laboratory results: control (C = 20), suspected liver injury (INJ = 114), and suspected liver failure (FAIL = 26). The INJ group was further divided into subgroups based on the severity of the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increase. Both the INJ and FAIL groups were further divided based on serum macroscopic appearance. The PON-1 activity was quantified using a paraoxon-based method, which is already validated in dogs. No significant difference in PON-1 activity was observed between the C and INJ groups, despite a significant increase in the subgroups with moderate and severe elevations of ALT. The dogs with icteric serum exhibited decreased PON-1 activity, while lipemic serum was associated with an increased PON-1 activity. A significant reduction in PON-1 activity was noted in the FAIL group, compared to both C and INJ groups (p < 0.0001), regardless of serum appearance. Given the retrospective nature of this study, additional evaluations (e.g., histopathology, imaging) were not performed. The results obtained here suggest the importance of interpreting PON-1 activity cautiously in dogs with suspected liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depletion in non-renewable energy sources and a fast-growing population in Bangladesh are exacerbating the already existing energy scarcity, highlighting the need for an efficient and robust renewable-energy supply chain. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the most optimized renewable-energy supply chain based on natural resource availability and government policies of Bangladesh. In the present study, four renewable energy resources, including solar, biomass, wind and hydropower, are studied and nine subcriteria are defined under four primary criteria for each supply chain. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) are multicriteria decision-making approaches used in this study to compare and choose the best renewable-energy supply chain. The relative significance of four supply-chain criteria for primary renewable energy in this study, namely energy procurement, production, operations and maintenance costs, and social and environmental impact, is gathered via a survey. The results of this research, supported by a comprehensive sensitivity analysis, indicate that hydropower is the best renewable-energy supply chain, followed by wind as a compromise solution, biomass and solar. The study also demonstrates that no energy source can satisfy all supply-chain criteria alone; each resource is better for a specific criterion—solar is better for procurement, hydropower is significant for production and wind is remarkable for operations and social impact. Therefore, to maximize output, renewable energy sources must be integrated. From Bangladesh's perspective, for the first time, by using TOPSIS and VIKOR together, this study offers significant insights to establish an efficient and sustainable renewable-energy supply chain for practitioners, academics and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is a possible alternative to fossil fuels in achieving a sustainable energy future. Unlike other, older energy sources, the suitability of materials for storing, distributing, and sealing systems in a hydrogen environment has not been comprehensively studied. Aging, the extended exposure of a material to an environmental condition, with hydrogen causes degradation and damage to materials that differ from other technologies. Improved understanding of the physical and chemical mechanisms of degradation due to a gaseous hydrogen atmosphere allows us to better select and develop materials that are best suited to carrier and sealing applications. Damage to materials from aging is inevitable with exposure to high-pressure hydrogen. This review discusses the specific mechanisms of different categories of aging of storage and sealing materials in a hydrogen environment. Additionally, this article discusses different laboratory test methods to simulate each type of aging. It covers the limitations of current research in determining material integrity through existing techniques for aging experiments and explores the latest developments in the field. Important improvements are also suggested in terms of material development and testing procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin wrinkles are an inevitable phenomenon that is brought about by aging due to the degradation of scleroprotein fibers and significant collagen reduction, which is the fundamental basis of anti-wrinkle technology in use today. Conventional treatments such as lasering and Botulinum toxin have some drawbacks including allergic skin reactions, cumbersome treatment procedures, and inefficient penetration of the anti-wrinkle products into the skin due to the high resistance of stratum corneum. Bearing this in mind, the cosmetic industry has exploited the patient-compliant technology of microneedles (MNs) to treat skin wrinkles, developing several products based on solid and dissolvable MNs incorporated with antiwrinkle formulations. However, drug administration via these MNs is limited by the high molecular weight of the drugs. Hollow MNs (HMNs) can deliver a wider array of active agents, but that is a relatively unexplored area in the context of antiwrinkle technology. To address this gap, we discuss the possibility of bioinspired 3D printed HMNs in treating skin wrinkles in this paper. We compare the previous and current anti-wrinkling treatment options, as well as the techniques and challenges involved with its manufacture and commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective leader follows a style that helps maintain good relations with his staff. A school leader should use a style best suited to his teachers' behavior. This research investigates the association between four leadership styles (instructional, democratic, transformational, and laissez-faire) and teachers' behavior in Malaysia. This study applied a quantitative research method using a survey technique by administering questionnaires. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Multiple regression and ANOVA were used to study the strength of the relationship between variables. The research found average care of the principals towards teachers' emotional behavior. Democratic leadership style showed significant relationships that explain 28.5% of the variation in the emotional behavior of the teachers. Leaders with a democratic leadership style were more aware of and responded positively to teachers' psychometric behavior. School principals with transformational leadership styles responded positively to teachers' pro-social behavior, although the relationship was weak. These results indicate that a democratic leadership style addresses the issues of teachers' emotional behavior, while instructional leadership, which is the most perceived leadership style, does not. The result of this study can guide Malaysian school principals in choosing the appropriate leadership style best suited to teachers' behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computing technologies are currently based on the binary logic/number system, which is dependent on the simple on and off switching mechanism of the prevailing transistors. With the exponential increase of data processing and storage needs, there is a strong push to move to a higher radix logic/number system that can eradicate or lessen many limitations of the binary system. Anticipated saturation of Moore’s law and the necessity to increase information density and processing speed in the future micro and nanoelectronic circuits and systems provide a strong background and motivation for the beyond-binary logic system. In this review article, different technologies for Multiple-valued-Logic (MVL) devices and the associated prospects and constraints are discussed. The feasibility of the MVL system in real-world applications rests on resolving two major challenges: (i) development of an efficient mathematical approach to implement the MVL logic using available technologies, and (ii) availability of effective synthesis techniques. This review of different technologies for the MVL system is intended to perform a comprehensive investigation of various MVL technologies and a comparative analysis of the feasible approaches to implement MVL devices, especially ternary logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease that poses major public health risks. Fewer studies link high CRP and D-dimer levels to severe COVID-19 infection. Therefore, this study investigates the association of serum CRP and D-dimer concentration with COVID-19 severity in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Relevant published articles were identified using electronic search engines, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer, Science Direct, and Researchgate. A total of 29 articles reporting on 15,282 patients (4,733 diabetes and 10,549 non-diabetes) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. RevMan V5.4, STATA V14 software, and SPSS V25 were used for the meta-analysis. Egger's regression and Begg-Mazumdar's test were used for assessing publication bias. The pooled result of all studies revealed that serum CRP (Standard mean difference (SMD) 0.41 mg/L; P < 0.0001; I2 93%) and D-dimer (SMD 0.32 mg/L; P < 0.0001; I2 83%) concentration was significantly higher in COVID-19 diabetic patients. The prevalence of COVID-19 infection was comparatively higher in male diabetic patients (OR 2.41; P < 0.00001; I2 88%). There was no publication bias. CRP and D-dimer rose with age in COVID-19 diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Overall, the serum CRP and D-dimer concentration in COVID-19 diabetic patients was significantly higher than non-diabetic patients indicating severe illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of two antioxidants, namely coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and silymarin, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress and hepatic damage in ovariectomized rats. Female Long Evans rats were divided into six groups (n = 6): control, CCl4, CCl4 + CoQ10 (200 mg/kg), CCl4 + silymarin (140 mg/kg), Control + CoQ10, and Control + silymarin. Plasma and tissues from liver and kidney were analyzed for oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities using biochemical assays. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrosis were assessed by histological staining of tissue sections. Both CoQ10 and silymarin significantly lowered serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels that were detected to be higher in CCl4 rats compared to controls. Significant reduction in CCl4-induced elevated levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and advanced protein oxidation product (APOP) was observed with both antioxidants. However, in control rats, CoQ10 and silymarin did not produce a significant effect. Histological analysis revealed that CCl4 markedly increased the level of inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues, but this was significantly reduced in CCl4 + CoQ10 and CCl4 + silymarin groups. Taken together, our results suggest that CoQ10 and silymarin can protect the liver against oxidative damage through improved antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation. Thus, supplementation of the aforementioned antioxidants may be useful as a therapeutic intervention to protect liver health in chronic liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with hearing and speaking impairment communicate using sign language. The movement of hand, body and expressions of face are the means by which the people, who are unable to hear and speak, can communicate. Bangla sign alphabets are formed with one or two hand movements. There are some features which differentiates the signs. To detect and recognize the signs, analyzing its shape and comparing its features is necessary. This paper aims to propose a model and build a computer systemthat can recognize Bangla Sign Lanugage alphabets and translate them to corresponding Bangla letters by means of deep convolutional neural network (CNN). CNN has been introduced in this model in form of a pre-trained model called "MobileNet" which produced an average accuracy of 95.71% in recognizing 36 Bangla Sign Language alphabets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pet cat population are gradually increasing in Bangladesh as well as simultaneously increasing the high rising syndrome that is the major cause of multiple fractures in cat. There are various external and internal techniques applied for different fracture management in cats all over the world. The present case study evaluates the successful surgical management of unilateral diaphyseal femoral and tibial fracture in a cat. Approximate 1 year old female 2.5 kg body weight local rescued cat was brought to Teaching Veterinary Hospital (TVH) with the history of trauma in left hind limb of unknown cause. Clinical and radiological investigation confirmed that the cat was suffered from unilateral left proximal diaphyseal overriding oblique femur fracture and distal diaphyseal overriding transverse tibial fracture. Both fractures were closed. Neurological examination shown positive conscious propioception (CP) and deep pain reflex. On the basis of clinical condition of cat and fracture patient assessment score (FPAS), surgeon decided to orthopaedic surgery (intramedullary pinning) for correction of fractures. The patient was prepared aseptically and surgery was performed as standard surgical procedure with proper anaesthetic protocol. In case femur fracture correction, retrograde intramedullary pinning (IMP) was performed with 2.0mm K-wire and one full cerclage wire with 22 gauze stainless steel orthopaedic wire and in tibial fracture correction, same technique was done with 1.6 mm K-wire. Postoperatively patient was checked at different interval and parameters were studied as lameness grade, functional limb outcome and fracture healing. Mild weight bearing, implant in position and fracture gap were noticed at 16th post operative day. Full weight bearing, functional limb outcome, bone healing and femoral pin migration were observed at 42th postoperative day. Both pin were removed at same day. The cat maintained a joyful life and owner was very happy. The present case study concluded that the retrograde IMP by K-wire can be used effectively for femur and tibial fracture management in cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fibers are recently gaining interest in the scientific community for their beneficial role in various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Rice bran is an important source of food fibers. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of polyphenolic compounds in rice bran of Aush Dhan and determine the in vitro antioxidant activities in different extracts such as ethanol, ethylacetate and toluene extracts. Various antioxidant assays, including DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, hydrogen peroxide, reducing power, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content, were studied. Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds. The extracts showed effective DPPH free radical, hydrogen peroxide radical and nitric oxide scavenging activities. However, reducing power was not significant compared with the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. Phytochemical analysis shows that rice bran contains reducing sugar, flavonoids and tannins. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector ( HPLC- DAD) analysis showed that rice bran contains high amount of rutin hydrate along with epicatechin, which are strong natural antioxidants. These results suggest that rice bran contains high amount of antioxidants, which may be used as a source of polyphenolic compounds and can be used to treat chronic disease. Practical Applications Rice bran is produced every year in an enormous amount in Bangladesh as it is one of the largest producers of rice in the world. Rice bran is used in poultry and cattle farm as animal feed. Recently, it is also used to produce cooking oil and serves as an important ingredient in traditional medicine system in Bangladesh. The assessment of the antioxidant properties, phenolic content and composition of rice bran obtained from Aus Dhan ( O ryza sativa) may give insight into their applications in functional foods and nutraceutical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the phytochemical constituents, in vivo antioxidant and renoprotective activities of guava leaf powder in the fludrocortisone acetate (FCA)‐ and salt‐induced experimental animal model. High‐performance liquid chromatography‐diode array detection analysis of guava leaf extract showed the presence of antioxidants such as gallic acid, (+)‐catechin, (–)‐epicatechin, and ellagic acid. FCA administration in rats increased oxidative stress parameters such as malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and advanced protein oxidation product in plasma, heart, and kidney tissues compared to the control rats. These oxidative stress markers were significantly reduced by guava leaf powder supplementation. Guava leaf powder supplementation also ameliorated increased creatinine and uric acid concentrations in plasma of FCA‐administered rats. Antioxidant enzyme levels were also significantly improved by guava leaf powder supplementation. Our investigation suggests that the presence of phenolic compounds in the Psidium guajava leaves is responsible for the antioxidant and renoprotective activities. Practical applications: Guava leaves possess high amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidants, like guava fruits. In some society, guava leaves are used as alternative to tea drinks and as folkloric medicine. Our investigation showed potential evidences about the renoprotective activity of guava leaves powder supplementation. This result will allow the farmers and food technologists to develop new value‐added product based on guava leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), a liver-synthesized enzyme, acts as a negative acute-phase reactant during systemic inflammation in dogs. Given the hepatic synthesis of this enzyme, the presence of liver diseases may influence PON-1, thus affecting its reliability as a biomarker for inflammatory/oxidative systemic diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate PON-1 activity variations among dogs suspected of liver injury or failure, evaluating the influence of hepatic diseases on PON-1 activity. A total of one-hundred-sixty dogs were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into three groups based on clinical presentation and laboratory results: control (C = 20), suspected liver injury (INJ = 114), and suspected liver failure (FAIL = 26). The INJ group was further divided into subgroups based on the severity of the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increase. Both the INJ and FAIL groups were further divided based on serum macroscopic appearance. The PON-1 activity was quantified using a paraoxon-based method, which is already validated in dogs. No significant difference in PON-1 activity was observed between the C and INJ groups, despite a significant increase in the subgroups with moderate and severe elevations of ALT. The dogs with icteric serum exhibited decreased PON-1 activity, while lipemic serum was associated with an increased PON-1 activity. A significant reduction in PON-1 activity was noted in the FAIL group, compared to both C and INJ groups (p < 0.0001), regardless of serum appearance. Given the retrospective nature of this study, additional evaluations (e.g., histopathology, imaging) were not performed. The results obtained here suggest the importance of interpreting PON-1 activity cautiously in dogs with suspected liver disease.

Background and Aim: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been announced as a life-threatening, highly transmissible infectious novel emerging disease worldwide. Rapid detection and epidemiological information are desperately needed to overcome the existing pandemic situation and alleviate national and international crises. Still, to date, there is no significant epidemiological study of COVID-19 available in Bangladesh, especially in the Chattogram division. However, the current study focuses on molecular detection, prevalence, and risk factors associated with COVID-19 in Southern Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: Standard diagnostic protocols through real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed for molecular confirmation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Different patient demographics were analyzed for exploring the relationship of four factors – region, sex, age, and symptoms with the accumulated number of COVID-19 cases in the Southern Bangladesh during the period of May 13, 2020, to June 12, 2020. Results: A total of 2954 samples were tested where the cumulative prevalence of circulating SARS-CoV-2 was 29.76% (n=879; 95% CI: 28.11-31.44) in the selected study region. Among the risk factors, the present study revealed that flatland people (35.62%, 95% CI 33.61-37.67, OR=3.13) were more vulnerable to getting infected by SARS-CoV-2 than the people living in hill tracts (13.04%, 95% CI 10.73-15.63). People older than 50 years (34.68%, 95% CI 30.38-39.18) were designated the highest risk than other different age groups. A higher number of COVID-19 cases were confirmed in patients (36.0%, 95% CI 33.77-38.29, OR=1.76) with typical symptoms, but interestingly a significant number of asymptomatic carriers (20.39%, 95% CI 18.13-22.80) also positive for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report in the Southern Bangladesh for COVID- 19. The study's findings will contribute to health professionals and the policy-makers to take preventive measures against the next outbreak emergency for Bangladesh.

Polarization beam splitters are pivotal in manipulating polarized light within photonic integrated circuits for various optical applications. This study introduces a single-mode polarization beam splitter comprising three waveguides realized with polymer materials. The device optimization process employed the beam propagation method, explicitly using the RSoft CAD BeamProp solver. Our proposed beam splitter performs exceptionally well with 99% complete and null light transmission efficiency. In particular, it demonstrates minimal insertion loss (0.04 dB for complete transmission and 0.07 dB for null transmission) and low coupling loss (0.03 dB and 0.04 dB for complete transmission, 21.9 dB and 36.3 dB for null transmission from input to bridge and bridge to output waveguides, respectively). Additionally, the beam splitter showcases significantly reduced crosstalk: -27 d B and -26.98 d B for TE modes during complete light transfer, and -36.28 d B and -33.61 d B for TM modes during null light transfer. These results underscore its potential for advancing integrated optical systems.